Law, Health Policy & Disability Center
University of Iowa College of Law
http://disability.law.uiowa.edu/dpn/
and
The Burton Blatt Institute
Syracuse University
http://bbi.syr.edu
One–Stop Toolkit
Resources of the Week Technical Assistance Project E–Mail listserv
2 March 2007
Good morning everyone,
Below please find the web site and publication of the week, as well as other resources that we hope will be useful as you work on systems change activities to help improve employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.
To subscribe and / or view past resources of the week archives, access: www.onestoptoolkit.org and click on the link to "Resources of the Week" on the right hand side of the home page.
To view an indexed list of the resources of the week by subject matter, visit the L.P.H.D.C. web site at http://disability.law.uiowa.edu/lhpdc/resources/wig/default.asp. It currently includes 20 categories, covering over 300 annotated references. Each category opens to a new window with each Resource of the Week which covered material in that area.
Have a good day and weekend!
Laura Farah
Program Associate
Law, Health Policy & Disability Center
University of Iowa College of Law
P: 617–489–0086
F: 617–489–1374
[ E–mail Lgleneck@mail.law.uiowa.edu ]
[ E–mail LFarah8@aol.com ]
[ http://www.onestoptoolkit.org ]
Access the U.R.Ls to read the full hot topics, which include resources.
[The full announcement is located under the section heading "Resources of Interest."]
Maryland Workforce Promise, whose mission it is to promote the personal and professional independence of individuals with disabilities by effecting systems change to eliminate barriers to employment, developed a website that includes a wealth of information developed for businesses, individuals with disabilities, Disability Program Navigators, One–Stops and Veterans. Two of its chief contributors, Leigh Jones and Margaret Mulligan, serve as Disability Program Navigators for the State of Maryland project. Navigators should take the time to review the various sections on this website, including Businesses (http://www.mdworkforcepromise.org/businesses.html) and Individuals with Disabilities (http://www.mdworkforcepromise.org/iwd.html) for some useful resources and information. Although, some of the information is specific to the state of Maryland, a lot of it is national in scope.
The two hot topics that are being highlighted in this week’s resource discuss diversity in the workplace and highlight the talent that individuals with disabilities and older workers bring to the workforce. The information included in these "hot topics" can be useful to Navigators as they educate employers on diversity in the workplace and talent outside of the traditional groups.
There are 78 million people who fit the classification of "baby boomer". According to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (B.L.S.), by 2014 more than 1 in 5 workers will be 55 or older. What untapped resources can businesses look to for filling the gap that will be left when the baby boomers retire? Hiring individuals with disabilities and retaining your older workers are two ways to fill this need.
Take a look at your workforce. Take a look at each individual’s distinct experiences, qualities, skills, personality and background. With these measures alone, your workforce represents a collection of unique individuals. What about education? Origin? Religion? Marital and / or parental status? Now bring in to the equation gender, race, age, and ethnicity. What do you have? An even greater mix of individuals with the ability to provide their own perspectives and experiences to the success of your business. What you also have is a workforce that mirrors the customers you serve and the communities where you do business. Your diverse workforce represents a powerful force; a force that values, respects and appreciates individual differences; a force that represents buying power from all walks of life; a force that works with you to achieve your business goals.
DATES: Comments must be received by no later than March 19, 2007.
SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) proposes a priority and definitions under the Special Demonstrations Program administered by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (R.S.A.). The 2004 re–authorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) called for states to set measurable targets for the progress of students with disabilities. Together with the No Child Left Behind Act, the IDEA is holding schools accountable for making sure students with disabilities achieve to high standards. All individuals, including individuals with disabilities, must graduate from high school with the skills they need to successfully transition into post–secondary education and the workforce.
Youths with disabilities face significant challenges both in the school environment and in their transitions to adult life. National studies and reports have shown that, compared to their non–disabled peers, students with disabilities are less likely to receive a regular high school diploma; drop out twice as often; enroll in and complete post–secondary education programs at half the rate; and, up to two years after leaving high school, about four in 10 youths with disabilities are employed as compared to six in 10 same–age out–of–school youths in the general population. These and other related findings on the secondary and post–secondary outcomes of youths with disabilities have spurred federal and state efforts to improve transition policies and practices.
Federal and state efforts to improve the post–school outcomes of youths with disabilities have resulted in some important gains over the past decade, including graduation rates, enrollment in post–secondary education and the number of youths entering the workforce; however, despite these gains, far too many youths with disabilities continue to experience difficulties in achieving successful post–school outcomes. We are making progress, but we still have work to do.
This Federal Register notice invites public comment on the Notice of Proposed Priority and Definitions under the Rehabilitation Services Administrations Special Demonstration Programs Model Demonstration Projects Improving the Post–Secondary and Employment Outcomes of Youths With Disabilities. This priority is intended to improve the post–school and employment outcomes of youths with disabilities. This notice invites comments to help ensure that it does.
Access the U.R.L. to read the full announcement including instructions on how to submit comments.
IMAGINE . . . EVERYBODY WORKS is presented by the Autism Society of America and APSE: The Network on Employment. This conference provides an opportunity for two associations to join as partners to advance employment for individuals with autism. We hope this conference will help people engaged in employment for individuals with autism to share information, sharpen their skills and re–ignite their commitment to the difficult task of advancing employment in their own communities.
The conference provides multiple venues for participants to gain new knowledge based on research and practical experience. Participants enjoy quality speakers, productive dialogues, formal and informal networking, and exhibits from vendors of tools and techniques they can utilize to enhance the employment outcomes and the lives of people with disabilities.
The conference is May 10 – 11, 2007 from 7:00 to 4:30 on Thursday, with a Networking Reception from 4:30 to 6:30, and exhibitors from 8:30 A.M. Thursday to 1:00 P.M. on Friday. The conference fee is $250.00 payable to Indiana University and includes materials, morning beverages, a luncheon, and a networking reception.
Access the U.R.L. for more information.
The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) provides basic educational and training instructional strategies that facilitate learning among students with disabilities in classroom or training sessions. This section of the JAN website includes information on accommodation (including accommodations for classroom settings), distance learning, legal and other resources.
Access the U.R.Ls to read the full hot topics, which include resources.
There are 78 million people who fit the classification of "baby boomer". According to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (B.L.S.), by 2014 more than 1 in 5 workers will be 55 or older. What untapped resources can businesses look to for filling the gap that will be left when the baby boomers retire? Hiring individuals with disabilities and retaining your older workers are two ways to fill this need.
Take a look at your workforce. Take a look at each individual’s distinct experiences, qualities, skills, personality and background. With these measures alone, your workforce represents a collection of unique individuals. What about education? Origin? Religion? Marital and / or parental status? Now bring in to the equation gender, race, age, and ethnicity. What do you have? An even greater mix of individuals with the ability to provide their own perspectives and experiences to the success of your business. What you also have is a workforce that mirrors the customers you serve and the communities where you do business. Your diverse workforce represents a powerful force; a force that values, respects and appreciates individual differences; a force that represents buying power from all walks of life; a force that works with you to achieve your business goals.
This is a website formed by two national programs for youth with disabilities. KASA believes young people with disabilities have control over their own lives and futures. N.Y.L.N. is for young leaders with disabilities (ages 16 to 28). Its mission is about leadership, focusing on education, employment and independence.
The Access Board is an independent Federal agency devoted to accessibility for people with disabilities. Created in 1973 to ensure access to federally funded facilities, the Board is now a leading source of information on accessible design. The Board develops and maintains design criteria for the built environment, transit vehicles, telecommunications equipment, and for electronic and information technology. It also provides technical assistance and training on these requirements and on accessible design and continues to enforce accessibility standards that cover federally funded facilities.
The Board is structured to function as a coordinating body among Federal agencies and to directly represent the public, particularly people with disabilities. Half of its members are representatives from most of the Federal departments. The other half is comprised of members of the public appointed by the President, a majority of whom must have a disability.
The website includes information on Communication, Architecture and Transportation guidelines and standards, research, training, publications and enforcement.
[If you would like to receive a M.S. Word Version of this report please send a request to Laura at laura–farah@uiowa.edu.]
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This study examined the employment, vocational rehabilitation, and Ticket to Work experiences of 374 adults with disabilities. The following is excerpted from the "Overview of the Project" and the "Conclusion."
Historically, the disability community has experienced high rates of unemployment. Current data estimate that between 65 to 70 percent of people with disabilities are not employed (National Organization on Disability, 2004; U.S. Department of Labor, 2005).
Numerous federal initiatives have been enacted to address the employment crisis experienced by the disability community, including the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (A.D.A.), Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (W.I.A.), and Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 (T.W.W.I.I.A.). Despite these initiatives, significant unemployment persists among members of this group.
The main purpose of the Let’s Roll Project was to examine the employment barriers experienced by people with disabilities, with an additional focus on the vocational rehabilitation (V.R.) system and the Ticket to Work (T.T.W.) program. Funded in 2003 by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (N.I.D.R.R.) and the Disability Research Institute (D.R.I.), this three–year project included three main phases.
This three–year project revealed that although there have been attempts to improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities, much work remains. In particular, our participants reported concerns with
Although the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act (T.W.W.I.I.A.) of 1999 responds to several employment concerns reported by people with disabilities, our findings indicated that our participants were not knowledgeable about this well–intended legislation. In addition, there seemed to be reluctance to learn about and participate in the Ticket to Work program, given that past employment and vocational rehabilitation efforts had not paid off.
Therefore, it is critical that we reach out to the disability community to ensure that they have accurate knowledge of new employment initiatives, have their concerns addressed, and are connected to employment services and programs in meaningful ways.
[The following is excerpted from the Background section of the report.]
In late 2005, a report was issued by the U.S. House of Representatives Select Bi–partisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina. It documents 90 specific failures at all levels of government in planning and response to Hurricane Katrina and the other Gulf Coast storms of 2005. Despite its comprehensiveness, this document pays little attention to the unique challenges associated with ensuring that the needs and priorities of persons with a wide range of physical and cognitive disabilities are met before, during, and after a disaster.
Building on prior work of investigators from the University of Kansas and University of New Mexico, including the C.D.C. / A.T.P.M. funded Nobody Left Behind project at the University of Kansas, the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (N.I.D.R.R.) sought to address this gap by funding a research project to identify major barriers faced by centers for independent living (C.I.Ls) and emergency managers in responding to the needs of people with disabilities with Hurricane Katrina. Through a combination of surveys, focus groups, and interviews in six research sites in the Gulf Coast states, investigators gathered information on the experiences of respondents and developed recommendations to address gaps in policy, planning, and practice.