Example: Loss of Valuable Human Resources

One federal employee reported the following:

"Two programmers at a midwestern [agency] installation can no longer do their programming as the [agency] has adopted [an internally developed] programming system using the powerbuilding tools. Powerbuilder is an object-based programming tool not accessible to speech or Braille output. These two employees, I understand, were excellent programmers. The supervisor called [the agency's assistive technology program] asking for [it] to find powerbuilding training for these employees. He understood that the employees could not benefit from a mouse-based training class; however, his disappointment grew when [the assistive technology program officials] advised him that powerbuilder is an inaccessible tool due to its graphic orientation. He was frustrated as he said he cannot afford to lose his programmers when [the assistive technology officials] advised him that these employees would need to be retrained for jobs at the same responsibility level."