May/110
Disabilities in the Workplace: Training for Executive Order 13548
As we approach the twenty-first anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Disabilities Education Blog would like to reflect on the year that has passed since President Obama addressed the country in honor of the Act’s 20th anniversary last summer.
Disability Training: Preparing for Executive Order 13548
For Federal employers, the Department of Labor has prepared a Toolkit for Implementing Executive Order 13548. Private business may benefit from this free resource, though it is geared towards Federal agencies. Nevertheless, this easy-to-follow toolkit outlines 5 main steps that employers must take in order to hire, train, and retain individuals with disabilities. Those steps are as follows:
1) Training. The first step is to reassess current hiring and training practices. Of particular importance is reviewing Schedule A certifications and processes. Under Schedule A hiring, employers may recruit qualified individuals with disabilities to fill certain job openings. For more on Schedule A hiring, please download the ABCs of Schedule A, a free .pdf document made available by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
2) Preparation. Step 2 in the DOL’s Toolkit for Implementing Executive Order 13548 is to create a welcoming environment for those with disabilities. Above all, employers must reassess the accessibility of their business. This stretches far beyond the physical workplace to include accessible company Web pages and other community outreach mediums. Additional soft skills training and ongoing disability awareness initiatives are recommended to keep each member of the organization mindful and accountable in creating an accessible environment for employees with disabilities.
3) Recruitment. Companies are encouraged to download the DOL’s Four Step Reference Guide to employing qualified individuals with disabilities. Business owners are also encouraged to proactively search for new networks from which to recruit. Building relationships with disability employers, for example, is just one way these new networks may be explored.
4) Interviewing and Hiring. Here, businesses are urged to once again review the ins-and-outs of Schedule A hiring, certifications of job-readiness, job accommodations, and more. To start, businesses may want to review the Overview of Hiring Practices for individuals with disabilities.
5) Retention. Finally, businesses are encouraged to consider what it means to retain employees with disabilities. The DOL’s Toolkit for Implementing Executive Order 13548 has many resource links to help employers perform a range of tasks including: helping injured employees return to work, build skills to manage veterans with PTSD, TBI, or other illnesses, and making ongoing workplace accommodations for individuals with disabilities.
Disability Training for Private Businesses
Disability trends indicate that the number of Americans with serious disability has been rising through the past decade. The 20th anniversary of the ADA and President Obama’s Executive Order to increase Federal employment of individuals with disabilities are two additional societal cues that diversity in U.S. workplaces is growing. Private sector businesses are smart to prepare to hire, train, and retain individuals with disabilities in the same way Federal agencies are doing so.
The Disabilities Education Blog has prepared several free resources to help businesses achieve this end, including:
- 3 Keys to Fostering Inclusion: This easy-to-follow resource lists 3 fundamental steps organizations may take to make their employees feel acceptance, value, and efficacy.
- Making Websites Accessible: This 5-part series is designed to help businesses create user-friendly Web pages that are accessible to individuals with disabilities, a simple yet crucial step in removing barriers of access to the workplace.
- Soft Skills Meet Hard Tasks: Join the Disabilities Education Blog in this look at soft skills training, a new way of developing individual skill sets to better accept coworkers, communicate respectfully, and foster inclusion in the workplace.
Employers may always visit the Disability Training online store to browse our comprehensive collection of leading disability videos, texts, CD-Roms, and more. Resources span a range of topics from specific illnesses to promoting respectful communication and inclusion in the workplace.
Apr/110
3 Keys to Fostering Inclusion
Workplace inclusion is becoming a critical determinant of success for employers nationwide. An increasing population of Americans with disabilities, evaporating Federal funds for disability unemployment programs, and the need for ongoing ADA compliance are just three key drivers towards increased participation of individuals with disabilities in the workplace. Disability training programs that foster inclusion are a means for organizations to stay ahead of the curve, preparing workplaces across the country to better accommodate work-ready prospects with disabilities.
Workplace Inclusion: 3 Key Steps
Workplace inclusion is an end, not a means. It is a goal to be achieved through ongoing disability education and awareness programs. By definition, inclusive workplaces freely and without pity accept qualified individuals of all backgrounds, including those with disabilities. This view further recognizes that outward appearance or deficiency relative to the status quo in no way inhibit the ability of an individual to add value to an organization.
The following are 3 keys to fostering inclusion in the workplace while engaging in employee training programs:
1. Create and Enforce Policies
The creation and enforcement of policies is the first step in fostering inclusion in the workplace. This step will vary in application depending on individual business diversity and needs. In general, effective policies are those that increase the accessibility of job opportunities, physical work spaces, spread awareness for prevalent disabilities, engage in soft skills training, and other means of developing a respectful rapport among all members of the organization.
Enforcement is the not-so-pretty side of this coin, but it is essential nonetheless. All members must be made aware of the penalties for violating inclusion policies. Accordingly, all individuals found in violation of stated policies must be reprimanded in a timely and equitable manner.
Finally, organizations may wish to utilize periodic office communications like announcements, bulletins, or email newsletters to circulate news of policy and enforcement changes. This has a the dual benefit of keeping employees informed while also restating inclusion policies to remind individuals of their scope and goal.
2. Encourage Employee Support Systems
Employee support systems can be both imposed by management or created by employees. The latter reflects a recent trend in the grass roots style of employee networking whereby individuals of similar backgrounds voluntarily create interoffice groups to discuss pertinent workplace issues.
Employee support systems further the generation of inclusion in the workplace by giving individuals a chance to network and bond with peers with whom they share significant common grounds. Moreover, encouraging employees to form support groups can be a vehicle for spreading awareness about issues that otherwise may go unspoken. Human Resources plays a vital role, here, as an entity capable of moderating interaction among different employee support groups to facilitate open discussion of group-specific challenges, aspirations, and perspective.
Above all, these groups build the support system necessary to help individuals build confidence, broaden their horizons, and develop professionally within their organization.
3. Recruit Individuals with Disabilities
Inclusion is not reactive. Rather, it is proactive. Qualified individuals are to be welcomed into the workplace with under an unfaltering notion that everyone has the ability to contribute something of value.
Welcoming qualified individuals is all about accessibility. In a physical sense, this means review the architecture of real-world work spaces to ensure entrances, work stations, bathrooms, and other areas are ADA compliant and deemed handicapped accessible. Accessibility extends beyond the workplace, however, and into the mediums an organization may use to communicate job openings, marketing campaigns, and company news to the general public. The virtual world is valuable in this regard, and the Disabilities Education Blog has a 5-part series on Making Websites Accessible that may prove helpful in constructing Websites with persons with disabilities in mind.
Doing the Right Thing
Disability employers and accessible organizations too often err on the side of doing the right thing. Federal compliance and maintaining a positive public image are typical motivators for employing individuals with disabilities.
However, these shallow commitments are simply not enough. Individuals with disabilities represent a significant portion of working class Americans. Employed, they also represent wage earners and consumers. They participate in their communities in similar ways as those without disabilities. Many have life goals, fears, and moments of proud achievement. Ms. Nadine Vogel, President of Springboard Consulting, puts it best (i):
People who are[...] disabled are individuals with families, jobs, hobbies, likes and dislikes, problems and joys. While their [...] disability may be an integral part of who they are, it alone does not define them. Making it comfortable for everyone to be who they are and bring their full selves and creativity to the workplace is critical to everyone’s success.
As leading global experts in helping multinational corporations, governments, and other organizations support the disability community in the workplace, Springboard Consulting knows that successful disability training programs do more than simply spread awareness. They work to create inclusive communities where each individual has a unique opportunity to leverage their talent as a means of valuable contribution.
Apr/110
The Campaign for Disability Employment
The Campaign for Disability Employment is marked by the collaboration of several disability and business organizations. Together, they aim to spread disability awareness, education, and appreciation through a national campaign of public service announcements and viral Internet marketing. Organizations are encouraged to make a commitment to disability employment and workplace inclusion on the campaign’s website, and so far almost 100 large and small businesses have publicly pledged their support in the short week since the campaign went live. Participating organizations include:
Special Olympics (SO)
Nation Council of La Raza (NCLR)
U.S. Business Leadership Network (USBLN)
National Business and Disability Council (NBDC)
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
American Associationof People with Disabilities (AAPD)
National Gay and Lesbia Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
Spreading Disability Employment and Inclusion Awareness
Disability employers, advocates, and other passionate individuals are encouraged to help spread awareness for disability employment and inclusion. There are several ways to get involved, thanks to Whatcanyoudocampaign.org. The employment initiative recommends:
Sharing the Public Service Announcement: There’s no better way to spread a message than through Web video. The Campaign for Disability Employment makes it very simple to do that, providing television, radio, and print media downloads for individuals and businesses to share. The PSA features individuals with disabilities showing that they are talented and motivated to work. Encourage those in your virtual and physical networks to rethink disability employment by downloading and sharing these media bites.
Display the Campaign Logo: The Campaign for Disability Employment has also made a series of logos and banners available for download. Individuals and organizations who support disability are encouraged to display these free downloads wherever possible. See the bottom of this article for an example of the Campaign’s horizontal banner, ideal for websites, blogs, and other virtual spaces!
Foster Conversation: The Disability Employment campaign encourages those companies that are actively involved in disability training and workplace inclusion to integrate the I Can guide and toolkit in regular training seminars. This guide complements the campaign’s PSA and actively encourages forward discussion about employment, training, and advancement of those with disabilities.
Opt for a Drop-In Article: Companies who run websites, news centers, blogs, and social media campaigns may download up to 5 ready-to-publish disability employment articles from Whatcanyoudo.org. These resources cover a range of disability and inclusion topics that address the challenges underscoring disability employment, ways to meet and overcome those challenges, and more.
Host an Event: Workplaces that actively engage in disability training programs understand the importance of live discussion forums. These events bring individuals of radically different backgrounds and abilities together to explore issues, redefine stereotypes, diffuse prejudices, and cultivate inclusion in the workplace. The Campaign for Disability Employment offers this guide to help these organizations lead effective discussions that spread disability awareness, appreciation, and increase moral.
Program Development Associates is proud to participate in the Campaign for Disability Employment this month. We encourage those with disabilities, advocates, businesses, and other passionate individuals to join the conversation! Tweet your thoughts on inclusion, assistive technology innovation, and disability employment to the Disability Training Twitter account.
Mar/110
Inclusive Workplaces Require Proactive Leaders
Inclusion is rapidly becoming a focal point of most disability training programs. Inclusive workplaces are shown to be more productive and profitably, lending credible testimony to the argument that training programs ought to foster inclusive ideals first and foremost.
Benefits of Hiring Individuals with Disabilities
Typically, the topic of disability employment is approached with compliance in mind. Few organizations proactively seek and hire those with disabilities. Rather, the trends seems to be that organizations hire individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, carefully acting so as to not discriminate among qualified job applicants. New research shows that hiring these individuals adds depth and experience to the workplace that also translates to other benefits. Specifically, these recent studies indicate that workers with disabilities (i):
1) Are dependable as employees
2) Exhibit a lower frequency of job turnover
3) Inspire others to work cooperatively in teams
4) Raise the moral of their peers
5) Represent a large market as both consumers and potential employees
6) Increase productivity and strengthen levels of cooperation among workers
Still, the rate of unemployment among those with disabilities continued to grow through 2010 (ii). A review of inclusion may provide impetus for change, however, as we examine what it means to build a fully functional inclusive workplace.
Principles of Inclusion
Those who advocate inclusion do so on the argument that individuals with disabilities have a right to pursue safe and fulfilling work. Moreover, inclusion holds that employers are morally prohibited from discriminating against these individuals on the basis of disability. Inclusion differs from previous methods of assimilation or integration in its belief that preserving the social functionality and visibility of the individual is of primary importance. Under the model of inclusion, treating individuals with disabilities with pity compromises the individual’s inherent dignity and potential as a community contributor. In short, inclusion can be described as the unconditional accommodation and appreciation of an individual regardless of their ability.
Leaders Needed: Fostering Inclusion in the Workplace
Strong leadership is the most critical element of successful workplaces. It is no surprise, then, that the success of inclusion-focused disability training programs hinges upon the effectiveness of interoffice leaders. Leadership training and seminars are often the best way to prepare individuals to build inclusive workplaces. Those in positions of power must proactively foster inclusion and consider how they are perceived, who they manage, and how motivation can best be created. Additionally, leaders must remember that they are in a perpetual spotlight. Subordinates rely on superiors for guidance and task delegation. In doing so, employees are both consciously and unconsciously affected by the attitudes displayed by their superiors. Thus, leaders must be vocal about inclusion, their goal to create a accommodation in the workplace, and their commitment to help achieve such a lofty end.
(i) http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CCAQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ilo.org%2Fwcmsp5%2Fgroups%2Fpublic%2F—asia%2F—ro-bangkok%2Fdocuments%2Fgenericdocument%2Fwcms_149586.pdf&rct=j&q=inclusive%20workplaces%20and%20productivity&ei=a8eHTcygKNH2gAfo_7m9CA&usg=AFQjCNElEsNdRyan8FYgRWiSJ8lp9I_kpw&cad=rja
Mar/110
Disability News: Federal Budget Changes for 2012
President Obama has led America through one of the most challenging economic climates since the early 1900s. While far from recovery, both the President and the American public remain hopeful that the worst has passed. To aid in recovery, the President has described several changes to the Federal budget that will help to spur growth in the areas of education, infrastructure, and innovation. President Obama has remained loyal to his Executive Orders and other heartfelt words that support those Americans with disabilities, and the Federal budget for 2012 reflects it.
Federal Spending in 2012
The Federal budget has been announced for 2012. Disability employers will see several changes in Federal spending; those with disabilities, as well as their advocates and caregivers, will be happy to note the following expenditures:
Increased Budget for Disability Research: The 2012 Federal budget includes over $100 million dedicated exclusively to the National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation Research, or NIDRR. The NIDRR actively conducts research initiatives aimed at expanding the inclusion and employment of those with disabilities. Of the $100 million that will be directed to the NIDRR in 2012, $10 million will be designated to further computing intiatives that utilize the Internet to decrease the barriers of accessibility faced by some 20% of Americans with disabilities.
Increased IDEA State Grants: $200 million has been pledged to provide education grants under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This will help public high schools accommodate children with disabilities to ensure all children receive an equal opportunity to learn.
Disability Employment Initiative: The new Federal budget will also designate $24 million to the Department of Labor to construct centers to better help individuals with disabilities find and retain employment opportunities.
Independent Living Program Grants: $103 million of the 2012 Federal budget will provide grants for Independent Living Programs provide independent living services to individuals with disabilities. Additionally, $34 million will be provided exclusively to organizations that provide independent living services to the blind. Most noteworthy, $556 billion will be awarded to investments that seek to increase access to public transportation systems for Americans with disabilities.
Increase Anti-Discrimination Oversight: The new budget provides $18 million in funding to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to aid in enforcing the civil rights protected by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. These two landmark pieces of legislation make it a Federal crime to discriminate against job applicants and employees on the grounds of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, religious affiliation, or gender.
Disability training is likely to expand in 2011 and 2012 as many Federal agencies, private investors, and state governments receive Federal funding to increase accessibility and equal opportunity in the workplace. These Federal budget changes reflect a rising concern for inclusion in American society, and further illustrate the Federal government’s steadfast commitment to raising disability awareness and decreasing unemployment among Americans with disabilities.
Source: U.S. President’s Disability Budget, made available at http://www.guerillaadvocate.com
Mar/110
Making Websites Accessible: Color Scheme Planning, Part II
In this final installment of Making Websites Accessible, we will review practical methods of implementing a website color scheme that is readable by both visually impaired users and unimpaired users alike.
Choosing a Color Scheme
To maximize accessibility, anticipate hosting website visitors who have one of the aforementioned conditions. The simplest way to do so is to design a website using a monochromatic color scheme. The scheme should consist of either entirely warm or entirely cool colors. Limiting color selection to a group of either blue colors or yellow colors is an excellent place to start.
Next, choose 3 main colors with which to work, not including black and white. Of the 3, designate 1 to be used as a base or background color. Note: Each of the remaining 2 colors must contrast enough with the base color to be legible when placed on top of one another. Finally, use the second and third color choices to present text and stylistically accent the base or background color.
This is an aesthetically sensitive process. It may be helpful to refer to this Web color palette to get an idea of how color is perceived by individuals with different color vision impairments.
Using Text to Explain Color
The first rule of thumb to follow when designing an accessible website is to never let page elements stand alone. This has been covered in previous Making Website Accessible installments, and the same holds true when planning the color scheme. Web designers must consider that not all users are able to perceive distinct colors. As such, Web designs must avoid using colors to group text items or convey action. For example, a medical website that categorizes local professionals by medical degree should not do so by labeling all pediatricians with red text, all dentists with green text, and so on. Rather, the content should be organized into columns with descriptive headings. This displays the content in a coherent manner without running the risk of rendering the text unreadable by those with vision deficiencies.
Images: Converting Colors
Finally, remember to consider image usage with all of the aforementioned color scheme advice in mind. Just as entire pages may be hard to perceive by users with vision impairment, so too are images. A well-planned site with a user-friendly color scheme needs likewise well-planned image usage. Fortunately, software like Adobe Photoshop makes altering the color scheme of an image simple. First, however, evaluate the images on the website by using this image tool by Vischeck.com. Simply uploading the image will enable you to simulate its appearance for those with Tritanopia, Deuteranopia, or Protanopia (to review these terms, refer to Part I of this article).
Creating an accessible website is a critical component of any disability training program. Implementing the principles of inclusion and disability awareness in web design sends at least two powerful messages. First, it shows employees that their organization is fully committed to fostering inclusion and disability awareness in both the physical and virtual worlds. Second, it facilitates communication between the organization and the ever-diversifying population of the world. Technology has increased communication and information exchange, however, these two hallmarks of technological innovation are rendered useless if information is inaccessible.
Mar/110
Making Websites Accessible: Color Scheme Planning, Part I
In this two part disability education article, we will review a fourth dimension of creating accessible websites: Color scheme. With vision impairment affecting an estimated 8% of American males and 1% of American females, proper color planning takes on great importance when designing a Web page with readability in mind (i). With a touch of proper planning, company websites can be rendered in colors that most all individuals can perceive. Effective color choice rounds out our discussion on website accessibility, providing the proverbial finishing touch to websites that utilize user friendly text, proper image optimization, and video usage, as outlined in our previous Website Accessibility articles.
Introduction to Color Perception
Color perception is the product of the eye and brain working together to make sense of the outside world. Light enters the eye in waves and is absorbed by a series of rods and cones. Specifically, L-cones are sensitive to the red potion of the color spectrum, and thus respond primarily to warm colors like red and orange. M-cones primarily respond to the green portion of the color spectrum, and S-cones respond to the blue.
The cones at the rear of the eye, along with a host of other optical structures, communicate the frequency, contrast, and variance of light waves to the brain. The brain then assembles this information to construct the colorful images we perceive.
Color Blindness
Color Blindness is a condition that occurs when one or more of the cones in the rear of the eye fail to function optimally. This skews the frequency, contrast, and variance in light waves that is communicated to the brain, thereby changing the perception of color. There are three common varieties of colorblindness:
- Protanopia: decrease in function of the L-cones, resulting in decreased sensitivity to the color red.
- Deuteranopia: Decrease in function of the M-cones, resulting in decreased sensitivity to the color green.
- Tritanopia: Decrease in function of the S-cones, resulting in decreased sensitivity to the color blue.
Website Accessibility and Disability Awareness
In addition to making communication possible with a diverse audience, a fully accessible website also facilitates disability awareness among the members of the organization. Educating members of an organization about inclusion and accessibility, both in the virtual and physical worlds, is an essential component of any well rounded disability training program.
Visit the Disabilities Education Blog again tomorrow for Part II of our Making Websites Accessible series as we take a close look at planning website color schemes with visually impaired users in mind.
(i) http://www.preventblindness.org/eye_problems/colorvision.html
Feb/110
Making Websites Accessible: User Friendly Text
The Web has expanded the ability of disability employment programs to reach a diverse pool of potential job applicants. A wide range of customers is also readily reachable through vibrant company websites, social media networks, and email campaigns. Despite the opportunity provided by the Web and its dynamically evolving technologies, an estimated 15-20% of Americans have difficulty using technology because of a disability (i). This percentage is high, though, because most websites are not built with accessibility in mind.
Program Development Associates is proud to introduce the Making Websites Accessible series. This introductory course will be completed in 4 article installments: User Friendly Text, Image Optimization, Effective Video Use, and Color Scheme Planning. We encourage you to check in for each installment, and please leave feedback and questions!
Part I: User Friendly Text
The Web’s ability to transfer information via text is already a victory for those with hearing impairments and other disabilities that limit aural comprehension. However, this advantage is fairly underutilized. The reason: companies build websites pizzazz in mind. With billions of web pages on the Internet, organizations face more pressure than ever to make their own sites stand out. This typically means vibrant images, splashy colors, and sometimes cryptic word usage. These elements, when left to stand alone, are not easily comprehensible for individuals with disabilities. There is a middle ground, however. Organizations may use the following techniques to augment their current websites, increasing their readability and usability:
1) Website Readability
The primary thing to remember when writing text for a web page is the ease with which it can be read and understood. You may use a variety of different scales to gauge this metric. Online-utility.org features this free text tool to analyze the readability of content using traditional scales used by most publishing agents. Generally, websites should mirror most local newspapers and publish content that is deemed readable at a “fifth grade level”. This will change, however, depending on the specific demographic of the organization.
2) Complement Images with Text
As a general rule, never let images stand alone. Always use lines of text that will introduce and clarify the image.
3) Organize Content Into Lists
Use lists instead of color to group different text items. Head the lists with lines of descriptive text that introduce or classify the subsequent content. Tables are a good way to organize lists of content as well.
Paramount to any disability training program is the ability of a business to engage in such programs in a way that transcends internal operations. Disability education seminars and workshops are superb ways to facilitate inclusion in the workplace, however, such efforts should not keep only employees in mind. Instead, they should apply the same principles of inclusion, accessibility, and equal opportunity to other facets of business. This includes marketing to reach consumers with disabilities, offering job opportunities to prospects regardless of disability, and communicating with the general public in a manner that is comprehensible to those with disability. Optimizing company websites, social media pages, and other areas Web communication to make them accessible is the first step in attaining such a goal.
(i)http://www.shrm.org/hrdisciplines/Diversity/Articles/Pages/RecruitingSitesAccessible.aspx
Feb/110
Assistive Tech Apps
Organizations continually face the hurdle of effective employee placement. This hurdle grows higher when the employee has a disability, challenging organizations to place individuals in work opportunities that are both safe and rewarding. Assistive technology, coupled with ongoing disability training, has made it possible for organizations to employ thousands of individuals with a wide array of impairments. These individuals are able to contribute to the organization and community through their work opportunities, becoming wage earners, consumers, and community participants.
Of all the pieces assistive technology that has evolved since the late 1900s, the one with the most potential was not actually designed for those with disabilities at all. Rather, it was designed to provide a mobile computing and entertainment solution for on-the-go, tech savvy consumers. The device features a 9.7 inch scratch and fingerprint resistant LCD screen for vibrant displays and intuitive user-interaction. It comes in a 3G model, giving users access to high speed Internet in most areas both indoors and out. It has expansive sound capabilities, though users may opt for wired or wireless Bluetooth headphones. The device, as you may have guessed, is the Apple iPad. And it represents an essential tool for diverse workplaces.
iPad Apps Disability Employers Will Love
The iPad is a great addition to workplaces with employees who have various different mental and physical disabilities. Like other mobile computing devices, the iPad thrives on applications, or ‘Apps’ for short. Most Apps can be downloaded straight to the iPad for only a few dollars. Moreover, a surging supply of Apps have arrived, speficially designed to help those with disabilities perform personal and work related tasks.
iPad App Must-Haves
The Christopher Reeve Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life for those with disability, specifically those with spinal cord injury. The following are among the best rated iPad applications for those with disability, according to the organization:
1) Proloquo 2 Go
The Proloquo2go is an application specifically designed to benefit those with speech impairment. The application has over 7,000 vocabulary items, provides automatic verb conjugation, and includes possessive noun usage. The application also offers a recently spoken feature, allowing users to pull up recently-used phrases from up to 7 days in the past.
2) Dragon Search
This application is designed for those with limited mobility and a need for Web surfing. Dragon Search installs quickly to the iPad and allows users to navigate to popular search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, or Twitter via voice command.
3) Dragon Diction
From the same company as Dragon Search comes Dragon Diction, the application that terms voice cues into digital writing. Perfect for those with limited mobility, especially in the arms or fingers, to use in composing documents, emails, and more.
It is important to note that these are merely 3 examples of well-received Apps that make work possible for those with disabilities. Of course, assistive technology is no substitute for disability training programs that build interoffice cohesion and inclusion. Assitive technology works well on the micro level, helping employees with disabilities to perform work related tasks. However, proper work supports and disability awareness initiatives must complement their use. Without addressing the macro level of the business, organizations leave themselves vulnerable to employee turnover, discrimination, and other losses.
Feb/110
Disability Employers and the BWAP
Disability employers and diverse organizations know that recruiting talent is meaningless without the means of organizing individuals to yield optimum production or service efficiency. Identifying individual aptitudes, abilities, and preferences goes a long way in placing new hires as well as advancing current employees. At times, specific assessment tools are necessary. For workplaces that employ individuals with disabilities, core operations depend on the accurate assessment and placement of individuals. Disability employers are smart to consider the Becker Work Adjustment Profile (BWAP) when conducting these assessments. This easy-to-use disability training resource provides critical insight on individual vocational abilities, a prerequisite for providing meaningful and safe job placement for those with disability.
Introduction: The Becker Work Adjustment Profile
The BWAP is an observer rating instrument that gauges the work readiness of an individual. This is measured by having a subject perform several work-related tasks while a third party observes and notes their behavior. The outcome of the BWAP assessment will highlight deficiencies in certain areas necessary for job performance. Businesses use this information to help place employees with physical or mental disability in appropriate positions within the organization.
Advantages of the BWAP
One advantage of the BWAP: It does not depend on the solicitation of user responses. Instead, it is an observer rating instrument. A professional observes the subject, rating him or her on several dimensions including work attitude, interpersonal relations, cognitive skills, and work performance skills. This significantly reduces the incidence of subject-driven error, so you may be confident in the outcomes of the assessments and place employees effectively.
The greatest advantage of the BWAP is that it highlights specific areas where the subject exhibits a skill deficiency. The deficiency is framed in the context of the work setting, and this varies by organization. In this way, the observer attains a clear understanding of the specific areas in which an employee may need support or additional training. Vocational training may then be implemented to remedy areas of skill deficiency, making the subject “work ready.”
Moving forward, companies are smart to prepare for assessing and placing workers with disability. Workplace disability is on the rise, indicated by the Council for Disability Awareness. Having a firmly established assessment and placement protocol will help to create the structure necessary to support employees with disabilities in 2011.
Feb/110
Employee Training Programs That Add Value
There are several reasons for employers to value a diverse employee base. Today’s business landscape is explosive; technological proliferation, decreased consumer spending, and a slow-to-recover economy make for a volatile environment. Organizations must take proactive steps towards hedging against such volatility. From a financial investment standpoint, one need only diversify their investment portfolio to minimize the risk associated with volatility. In the very same way, organizations may diversify to overcome the turbulent business environment of the present. With eclectic human capital comes a wider distribution of ideas, the foundation on which forward thinking and innovation are built.
Recruitment
Recruiting talented individuals is the first step in creating a diverse pool of human capital. Recruiters must focus on reaching a variety of different individuals. Drawing from different cultures, ethnicities, genders, and abilities is at the core of building diversity. Working with external agencies is also helpful in developing a valuable employee base. A disability employment program, for example, will help employers find skilled and qualified prospects with disabilities.
Training Employees: Disability Workplace Materials & More
Of course, one of the major hurdles that organizations must clear is placing, training, and developing each of their employees. Employees represent an opportunity for the cultivation of substantial value, if given the proper training. Workplaces with employees with disabilities, for example, must engage in employee education programs to create an inclusive work environment. These workplaces typically use disability workplace material like interactive software and DVD tutorials to build disability awareness, inclusion, and etiquette. This creates an environment where each employee is valued, contributes, and prospers
Fostering Inclusion
Inclusion, as advanced by disability rights advocates, is defined as a free and open accommodation of persons with disabilities without restrictions, limitations, or pity. It is important to understand this definition before attempting to foster inclusion in the workplace. Particularly noteworthy is the lack of pity associated with accommodating those with disabilities. This is an expression of one of the main arguments of the disability rights movement: those with disability are skilled, valuable, and capable. Those with disability should never be hired in spite of their disability; rather, they are to be hired for their unique abilities, just as any other job prospect. In this light, disability training and inclusion initiatives are to focus on spreading disability awareness to extinguish preconceived ideas pertaining to disability, individual limitations, and intellectual abilities.
Program Development Associates has a host of multimedia resources designed to help organizations train for disability. Our free product catalog is a great resource reference and may be downloaded on our homepage.
Jan/110
Achieve Interoffice Efficiencies with Disability Training
Disability training may take on several forms. From enhancing employee communications to creating cohesion among different departments, training for disability optimizes organizational performance. The means of implementation may vary, however the end is most always constant: increased operational efficiency.
Reasons to Train for Disability
Training for disability is a requisite for success in today’s dynamic and diversified business culture. The Council for Disability Awareness has issued disability trends report stating that the incidence of serious disability has grown steadily since just 2007. Women and younger workers are most at risk, according to the report, and managers who anticipate disability in the workplace are positioned for success. Disability costs can be staggering, but forward-thinking organizations can anticipate areas of risk and train employees accordingly. Remaining compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, for example, requires attentive study of Federal and state level laws. Specifics may fluctuate, and creating a disability employment program that oversees compliance issues can save organizations immense amounts of time, money, and unwanted publicity.
Disability Training Topics
Disability training topics are similar to those of other, more common employee training programs. Unlike common training programs with which most employers are familiar, however, training for disability addresses these areas with workplace diversity in mind. This new and forward thinking method of employee training increases accessibility, builds inclusion, and positively leverage diversity to increase the bottom line. Three areas of beneficial disability training include employee communications, human relations, and ethical decision making:
Communications
With the number of different cultural customs and languages increasing in today’s workplace, increased importance is placed on effective communication. The same may be said for public relations; as community diversity increases, so too does the need for business to make an effort to communicate with persons of different backgrounds.
Human Relations
Training to better human relations involves more than communications training. Subtopics here include soft skills training, sensitivity training, and other areas of training that aim to increase the emotional quotient of employees.
Ethical Decision Making
From a legislative stance, employers are prohibited from discriminating against qualified job applicants. However, job posting, recruiting, and interviewing practices are each performed at the discretion of the employer. Training managers and human resources departments to carry out these functions in an ethical manner translates to ADA compliance, increased reach to prospects with disabilities, and an enriched talent pool from which to choose.
What to Expect from Disability Training
Ongoing employee training benefits each member of the organization. For organizations with an eclectic employee base, disability training offers the added benefit of creating a sense of inclusion among employees with rich differences. Ongoing training is essential; disability videos and other multimedia resources are essential in presenting and refining concepts that are critical to success.
Jan/110
Moving Forward: Disability Training and Trends
Disability training has become an instrumental means of accommodating workers of most ability levels. Qualified individuals may now find fulfilling careers in workplaces in spite of mental or physical impairment. Technology has undoubtedly fueled this movement, assisting individuals to accomplish otherwise impossible feats. Disability awareness has grown since the mid 1900s as well, contributing to fully functional diverse workplaces. To continue with this progress, an assessment of disability trends is necessary. Only by an examination of the past may we create a future that continues to strive for heightened disability awareness, appreciation, and equal opportunity among qualified individuals.
Training for Disability: Examined Trends
To prepare for the future, we must study the past. To help, the Disability Training Blog must turn to the Council for Disability Awareness (CDA). In 2007, the CDA reviewed long-term disability claims, figures from participating companies, and data collected from the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. Pooling this information, the CDA successfully uncovered several emerging trends with respect to disability prevalence among working Americans.
Disability Trends*
The 2007 CDA study uncovered the following trends in workers with disabilities:
1) Growth of Disabilities
Disabilities deemed “serious” are growing among American workers at a staggering rate.
2) Women and Young Employees Are Most Susceptible to Disabilities
Working women experience serious disabilities and almost twice the rate of men, while young workers aged 20-40 are experiencing such disabilities at a likewise increasing rate.
3) Decline in Cancer, Cardiovascular, and Nervous System Related Claims
Claims of this nature receded in 2007, perhaps because of increasingly effective and accessible medical technologies.
Meeting Needs with Disability Resources
The 2007 CDA study whispers a word of caution that organizations and business professionals are smart to heed. Disability rates are climbing. Most alarming are the rates of serious disability among women and young adults, two major talent pools from which disability employers draw to maintain diversity. As rates of disability continue to climb, so too will the frequency with which employers encounter qualified individuals with disabilities. This puts tremendous strain on employers to assimilate these individuals into the workplace, particularly in instances requiring strict ADA compliance.
Training for disability is the most effective way for organizations to anticipate this trend, accommodate individuals with disabilities, remain ADA compliant, and continue operating proficiently. Moreover, disability training enhances business cultures through disability awareness and appreciation, two critical factors in leveraging diversity to create value. In light of the research conducted by the CDA, and the trends uncovered therein, it is likely that the rate of disability will continue to grow with the American population. Inclusive workplaces anticipate this trend, are positioned for a minimally disruptive transition, and are poised to excel while competitors play catch-up.
*Source for 2007 CDA study: http://www.beamalife.com/blog/disability-insurance/5-most-alarming-long-term-disability-ternds/
Dec/100
Disability Training Blog Honors CSC
The Disability Training Blog would like to recognize and congratulate CSC on earning a spot on the “Top 50 Employers for Persons with Disabilities” list in CAREERS & the disABLED magazine. Though printing of the official list will not occur until this coming month, January 2011, the news is already rippling across the Web. CSC, a multinational technology solutions company, sets the quintessential example of what it means to value disability in the workplace.
CAREERS & the disABLED first printed in 1986. To this day, the magazine is the only periodical of its kind. Geared towards undergraduate students, graduates, and professionals, this magazine provides disability career guidance for individuals with a range of mental and physical impairments. For the past twenty years, CAREERS has surveyed subscribers to create an annual list of the top 50 employers for which those with disability would most like to work.
It is easy to see why CSC has been honored with a spot on such a admirable list. When asked about the award, Jeannie Maul, Vice President of CSC’s Managed Services Sector, replied:
CSC is greatly honored to receive this prestigious recognition that highlights our focus and commitment to creating an enterprise-wide culture of inclusion, valuing diversity and providing opportunities for all employees.
The company is no stranger to diversity, with offices in the U.S., Asia, Australia, and Europe. Experience with the global workplace has clearly impacted the culture of CSC, as Ms. Maul explains that disability awareness is very much a part of the company:
[…] we work to create awareness not about the ‘disability,’ but rather about the abilities of our employees. CSC strives to provide a fully inclusive workplace that inspires all employees to be a part of our success, and to provide everyone with vast global opportunities for professional development.
It is inspiring to see a company of such great magnitude value the diversity they recruit. Business leaders are smart to take a page from the CSC operations manual, and not just because of the praise the company has received from Fortune Magazine for being one of the World’s Most Admired Companies for IT. Ms. Maul said it best: CSC inspires each employee to be a part of the company’s success. By focusing on abilities, companies are better able to train, develop, and place employees for optimal performance. Disability training is an integral part of this process, equipping individuals with the knowledge and foresight to build inclusive workplaces.
News source for this article: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101220006346/en/CSC-Recognized-Top-Employer-Persons-Disabilities
Dec/100
Surpassing the Norm with Universal Design Strategies
Companies nationwide are turning to Universal Design to reevaluate growth strategies, and it is easy to see why. The rate of disability among American adults varies by specific condition, however, maintains a general upward climb (i). In the past, organizations have designed disability work programs and other internal panels to accommodate job applicants or current employees with disability. Now, however, organizations realize that such disability training has benefits that extend beyond the confines of the business itself. Internal disability education and training programs also put businesses in touch with local communities where disability is often times most prevalent.
About Universal Design
Universal Design is a method of planning that proactively creates structures, products, and atmospheres that are equally accessible to those with disability as they are to those without. As individuals live longer, research and trends indicate a corresponding increase in disability prevalence. Interest for Universal Design has thus grown as well, with businesses and consumers alike searching for ways to create inclusive environments.
Universal Design and Language
If a picture is worth a thousand words, what kind of price tag may a business place on a single disrespectful comment? More than ever, businesses are in touch with communities of consumers both locally and often worldwide. Information technology, in particular, unites consumers and makes reputation management a daunting task. A single disrespectful, disingenuous, or callous comment has the power to produce an incident that may destroy an organization’s good will overnight.
Sensitivity training is one area to which businesses may look to insulate themselves from potential downfall. This type of training teaches employees to recognize disability as the positive societal element it is, rather than a setback. In doing so, employees learn to identify the stigmas or prejudices they hold, counter them, and engage in etiquette means of communication with those with disability. Program Development Associates recommends the Principles and Practices: Universal Language DVD for business professionals looking to design disability etiquette programs with Universal Design principles in mind.
Proactive disability training with Universal Design concepts helps organizations prepare everything from buildings to customer service agents for interaction with a diversity of individuals. Proactive training carries with it disability education and awareness, two elements that pay added dividends to organizations looking to diversify their workplace. With the rate of disability climbing, it is hard to escape the notion that the modern workplace and ongoing disability education are a match made for long term success.
(i) http://www.allbusiness.com/labor-employment/workplace-health-safety-occupational/14267330-1.html
Dec/100
IDEA: Equal Opportunity Celebrated
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act celebrated its 35th year Monday, November 29th. The ground breaking piece of legislation shattered the long standing education boundaries for children with disabilities, opening public school systems and advancing disability awareness among students.
Remembering the IDEA
On Monday, President Obama released a statement in honor of the Act, expressing his commitment to equal opportunity in the schoolyard:
In America, we believe that every child, regardless of class, color, creed, or ability, deserves access to a world-class education […]. And as we mark the thirty-fifth anniversary of that law, we remember what it was all about. Equal opportunity. Equal access. Not dependence, but independence. We know that our educational system must hold children with disabilities to the same high standards as those without disabilities, and hold them accountable for their success and their growth. (i)
In honor of the 35th anniversary of the IDEA, Program Development Associates would like to highlight the disability products available to educators, business owners, and parents that aid in education and employment.
Disability Education Resources
The rate of learning disability among children ages 5 to 18 is growing. More than ever, it is important for parents and educators to learn about disability and create supportive, inclusive environments in which children can thrive. PDA offers a variety of texts, DVDs, and interactive media to help with these often challenging endeavors. Visit the PDA Learning Disabilities store to find the resources that are right for you.
Workplace Disability Training
The President’s words may have been in reference to the IDEA of 1975, but it is possible to extend their meaning to describe the level of disability employment for which we strive as a country. After all, why should we work so diligently to produce equal access and opportunity for schooling without working with equal diligence to create equal opportunity for employment?
PDA is proud to offer the following resource selections to help employers, those with disability, and organizations build a foundation for diversity and growth:
Building a disability employment program takes a steadfast commitment, and these disability training products help to refine internal interviewing, hiring, and training processes.
For individuals with disabilities, choosing a career path may require a lifetime of continual learning and preparation. These disability resources help individuals to identify their passions, work preferences, and suitable job opportunities.
Diverse workplaces rise or fall with the attitudes of those involved. These disability products help members of organizations to cultivate soft skills, engage in sensitivity training, and learn to communicate effectively.
As we reflect on President Obama’s words, let us remember that there was a time when disability precluded one from attaining an education. Let us remember the IDEA, and what it has meant for the 6.6 million children with disabilities who receive an education each year because of its enactment. Most of all, let us remember that equal opportunity does not end with school children.
(i) http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/11/29/statement-president-35th-anniversary-individuals-with-disabilities-educa
Nov/100
Disability Employers and the Americans with Disabilities Act
Is your organization working with the Americans with Disabilities Act? It may seem unreasonable to frame this question nearly 20 years after the enactment of the ADA, but a closer look may prove otherwise. The rate of unemployment among those with disability hovered around 16% at the end of 2009; nearly double the rate of unemployment among persons with no disability (i). The assessment of Federal employers, as illustrated in the Unnecessary Boundaries study, indicates little progress in hiring individuals with disability since 1990 as well.
The picture is not entirely dismal, however. The ADA was enacted. Presidents have made legislative changes to further disability awareness– Barack Obama’s issuance of Rosa’s Law in late October being one of the most recent. In spite of these governmental and societal movements, though, unemployment among those with disability continues to hover at almost twice that of those without disability. To further unravel this conundrum, let us consider the other piece of the equation: disability employers.
Disability Employers and the Americans with Disabilities Act
Disability employers may not actively seek to diversify their workplace. On the contrary, the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits employers from trying to gauge whether or not a particular applicant has a disability (ii). Persons with disabilities are thus able to disclose their condition at their own discretion. Employers often hire applicants with disabilities simply in virtue of their qualifications for the job. Ideally, this would be a victory for both employer and applicant. However, employers sometimes lack the skills, workplace supports, or technologies to facilitate the employment of a new hire with a disability. As a result, the new employee is hired, receives inadequate training, suffers from lackluster environmental supports, and is unable to perform to the best of their ability.
Prepare to Work with the ADA
Simple disability education products can equip organizations to reverse this trend. The ADA has been successful in breaking the barriers to disability employment, however progress now rests in the hands of employers. Proactive disability awareness training can equip an organization with the knowledge, skills, and etiquette necessary to build inclusive workplaces suitable for today’s diverse workforce. Additionally, organizations may enlist disability advocacy resources to refine their hiring skills, smoothing the transition of employees with disability into the workplace.
(i) http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t06.htm
(ii) http://careerplanning.about.com/cs/personalissues/a/disability_act.htm
Oct/100
Disability Awareness: From Ancient Arenas, Willowbrook, and Forward
Learning the history of disability and the evolution of disability awareness is the key driver towards inclusion, both in the workplace and in the larger context of society as a whole. Disability employment professionals may utilize resources that provide the history of disability in society to better frame contemporary issues for employees. The goal: to provide a story with which everyone may relate, regardless of the difference in mental and physical capacities.
Program Development Associates features a resource bundle that is ideal for disability education in the diverse workplaces of today. This 2 DVD pack first primes viewers with the history of disability from a medical and societal perspective, then moves to share with viewers an unrestricted view of the infamous Willowbrook State School for the developmentally disabled. The progression of this multi-resource bundle will not only give viewers a comprehensive history lesson, but will also provide a real-world examples for the necessity for ongoing disability awareness.
Disability History
The first DVD of this resource bundle, A Little History Worth Knowing, provides a background in disability stereotypes spanning from early medical dilemmas to current day assistive technology breakthroughs. This DVD uses a multitude of resources, including the diaries of real individuals with disabilities, to follow the development of disability awareness through the past century.
Willowbrook: Lessons for Today
The Unforgotten: 25 Years After Willowbrook DVD provides the quintessential follow-up for this disability resource bundle. This award-winning expose was shot in 1972 by Geraldo Rivera and is widely considered a major catalyst for the widespread reform in the treatment of people with disabilities. The hour long DVD, available in Closed Captioned format, also includes a 30 minute Geraldo Rivera bonus feature that will give viewers insight toward the making of the documentary. Above all, the critically acclaimed film is a valuable tool for disability employment professionals because it shows viewers of the horrific shortcomings of the Willowbrook State School, teaches them of the inequities of such treatment, and provides impetus for ongoing disability awareness training.
Additional disability training resources may be viewed through the Program Development Associates product catalog, which may be downloaded for free on the Disabilitytraining.com.
Sep/100
Disability Assessment and Evaluation
In recent years, businesses have focused on seeking out prospects from unique backgrounds to make their organization rich in culture, talent, and other dimensions. These organizations make proactive efforts to reach out to minorities and persons with disabilities to ensure equal opportunity is presented to qualified prospects. However, attention is all too often focused on the prospecting and interviewing processes, leaving a critical piece of the disability employment puzzle overlooked: maintaining and developing employees into valuable company assets.
Diversity in the Workplace
Diversification alone is unsuccessful in maintaining diversity in the workplace. The increasing rate of unemployment among persons with disabilities illustrates this concept, despite the push for equal employment by major pieces of legislation like the Americans with Disabilities Act (i). The Presidential Executive Orders that followed the ADA pushed a similar agenda for equal opportunity, likewise coming up short. According to recent studies, a number of Federal employees say that while their respective organizations have the framework in place to recruit a diverse group of employees, management is incapable of helping a diverse group develop into professionals (ii). Diversification is only the first step in building a diverse workplace. Steps to train, assess, and advance employees must be taken as well.
Disability Training and Assessment
A diverse workplace is composed of individuals with backgrounds and abilities that may differ greatly. These differences are particularly pronounced when the workplace includes persons with disabilities. Differences in individual ability require different approaches to community inclusion, ranging from specific assistive technology requirements to the need for unique communication methods. Disability assessment tools are crucial in training and retaining persons with disabilities, as they expose areas where an individual may need additional training and support.
Disability assessment and evaluation, along with Disability assessment tools, are all critical components that inclusive workplaces must use in building a work environment that will expand upon internal human resources. Properly developing human capital is essential in increasing company productivity, revenue, and longevity. Program Development Associates offers a host of additional disability and diversity resources to help organizations recruit, train, assess, and develop persons with disabilities into business professionals.
(i) http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/stats.htm
(ii) http://www.teleworkexchange.com/unnecessarybarriers/landing.asp
Aug/100
Modern Diversity Training: Assistive Technology
The desire to employ persons with disabilities is growing. In honor of the recent twentieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Program Development Associates Disability Training Blog is proud to present a look towards the diversified businesses of the present. This coverage will be completed in two installments.
In this article, titled Modern Business Training: Assistive Technology Products, we will take a closer look at the assistive technology that is enabling persons with various mental and physical disabilities to gain employment. Next week, we will follow up with Modern Business Training Part II, a look at the Universal Design for Learning and its application in complementing assistive technology and broadening the scope of employment opportunity for those with disabilities.
Assistive technology can be considered any of a variety of instruments used by individuals with disabilities to perform functions that might otherwise be difficult or altogether impossible (i). This is a broad and somewhat conceptual definition that has many applications. For example, mobility devices including manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs, power scooters, and walking aids are all consider assistive technology. In this example, the technology is somewhat primitive compared to digital gadgetry but nonetheless enables the mobility of an individual who would otherwise have some degree of difficulty moving about.
Assistive technology goes beyond mobility devices to also include hardware, software, and other information technologies. For example, consider that individuals with physically impaired hands or fingers can utilize custom designed keyboards and computer mice to operate computers. Individuals with moderate to severe visual impairments can likewise overcome their unique sensory deprivation with software that reads digitally displayed messages aloud, like emails and other lines of text on a computer. In both of these examples, individuals are able to overcome their unique disabilities and perform work specific tasks.
Without these kinds of enabling technologies, these individuals would be hard pressed to find work environments in which they could actively pursue objectives, contribute as team members, and develop into working professionals. The expanding application of assistive technology, however, provides the groundwork for individuals with disabilities to do just the opposite. Indeed, the proliferation of assistive technology establishes the opportunity for businesses to diversify their workforce and cultivate the talents of a range of individuals. Moreover, employers are better able to retain valuable human capital; individuals who spend years learning, training, and contributing within a specific company can more easily retain their position should unexpected, devastating accidents occur. This adds a tremendous value for businesses rich in human capital; unexpectedly losing capital for any period of time can be costly, derail growth strategies, and undermine core business objectives.
Disability employers must know, however, that assistive technology is just that: technology. The effective application of assistive technology hinges on the ability of a disability or diversity employer to consider access. Technology is of no use if it is not accessible to the users for which it is intended. This is particularly important when considering the application of assistive technology, as it is specifically designed for persons with unique mental and physical impairments. Nuances that make one piece of assistive technology accessible to one individual may not make that instrument equally accessible to another individual with a similar impairment.
Since effective application of diversity training depends largely on accessibility, it is of great importance for employers to consider the needs of each of their employees. In the second installment of Modern Business Training, we will investigate how employers can best identify the unique needs of each employee to make assistive technology, and the workplace in general, more accessible.
(i) http://www.washington.edu/accessit/articles?109
