Disability Management in the WorkplaceDisability Management in the Workplace

Dept. of Social ProtectionDept. of Social Protection

Barbara GeogheganFidelma Cotter

November 2011

Organisation CommitmentsOrganisation Commitments

Strategy Statement (High Level Goals)

HR Strategy T&D Strategy IS Strategy

Support Area’s Business PlansEg Personnel, Staff Development Unit, Facilities, IT

DSP Sectoral Plan under Disability Act 2005 Chapter 3.4 (Disability Workplace Management)

Contains a range of commitments regarding the employment and career progression of people with disabilities

Mirrors objectives outlined in strategies mentioned

What we have doneWhat we have done Dedicated Staff in Support Areas – DLO, IT, Facilities, Training Unit

Workplace Partnership Group – Staff with disabilities, key support areas

Needs Assessment Structure implemented

Links with external Disability Organisations, service providers

Phased return to work for those who have acquired disability

Clearly defined role for line managers in supporting colleagues with disabilities

Project to make our systems more accessible to Jaws users

What we have doneWhat we have done

Awareness raising – diversity courses, reasonable accommodation training for HR, senior management training, mental health training delivered to front line staff initially and now being offered to all staff

Provided dedicated pages on the supports for staff with a disability in our HR Intranet Site

Awareness Guidelines developed – with input from our own colleagues with disabilities and updated as required

Disability Awareness Guidelines distributed to staff on a structured basis to staff annually and at induction training for new staff and disability awareness training.

Key factors in achieving progressKey factors in achieving progress

Consultation with our own staff with disabilities

Partnership Group – produced “Enabling Environment” and “Report on Career Progression for Staff with Disabilities”

Workshops on developing awareness guidelines, User testing new Assistive Technology Products, Needs assessment procedure – involved on the day Seminars held for our staff with visual and hearing

impairments to identify outstanding issues and plan for future

Effective co-operation between support areas

Needs Assessment ProcessNeeds Assessment Process

On-site visit Staff member, Line Manager, DLO, IT,

Facilities Evaluate physical access issues, workstation,

IT requirements, ergonomics etc Comprehensive report at end of visit

outlining issues discussed and highlighting any issue which needs to be rectified

Follow-up and feedback

Central DevelopmentsCentral Developments

Disability Advisory Officer in Dept of Finance

DLO Network – sharing information

New Code of Practice

Monitoring Committee under Disability Act 2005

Staff Survey, records based on self-disclosure

Future PlansFuture Plans

Commitments in Sectoral Plan – covering Staff Supports, Awareness Raising and Career Progression, Recruitment

Specific plans from HR perspective

Improve corporate information on the needs of staff with disabilities and how they can be addressed. Develop a case studies database

Improve the information available on our internal website containing information of supports available to staff with disabilities

Research best practice and enhance links with external organisations

Assistive TechnologyAssistive Technology Needs Assessment ProcessNeeds Assessment Process

– Site VisitSite Visit– Professional Assessment Professional Assessment – Technology matchTechnology match– ProcurementProcurement– Installation/TrainingInstallation/Training– FeedbackFeedback– Ongoing supportOngoing support– InnovationInnovation

AssessmentAssessment Forge links with dedicated Forge links with dedicated

organisationsorganisations– National Council for the Blind IrelandNational Council for the Blind Ireland– National Disability AuthorityNational Disability Authority– Centre for Inclusive TechnologyCentre for Inclusive Technology– National Association for Deaf PeopleNational Association for Deaf People– Irish Deaf SocietyIrish Deaf Society– Enable IrelandEnable Ireland

High-tech Assistive Technology courseHigh-tech Assistive Technology course– Dyslexic AssociationDyslexic Association– Central Remedial ClinicCentral Remedial Clinic

Technology MatchTechnology Match

Based on assessment by professionalsBased on assessment by professionals– range of assistive technology availablerange of assistive technology available

Screen readersScreen readers Magnification software and hardwareMagnification software and hardware Scanners + reading softwareScanners + reading software Braille machinesBraille machines Loop systemsLoop systems Amplifying headsetsAmplifying headsets MinicomMinicom Reading pensReading pens Ergonomic productsErgonomic products

ProcurementProcurement

3-5 quotes3-5 quotes UK based with Irish resellersUK based with Irish resellers Sole suppliersSole suppliers After sales supportAfter sales support Require software to conform to at Require software to conform to at

least NDA guidelines in all Tendersleast NDA guidelines in all Tenders Lots of items now mainstreamLots of items now mainstream

– Particularly ergonomicsParticularly ergonomics

Installation/TrainingInstallation/Training

Most solutions are simple to installMost solutions are simple to install

Manufacturers supportManufacturers support

LicensingLicensing

Some organisations offer trainingSome organisations offer training

One to one training most appropriateOne to one training most appropriate

Ideal to train helpdesk staffIdeal to train helpdesk staff

Software DevelopmentSoftware Development

Accessibility built-in Accessibility built-in

Developer awarenessDeveloper awareness

User involvement at design phaseUser involvement at design phase

User Acceptance TestingUser Acceptance Testing

FeedbackFeedback

Users need support Users need support Feedback essential to ensure they Feedback essential to ensure they

get the most out of the equipment get the most out of the equipment providedprovided

Feedback to manufacturer’s helpful Feedback to manufacturer’s helpful for futurefor future

Users ForumsUsers Forums

Ongoing SupportOngoing Support

Network of usersNetwork of users Ongoing trainingOngoing training New usesNew uses

– Eg messenger for hard of hearingEg messenger for hard of hearing New TechnologyNew Technology

InnovationInnovation

New AT coming on-stream at all New AT coming on-stream at all timestimes

New uses from mainstream New uses from mainstream technologytechnology

Exhibitions/RoadshowsExhibitions/Roadshows ConferencesConferences User ExperiencesUser Experiences WebsitesWebsites

Useful LinksUseful Links National Council for the Blind Ireland (National Council for the Blind Ireland (www.ncbi.iewww.ncbi.ie) - provides assessments in their ) - provides assessments in their

low –vision clinic and also undertakes a technology match.low –vision clinic and also undertakes a technology match.    Centre for Inclusive Technology (Centre for Inclusive Technology (www.cfit.iewww.cfit.ie) –provides user testing and developer ) –provides user testing and developer

training to ensure that in-house applications are accessibletraining to ensure that in-house applications are accessible    National Association for Deaf People (National Association for Deaf People (www.nadi.iewww.nadi.ie) – provides assessments and ) – provides assessments and

technology match in their centres.technology match in their centres.    Irish Deaf Society (Irish Deaf Society (www.deaf.iewww.deaf.ie) – provides information and services for Deaf people) – provides information and services for Deaf people    Enable Ireland (Enable Ireland (www.enableireland.iewww.enableireland.ie) – provides services for people with disabilities ) – provides services for people with disabilities

and their families. They run a course each year in conjunction with Microsoft and DIT and their families. They run a course each year in conjunction with Microsoft and DIT entitled High-Tech Assistive Technology course. The course provides information on a entitled High-Tech Assistive Technology course. The course provides information on a wide range of Assistive Technology and on workstation assessments.wide range of Assistive Technology and on workstation assessments.

   Dyslexic Association (Dyslexic Association (www.dyslexia.iewww.dyslexia.ie) - provides support and information to people ) - provides support and information to people

with learning difficultieswith learning difficulties    Central Remedial Clinic (Central Remedial Clinic (www.crc.iewww.crc.ie) - ) - provides a range of specialised services for provides a range of specialised services for

children and adults with physical disabilities.children and adults with physical disabilities.

QuestionsQuestions