Disabilities Services Training Peter de Haan Equal Opportunity Officer Agency for Workforce Innovation

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The Disability Specialist Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

You may have said to yourself (or to your boss), “I’m going to be the WHAT???” Well, . . . . . . what is the role of the “disability specialist?” Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

The role of the disability specialist Customer assistance Staff resource person Liaison Previous slide Advance the presentation Next slide End the presentation

Advance the presentation 2000 Census data for Florida show: Of the civilian, non-institutionalized population, ages 21 to 64: 21.9% reported having a disability. (1,914,507 people) Of those (ages 21 to 64), whose disability allows them to work outside the home: 58.2% of the women (196,181 women) 47.4% of the men (149,709 men) reported being unemployed. Previous slide Advance the presentation Next slide End the presentation

What are some disabilities? (Go ahead: name some.) Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

Did you consider learning disabilities? 50 to 80% of adults with low reading skills (below the 5th- to 7th-grade level) may have a learning disability; 15 to 23% of the individuals in federally funded job-training programs may have a learning disability; and 25 to 40% of the individuals on welfare may have learning disabilities. Previous slide Advance the presentation Next slide End the presentation

Key terms Disability Qualified individual with a disability Essential functions Reasonable accommodation Fundamental alteration Reasonable modification Has a record of such an impairment Is regarded as having such an impairment Major life activities Substantially limits Physical or mental impairment Qualification standards Undue hardship Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

These “key terms” are defined and discussed in a guidance paper based on federal law and regulation. It was prepared by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the Agency for Workforce Innovation. Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Guidelines for Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (a guidance paper) Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

This guidance paper is designed to assist one-stop and service-provider staff in providing services to individuals with disabilities. It is available on the Internet at: www.floridajobs.org/pdg/guidancepapers/04aADACompGuid042604.rtf. Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

Program accessibility: The Section 188 Disability Checklist Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

The Section 188 Disability Checklist is designed to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations in programs receiving federal financial assistance under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

The checklist focuses on policies, procedures and activities designed to ensure programs and services are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

The checklist is available through the OCR web site at: www.floridajobs.org/civilrights/moa/WIA%20Disability%20Checklist.doc. Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

Facility accessibility: The Facility Accessibility Survey Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

What are some priorities in facility accessibility? (Go ahead: suggest some.) Whom might you ask? Customers. Community-based organizations. Public- and private-sector agencies. Previous slide Advance the presentation Next slide End the presentation

Some priorities might be: Clearly identified and accessible parking. Clearly identified building access. Clearly identified and accessible rest rooms. Helpful and knowledgeable staff. Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

When looking at access to your facilities, think about people who have . . . . . . mobility impairments. . . . vision impairments. . . . hearing impairments. Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

Reserved parking for people with disabilities is one such area. The OCR recommends that two people do the facility-accessibility check: one to measure and one to complete the checklist. In some instances Florida accessibility requirements are more stringent than the federal requirements. Reserved parking for people with disabilities is one such area. Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

The facility-accessibility checklist is available through the OCR web site at: www.floridajobs.org/pdg/ada/adachecklist.htm. Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

It takes time to understand them. Don’t give up! Here are some examples of measurement guides and diagrams found in the checklist. It takes time to understand them. Don’t give up! Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

Measurement conventions used in the checklist diagrams.   Convention Description Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

Attachment to Section F (Doors) Previous slide End the presentation Next slide

Attachment to Section F (Doors) Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

Lavatories (washbowls) Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

Rest room stalls Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

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Grab bars and handrails Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

Elevators Doors in the center Door to one side Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

Some suggestions about “disability etiquette” Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

Always use “person-first” language. “A person with a disability” or “people with disabilities” . . . and not “the disabled.” Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

Offering assistance to a person with a disability It is okay to offer assistance. Ask before providing assistance. Once the offer of assistance has been accepted, ask for instructions and clarify what kind of assistance the person wants. Previous slide Advance the presentation Next slide End the presentation

Disability etiquette for persons with . . . . . . mobility impairments. . . . mobility impairments. . . . vision impairments. . . . vision impairments. . . . hearing impairments. Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

For persons with mobility impairments (for example: a person using a wheelchair) Ask if you may assist. Make certain the route of travel is clear. Remove a chair, if necessary, so the person can position her or his chair comfortably (at a table, in the audience, etc.) When conversing with the person, position yourself at his or her eye level. Previous slide Advance the presentation Next slide End the presentation

For persons with vision impairments (for example: blindness) Ask if you may assist. Offer your arm for the person to hold on to. Don’t take the person by the arm. Let the person know when there is a step, doorsill, or other obstruction. When taking the person to her or his seat, place her or his hand on the back or arm of the chair. Previous slide Advance the presentation Next slide End the presentation

For persons with hearing impairments Speak distinctly. Speak at a moderate rate. Speak directly to the person (and not to an interpreter who is signing for the person). Avoid using a lot of gestures (“talking” with your hands). Previous slide Advance the presentation Next slide End the presentation

Resources The OCR web site has a link to a wealth of information about serving individuals with disabilities. Go to: www.floridajobs.org/civilrights/ocr_disabilities.htm. Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

The Southeast Regional Office of the Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center has a great web-based course: At Your Service: Welcoming Customers with Disabilities. Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

Go to: www.sedbtac.org. Then look under “Webcourses” on the home page. It’s free. You register on line. You can complete the course a little at a time. (It takes about 4 hours to complete the entire course.) Go to: www.sedbtac.org. Then look under “Webcourses” on the home page. Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

These will be available through the OCR web site soon. The Civil Rights Center in the U.S. Department of Labor has prepared some exercises about serving individuals with disabilities. These will be available through the OCR web site soon. Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

When completing the exercises, we perform several tests; that is, we consider a number of factors. Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

Advance the presentation Exercise: Is this person protected under federal disability nondiscrimi-nation law? The tests: 1. Does the individual have a physical or mental impairment? 2. Does the impairment affect a major life activity? 3. Is the individual substantially limited by this impairment? Previous slide Advance the presentation Next slide End the presentation

Advance the presentation Exercise: Is this a lawful instance of segregation? (because of disability) The tests: 1. Is it (segregated service) necessary? 1. Is it necessary? 2. Is it as effective? 3. Is it as a result of an individualized assessment? 4. Is the customer given options? Previous slide Advance the presentation Next slide End the presentation

They will be available through the OCR web site, too. If you need help with the exercises, or just want to check your answers, get the trainer’s versions. They will be available through the OCR web site, too. Previous slide Next slide End the presentation

That’s a wrap! Feel free to contact the OCR: Civil.Rights@awi.state.fl.us. (850) 921-3201 TTY (via the Florida Relay Service): 711 Previous slide Next slide

. . . and be sure to check out the OCR web site: www.floridajobs.org/civilrights/index.htm. Previous slide End the presentation