Despite the United Nations’ (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (United Nations, 2006), the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Government of Canada, 2023), and Canadian employment equity and accessibility legislation, Canadians with speech disabilities continue to experience significant barriers while seeking employment and in the workplace. This study investigates the gaps in current practices in recruiting, hiring, and retaining Canadians with speech disabilities, including those who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).
Using a mixed-methods approach, this study draws on both quantitative and qualitative data gathered through interviews with 10 Canadian adults who self-identified as having a speech disability as defined by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (1993). Participants used varied communication methods: some relied on speech alone, others used AAC intermittently, and a few used primarily AAC. Interviews were conducted either via the online meeting platform Zoom or the secure text-messaging platform Slack. Participants shared their experiences with job seeking, interviews, workplace interactions, and access to accommodations. Transcripts were coded inductively using reflexive thematic analysis based on Braun and Clark (2006).
Identified themes and subthemes were categorized into facets of the employment lifecycle framework: (a) Jobseeker with Speech Disabilities, (b) Ties to Community, (c) Searching, (d) Recruiting, (e) Hiring, and (f) Retaining. The theme Communication Strategies overarched the employment lifecycle, while three distinct groups of systemic barriers ran throughout the lifecycle: (a) Lack of Awareness, Knowledge and Training, (b) Attitudinal Barriers, and (c) Legislation, Policy, and Human Rights.
Key results included: widespread lack of awareness about speech disabilities among recruiters, employers, employment programs and services–mainstream or disability-related; inconsistencies between inclusive policies and actual practices; psychological distress caused during? job searching and interviewing; and the traditional interview that often fails to equitably evaluate candidates with speech disabilities. Requests for workplace accommodations were inconsistently approved and appeared dependent on employers’ attitudes. Legislation, policies, and human rights boards created systemic barriers throughout the employment life cycle.
The results indicate a multi-level response is required. Solutions include: increasing awareness and understanding of speech disabilities among employment services, recruiters, and hiring managers; fostering inclusive workplace cultures; removing barriers to anti-discrimination mechanisms; revising outdated labour laws, and government supports (Prince, 2016); and including speech disabilities in national data collection (Pianosi et al., 2023) and employment-related research (e.g., Tompa et al., 2023). Ultimately, participants demonstrated the education, experience, and skills they can offer to employers. Addressing persistent barriers and strengthening promising practices are essential for improving employment equity for Canadians with speech disabilities.
Easy-to-Read Summary
* Many people with speech disabilities, including people who use AAC, experience unfair treatment when looking for jobs and in the workplace.
* Employers and employment services often don’t understand speech disabilities or how to support different communication needs.
* Job interviews are especially difficult, and often don’t give people with speech disabilities a fair chance to show their skills.
* Even when policies and laws exist to support people with disabilities, they are not always put into practice.
* People with speech disabilities bring valuable education, experience, and skills to the workforce—but too often get overlooked.
Why This Research Matters
It shows what needs to change so people who use AAC can find meaningful work, be treated fairly, and contribute their skills to the workplace.
