Charting a Pathway to a Technology Accessible Workplace

By Guest Blogger Kathy Martinez, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy
Someone recently asked me to name the one thing I couldn’t live without at work. My answer? Technology. I couldn’t do my job – or live my life – as effectively as I do now without information and communication technology (ICT).
Considering that I’m blind, this answer is sometimes met with surprise. Some people don’t realize that individuals with disabilities also rely on technology – as long as it’s accessible – to perform daily tasks. I certainly do. I use a screen reader to relay the information on my computer screen, a Braille note-taking device and a smartphone with built-in accessibility features. To say that I’d be lost without these innovations is an understatement.
Technology is paramount for all of us – whether we have disability or not – and this is particularly true in the workplace. From computers to mobile devices to email platforms and other Web-based applications, ICT is a central driver of productivity. It streamlines operations, boosts efficiency and forges instantaneous connections. It empowers us in transformative ways. And this phenomenon is not limited to office settings. Whether you work in an office, a warehouse or a retail establishment, chances are technology is part of the job.
But imagine what it would be like if you couldn’t access or navigate all that technology. It’s an unfortunate reality experienced by many people with disabilities who are faced with workplace technologies that are neither accessible to them nor compatible with assistive technology devices. And that’s unfortunate—not only for workers and jobseekers with disabilities, but also for employers.
When certain individuals are unable to perform basic job duties because they can’t access basic workplace tools, it limits their opportunities to succeed. On the other hand, when technologies are accessible to all users, they become powerful productivity enhancements, enabling all to perform on the job and fully contribute.
The barrier of inaccessible workplace technology was the driving force behind the launch of the Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology (PEAT), a multi-faceted initiative sponsored by the agency I lead, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). PEAT is working to improve the employment and career advancement of people with disabilities through the promotion of accessible technology. In addition to maintaining a free, information-rich Web portal, PEATworks.org, PEAT conducts outreach, facilitates collaboration and provides resources to serve as a catalyst for policy development and innovation related to accessible technology in the workplace.
Of course, before a person can succeed on the job, he or she needs to get a job in the first place. That is why one of the important topics being explored by PEAT is the recruiting and hiring phase of the employment life cycle. Unlike the “olden days,” today most people find job openings online and apply for them online. Some companies even conduct pre-employment assessments on the Web and “virtual” interviews before they ever meet a job candidate in person – if they do at all. But regretfully, too many of those job application websites, forms and pre-employment tests are not accessible, which is preventing many qualified individuals with disabilities from fairly competing for job openings.

Justice Department Enters into a Settlement Agreement with Peapod to Ensure that Peapod Grocery Delivery Website is Accessible to Individuals with Disabilities

 

The Justice Department announced today that it has entered into a settlement agreement with Ahold U.S.A. Inc. and Peapod LLC, the owners and operators of www.peapod.com [external link], to remedy alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  Peapod is America’s leading Internet grocer, delivering more than 23 million orders in 12 Midwest and East Coast states and the District of Columbia.  The agreement resolves the department’s allegations that www.peapod.com [external link] is not accessible to some individuals with disabilities, including individuals who are blind or have low vision, individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, and individuals who have physical disabilities affecting manual dexterity.      
Many individuals with disabilities use computers and other electronic devices to access the Internet with the help of assistive technologies, including text-to-speech “screen reader” software programs, refreshable Braille displays, keyboard navigation and captioning.  Such technologies have been readily available and widely used for decades; however, websites must include programming for the assistive technologies to function properly for users with disabilities.  Inaccessible websites and mobile applications persist even while there are well-established industry guidelines – the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 – for making web content accessible.
Under the agreement, Peapod is required to adopt measures to ensure that users with disabilities are able to fully and equally enjoy the various goods, services, facilities and accommodations provided through www.peapod.com [external link] including:

• ensure that www.peapod.com [external link]
  
• designate an employee as web accessibility coordinator for www.peapod.com, who will report directly to a Peapod, LLC executive
  
• retain an independent website accessibility consultant, who will annually evaluate the accessibility of the website and  its mobile applications;
  
• adopt a formal web accessibility policy;
  
• provide a notice on www.peapod.com [external link] soliciting feedback from visitors on how website accessibility can be improved;
  
• provide automated accessibility testing and accessibility testing by individuals with a variety of disabilities of www.peapod.com and its mobile applications;
  
• provide mandatory annual training on website accessibility for Peapod’s website content personnel
  

“This agreement ensures that people with disabilities will have an equal opportunity to independently and conveniently shop online for groceries,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta for the Civil Rights Division.  “We applaud Peapod for working cooperatively with the department and for its commitment to customers with disabilities.”
Title III of the ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by public accommodations in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages and accommodations of places of public accommodations.  Title III of the ADA also requires public accommodations to take necessary steps to ensure individuals with disabilities are not excluded, denied services, segregated, or otherwise treated differently because of the absence of auxiliary aids and services, such as accessible electronic information.  The Justice Department has long considered Title III and its implementing regulation to apply to the online services and communications of public accommodations.

Disability Abuse Reporting Earns Pulitzer Nod

Pulitzer Prize for public service journalism, considered journalism's highest honor, has chosen its finalists. Among these finalists for the prize include a five-installment series titled "Broken Shield.” The series reporters found that the California’s Office of Protective Services' investigations of abuse were routinely fault-ridden and sought to expose the abuse.

For more information on the series "Broken Shield," visit:

http://californiawatch.org/broken-shield

Muscular Dystrophy and Creative Photography

12 year old boy with muscular dystrophy enjoys dream activities through clever photography:

http://www.grindtv.com/lifestyle/in-style/post/stricken-boys-dream-comes-true-thanks-to-clever-photographer/

Tommy Carroll- Blind Skateboarder

Inspirational skateboarder Tommy Carroll has been skateboarding since he was ten years old. The fact that this is another video about a great skateboarder may not be surprising. What may perk your ears up is the fact that Tommy has been blind since the age of two. Tommy loves to visit the skatepark early in the morning when no one is around and practice his love for skateboarding. When pro-skateboarder Tony Hawke heard of Tommy's story, he became inspired and decided to fly to Tommy's hometown for a visit with him. The two spent the entire day skateboarding.

Here is Tommy Carroll's story:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/21/tommy-carroll-blind-skate_n_2520601.html

If you cannot see the video there, please visit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ncq27mZq6b4

Recommendations for Improving Accessibility of Social Media by HowTo.gov

HowTo.gov has a great article on how to make Facebook and other social media accounts accessible to people with disabilities. Here is the run-down for the Facebook article:

"Tips for Making Facebook Posts Accessible
For General Account Information
Ensure your website address is listed in the About section of your Timeline/Page in order to provide an easy point of entry to more information.
Include other ways to contact your organization, such as your 800 number, an online “Contact Us” form, or general contact email address for more information.

For Photos, Video, Audio
Always provide a link back to a .gov page that hosts a copy of the photo, video, or audio with full caption/transcript.
After posting the photo, video, or audio, immediately post a comment that directs users to the full caption or the full transcript.
If you have a YouTube channel, upload your video to your channel and make sure you enable closed-captions (you’ll want to upload your own transcript to make sure the captions are accurate). Then post a link to your YouTube video as your status update, rather than uploading the video into Facebook. This will ensure that visitors will be taken to your accessible version on YouTube.

For Composing Status Updates
Facebook provides ample space that allows you to spell out acronyms. Spell out the first instance of the acronym and add the acronym in parentheses after (e.g., U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)). This is especially helpful for those using screen readers, because after the name is heard the acronym is spelled out, and the user will associate the sound of the acronym with the full name."

Girl Explains Autism in Creative Way

Here is a great video where a little girl explains Autism in a very creative way.
Let us know your thoughts!
-ET

Click here to watch it: http://www.wimp.com/explainsautism/