Perceived Communication Skills of Persons with Sensory Impairment: A Comparison By Employment Status

The objective of the study was to profile and compare the perceived communication skills of persons with sensory impairment according to employment status. A total of 456 persons with sensory impairment (272 hearing impaired; 184 visual impaired) have participated in this study. The sample was made up of both employed and unemployed respondents. Respondents were required to self-assess their competency in communication skills. The results show that the ratings of communication skills by the employed respondents were significantly higher than their unemployed counterparts, despite the type of sensory impairment. The significant educational implications of the findings were discussed in this paper.