Attitudes toward occupations for deaf youth in Sweden.

The study investigated the expressed advice of parents, teachers, and Deaf community leaders regarding careers for deaf students in Sweden. The research was conducted: (a) in a country where consensus has been achieved on recognition and accommodation of the educational needs of deaf students; (b) in a city with a very high concentration of deaf individuals, a continuum of educational facilities, and support for deaf students ranging from preschool through college; and, (c) in a community with a strong and active deaf organization and parent organization. The authors found that, despite many advances in the country, communication in the language of the greater society is a potent factor in limiting occupational possibilities for the Deaf.

Attitudes of teachers and parents in India toward career choices for deaf and hearing people.

The attitudes of teachers and parents of deaf children in India toward career choices for deaf and hearing people were investigated with respondents rating the suitability of eight professions for an imagined group of equally qualified deaf and hearing advisees. The attitudes of parents and teachers in India were found to be similar to those reported in previous studies conducted in the United States, Italy, England, and South Africa and showed that the hearing status of the imagined advisees selectively influenced the respondents' ratings of their suitability for those professions. These results suggested that differences in the availability of educational or technological support for deaf people do not necessarily lead to differences in attitudes regarding career choices for deaf people.

Cumulative trauma disorders among educational interpreters. Contributing factors and intervention.

Upper extremity cumulative trauma disorders became a potentially significant occupational hazard among sign language interpreters at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf in the 1988-89 academic year. The following case control study was conducted to identify factors that might play a role in developing, exacerbating, and maintaining upper extremity cumulative trauma disorders among interpreters. Investigations were conducted to determine whether medical status, physical capacities, interpreting styles, pain, fatigue, and job stress differed among NTID's sign language interpreters. This report provides a general summary of selected findings as well as a conceptual framework that should help clarify the factors associated with upper extremity cumulative trauma disorders in sign language interpreters. The results indicated that the upper extremity cumulative trauma disorder diagnosed most often is tendinitis rather than a nerve entrapment syndrome (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome). Analysis of the frequency of potential biomechanical risk factors indicated that those reporting pain demonstrated higher frequency of hand and wrist deviations from the neutral position, higher frequency of the upper extremities leaving a predefined work space, fewer rest breaks during interpreting sessions, and higher evaluator ratings of pace of finger and hand movements. Specific features of interpreting styles were associated with increased pain and fatigue.