About JAN ADAAA and Intellectual Disabilities Accommodation Situations and Solutions Q & A

1. Increasing Successful Employment of People with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities: Examples from the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) • Louis Orslene, MSW, MPIA, CPDM • JAN Co-Director • http://askjan.org/landingpage/AUCD2014/

2. Agenda • About JAN • ADAAA and Intellectual Disabilities • Accommodation Situations and Solutions • Q & A

3. About JAN • Free, confidential, national service • TA on Job Accommodations and ADAAA • Coach customers through the interactive process • Give targeted technical assistance

4. About JAN • Provide comprehensive referrals • Maintain confidentiality • Communicate via telephone, chat, text, TTY, relay, email, and social networks • Offer live and archived training

5. About JAN • Work as a partner in making model employers • Extensive online services

6. About JAN Customers • Employers • Individuals with disabilities • Rehabilitation professionals • Others

7. About JAN Teams • Sensory • Cognitive/Psychiatric • Motor • ADA • Self-employment

8. About JAN Myth #1 – Accommodations are too expensive. • More than half (57%) were made at no cost • The typical cost of accommodating an employee was $500 Low Cost, High Impact (2014) JAN Study

9. About JAN Myth #2 - Accommodations aren’t effective • Employers were asked to rank the effectiveness of accommodating a worker on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being extremely effective • Of those responding, 73% reported accommodations were either very effective or extremely effective Low Cost, High Impact (2014) JAN Study

10. About JAN Employer-Reported Benefits of Accommodation 90% - retaining a valued employee 71% - increase in the employee’s productivity 60% - eliminate costs of a new employee 38% - saving in worker’s comp/other insurance costs Low Cost, High Impact (2014) Resulting from the JAN Study

11. ADAAA and ID ADAAA and Intellectual/Cognitive Disabilities • Some impairments are virtually always covered under the ADAAA. An intellectual disability is one of them because of limitations in learning, reading, and thinking.

12. Situations and Solutions • Limitations most often discussed • Cognitive Abilities • Motor Abilities • Social Abilities

13. Situations and Solutions • Limitations in Cognitive Abilities • Reading • Writing • Memory • Performing Calculations • Organization • Time Management/Performing or Completing Tasks

14. Situations and Solutions • Reading - Accommodations Most Often Discussed • Provide pictures, symbols, or diagrams instead of words • Read written information to employee • Provide written information on audiotape • Use voice output on computer • Use line guide to identify or highlight one line of text at a time

15. Situations and Solutions • Situation: A bus garage employee who had difficulty reading, but had excellent listening comprehension skills, often missed instructions and important announcements that were sent via email.

16. Situations and Solutions • Solution: The employee was provided with screen-reading software that allowed him to listen to the emails that he received. His performance greatly improved, as well as his attendance at meetings and gatherings.

17. Situations and Solutions • Writing - Accommodations Most Often Discussed • Provide templates or forms to prompt information requested • Allow verbal response instead of written response • Allow typed response instead of written response • Use voice input on computer • Use spell check on computer • Use a scribe to write the employee’s response • Provide ample space on forms requiring written response

18. Situations and Solutions • Situation: A janitorial employee is unable to write well and document the work she completed. The employer required her to write down the tasks she completed. Her documentation made it appear as if she did nothing during her shift.

19. Situations and Solutions • Solution: The employer accommodated the employee by making a change to the form she used so that she had the same opportunity as others to document the work she completed. Her form included pictures of the tasks that only required her to check off each one as it was completed.

20. Situations and Solutions • Memory - Accommodations Most Often Discussed • Use voice-activated recorder to record verbal instructions • Provide written information • Provide checklists • Prompt employee with verbal cues (reminders) • Post written or pictorial instructions on frequently-used machines

21. Situations and Solutions • Situation: A grocery store stocker was having difficulty remembering what tasks to return to when he was interrupted by customers asking for assistance or when he was called to another task such as cleaning up a spill.

22. Situations and Solutions • Solution: The stocking clerk was given a small voice recorder that he kept in his pocket. When the current task he was engaged in was interrupted, he would record exactly what he was doing and where he was so that he could return to the task.

23. Situations and Solutions • Performing Calculations - Accommodations Most Often Discussed • Allow use of calculator • Large-display calculator • Talking calculator • Use counter or ticker • Make pre-counted or pre-measured poster or jig • Provide talking tape measure • Use liquid level indicators • Mark the measuring cup with a “fill to here” line

24. Situations and Solutions • Situation: A baker’s assistant is unable to count to twelve when filling a baking sheet with cookie dough.

25. Situations and Solutions • Solution: A plastic template that fit the baking sheet was created with twelve holes in which to place the cookie dough. Once the holes are filled, the assistant removed the template and baked twelve cookies each time.

26. Situations and Solutions • Organization - Accommodations Most Often Discussed • Minimize clutter • Color-code items or resources • Provide A-B-C chart • Provide 1-2-3 chart • Divide large tasks into multiple smaller tasks • Avoid reorganization of workspace • Label items or resources • Use symbols instead of words • Use print labels instead of handwritten labels

27. Situations and Solutions • Situation: An office worker at an elementary school was responsible for receiving copy orders and providing the completed copies to teachers within two days. He was unable to complete the handwritten orders on time with no organizational system.

28. Situations and Solutions • Solution: The school secretary provided a typed form that required the teachers to supply a uniform amount/type of information, while at the same time setting up daily labeled baskets that the teachers placed their orders and materials in. The baskets allowed the employee to see which orders needed to be done first, allowing the copy orders to be completed in the two-day time frame.

29. Situations and Solutions • Time Management/Performing or Completing Tasks -Accommodations Most Often Discussed • Provide verbal prompts (reminders) • Provide written or symbolic reminders • Use alarm watch or beeper • Use jig for assembly to increase productivity • Arrange materials in order of use • Use task list with numbers or symbols • Avoid isolated workstations • Provide space for job coach • Provide additional training or retraining as needed

30. Situations and Solutions • Situation: A mail clerk had difficulty remembering to go for his second mail collection run when he was involved in other tasks.

31. Situations and Solutions • Solution: The mail clerk was provided with a watch that had a timer set for when he needed to start his run. The watch vibrated to alert him it was time to go.

32. Situations and Solutions • Limitations in Motor Abilities • Using Computer • Using Telephone • Accessing Workspace • Handling or Grasping Objects

33. Situations and Solutions • Using Computer- Accommodations Most Often Discussed • Use key guard • Use alternative input devices • speech recognition • speech output • trackball • joystick • touchscreen

34. Situations and Solutions • Situation: An activities aide in an extended living facility had difficulty writing documentation in the daily log for the groups she assisted.

35. Situations and Solutions • Solution: The aide was provided speech to text software that allowed her to dictate her notes from a computer, print them out, and then place them in the log binder.

36. Situations and Solutions • Using Telephone - Accommodations Most Often Discussed • Use large-button phone • Use phone with universal symbols (fire, police, doctor) • Use phone with speed dial, clearly labeled • Use receiver holder • Use headset

37. Situations and Solutions • Situation: A maintenance • worker had difficulty • reading commonly • called phone numbers • from a chart, then • dialing the numbers • correctly.

38. Situations and Solutions • Solution: The employee was provided a large-button phone that allowed for photos to be inserted in place of the numbers. The phone numbers were programmed in, so the employee only had to press the button with the photo of the person he was calling for the call to go through.

39. Situations and Solutions • Accessing Workspace – Accommodations Most Commonly Discussed • Place anti-fatigue mats at workstation • Use motorized scooter • Use stools at workstations • Move items within reach • Provide frequent rest breaks

40. Situations and Solutions • Situation: A parts sorter in a distribution center had difficulty standing for his shift with only a thirty-minute lunch and short afternoon break. His work became sloppy in the afternoons due to his fatigue.

41. Situations and Solutions • Solution: The employee was provided with a both an anti-fatigue mat to help his back and legs and a stand/lean stool that allowed him the ability to work in an upright position while his weight rested on the padded seat.

42. Situations and Solutions • Handling or Grasping Objects – Accommodations Most Commonly Discussed • Use ergonomic tools, handle build-ups, or other tool adaptations • Use orthopedic writing aids • Use grip aids • Use jig or brace

43. Situations and Solutions • Situation: A production worker had difficulty grasping a plastic bottle to accurately apply an adhesive label.

44. Situations and Solutions • Solution: JAN suggested making a wooden jig, which secured the bottle, thus allowing the employee to use both hands when applying the label.

45. Situations and Solutions • Limitations in Social Abilities • Emotional Support • Interacting with Coworkers • Working Effectively with Supervisors

46. Situations and Solutions • Emotional Support - Accommodations Most Commonly Discussed • Give positive feedback • Use visual performance charts • Provide tangible rewards • Use coworkers as mentors • Use Employee Assistance Program (EAP) • Provide job coach

47. Situations and Solutions • Situation: A new employee who had passed the probationary period with flying colors was now experiencing the gradual withdrawal of the job coach who had been instrumental in the employee’s success. The supervisor was seeing a few issues resurface.

48. Situations and Solutions • Solution: The employer recruited a coworker that had formed a positive relationship with the new employee to function as a natural support to the employee after the job coach was gone, providing the same type of support.

49. Situations and Solutions • Interacting with Coworkers - Accommodations Most Commonly Discussed • Provide sensitivity training (disability awareness) to all employees • Use roleplayscenarios to demonstrate appropriate behavior in workplace • Use training videos to demonstrate appropriate behavior in workplace

50. Situations and Solutions • Interacting with Coworkers (cont.): Model appropriate social skills • Where to eat at work • When to eat at work • When to hug other coworkers • How to pay for coffee • What to do if you are mad • Who to ask for help • When to leave your workstation