Employment of persons with disabilities in information technology jobs: literature review for “IT works”

Abstract

This article reviews relevant literature as to the labor pool of qualified individuals with disabilities and employment in information technology (IT) sector jobs. First, the article reviews the empirical literature on barriers to employment in IT for persons with disabilities. The examination then is extended to studies of barriers to employment for individuals with disabilities in other employment sectors. Findings illustrate the limited experiences that IT and non-IT companies have in employing and accommodating employees with disabilities. Implications are discussed for enhancing the employment of qualified workers with disabilities in IT through research, education, training, and mentoring programs.

The promise of the Internet for disability: a study of on‐line services and web site accessibility at Centers for Independent Living

“…Independent of CIL service provision on the Internet, Americans with disabilities generally lack access to computers, the Internet, and assistive technology (Kaye, 2000;Schartz, Schartz, & Blanck, 2003). As civic and public life is increasingly tied to the Internet, it is imperative that policy makers continue to implement measures and reaffirm their commitment to afford information technology access to all individuals (Blanck, 1994;Berven & Blanck, 2000).…”

Corporate culture and the employment of persons with disabilities

“…increasing autonomy so that employees can modify the way they do their jobs, taking advantage of their individual skills and abilities (and decreasing the saliency and ''separateness'' of accommodations so that coworkers are less likely to react negatively, for instance, through the use of universal workplace design strategies and accessible technologies) (Schartz, Schartz, & Blanck, 2002); 12. reviewing human resource policies, such as job analysis methods and interviewing techniques, to see how they limit the ability of individuals to show they are ''qualified'' and can meet the essential requirements of a job; 13. ensuring that co-workers have significant contact with employees with disabilities in informal and recreational settings, as well as formal work activities, to dispel stereotypes and build stronger working relationships.…”

Emerging technologies and corporate culture at Microsoft: a methodological note

“…Such companies and technologies are the focus of demonstration projects and studies researching barriers to or facilitators of employment (Blanck, Ritchie, Schmeling, & Klein, 2003;Schartz, Schartz, & Blanck, 2002). Because many positions in IT companies, such as software programmers, writers, and graphic designers, not to mention white-collar management positions common to most other industries, do not require significant physical effort, and instead require intellectual skills, people with physical disabilities may have a more level playing field for employment.…”