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
1 June 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 ]
[The full announcement (Exchange City) is located under the section heading "Websites of the Week."]
AND
[The full announcement (Transportation Connections Webinar) is located under the section heading "Upcoming Events of Interest."]
Exchange City is a remarkable hands-on learning experience for Middle and High School students that combines an exciting standards-based curriculum taught by teachers in their classroom followed by a field trip visit to a life-size, state-of-the-art city. Exchange City lets students apply and reinforce lessons learned in the classroom, in a real-life setting. Students take on the roles of: Business owners, entrepreneurs, employees, civil servants, public officials and consumers, in a wide variety stores, businesses and government offices. Exchange City businesses include: Bank; Radio Station; US Post Office; Health Center; Newspaper; Restaurant; Utility Company; Distribution Center; City Hall; Technology Center; Retail Stores and other businesses. On May 23rd, two representatives from LHPDC had the opportunity to visit the Exchange City in Providence, Rhode Island (which had opened its doors earlier in the month). The opportunity to participate in such an experience—see a group of students run and operate a city—was amazing. LHPDC is looking into how this concept can serve as a learning environment for individuals, in particular youth with disabilities especially as it relates to asset development strategies. In the meantime, please check it out. In the cities where this is located, it is a great opportunity to connect with the school systems.
The U.S. Department of Labor's WIRED Initiative is promoting talent development strategies through the integration of regional economic development, the workforce, and education to drive economic transformation in regions across the country. The WIRED Initiative also promotes improved employment opportunities and career advancement for workers. A critical component in meeting the demands of the 21st century workforce is to provide employers with the pipelines for a qualified labor pool. People with disabilities, mature workers, and other "targeted" populations may be experiencing challenges getting to available employment opportunities. Providing transportation services to the One-Stop Career Centers' customers for training activities and employment is a challenge. Transportation is also a key component of regional economic development.
Recognizing the importance of transportation in serving their customers, several of the WIBs, One-Stop Career Centers, and Disability Program Navigators have developed and implemented effective solutions to connect their customers to the workplace. This Webinar will highlight these successful strategies and demonstrate:
Registration for this Webinar is limited and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Please click the link below to login to Workforce3 One and register today! To register, access the following URL:
http://www.workforce3one.org/public/skillbuilding/webinar_info.cfm?id=191
Note, you must be logged in to sign-up for a Webinar. You can sign up by accessing the website and scrolling to the link at the bottom of the page that reads: Don't have a login? Register now!
Alaska and Hawaii Residents only: To access the audio portion of this event, you must use the following dial-in information 973-528-0009 and code 444126. Regrettably, the 800# is not available in your location. Therefore, please be aware that you will be assessed any relevant toll charges.
If you are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or have speech disabilities and captioning would facilitate your participation in this Webinar, you can register for captioning service through the Federal Relay Conference Captioning. Please note the Federal Relay Service requires at least 48 hours notice (2 working days) to guarantee coverage. For more information, visit http://www.workforce3one.org/support/webinars.cfm#q5
SOLUTIONS is an online newsletter published by Hire Disability Solutions. Each issue features articles about the employment of individuals with disabilities. The primary purpose of the publication is to provide information to the Hire Disability Solutions community that will help increase understanding and awareness of disability related issues and help facilitate employment. The Hire Disability Solutions community consists of corporations who have a commitment to helping individuals with disabilities succeed, individuals with disabilities seeking employment, and others who believe in the Hire Disability Solutions' mission of “Giving all that want to succeed, the opportunity to succeed". SOLUTIONS is primarily distributed electronically to individuals who have signed up to receive it, but each issue is available on HireDS.com for individuals who register. Printed copies are also available upon request.
For the Summer Edition, SOLUTIONS is looking to highlight employer diversity programs that include people with disabilities. They would like to hear from employers who have diversity policies, and how they include people with disabilities, individuals who have benefited from diversity programs, co-workers of people with disabilities, and service providers. If you would like to contribute an article, send an article proposal. The proposal should include a working title and a couple of paragraphs describing what the article will discuss. SOLUTIONS will then send you a copy of their "Article Specifications" describing how your article should be formatted. Once SOLUTIONS has received all contributions for a specific issue, the issue editor will choose articles for the current publication. Articles that are not chosen for the current publication may be published at a later date. The topic for the next issue will be announced once the preceding issue has been prepared and released. The Hire Disability Solutions' community will influence the issue's topics.
Please send all article proposals and questions about SOLUTIONS to Jeff Klare at E–mail jklare@hireDS.com.
Regular mail:
Hire Disability Solutions
74-20th Street
Brooklyn , NY 11232
Attn: Jeff Klare
Hire Disability Solutions was founded in response to the increasing demand for services for individuals with disabilities that promote inclusion into the mainstream employment world. Since its inception in 2004, Hire Disability Solutions has established itself as a national leader in protecting and enhancing employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Through its educational campaigns surrounding employment law, education opportunities and assistive technology, the company facilitates the success of individuals with disabilities and employers alike.
The U.S. Department of Labor's WIRED Initiative is promoting talent development strategies through the integration of regional economic development, the workforce, and education to drive economic transformation in regions across the country. The WIRED Initiative also promotes improved employment opportunities and career advancement for workers. A critical component in meeting the demands of the 21st century workforce is to provide employers with the pipelines for a qualified labor pool. People with disabilities, mature workers, and other "targeted" populations may be experiencing challenges getting to available employment opportunities. Providing transportation services to the One-Stop Career Centers' customers for training activities and employment is a challenge. Transportation is also a key component of regional economic development.
Recognizing the importance of transportation in serving their customers, several of the WIBs, One-Stop Career Centers, and Disability Program Navigators have developed and implemented effective solutions to connect their customers to the workplace. This Webinar will highlight these successful strategies and demonstrate:
Registration for this Webinar is limited and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Please click the link below to login to Workforce3 One and register today! To register, access the following URL:
http://www.workforce3one.org/public/skillbuilding/webinar_info.cfm?id=191
Note, you must be logged in to sign-up for a Webinar. You can sign up by accessing the website and scrolling to the link at the bottom of the page that reads: Don't have a login? Register now!
Alaska and Hawaii Residents only: To access the audio portion of this event, you must use the following dial-in information 973-528-0009 and code 444126. Regrettably, the 800# is not available in your location. Therefore, please be aware that you will be assessed any relevant toll charges.
If you are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or have speech disabilities and captioning would facilitate your participation in this Webinar, you can register for captioning service through the Federal Relay Conference Captioning. Please note the Federal Relay Service requires at least 48 hours notice (2 working days) to guarantee coverage. For more information, visit http://www.workforce3one.org/support/webinars.cfm#q5
Where Will You Be on July 17-19, 2007?
Join Your Colleagues at Workforce Innovations 2007!
www.workforceinnovations.org (conference)
https://www.ambassadorstechnology.com/workforce/2007/event/index2.cfm%20 (registration)
http://www.ambassadorstechnology.com/housing/fwd/wic07 (hotel)
Join more than 3000 of your colleagues from across the country to attend Workforce Innovations 2007, July 17-19, 2007 at the Kansas City (MO) Convention Center. Workforce Innovations is the premier annual conference for local, state, and national workforce, business, economic development, and education leaders, providing an opportunity to share common experiences and challenges in building a highly skilled and adaptable workforce.
This year's theme, Beyond Boundaries, will explore ways in which key partners can collaborate and innovate to break down historical, geographical, political, or financial boundaries to create a competitive workforce advantage that meets the demands of the 21st century marketplace. You will want to be part of the experience!
Take one - or all - of our three conference pathways: Whether you're involved in regional economic competitiveness, workforce system transformation, or lifelong talent development you will come away energized and equipped with the tools and strategies you need to succeed. Workforce Innovations - a catalyst for innovative thinking and creativity!
Check out the conference Web site regularly at www.WorkforceInnovations.org for updated information on the conference program, pre-conference sessions, educational tours, and more. And if you haven't been to Kansas City recently, check out the dozens of new Kansas City developments http://www.visitkc.com/.
This Q&A is intended to provide a general overview of the New Freedom transportation program contained in SAFETEA-LU. This funding program supports accessible transportation programs and facilities that meet specific criteria. The succinct four-page document presents the information in a question-and-answer format and touches on eligibility, funding allocation, match requirement, coordinated planning and other useful highlights plus advice for being involved in implementation. For details and full guidance on the program, readers are urged to read Federal Transit Administration circular 9045.1, “New Freedom Program Guidance and Application Instructions” (effective May 1, 2007) which can be downloaded through the FTA Web site at: [ http://www.fta.dot.gov/laws/circulars/leg_reg_6624.html ][ Get free Adobe Reader ] [ Get Microsoft Office C.D., free trial, S / H applies ] [ Get free Word Viewer ] .
The transportation coordination planning process may seem difficult or overwhelming to those community members involved, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, there are a number of planning resources on the web that can provide direction in the process. The following are a few recent additions to the CTAA web library of freely available coordination planning materials.
Transit Coordination Toolkit (http://www.cts.umn.edu/ct/coordination/toolkit/index.html) The University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies has assembled a series of briefs on popular issues that arise in the planning process. The issues vary from Private/Public Sector Partnerships to Maintenance Programs, and each section provides definitions, useful practices, and resources for further information.
Coordinated Plan Toolkit (http://www2.ku.edu/cgiwrap/kutc/cpt/index.php) The Kansas University Transportation Center put together this toolkit that describes coordination planning as a five-step process that guides a planning agency from Identifying Stakeholders to Implementing the Plan.
Coordination Plans Web page (http://www.ctaa.org/ntrc/coordination/plans.asp) It can be beneficial to examine the coordination plans of other regions when formulating a plan, and the CTAA Information Station library maintains a large and growing collection of local coordination plans that can serve as examples for those in the midst of the planning process. If you know of a plan that is not yet in our library, please let us know by e-mailing frankland@ctaa.org.
Materials from the 2006 Stats RRTC State-of-the-Science Conference. Includes trends and statistics on the employment, health and socio-economic status of people with disabilities.
[On May 23rd, two representatives from LHPDC had the opportunity to visit the Exchange City in Providence, Rhode Island (which had opened its doors earlier in the month). The opportunity to participate in such an experience—see a group of students run and operate a city—was amazing. LHPDC is looking into how this concept can serve as a learning environment for individuals with disabilities especially as it relates to asset development strategies. In the meantime, please check it out. In the cities where this is located, it is a great opportunity to connect with the school systems.]
Exchange City is the largest hands-on education program in the world with more than 1,000,000 students participating to date. Created by the Learning Exchange of Kansas City there are twenty-four Exchange City sites (http://www.exchangecity.org/english/frames.html) throughout the United States with more under development. Exchange City is a remarkable hands-on learning experience for Middle and High School students. The experience combines an exciting standards-based curriculum taught by teachers in their classroom followed by a field trip visit to our life-size, state-of-the-art city run by middle and high school students. Exchange City lets students apply and reinforce lessons learned in the classroom, in a real-life setting. Most schools experience improved test scores and increased student attendance rates when they participate in Exchange City. The integrated curriculum correlates with state frameworks for Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, Economics, Technology Skills and Civics.
Students take on the roles of: Business owners, entrepreneurs, employees, civil servants, public officials and consumers, in a wide variety stores, businesses and government offices. Exchange City businesses include: Bank; Radio Station; U.S. Post Office; Health Center; Newspaper; Restaurant; Utility Company; Distribution Center; City Hall; Technology Center; Retail Stores and other businesses.
The HSC Foundation is dedicated to improving access to services for individuals who face challenging social and health care barriers due to disability, chronic illness, or other circumstances that present unique needs. The HSC Foundation has launched a new Youth Transitions Initiative, designed to become a long-range signature project to assist young people with disabilities and chronic illness in the Washington metropolitan area and beyond to move from school to adulthood to the world of work.
The aim is for the Initiative to become a central resource in the field of youth transitions, filling gaps in information and providing support for organizations that are involved in transitioning youth. The Foundation’s approach to transition is intended to be comprehensive, and as such, includes health, education, vocational training, youth development, employment, and social components. The Initiative’s ultimate goal is to strengthen transition programs and services and stimulate other investments in the field.
[Originally published in 2002 with most recent revision June 2005.]
Employment focused guide on how employers and service providers can utilize assistive technology to make workplaces and service centers accessible to people with disabilities. Contains illustrations of many different types of assistive technologies including descriptive text on the use of these technologies. Document is in .pdf format.
State vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies, under the Department of Education (Education), play a crucial role in helping individuals with disabilities prepare for and obtain employment, including individuals receiving disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA). In a prior report (GAO-05-865), GAO found that state VR agencies varied in the rates of employment achieved for SSA beneficiaries. To help understand this variation, this report analyzed SSA and Education data and surveyed state agencies to determine the extent to which
GAO recommends that Education promote certain promising practices identified in its analysis, reassess the data it collects on clients, and consider economic factors when measuring state agency performance. Education generally agreed with GAO’s recommendations, but disagreed that economic factors should be incorporated into performance measures. It considers these factors during monitoring and believes its approach to be effective. GAO maintains that these factors are critical to measuring agencies’ relative performance.