The Americans with Disabilities Act and Assistive Technologies : The Americans with Disabilities Act and Assistive Technologies Presented by
Virginia J. Reilly, Ph.D.
Director, University ADA Services
Human Resources
Southgate Center
jenmik@vt.edu
540-231-4638 (V)
540-231-7227 (TTY); 231-6479 (Fax)
What is the ADA? : What is the ADA?
A federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in:
Title I: Employment EEOC
Title II: Public Services/ OCR; DOT Transportation
Title III: Public Accommodations DOJ
Title IV: Telecommunications FCC
Title V: Miscellaneous
Not an affirmative action statute; seeks to assure equality and opportunity
Definition of Disability : Definition of Disability A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities
A record of such an impairment
Being regarded as having such an impairment
Major Life Activities Examples : Major Life Activities Examples Seeing
Hearing
Speaking
Reaching
Lifting
Sleeping
Concentrating
Performing Manual Tasks
Reproducing Breathing
Walking
Standing
Learning
Sitting
Working
Caring for Oneself
Interacting with Others
Employment and Unlawful Discrimination : Employment and Unlawful Discrimination Recruitment and advertising
Application process
Hiring
Promotion
Transfer, layoff, rehiring
Termination
Compensation
Leave
Fringe Benefits
Training
Evaluation
Discipline
Social/Recreationprograms
Confidentiality : Confidentiality Disability information:
is confidential
may be shared on a need-to-know basis only
must be kept on separate forms and in separate files
given voluntarily must be kept confidential
cannot be shared in reference checks and/or written or oral communications
Basic Principles of Reasonable Accommodation : Basic Principles of Reasonable Accommodation Accommodation must:
Be effective
Reduce barriers related to a person with a disability
Accommodations need not be:
The best possible, as long as it is effective
What is requested by applicant or
employee
An exception to Standards of Conduct or Performance Expectations
Evacuation and Safety : Evacuation and Safety
Include employees with disabilities in all planning and drills
Post safety equipment and directions in accessible locations
Develop contingency plans in case safe areas are inaccessible
Encourage employees with disabilities to pre-plan for emergencies
Provide area of rescue assistance in buildings without sprinklers
Accessibility : Accessibility Physical space
Policies, programs, procedures
Publications
Signage
Internal communication, auxiliary aids
(interpreters, assistive listening devices, TV captioning, TTY, readers, taped texts, Brailled materials, large print, visual doorknockers & smoke detectors)
External communication
Education, certification, and training programs
Meetings and conventions
Electronic media, e-mail, web pages
Electronic Access : Electronic Access Section 508 Rehabilitation Act - requires accessibility for computer software, equipment & web pages. DOJ Ruling 9/9/96.
Section 255 Telecommunication Act of 1996 - telephones, computers, distance learning must be accessible.
Virginia Information Technology Access Act of 1999 - information technology equipment and software must be accessible for individuals who are blind.
Virginia Tech ADA Assistance : Virginia Tech ADA Assistance Employees, Applicants, Guests – Director of University ADA Services, 231-4638; www.hr.vt.edu; adainfo@vt.edu
Students - Services for Students with Disabilities, 231-2788; http://www.ssd.vt.edu/
Assistive Technologies: Bill Holbach, Hal Brackett - 231-3461; Assist@vt.edu
Access in the Workplace : Access in the Workplace Richard Snider, Ph.D.
Gillian Rai, M.Ed.,OTR/L
Training & Technical Assistance Center
VPI&SU, Blacksburg, VA
Virginia Department of Education’s : Virginia Department of Education’s Training and Technical Assistance Center
http://www.ttac.vt.edu
Slide14 : Assistive Technology Continuum Inexpensive Requires less training to use More expensive Requires more training Greater sophistication Broader utility Velcro Pencil grip Audio Books Customized keyboard Screen reader software Adapted Computer Low Tech High Tech Examples of AT General Characteristics Universal
Ergonomics and Positioning Comfort Counts (Low Tech) : Ergonomics and Positioning Comfort Counts (Low Tech) Adjust the height of desk/chair
Seat cushion, pillow, or an old telephone book covered with some foam and a removable cover
Beach ball, swim rings, bubble wrap, egg crates
Wrist pads from rolled newspaper and or towel
Ergonomics and Positioning Comfort Counts (Low Tech) : Ergonomics and Positioning Comfort Counts (Low Tech) Foot rest/foot bench from phone books; recycled paper in 3 ring binder, wooden/sturdy box with non-skid backing
Wooden chair with lateral arm supports
Homemade coffee can chair (tuffet)
http://www.orosha.org/cergos/howtodo.html
Ergopals http://tinyurl.com/lv6lp
Slide17 : Ready made ergonomic furniture
Ergonomic kneeling chairs (http://www.sitcorrect.com/)
Adjustable chairs, armrests, keyboard trays
(http://www.ergopro.com/) Ergonomics and Positioning Comfort Counts (High Tech)
Computer Access Visual Enhancements : Computer Access Visual Enhancements • ZoomText
• OS X Zoom •Magnification
•Navigational aids
Auditory Enhancements : Auditory Enhancements Synthetic Speech used used for Screen or document reading.
HELP Read (PC Freeware) Reader Project
http://helpread.net/
ReadPlease2000 (PC Freeware)
www.readplease.com
Powertalk - speaks the text in PowerPoint
http://fullmeasure.co.uk/powertalk/
Voice Over - built in (Mac OS X)
Spoken Interface - built in to newer versions of Mac OS X)
Browsealoud free downloadable screen reader
www.browsealoud.com
J.A.W.S Screen Reader
Auditory Enhancements Talking Web Browsers : Auditory Enhancements Talking Web Browsers
WeMedia Talking Browser (PC Freeware) www.dyslexia.com/helpread.htm#wemedia
Web Talkster (PC Freeware) http://www.freebstuff.com/downloads.htm (Internet Explorer 4+ required)
Voice Over (Mac OS X)
Spoken Interface (Newer versions of Mac OS X)
Speech Enhancements : Speech Enhancements Narrator
OS X Voice Over IBM Via Voice
Dragon Naturally Speaking
Tactile Enhancements : Tactile Enhancements Click-n-Type http://www.lakefolks.org/cnt/ •Braille output
•Adapted mice
•Adapted keyboards
•Trackballs, etc.
Tactile Enhancements Keyboard & Mouse : Tactile Enhancements Keyboard & Mouse
Writing Tools : Writing Tools No Tech/Low Tech
Adapted writing and art tools - pencil grips
Highlighting pens and tape;; slant boards
Stamps/inkpad, magnetic letters, sticker letters/numbers
Visual Strategies for spacing/margins - color dots, highlight margins
Mid Tech
Spell checkers, dictionaries, portable word processors
http://www.franklin.com/
http://www.alphasmart.com
- Built in Microsoft Word features
Word Prediction : Word Prediction
Study Tools : Study Tools
Online dictionaries
Merriam-Webster Word Central - http://www.wordcentral.com/
Online reference tools - http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic9.htm
Time Left - http://www.timeleft.info/
Online calculators -http://coolmath4kids.com/
Talking Calculator - http://www.johnkapili.com/download.php?view.13
Graphic Organizers
http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/actbank/torganiz.htm
http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/graphic_org/
http://www.edhelper.com/teachers/graphic_organizers.htm
Reading Tools : Reading Tools No/Low Tech Tools
Use of colors; reading strips, colored/transparent envelope windows, transparencies
Mid Tech Tools
Reading Pens
Books on Tape and CD
Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic - www.rfbd.org/sl/
Talking Books www.loc.gov/nls/tbt/
Talking Tapes/Textbooks on Tape www.talkingtapes.org
Additional AT Links : Additional AT Links Assistive Technology Education Network http://www.aten.scps.k12.fl.us/
Alliance for Technology Access http://www.ataccess.org/resources/atk12/default.html
The Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative (WATI) - http://www.wati.org
Ldonline – http://www.ldonline.org
National Assistive Technology Institute -http://natri.uky.edu/
Ability Hub – http://www.abilityhub.org
Assistive Technology Training Project Online - http://atto.buffalo.edu/