Disparity of closure types in vocational rehabilitation services

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Park, Hee Chan | Kim-Rupnow, Weol Soon | Stodden, Robert | Starbuck, David E.

Affiliations: Catholic University of Korea | University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA

Note: [] Address for correspondence: Weol Soon Kim-Rupnow, Ph.D., Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1776 University Avenue, UA4-6 Honolulu, HI 96822, USA. Tel.: +1 808 956 5712; Fax: +1 808 956 5713; E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) is one of the fastest growing minority groups in the country. Limited research with this ethnic minority, however, provides a major barrier for Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) practitioners to establish culturally appropriate policies and practices in the VR field. A chi-square test was conducted to investigate the statistical difference of closure types between AAPI and White Americans with disabilities who were recorded in the RSA-911 database for the fiscal year 1999–2000 as having closed for VR services. AAPI with disabilities were less likely to be "accepted" and, of those who were accepted, AAPI had less "successful closure" than White Americans in the VR process. The test results revealed statistically significant disparity in closure types between the two groups at the 0.05 level. Study results and limitations were discussed. Suggestions for future research and implications for VR service improvement were presented.

Journal: Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 33-38, 2005