ROADMAPS FOR ENHANCING EMPLOYMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY

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ROADMAPSFOR ENHANCING EMPLOYMENT OF PERSONSWITH
DISABILITIES THROUGH ACCESSIBLETECHNOLOGY

• John D. Kemp
• Executive Director General Counsel,
• US Business Leadership Network

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USBLN Who we are

• A national organization that recognizes and
  promotes best practices in hiring, retaining and
  marketing to people with disabilities.
• Supports the development and expansion of its 45
  affiliates in 28 states and DC.
• Represents more than 5000 employers nationwide.
• Utilize a business-to-business approach in the
  education of the business imperative of including
  people with disabilities in the workforce and
  marketplace.
• Annual Conference in October 2008. More
  information available at www.usbln.org

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Roadmap A History

• Roadmap project was a collaboration between
• The Department of Labor
• Assistive Technology Industry Association
• US Business Leadership Network
• Participants at the Business Dialogue included
  business leaders across a wide range of companies
  in sizefrom Fortune 500 to small family-owned
  businesses.
• Industry sectors represented included assistive
  technology, banking, computer services,
  consulting services, financial services,
  hospitality and entertainment, insurance,
  medical, pharmaceutical, retail, technology, and
  venture capital.
• The Roadmaps affirm current successful business
  policies and practices and identify new strategic
  policies and practices.
• The Roadmap for the business community identifies
  the actionable steps that can be taken by the
  business community to facilitate the adoption of
  these policies and practices by masses of
  businesses.

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Successful Business Strategies

• Securing Leadership by Creating a Network of
  Champions
• Making the Business Case
• Adopting Corporate Policies, Practices, and
  Programs
• Implementing Corporate Infrastructures and
  Organizational Strategies.

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What Business Needs to Implement Roadmap

• Respond to the market
• Balance realities
• Reflect the business perspective
• Appreciate that the messenger is often as
  important as the message
• Bridge the networking and knowledge gaps.
• Facilitate modeling
• Receive usable and practical information from
  credible sources
• Ensure a safe environment
• Secure meaningful data
• Recognize exemplary efforts

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Roadmap for the Business CommunityTen Actionable
Steps

• Support forums and other opportunities to spread
  the word through generic business organizations
  and associations
• Support business organizations and associations
  whose missions include enhancing employment of
  persons with disabilities
• Support the establishment of a network of
  disability and/or accessibility managers working
  for businesses
• Support the establishment of a network of
  professionals with disabilities
• Promote new careers in business such as
  accessibility manager, as well as technical
  leadership positions

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Roadmap for the Business CommunityTen Actionable
Steps

• Promote procurement policies such as Section 508
  of the Rehabilitation Act
• Promote organizations that establish
  accessibility standards
• Support disability study programs that empower
  persons with disabilities to become financially
  literate and become a true market force
• Adopt pledges and pacts by and among businesses
  to purchase only accessible information and
  communication technology
• Encourage business foundations to support
  business initiatives designed to enhance
  employment of persons with disabilities through
  accessible technology

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Recommendations for Federal Government

• Convene a leadership summit on enhancing profits
  and worker productivity through accessible
  technology.
• 2. Support business organizations and
  associations
• Generic business organizations and associations,
  and
• Disability-focused business organizations and
  associations.
• 3. Support peer (business-to-business) technical
  assistance.
• Support employers speakers bureaus.
• 5. Support the establishment of a network of
  disability specialists and managers and a network
  of workers with disabilities using accessible
  technology.

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Recommendations for Federal Government

• Support efforts to educate and empower youth.
• 7. Allow for the development of employment plans
  by public agencies.
• 8. Expand role of higher education.
• 9. Support initiatives for entrepreneurs,
  especially entrepreneurs with disabilities.
• 10. Enhance role of business community in
  advising government agencies and
  government-supported organizations by
  establishing business advisory councils.
• 11. Enter into additional strategic alliances.

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Recommendations for Federal Government

• Research and modify employer incentives and
  supports, including tax incentives.
• 13. Adopt investment tax credit policy.
• 14. Eliminate work disincentives in the SSI and
  SSDI programs.
• 15. Implement existing disability-related laws.
• 16. Expand research initiatives.
• 17. Expand awards and recognition programs.
• Coordinate government initiatives
• 19. Enter into partnerships with foundations.

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ROADMAPSFOR ENHANCING EMPLOYMENT OF
PERSONSWITH DISABILITIES THROUGH
ACCESSIBLETECHNOLOGY

• http//www.usbln.org/news/PDFs/Roadmap2020Final
  2020Ehancing20Employment20of20PWD20_Exe20Sum
  m_20_D0164981_.pdf

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Concluding Thoughts

• Employment, Technology and the World Wide Web
• North Carolinas Advanced Learning Technologies
  Association
• http//www.ncalta.org/