o&m professionals survey july 2010 international aer conference presentation little rock, ar

O&M Professionals Survey

July 2010

International AER Conference Presentation

Little Rock, AR

• Disseminate the Orientation and Mobility Specialists’ demographic and profiling results from the 2009 Guide Dogs for the Blind O&M Survey.

• Discuss findings such as:

− caseload numbers,

− populations served,

− why some are not served,

− how many hours we spend teaching the average client,

− what level of independent travel our clients reach,

− what O&M skills we are teaching.

• Consider how O&M specialists can support their employers/agencies so that future, and predicted growing, populations of clients can best be served.

2

Presentation Objectives

• Data collection was conducted online. AER members who had identified to the AER that they worked in O&M received an AER-branded email inviting them to click into a survey.

• AER sent email invitations to 1314 members in the US and Canada (97% were successfully delivered).

• The survey (in English only) was open between July 30 & September 4, 2009.

• 422 AER members clicked into the survey:− 293 qualified for and completed the survey in its entirety (average time to complete:

30 minutes+);

− 97 qualified for the survey and started it, but did not complete it;

− 32 did not qualify for the survey, either because they did not work as an O&M in 2008, said they worked 0 hours as an O&M in a typical week in 2008, or because they did not provide direct O&M services to any clients in 2008.

• That translates into a response rate of 33% and a completion rate of 75%. Both excellent!

• Many of the incomplete surveys still provided quite a bit of information; thus, reporting is on a combination of true completes and partial completes (maximum # of cases: 315).

3

Research Methodology

In 2008, did you work as an employee/independent contractor/freelancer? (Q7)

Worked as an independent contractor (IC)/ freelancer only

Worked as an employee only

Worked both as an IC & as an employee

In 2008, did you work as an independent contractor/ freelancer, as an employee or as both?

4

Did you work as an independent contractor/freelancer/ employee for…?

5

School environment (TOTAL)

Public school district/entity

Public school for the blind/disabled

Private school for the blind/disabled

Public agency

Non-profit agency

Private clients

Private company

Veterans Administration (VA)

University

Hospital/Rehab center 2%

3%

4%

5%

7%

22%

36%

4%

10%

51%

61%

0%

5%

1%

8%

19%

18%

50%

3%

4%

42%

47%

2%

1%

4%

3%

20%

24%

3%

10%

48%

59%

All O&Ms Worked as an IC Worked as an employee(N=313) (n=119) (n=262)

In 2008, did you work as an employee/independent contractor/freelancer for…? (Q8)

Master’s degree in O&M

Bachelor’s degree in O&M

Post-bachelor’s certification

in O&M

National Orientation &

Mobility Certification

(NOMC)

No O&M degrees or certification

Do you have…? (Q3)

3%

17%

19%

10%

65%

O&M-related education/training

6

All O&Ms Schools Public agencies Non-profits Private sector(N=308) (n=192) (n=107) (n=68) (n=31)

3%

18%

20%

13%

63%

1%

16%

23%

16%

58%

7%

16%

15%

9%

67%

3%

27%

27%

12%

64%

21% 21%

17% 18%

30% 29%

32% 32%

7

All O&Ms Schools Public agencies Non-profits Private sector

(N=308) (n=186) (n=107) (n=68) (n=31)

17%25%

12%

13%

22%

21%

33%

33%

30%

37% 37%

20%

11 ◄ Median years ► 11 15 10 13

For how many years have you worked as an O&M specialist?

20+ years

10 to 19 years

5 to 9 years

Less than 5 years

For how many years have you worked as an O&M specialist? (Q2)

16% 19%

15%17%

16%

21%

22%

19%

31%24%

8

12%19% 22%

10%

10%9%9%

15% 15%

29%

23%27%

40%

27%33%

28 ◄ Mean hours ► 25 31 32 29 27

40+ hours

30-39 hours

20-29 hours

10-19 hours

Less than 10 hours

In a typical work week during 2008, about how many hours did you spend doing O&M-related work?

In a typical work week during 2008, about how many hours did you spend doing O&M-related work? (Q6)

All O&Ms Public schools Schools for blind Public agencies Non-profits Private sector

(N=315) (n=161) (n=41) (n=111) (n=69) (n=33)

In/at your agency or

school

At home

Out in the community

Residential facility/ non-

hospital

Inpatient hospital

College campus

Workplace

Outpatient hospital 4%

5%

5%

7%

27%

35%

66%

80%

In 2008, in which of these environments did you deliver O&M instruction to any of your clients?

9


0%

4%

6%

3%

5%

39%

58%

87%

5%

10%

10%

9%

38%

31%

84%

75%

7%

6%

1%

12%

45%

30%

84%

87%

6%

12%

0%

3%

12%

39%

88%

76%

In 2008, in which of these environments did you deliver O&M instruction to any of your clients? (Q23)

23%32%

23%

31%

20%

19%23%

14%

11%4%

10

12% 12% 15%

20%13%

34%

14%20%

9%

38%35%

33%

16%9%

20%

24 ◄ Mean # clients ► 16 20 32 38 24

60 or more

clients

30-59

20-29

10-19

Less than 10

In 2008, to how many clients did you provide direct O&M services? (Q17)


(N=315) (n=161) (n=41) (n=111) (n=69) (n=33)

In 2008, to how many clients did you provide direct O&M services?

Children 17 or

younger

Adults 18-54

Adults 55-74

Adults 75+ 26%

37%

61%

80%

Which of these populations were represented among the clients you served in 2008? By age

11


9%

16%

51%

41%

62%

80%

67%

49%

62%

78%

73%

30%

55%

73%

85%100%

Which of these populations were represented among the clients you served in 2008? (Q16)

18%

33%

34%

24%

73%

49%

All O&Ms Public schools Schools for blind Public agencies Non-profits Private sector(N=315) (n=161) (n=41) (n=111) (n=69) (n=33)

Children in transition to adult

services

Public school students

Students in special ed

schools

College students

Employed persons requiring

on-the-job training/workplace

management

Veterans 4%

16%

21%

17%

98%

55%

2%

20%

24%

68%

68%

49%

29%

57%

54%

28%

61%

53%

28%

58%

51%

25%

71%

54%

6%

55%

46%

36%

82%

49%

12

Which of these populations were represented among the clients you served in 2008? By life stage


Persons with no vision

Persons with partial vision

The congenitally

blind

The adventiously

blind

The newly blind (within the past

12 months)57%

80%

87%

97%

90%

13


45%

75%

90%

96%

91%

69%

89%

88%

99%

90%

75%

86%

91%

97%

86%

55%

91%

88%

97%

88%

Which of these populations were represented among the clients you served in 2008? By vision profile


5%

36%

90%

49%

All O&Ms Public schools Schools for blind Public agencies Non-profits Private sector(N=315) (n=161) (n=41) (n=111) (n=69) (n=33)

Deaf-blind persons

Multiply-disabled persons

Spanish is preferred language

French is preferred language

2%

32%

93%

51%

0%

37%

93%

39%

5%

42%

91%

62%

7%

36%

88%

49%

0%

27%

79%

49%

14Which of these populations were represented among the clients you served in 2008? (Q16)

Which of these populations were represented among the clients you served in 2008?

Other O&Ms

Teachers of the blind/VI

Physical Therapists

Occupational Therapists

Paraprofessionals

Rehab Counselors

Low Vision Therapists

Vision Rehab Therapists

Other allied professionals

None of the above 2%

41%

34%

37%

40%

64%

67%

70%

77%

73%

In managing your O&M client workload during 2008, what types of allied professionals—if any—did you work with?

15


42%

19%

27%

28%

78%

78%

80%

92%

70%

<1% 3%

42%

50%

45%

62%

60%

64%

62%

71%

74%

1%

41%

59%

52%

55%

51%

62%

59%

64%

77%

12%

36%

33%

30%

42%

70%

70%

61%

70%

67%

In managing your O&M client workload during 2008, with what types of allied professionals—if any—did you work with? (Q12)

Instruction in adaptive computer

technology, etc.

ADL (Activities of Daily Living)

Low vision evaluations and/or

device training

Counseling services/ support groups

Social recreation programs

Vocational rehabilitation

Social work services

Diabetes education

Other visual rehabilitation

services

Not applicable—only O&M training offered 2%

21%

24%

41%

43%

45%

46%

69%

71%

82%

Visual rehab services clients received—in addition to O&M instruction

16


17%

8%

32%

33%

36%

32%

64%

64%

80%

2% 1%

34%

34%

44%

63%

52%

55%

78%

82%

81%

3%

6%

37%

60%

52%

55%

69%

76%

76%

85%

9%

2%

22%

31%

44%

31%

25%

69%

63%

78%

In addition to O&M training, what other visual rehabilitation services were provided by any of the organizations you worked with in 2008? (Q13)

Utilizing landmarks

Techniques for indoor travel environments

Street crossing techniques

Human Guide technique

Route planning

Use of adaptive/LV devices

Analysis/identification of intersections & traffic

patternsTechniques for travel in

outdoor residential environment

Concept development

Problem-solving

Sensory development

Upper/lower protective techniques 81%

83%

84%

85%

87%

88%

88%

89%

89%

91%

92%

95%

O&M skills taught by O&Ms to their 2008 clients (taught at all)

17

Use of compass/cardinal directions

Use of traffic control devices

Use of public transportation

Seeking/declining public assistance

Search patterns for unfamiliar environments

Techniques for mall travel

Techniques for travel in business districts without

parkways

Glare evaluation & remediation

Techniques for travel in rural areas

Residual vision stimulation/training

Use of Electronic Travel Aids 27%

48%

54%

59%

59%

62%

67%

71%

76%

78%

79%

What O&M skills did you teach any of your clients in 2008? (Q14)

13% 15%

31%34%

21%21%

32%29%

3% 1%

18

All O&Ms Schools Public agencies Non-profits Private sector

(N=308) (n=186) (n=107) (n=68) (n=31)

7% 9% 9%

33% 31% 30%

16%25%

18%

42%34%

34%

2%9%

1%

33% 30% 37% 32% 33%

By the end of 2008, about what percentage of your 2008 clients—if any at all—had fully independent travel skills, meaning that they were able to travel to at least 3 or 4 destinations on their own? (Q22)

By the end of 2008, about what percentage of your clients had fully independent travel skills?

Mean % ◄ independent

►

All (100%)

50% to just under 100%

25% to just under 50%

At least some, but under 25%

None (0%)

15%9%

44%49%

41% 42%

19

13%22%

10%

47%

48%

47%

40% 43%

30%

50 or more

hours

20-49 hours

Less than 20 hours


(N=315) (n=161) (n=41) (n=111) (n=69) (n=33)

Over the course of the entire year, how many total hours of direct instruction did you give your typical 2008 O&M client ?

66 ◄ Mean # hours ► 63 90 60 65 51

Over the course of the entire year, about how many total hours of direct instruction did you give your typical O&M client in 2008? (Q24)

Schools Public agencies Non-profits Private sector(n=152) (n=111) (n=69) (n=33)

Compared to 5 years ago, how did the number of hours of direct instruction your typical O&M client got in 2008 compare?

20

All O&Ms(N=315)

Typical 2008 client got more instructional hours than client of 5 years ago

Fewer hours

About the same number of hours

Compared to 5 years ago, did your typical O&M client in 2008…? (Q26)

More multiple disabilities

More diversity (languages,

cultures)

Older clientele/more age-related causes

of blindness

Younger caseload (earlier intervention/

identification)

More diabetes-related blindness

More CVI

More veterans

Don’t expect any changes 23%

4%

4%

5%

11%

17%

18%

33%

How will the types of O&M clients you'll be serving 3 to 5 years from now be different from those you served in 2008?

21


2%

5%

1%

11%

16%

37%

27% 19%

5%

2%

8%

5%

32%

22%

34%

19%

4%

4%

9%

12%

25%

19%

27%

23%

3%

7%

3%

10%

26%

16%

32%

Not applicable

Assume your work circumstances of 2008 won't change significantly over the next few years. In what ways—if any—do you expect the types of O&M clients you'll be serving 3 to 5 years from now will be different from those you served in 2008? (Q27)

18%24%

6%

7%

29%

25%

47% 44%

22

8% 11%3%

5% 1%10%

29% 30%

13%

58%

74%

58%

Both client- and agency-

related factors

Client-related factors only

Agency-related factors only

Not applicable—all clients get

the O&M instruction they

need

Perhaps there are clients served by the organizations you work with who are candidates for O&M instruction, but who—for whatever reason—don’t actually get O&M instruction. Which of these factors are barriers that prevent any of these clients from receiving O&M services? (Q28)


(N=315) (n=161) (n=41) (n=111) (n=69) (n=33)

What factors prevent any of your organization’s clients from receiving needed O&M services?

Client factors (ANY)

Poor adjustment to blindness prevents

cane use

Families don’t support O&M services

Believe they have too much residual vision

Unwilling to leave home/travel cross-

country for a residential program

Educational commitments interfere

with training

Elder care/child care precludes time for

training

Jobs interfere with training

No client-related factors 28%

11%

12%

21%

21%

44%

44%

45%

72%

What CLIENT-related factors are barriers?

23


38%

19%

12%

32%

41%

30%

62%

16%

18%

21%

32%

37%

53%

49%

59%

84%

15%

18%

19%

13%

29%

53%

56%

68%

85%

16%

13%

16%

26%

29%

52%

45%

55%

84%

Not applicable

Not applicable

Which of these factors are barriers that prevent any of these clients from receiving O&M services? (Q28)

Agency/organizational factors (ANY)

Too few O&Ms to meet demand

Insufficient financial resources

Transportation limitations limit

training

Clients are outside the area within

which O&Ms can/are willing to

travel

Clients fall outside agency service

mandate

No agency-related factors 50%

12%

16%

21%

21%

33%

50%

What AGENCY-related factors are barriers?

24


76%

12%

18%

22%

20%

34%

24%

39%

23%

23%

27%

36%

43%

61%

43%

16%

25%

22%

27%

34%

57%

19%

48%

45%

39%

45%

61%

81%

Which of these factors are barriers that prevent any of these clients from receiving O&M services? (Q28)

Your thoughts? Reactions?

o&m professionals survey july 2010 international aer conference presentation little rock, ar

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