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Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision

Special Projects

Transition Research Grant: Project H.I.R.E.

Disability and Rehabilitation Research Project on VR: Transition Services that Lead to Competitive Employment Outcomes for Transition-Age Individuals with Blindness or Other Visual Impairments

Transition students

Although young adults who are blind or visually impaired have higher levels of education than their peers with other disabilities, they are less likely than their peers to be employed. Scientific research is needed to facilitate changes in educational and rehabilitation programs to improve employment and other postsecondary outcomes of transition-age individuals who are blind or visually impaired.

We received funding from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research to establish a Disability and Rehabilitation Research Project (DRRP) to conduct empirical research on transition services that lead to competitive employment outcomes for transition-age individuals with blindness or other visual impairments. Project HIRE (Hip, Independent and Ready for Employment) began in October of 2007 and will continue through September of 2010.

This DRRP is comprised of four major research projects:

  • Project 1 involves conducting an integrative (systematic) literature review to identify and synthesize research on services leading to successful employment and other postsecondary outcomes for blind youth. The review process is considered empirical research and will be approached with the scientific rigor used when conducting primary research.
  • Project 2 includes analysis of five national cross-sectional and longitudinal data sources to explore relationships between potential causes or influencing factors and positive transition outcomes of youth who are blind or visually impaired. Specialized approaches used in analysis of the longitudinal data sources will allow opportunity for causal inferences.
  • Project 3 uses qualitative and quantitative methods in the collection of data from a variety of sources (focus groups with rehabilitation professionals, teachers, post-secondary support service providers, SSA representatives, and others; interviews with consumers; VR case records). Factors that impact the employment status of transition-age youth will be identified.
  • Project 4 (Project HIRE) involves using knowledge gained from Projects 1, 2, and 3 to develop, conduct, and evaluate the effectiveness of two interventions—one targeting youth who are preparing to transition from high school to employment and the other targeting youth who are preparing to transition from college to employment.

The primary goals of this project include (a) increased knowledge about factors that influence successful transition outcomes, (b) development of a conceptual model, or theory, to explain and predict transition outcomes, and (c) improved outcomes for transition-age individuals with blindness or other visual impairments.