Employing Deaf Persons: A Zimbabwean Employers Perspective

The study explored the views of the Zimbabwean employers regarding the employment of deaf persons. The study was motivated by the need to find the cause to the rapid increase of the number of deaf persons looming the streets of Harare. A mixed design methodology was employed. The respondents were ten employers of deaf persons based in Harare. A questionnaire was used to collect data. The results have shown that the majority of employers believe that deaf employees have the same vocational competencies as their as their hearing counterparts. It has also been found that employers are skeptical of employing deaf person for fearing to lose clients. The results also showed that employers of deaf persons do not get training on the communication needs of deaf persons. The study recommended that there is need for the government to give corporate tax rebates to employers of deaf employees. It is also recommended that treasury introduce a fund for the purposes of funding projects of deaf school leavers.