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Case Studies
Accessibility case studies from Microsoft showcase organizations that have integrated accessible technology solutions into their technology plans to help individuals with various types of impairments maintain productivity on the job. Case studies feature best practices and lessons learned, as well as examples of why it makes good business sense to provide accessible technology in the workplace.
Employers Q&A
Employers who have hidden worries
This bulletin is for employers who have hidden worries about hiring a blind person. If your worries raise questions you fear make you sound stupid or uncouth—you are reluctant to ask them. On the other hand, because no one ever gave straight answers to your questions, you may not consider hiring blind applicants as a viable option.
Read the remainder of the article from the NFB Employers Bulletin titled "Employer Nightmares About Hiring Blind Employees"
What constitutes "reasonable accommodation"?
Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) mandates that employers provide "reasonable accommodation" to job applicants and employees with handicaps unless such accommodation would create an "undue hardship" on the company. If you missed it the first time around, please view the NFB page titled WHAT CONSTITUTES "REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION"? / JOB's Employer's Bulletin 1992 / Second in a Series on the ADA. You'll read a tale of two workers, both blind, both actual persons who were then, and are still, at work full-time. Every piece of their equipment is listed, priced, and explained. It was written to be a realistic, quick overview of what employers can expect from high end to low end.
Employer Experiences
Blind & visually impaired tech pros see the way
Screen readers and Braille displays make it much easier for blind people to access the Internet and most written material. Although the problem of visually-oriented Web pages still persists, blind and visually-impaired techies today can perform most functions demanded by engineering and IT jobs.
Internships
Internships offer a real opportunity for an employer to develop confidence that a blind/VI person can perform independently and develop a high level of competency. Internships can be paid or unpaid. In either case it can be an excellent opportunity to get quality work and to assess a persons ability for potential future employment.
Mentoring
Employer Mentoring provides employers with opportunities to help Mentees with disabilities build confidence about their own employability, share firsthand job experiences to someone interested in their desired career field, develop lasting Mentoree relationships, gain access to a pool of new emerging talent, recruit short- and long-term interns and demonstrate positive leadership in their community.
Employer Resources
Apprentice and Intern Training & Certification
National IT Apprenticeship System – Sponsored by CompTIA, this site provides great information on a variety of apprenticeship opportunities in Information Technology.
NITAS is the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship program for IT apprenticeship in the following job-roles:
- IT Generalist
- Networking & Infrastructure
- Database
- Help Desk
- Project Management
- Information Assurance and Security
- Application Development
US Business Leadership Network (USBLN)
Supports the development and expansion of Business Leadership Networks across the country to promote best practices in hiring, retaining, and marketing to people with disabilities.
Florida Services for the Blind - Employer Services has articles and lists the services that a potential employer of a blind person can utilize.
The Employer Assistance & Recruiting Network (EARN) is a free service that connects employers looking for quality employees with skilled job candidates. Discover what employers across the nation have learned: hiring people with disabilities is a great business strategy!
This web site is your one-stop source for disability employment information including:
- recruiting services
- tools and resources
- employer success stories
- business case for hiring people with disabilities
For Job Seekers: http://www.earnworks.com/jobs/search.asp