Purpose
The purpose of this project is to investigate employment outcomes beyond basic employment rates and to explore predictors of employment for people who are blind or have low vision (B/LV) using five large national datasets.
Research Questions
Our research team will examine a large number of research questions for this project. Here is a subset of these questions:
- What percentage of people who are B/LV are self-employed? How do earnings of self-employed people with B/LV compare to earnings of those who work for an employer?
- Does the education level of people who are B/LV match the education level for their job requirements? How does this compare to people without disabilities?
- What percentage of people who are B/LV and receive Social Security Disability Insurance work? How many hours do they work per week? What are their earnings?
- What percentage of people who are B/LV (a) worked continuously over a four-year period, (b) worked initially and then stopped, (c) worked on and off, or (d) did not ever work? How do the characteristics of these groups differ?
- What is the impact on employment of developing B/LV later in life?
- What factors predict whether employed people who develop B/LV retain employment?
- How do postschool employment outcomes for youth who are B/LV compare to outcomes for youth without disabilities?
- What factors predict postschool employment outcomes for youth and young adults who are B/LV?
Study Summary
Despite the availability of data about people with B/LV in large national datasets, few researchers have used these resources to explore employment-related topics. Employment rates for people with B/LV are readily available, but details about their employment status are not. Furthermore, the data used in many studies on predictors of employment for people who are B/LV have become dated.
For this project, we will use five national datasets: (1) the American Community Survey, (2) Survey of Income and Program Participation, (3) National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012, (4) National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997, and (5) Health and Retirement Study. We will explore various facets of employment for people who are B/LV, including job quality, underemployment, earnings, self-employment, and continuity of employment. We will also conduct analyses to obtain updated information about facilitators of and barriers to employment for youth and adults with B/LV.
Expected Outcomes and Benefits
This project will substantially add to current knowledge about employment for people who are B/LV. This new information can inform practices, policies, and programs to maximize employment outcomes and economic self-sufficiency for the B/LV population.
Project Outputs
Employment Statistics for Adults with VI Fact Sheet
Unemployment Rate for People with VI: Debunking the Myth Infographic
Unemployment Rate for People with VI: Debunking the Myth (Screen Reader Version)
McDonnall, M. C., & Cmar, J. L. (2024). Employment and retirement among workers who develop vision loss in midlife. WORK, 79(2), 819-830.
Cmar, J. L., & McDonnall, M. C. (2024). Group-based trajectory analysis of longitudinal employment patterns and predictors for adults with visual impairments. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 61(2), 143-156.
McDonnall, M. C., & Cmar, J. L. (2024). Underemployment among college graduates with blindness and low vision. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness. Advance online publication.
Cmar, J. L., McDonnall, M. C., & Mitchell, G. L. (2024). Predictors of job retention after onset of visual impairment in late middle age. Journal of Aging and Health. Advance online publication.
McDonnall, M. C., Cmar, J. L., & McKnight, Z. S. (2023). College degree majors and associated earnings: Are there differences between people with visual impairments and the general population? Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 59(3), 263–272.
McDonnall, M. C., Cmar, J. L., & McKnight, Z. (2023). How degree major and demographic factors influence employment and earnings for college graduates with visual impairments. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 68(1), 13-24.
McDonnall, M. C., Cmar, J. L., & McKnight, Z. S. (2022). Beyond employment rates: Full-time vs. part-time employment for people with visual impairments. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 116(1), 7-13.
Full-time vs. part-time infographic
Full-time vs. part-time infographic (Screen Reader Version)
McDonnall, M. C., Cmar, J. L., & McKnight, Z. S. (2022). Beyond employment rates: Continuity of employment for people with visual impairments. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 116(2), 275-280.
Continuity of employment infographic
Continuity of employment infographic (Screen Reader Version)
McDonnall, M. C., Cmar, J. L., & McKnight, Z. S. (2022). Beyond employment rates: Social Security disability benefit receipt and work among people with visual impairments. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 116(3), 396-403.
SSDI Infographic (Screen Reader Version)
McDonnall, M. C., Cmar, J. L., & McKnight, Z. S. (2022). Beyond employment rates: Earnings of people with visual impairments. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 116(4), 526-532.
Earnings Infographic (Screen Reader Version)
McDonnall, M. C., Cmar, J. L., & McKnight, Z. S. (2022). Beyond employment rates: Self-employment and other categories of work among people with visual impairments. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 116(5), 729-735.
Self-Employment Infographic (Screen Reader Version)