Someone emailed me this. I don't have more of a bibliographic citation, but thought it may be of interest. Regards, Jamal ---------- From the Boston Herald Everyone knows the feeling of satisfaction after putting in a full<day of work -- right? Then there's the reward of a paycheck,respect from colleagues, plus the professional interaction. Well, we'd like to think everyone has these opportunities. But in fact,@for most American's who have disabilities, that opportunity just doesn't exist. Even more staggering is that an estimated 74 percent<of Americans with a severe visual disability aren't employed (1991-1992 U.S. Census Bureau; ages 21-64). Most want to work, but@employers just won't hire them. After all, how could someone who?can't see anything be productive in a work environment? Even if they could do the job, who's got time in their busy day to show a co-worker who's blind where the bathroom is or help them maneuverA round the cafeteria? I do know the feeling because I experienced?it. In a former job of mine as supervisor in a customer service department, I ran around all day jumping from one task to another, barely finding the time to get my lunch down between meetings. If my 2 o'clock interview with a candidate for a customer service job walked into a room with sunglasses and a cane back then, I'd have been rather wary of whether that person could really meet the demands of the job. That was four years ago, before I took the job at The Carroll Center for the Blind as director of job placement. One Carroll Center client said it to me so eloquently: "It's very>important to have a job, not only because it makes life easier economically but also because so much of who you are is defined by what you do." Individuals who are legally blind have a choice. They=can sit at home and collect $633.74 per month in Supplemental Security Income from the government or they can go to work (if they can get a job) and replace some or all of that financial support with a paycheck from their employer. But more times than not, that>decision is made for them by an employer who passes over their resume out of fear. Of all the disabilities, the general public has?the hardest time understanding how a person who is blind can beAproductive in a work environment. By the way, being legally blind doesn't necessarily mean that you can't see. For example, many;legally blind individuals with a condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa have no trouble seeing straight ahead of them. In just the two and a half years that I've been in this job, I've done some hard thinking about this line of work that I do. Many of the human resources personnel that I meet with from day to day represent businesses that exist mainly to make a profit. Therefore, it certainly makes sense to hire the best employees. But what factors make up the best employee? We can all come up with a list of qualities and traits that represent some of our best people. Productivity is certainly one of the big ones! Are people with disabilities as productive as their non-disabled co-workers? Well, for certain tasks, the answer is definitely yes. But there are some tasks where they are not as efficient -- that's reality. Some people might find fault with this opinion, thinking that saying anything less than positive is harmful to the welfare of individuals with disabilities who are trying their hardest to prove they can do the job. But I deal with reality -- I think being realistic will go a lot further in developing credibility with employers. Accepting reality is one of the ways I've learned to avoid job burnout -- and believe me, I've come close. I was working with one employer who wanted me to come up with a method for how a worker who was blind could do the same number of job functions as his sighted co-worker -- otherwise the job couldn't be filled with my applicant. This is an ideal situation that the employer wanted and it's something I always aim for in placing candidates. However, it's not always realistic to expect that to happen, given that one of the workers has a disability. It was an all or nothing proposition from this employer, but it does not have to be that way. The American's with Disabilities Act states that as long as the functions that can't be performed are not essential functions of the job, then employers really should make "a reasonable accommodation" to allow the employee with the disability the opportunity to do that job. And employers can often get financial help to make that accommodation. In Massachusetts, depending on the type of disability that an employee has, employers can receive financial assistance from one of several state agencies to obtain adaptive equipment. Those employees who meet the definition of legal blindness can receive assistance from the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind. Most other disabilities, including those where vision loss does not meet the criteria of legal blindness, can receive assistance from the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission. These agencies can pay for some or all of the adaptive equipment needed in an employment setting. There is a great feeling of satisfaction after I place someone in a job; hearing from the individual that they are feeling good about themselves again. Nobody should have to sit at home and let his or her potential to contribute to society go wasted. Robert Fox is the director of job placement at The Carroll Center for the Blind. He welcomes your comments and interest in employing individuals with visual impairments. He can be reached via email orat 1-800-852-3131."