Category Archives: For Employers

Of most use for employers looking to be successful in hiring and supporting employees with disabilities.

Join the Conversation for Change

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Join the Conversation for Change

Help shape federal agency strategies for helping youth and young adults with disabilities successfully transition from school to work

Overview

To examine the impact of existing federal regulations and legislation on the successful transition from school to work of youth with disabilities, a free, public online dialogue will be held May 13-27, 2013. The U.S. Departments of Labor, Education, Health and Human Services and the Social Security Administration will host the event and invite policymakers, service providers, advocates, youth with disabilities and others to join this online dialogue to improve transition outcomes for youth with disabilities.

Why is this happening?

The four host agencies want to ensure that all youth benefit from collective federal resources to achieve economic empowerment and maximize independence. Your input in this conversation is extremely important because studies and reports have shown that, compared to their peers without disabilities, students with disabilities are less likely to receive a regular high school diploma; twice as likely to drop out of school; and half as likely to enroll in and complete postsecondary education programs. Up to two years after leaving high school, about 4 in 10 youth with disabilities are employed, compared to 6 in 10 same-age, out-of-school youth in the general population (National Center for Education Statistics, 2000; National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 [NLTS-2], 2005).

Why participate?

Your input can help these agencies identify federal legislative and regulatory barriers and opportunities to improve transition outcomes for youth with disabilities. It will also facilitate their working together strategically on an interagency basis to foster the alignment of policies, programs and practices that support the successful transition from school to work of youth with disabilities. Once the dialogue has closed, a summary report will be made public.

Who Should Participate?

Anyone with a personal or professional stake in supporting the aspirations of youth and young adults with disabilities to live, work and thrive in their communities is invited to register and participate.

How to Participate

Online registration will begin May 7, 2013. You will be able to provide input from May 13 until May 27, 2013. (Instructions for registering are available at http://fptepolicyworks.ideascale.com/. Once registered, participants may submit ideas, submit comments about ideas, and rate those ideas they think are the most important. The dialogue will be facilitated to ensure participants experience a robust and productive exchange.

Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor
1-866-ODEP-DOL (633-7365) TTY: 1-877-889-5627 www.dol.gov/odep/

Governors Promote Employment For People With Disabilities

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Governors Promote Employment For People With Disabilities highlights policies and partnerships several states are implementing to increase the number of people with disabilities in the workforce.

“I thank all the employers here who open their minds and job sites to workers with disabilities because by helping them you are helping yourselves, but your efforts also unlock doors,” he said. “They give workers like my parents a chance to live their lives with dignity and provide for their little boys back at home.”
Read the article: Governors Promote Employment for People with Disabilities

Click on “Full video”  to view  Gregory D. Wasson, President and CEO, Walgreens’ address and Q & A.  (about 30 or 45 minutes.)

Governor Jack Markell, Delaware, National Governors Association Chair, 2012-2013 President of the Association, read his support of this initiative.

 

Accommodating older workers

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New Publications Describe How Workplace Accommodations Can Help Retain Valued, Older Workers

The U.S. Department of Labor has issued two briefs that give recommendations to state and federal policymakers, employers and health care industry leaders on retaining experienced, older workers in the workforce. The recommendations come from the Department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, which gathered experts on aging, disability and employment to discuss the impact of aging on the national workforce and health care systems.

DIDD Commissioner Jim Henry Open Line newsletter April 2013

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OpenLine 4-5-2013 Announcing Amy Gonzalez as State Director of Employment and Day Services:

Amy GonzalezThe department would like to extend a warm welcome  to Amy Gonzalez as the newly appointed State Director of Employment  and  Day  Services.  Ms. Gonzalez comes  to  DIDD  after  successful employment with Vanderbilt University and Vocational Rehabilitation in Texas. She was an instrumental part of the Vanderbilt University Next Steps program which is a 2-year certification program for students with intellectual disabilities, providing individualized programs of study in the areas of education, social skills, and vocational training. Please visit this link for additional information:

Ms. Gonzalez’s experience in job development, job readiness training, and exposure to the vocational rehabilitation program aligns with DIDD’s current initiatives to ensure that persons receiving services, as well as those who may require supports in the future, are provided with a vast array of employment opportunities.  Her skills will only prove to be instrumental to our continued success.  Ms. Gonzalez holds a Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Texas.

2008 to 2010 Employment statistics on workers with a disability

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Census Bureau Report Shows Workers with a Disability Less Likely to be Employed, More Likely to Hold Jobs with Lower Earnings

Individuals with disabilities were less likely to be employed than individuals without disabilities, and those who were employed typically held jobs with lower earnings and also earned less than their colleagues with no disability, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Based on the new Disability Employment Tabulation, the statistics show that between 2008 and 2010, individuals without disabilities were about three times more likely to be employed than individuals with disabilities. Overall, individuals with disabilities accounted for 9.4 million, or 6.0 percent, of the 155.9 million civilian labor force.

Age and severity of disability influence a person’s requests for accommodations.

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In practical terms, managers need to not only be supportive of disability
accommodation requests but also recognize that some employees, such as young persons with disabilities, may need even more support, and support in a form that affirms or minimizes threats to their other salient identities, such as their youth. Additional implications for management research and practice are discussed. Continue reading →

2013 Tennessee Disability MegaConference

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11th Annual – May 30-31, 2013, Nashville Airport Marriott  – The Tennessee Disability MegaConference is Tennessee’s largest disability-specific conference for individuals with disabilities, families, and professionals. At the conference, people share the latest information and innovations on many topics including housing, employment, education, health care, recreation and leisure, mental health, and others. Continuing education credits are offered in many categories. People attending make new friends and important connections as everyone works together to encourage the full participation of all people with disabilities in their own lives! ONLINE REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Go to: http://www.tndisabilitymegaconference.org and click the Registration link. If you need help completing the online registration, please call 1-800-835-7077, ext. 22.

Keynote Presenters confirmed:

Lisa Mills

Fiona Hawks

Lynne Seagle
http://lynneseagle.com/
http://www.hope-house.org/what-we-do/consulting.php

Jennifer O’Toole
Jennifer’s Bio
http://asperkids.com/
www.Facebook.com/Asperkids

Employment related topics scheduled for the program include:

Thursday: BO1 9:00 am ‐10:00 am
2nd Annual Tennessee Employment Idol Contest
Lynnette Henderson, PhD

Thursday: BO1 9:00 am ‐10:00 am
LifePlan Research
Christopher Myers, MBA, International Marketing; BA Political Science/Business

Thursday: BO2 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Understanding the Role of Vocational Rehabilitation in Transition from School to Work
Roger Boeving, MS Counseling; Jennifer Shilling Collins, BS Sociology

Thursday: BO3 2:15 pm – 3:15 pm
Understanding the Role of Schools in Transition from School to Post‐Secondary Life
Kashonda E. Babb, BS Psychology / Masters Counseling Psychology; Jennifer Shilling Collins, BS

Thursday: BO3 2:15 pm – 3:15 pm
How to Make it Work to Work
Diana Gallaher,Master of Theological Studies, Vanderbilt Divinity School; Dylan Brown, Bachelor of Science in Political Science, Middle TN State University

Thursday: BO3 2:15 pm – 3:15 pm
Our College Experiences
Tammy Day,M.Ed.; William McMillan, Graduate of Pope John Paul II and Next Steps at Vanderbilt, Carly Snidow, graduate of UT FUTURE, student‐ TigerLIFE University of Memphis

Friday: BO4 9:00 am‐10:00 am
So You’re Turning Eighteen ‐ Now What?
Loria Hubbard Richardson; Cindy Gardner, J.D., Susan Moss, MEd

Friday: BO5 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm
Learning to Spread Our Wings by Leading Our Own IEP Meetings
Loria Hubbard Richardson; Treva Maitland, MS, FCS, Quenton McSparren, Shaun McGinnis

Friday: BO5 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm
You Are The Key To Deep Roots, Broad Branches and Strong Wings
Jason Oliver, B.S. Organizational Mgmt, Masters of Special Education candidate

Friday: BO5 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm
Let’s Get Mikey to Try It: Working together across generations
Mark Rottero, Masters Vocational Rehab Counseling; Juliann Mathis, Masters Degree and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor

Mike Sass’s TIE that Binds 2012-2013

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Mike Sass
UT-CLEE
DRS Employment Consultant
TNAPSE Treasurer

Click to download and read the PDF:

May 2012 TIE that binds

July 2012 TIE that binds

Aug 2012 TIE that binds

Sept 2012 TIE that binds

Oct12TIE that binds

Nov12TIE that binds

Dec 12 TIE that binds

Jan 13 TIE that binds pg.1, 2, 3

Feb 13 TIE that binds

March 13 TIE that binds

April 13 TIE that binds pg.1, 2, 3

 

Connecting to the Future: Employment and Disabilities

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This video presented by the Tennessee Developmental Disabilities Network and produced by the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, highlights two advocates with intellectual disabilities who are meaningfully employed.

The video was developed for Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (March) with the goal of raising the aspirations, expectations, and capacities of people with disabilities and their families, service systems, employers, and communities regarding competitive and meaningful work as a viable option.

Agencies in the Tennessee Developmental Disabilities Network work together to promote principles of independence, integration, self-determination, inclusion, and productivity in the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities and their family members.

Click here to watch the video

For more information on employment of people with disabilities in Tennessee, see Tennessee Works

Apps for Users with Visual Impairments

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BrailleTouch

BrailleTouch is a smartphone app that allows blind and visually impaired people to type on a touchscreen. It is based the familiar six-key braille keyboard found on the Perkins Brailler and many electronic braille notetakers. Find more information at:

  • The Wireless Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) website
  • The BrailleTech, LLC website

AccessNote

AccessNote is an iOS app that enables users who are blind or visually impaired to take notes, create documents, and access applications. In addition to being a low-cost alternative to traditional notetakers costing $2000 or more, AccessNote allows users to combine efficient notetaking with many other features and functions of the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app was developed by the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) in conjunction with FloCo Apps, with support from the Wireless RERC. Find more information at:

The IDEAL Group Reader

The IDEAL Group Reader (IGR) App, developed by Apps4Android with support from the Wireless RERC’s App Factory, was showcased at the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show in January. The app is a fully-accessible eBook reader that operates like an audio book by reading text aloud and allows users to highlight text as it is being read.  Find more information at:

Smartphone for Blind Individuals

SciDev.Net – the Science and Development Network – reports that a designer in India is developing a smartphone with tactile text that can be used by blind or visually impaired people. Sumit Dagar’s prototype Braille smartphone is expected to be ready by the end of February and the first model could be on the market within a year.

A more sophisticated version of the phone could even make images tactile, he says. But he expects such a phone to emerge only towards the end of the five-year project which began in 2009.  Continue reading more at SciDev.Net New Technologies: ICTS.