WORKPLACE ACCOMMODATIONS: A REMOTE
POSSIBILITY?
Presenter
#1
Carrie Bruce
Day Phone: 404-385-1718
Email: carrie. bruce@coa.gatech.edu
Presenter
#2
Jon Sanford
Day Phone: 404-894-1413
Email: Jon. sanford@coa. Gatech.edu
The purpose of this ongoing project is to develop a comprehensive protocol for
conducting remote workplace assessments using teleconferencing technology. An
extensive analysis of existing assessment instruments has resulted in the
development of a model that represents the assessment process and a conceptual
framework that demonstrates the relationship between the key assessment
activities and the key factors to be assessed. The model and framework have
served as the basis for developing the remote protocol. The expectation is that
remote assessments using this teleconferencing technology will be as, if not
more effective than traditional onsite assessments.
Addressing
needs of workers with disabilities across the lifespan is an integral component
of rehabilitation service delivery. Rehabilitation professionals provide
guidance to human resource personnel on hirin9 individuals by matchin9 a
person’s skills to essential functions of a job; training individuals to
maximize performance
• and safety; and making recommendation for and providing workplace
accommodations, including assistive technologies, adaptive strategies, and
accessible and universally designed products. All of these roles are dependent
on the ability of the practitioner to assess workplace performance, determine
an individual’s skills, identify environmental barriers and facilitators,
predict needs, and recommend/implement appropriate interventions.
While
the need to identify the most appropriate accommodations to enhance workplace
performance is clear, service providers often lack evidence-based tools with
which to provide such services. A recent study on AT service programs that perform workplace
accommodations revealed that little or no standardization exists among
assessments, leading to a failure of collecting consistent or sufficient data
[1]. Although a large number of tools are available to perform assessments, not
all assessment tools are equivalent. They are a diverse collection of
instruments that range from self-report checklists, to flowcharts, to
customized forms, to software programs that generate performance profiles. The
tools also represent different activities within the assessment process with
many outlining problem identification, several addressing problem solving or
prediction of interventions, and a few providing guidance on recommendations.
Moreover, many are focused on one dimension of person-environment-occupation
fit such as safety, comfort or function, rather than a comprehensive approach
to understanding the dynamic relationship among the three.
Technology
for performing rehabilitation services remotely has added another dimension to
the problem. There are documented studies demonstrating the effectiveness of a
variety of telecommunications technologies for evaluating physical condition,
monitoring physiological status, and performing diagnostics. However, there are
no studies to date that have investigated the use of teleconferencing
technology for workplace assessments. This technology has great potential for
providing interactive, cost-effective assessment of people with disabilities in
their place of work. While this technology has possibilities for performing
workplace accommodations assessment, the lack of standardized and comprehensive
instruments makes the use of such technology difficult.
Based on an analysis of over 60 assessment tools, a conceptual framework was
developed that demonstrates the relationship between the key assessment
activities (i.e., investigation, interpretation and intervention) and the key
factors to be assessed (i.e., person, place and performance). The framework
provides a mechanism for understanding the goals, strengths and weaknesses of
the wide array of assessment tools that are commonly used. As a result, the
framework serves as a diagnostic tool that will enable practitioners to
identify and select an assessment instrument that best meets the needs of each
client and each situation.
The
model and framework have been critical in the development of a standardized and
comprehensive instrument necessary for performing remote assessments and making
recommendations for accommodations. The reliability and validity of the new
instrument is currently being evaluated.
1. Schwanke, T. and R. Smith, Assistive technology outcomes in work
settings. work, 2005. 24: p. 195-204.
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