Date of Graduation

5-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Adult and Lifelong Learning (EdD)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Counseling, Leadership, and Research Methods

Advisor/Mentor

Kit Kacirek

Committee Member

Kenda S. Grover

Second Committee Member

Brent Williams

Keywords

Coworkers; Disability; Employment; Workplace

Abstract

U.S. policies such as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 and the Americans with Disabilities Act support the inclusion of adults with disabilities in all areas of employment. Through WIOA, the federal government required public entities to provide training and help job seekers with disabilities access high-quality, competitive, integrated employment in the labor market. Nevertheless, two-thirds of unemployed PWDs report wanting employment but cannot find a job. Negative perceptions held by employers and hiring managers and their views that PWDs lack abilities create barriers to employment. In contrast, research has also shown that coworkers can greatly influence successful workplace integration. This suggests the importance of understanding coworkers’ perceptions to allow them to accept PWDs as coworkers. This qualitative study aims to explore coworkers' perceptions of working alongside People with Disabilities in a large hospital located in a large metropolitan area.

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