Thank you for joining me on my CPACC journey! In this series, I’ll be reviewing the exam topics and resources I used to study, following the updated 2023 IAAP Body of Knowledge (BOK).

The first topic in the Disabilities, Challenges, and Assistive Technologies domain of the exam is Theoretical Models of Disability.

Domain One A: Characterize and Differentiate Between Theoretical Models of Disability, including the strengths and weaknesses of their underlying assumptions.

No model of disability provides a comprehensive perspective, and each has strengths and weaknesses to consider. Theoretical models of disability provide consistent frameworks through which to understand and discuss disability.

Theoretical Models of Disability

• Identify prominent theoretical models of disability.
• Describe their basic concepts, and understand their strengths and weaknesses.
• Identify which models align most closely with the principles of accessibility and universal design.
• Apply the models to example scenarios in the lives of people with disabilities.

Medical Model

The medical model of disability treats disabilities as problems that exist in a disabled person’s body, often requiring medical intervention to “fix” the problem. These problems involve a medical diagnosis and can be caused by genetics, disease, trauma, or other health conditions. Management of the disability is aimed at medical care, and most legal definitions of disabilities use the medical model.

A strength of this model is the definition of a biological condition and criteria that assist medical professionals in diagnosis and treatment. However, the medical model is frequently criticized due to overlooking the social and physical design barriers that exist for people with disabilities. Also, using strict medical definitions can add complexity and bureaucracy to situations and unintentionally exclude people whose disabilities don’t meet predefined criteria.

Social Model

The social model of disability highlights that society creates disabling conditions, not the person themselves. This model distinguishes between impairment and disability. A disability occurs because of a lack of fit between the person and their environment. To a large extent, a disability is an avoidable condition caused by poor design – although there may be medical or biological components to a person’s disability or impairment, more inclusive design can remove barriers disabled people may face. Disability management is not entirely the responsibility of the individual; rather, the responsibility lies with society at large to make modifications to the environment and enact social change.

A strength of this model is the empowerment it gives to both groups of people: it empowers those with disabilities by removing some of the stigma often associated with these impairments, and it empowers designers of virtual and physical spaces to consider usability for a broad range of humans and conditions. However, the social model may fail to account for the full context of the physical reality of many disabilities.

Biopsychosocial Model

In 2002, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). The ICF integrates the social and medical models. The WHO describes the biopsychosocial model as:

“A better model of disability, in short, is one that synthesizes what is true in the medical and social models, without making the mistake each makes in reducing the whole, complex notion of disability to one of its aspects. This more useful model of disability might be called the biopsychosocial model. ICF is based on this model, an integration of medical and social. ICF provides, by this synthesis, a coherent view of different perspectives of health: biological, individual and social.”

Economic Model

The economic model of disability is defined by a person’s ability – or inability – to participate in work. It also considers how impairment affects an individual’s productivity and especially, the economic consequences for the individual, employer, and the government. These consequences may include loss of earnings for the individual, lower profit margins for the employer, and welfare payments from the government.

Strengths of the economic model include the effect of bodily limitations on a person’s ability to work, and the need for economic support and/or accommodations for the person’s disability. However, this model creates a legally defined category of people and their needs, which can be stigmatizing for people with disabilities. Also, if a person doesn’t meet the legal threshold for disability, or if there is a dispute about the nature of a person’s disability, the person with the disability may not receive the support they need.

Functional Solutions Model

The functional solutions model of disability is a perspective that identifies the limitations (or “functional impairments”) due to disability, with the intent to create and promote practical yet innovative solutions to overcome those limitations. The primary task is to eliminate, or at least reduce, the impact of the functional limitations of the body through technological or methodological innovation. The pragmatism of the functional solution model de-emphasizes the sociopolitical aspects of disability, and instead prioritizes inventiveness and entrepreneurship.

The strongest aspect of this model is that it focuses on results. It seeks to provide solutions to real-world challenges, while sometimes de-emphasizing the challenges of disability within society. However, when new technologies are involved, profit-driven enterprises can sometimes miss the mark, creating products that may be innovative but not practical or useful, or which may be of more benefit to the inventors than to the target population. This is especially pronounced if the proposed solutions are expensive. Also, the functional solutions model’s de-emphasis on socioeconomic issues can cause would-be innovators to ignore important aspects of the original problem.

Social Identity or Cultural Affiliation Model

The social identity or cultural affiliation model describes a disabled person as deriving their personal identity from membership within a group of like-minded individuals. This model is most evident among people who are Deaf, because of their shared linguistic experience as users of sign languages. For example, Deaf culture and identity can be strong, due to the exclusive nature of being a part of a close-knit linguistic minority. Other people with disabilities may also feel a sense of belonging to a community with common life experiences, challenges, and interests.

The greatest strength of the social identity or cultural affiliation model is accepting the person’s disability completely and using it as a point of pride in being associated with other people in similar conditions. However, the sense of belonging felt by one group of people can be counterbalanced by a feeling of exclusion by people who don’t fit into a group’s expectations.

Charity Model

The charity model regards people with disabilities as less fortunate and in need of assistance from the outside. Providers of such charity are viewed as benevolent contributors to a needy, underserved population.

A strength of the charity model is that it can inspire people to contribute their time and/or resources to provide assistance when it is genuinely needed. However, the charity model can be condescending toward people with disabilities, who may resent the feeling that they are pitied by other people, and that they must continually depend on accepting this pity. The charity model also focuses on short-term, immediate needs, often at the expense of more comprehensive and more effective long-term solutions.

In Practice

In practice, organizations generally make use of multiple models, particularly the medical and social models.

Imagine a person in a wheelchair wanting to access a building with steps to reach the entrance. The medical model would say the wheelchair, or the person’s disability, is the problem in this situation. The social model of disability would say the steps (or the lack of a more inclusive design, like a ramp) are the problem.

Sources and Further Reading

• IAAP CPACC Body of Knowledge (BOK) PDF link
• IAAP CPACC Certification Content Outline
• View my Quizlet study set for Theoretical Models of Disability
• World Health Organization (WHO): Disability
• World Health Organization (WHO): International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health
• Lawson J. (2001). Disability as a Cultural Identity. International Studies in Sociology of Education, 11(3), 203-222. https://doi.org/10.1080/09620210100200076
• Goering S. (2015). Rethinking Disability: the Social Model of Disability and Chronic Disease. Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine, 8(2), 134–138. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12178-015-9273-z
• Dirth T. and Branscombe N. (2018). The Social Identity Approach to Disability: Bridging Disability Studies and Psychological Science. American Psychological Association Psychological Bulletin, 144(12), 1300-1324. https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/features/bul-bul0000156.pdf

The post CPACC: Theoretical Models of Disability appeared first on Inclusive Pixelation.

Last month’s best selling collection is this month’s feature – with dozens of new products added! Check out the Disability Diversity collection at the A11yShop with your favorite sayings and designs on shirts, bags, loungewear, drinkware, stickers, accessories, and more.

We added so many new products, we thought it might be helpful to also add some sorting and filtering options to the store. Now you can filter by product type, category, color, and price. Sort  alphabetically, by price, best sellers, and more.

Please continue to let us know what other products you’d like to see in the A11yShop – we’re adding new ideas all the time!

The post A11yShop Disability Diversity – and Filters! appeared first on Inclusive Pixelation.

I did a thing this weekend – I graduated! I’ve been participating in a Speaker’s Academy for the last several months, led by the National Speakers Association – Las Vegas Chapter. Our Speaker’s Showcase on Saturday featured my new mini-keynote, “A Crash Course in Disability Etiquette.”

Update: The edited recording is here! I’ve provided my initial version of the talk below, and the final video contains the accurate spoken transcript.

Good morning! Take a moment, if you can, to look around you. Notice the three people closest to you. It’s likely that one of the four of you is living with a disability. This isn’t just a statistic—it’s a reality that affects how we build our communities and workplaces to be inclusive and accessible to everyone.

Today, we are fortunate to have Britne Jenke with us, an expert in accessibility training and consulting. As someone who navigates the world informed by her own experiences with disability, Britne brings invaluable insights that challenge conventional views on disability etiquette.

In her talk, ‘A Crash Course in Disability Etiquette,’ Britne will transform your understanding of what it means to be truly inclusive. You’ll learn not just the ‘rules’ but the real-life applications of creating respectful and welcoming environments for everyone. Get ready to change the way you think about and interact with the world around you.

Please join me in welcoming an inspiring trainer, consultant, and advocate—Britne Jenke!

“A Crash Course in Disability Etiquette”

by Britne Jenke

Let me introduce you to a friend of mine. I’d like you to meet Ruby.

Ruby has been my trusty companion for years. She joins me anywhere, and like any woman, she’s always supportive – and she does it in style!

I use a cane on occasion because I have a chronic pain condition, fibromyalgia. My canes help me manage places like the conferences I speak at, with long walks down halls of rooms and lots of standing through expo halls and receptions. I once worked at a factory with a daily walk of 2000 steps from the parking lot to my desk, and you better believe Ruby was there to get me out of that factory every night.

There are several causes of fibromyalgia, one of which can be prolonged nerve stress. My doctors told me I acquired fibro through years of unsuccessfully managing undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder. The PTSD comes from an incident I’d rather not discuss today, and after therapy it really affects me less than my daily challenge of bipolar disorder. (That one I inherited.)

Yes, I am a mess. And since these conditions affect my day to day life and function, I am considered disabled by most definitions. I have medications, strategies, and tools to support me – but I’ve found that modern life is, well, less than inclusive to disabled people.

So I’m here today to shed light on the realities of disability and hopefully create a few new champions of inclusion. How? I’m going to share 3 strategies that will equip you with the tools you need to navigate disability etiquette with confidence. We’ll debunk common myths, learn how to offer assistance appropriately, and create a more inclusive environment for everyone.

We’ll start with: ask before assuming.

Let’s talk about good intentions gone awry. We’ve all been there, right?  You see someone struggling, your hero instincts kick in, and BAM! You’re sprinting across the room, ready to be the savior of the situation.

Hold on a second. Don’t get me wrong, opening doors and picking up dropped items is awesome!  But when it comes to disability etiquette, sometimes that well-meaning chivalry can backfire.

Like where you “help” someone with a disability without asking if they actually need it.  Like swooping in to help someone in a wheelchair with their coat – spoiler alert, they probably had it under control. Or, maybe you see someone walking with a white cane, or maneuvering through a doorway with a mobility cane, and politely offer an arm. Great! You asked… but did you wait for the answer?  Because grabbing someone’s arm, even with permission, can be disorienting! 

The key takeaway here is this: We can all be champions of inclusion, but let’s make sure our help is wanted, not just well-intended. Ask before you assume, and let the disabled person take the lead. That way, everyone wins!

Next let’s talk about respectful language.

Buckle up for some cringeworthy classics! We’ve all heard them, maybe even accidentally uttered one ourselves (don’t worry, we’re all learning!). 

• The Low Expectations Award: “Wow, I can’t believe you’re married with kids!” “I can’t believe you have a full-time job!” Shocker, right? People with disabilities can have fulfilling lives too.
• The Discount Disguise: “You don’t look disabled!” Uh, thanks? Disability doesn’t always come with a neon sign.
• The Participation Trophy: “Everyone has a disability!” No, not everyone. But judging someone’s abilities based on their appearance is never cool.
• The Age-Defying Mystery: “You’re too young to have that!” Newsflash: disabilities don’t discriminate by age.
• The Divine Intervention: “I’ll pray for you.” While well-meaning, unsolicited prayers can be off-putting – and not very inclusive.

Now, let’s ditch the awkwardness and embrace empowerment! Here’s the golden rule: Unless someone asks for your advice, skip the unsolicited suggestions on diet, religion, or even positivity. You’re not the first to suggest that, trust me.

And lastly, ditch the euphemisms! “Handi-capable,” “differently-abled,” “special needs” “special forces”  – they’re outdated and frankly, unnecessary. And telling disabled people “You’re so brave and inspiring”? Don’t be patronizing, we’re just living our lives.

Disability is not a dirty word. Let’s embrace accurate and inclusive language.

Finally, let’s create a welcoming environment.

Alright, so we’ve talked about the “what not to do’s” – but why is creating a welcoming environment so important?  Think about it: most folks are familiar with racism, sexism, and ageism – all forms of prejudice against specific groups. 

But what about ableism, the bias against people with disabilities?  It’s just as real, and it can be both intentional and unintentional. 

If someone assumes a person with a disability can’t do something because of their disability – that’s ableism. If someone treats them differently – or worse, makes fun of them – ableism. 

Here’s the thing: when we create a welcoming environment, we break down barriers. We show everyone, regardless of ability, that they’re valued and included. And that, my friends, is what being a champion of inclusion is all about!

I know my work in accessibility and disability inclusion will never be done, as people with disabilities are the world’s largest and fastest-growing minority group.

Any one of you could join this group at any time – from a health condition, accident, or simply by aging. If you’re not disabled now, you’re just not disabled YET. 

You might make a friend of your own like Ruby someday.

So what can we do? It helps to accept we might make mistakes and others make mistakes.

• Educate ourselves about disability.
• Be willing to learn and adapt.
• Ask questions.
• Avoid and challenge assumptions.
• Be conscious of our own privilege.
• Consider multiple, new, and different possibilities.
• Get to know people from marginalized groups.
• Support organizations that advocate for people with disabilities.

As you leave this session, go forward and champion inclusion by practicing what you learned today and spreading awareness on disability etiquette. 

My experience in this Speaker’s Academy was amazing! I’ve learned from some of the greatest, with incredible mentors that have helped me shape and refine my speaking skills, proposals, and topics – and prepared me to take the stage more often. 

I had the absolute honor of sharing the graduation stage on Saturday with my fellow graduates Brian Williams, Speaker, eMcee, eCommerce Advisor, Rhonda Lea, CSSBB, Nathan Whittacre, Emma Schermer Tamir, Parmjit Kaur, PMP®, CSM®, Kelly Fisher, and Marty Suidgeest. We heard so many experts sharing their wisdom across different topics and industries, and I guarantee everyone in the audience left the day having learned something new.

If you missed this event, I’ll see you at the next one! Check out my list of upcoming speaking engagements here. Want to book me to present this talk – or another – at your organization? Get in touch!

The post Recap: A Crash Course in Disability Etiquette appeared first on Inclusive Pixelation.

Thank you to everyone who came out to support DisruptHR Reno on September 21st, 2023! Now that I’ve had some time to reflect and review the presentation, I wanted to share some references and resources from, “Designing Inclusive Experiences.”

First of all, I know the event did not have an interpreter or captioning available for those who have hearing loss, and I have made recommendations to the organizers on accessibility considerations for next year’s event. The full video (below) does, however, have closed captions and a full transcript available. The venue, Bruka Theater, has some accessibility challenges as well – the event was standing room only!

I pulled out some quotes I wanted to share references for, but please get in touch if you’d like more information about the presentation!

Presentation Quotes

People with disabilities are the world’s largest and fastest growing minority group. (1)

Up to 1 in 4 (27 percent) adults in the US have some type of disability. (2)
70 to 96% of those disabilities are “invisible.” (3,4,5)
Also, people with disabilities need 28% more household income to achieve the same standard of living as those without disabilities. (6)

Why? They often earn less on average (6), participate in the workforce at a significantly reduced rate (6), while often having increased expenses (6).

Of all US employees with a disability, only 39% of those have disclosed their disability to their manager. (7)
Even fewer employees, under 25%, disclose their disability to their teammates or to HR. (7)

Presentation References

1. Factsheet on Persons with Disabilities – United Nations (UN) Department of Economic and Social Affairs
   https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/resources/factsheet-on-persons-with-disabilities.html
2. Disability Impacts All of Us – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
   https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/infographic-disability-impacts-all.html
3. What is an Invisible Disability? – Invisible Disabilities Association
   https://invisibledisabilities.org/what-is-an-invisible-disability/
4. Invisible Disabilities: Break Down The Barriers – Forbes, March 2020
   https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulamorgan/2020/03/20/invisible-disabilities-break-down-the-barriers
5. Invisible Disability – Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invisible_disability
6. The Extra Costs of Living with a Disability in the U.S. – National Disability Institute
   https://www.nationaldisabilityinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/extra-costs-living-with-disability-brief.pdf
7. Why People Hide Their Disabilities at Work – Harvard Business Review, June 2019
   https://hbr.org/2019/06/why-people-hide-their-disabilities-at-work

Additional Resources

• Videos, Webinars, and Podcasts – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• The Hidden Challenges of Invisible Disabilities – BBC Health, June 2017
• Steve Krug –  Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability

Full Video

Song Credit: “This is Me” by Keala Settle and The Greatest Showman Cast

Closing Thoughts

This was my first ever DisruptHR experience and I had so much information, so little time! Those slides (changing every 15 seconds!) came flying so much faster than I expected. I definitely ran out of breath! Overall, I’m thrilled I was able to share my message with this audience, and I’m so glad I got to be a part of DisruptHR Reno 5.0!

What happened next? DisruptHR Las Vegas!

The post DisruptHR Reno 2023 appeared first on Inclusive Pixelation.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)! All month long, I’ve been sharing some of my favorite resources on accessibility and disability inclusion in the workplace.

This post is my last for NDEAM – but check out my webinar tomorrow on Accessibility Testing for Learning and Development! – and I wanted to close out the month with some really impactful TED Talks on disability inclusion in the workplace.

In no particular order, these are some superb TED Talks with a variety of perspectives on disability inclusion at work:

• Ryan Gersava – A Disability Inclusive Future of Work – from TED2022 in April 2022 – a speaker with a story close to my heart – bipolar 2 and a chronic illness! A story of overcoming disability discrimination at work to entrepreneurship by creating an online school.
• Chantel Buck – Rethinking Disabilities in the Workplace – from TEDxEustis in January 2018
• Tiffany Yu – How to Help Employees with Disabilities Thrive – from The Way We Work video series in April 2023 – let’s talk about the disability employment gap, and three things every workplace can do to welcome people with disabilities.
• Delaina Parrish – Why Businesses Must Be Fearless with Disability Inclusion – from TEDxUF in October 2020
• Hannah Barham Brown – Disability and Work: Let’s Stop Wasting Talent – from TEDxExeter in April 2019
• Ben Trockman – Workforce of Ability – from TEDxEvansville in October 2017 – a journey of losing and regaining independence, from a traumatic teenage incident to working life as a disabled individual, supporting others with disabilities along the way.

Also check out the TED Topic area on Disability for playlists, articles, and more talks on disability.

That’s all for NDEAM, but the blog will continue! Stay tuned for recaps of some of my speaking events, study guides for the CPACC and Section 508 Trusted Tester exams, and so much more.

The post NDEAM Resources: TED Talks about Workplace Disability Inclusion appeared first on Inclusive Pixelation.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)! All month long, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite resources on accessibility and disability inclusion in the workplace.

This post features some great articles I’ve read lately on accessibility and disability inclusion in learning and development.

• Accessibility.com Blog – How to Make Employee Training Accessible – Quick, practical advice on improving employee training by adding captions, sign language interpreters, and most importantly flexibility into your learning and development programs.
• eLearning Industry – Accessibility In eLearning: The Importance Of Creating Equal L&D Opportunities – Some strategies and perspectives on using accessibility as an inclusion-promoting effort towards company DEI initiatives. Bonus, if you’re willing to trade your business contact information, there is a free download at the end of the article for an ebook called “Creating eLearning For All: How To Design Accessible And Interactive Learning.”
• TrainingZone – How to Make Learning and Development More Inclusive for Disabled People – A perspective from across the pond with some relevant statistics about disability in the workplace in the United Kingdom. How do we remove barriers and promote inclusion?
• SHRM – Accessible Learning Design: Reaching All Learners Where They Are – An important focus on compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 508 Guidelines, and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.x). The most important takeaway is to start!

I hope you found these perspectives as interesting as I did! Stay tuned for the next post with some great articles about accessibility and disability inclusion in Human Resources.

The post NDEAM Resources: Accessibility for Learning and Development Article Roundup appeared first on Inclusive Pixelation.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)! All month long, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite resources on accessibility and disability inclusion in the workplace.

This post features a new documentary on disabilities in the workplace that you won’t want to miss!

I’ve been eagerly anticipating the release of this documentary on disabilities in the workplace from WorkingNation called “Breaking Barriers: Embracing Disabilities in the Workforce.”

The full documentary video is embedded below, but also check out their YouTube playlist for additional interviews.

Breaking Barriers features two discussions lead by journalist Hari Sreenivasan and includes:

• Taryn Mackenzie Williams, assistant secretary for disability employment policy at the U.S. Department of Labor
• Hiren Shukla, global head of the Neuro-Diverse Center of Excellence at EY
• Matt Ater, vice president of business development for Vispero, which provides assistive technology for the visually impaired
• Heather Dicks, Georgia Tech’s Excel program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Katie Hearn, an Atlanta Braves employee who lost her sight
• Beth Keeton, executive director at Griffin-Hammis Associates, focused on alternate paths to the workforce for people with disabilities
• Ilond Zombil Tshipau, vice president at the Bobby Dodd Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering people with differing abilities

I loved the passionate stories of lived experiences – what people with disabilities in the workplace are really facing when finding or keeping employment. Some of my favorite moments and quotes:

• Does diversity include accessibility? Trends are moving that way. “Technology is a key piece of creating workforce inclusion.”
• “The challenge for most people with disabilities is that they don’t want to say they have one.”
• Masking vs. Bringing whole self to work
• “The disability population is an amazing entry into universal design.”
• Innovation and resilience – disability key strengths
• Dealing with the Social Security cliff

I hope you found this documentary as valuable as I did! Stay tuned for the next few posts with some great articles about accessibility and disability inclusion in different fields.

The post NDEAM Resources: Documentary on Disabilities in the Workplace appeared first on Inclusive Pixelation.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)! All month long, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite resources on accessibility and disability inclusion in the workplace.

This post features some of my favorite books on accessibility and disability inclusion.

I’ve read the books below to expand my own knowledge – but there are so many more on my reading list! I’d love to hear what books you’re reading on accessibility and disability inclusion as well.

• Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally by Emily Ladau
  • Demystifying Disability is an easy-to-access handbook on important disability issues you need to know about, including how to appropriately think, talk, and ask about disability; recognizing and avoiding ableism; practicing good disability etiquette; ensuring accessibility becomes standard practice; appreciating disability history and identity; and identifying and speaking up about disability stereotypes in media. Authored by disability rights advocate, speaker, and writer Emily Ladau, this practical, intersectional guide offers all readers a welcoming place to understand disability as part of the human experience.
• Accessibility for Everyone by Laura Kalbag
  • We make the web more inclusive for everyone, everywhere, when we design with accessibility in mind. This book guides you through the accessibility landscape: understanding disability and impairment challenges; recognizing important laws and guidelines; and learning how to plan for, evaluate, and test accessible design. Leverage tools and techniques like clear copywriting, well-structured IA, meaningful HTML, and thoughtful design to create a solid set of best practices. Whether you’re new to accessibility or a seasoned professional, this book will help you get on the path to designing with accessibility and inclusion in mind.
• Inclusive Design for a Digital World: Designing with Accessibility in Mind by Regine M. Gilbert
  • As a creator in the modern digital era, your aim should be to make products that are inclusive of all people. Technology has increased connection and information equality around the world. To continue its impact, access and usability of such technology must be made a priority, and there is no better place to get started than with this book. Learn the moral, ethical, and high level legal reasons for accessible design; tools and best practices for user research and web developers; the different types of designs for disabilities on various platforms; web compliance guidelines; and testing products and usability best practices. Created for practitioners of product design, product development, content, and design across many disciplines.
• Designing Accessible Learning Content: A Practical Guide to Applying Best-Practice Accessibility Standards to L&D Resources by Susi Miller
  • This is a detailed guide on accessibility for anyone involved in the design, creation, development or testing of online learning content. It offers essential, in-depth background information such as a focus on disability, an overview of assistive technology and an exploration of the case for digital accessibility. It provides detailed guidance on how to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines making it essential reading for L&D professionals, instructional designers and course developers who need to comply with legal accessibility requirements. This book also demonstrates how creating accessible learning content can improve usability and provide the best possible learning experience for everyone.
    Are you looking for more about Accessibility for Online Learning? Don’t miss my Accessibility for eLearning Checklist and my Linktr.ee of additional resources!

I hope you have a few new books for your reading list! We’ve covered books and courses, so stay tuned for the next post on podcasts.

The post NDEAM Resources: Books About Accessibility and Disability Inclusion appeared first on Inclusive Pixelation.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)! All month long, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite resources on accessibility and disability inclusion in the workplace.

This post features some of my favorite courses on disability inclusion. (Did you miss my post on disability inclusion courses on LinkedIn Learning? Click here to read more!)

I’ve taken the courses below to expand my own knowledge on disability inclusion.

• Diversity & Inclusion for HR Certificate – eCornell: This self-paced certificate program includes a wonderful elective course called Workplace Disability Inclusion, as well as the required courses Countering Bias in the Workplace for HR and Fostering an Inclusive Climate. I especially loved the Workplace Disability Inclusion course for its practical advice on maximizing workplace disability inclusion and minimizing disability discrimination across the employment process. The course makes the business case for aligning disability inclusion with a company’s strategic human-capital, diversity, and customer-service imperatives and looks at the implications of effective HR policies and practices in the recruitment and hiring process, career development and retention initiatives, and compensation and benefits programs.
• Employing Abilities at Work – SHRM Foundation: This certificate provides actionable knowledge and tools HR professionals, people managers and business leaders need to recruit, hire, and retain individuals with disabilities. Made up of seven modules, the program takes participants through the organizational life cycle of employing people with disabilities and establishes baseline knowledge of how accommodation resources can operate and shows how HR departments can adapt their hiring practices to fit individual needs.
• Section 508: What is It and Why is It Important to You? – U.S. General Services Administration: This course is designed to describe what Section 508 is and why it is important to make Information and Communication Technology (ICT) products accessible to people with disabilities, and serves as the introduction and prerequisite course to the Trusted Tester program. Learn about the job-related responsibilities and available resources needed to meet Section 508 requirements, with practical examples for project managers, programmers, instructional designers, or personnel responsible for procuring, buying, or maintaining electronic information and technology products and services.

That’s a lot of courses! What else can we do to learn about accessibility and disability inclusion? Stay tuned for my next post on books about these topics!

The post NDEAM Resources: Courses on Disability Inclusion appeared first on Inclusive Pixelation.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)! All month long, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite resources on accessibility and disability inclusion in the workplace.

This post features some of my favorite LinkedIn Learning courses on disability inclusion. (Did you miss my post on accessibility courses? Click here to read more!)

LinkedIn Learning, originally Lynda.com and now offered through LinkedIn, is a premium feature available to subscribers. Companies may also offer access to LinkedIn Learning as part of their professional development resources.

I’ve taken the courses below to expand my own knowledge on disability inclusion.

• Supporting Workers with Disabilities: Physical and social barriers at work can make it difficult to fully capitalize on skills—or worse, prevent workers with disabilities from securing gainful employment at all. Get tips on how to select the best employee for a role by focusing on the desired outcome—not the methodology. Start creating a more accessible workplace where employees with disabilities are set up to thrive.
• Disability Readiness for Leaders and Managers: Managers play a key role in ensuring that everyone, including people with disabilities, can contribute fully to achieving business goals. Be a more inclusive, supportive leader by recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and advancing top talent with disabilities, and start creating more inclusive, supportive, and safe work environments that benefit everyone, including people with disabilities.
• Develop Interpersonal Skills for Inclusive Workplaces: In this course, develop interpersonal skills such as self-awareness, dealing with disagreement, and deep listening, while engaging with colleagues one-on-one and in group settings. Work on strengthening relationships through routines and rituals, as well as identifying and prioritizing interpersonal relationships. This course helps you move toward inclusive actions and build the skills you need to support an inclusive work culture.
• Creating Inclusive Learning Experiences: Learn the power of inclusive learning experiences and how they can open the door for people of all identities, backgrounds, and perspectives and provide greater achievement and fulfillment. Follow a simple and practical approach to create environments and outcomes all learners can participate in and grow from.

What about other courses outside of LinkedIn? Stay tuned for my next post on Accessibility courses!

The post NDEAM Resources: LinkedIn Learning Courses on Disability Inclusion appeared first on Inclusive Pixelation.