Improving Employability Skills Acquisition of Visually Impaired Students Through Inclusive Career Coaching Progrmme

Objective: This study examined the effectiveness of an inclusive career coaching programme in improving employability skills acquisition among students with visual impairment in Nigerian tertiary institutions.Methods and Materials: A quasi-experimental design was employed involving ۲۵ visually impaired students purposively sampled from public tertiary institutions in Enugu State, Nigeria. Participants were assigned to either a treatment group (n = ۱۲) receiving the inclusive career coaching programme or a control group (n = ۱۳). Employability skills were assessed at pretest, posttest, and follow-up using a validated and reliable instrument. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), controlling for baseline scores and demographic variables.Findings: Descriptive statistics indicated marked improvement in employability skills for the treatment group from pretest (M = ۳۵.۷۵, SD = ۵.۷۲) to posttest (M = ۵۶.۰۸, SD = ۴.۲۷) and follow-up (M = ۶۲.۱۷, SD = ۳.۱۹), while the control group showed minimal change. ANCOVA results revealed statistically significant effects of the intervention on posttest (F(۱,۸) = ۱۵۶.۴۳, p < .۰۰۱, η²p = ۰.۹۵۱) and follow-up employability scores (F(۱,۸) = ۱۹۵.۸۴, p < .۰۰۱, η²p = ۰.۹۶۱), indicating both immediate and sustained gains. Gender and age did not significantly moderate the programme’s effectiveness.Conclusion: The inclusive career coaching programme was highly effective in enhancing employability skills among students with visual impairment. These findings suggest that structured, inclusive interventions can foster skill acquisition, improve self-efficacy, and promote socioeconomic participation for this population. Objective: This study examined the effectiveness of an inclusive career coaching programme in improving employability skills acquisition among students with visual impairment in Nigerian tertiary institutions. Methods and Materials: A quasi-experimental design was employed involving ۲۵ visually impaired students purposively sampled from public tertiary institutions in Enugu State, Nigeria. Participants were assigned to either a treatment group (n = ۱۲) receiving the inclusive career coaching programme or a control group (n = ۱۳). Employability skills were assessed at pretest, posttest, and follow-up using a validated and reliable instrument. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), controlling for baseline scores and demographic variables. Findings: Descriptive statistics indicated marked improvement in employability skills for the treatment group from pretest (M = ۳۵.۷۵, SD = ۵.۷۲) to posttest (M = ۵۶.۰۸, SD = ۴.۲۷) and follow-up (M = ۶۲.۱۷, SD = ۳.۱۹), while the control group showed minimal change. ANCOVA results revealed statistically significant effects of the intervention on posttest (F(۱,۸) = ۱۵۶.۴۳, p < .۰۰۱, η²p = ۰.۹۵۱) and follow-up employability scores (F(۱,۸) = ۱۹۵.۸۴, p < .۰۰۱, η²p = ۰.۹۶۱), indicating both immediate and sustained gains. Gender and age did not significantly moderate the programme’s effectiveness. Conclusion: The inclusive career coaching programme was highly effective in enhancing employability skills among students with visual impairment. These findings suggest that structured, inclusive interventions can foster skill acquisition, improve self-efficacy, and promote socioeconomic participation for this population.

کلیدواژه ها:

Visual impairment ، Employability skills ، Career coaching ، Inclusive education ، Nigeria