The Job Accommodations Network (JAN)
West Virginia University
PO Box 6080
Morgantown, West VA 26506
Accommodations information
800/526-7234 (voice/TTY)
ADA Information
800/232-9675 (voice/TTY)
http://janweb.icdi.wvu.edu

Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board
1331 F Street, NW, Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20004-111
800/872-2253 (voice)
800/993-2822 (TTY)

Virginia Assistive Technology System
800/435-8490 (voice/TTY)
www.vats.org

National Braille Press
88 St. Stephen Street
Boston, MA 02115
617/266-6160 (voice)
617/437-0456 (Fax)
800/548-7323 (Catalog Dept.)

Americans with Disabilities Act Information and Technical Assistance:

ADA Information Center
451 Hungerford Drive, Suite 607
Rockville, MD 20850
800/949-4232 (voice/TTY)
www.adainfo.org

Department of Justice - ADA Business Connection
www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/business.htm

Information on Disability Employment Practices:
Office of Disability Employment Policy
1331 F Street, NW Suite 300
Washington, DC 20004
202/376-6200 (voice)
202/376-6205 (TTD)
www.dol.gov/dol/odep/

Virginia Business Leadership Network
C/O SunTrust Bank, Mid-Atlantic
919 East Main Street, HDQ 6418
PO Box 26665
Richmond, VA 23261-6665
804/319-4339; fax: 804/782-7975
E-mail: Katherine.mccary@suntrust.com

Additional Resources on Disabilities:

The Chartbook on Work and Disability
Facts and figures on work and disability. www.infouse.com/disabilitydata/workdisability.html

National Institute of Mental Health
www.nimh.nih.gov

Reasonable Accommodations for People with Psychiatric Disabilities
An on-line resource for employers and educators.
www.bu.edu/cpr/reasaccom

National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders
www.ncld.org

American Foundation for the Blind
Information and resources for employing persons with visual impairments.
www.afb.org

Tax Credits:

Internal Revenue Service
www.irs.gov/bus_info/index.html

Workforce Recruitment Program:

Opening Doors, Creating Opportunities
1331 F Street, NW, 3rd Floor, Washington, DC 20004-1107 888/590-8808
email: contactus@wrpjobs.org

The Workforce Recruitment Program has a database of over 1800 qualified and dedicated college students who are actively seeking internships and long-term employment. Every year, the Department of Labor recruits students with disabilities from colleges across the country.

Basic Information: The individuals in the applicant database have been interviewed on college campuses across the country. They have been rated as candidates for employment on a scale from 1 to 5 on communication skills, goals, maturity and experience. Only those persons receiving an overall rating of 3 or better have been included in the database. All have signed a release giving the Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities permission to computerize and distribute information about them through this program.

Obtaining Applications: Go online at www.wrpjobs.org or www.dol.gov. From these sites you can search students, view full resumes and receive contact information electronically.

Employment offers: You are free to contact any individual in the database to discuss job possibilities, conduct an interview, or make an offer of employment. All are college students (or recent graduates) who will eventually seek permanent employment somewhere in the US. Even if the application presently is seeking only summer employment and you have no summer employment available, you may wish to communicate with the applicant about the possibility of FT/PT regular employment in the future. Many students are willing to relocate for summer jobs. Most are willing to relocate for permanent positions. Location preferences shown on applications should be regarded as tentative.

Hiring: Please contact WRP if you wish to hire a student from the database by calling 866/696-1698. This information helps them keep their database current. Confidentiality information about applications should be given only to those individuals involved in the employment process who have a need for the information.

Basic Disability Etiquette
The following information has been provided by Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services, Richmond, VA. For more information, please visit their site at www.vdrs.org.

General Tips for Interviewing People with Disabilities:

• Conduct interviews in a manner that emphasizes abilities, achievements and individual qualities.
• Conduct your interview as you would with anyone. Be considerate without being patronizing.
• If it appears that a person’s disability inhibits performance of a job, focus on HOW the person can perform the job.
  Example:
  Inappropriate: “I notice that you are in a wheelchair and I wonder how you will be able to do this job.”
  Appropriate: “As you can see from the job description, this position requires some lifting and moving. Do you foresee any difficulty in performing the required tasks? If so, do you have any suggestions how these task can be performed.

General Tips for Communication with People with Disabilities:

• Always focus on the individual, not the disability. Use “people first” language - meaning, refer to the individual first, then to his or her disability. (It is better to say “the person with a disability” rather than “the disabled.”)
• When communicating with an individual with a disability, speak directly to the person with the disability rather than their companion or interpreter.
• When introduced to a person with a disability, it is appropriate to offer to shake hands. If the person has limited hand use or has an artificial limb, it is okay to shake what is offered to you. It is equally acceptable to politely touch them on the shoulder/arm or offer a smile/nod to reciprocate a warm greeting.
• Any and all assistive devices such as wheelchairs, crutches, canes, communication boards, service animals, etc. should always be respected as personal property or extensions of that person. Do not use, lean on, play with or move unless given permission.
• If you would like to offer assistance to a person with a disability, always ask first, wait until the offer is accepted, then listen patiently and follow their instructions. If the person decides your help, respect their decision and do not proceed to assist.
• Relax. It is ok to use expression such as “See you later,” or “Did you hear about this?” as it is common phrases that everyone uses, including people with disabilities.
• As with all other etiquette issues, when mistakes are made, apologize, correct the problem, learn from the mistake and move on.

General Tips for Accommodation for People with Disabilities:

• Don’t assume a person cannot perform a certain task. With the right accommodations and support, anyone can be productive. In terms of accommodation, the person wit the disability knows best what he or she needs. Ask what works best and work with them to make any necessary accommodations.
• Keep hallways and office spaces clear form excess clutter that may make it difficult for people to maneuver around or reach equipment such as fax machines, copiers, printers, etc.
• Disseminate company information, announcements or events through various methods of communication such as email, voicemail, flyers, brochures, etc.
• Provide accessible restrooms, drinking fountains and telephones. If such facilities are not available, be ready to offer alternatives, such as a primate or employee restroom, a glass of water, or a desk phone.
• When planning a meeting or other event, try to anticipate specific accommodations that a person with a disability might need. If a barrier cannot be avoided, let the person know ahead of time.
• Transportation is often a major issue for those who have to depend on others to get them to and from work. Offering flexible work schedules is a way to accommodate transportation needs.
• Be prepared. Encourage fellow employees to learn how to assist persons with disabilities in cases of emergency including proper evacuation procedures or medical emergencies.
• Help encourage interaction between employees with disabilities and their co-workers. Include employees with disabilities in group activities, meetings, and social gatherings. Forming workgroups or teams with interdependent tasks is an excellent way to enhance employee relations.
• Be approachable. Saying “If you need anything, just ask,” speaks volumes in terms of reassuring the person with a disability that you are willing to help.