Development of a tool for the assessment of employment preparedness specifically for persons who are blind or partially sighted

Abstract

Objective: To develop a psychometric tool to assess preparedness for employment for persons who are blind or visually impaired.

Participants: Two hundred and thirty nine working aged adults who are blind or visually impaired.

Methods: The content for this tool was generated through a literature review and through focus groups with successfully employed persons with vision impairments as well as hiring managers and rehabilitation workers of same. Content of the instrument was enhanced through a survey of persons with vision loss, using the draft instrument and through factor analyses of their responses.

Results: Factor analyses of participants' responses resulted in 12 scales each of which assessed a different factor related to employment. Scales had good to excellent reliability with the exception of one scale that had acceptable reliability (as measured by Cronbach's Alpha).

Conclusion: The CNIB TAPE appears to be an effective instrument for assessing preparedness for employment.