Access to,Use of,and Attitudes Toward Telecommunication Among Rural VR Clients

Abstract

Telecommunication offers rural vocational rehabilitation (VR) clients a method of communicating with their VR counselor between face-to-face visits. Unfortunately, certain telecommunication methods may not be available to many rural VR clients or may pose barriers in the rehabilitation process. This article describes findings from an exploratory survey of 225 rural VR clients recruited from seven VR agencies across the United States. The mail-based survey explored client access to telecommunication, current telecommunication use during the VR process, and client attitudes about using telecommunication to receive VR services. Although 61% of respondents said they had personal access to a computer with Internet and 63% reported that email would be a “very” acceptable or “somewhat” acceptable method of communicating with their counselors, only 39% reported communicating via email with their counselors. Although a variety of factors play into the effectiveness of telecommunication as a VR service delivery mode, email communication might increase the frequency and productivity of VR client and counselor interactions.

Keywords

telecommunication vocational rehabilitation rural service delivery

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Abbott

Klein

Ceichomski

(2008). Best practices in online therapy. Journal of Technology and Human Services, 26, 360–375.

Anthony

(2000). Counselling in cyberspace. Counselling Journal, 11, 625–627.

Australian Psychological Society. (2004). APS ethical guidelines: Guidelines for providing psychological services and products on the Internet. Retrieved from www.psychology.org.au

Baca

C. T.

Alverson

D. C.

Manuel

J. K.

Blackwell

(2007). Telecounseling in rural areas for alcohol problems. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 25(4), 31–45.

Boeltzig

(2011). State vocational rehabilitation counselors’ perceptions of Internet use in VR, types of Internet applications used, and types of rehabilitation activities conducted online. Journal of Rehabilitation, 77(4), 23–30.

Bradley

L. J.

Hendricks

Lock

Whiting

P. P.

Parr

(2011). E-mail communication: Issues for mental health counselors. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 33, 67–79.

Chester

Glass

(2006). Online counselling: A descriptive analysis of therapy services on the Internet. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 34, 145–160.

Cho

S. K.

Berge

Z. L.

(2002). Overcoming barriers to distance training and education. eModerators. Retrieved from http://emoderators.com/wp-content/uploads/cho.pdf

Collie

Mitchell

Murphy

(2000). Skills for on-line counseling: Maximum impact at minimum bandwidth. In Bloom

J. W.

Walz

G. R.

(Eds.), Cybercounseling & cyberlearning: Strategies and resources for the millennium. (pp. 219–236). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association and ERIC/CASS.

10.

Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification. (2010). Code of professional ethics for rehabilitation counselors. Retrieved from http://www.crccertification.com/filebin/pdf/CRCCodeOfEthics.pdf

11.

Cook

Doyle

(2002). Working alliance in online therapy as compared to face-to-face therapy: Preliminary results. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 5, 95–105.

12.

Dillman

D. A.

(2000). Mail and Internet surveys: The tailored design method (2nd ed.). New York, NY: John Wiley.

13.

Dillman

D. A.

Smyth

Christian

(2009). Internet, mail, and mixed-model surveys: The tailored design method (3rd ed.). New York, NY: John Wiley.

14.

Donnell

Lustig

Strauser

(2004). The working alliance: Rehabilitation outcomes for persons with severe mental illness. Journal of Rehabilitation, 70(2), 12–18.

15.

Economics and Statistics Administration & National Telecommunications and Information Administration. (November, 2011). Exploring the digital nation: Computer and Internet use at home. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Commerce. Retrieved from http://www.esa.doc.gov/sites/default/files/reports/documents/exploringthedigitalnation-computerandinternetuseathome.pdf

16.

Evans

(2009). Online counseling and guidance skills. London, England: SAGE.

17.

Federal Communications Commission. (2011). Bringing broadband to rural America: Update to report on rural broadband strategy (GN Docket No. 11-16). Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from http://impact2020.org/DOC-307877A1.pdf

18.

Fox

(2004). Older Americans and the Internet. Washington, DC: The Pew Internet and American Life project. Available from http://www.PewInternet.org

19.

Fox

(2011). Americans living with disability and their technology profile. Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Disability.aspx

20.

Gonzales

Stombaugh

Seekins

Kasnitz

(2006). Accessible rural transportation: An evaluation of the Traveler’s Cheque Voucher Program. Community Development: Journal of the Community Development Society, 37(3), 106–115.

21.

Gore

P. A.

Leuwerke

W. C.

(2008). Technological advances: Implications for counseling psychology research, training and practice. In Brown

S. D.

Lent

R. W.

(Eds.), Handbook of counseling psychology (pp. 38–53). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley.

22.

Hein

Lustig

Uruk

(2005). Consumers’ recommendations to improve satisfaction with rehabilitation services: A qualitative study. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 49, 29–39.

23.

IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 19.0) [Computer software]. (2010). Available from http://www.ibm.com/

24.

Institute on Rehabilitation Issues. (2000). The 26th IRI: Using the Internet as a resource to the work of the state vocational rehabilitation counselor. Retrieved from http://iriforum.org/download/26IRI_internet.pdf

25.

Institute on Rehabilitation Issues. (2002). The 28th IRI: Distance education: Opportunities and issues for the public vocational rehabilitation program. Retrieved from http://iriforum.org/download/28IRI_distance.pdf

26.

Ipsen

(2011). Client perspectives on the use of telecommunications to deliver VR services. Missoula: The University of Montana Rural Institute.

27.

Ipsen

Rigles

Arnold

Seekins

(2012). The use of telecommunications to deliver services to rural and urban vocational rehabilitation clients. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 55, 144–155.

28.

Johnstone

Price

Bounds

Schoop

Shootman

Shumate

(2003). Rural/urban differences in vocational outcomes for state vocational rehabilitation clients with TBI. NeuroRehabilitation, 18, 1997–1203.

29.

Jolliffe

(2005, March). Rural poverty at a glance (Rural Development Research Report No. 100). USDA Economic Research Service. Retrieved from http://ers.usda.gov/publications/rdrr100/rdrr100.htm

30.

Jones

Stokes

(2009). Online counselling: A handbook for practitioners. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.

31.

Jones

Fox

(2009). Generations online in 2009. Washington, DC: The Pew Internet and American Life Project. Available from http://www.PewInternet.org

32.

Kraus

(2004). Ethical and legal considerations for providers of mental health services online. In Kraus

Zack

Stricker

(Eds.), Online counseling, A handbook for mental health professionals (pp. 123–144). San Diego, CA: Elsevier Academic Press.

33.

Lenhart

Horrigan

Rainie

Allen

Boyce

Madden

O’Grady

(2003). The ever-shifting Internet population: A new look at Internet access and the digital divide. Washington, DC: The Pew Internet and American Life Project. Available from http://www.PewInternet.org

34.

Lustig

Strauser

Rice

Rucker

(2002). The relationship between working alliance and rehabilitation outcomes. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 46, 25–33.

35.

Lustig

Strauser

Weems

(2004). Rehabilitation services patterns: A rural/urban comparison of success factors. Journal of Rehabilitation, 70(3), 13–19.

36.

Mallen

Vogel

Rochlen

(2005). The practical aspects of online counseling: Ethics, training, technology, and competency. The Counseling Psychologist, 22, 776–818

37.

Mallen

Vogel

Rochlen

Day

(2005). Online counseling: Reviewing literature from counseling psychology framework. The Counseling Psychologist, 33, 819–871.

38.

Metzel

Giordano

(2007). Locations of employment services and people with disabilities: A geographical analysis of accessibility. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 18, 88–97.

39.

Mulhauser

(2011). Advantages of therapy or counseling by email. Retrieved from www.counsellingresource.com/lib/therapy/service/online-advantages/

40.

National Telecommunications & Information Administration. (2011). National broadband map. Washington, DC: United States Department of Commerce. Retrieved from http://www.broadbandmap.gov/technology

41.

Oravec

J. A.

(2000). Online counseling and the Internet: Perspective for mental health care supervision and education. Journal of Mental Health, 9, 121–136.

42.

Patterson

J. B.

(2002). Internet applications and beliefs of state agency personnel. Journal of Rehabilitation, 68(2), 33–38.

43.

Porter

Donthu

(2005). Using the technology acceptance model to explain how attitudes determine Internet usage: The role of perceived access barriers and demographics. Journal of Business Research, 59, 999–1007.

44.

Rehabilitation Services Administration. (2009). Case services report [Data file]. Washington, DC: Author.

45.

Rehabilitation Services Administration. (2011a). Rehabilitation service administration annual report [Data file]. Retrieved from http://rsa.ed/gov/download-db.cfm

46.

Rehabilitation Services Administration. (2011b). Rehabilitation service administration annual reviews for 2004 and 2009 [Data files]. Retrieved from http://rsa.ed.gov/view_info.cfm

47.

Riemer-Reiss

(2000). Vocational rehabilitation counseling at a distance: Challenges, strategies and ethics to consider. Journal of Rehabilitation, 66, 11–17.

48.

Rummell

Joyce

(2010). “So wat do u want to wrk on 2day?”: The ethical implications of online counseling. Ethics & Behavior, 20, 482–496.

49.

Stofle

Chechele

(2004). Chapter 9: Online counseling skills, part II: In session skills. In Kraus

Zack

Stricker

(Eds.), Online counseling, A handbook for mental health professionals (pp. 182–195). San Diego, CA: Elsevier Academic Press.

50.

Suler

(2001). Assessing a person’s suitability for online therapy. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 4, 675–679.

51.

Tait

(1999). Face-to-face and at a distance: The mediation of guidance and counseling through the new technologies. British Journal of Guidance & Counseling, 27, 113–122.

52.

Telecommunication Act of 1996, Pub. L. No. 104-104, Title 1(A), Part II, Sec. 254(b)(3).

53.

Trepal

Haberstoh

Duffey

Evans

(2007). Considerations and strategies for teaching online counseling skills: Establishing relationships in cyberspace. Counselor Education and Supervision, 46, 266–279.

54.

United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. (2003). Measuring rurality: Rural-urban continuum codes. Retrieved from http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/rurality/ruralurbcon/

55.

U.S. Department of Education. (2004). Basic vocational rehabilitation services. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/program/resbvrs

56.

Zelvin

Speyer

(2004). Online counseling skills, part I: Treatment strategies and skill for conducting counseling online. In Kraus

Zack

Stricker

(Eds.), Online counseling: A handbook for mental health professionals (pp. 164–180). San Diego, CA: Elsevier Academic Press.

57.

Zickuhr

(2012, June). Digital differences: New data and trends. Presented at the American Library Association Leadership Institute, Anaheim, CA.