Publication Date

1988

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Ouellette, Sue E.

Degree Name

M.A. (Master of Arts)

Legacy Department

Department of Communicative Disorders

LCSH

Rehabilitation counselors--Middle West; Deaf--Rehabilitation--Middle West

Abstract

The role and function of rehabilitation counselors with the deaf (RCD) was studied by surveying RCD's in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Respondents were asked demographic information, their preferred- role, the role their agency preferred and the role they were qualified to perform. Counselors were asked to write down the number of hours actually spent performing a number of functions such as counseling and guidance, paperwork, and assistance to clients or their agency. Factors influencing the practice of rehabilitation counseling and pertinent issues were also surveyed. The findings raised questions regarding the role of the RCD, and the number of hours actually spent on different functions. There is a significant difference between actual number of hours spent and the amount of time counselors feel they should spend on these functions, which is a possible indication of role strain. Counselors also indicated that the lack of resources, paperwork, and financial issues were major factors which tended to inhibit or restrict the practice of rehabilitation counseling. In terms of their experiences in counseling clients, unrealistic voca-tional goals and employment attitudes were perceived as important issues. The great majority of these issues were cited as problems by N. Tully in a national survey in 1970, and remain so today, raising troubling questions regarding the role and functions of RCD's in 1988.

Comments

Bibliography: pages [99]-105.

Extent

ix, 164 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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