1. JAN is a service of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy. 1 Accommodating Employees with Learning Disabilities Melanie Whetzel, M. A., CBIS Lead Consultant, Cognitive/Neurological Team Kelsey Lewis, MSW, LGSW Consultant, Cognitive/Neurological Team

2. Accommodations for LD What are learning disabilities? Learning disabilities (LD) refer to a number of disorders which may affect:  Acquisition,  Organization,  Retention,  Understanding, or  Use of verbal or nonverbal information.  These disorders affect learning in individuals who otherwise demonstrate at least average abilities essential for thinking and/or reasoning. 2

3. Accommodations for LD Learning disabilities result from impairments in one or more processes related to:  Perceiving,  Thinking,  Remembering, or  Learning 3

4. Accommodations for LD Learning disabilities range in severity and may interfere with the acquisition and use of oral language, reading, written language, and mathematics. Learning disabilities may also involve difficulties with organizational skills, social perception, social interaction and perspective taking. 4

5. Accommodations for LD What types of learning disabilities are there?  Specific Learning Disability  Dyslexia  Dyscalculia  Dysgraphia Associated Deficits and Disorders:  Auditory Processing Disorder  Visual Processing Disorder  Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities  Executive Functioning Deficits 5

6. Accommodations for LD Diagnosis / Evaluation: Only qualified professionals who have been trained to identify learning disabilities can perform a formal evaluation to diagnose learning disabilities. These include:  Clinical or educational psychologists  School psychologists  Neuro-psychologists  Learning disabilities specialists 6

7. Accommodations for LD Is a learning disability a disability under the ADA? No list of medical conditions that constitute disabilities. General definition of disability that each person must meet: A person has a disability if he/she has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment. 7

8. Accommodations for LD Accommodations for limitations in:  Reading  Spelling  Writing  Mathematics  Speaking / Communicating  Organization  Memory  Time management / Completing Tasks  Social Skills  Working Effectively 8

9. Accommodations for LD Situation: A newly hired telemarketer had deficits in reading comprehension. He participated in a computer-based training where he watched a customer service tutorial, then completed timed quizzes on the computer. 9

10. Accommodations for LD Accommodation Ideas: Reading 10

11. Accommodations for LD Reading from a paper copy:  Convert text to audio  Provide larger print  Double space the text of print material  Use color overlays (Irlen lenses)  Provide materials that are type-written  Have someone read the document aloud  Scan the documents into a computer and use Optical Character Recognition (OCR)  Use a reading pen, which is a portable device that scans a word and provides auditory feedback 11

12. Accommodations for LD Reading from a computer screen:  Use voice output software  Use form-generating software  Use an on-screen "ruler" or strip or screen highlighting software  Alter color scheme on computer screen  Adjust the font on computer screen 12

13. Accommodations for LD Solution: The employee was accommodated with an adjusted color scheme, resolution, and font size of the computer screen, making the appearance of material easier to view. The employee was given screen ruler software (Claro) that helps when reading test questions. The employee was allowed to watch the tutorial again, and was given extra time to complete quizzes. 13

14. Accommodations for LD Situation: A teacher with a learning disability had difficulty spelling words correctly on the board. 14

15. Accommodations for LD Accommodation Ideas: Spelling 15

16. Accommodations for LD Spelling:  Allow use of reference materials such as dictionary or thesaurus  Provide electronic and talking dictionaries as well as apps  Use word prediction software that displays a list of words that typically follow the word that was entered in a document  Use word completion software that displays sample words after someone starts typing part of a word  Allow a buddy, coworker, or supervisor to proofread written material 16

17. Accommodations for LD Solution: The employer provided an interactive whiteboard. With the help of word prediction and spell checking software, the teacher was able to display accurate information to her students. 17

18. Accommodations for LD Situation: A researcher in a technology company had an expressive writing disorder. The employee’s job tasks included gathering information for written reports. 18

19. Accommodations for LD Accommodation Ideas: Writing 19

20. Accommodations for LD Cognitive process of writing:  Use Inspiration software, a computerized graphic organizer  Use writing/editing software such as Texthelp Read & Write Gold or WhiteSmoke to assist with spelling, reading, and grammar  Provide electronic/talking dictionaries / spellcheckers  Permit use of reference books such as a thesaurus or dictionary  Create written forms to prompt the employee  Allow the employee to create a verbal response instead of a written response 20

21. Accommodations for LD Solution: To accommodate this employee, Draft:Builder software was provided to help organize the information and write the reports. The employer also provided a hard copy dictionary and thesaurus. A sample report was also provided. 21

22. Accommodations for LD Situation: An activities director in an assisted living facility was required to keep notes in a binder for every activity she led. She was unable to keep up with the task, due to the difficulties she encountered in writing. 22

23. Accommodations for LD Physical process of writing: Provide writing aids Use line guides and column guides Supply bold line paper Permit typewritten response instead of handwritten response Allow use of personal computers, laptops, and tablets Use Inspiration software, a computerized graphic organizer Use speech recognition software that recognizes the employee’s voice and changes it to text on the computer screen 23

24. Accommodations for LD Solution: The activities director was provided speech to text software that allowed her to dictate her notes from a computer, print them, and then place them in the log / binder. 24

25. Accommodations for LD Situation: A building contractor with dyscalculia was inefficient when creating job quotes. To ensure the mathematical calculations were accurate, the employee spent extra time “figuring” and “double- checking” the numbers. 25

26. Accommodations for LD Accommodation Ideas: Mathematics 26

27. Accommodations for LD Mathematics:  Use scratch paper to work out math problems  Permit use of fractional, decimal, statistical, or scientific calculators  Use calculators or adding machines with large display screens  Use construction calculator, such as Jobber 6  Use pre-measurement guides or jigs  Post mathematical tables at desk or in work area  Provide talking tools such as tape measures, scales, watches, and calculators 27

28. Accommodations for LD Solution: The site supervisor purchased the Jobber 6 contractor’s calculator to help the employee “figure” fractions, triangles, circles, area (and more) efficiently and accurately. 28

29. Accommodations for LD Situation: A customer service representative was having difficulty pronouncing the names of individuals he was being required to call. He stated that he needed to hear the names pronounced aloud first in order for him to be able to do so correctly himself. 29

30. Accommodations for LD Accommodation Ideas: Speaking/Communicating 30

31. Accommodations for LD Speaking/Communicating  To help facilitate communication, provide advance notice of topics to be discussed in meeting  To reduce or eliminate anxiety, provide advance notice of date of meeting when employee is required to speak  Allow employee to provide written response in lieu of verbal response  To reduce or eliminate the feeling of intimidation, allow employee to have a friend or coworker attend meeting 31

32. Accommodations for LD Solution: A JAN consultant suggested he try one of several apps that would allow him to type in the name, then hear it pronounced via his smartphone or tablet. One of the features of the apps was an adjustable speed. The oral pronunciation could be slowed down for a more thorough opportunity to hear it. 32

33. Accommodations for LD Situation: A project manager at an engineering firm had difficulty keeping up with all of the information involved in managing the project he had been assigned. He had problems with organization, time management, and prioritizing. 33

34. Accommodations for LD Accommodation Ideas: Organizational Skills 34

35. Accommodations for LD Organizing  Use daily, weekly, and monthly task lists  Use calendar with automated reminders to highlight meetings and deadlines  Use electronic organizers, mobile devices, apps  Divide large assignments into smaller tasks  Use a color coding scheme to prioritize tasks and identify materials  Hire a job coach or a professional organizer  Assign a mentor to assist employee  Build organization skills by attending time management workshops (e.g., Franklin Covey) 35

36. Accommodations for LD Solution: With an accommodation of project management software, the manager was able to better keep himself organized and abreast of the work of other team members. Color-coding helped him prioritize and stay on top of dates and deadlines. The bonus was that the software helped all of the project team members stay better organized and informed. 36

37. Accommodations for LD Situation: A clerical worker was employed by a large employer where different work assignments were handed out daily. 37

38. Accommodations for LD Accommodation Ideas: Memory 38

39. Accommodations for LD Memory:  Provide written as well as verbal instructions  Provide written checklists  Use a wall calendar  Use a daily or weekly task list  Provide verbal prompts and reminders  Use electronic organizers, hand held devices, and /or apps  Allow the employee to record meetings and trainings  Provide printed minutes of meetings and trainings 39

40. Accommodations for LD Memory  Allow additional training time for new duties  Provide a mentor for daily guidance  Provide reminders of important deadlines via e-mails, memos, and weekly supervision  Use notebooks, planners, or sticky notes to record information for easy retrieval  Provide cues to assist in location of items by using labels, color coding, or bulletin boards 40

41. Accommodations for LD Solution: To ensure the job assignment was accurate, the employee requested an accommodation of recorded instructions. Information about the work assignment, such as the job location, the supervisor’s name, and tasks to be completed were provided. To refresh his memory, the employee was able to listen to this recorded information whenever necessary, sometimes several times each day. 41

42. Accommodations for LD Situation: A social worker with a large case load had difficulty keeping up with her paperwork while maintaining an organized office. 42

43. Accommodations for LD Accommodation Ideas: Time Management/ Completing Tasks 43

44. Accommodations for LD Time Management / Completing Tasks:  Make daily TO-DO lists and check items off as they are completed  Provide organizational tools such as electronic schedulers, recorders, software organizers, calendars, watches, and apps  Divide large assignments into smaller tasks  Schedule weekly meetings with supervisor, manager, or mentor to determine if goals are met  Remind employee of important deadlines  Assign a mentor to assist  Consider providing training on time management 44

45. Accommodations for LD Solution: Along with requesting uninterrupted worktime as an accommodation, the employee used the Time Timer app to keep her on track with paperwork and organize her office. 45

46. Accommodations for LD Situation: An employee with an auditory processing disorder was hired to do customer service in a call center environment. She had done an excellent job communicating throughout the interview process, but once on the job had great difficulty with all of the noise/chatter from other employees. 46

47. Accommodations for LD Accommodation Ideas: Auditory Distractions 47

48. Accommodations for LD Auditory Distractions:  Provide space enclosures or a private office  Hang sound absorption panels  Relocate employee's office space away from audible distractions  Redesign employee's office space to minimize audible distractions  Encourage all employees to move non-work-related conversations out of work areas  Allow telework 48

49. Accommodations for LD Solution: The employee was moved to a less populated, quieter area on the same floor, and was given a cubicle with taller walls that had been soundproofed. Her desk was oriented to so that there were fewer visual distractions. 49

50. Accommodations for LD Situation: An employee who was uncomfortable speaking in meetings decided it was just easier not to show up. His supervisor didn’t agree. 50

51. Accommodations for LD Accommodation Ideas: Social Skills 51

52. Accommodations for LD Behavior:  To reduce incidents of inappropriate behavior, thoroughly review conduct policy with employee  Provide concrete examples to explain inappropriate behavior  Provide concrete examples to explain consequences in a disciplinary action  To reinforce appropriate behavior, recognize and reward appropriate behavior 52

53. Accommodations for LD Coworker Interaction:  Provide sensitivity training to promote disability awareness  If feasible, allow employee to work from home  Help employee “learn the ropes” by providing a mentor  Make employee attendance at social functions optional  Allow employee to transfer to another workgroup, shift, or department  Encourage the employee to walk away from frustrating situations and confrontations 53

54. Accommodations for LD Solution: The employee began using the SOSH app for triggers (Recognize). He listed several triggers and solutions, one of them being an advanced organizer or agenda for meetings so he would be more prepared to speak. 54

55. Accommodations for LD Situation: A janitorial worker was having difficulty remembering and completing all the tasks he had to do in a day’s work. This was causing him to receive poor performance ratings. 55

56. Accommodations for LD Accommodation Ideas: Working Effectively 56

57. Accommodations for LD Working Effectively  Provide positive praise and reinforcement,  Provide day-to-day guidance and feedback,  Provide written job instructions via email,  Develop clear expectations of responsibilities and the consequences of not meeting performance standards,  Schedule consistent meetings with employee to set goals and review progress,  Allow for open communication 57

58. Accommodations for LD Working Effectively:  Establish written long-term and short-term goals  Develop strategies to deal with conflict  Develop a procedure to evaluate the effectiveness of the accommodation  Educate all employees on their right to accommodations  Provide sensitivity training to coworkers / supervisors  Do not mandate that employees attend work related social functions  Encourage all employees to move non-work related conversations out of work areas. 58

59. Accommodations for LD Solution: With the help of his job coach, the employee asked his employer to assist him in using the app CanPlan. The employer used the app to demonstrate in visual form step-by-step directions to complete each task. 59

60. Accommodations for LD Situations and Solutions 60

61. Accommodations for LD Situation: A job applicant with an expressive language disability requested interview questions in advance, as well as the opportunity to respond in writing. Thinking on his feet was difficult, especially in a stressful situation such as a face-to-face job interview. 61

62. Accommodations for LD Solution: The job required the ability to answer questions quickly and with no advanced notice, so the employer denied the request to supply the questions in advance and allow the employee to submit them in writing. However, for the first interview, the employer accommodated the employee by interviewing him by an online chat. This allowed for spontaneous responses to the questions but with written instead of verbal responses without the stress of a face-to-face interview. 62

63. Accommodations for LD Situation: A hair stylist with a learning disability had difficulty answering the phone and taking messages in the mornings when she was the only person in the shop. She found it difficult to leave her customer, answer the phone, respond to all of the questions, take messages, and then go back to where she had left off on her customer’s hair. 63

64. Accommodations for LD Solution: The hair stylist requested the use of an answering machine for calls, but was accommodated with a headset so that she could answer calls from her station. The employer felt that instant customer service to callers was too important to overlook. A call routing system was put into place that would allow callers to leave messages for particular stylists and an introduction was added to the beginning phone message that indicated hours of operation and prices of basic services. 64

65. Accommodations for LD Situation: An employee with a learning disability had done well on the job for years, until the job changed enough that he required extensive training. He asked for an accommodation, and the employer required medical documentation. The employee had no documentation and was at a loss of what to do. 65

66. Accommodations for LD Solution: JAN recommended several solutions. The first one was to ask for temporary accommodations to assist him in the training while he was obtaining the required documentation. He was referred to vocational rehabilitation for assistance, as well as a local university. An employer can provide temporary accommodations as a good-faith effort. 66

67. Accommodations for LD Situation: A social worker is having great difficulty keeping up with her caseload once new forms requiring more information were introduced. She has used dictation software that helps, but her employer is hesitant to purchase, not knowing if the accommodation will be effective. The employer won’t allow her to do any work from her own computer because of confidentiality. 67

68. Accommodations for LD Solution: JAN recommended three things: talking to her employer about allowing her to try a blank form or even one page from the form to see if her software would be effective in helping her to complete the paperwork by dictation, asking if the computer system at work has the speech-to-text capabilities, and being sure to discuss her current performance difficulties with her manager before she gets too far behind. 68

69. Accommodations for LD Publications: Accommodation and Compliance Series: Employees with Learning Disabilities http://AskJAN.org/media/LD.html http://AskJAN.org/media/LD.html Accommodation and Compliance Series: Employees with Executive Functioning Deficits http://AskJAN.org/media/execfunc.html http://AskJAN.org/media/execfunc.html Accommodation and Compliance Series: Employees with Auditory Processing Disorder http://AskJAN.org/media/auditory.html http://AskJAN.org/media/auditory.html 69

70. Accommodations for LD Questions 70

71. Accommodations for LD Contact  (800)526-7234 (V) & (877)781-9403 (TTY)  AskJAN.org & jan@askjan.org  (304)216-8189 via Text  janconsultants via Skype 71