Unemployment in Eastern Kentucky: The Literacy Effect

Abstract

Unemployment due to low literacy is a societal issue to which sociocultural ideologies, structural inequality in education, and lack of technological literacies contribute. Can literacy be enhanced to impact job skills of the underprivileged in Eastern Kentucky to improve the unemployment outlook? An interdisciplinary research approach using the disciplines of English, Psychology, and Library Informatics will integrate insights on the effects of low literacy which can be applied to implement possible solutions: eradicating ableism, legitimizing learning anxieties, and promoting inclusive environments. As a result, people can pursue more challenging avenues of education without frustration and employable skills can be improved.