Perceptions of Individuals With Disabilities Enrolled in an Office Technology Program

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of individuals with disabilities who are receiving job training about their preparation, their experiences, their job-search strategies, and their job goals. Data gathering consisted of examining school records, classroom artifacts, and conducting in-person interviews and surveys of a convenience sample of three students. The investigator, a vocational training professional, gained valuable information about students’ views of their disabilities, self-efficacy, employment outlook, and hopes for the future. Based on the usefulness of the information collected, the researcher recommends that additional perception information should be gathered during training, before graduation, and the period following graduation until employment.