Background Image Alternative Text: Sylvia Stinson-Perez sitting in a TV studio background in front of a camera.

Transitioning a Video Intervention to Real-World Settings: The Questions About Vision Loss Project

Purpose

This project has two primary purposes: (1) implement the interactive video Questions About Vision Loss (QAVL) in real-world settings to evaluate its effectiveness in improving knowledge about, attitudes toward, and intent to hire people who are blind or have low vision (B/LV), and (2) examine the challenges experienced in (a) implementing QAVL as an intervention in real-world settings and (b) facilitating adoption of QAVL as a training or educational resource in these settings.

Research Questions

  1. What are vocational rehabilitation (VR) agency staff’s opinions about the acceptability and feasibility of QAVL?
  2. What are VR business development staff’s experiences with utilizing QAVL?
  3. Does viewing QAVL improve attitudes toward, knowledge about, and intent to hire people who are B/LV?
  4. What are the key challenges to and facilitators of successfully encouraging the use of QAVL as a training or educational resource within:
    1. VR agencies
    2. Other organizations
    3. Companies?

Study Summary

Negative employer attitudes and lack of knowledge about disability remain major barriers to employment for people who are B/LV. Research clearly shows that employers need education about people with disabilities, and education can improve attitudes and hiring intent. Despite the need for and benefits of education, disability-related training is not widely implemented in companies.

QAVL is a potential solution to educating employers about people with B/LV. QAVL is an interactive video featuring 117 short video responses to 41 common questions about blindness and employment, all answered by people who are B/LV. It provides exposure to lived experiences and practical information about workplace accommodations and capabilities. Previous research demonstrated QAVL’s effectiveness in improving knowledge, attitudes, and intent to hire.

We will target QAVL implementation in real-world settings via three focus areas:

  1. VR Agencies: Partner with four VR agencies to integrate QAVL as a resource for staff training and employer engagement
  2. Other Organizations: Collaborate with national organizations that promote employment for people with disabilities (e.g., Disability:IN, Blind Institute of Technology) to share QAVL with their audiences
  3. Companies: Implement QAVL as a training for employees in at least one company and conduct a study with 200 hiring managers to evaluate QAVL’s effectiveness

Expected Outcomes and Benefits

This project will identify strategies for successfully implementing QAVL in real-world settings and provide evidence of its effectiveness. We will develop practical guidance for VR agencies and organizations on how to integrate QAVL into training and outreach, and offer companies a research-based, SHRM-approved training resource to improve disability inclusion and hiring practices. Additionally, we will generate knowledge translation products to help other organizations that want to implement an educational intervention in practice. Ultimately, the increased utilization of QAVL ensuing from this project will help reduce barriers to employment for people who are B/LV by increasing employers’ knowledge and addressing their misconceptions about this population.