ADA 2007

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 EnhancementsTalking 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 EnhancementsKeyboard & 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/