ADVISING DEAF YOUTH TO TRAIN FOR VARIOUS OCCUPATIONS: ATTITUDES OF SIGNIFICANT OTHERS

Abstract

S ummary . The influence of significant others upon the deaf child's formulation of his/her concept of deafness is profound. The articulation of the attitudes of such persons toward the types of employment deaf people can perform is, therefore, important. An attitude instrument and research methodology were developed, validated and implemented with parents, teachers, houseparents and teachers' aides at a school for the deaf in England. Attitudes pertaining to advising equally qualified deaf and hearing persons to train for 14 different occupations were assessed. There were no significant differences in the expressed attitudes of parents, teachers, teachers' aides and houseparents. There were significant differences in the expressed advice to hearing and deaf persons.