Employment Outcomes Research 2020-2025

In 2020, the NRTC received funding from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) for an RRTC on Employment of People who are Blind or Have Low Vision (NIDILRR grant 90RTEM0007). The purpose of this RRTC is to generate new knowledge and provide training and technical assistance with the goal of improving employment outcomes for people who are blind or have low vision (B/LV).

Click on the title below to learn more about each project.

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Project 1: Access Technology in the Workplace

             

Learn More about Project 1: Access Technology in the Workplace

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Project 2: Virtual Training to Improve Job Interview Skills

   

Learn More about Project 2: Using a Virtual Training System to Improve Job Interview Skills for Youth and Young Adults who are Blind or Have Low Vision

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Project 3: Interactive Video for Employers

     

Learn More about Project 3: An Experiment to Evaluate the Ability of an Interactive Video to Educate and Change Attitudes about Employing People who are B/LV

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Project 4: Job Search Skills Training via Videoconference

Learn More about Project 4: Efficacy of Providing Job Search Skills Training to Adults with Blindness or Low Vision via Videoconference

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Project 5: Increasing Labor Force Participation

Learn More about Project 5: Increasing Labor Force Participation for People with Blindness or Low Vision

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Project 6: Exploration of National Datasets

Learn More about Project 6: Exploring Employment for People who are Blind or Have Low Vision Through Analysis of National Datasets

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Project 7: Online Job Application Accessibility

   

Learn More about Project 7: An Investigation of Online Job Application Accessibility and Usability

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Training and Technical Assistance

Our training and technical assistance activities allow NRTC researchers to share findings with a diverse audience.  

Learn More about Training and Technical Assistance Activities

Employment Outcomes Research 2015-2020

In 2015, the NRTC was funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) for an RRTC on Employment for Individuals with Blindness or Other Visual Impairments (NIDILRR grant 90RT5040-01-00). We began work on six research projects, training and technical assistance activities, and dissemination in October 2015. The NRTC continues this research under the 2015-2020 grant cycle. This research has resulted in dozens of outputs and products, including peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, an app, an intervention manual, policy and practice guides, and online courses.

Click below to learn more about each project and to view related outputs and products.

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Project 1: Development of an App to Help Parents and Youth Focus on Employment

Creation of an app to guide users through steps they can take to help youth who are B/LV or deaf-blind progress in education, independence, and…

Learn More about Project 1: Development of an App to Help Parents and Youth Focus on Employment

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Project 2: Summer Work Experience Plus

Examination of the impact of a job search skills training program on short-term and long-term outcomes for B/LV youth.    

Learn More about Project 2: Summer Work Experience Plus: Effectiveness of Adding a Guided Job Search Component to a Traditional Summer Work Experience on Future Employment Outcomes for Youth

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Project 3: An Experiment to Evaluate Employer Intervention Approaches

Evaluation of different approaches to a first meeting between a vocational rehabilitation representative and an employer.  

Learn More about Project 3: An Experiment to Evaluate Approaches to a First Meeting Between a VR Professional and an Employer

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Project 4: The Effectiveness of an Evidence-Based Approach to VR Counselor Training

Evaluation of a training aimed at helping vocational rehabilitation counselors work more effectively with businesses.  

Learn More about Project 4: The Effectiveness of an Evidence-Based Approach to Rehabilitation Counselor Training on Working with Businesses

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Project 5: Job Retention and Advancement

Exploration of factors that influence job retention and advancement for people who are B/LV.  

Learn More about Project 5: Job Retention and Advancement: A Mixed Methods Investigation

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Project 6: Exploration of Secondary Data

Generated new knowledge about youth and adults who are deaf-blind; persons with combined traumatic brain injury and B/LV; and the impacts on…

Learn More about Project 6: Exploration of Secondary Data to Increase our Knowledge about Subpopulations of Individuals who are Blind and Visually Impaired and WIOA Impacts

Article Summaries

These downloadable summaries of peer-reviewed publications from NRTC researchers explain research findings in everyday language. The summaries focus on a wide variety of topics and include practical takeaways so readers can easily find what they need.

NRTC Publications

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Explore and download peer-reviewed publications from NRTC researchers on a wide variety of blindness-related topics.

Browse Publications

Completed Research Activities

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Learn more about the NRTC’s research projects from years past, covering topics such as employment, transition, and aging.

Completed Research

Participate In Our Research

Sign up for our research-participant registry to learn how you can be a part of the NRTC’s current and future research projects.

Participant Registry