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Presenter(s)
Karen Milchus
Co-Director - RERC on Workplace Accommodations CATEA, Georgia Tech.
490 Tenth St. NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
Phone: 800-726-9119 (V/TTY)
Email: karen.milchus@catea.org
Web: http://www.workrerc.org
Rehabilitation professionals now have a variety of web-based, distance education options for gaining training in assistive technology (AT) and accessibility. Educators and occupational therapists can study IDEA and school-based practice from the University of Southern Maine's AllTech program [1] and from the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) [2-4]. Educators and Internet / software developers can learn about making information technology accessible from courses such as those sponsored by Equal Access to Software and Information (EASI) [5], Illinois Center for Instructional Technology Accessibility [6], Georgia Tech Information Technology Technical Assistance and Training Center [7], and the Georgia Tech Research on Accessible Distance Education Project (GRADE) [8]. Information about the ADA and disability awareness are covered by courses sponsored by the Southeast DBTAC [9], Georgia Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities [10], and Virginia Commonwealth University's RRTC on Workplace Supports [11], among others. CSUN's Assistive Technology Applications Certificate Program (ATACP) program [12] combines web-based components with hands-on opportunities and assignments.
However, in spite of the growing numbers of distance education opportunities to learn about accessibility and AT, most of the courses cover issues related to educational settings, computer access / accessible information technology, or awareness of disability and disability legislation. The training opportunities for rehabilitation professionals who are focused on accessibility and accommodations specifically within work environments are limited.
Virginia Commonwealth University's RRTC on Workplace Supports has offered web courses on topics including reasonable accommodation and supported employment, but only one such course seems to be available each quarter and it must be completed on a specified schedule [14]. In addition, the active topic may not focus specifically on workplace accommodations. A self-study course on "Strategies to Facilitate Community Employment" may be accessed at any time, but the focus is on service delivery, not workplace accommodations [15].
Some materials on workplace accommodations exist, but not as web-based tutorials or interactive courses. AOTA offers a course on "Work: Principles and Practice", but it exists only as a printed home-study packet, not as a web-based course [16]. Similarly, the Tech Connections project has a series of training modules on workplace accommodations that can be downloaded from the Internet, but which were not designed for web-based training [17].
Much of the training information on workplace accommodations that is available on the Internet is not presented as an organized program of study, but as a collection of webcasts and other presentations on a scattering of topics. For example, the Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) program offers a series of webcasts on topics ranging from job placement to transition to Title I of the ADA [18], and the Tech Connections project offers three web-based case study exercises [19]. However, neither resource provides comprehensive training on workplace accommodations.
To address this gap in training opportunities, the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Workplace Accommodations is creating a web-based course for rehabilitation professionals. To get a more detailed picture of the specific needs that people have for training on workplace accommodations, the RERC is currently conducting a survey of approximately 200 rehabilitation case managers, therapists, rehabilitation engineers, transition specialists, and human resources development professionals who are currently providing services related to workplace accommodations or would like training in order to do so. Thus, the survey includes both people who are already familiar with AT and may have received previous training, along with people who are just entering this area of specialization. The survey presents a number of topics related to workplace accommodations. Respondents are asked to rate their interest in training and their current level of knowledge on that topic. Information about preferences for web-based course format is also collected. Results from this survey will be presented during this session.
Survey information will be used to develop a modular course that will meet the particular needs of people working to provide workplace accommodations. The course will focus on the assessment process for identifying workplace accommodations, along with other issues that rehabilitation providers identify as areas in which they need further training. The future course will provide opportunities for continuing education credits. Session attendees will have an opportunity to preview the course.
Acknowledgements:
This paper describes work being done by the RERC on Workplace Accommodations, which is supported by Grant H133E020720 of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research of the U.S. Department of Education.
Referenced Courses:
[1] ALLTech, University of Southern Maine. "Online Assistive Technology Certificate Program for Educators." http://www.alltech-tsi.org/initiatives/vatu/courses/
[2] American Occupational Therapy Association. "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Impact on OT Services in School Systems." http://www.aota.org/nonmembers/area3/links/link08A.asp
[3] American Occupational Therapy Association. "Putting IDEA 97 Into Practice." http://www.aota.org/nonmembers/area3/links/link08g.asp
[4] American Occupational Therapy Assoc. "Occupational Therapy in School-Based Practice: Contemporary Issues and Trends." http://www.aota.org/nonmembers/area3/links/link08F.asp
[5] Equal Access to Software and Information. "EASI Online Courses and the Certificate in Accessible Information Technology." http://easi.cc/workshop.htm
[6] Illinois Center for Instructional Technology Accessibility and Great Lakes DBTAC. "Designing Universally Accessible Web Resources." http://cita.rehab.uiuc.edu/courses/
[7] ITTATC, Georgia Tech. "ITTATC Web Accessibility Course." http://www.ittatc.org/training/webcourse/
[8] GRADE, Georgia Tech. "Access E-Learning." http://www.accesselearning.net
[9] Southeast Disability & Business Technical Assistance Center, Georgia Tech. "ADA Building Blocks." http://www.adabasics.org
[10] The Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities and Georgia Disability Advocate Consulting Group. "Disability Sensitivity Training." http://www.disabilitylearningservices.com
[11] RRTC on Workplace Supports, Virginia Commonwealth University. "BizNet Disability Awareness On-Line Seminar." http://www.worksupport.com/biznet/da/daintro.html
[12] Center on Disabilities at California State University, Northridge. "Assistive Technology Applications Certificate Program (ATACP)." http://www.csun.edu/codtraining/atacp.htm
[13] RRTC on Workplace Supports, Virginia Commonwealth University. "The ADA and Reasonable Accommodations in the Workplace." http://www.vcu.edu/rrtcweb/cyberu/webcourse/ada.html
[14] RRTC on Workplace Supports, Virginia Commonwealth University. "Supported Competitive Employment for Individuals with Mental Illness." http://www.vcu.edu/rrtcweb/cyberu/webcourse/
[15] Training and Technical Assistance For Providers, Virginia Commonwealth University. "Organizational Change: Strategies to Facilitate Community Employment." http://www.t-tap.org/training/onlinecourses/customized_employment/oc_organization.html
[16] American Occupational Therapy Association. "Work: Principles and Practice." http://www.aota.org/nonmembers/area3/links/link06c.asp
[17] Tech Connections, UCP and Georgia Tech. "AT in the Workplace Training Module Series." http://www.techconnections.org/training/Modules.cfm
[18] Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU), The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR). "ILRU Web Casts." http://www.ilru.org/online/
[19] Tech Connections, UCP and Georgia Tech. "AT Works Online Tutorial Series." http://www.techconnections.org/atworks/
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