Getting Ready for Work

1
Getting Ready for Work

• Session 4
• 1.50 pm 2.35 pm
• Ability Technology
• Graeme Smith and Gemma McDonald

2
Session Outline

• Brief background to employment of people with a
  disability.
• Workplace Modifications Scheme changes since
  2006.
• What is the impact of assistive technology on the
  employment of people with a disability a recent
  research project.
• Services available to assist students to gain
  access to technology for work.

3
Background

• People with a disability still experience
  disadvantages in employment, in spite of nearly
  two decades of vigorous policies and programs.
• Participation rate in 2003 was 53.2 - well below
  the 80.6 rate for those with no reported
  disability.
• Unemployment rate is 72 higher (8.6 v. 5.0)
  than for those with no reported disability.
• They often experience restrictions in the type of
  job they can do and the hours they can work.
• They often need special equipment, modifications
  to the workplace, special training and support
  staff.

4
Background

• Almost 70 report employment restrictions.
• Yet those who do make it into jobs do well for
  example, 37 per cent of employees with disability
  who are employed are professionals, managers and
  administrators (v. 40.7 for those with no
  reported disability).
• Studies show that people with a disability are
  more reliable workers, with lower absenteeism and
  low turnover.
• The task is challenging but not without hope!

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Workplace Modifications Scheme

• Provides assistance to employers for costs of
  workplace adjustments, modifications and special
  equipment.

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The Old System

• Cumbersome
• Restricted
• Slow
• Capped funding
• Limited information

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The New System July 2006

• Streamlined
• Flexible
• Fast
• Expanded funding
• Helpful information

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Streamlined

• One form
• Access form from www.jobaccess.gov.au
• Free call     1800 464 800
• TTY           1800 464 800
• Fax            [phone]
• Online        Online enquiry form
• Post           PO Box 510, Subiaco, WA 6904

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Flexible

• Dont have to go through a government employment
  provider.
• Employers and employees can apply direct.

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Fast

• Workplace assessment arranged within 2 days of
  application.
• Workplace assessment and report to be completed
  within 7 days.
• Decision on recommendations 1 day later.

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Expanded Funding

• Under 10,000 can be approved without a workplace
  assessment.
• Over 10,000 will require a workplace assessment.
• Limited by available funding. Building mods
  capped to 25,000.
• Can re-apply for further funding.
• Government committed 29m over 4 years (in 2005
  Budget).

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Helpful information

• Useful information at www.jobaccess.gov.au on
• Disabilities
• Equipment
• Suppliers
• Guides for employers and employees
• Case studies
• Phone contact as well
• Helpful staff at JobAccess

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Eligibility

• Have an ongoing disability 2 years
• Australian citizen or permanent resident
• Employed or seeking employment of at least 8
  hours a week
• Employed or seeking employment expected to
  continue in excess of 13 weeks
• If person employed long term, some change to
  disability or work should be identified.

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Ineligibility

• Have received Workers Comp payments from same
  employer covering the same equipment/adjustments.
• Current work experience or trainee placement.
• Undertaking unpaid work.

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Types of assistance

• Workplace modifications are directed toward
  improving the tenure, conditions of employment,
  capacity and opportunities of people with a
  disability for work.
• Assistance must be clearly directed to the
  specific needs of the worker with a disability

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Types of assistance

• JobAccess can help workers with a disability by
  contributing to the cost of lease, hire,
  purchase, manufacture, establishment and initial
  training with the special or adaptive equipment
  that enables a worker to perform at his/her full
  potential and/or maximise his/her income, which
  would not normally be provided by the employer.

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Where assistance not available

• Item not directly related to the specific needs
  of a person with a disability.
• Could more appropriately be funded elsewhere.
• Is what the employer would normally have to
  provide anyway.

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Examples

• Vision aids
• Bathroom
• Access
• Workstation
• Chairs
• Computers
• Working from home
• Car hoist

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Problems still remain

• Awkward transitional arrangements between
  education and employment sectors
• Too workplace focused
• Doesnt cover upgrades, repairs
• Limited availability of expertise in key areas
• Assessors not given enough info.

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Problems still remain

• Technology is not made available until the person
  
• has a job
• or
• is about to start a job

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Recent Research

• Productivity Enhancing Technology Employment
  for People with a Disability
• Pilot Project
• Employment Innovation Fund
• Research Project 2007

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Research Questions

• Are there benefits if PET is made available
  prior to the person gaining a job?
• Is it possible that the early provision of PET
  would enhance the persons employment prospects?
  

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Productivity Enhancing Technology

• A person with quadriplegia who uses a mouth
  controlled mouse device and speech recognition.
• A person with cerebral palsy who uses a special
  keyboard designed for one handed use with a key
  guard and computer software with rate enhancement
  software.
• A person with impaired memory who manages their
  day effectively through a PDA (Pocket PC or Palm).

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Methodology
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• Progress of each participant was monitored
  throughout the project
• Has it increased the persons confidence and
  motivation to seek work?
• Has it given them a wider choice of possible
  employment options, in comparison to their
  options prior to the availability of such
  technology?
• Has it made them more attractive to employers?

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Case Study Jenny

• 21 year old with cerebral palsy
• Unable to walk - uses a powered wheelchair with
  joystick control
• Non-verbal uses a lightWRITER with a key guard
• Difficulty with reach and fine motor hand control
  unable to write
• Studied photography at school and TAFE
• Developed skills using a Windows based laptop
  with specialist software and a key guard

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Case Study Jenny

• Issues identified
• Unable to use Apple Mac desktop keyboard and
  mouse.
• Unable to use rate enhancement word prediction
  software she uses on the Apple Mac.
• Unable to use her communication aid a
  lightWRITER when working on the computer.

• Solutions
• Apple MacBook laptop with trackpad
• Customised key guard
• Parallels software so existing word prediction
  software for rate enhancement and speech output
  is used

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Case Study Jenny

• Early introduction of computer technology enabled
  her to discover and develop a talent and
  interest.
• Computer technology had levelled the playing
  field she was competing for employment based on
  her skill in multimedia.
• Facilitated the move from TAFE to work experience
  to employment.
• Highlighted the importance of specialist advice
  designed for the individual technology can be a
  fast changing industry new products become
  available and others become obsolete.
• Confirmation that her skills could be transferred
  to a Macintosh was decisive in the employer being
  able to provide her with a position.

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Case Study Gordon

• Spastic quadriplegia following brain injury
• Unable to walk uses a powered wheelchair with
  joystick control
• Speech impairment
• Spasticity in upper limbs limits reach, grasp and
  endurance
• TAFE course and work experience in administration
  but had difficulty accessing a computer

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Case Study Gordon

• Solutions
• Use of standard keyboard with Slowkeys and
  Filterkeys settings
• Trackball with single click operation
• Penfriend word prediction software
• Wordbar word bank software

• Issues identified
• Reduced accuracy typing tended to hit more than
  one key at a time
• Reduced speed of text entry uses one hand only
• Unable to use a standard mouse
• Unable to hold down multiple keystrokes
  simultaneously

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Case Study Gordon

• Before
• Feeling really down after TAFE.I was not
  confident about looking for work
• Work experience completed with TAFE course
  unsuccessful in securing employment employer
  could not identify enough tasks he was able to
  carry out
• Unclear if he would be productive enough to be
  employed

• After
• Definitely made it easier, physically and
  mentally, I felt I could contribute more to the
  workplace.
• It made it more appealing for the employer
• Increased number of tasks he could do at the
  workplace
• Work experience resulted in employment

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Case Study Gordon

• The employers perspective
• Employer stated we need to know the person can
  do the job at an ordinary productive level, we
  need to know they are productive
• Provided a platform for an increase in Gordons
  confidence
• If technology is provided early, expectations
  are differentit focuses on what a person can
  doit creates opportunities

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Case Study Sam

• 41 year old male
• Quadriplegia following a sporting accident
• Computer Systems Engineer

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Case Study Sam
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Case Study Sam

• Gave me confidence in who I wasre-established
  who I am
• Provided him with a platform for re-entering the
  workforce..my disability disappearshe can now
  write, email and make phone calls independently.
• He ultimately secured employment.
• His employer stated that Sams knowledge and
  experience with the computer access technology
  played a significant part in her decision to
  employ him.

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Conclusions 1

• It can increase a persons confidence and
  motivation to seek work

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How can technology help?1. Productivity

• Technology can increase productive capacities.
• Technology can level the playing field
  reduce the productivity gap.

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How can technology help?2. Motivation

• Participants became more aware of their own
  productive potential.
• It can raise peoples expectations about what
  they can do.
• Technology can be decisive in some cases in
  motivating people to enter the workforce but
  there are many other factors that influence this
  decision....

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Conclusions 2

• It gives them
• a wider choice of possible employment options

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How can technology help?1. Wider Job Choice
Overall

• In the past PWD were herded into menial jobs
  little choice sheltered workshops.
• Computer-related technology provides a bridge
  that links people to a wider range of employment
  options.

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How can technology help?2. More jobs involve
computers

• Use of a computer is now integral to a wide
  range of jobs administrative, technical and
  professional roles.
• The computer revolution has meant that
• jobs increasingly have a computer component.

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How can technology help?3. IT Jobs a Growth
Industry

• Technology provides opportunities for the
  development of specialist IT skills or computer
  related roles
• such as IT support, graphics, design, website
  management.

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Conclusions 3

• It makes them
• more attractive to employers
• To see it in action is the key
• His confidence with technology
• was very reassuring

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How can technology help?1. Greater employer
acceptance

• Increase productivity is more attractive to
  employers.
• Best if the technology is applied before the
  person seeks employment rather than leaving it
  to the employer.

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How can technology help?2. Wider ripples

• The increased presence of people with a
  disability, who able to present their full
  productive talents through technology
• .is likely to stimulate awareness that people
  with a disability can contribute effectively at
  work.
• The experience of one employer is likely to be
  shared with others.

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Planning Ahead What are the implications for
students getting read for work ?

• Increase motivation
• Expand opportunities and job options
• Early introduction of technology
• More attractive to employers
• Importance of training, customisation and
  ongoing support not a one-off

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Planning Ahead What are the implications for
students getting read for work ?

• Maximising Potential Feedback from employment
  service providers
• Early provision of technology
• Portfolios
• Specialist advice
• Training and support student and support
  person
• Aim for independence rather that dependence on
  support workers

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Technology Specialists

• Ability Technology
• Northcott Society (CATS)
• Spastic Centre (TASC)
• Other private practitioners

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Further Information

• Ability Technology
• Tel [phone]
• www.ability.org.au