Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Are there career options, for someone like me, to work with blind people or the hearing impaired? (self.Blind)
submitted by 2Fishes4U
I’m 53, and I only have a BS from 1989. I have been changing careers so long that I don’t know what to try next, but ever since I learned the alphabet using ASL, at age 10, I’ve been fascinated and it’s been on my interest list. I live in SW Virginia.
AceyAceyAcey 4 points 2y ago
You can go back to school and major in ASL. Or you can go into human computer interactions (HCI, usually a part of a CS degree).
2Fishes4U [OP] 2 points 2y ago
HCI. I’m definitely going to look into this, thank you!
2Fishes4U [OP] 2 points 2y ago
With a degree is ASL, is that usually enough to find FT employment? Or at least PT? I keep seeing all these job listings with certs that are required for this or that.
CloudyBeep 1 points 2y ago
You will need to be certified as an interpreter.
80percentaccurate 3 points 2y ago
Yup. Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI) is a career path with 100% job placement right now in the United States. I have never been in a field of more than myself for a job interview. We need teachers so bad that we emergency certify people to start working in the field while they return to school to get their certifications. There are some programs which will pay for your schooling in return for a promised certain number of years of service. Your BS might be enough to allow you to get emergency certified depending on your career goals while you work on your master’s. If going back to school isn’t for you many school districts are in need of paraprofessional aids who work with students with disabilities. You don’t need additional certifications for this job, but it is low pay. With almost any job working with the public you do need to be able to pass background checks. If you happen to be visually impaired yourself, TVI is a common career that is much easier to get reasonable accommodations for than other jobs because we’d be hypocrites otherwise.
2Fishes4U [OP] 1 points 2y ago
This is great info! Thank you! I’ll be searching for TVI positions in my area today. I’m not visually impaired, but my degree was in Family and child development (college of Human Resources) and. instructing or training is something I’ve been told I should pursue, and I feel I would enjoy and be good at.
80percentaccurate 2 points 2y ago
Don’t look on Indeed or Monster. The jobs typically posted on there are from places like Sunbelt Staffing and Solaint are not the jobs you want. Talk to your local school district and ask who they hire for vision services. They may contract through a company you can get in with or if you have a local school for the blind they will have some more information for you. There are jobs for sure.
2Fishes4U [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Thank you! I saw both Sunbelt and Solaint but didn’t feel they were a fit for me. I’ll start calling the local schools tomorrow. I believe our closet school for the blind is 3+ hours away.
siriuslylupin6 1 points 2y ago
Though I suggest getting certified and still going back to school for it while working.
niamhweking 2 points 2y ago
Could you be an ASL interpreter? How about working with those with Ushers (DeafBlind). Is there an Anne Sullivan centre near you?
2Fishes4U [OP] 1 points 2y ago
I’ll look into that, thanks!
socksandstars 2 points 2y ago
See if there’s a blind school (or blind/deaf school) in your area
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