| The unemployment rate in the state of Mississippi is significantly higher among persons with sight problems than it is for persons without sight problems. Guided by systems theory, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore what vision-impaired persons may bring to an organization. To that end, 20 vision-impaired persons living in Mississippi participated in semi structured interviews where they shared their lived experiences of the phenomena. After analyzing the transcripts of participant interviews, several themes emerged including (a) the vocational rehabilitation program in Mississippi was insufficient, (b) that employers should be more open-minded in their consideration of hiring persons with vision impairments and (c) transportation is a consistent barrier that vision-impaired persons face when seeking active employment. Participants expressed their perceptions that they bring problem-solving skills, a high level of independence, and a strong sense of dedication to potential organizations. The findings may promote social change for vision-impaired persons and potential employers of vision-impaired persons by identifying barriers to employment and offering rationale supporting a diverse workforce to enhance business operations. The findings show that vision-impaired persons want the right to be respected as different, but the opportunity to work and be treated as equals. |
