ADA Disability Handbook-Southwest ADA Center

Disability Law Handbook (New Edition) National Network of ADA Centers http://www.southwestada.org/html/publications/dlh/index.html. The Disability Law Handbook is a 64-page guide to the basics of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other disability related laws. Written in an FAQ format, The Disability Law Handbook answers questions about the Americans with Disabilities Act, the ADA Amendments Act, the Rehabilitation Act, Social Security, the Air Carrier Access Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, and the Fair Housing Act Amendments. This publication is produced by the Southwest ADA Center, one of the ten National Network of ADA Centers funded by the National Institute on Rehabilitation and Research of the Department of Education, to provide technical assistance and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act and other disability-related laws.

Equal Access: Universal Design of Instruction

DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) serves to increase the participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs and careers, including STEM education and careers. It is funded by the National Science Foundation to promote persons with disabilties becoming trained for STEM career opportunitues. The home Web page is: http://www.washington.edu/doit/ Its Web site has many videos, information on universal design, acessible distance learning, and learning strategies.

ETA and VETS annoucement of new video and information brief on employment of disabled veterans

ETA and VETS, DOL, are announcing the availability of a new video and information brief to promote the employment of disabled veterans through the One-Stop Career Center system. Both are available on http://disability.workforce3one.org. Share these resources with your system's stakeholders. Related resources: http://disability.workforce3one.org/view/4200927374360810672/info

Funding Sources for Assistive Technology for Persons with Disabilities

Assistive technology devices and assistive technology service are defined in the Assistive Technology Act (ATA) of 1998, as follows: • Assistive Technology Device-Any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially or off-the-shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capacities of individuals with disabilities. • Assistive technology service: Any service that directly assist an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology service. There are several funding sources to assist with paying of assistive technology for individuals with disabilities, including funding by the employer (tax credits are available for the employer), Vocational Rehabilitation, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security Work Incentives, Veteran’s Administration, local service, charitable, religious, and civic organizations, private foundations, and private insurance. The attached provides a list of Web sites for variety of information on assistive technology and funding sources for persons with disabilities.

Students witth Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities

The Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, just issued a new publication, " Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities." This pamphlet explains the rights and responsibilities of students with disabilities who are planning or preparing to attend postsecondary schools. It also explains the obligations of a postsecondary school to provdie academic adjustments, accommodations, auxilary aids and services, to ensure that the school does not discriminate on the basis of disability.

Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) and New Freedom Services, 2007-2008

Connecting People to Employment and Enhancing Mobility for People with Disabilities: An Evaluation of Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) and New Freedom Program Services Provided in 2007 and 2008,Final Report,November 2009 http://www.fta.dot.gov/funding/grants/grants_financing_3549.html The Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) program was established to address the unique transportation challenges that recipients of TANF and individuals who are low-income face in finding and keeping jobs. The New Freedom program was established to provide new public transportation services and new alternatives to public transportation to people with disabilities beyond the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). This study analyzed the JARC and New Freedom funded services provided in FYs 2007 and 2008 and provides information on the number of jobs that can be accessed and the number of rides provided by JARC services. The study also provides information on the number of rides provided by New Freedom funded services. The report also includes detailed profiles of services funded under both programs. Access the URL to download the reports in PDF and MS Word formats. The New Freedom formula grant program provides additional tools to overcome existing challenges facing Americans with disabilities seeking integration into the work force and full participation in society. Lack of adequate transportation is a primary barrier to work for individuals with disabilities. The 2000 Census showed that only 60 percent of people between the ages of 16 and 64 with disabilities are employed. The New Freedom formula grant program seeks to reduce barriers to transportation services and expand the transportation mobility options available to people with disabilities beyond the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990.

GAO Report, October 2009, " Higher Education and Disability..."

The GAO recently issued a report on how education needs a coordinated approach to improve its technical assistance postsecondary schools in supporting students with disabilities. Students with disabilities represent approximately 11% of all postsecondary students in 2008. The proportion of students that reported having attention deficit disorder increased from 7 to 19%.

Fact Sheet: Workplace Accommodations: Low Cost, High Impact Job Accommodation Network UPDATED: September 2009

Auxiliary Aids and Services for Postsecondary Students with Disabilities: Higher Education's Obligations Under Section 504 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights Revised Sept 1998

The Office for Civil Rights provides information on postsecondary schools' obligations to provide auxiliary aids to qualified students who have disabilities under Section 504 and Title II of the ADA. It includes examples of different types of auxiliary aids and services including a section on "Questions Commonly Asked by Postsecondary Schools and Their Students."

Find an Assistive Technology Resource Center in Your State

State Assistive Technology (AT) Act programs work to improve access to assistive technology for individuals with disabilities through comprehensive statewide programs. These programs include device loans, AT reuse, device demonstrations and state financing activities. For examples of how some states have helped people with disabilities get assistive technology visit the website of the Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs (ATAP at http://www.ataporg.org/atap/projects.php. For a listing of AT manufacturers and distributors in your state visit ABLEDATA at http://www.abledata.com/abledata.cfm?pageid=160163&ksectionid=19326.

“US and UK Routes to Employment: Strategies to Improve Integrated Service Delivery to People with Disabilities,” Heike Boeltzig, Dorian Pilling, Jaime C. Timmons, and Robyn Johnson, IBM Center for the Business of Government,” March 2009.

In this report, the authors examine the experience of the United States and United Kingdom in developing effective strategies for providing integrated employment service delivery. It analyzes the concept of a public workforce system that provides a One-Stop system to promote the employment of persons with disabilities. The report examines what works and what does not work and provides a roadmap to improving employment services to individuals with disabilities. The report identifies 12 strategies to strengthen integrated employment service delivery system and to assist individuals with disabilities in gaining and maintaining productive employment. Implementing these strategies can benefit customers with a disability, business, the taxpayer, who will subsequently be paying less for disability assistance, and society, which gains the productive skills of qualified individuals. The following identifies the strategies to deliver existing employment services more effectively in an integrated One-Stop system to persons with disabilities: Read more...

Disabilities in the Workplace Case Series - University of California Davis Extension Center for Human Services

The publication, “Promoting Understating and Innovation in Support of Employees with Disabilities: A Series of Teaching Cases to Involve Executives, Managers, and Future Business Leaders in the Discussion,” was published in March, 2009. Teaching cases, as they are prepared at business schools across the country, are one of the primary tools of management education. They are used globally in university settings, professional development and executive education training, and provide students and readers with a great wealth of insider knowledge about the "norms" of business practices. The University’s intention with this series is to demonstrate "best practices" in the employment of people with disabilities, a population which has historically had and continues to have low employment rates. Five (5) cases are demonstrated in various industries and organizations throughout California, including: Smith Barney (financial services); Naval Medical Center San Diego-Cisco-Northrup Gruman (military-IT-defense); Crossroads Services (employment-retail); IBM (software); and AT&T (telecommunications). They include employees with a variety of disabilities-hearing loss, traumatic brain injury, visual disability, mobility disability, and mental illness. These case studies provide students of management with a window into five distinct corporate cultures, with each case offering a different view of the attitudes, practices, and policies that have created diverse workplaces that are accommodating to people with disabilities, both in the legal sense of the word and also in ways that are welcoming. These case studies are intended to promote discussion and generate new ideas among mangers and new business leaders.

Issue Brief: Access for All Customers: Universal Strategies for One-Stop Career Centers Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts--Boston

One-Stop Career Centers serve a diverse range of customers. These include individuals with a variety of educational and work backgrounds, people from diverse racial, linguistic and ethnic cultures, as well as individuals with a wide range of disabilities and support needs. One effective way to serve this broad customer pool is to provide One-Stop services according to the principles of what is known as "universal design," using common strategies that benefit many groups‚ and that reinforce the concept of an inclusive setting that welcomes and celebrates diversity. This Issue Brief includes 7 principles of Universal Design each with guidelines and examples for a One-Stop. A Checklist for implementing Universal Strategies in a One-Stop

Access & Accomodations - DPN FAQ's - U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration National Technical Assistance Project

Access & Accomodations Click for Answers: How can I ensure that my One-Stop Career Centers are physically accessible? How can I ensure communication access in the One Stop system and in particular, for individuals who are d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing? What are Video Relay Services (VRS) and Video Remote Interpreting (VRI), and how can video based communication services enhance access in the One- Stops for customers whose primary language is American Sign Language (or other manual sign language)? How can I help to ensure program access on all levels of One-Stop services for individuals with a wide range of disabilities and needs? How do I know what type of adaptive equipment to recommend having available in the One-Stop Career Centers? How can I guide One-Stop staff to effectively serve individuals with non-visible learning disabilities? What resources are available on reasonable accommodations and assistive technology for individuals with learning disabilities?

One-Stop Access for All Cornell University, ILR School, Employment and Disability Institute

Universal Access-NY is a complete online planning toolkit, where a One-Stop Delivery System can continuously assess its practices, and develop work plans to improve physical and programmatic accessibility for all One-Stop customers. This web site was designed for use in a collaborative manner, bringing together One-Stop personnel, agency partners, business leaders and customers with disabilities.

Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Section 188 Disability Checklist U.S. Department of Labor Civil Rights Center

The Checklist is designed to ensure meaningful participation of people with disabilities in programs and activities operated by recipients of financial assistance under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), including those that are part of the One-Stop delivery system. Section 188 of WIA (WIA Section 188) ensures nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for various categories of persons, including persons with disabilities, who apply for and participate in programs and activities operated by recipients of WIA Title I financial assistance. WIA Section 188 Disability Checklist: Appendix – Examples of Practice This Appendix to the Section 188 Disability Checklist includes examples of policies, procedures and other recommended steps that local workforce investment area (LWIA) grant recipients can take to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to WIA Title I programs and activities. These "examples of practices" suggest ways in which LWIA grant recipients might meet their obligations to ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to those programs and activities.

ABLEDATA

ABLEDATA provides objective information on assistive technology and rehabilitation equipment available from domestic and international sources to consumers, organizations, professionals, and caregivers within the United States. The website includes: Links to Web resources that provide information on assistive technology and other disability-related issues. The Assistive Technology Library, a searchable list of books, articles, papers and other paper and electronic publications that deal with topics relating to assistive technology. Phone: 800-227-0216/301-608-8912 (TTY) E-mail: abledata@macrointernational.com

Assistive Technology Showcase Devices IT Accessibility & Workforce Division (ITAW) Office of Governmentwide Policy U.S. General Services Administration

The Center for Information Technology Accommodation maintains an Assistive Technology Center to showcase the leading edge assistive technology equipment and devices, and ergonomic workplace solutions. This website provides pictures of some of the assistive technologies found in the AT Center. Each device provides a description and indicates its use. Phone: 202-208-7420 E-mail: section.508@gsa.gov

ADA Information and Technical Assistance U.S. Department of Justice

Central web resource for information and technical assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), including: The text of the law and subsequent regulations, guides, technical manuals, and links to federal agencies with ADA responsibilities, and informational publications. Information about the ADA through a toll-free ADA Information Line. This service permits businesses, state and local governments, or others to call and ask questions about general or specific ADA requirements including questions about the ADA Standards for Accessible Design. ADA specialists are available Monday through Friday from 9:30 AM until 5:30 PM (eastern time) except on Thursday when the hours are 12:30 PM until 5:30 PM. Spanish language service is also available. ADA Information Line: 800-514-0301(voice) / 800-514-0383 (TTY)

DBTAC National Network of ADA Centers

The Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center (DBTAC) is a national network of 10 regional DBTAC: ADA Centers that provide the most complete and experienced services for up-to-date information, referrals, resources, and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to businesses, employers, government entities, and individuals with disabilities. Maintain a national toll free information line, (800) 949-4232 (V/TTY), and each DBTAC responds to calls generated from within its regional service area. Technical assistance includes information and answers to questions on employment, architectural access, effective communication and other issues. Training programs ranging from Web courses to on-site, customized sessions for employers, government agencies, disability organizations, architectural firms and others. Maintain an online, searchable database of ADA and disability-related publications, ranging from legal documents to user-friendly fact sheets and checklists. Contact your regional DBTAC ADA Center: 800-949-4232 (V/TTY) http://www.adata.org/network/index.html