Technology for Independence

Dr. Peter Blanck, Ph.D., J.D.Kierscht Professor of LawDirector, Law, Health Policy & Disability CenterUniversity of Iowa College of Lawhttp://www.its.uiowa.edu/law

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Law, Health Policy & Disability Center(LHPDC)

Relevant and rigorous research in law, policy, and technology to promote full inclusion, choice, and economic independence.

Dissemination of research and technical assistance with federal, state, and local stakeholders, corporations, foundations, and non-profits.

Educate the next generation of professionals with and without disabilities from varied disciplines.

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LHPDC Interdisciplinary Perspectives

Law Disability Studies Social, clinical, and experimental psychology Social work Computer science and instructional design Public health and policy Rehabilitation Counseling Economics History Medicine

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LHPDC Broad Range of Complementary Projects

U.S. Department of Education, NIDRR, six funded projects (e.g., IT Works, IT-CBRC, RRTC).

U.S. Department of Labor, four funded projects (e.g., WIA, TWWIIA).

State government, three funded projects (e.g., benefits planning).

Private Foundations (e.g., Robert Wood Johnson, Milbank).

Corporations University Foundations

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LHPDC Broad Range of Project Goals

Employment, technology, and health policy (e.g., ADA, Section 508, SSI/SSDI benefits).

Multiple stakeholders with focus on participatory action research (PAR).

Outcomes not only Outputs (e.g., law, policy, and systems change).

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Projects and Research on Access to Technology

Research/testimony before Congress on applicability of ADA Title III to private Internet sites. ADA Title III and the Internet: Technology and Civil

Rights, Mental and Physical Disability Law Reporter. Vol. 24 No 5 - Sep/Oct 2000.

www.its.uiowa.edu/law/lhpdc/publications/documents/blancketaldocs/ADA_Title_3_and_Internet.doc

Congressional Testimony on ADA and Internet.www.its.uiowa.edu/law/lhpdc/publications/documents/blanckdocs/blanck_statement.doc

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ADA and Internet Access Litigation against Southwest and American Airlines for

access to web-based ticketing (Access Now, Oct. 2002).http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1032128683422

Court ruling that Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority violated the ADA by not having schedule/route information in accessible formats (Oct. 2002, U.S. D.C.).

Lawsuits settled

AOL (National Federation of the Blind, 1999)

Barnes & Noble, Claire’s Stores (Access Now, 2000-02)

Web developers examine accessible technology on discussion boards such as Slashdot.http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/02/10/06/2340204.shtml?tid=103

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Technology for Independence:A Community-Based Resource Center (TI-CBRC)

New partnership of LHPDC and Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU), Lex Frieden, at Baylor.

Focus on technology access and use, employment policy, environmental barriers, as civil rights issues.

Assist consumer directed organizations and CILs on research and projects to promote access to technology.

Multiple strategies with PAR, leadership development, technical assistance, web conference training, distance education, and annual symposia.

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Closing Thoughts

“FIRE”

Focus: community, policy, and outcome oriented. Involvement: multiple stakeholders, PAR Research: involve multiple methods/measures Enhancement: core ADA principles and policy

Economic Independence Full Inclusion Choice Equality of Opportunity

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LHPDC Contact Information

Phone: (319) 335-8469; Fax: (319) 335-9764

Law, Health Policy and Disability Center

University of Iowa College of Law

Iowa City, IA 52242-5000

Web: http://www.its.uiowa.edu/law

Discussion: http://lhpd.law.uiowa.edu/bbs

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Further Summary Information

Projects Goals

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IT Works

Identify barriers to and facilitators of the hiring, retention, advancement, and wages of individuals with disabilities.

Test strategies to improve hiring, retention, advancement and wages of individuals with disabilities.

Provide training and disseminate research findings.

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IT Works

Develop theoretical model incorporating environmental factors, organizational factors, attitudinal factors, and individual characteristics to predict hiring rate, advancement rate, retention rate, and wages of individuals with disabilities.

Survey and interview: Human resource managers at IT and non-IT companies (defined by Information

Technology Association of America), Individuals with disabilities working at these companies, Individuals with disabilities who graduated from federally funded IT training and

employment programs, Directors of these training programs, and IT trainers.

Five-year longitudinal approach to identify trends in these measures over time. Case studies, descriptive statistics, and multivariate regression analyses performed on the outcome measures to assess the influences of predictor measures, in combination and alone.

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RRTC on Workforce Investment and Employment Policy Implement a crosscutting research agenda that will increase our

knowledge and understanding of the impact of workforce development and employment policy on the health, well being, and economic status of Americans with disabilities.

Analyze policy barriers and facilitators to employment for working age adults with disabilities considering major policy reforms regarding education, employment training, welfare, and health care.

Frame new questions about the relationships between federal and state policy, employment and access to health care, civil rights and effective and meaningful coordination of services and supports of the emerging new workforce development system and outcome-based reimbursement strategies for delivery of employment services and individual choice.

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Information Technology Technical Assistance and Training Center Collaboration through Georgia Institute of Technology. Focuses on research, training and technical assistance with states

on Section 508 and 255 compliance. Provides ITTATC with a government and industry liaison officer in

Washington, D.C. Identifies best practices at the state level in Section 508 IT

accessibility and procurement policies and procedures. Offer information, training, and technical assistance to state

stakeholders, industry, and the disability community about IT and telecommunications accessibility.

Collaborating with: State AT projects, the RESNA TA project, State CIO's, and the State Information Technology Access Coalition.

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Great Plains ADA & IT CenterRegion VII DBTAC State Partner Collaboration with University of Missouri at

Columbia – DBTAC directed by Jim De Jong. Provide technical assistance and information

related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and accessible information technology.

Serve businesses, institutions, agencies and individuals throughout Iowa.

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Region VII CRP-RCEP Distance Education Project Collaboration with University of Missouri at Columbia Content designed by UM, distance education by UI Employment Services distance learning course

Introductory training for newly hired employment services personnel.

Based on 16 competencies and covers basic concepts of employment service delivery.

Concepts include, basic values for employment services, person-first language, marketing, creating a support plan, and supporting the customer on the job, problem solving techniques and addressing customer satisfaction.

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Job Accommodation Network

Survey JAN users regarding job-related accommodations, small business and self-employment services, educational and training accommodation, information and referral requests, and marketing materials.

Determine the following information from the sample: caller demographics . overall satisfaction with services provided by JAN. status of accommodation recommended (e.g., implemented, pending, or

rejected.) costs associated with making the accommodation. satisfaction with the accommodation made. estimated benefits and other impacts resulting from the accommodation and/or

information provided. final outcome for the individual with a disability (e.g., hired, retained, placed on

disability leave, etc.)

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Technical Assistance to Work Incentive Grantees of DOL/ETA Assist states and local communities to bring together public and private

resources that respond to market needs for skilled labor and customer needs for employment and related support services.

Resource to 46 Work Incentive Grantees, community partners, and subcontractors.

Facilitate policy and program development at a state and local systems level as part of a process of continued improvement of opportunities and employment results for youth and working age adults with disabilities.

Understand current policy development across federal agencies that are relevant to your systems change and capacity building efforts.

Exchange information on promising system change activities and keep up to date on other grantee strategies and outcomes.

Identify barriers and problem solve policy and practice solutions that advance access and effective participation in the Workforce Development System at a local community level.

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National Center on Workforce and Disability/Adult Partner Collaboration with The Institute for Community

Inclusion and many other partners. Providing key policy research and analysis on

participation of individuals with disabilities in the workforce system.

Provide training and technical assistance to stimulate opportunity for participation in the workforce development system.

www.onestops.info

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Subcontract with ServiceSource for work with the DOL-funded OneSource Customized Employment Project in Virginia LHPDC role: Development of local and statewide policy

initiatives, lead strategic planning activities. Project goals:

Increase the number of people with disabilities served in the workforce investment system.

Increase the number of people with disabilities in community integrated employment.

Increase the wages of people with disabilities served by the workforce investment system.

Improve the capacity of the workforce investment system to provide customized employment to people with disabilities.