Assistive Technology: Increasing Employment Opportunities

1. Assistive Technology: Increasing Employment Opportunities Robin A Jones, Director DBTAC-Great Lakes ADA Center University of Illinois at Chicago

2. Defining Assistive Technology Assistive Technology Act of 1998 (AT Act)* Any item, piece of equipment, or system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is commonly used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities

3. What is Assistive Technology? Assistive technology is used by individuals with disabilities to perform functions that might otherwise be difficult or impossible. Mobility Devices Wheelchair/crutch/cane, etc. Hardware/software and peripherals Large keyboard, adaptive mouse, word recognition software, etc. Activities of Daily Living Long handled brush, large handle spoon, rocker knife, etc.

4. Convenience vs. Possible �For Americans without disabilities, technology makes things easier. For Americans with disabilities, technology makes things possible.� Mary Pat Radabaugh, Director IBM National Support Center for Persons with Disabilities People�s functional limitations originate from a variety of factors such as age, situations (ex: they are injured and temporarily disabled or they have a language barrier), or they have a disability which may progress over time. Product features include things like accessibility features in operating systems or browsers such as volume controls, font size, color adjustments or in hardware/software such as buttons or icons, etc. Designers and manufacturers include these features assuming they make their product easier to use (which can be debatable) i.e., these features extend the user�s ability to perform particular functions. The difference is people with disabilities require the features in order to perform the function (or to use the product at all). This is where the feature is no longer a conveniences, but a requirement. Buying products with these features will extend the use of the product as our functional limitations fluctuate over the life of the product and the users themselves.People�s functional limitations originate from a variety of factors such as age, situations (ex: they are injured and temporarily disabled or they have a language barrier), or they have a disability which may progress over time. Product features include things like accessibility features in operating systems or browsers such as volume controls, font size, color adjustments or in hardware/software such as buttons or icons, etc. Designers and manufacturers include these features assuming they make their product easier to use (which can be debatable) i.e., these features extend the user�s ability to perform particular functions. The difference is people with disabilities require the features in order to perform the function (or to use the product at all). This is where the feature is no longer a conveniences, but a requirement. Buying products with these features will extend the use of the product as our functional limitations fluctuate over the life of the product and the users themselves.

5. Assistive Technology and Civil Rights Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Non-discrimination on the basis of disability in programs, activities and services operated by or funded by the Federal Government Employment Public and Private Sector Programs and Activities Public and Private Sector including local and state government

6. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 Non-discrimination on the basis of disability Title I � Employment Title II � Local and State Government Title III � Places of Public Accommodation Local and State Laws Human Rights laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability

7. �Qualified Individual With A Disability� Individual who has the requisite skills for the position that they hold or desire to hold and is able to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation

8. Reasonable Accommodation Required during all phases of employment Application Interview To do the job itself What is it? A modification or adjustment to a job, the work environment, or the way things usually are done. Includes to acquisition of equipment or modification of existing equipment

9. Employer Defenses Undue Hardship Financial � based on resources of the entitiy Administrative Direct Threat Must be �real�, not hypothetical (what if?)

10. Paying for Assistive Technology Employer obligation to provide the reasonable accommodation Cannot require that an individual bring their own technology into the workplace Consider use of tax benefits IRS Code 44 � Disabled Tax Credit IRS Code 190 � Architectural and Transportation Access Deduction

11. Collaboration with other agencies Vocational Rehabilitation Community groups/organizations

13. Types of Assistive Technology For Visual Impairments Screen readers are software programs that present graphics and text as speech. Speech recognition systems, also called voice recognition programs, allow people to give commands and enter data using their voices rather than a mouse or keyboard. Speech synthesizers receive information going to the screen in the form of letters, numbers, and punctuation marks, and then "speak" it out loud. Often referred to as text-to-speech (TTS), the voice of the computer is synthesized speech�a distinctive, sometimes monotone voice that is the joining together of preprogrammed letters and words.

14. Refreshable Braille displays provide tactile output of information represented on the computer screen. A Braille "cell" is composed of a series of dots.  Braille embossers transfer computer generated text into embossed Braille output. Talking and large-print word processors are software programs that use speech synthesizers to provide auditory feedback of what is typed. Large-print word processors allow the user to view everything in large text without added screen enlargement.

15. For Mobility Impairments Keyboard filters include typing aids such as word prediction utilities and add-on spelling checkers. These products reduce the required number of keystrokes. Touch screens are devices placed on the computer monitor (or built into it) that allow direct selection or activation of the computer by touching the screen.

35. Assistive Technology Resources State Assistive Technology Projects (Assistive Technology Act of 1998) Find your State�s project on-line at: http://www.resna.org/taproject/at/statecontacts.html Abledata www.abledata.com The Alliance for Technology Access www.ataaccess.com

36. Job Accommodation Network (JAN) www.jan.wvu.edu Rehabilitation, Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Workplace Supports www.worksupport.com

37. Questions?