Person With Disabilities Barriers From College At The...

Person with Disabilities: Barriers from College to the Workforce Janel Parker University of Saint Joseph Person with Disabilities: Barriers from College to the Workforce People with disabilities are constantly overcoming obstacles only to encounter more. According to the United Nations, â€Å"the term ‘persons with disabilities’ is used to apply to all persons with disabilities including those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various attitudinal and environmental barriers, hinders their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others† (United Nations, 2007). The prevalence of persons living with a disability nationwide is unknown, due to†¦show more content†¦This paper will examine the barriers that people with physical disabilities face from college to the workforce, with a special focus on people who are vision impaired. Defining Terms In the United States of America there are many terms and definitions used when referring to someone who has a documented vision impairment. The terms professionals use are blindness, legally blind, vision impaired, low vision or visual acuity. For the purpose of this research paper the terms that will be used are vision impairment or legally blind, which are interchangeable. Vision impairment will be defined using sec. 10-294a from Chapter 174 Education of The Blind (YEAR): (a) A person is legally blind if such person’s central visual acuity does not exceed 20/200 in the better eye with correcting lenses, or if such person’s visual acuity is greater than 20/200 but is accompanied by a limitation in the fields of vision such that the widest diameter of the visual field subtends an angle no greater than twenty degrees; (b) A person has impaired vision if such person’s central visual acuity does not exceed 20/70 in the better eye with correcting lenses (CHAPTER 174 EDUCATION OF THE BLIND, 2011). Literature Review In 1975, The Education for All Handicapped Children law was passed, which opened up the public doors for students with disabilities to attend public school, as well as be mainstreamed into the regular classrooms. In 1990, this law was changed to the