Type of Project: Funded project
Legal effects on the job integration of hard of hearing, deaf and deaf people through communication and organization (GINKO)

In order to determine the interests and opportunities of people with hearing disabilities in working life, the German Association for the Hard of Hearing (DSB) and the German Association for the Deaf ( DGB) will conduct nationwide member surveys. For this purpose, a standardized questionnaire will be developed, which will be sent by mail and will also be available online (in written and German sign language). This will be followed by a statistical data analysis and, if necessary, the development of profiles and clusters (i.e. group-specific differences) as well as the evaluation and publication of the results. A scientifically supported final report based on data and facts is to be prepared, which will highlight working conditions, work situations and work motivation as well as communication and organizational barriers, and will contain socio-politically relevant recommendations for the implementation of SGB IX. In a second stage, the selection of suitable people and work situations (e.g. small companies, high intrinsic motivation, precise knowledge of SGB IX) is planned. Here, qualitative interviews are to be conducted on the work and employment situation of affected people, in which the use of assistive products and initiatives of affected people will also be addressed. The results are to be fed back to the DSB, the DGB and the BMAS. In addition, the information collected is to be prepared barrier-free, i.e. in text-optimized language, including graphic elements as well as the use of sign language as an option. Cross-media publishing for already existing information platforms for employers on the employment of hearing impaired, deaf and deafened employees is planned. The theoretical reference system of the GINKO project is the ICF classification scheme, which maps the interrelationships between a person's hearing loss, deafness or deafening and other personal factors as well as environmental factors in the context of job and work deafness. GINKO aims to create data and facts that social policy needs to be aware of, identify communication and organizational barriers, determine the need for change and identify possible solutions through examples of good practice. Employers will be informed about what hard of hearing, deaf and deafened people can achieve if participation is taken seriously. Implementation recommendations will be developed for policy makers.