Workplace Technologies for People with Disabilities: A Guide for People with Disabilities, Businesses, & Vocational Service Professionals. Braille and Text Edition Published by: Illinois Assistive Technology Program. 1 West Old State Capitol Plaza Suite 10. Springfield, IL 62701.217-522-7985 v, 217-522-9966 tty, 217-522-8067 fax, 800-852-5110 v/tty IL only.iatp@iltech.org, www.iltech.org. "It is a strong work ethic that makes an employee valuable, not whether they look the same or share a common history." This program is funded through the Department of Human Services, Office of Rehabilitation Services (DHS/ORS) under grant WI 110290160 from the U.S. Department of Labor. This publication does not necessarily reflect the position or policy of DHS/ORS or U.S. Department of Labor and no official endorsement should be inferred. Published 3/2002, Rev. 2/2003, Rev. 10/2004, Rev. 6/2005. Letter from Dr. Robert Kilbury, Dated June 2005.On behalf of the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS), I am very pleased to share this excellent resource manual with you. I also want to express my deep appreciation to the Illinois Assistive Technology Project (IATP) staff for their hard work in compiling such a comprehensive, "user friendly" manual. As you review this information, you will see how assistive technology can make a real difference in the lives of people with disabilities. Every day, thousands of people use assistive technology to help them succeed at work and perform basic daily living activities at home. As the state's lead agency serving individuals with disabilities, DRS collaborates with IATP and numerous partners to assist people with disabilities in achieving their goals in the areas of employment, education, and independent living. Working together, I am confident that we can reach our common goal of empowering people with disabilities to become full participants in our society. I hope that this manual is helpful to you. If you have questions or need more information about assistive technology, please feel free to contact IATP at 1-800/852-5100 (Voice/TTY). Sincerely, Robert F. Kilbury, Rh.D., Director, Division of Rehabilitation Services Acknowledgments: James Mueller's book, The Workplace Workbook, An Illustrated Guide to Job Accommodations and Assistive Technology, published by the Dole Foundation in 1990, was he major inspiration for many of the ideas in this book. The sections titled, More Ideas . . . are summaries of the ideas in his book. We must also thank the Interagency Program for Assistive Technology in North Dakota (IPAT).Their publication, Solutions: Assistive Technology for People with Hidden Disabilities, also inspired many ideas we incorporated into this book. The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a constant source of good information about making job accommodations for people with disabilities. Their 10-step process reprinted in this book will be a helpful guide to all who use it. About the Illinois Assistive Technology Program, (IATP): It is IATP's job to help people with disabilities get the technology that will help them increase, maintain or improve their skills. IATP is consumer controlled and operated. IATP offers: Demonstration Center, Device Loan Program, Low-Interest Cash Loan Program, Low-Interest Cash Loans for Self-Employment (Telework), Toll-Free Information & Assistance Line, On-site Training, TechNotes, TECHTALK, Online Information. IATP receives funds from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research and the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Rehabilitation Services. Call IATP for more information about workplace technologies for people with disabilities. Pronouns: This book uses the feminine pronoun "she" and its variants. We do it solely for the ease of the reader. Disclaimers: Neither IATP, or its funding sources, endorse any specific product. Technologies highlighted in this book are merely examples. Table of Contents, this guide is separated into 15 sections and appear as follows: About this Book, What is Assistive Technology? How Do I Make a Job Accessible? Exploring all the Options, Universal Design, The Americans with Disability Act (ADA), Tax Incentives for Businesses, Vision, Hearing, Manipulation and Fine Motor, Mobility and Balance, Memory, Cognitive and Mental Illness, Organization, Planning and Learning Disabilities, Communication, Additional Resources. Before each section there is a triple space. People with Disabilities Want to Work: Finding and keeping qualified workers in this economy is often the most challenging part of running a business. Yet, employers often overlook a large segment of our qualified workforce -- people with disabilities. A Lou Harris survey, found that: 98% believe that everyone, including people with disabilities, should have an equal opportunity to participate in American society; 90% said society benefits from having people with disabilities become more productive rather than dependent upon public financial assistance; 82% see putting people with disabilities to work as a good thing rather than a threat. Based on the 1998 First Report of the Presidential Task Force on Employment of People with Disabilities, seven out of ten unemployed people with disabilities would prefer to work. Illinois estimates that more than 342,000 unemployed working age citizens with disabilities want to work. People with disabilities are as capable and dependable as those without them. Yet, they continue to be passed by. Why? One main reason is the myth that hiring a person who has disabilities means costly accommodations. It's fundamentally untrue. Most accommodations are easy to implement and cost very little. About this Book: This book is filled with ideas about how employers can increase their work pool by accommodating the 7.8 million working-age adults with disabilities. It's intended for people with disabilities, employers, employment specialists, case workers, advocates or anyone interested in improving employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Two hundred years ago Charles Dickens wrote, "Change begets change."That's even more true today. The great technology boon of the past two decades changed the way all businesses operate. That same change created opportunities for people with disabilities to become part of the workforce -- some, for the very first time. With this new technology (often called assistive technology) people with disabilities can excel in jobs that were previously closed to them. They can become wage earners and active members of their communities. What is Assistive Technology? It's anything that helps someone do something. All technology is assistive. It can be something designed for everyone, like a grocery cart; specifically designed for a segment of the population, like a plumber's adjustable wrench; or, uniquely designed for a specific person, like prescription eye glasses. However, the term is most often used to describe devices that help people with disabilities be more independent at work, school, home and any other place they happen to find themselves. It's estimated that there are over 18,000 specific technologies that can help someone with a disability be more independent. Since technology is ANYTHING that can help a person do something, it is impossible to come up with a list. It can be as low tech as Velcro or as high tech as a computer system that speaks for a person who is not easily understood. That broad definition can be frustrating for people who are new to the field, or don't encounter people with disabilities often in their work or social life. That's why we've published this guide. The examples in this book represent a small percentage of workplace technologies available today. We highlighted examples of low, medium, and high technology solutions. But remember: there are probably five to ten more devices that are similar, as well as other ways to do a particular job. How Do I Make a Job Accessible? The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) offers these steps to employers who make job accommodations. 1. Define the access issue. 2. Is it possible to modify the job? If so, do that. 3. Is it possible to modify the existing facility? If the answer is yes, do that. 4. Does a product or service exist that would solve the access issue? If there is, purchase it. 5. Can you use or combine available products? 6. Is it possible to modify the product? Yes? Modify the product. 7. Is it possible to design a new product? Yes? Design it. 8. Are there alternative placement possibilities? Yes? Implement alternative placement. 9. Redefine the situation. 10. Maintain accommodations. How Can I Know What's Right? The simple answer is, if it works. Suppose you hire an employee who uses a wheelchair. You know that your building is physically accessible with entrance doors, interior doors, bathrooms, parking lots and elevators meeting all the current codes. Everything seems to be right. However, on your new employee's first day, you learn she cannot get her wheelchair far enough under the desk to use it. There seem to be two obstructions: The desk is too low. The wheelchair's footrests bang on the privacy panel in the front of the desk that prevents her from getting as far under the desk as she needs to be. There are several options available to you. You can: 1. Raise the desk with bricks or blocks on each corner, and cut a half-moon in the front modesty panel to accommodate the wheelchair's footrests. 2. Use a height adjustable table that has telescoping legs that can be set at one height. 3. Use an adjustable desk without a modesty panel. A user can raise and lower the desk using a hand crank. 4. Use a new electric adjustable desk without a modesty panel. The user pushes a button to raise and lower the desk. 5. Use accessible files and portable drawers to add needed storage space. Is one solution better than any of the others? That's a decision you and the employee must make. You may also want to have someone come in and assess the work environment and make suggestions about how to make it work for your new employee. Exploring all the Options: When you are trying to solve this kind of technology problem, always consider the least intrusive, most cost-effective solution first. If that won't work, move up to something a little higher Tech. As the steps above indicate, look for a no-tech type of solution first, before considering a device. No single solution works in all situations, even if the accommodation is for people with the same disability. In our example, explore "A" first. If that doesn't work, then maybe "B" might. If that doesn't work, try "C" and so on. Ask your new employee to explore the strengths and weaknesses of each option. Together you can find the best option to use. Focus on the Task. Don't get bogged down by a disability. Focus on what a person needs to do and then search for tools that will help her do it. For example, you might think that a person that cannot move her arms could not operate a computer. In fact, there are many low tech ways that someone with that particular disability can operate a computer. Often, all the person needs is a head stick and key guard. But if that doesn't work, there are still low cost ways to make a computer accessible to someone with upper body disabilities. Unfortunately, there's a long history of trying to fix the person rather than this newer way of looking at the environment and tasks. If you need help getting out of that old way of thinking, you may need an outside evaluator to help you. Talk to Some Experts. The first person to ask about what might work best is the person with the disability. She has had to figure out, often cleverly, ways to live in a world that doesn't fit her. If the two of you cannot solve the puzzle, invite another person to help. Pick someone who is "good with her hands."Perhaps a carpenter, a farmer, or an engineer. Pick someone that works in a completely different environment than you. They problem solve differently, and will add new insights. Once you've exhausted your idea pool you'll need to call in a professional in the technology field to help. IATP/TechConnect maintains a list of people in Illinois who conduct assistive technology evaluations. Call, or visit our web site. Universal Design: Universal design is both a vision and a concrete attempt to plan and make all buildings, environments and products usable for everyone .children and older adults, people of different sizes and abilities, disabled and nondisabled. There are seven guiding principles in universal design. They are: equitable use, flexibility in use, simple and intuitive use, perceptible information, tolerance for error Low physical effort, size and space for approach and use. Consider ramps: Governmental agencies, businesses and other organizations installed ramps to create access for people with disabilities. However, it's proven to be a tremendous asset for parents with strollers, the copy machine salesman who has to lug a machine in and out of offices and nearly every delivery man and woman on earth. Most of us, given the option of stairs or a ramp, choose the ramp. Good universal design works for everyone! The Americans with Disability Act (ADA): The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, state and local government, public places, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecom-munications. Title I of the ADA requires employers (with 15 or more employees) to give qualified people with disabilities equal access to the full range of employment-related opportunities. For example, it bans discrimination in recruitment, hiring, promotions, training, pay, social activities, and other privileges of employment. It also requires employers to make reasonable accommodations to the known limitations of otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities, unless it results in undue hardship. Listed below are agencies that can help you understand and comply with the ADA. Disability & Business Technical Assistance Center , UIC/Disability and Human Development , 1640 West Roosevelt Road (M/C 626) , Chicago, Illinois 60608 , 800-949-4232 v/tty, 312-413-1407 v/tty, 312-413-1856 fax , www.gldbtac.orggldbtac@uic.edu. Centers for Independent Living (CILs)CILs are centers that provide peer relationships to people with disabilities by people with disabilities. There are 24 centers in Illinois. For the name of the CIL nearest you, call the Illinois network of Centers for Independent Living at 800-587-1227. Job Accommodation Network, West Virginia University, PO Box 6080, Morgantown, WV 26506-6080, 800-526-7234 v/tty, www.janweb.icdi.wvu.edu US Department of Justice, ADA Information Line, 800-514-0301 v, 800-514-0383 tty Tax Incentives for Businesses: Internal Revenue offers three tax incentives to help employers cover the cost of accommodations for employees with disabilities and to make their places of business accessible for employees and/or customers with disabilities. They are: Small business tax credit, Architectural / Transportation tax credit, Work opportunity tax credit (WOTC). Small Business Tax Credit: IRS Code Section 44, Disabled Access Credit, Form 8826-This annual tax credit is for making businesses accessible to people with disabilities. To be eligible, a small business can earn a maximum of one million dollars in revenue or have 30 or fewer full-time employees. The maximum benefit is $5,000,alf of the actual expenditure. Allowable expenses include sign language interpreters; readers; adaptive or modified equipment; architectural barrier removal in buildings or vehicles; making your print materials in alternate formats (Braille, audio tape, large print); and many more. The credit does not apply to new construction or on a building constructed and used before Nov. 5, 1990. Architectural/Transportation Tax Deduction: IRS Code Section 190, Barrier Removal - If you remove physical, structural, and transportation barriers for people with disabilities at work, you may take this deduction. All businesses are eligible. The deduction covers up to $15,000 a year barrier removal. You can annually depreciate any amounts over the $15,000. The deduction is available every year. Allowable deductions cover accessible parking spaces, ramps, curb cuts, telephones, water fountains, restrooms, and making walkways at least 48 inches wide. You can't use it for new construction, or a complete renovation, or for the normal replacement of depreciable property. Small businesses may use the credit and deduction together, if they qualify under both, with some restrictions. Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC): This credit replaces the Targeted Jobs Tax Credit (TJTC). It's a tax credit for employers who hire certain low-income groups. Employers that hire people who receive SSI or are certified vocational rehabilitation (VR) referrals who meet certain criteria may claim the WOTC. Employers may take a tax credit up to 40 percent of the first $6,000, or up to $2,400 in wages paid during the first 12 months for each new hire, with some restrictions. There is also a partial credit for less hours. Section Two, Survey of Devices: Reminder: The devices you see here are merely examples, not recommendations. There's lots more where these came from. Vision Recordings for the Blind: Anyone with a disability that limits her ability to read standard print is eligible to be a member of Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D). That includes people with visual, learning or physical disabilities. Members have access to a library of more than 83,000 titles. They also have the ability to request the recording of a book not in their collection, such as training manuals, policy and procedures or other in-house materials. Free membership for qualified applicants. http://www.rfbd.org Talking Calculator: This calculator not only displays the calculations, it also speaks as the operator presses the various buttons. $10.00 & Up. ZOOMTEXT: This IBM compatible software program magnifies on-screen text to help people with visual disabilities use computers. It magnifies everything on the screen. This results in enlarged characters, icons and the cursor. $400/800.00. Adapted Rulers: 12" plastic ruler will help you measure accurately. Oversized, bold numbers and lines. Available with white letters on a black background, or black letters on a white background. $2.00 Magnifiers: Magnifiers come in all shapes, sizes and prices. They can magnify from 1 to 14x.They can be lighted, handheld, table top, mounted, worn around the neck, eyeglass shaped, etc. Prices vary widely. Closed Circuit Television: This is a pick up and go portable magnifier. It can help people who are legally, but not totally, blind. People who can read the headlines but not the fine print of a newspaper could benefit from this device.$800/3000.00. Headlamps: These adjustable beams point light where it's needed, leaving hands free for other tasks. Headlights focus intense light right on the area where the user works. $30/50.00. Personal Electronic Navigation Aids: These aids use ultrasonic technology to detect objects within four, eight or sixteen feet. When an obstacle is within range, the device either vibrates or emits a sound. Other controls include the range switch and the power switch. The unit pictured is attached to the user's white cane. Others are chest- mounted. $800/1000.00. Braille Note Taker: These small, portable devices have Braille keyboards for entering information. They use a speech synthesizer or Braille display for output. The user enters the information on the keyboard. They have the option of transferring it to a larger computer with more memory, reviewing it using the built-in speech synthesizer or Braille display, or printing it in Braille or ink.$1000/3000.00 & even more depending on features. Screen Magnifier: Computer screen magnifiers make the computer screen larger, sharper and clearer. Screen magnifiers can also filter out UV rays, protecting eyes. Position adjusts to increase and decrease magnification. $50.00 & up. Large Print Stickers for Keyboard: In most cases you don't need to purchase a new keyboard for someone who has low-vision. These large print stickers fit over each key, making them easier to read.$27.00. Braille Labeler: If all the items in a storage area, or bookcase have Braille labels, people who are blind or have low-vision can find the items they need.$60.00. Clock with Large Numbers: People with low vision may not be able to see a wall clock. Placing a clock with large numbers close to the worker will help them keep track of time. Try LCD readouts and traditional round dial clocks to find out which type of clock is easier for the worker. $20.00/100.00. Screen Readers: Screen readers convert screen information into speech. This software tool enables blind or visually-impaired individuals to operate a computer. Screen readers can benefit many others as well, including people who have a reading dysfunction or who cannot read text on a computer screen. Jaws is one brand of screen reader. $800/1200.00. More ideas for making jobs accessible for people who are blind or have low vision. Improve contrast between doors and walls, tables and chairs, etc. Avoid reorganizing physical layout and storage areas. Provide raised edge to keep materials from falling. Use big button phones. Add high contrast-large print stickers to keys. Install "home key" indicators on keyboard. Add tactile & color strips where floor surface changes. Use auditory output clocks, calculators, measuring instruments. Provide space for assistive sensory equipment. Purchase telephone auto-dialer with tactile markings. Use voice mail. Provide a tactile map of work area, cafeteria, storage, etc. Provide optical character recognition systems. Increase illumination/visibility. Use opaque projector to enlarge images. Shield unnecessary keys. Use photo copiers that have an enlargement feature. Hearing Loud Phone Ringer: A loud phone ringer amplifies the sound the telephone makes for incoming calls. $40/60.00. Assistive Listening Devices: Assistive listening devices (ALDs) are any non-hearing aid device designed to improve a hearing-impaired person's ability to communicate and to function. ALDs improve a person's ability to hear what is important and minimize amplification of background noise. ALDs can be used alone or in combination with hearing aids or cochlear implants. Prices range from $20. 00 for personal pocket talkers to over $1000 for multi-user FM systems. Portable Phone Amplifier: This gives a user access to pay phones, hotel phones, etc. Amplifies up to ten times normal volume. Adjustable volume control also enhances volume and clarity making voices easier to understand. Hearing aid compatible. $40.00. Text Telephones TTY: A TTY is a typewriter-style device that allows a deaf or hard-of-hearing person and/or with speech-impairment to make telephone contact directly without using another person to interpret. Both people must use a TTY, and conversations, rather than being spoken, are typed from one machine to another. The conversation is displayed on a visual screen and/or paper printout. A person using a TTY may call a person with a standard telephone by placing the call through the Illinois Relay Center. $250/700.00. Door Alarms: Door alarms are activated by vibration. They respond to knocks by flashing an extra bright light that lasts for several seconds. They are usually very easy to install and are battery operated. $30/80.00. Strobe Smoke Detector: The strobe light alerts people who can't hear audible alarms. The strobe light flashes approximately 60 times per minute. Some can be interconnected with other units. Some must be hard wired, others are battery operated. $20/300.00. Phone Alarm: A phone alarm is automatically set for a telephone ring. It directly connects to the telephone and a lamp. When the phone rings, the lamp flashes on and off. $35.00. Vibrating Pagers: Vibrating pagers can be used in a work setting instead of a telephone. With an alpha & numeric pager, an employer can give assignments, call an employee, leave phone messages, etc. Prices vary depending on contract. Open or Closed Captioning: Captioning lets people with hearing impairments see the text rather than hearing it. CLOSED captions are captions that are hidden in the video signal, invisible without a special decoder. OPEN captions are captions that have been decoded, and appear like subtitles in a movie. In other words, open captions cannot be turned off. Make sure all training videos and visual presentations have captions or print out a text version of the spoken words. Amplified Telephone: This amplified phone provides clear sound and many amplified phones also have large push buttons. It improves the listener's understanding by boosting high frequencies and is hearing-aid compatible. $40. 00 & up. Vibrating Reminder/Oversized Watch/Text Messenger: A reminder device vibrates like a pager and can be worn on your belt or wrist. It is programmed as a medication reminder for home health care patients and the elderly. The device is also beneficial to patients with impaired hearing, Alzheimer's disease and other patients with memory dysfunction. $80.00. Conference Microphone: In any classroom, meeting, conference, or assembly room, it can help the hearing-impaired listener hear more clearly. It can be placed on a table to pick up the speaker's voice within 15 foot radius. The clear signal is then transmitted to the listener. $100.00 & up. More ideas for making jobs accessible for people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing: Provide visual indicators for doors. Use email or online meetings. Insulate equipment noise with baffles or relocate them. Minimize the need for verbal help through clear written instructions. Offer sign language classes to coworkers and others. Provide a swivel chair for face-to-face communication. Avoid secluded areas. Provide adequate lighting to optimize lip-reading. Manipulation and Fine Motor Door Knob Extension: A door knob extender can convert any round or ball door knob into a lever opener. It helps people with a poor grasp or an armload of materials pass through the doorway unassisted. $10/25.00. Table Top Scissors: Push down table-top scissors have two "T" shaped pads and are operated either by depressing the handle with the scissor in a stable position or by "scooting" it across the table. $20.00. Writing Aid: Writing aids help people with difficult grasp hold a pen or pencil. A tennis ball with a pen stuck through it can sometimes work. The Writing Bird, is only one of many styles of devices available on the market. It works well for people who have low muscle tone. $20.00. Key Turner: a large grasping surface on this key holder, makes it much easier to use. $5/10.00. Wireless Remote Controls: Wireless remote control units let people activate any appliance or lamp that plugs into a standard wall socket. If it's used on a lamp you can even dim or brighten a lamp. And, there's no need to modify a work setting's electrical system. Starts around $30.00 Track Ball: An ergonomic trackball replaces a traditional mouse. It lets users access the computer by moving the ball with a thumb or forefinger. $20/100. Book Holder: A book holder can put a document at the right eye height and frees up a person's hands. It can adjust to any height and angle. $20.00 & Up Big Keys: The large keys and 'ABC' lay-out help users explore letters and words without confusion. The simplified key-set avoids ambiguity and deflects interference with the computer. This may be ideal for people with dyslexia and related learning difficulties. Also comes in QWERTY keyboard. $170.00 180.00 Little Fingers Keyboard: This keyboard is a full 101 keys, but it's much smaller to fit small hands or people with limited range of motion. $100.00. Touch Window: Simply point and touch. Now you have computer access at the touch of a finger. The see-through surface lets you watch as the computer responds. The touch window attaches easily to your computer with Velcro, so if you choose not to use it, you can easily remove it. Very easy to install. $200/400.00. Jouse2: Jouse is a joystick-operated mouse. Users control it with their mouth. Move the joystick and the cursor moves. The farther you move the joystick, the faster the cursor moves. A sip or puff into the tube replaces a mouse click. $1500.00. More ideas for making jobs accessible for people with manipulation and fine motor disabilities: Minimize manipulation - store data on hard drives not floppies. Provide a key guard. Stabilize keyboard and place at convenient height. Minimize document handling. Provide a lazy susan carousel within easy reach. Use powered equipment where possible. e. g. , staplers, letter openers, screwdrivers. Raise the edge around work area to prevent items from rolling off. Avoid the need to twist. Store items in open desktop storage. Build up door handles or make loop handles out of Velcro. Build up tools with grip tape, foam tubing or bicycle handle grips. Minimize writing strain with hard, felt-tip pens on smooth paper. Facilitate sliding rather than lifting items. Mobility and Balance Hand Rails: Handrails provide support for all people in a workplace. Prices vary widely. Scooters: Battery powered scooters give people with limited mobility access to the entire work complex. $1800 & up. Adjustable Foot Rest: A foot rest can optimize body posture, balance and allows the user to move her legs and feet to improve circulation. $80.00. Set Aside Door Hinge: These hinges add 2" to any doorway and make it much easier for a wheelchair to pass through. Uses existing screws and holes. Ideal for narrow bathroom doors. $25. 95 set of 2. Pneumatic Height Adjustable Chair: These stools let people sit at work places where they usually had to stand. $100/400.00. Ready-Made Ramps: Ramps come in all styles and lengths. ADA requires a 1:12 slope ratio. Prices vary depending on length and materials. Power Strip: Mount a power strip vertically, approximately 12- 18 " above the outlet and plug it in. Allows for easy access. $6/20.00 . Swivel Seat Cushion Anyone with back, leg, or hip disabilities has difficulty getting out of a car. A seat swivel cushion makes that task easier. The soft foam cushion rotates on a base so the user can easily swivel in or out of a car. $30/50.00. Seat Cushions: Cushions provide for equal distribution of body weight, pressure point relief and cervical alignment. These can give a uniform counter pressure over the entire contact area depending on how it is engineered. $20/400.00. Safety Mats: There are safety mats for nearly every work environment - all of them reduce the chance of slipping. There are also anti-static or anti-fatigue mats; mats for entryways, work areas, garages, yards, stair treads, and more. Prices vary widely. Height Adjustable Motorized Table: Adjustable tables let people work comfortably and safely at any height. Adjustable tables come in pneumatic, electric and manual controlled. Prices vary widely depending on features. Pneumatic Lifter Seat: A chair lifter can help someone get to a standing position easily. Can lift up to 80% of a person's weight. Adjustable. $300.00 . Threshold Plates: Threshold plates provide a transition between two areas or between the floor and the sill plate of a door. $5/50.00. Walking Aid: This ambulation device is a folding walker/chair combination allowing the user to walk and then sit down when tired. The steel frame is bottom weighted to prevent tipping. The walker, pictured on right, folds for transport and storage, comes in five height sizes, extra small, small, medium, large, and extra large. $500.00. Incline Platform Lift: An incline platform wheelchair lift is installed with little to no modification to the stairway. The lift mounts on a load bearing wall on one side of a stairway. The drive system motor can be completely out of sight. These units are both indoor and outdoor compatible. $3000 & up. Flexible Work Station: Wheelchair users may have difficulty using a traditional desk. The example (on left) shows many adjustable surfaces that can be set up to the users specific desires. Prices vary widely depending on features. More ideas for making jobs accessible for people with mobility or balance disabilities: Provide full armrest and stable back support. Offer shoulder bag, backpack or wheeled cart for carrying materials. Minimize need for reaching up, behind, or down. Avoid two-handed operations when standing. Remove all slippery surfaces. Provide intercoms in remote areas to avoid the need to walk. Offer seating next to phones. Organize work area to avoid moving from one place to another to accomplish task. Install remote control latches in secure areas. Provide space for transfer in and out of wheelchair, if necessary. Remember, there are more than 18,000 specific tools made for people with disabilities. Memory, Cognitive and Mental Illness: Label Maker: Label items in order of use, where things belong, sequential steps or any other type of work task. $20.00 & up. Make Task Notes: Write down information or create a picture book rather than giving it verbally. Use Post-its, memo pads, email or any other visual medium. Price minimal. CAST eReader: This software reads text on a computer screen. The user can adjust speed, volume modulation and pitch; alter text display, skim material, jump ahead and take notes (in separate window); highlight text by word, line, chunk, sentence or paragraph with the reading voice on or off. Change font, style, text size or background color. $200.00. Slo-Mo: This free software is downloadable from RJ Cooper (www.rjcooper.com). It slows down computer applications to increase accessibility. It lets the user control the computer's operating speed. The user can slow down a specific application or all of them on the computer. Photo Phone: This phone has 9 programmable photo-dial memory buttons. Simply put the picture of the person in a slot and program the number. All the user has to do is push the picture to call the person. $30 - 60.00. ISAAC: This is an individualized memory minder. It can include task steps, directions to/from places, personal information, reminders, prompts/cues to be delivered at specified times or under specified conditions and more. $28.00. Emergency Communicator: This device lets a person who is speech impaired or confused or frightened call for help without saying a word. Press a button and a pre- recorded message tells the 9-1-1 operator where to send help. $100.00 . Schedule Impact: Schedule Impact works in conjunction with our Discovery Desktop to allow the creation of audio and image-based appointments, deadlines and other time-based reminders on a desktop computer. A customizable alarm automatically plays at the designated time and day while displaying a picture of the appointment or event. When this picture is clicked, the audio reminder plays. $250.00 Prompting Device: This Five-talker records up to five messages with 2 minutes of total memory. Compact and light, it fits snugly in user's hand. Speaker projects sound clearly when hand-held. The Talker includes laminated inserts, nine volt battery, and marking set. $275.00 Giant Wall Calendar Clock: An orientation clock keeps the user abreast of the current time and day. It features a clock with display of month, day, date and AM/PM time. The big numbers and letters make it easy to see. $80.00. Organization, Planning and Learning Disabilities. Color Coded Index Cards: Use color coded cards to keep tasks or jobs separated. It helps avoid confusion. $1.00. High Lighters: Color coded activities or assignments can be easier to track. $1.00. Quarter Hour Watch: This time aid does not show the actual time like ordinary clocks. Instead it shows the time remaining until an event starts, with each quarter of an hour represented by a circle. The example above shows that there are two quarters of an hour left until it is time to catch the bus. $400.00. Personal Pager: Personal Pagers emit a beep or vibration. A supervisor can use it to remind a person to do a task, move to the next task or to look up at the supervisor. $50.00. PEAT (Planning & Execution Assistant & Trainer): PEAT is a software program that turns a handheld computer into a cognitive support system. Helps a person manage her schedule. PEAT cues the user, monitors tasks and can adjust the schedule whenever delays disrupt activities. $600.00 (Pocket computer not included). Voice Diary: A voice diary is for people who prefer or must use voice rather than text. Voice diary integrates several devices in one: a diary, appointment calendar, message pad, daily to do list, address and telephone list, talking calculator and talking clock. $250.00. Tape Recorder: Put resource materials and manuals on tape or CD. It makes them easier to reference for people who have difficulty reading instructions or directions. $20.00 & up. Step-by-Step Communicator: This device records a series of messages. It has up to 75 second message capacity. The first activation of the switch plays the first message, the second activation plays the second recorded message – moving "step-by-step" through all the messages. $140.00 Home Page Reader: This device provides Web access by speaking Web page information using keystroke navigation. It can speak text, frames, image and text links, alternate text for images and image maps, form elements including JavaScript, graphics descriptions, text in column format, and data input fields. $120.00. Personal Organizers: Electronic organizers can be hand held, PC based, or on paper, depending on the user's need. Personal organizers can keep track of appointments, due dates, calls, expenses, etc. $20.00 & up. Word Prediction: Word prediction is an "intelligent" software that reduces the number of keystrokes necessary for typing. As a user types, the software produces a list of words beginning with the letter selected. When the user types a "t", a list of "t" words appear in the prediction window. When the user next types an "I" next, "ti" words appear, etc. When the right word appears in the prediction window, the user presses its corresponding number that enters the word thus reducing the actual number of keystrokes the person uses. $200/700.00. Intellikeys: This versatile keyboard can change its layout to suit any worker's need. It is very light and sits flat or at an angle. The surface can be operated with a finger, foot, head or mouth-stick. It has QWERTY or ABC layouts. Users can also create their own overlays to emphasize their own strengths. Useful for people with upper extremity disabilities or hand tremors. $400.00. More ideas for making jobs accessible for people with planning, organizational and learning disabilities: Post an outline of daily jobs. Use symbols pictures and maps rather than words. Arrange materials in the order the users use them. Establish clear guidelines. Simplify and reduce the number of choices a person needs to make. Break tasks into small and clear steps. Reduce environmental clutter. Teach the task where the person will use it. Attach keys to a bungee cord and hook to wrist or belt loop. Color code like items. Write next day's tasks the night before. Audio tape job assignments. Have positive progress meetings, log activities and use timetables. Establish routines. Anticipate crisis and plan to deal with them. Schedule more difficult tasks when energy is high. Communication E-Mail: Email is a fast and easy way to communicate with someone who is hard to understand or doesn't understand complicated verbal responses. Free. Communication Book: A user simply points to a picture on a page to indicate her needs. The book can have specific sections for different communication needs (I. e. : on the job, during breaks, expressing emotions, etc. ) Costs vary, but tend to be inexpensive. Eye Gaze: A person who uses eye gaze communication fixes her eyes on an icon in front of her. The person she's talking to sees what her eyes fix on through the Plexiglas board. Eye gaze systems are designed for people with little control overtheir muscles and is specifically designed for each user and the setting. Prices vary widely, but usually inexpensive. Communication Board: A simple communication board like this lets a user express both simple and very complex thoughts. They are usually covered with Plexiglas so they have a long life. Cost is minimal. Speech Enhancer: This device makes speech clearer and easier to understand. It increases the chances that a person will be understood. $5000/6000.00. Artificial Larynx: This device allows a person without a larynx to speak loud enough for people to hear. It's lightweight and can be worn around the neck. $300/500.00. Voice Saver: Portable voice savers give a person's voice a little boost. Users can use it in meetings or a classroom, if their voices are soft or weak. $100.00. Chat PC: This software replaces the data manager usually found in a handheld computer and replaces it with software that lets the user "speak. "$2730.00. Polyana: This sophisticated device combines the latest in technology in a light weight device. It has either digitized or synthesized speech. Measures approx. 4" by 6" and weighs 19 oz. in a padded enclosure that holds a high quality amplifier. $1600.00. More ideas for making jobs accessible for people with communication disabilities: Provide a swivel chair for face-to-face communication. Label clearly & simply to minimize need for verbal assistance. Minimize ambient noise & vibration. Face workstations toward others. Add voice synthesis output to word processing. Use speech amplifier phone. Provide communication boards, notebooks & cards. Provide a portable communication device. Use TTY for telecommunications with auto-answer & print out. Avoid voice-controlled equipment. Additional Resources: Adaptive Device Locator System-on-the-web. Find information about assistive technology products from thousands of companies. www.adaptworld.com AgrAbility: Aa nonprofit organization created to help people with disabilities who are, or want to be employed in agriculture. It provides practical education and assistance promoting independence in agricultural production and rural living, both on small and large operations. www.agrabilityproject.org Assistive Technology Industry Association. This Association serves as the collective voice of the Assistive Technology industry so that the best products and services are delivered to people with disabilities. www.atia.org Center for Applied Technology. CAST is a nonprofit organization that works to expand opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities, through research and development. www.cast.org David Werner 's article: Appropriate Technology, People with disabilities in the struggle for social change, is a condensed version of a speech given by David Werner in Bangalore, southern India, in 1993. It is a thoughtful and provoking look and the disability rights movement. www.healthwrights.org/articles/approp_tech.htm Employment and Disability Institute (EDI). At Cornell University, this institute conducts research and provides continuing education and technical assistance on many aspects of disability in the workplace. www.ilr.cornell.edu/edi Enabling Technology: Disabled People, Work and New Technology (Disability, Human Rights, and Society Series) ISBN: 0335198023. Hardcover, 159pp. Published, May 1998. Open University Press. $85.00. Guide to Low-Cost / No-Cost Online Tools for People with Disabilities 2005. This guide was written to provide technology resources that increase access to computers for people with disabilities. The focus here is on low-cost and no-cost on-line resources, www.ataccess.org/resources/lowcostnocost. html Job Accommodation Network. This nonprofit works to make it easier for people with disabilities get and keep jobs. They provide employers, people with disabilities, service providers and others with information on job accommodations, self-employment and small business opportunities and related subjects. www.jan.wvu.edu Plan for Achieving Self-Support. This web site has a detailed explanation of the PASS program as well as a helpful tutorial on completing the application including an online version of the form that can be printed or saved. www.passonline.org Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America. RESNA is an interdisciplinary association of people with a common interest in technology and disability. Their goal is to improve the chances for people with disabilities to achieve their goals through the use of technology. www.resna.org Tech Connections. This site is a one-stop resource for information AT designed to accommodate people with disabilities in the workplace and in everyday life. www.techconnections.org Trace Research & Development Center. TRACE is a part of the College of Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Trace works to prevent the barriers and capitalize on the opportunities presented by current and emerging information and telecommunication technologies. http://trace.wisc.edu Workplace Technology Foundation. As a non-profit organization, it works to reverse the rate of unemployment for people with disabilities. Its website is: www.employmentincentives.com Let us help you find the right technology, technology that lets you learn, work and play with greater independence. The Illinois Assistive Technology Program (IATP) is a statewide, not-for-profit agency, in its fifteenth year of service. It was one of the first nine states funded under the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988, as amended. IATP's mission is to break down barriers that prevent people with disabilities from accessing the assistive technology that lets them to learn, work, play and live in the community. IATP's major programs include: information and assistance, classified ads to buy, sell or donate AT, an assistive technology demonstration center, an assistive technology device loan program, a low interest cash loan program, a quarterly newsletter that is distributed to 7,500 individuals, onsite workshops on a wide variety of assistive, technology, topics, publication of "TechNotes" on a variety of topics. Illinois Assistive Technology Program, 1 West Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 100, Springfield, IL 62701. 217-522-7985 v, 217-522-9966 tty, 217-522-8067 fax, 800-852-5110 v/tty IL only. www.iltech.org - iatp@iltech.org.