W. Roy Grizzard, Jr.
Assistant Secretary, U. S. Department of Labor
Office of Disability Employment Policy
The First Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) Leadership Forum on “Accessibility In The Corporate Environment”
Orlando, Florida
January 25, 2007
Since 1999, the ATIA Conference has been the place to be for manufacturers, sellers and providers of technology-based assistive devices and services to educate and reach out to professional practitioners serving people with disabilities. I commend ATIA!
I would like to thank ATIA for hosting this first independent forum on accessibility in the corporate environment. Moving assistive technology from research and development into the corporate domain propels all of us towards our common goal: a world where products and environments can be used by all people without the need for adaptation or specialized design. This world is within our reach. You recognize it and see its great value.
Many of you know that I prefer information presented in large print because of a visual condition known as retinitis pigmentosa. Fortunately when it comes to the Web, I am able to easily change the font size. This feature has become universal and serves many people.
For those who have low vision or are blind, large print is not the answer. In fact, in conversation with a co-worker just recently I learned that her visual disability makes trips to the grocery store quite challenging. Often she arrives home with food items she had not intended to purchase.
You can imagine her delight when selected grocery store chains began offering the convenience of online shopping with home delivery. Her delight, however, was short lived when she went online to discover that the Website was not accessible or usable for someone who is dependent on voice activated assistive technology. Products had not been “tagged” -- providing the name and description of each product so that she knew for certain what she was ordering.
Had the business considered the advantages of providing the service to blind users, and if the on-line business plan had considered the business case for serving people with disabilities, the business would have identified a new financial market resulting in a competitive edge.
I am sure all of you have your own personal experiences that illustrate problems that could be easily solved if “AT” were thought about systemically—at the beginning of the process—and if thinking was expanded beyond minimal compliance.
This forum is an opportunity to fast-forward our collective efforts to adopt a universal design to everything we produce. Product and service designs created with the greatest variety of individuals in mind—from the outset—will eliminate costly after-the-fact modifications. In other words, this forum is about systemic changes to the way “AT” is thought of and implemented.
The timing could not be better for this groundbreaking forum. Employers are listening—they want to be part of the future we envision.
ODEP is proud of the support provided to ATIA through our staff, JAN and EARN to make this forum a reality. ODEP looks forward to working with ATIA on future forums. Because ODEP has no regulatory authority, we achieve our objectives in other ways. Often we are a catalyst, a convener, or a partner. This forum is an example.
A few more examples may help illustrate how we work and add value. In late 2006, ODEP signed an alliance with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the world’s largest human resource group. SHRM and ODEP are focusing on training and education, outreach and communication, technical assistance, and fostering a national dialogue for hiring, retaining and promoting people with disabilities. We have already begun the hard work of implementing the Alliance. Watch ODEP’s Web site for more announcements about this exciting partnership.
Also visit ODEP’s Website in early March for a broader description of our Alliance Initiative. I am certain that many of you in this room will be interested in the possibilities that alliances will offer.
ODEP is working with all its federal partners to promote greater accessibility and usability of “AT” to increase employment of people with disabilities. We are working with the Department of Education to promote the goal of employment under the Tech Act, plus expanding the role of “AT” in youth transition. ODEP looks forward to continuing the dialogue with ATIA, employers and all stakeholders to advance the issues discussed during this two-day forum.
Another example of our catalyzing and convening efforts is the NFI Circle of Champions. In April, the Circle will convene for the third time for a lively information exchange. This distinguished group of businesses each received the Secretary of Labor’s New Freedom Initiative Award. The Circle works to share proven strategies and practices. When a group of accomplished, talented, and passionate people come together for a single purpose, great things happen. Great things are happening with the NFI Circle of Champions!
You may know that ODEP is responsible for implementing the employment-related aspects of President George W. Bush’s New Freedom Initiative, which he announced on February 1, 2001. The NFI is a comprehensive program to promote the full participation of people with disabilities in all areas of society. Key to full participation is increasing access to assistive and universally designed technologies.
Secretary Elaine L. Chao created The New Freedom Initiative Award to annually recognize non-profit organizations, small businesses, corporations and individuals who are increasing access to assistive technologies; utilizing innovative training, hiring and retention strategies; and, instituting comprehensive strategies to enhance the ability of Americans with disabilities to enter and participate fully in the 21st century workforce.
In fact, three of ATIA’s conference sponsors this year are NFI awardees: HP, IBM and Microsoft. IBM and TecAccess (another NFI awardee) are sponsoring this forum. All are members of the NFI Circle of Champions and each is an architect of universal design and inclusion. They are corporate leaders who are paving the way for others to follow.
I will give you a few examples of what our NFI Award winners are doing in the “AT” arena:
A&F Wood Products, a rural, family-owned business, provides accessible software for its computers;
The accessibility features of all HP products are documented and available online;
Merck introduced closed captioning for Web casts and meetings for its employees;
TecAccess assists companies in making its software, products and Web sites accessible to everyone;
Microsoft’s accessible technology group has approximately 40 people working fulltime on product accessibility; and,
SunTrust’s Disability Resource Center has greatly increased employees’ access to assistive technology.
For many Americans, and especially for many Americans with disabilities, the difference between working productively and being unemployed or underemployed is not a matter of whether they have the skills necessary for the job. Instead, it may be a matter of whether they can simply get to the job; or, once there, whether they can access all of the tools and equipment they need to perform the job.
In my view, assistive technology is one of the core components of being a productive worker: it is as important as transportation, access to health care, or the availability of child care. All of those things must be in place if the employment rate of Americans with disabilities is to change significantly.
For ODEP, universal design for the workforce development system provides a blueprint for creating flexible goals, methods, materials, assessments, activities, and services that meet the needs of diverse job seekers.
Achieving universal design within the workforce development system may involve changes in four areas: policy, the physical environment, program design, and practices. Making these changes will create an environment for maximum inclusion of all people—particularly those with multiple barriers to employment.
I urge you to speak with ODEP staff during this forum and at the larger conference. Also, please take advantage of what our Job Accommodation Network (JAN), which is exhibiting here, and our Employer Assistance and Recruiting Network (EARN) can offer you in this area. Representatives from JAN and EARN are skilled and ready to serve you with your technical assistance needs.
In closing I wish to encourage you to consider applying for the 2007 Secretary’s New Freedom Initiative Award. For more information on the award and past awardees, please visit ODEP’s Web site at www.dol.gov/odep.
It has been a pleasure being with you this evening. I wish you the best for this conference and thank you for all your efforts.
