Connecting with Disability Cheryl R. Branker Associate Vice Provost For Equal Opportunity Disability Services Office March

Connecting with Disability Title I of the ADA of 1990 states that employment practices cannot discriminate against a qualified individual with a disability. This applies to all aspects of employment, including job advertisements, job applications, job interviews, and post-offer medical examinations. 2

Connecting with Disability One of the key non- discrimination requirements of Title I is the obligation to provide reasonable accommodation for employees with disabilities. 3

Connecting with Disability The registration process: ( tion_checklist.html) Step 1 Complete the DSO Request for Eligibility Review Form (EEO- 009).DSO Request for Eligibility Review Form (EEO- 009) Step 2 Submit a Documentation of Disability Form (EEO-010). All DSO documentation forms must be mailed or faxed directly from your provider. If your documentation substantiates that you are a person with a disability, you will be registered with the DSO and the ADA Coordinator will contact you to request that you and your supervisor schedule an appointment.Documentation of Disability Form (EEO-010) Step 3 Schedule an appointment for you and your supervisor to meet with the ADA Coordinator to discuss accommodations. This meeting is required for accommodations to begin. Step 4 Meet with the ADA Coordinator and your supervisor to: - discuss your functional limitations and restrictions - discuss essential job functions - outline the services for which you are eligible - complete and sign an Accommodations Agreement Form (EEO-011)Accommodations Agreement Form (EEO-011) 4

Connecting with Disability Access and Barriers for Persons with Disabilities Survey Results – Spring 2009 Purpose to ascertain the University’s commitment to persons with disabilities under Section 504 and the ADA by looking at the policies, services, procedures/practices, and programs within each college/department/unit 5

Connecting with Disability Survey Respondents Fifty-two percent (52% ) of the ninety-eight (98)executive officers, deans, academic department heads and vice provosts responded 6

Connecting with Disability Survey questions Nine (9) questions classified into five (5) domains: 1.Efforts that provide/improve access 2.Efforts that were actual/potential barriers 3.Marketing materials 4.Mission statement 5.Resources needed 7

Connecting with Disability Key findings of Survey 1.Access was related to general attitude, specific responses to issues of inaccessibility, deliberate actions to be more inclusive 2.Barriers were related to limited /no consideration of functional limitations, designing/purchasing processes 3.Universal symbol of accessibility displayed 25.5% of the time; accommodation statement 45.1%; pictures of persons with disabilities 23.5% of the time 8

Connecting with Disability Key findings continued 4.Mission statements contained specific words/phrases 19.6% of the time 5.Resources needed to help prioritize and specify barriers: identification, technical assistance, financial assistance 9

Connecting with Disability Survey Conclusions Disability – (medical model) - a “problem” that exists within the person and the goal is to “fix” the person Disability – (socio-political model) – the systemic mismatch between physical & mental attributes of individuals and the present ability of social institutions to accommodate these attributes. 10

Connecting with Disability Implementation of Survey Recommendations Formally adopt the guiding principles of Universal Design (UD) Provide resources and training Develop policies, services, practices and procedures that reflect the paradigm shift Develop staff /faculty orientation materials which promote UD Seek input from persons with disabilities to examine programmatic accessibility 11

Connecting with Disability Questions ?