The Impact of Assistive Technology (AT) on the Careers for People with Disabilities

Tiehan Liu, Ph.D. COMS, Rehabilitation Engineer

Ohio Job Connection

Nathan FernandesOpportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities

The Flow of the Presentation

• Part I: General Review of the Assistive Technology as an important element in the overall strategy in vocational rehabilitation

• Part II: Specific Assistive Technology Applications on the Independence for the visually impaired

The Importance of Assistive Technology for Job Performance and Learning

• A telephone customer service worker who is totally blind and needs to access to the business information in the computer.

• A quadriplegic individual who works as a PR specialist and needs to make phone calls.

• A college student with learning disabilities who can not comprehend the reading materials.

• Assistive technology helps individuals with disabilities to perform their job duties and engage in the learning activities.

What is Assistive Technology (AT)?

Assistive Technology Devices:Wheelchairs, walkers, electronic hardware,

software, etc.

Assistive Technology Services:Evaluation, fitting, installation, training,

maintenance.

The Mainstreamed Technology Devices Becomes Accessible

• iPhone, VoiceOver screen reader, screen magnifier, Siri for speech recognition;

• Telecommuting, working from home to access network information;

• Distance learning for students with disabilities, avoid traveling, work flexibly at home;

• Online libraries, online textbooks, online digital talking books;

• Online Banking, online purchase;

Assistive Technology & Other Important Factors

• Assistive Technology is an important tool for career development

• To make AT intervention effective, you must understand other important factors

Factors Influencing Careers

• Type of DisabilitiesPhysical disability, e.g. head injuries, amputation,

Sensory disability, e.g. visual impairment, hearing loss,

Cognitive disability, learning disability, developmental D

• Use your strengths and avoid your weaknesseseg. Paraplegic individual works as a driver?eg. Blind individual works a receptionist giving direction?

Factors Influencing Careers, disability onset

• Congenital condition or adult onset condition• If it is a congenital condition, choosing a career field

and specific education is very important. The role of assistive technology serves as a tool for learning and developing the careers.

• If it is adult onset condition, due to disease or accident, career is fully developed, the role of assistive technology is to maintain the career.

Factors Influencing Careers

• Personal Talents, Interest, motivation• Life Context, family, friends and community• Social and economic resources and condition• Urban setting vs. rural setting• Education attainment

Factors Influencing Careers (As of 2013)

• Avoid dying industries:Wired Telecommunications CarriersMills, Manufacturing Newspaper PublishingApparel ManufacturingGame & Video Rental

• Fast growing industries:Internet GrowthEnvironmental IssuesEvolving Technology, biotech

A Job Vs. A Career

• A Job a way of making money

minimal impact of future resume few network opportunities

• A Career connected jobs into a more professional position

provide backbone for learning and experience for lifeoffer professional network opportunities

The balance of employment benefits and other entitled benefits

• Total amount of income from the job• Part-time or full time• Other entitled benefits, healthcare insurance,

get a stable healthcare insurance is the goal• New job not to jeopardize the benefits

Review of Successful VR CasesInvolving Assistive Technology

• Keep in mind the following important points: Assistive technology is a tool Type of Disabilities (Sensory, physical or cognitive) Onset of Disabilities Personal talents, life context, social & economic conditions, geo location, education attainment The professional field, industries, jobs and career

• Think about the cases you currently work with.

Case Study: A Blind Cyber Security Guard

• Disability: total blindness, physical balance issue, auto accident occurred during high school, sensory & physical disabilities, no cognitive problems

• AT used: screen reader, word processing, communication print reading with a scanner portable note taker with refreshable Braille Use cane then a guide dog for mobility• Education: college graduate, hospital management• Career: 1st job as a community resources consultant

2nd job as first level technical support in a hospital 3rd job as a network security guard, filter emails

Case Study: Manager of Insurance company

• Disability: partial to totally blindness, VI onset during college and on job, no physical or cognitive D

• AT used: screen reader, print reading, adaptive laptopdid not learn Braille, use digital recorder.

• Education: college graduate majored in finance, post graduate certificate in insurance management

• Setting: major Insurance company in the city• Career:

1st position insurance agent, 2nd position insurance project manager

Case Study: PR Specialist

• Disability: Severe CP, quadriplegic, congenital condition, no sensory or cognitive Disabilities

• AT used: – speech recognition application for reading, writing and

communication, – Wheelchair for mobility– iPhone Siri, with hand free headset, job needs, place & take calls

• Education: college graduate majored in mass communication• Career: 1st job, PR specialist, coordinator for faith-based

schools

Case Study: Counselors for Disability Services(multiple consumers)

• Disability: – totally blindness, congenital, – no physical or cognitive disabilities

• AT used: – Screen readers– Print reading applications– Braille note takers

• Education: bachelor and master degrees in special Ed & counseling

• Career: counselors in colleges or in government agencies

Case Study: Disability Services Coordinator

• Disability: – visually impaired, hearing impaired, speech impaired, severe

orthopedic disability, congenital condition; MSD– cognitively normal,

• AT used: – adaptive computer with switch interface, screen magnifier, for

reading, writing and email communication– significant participation and contribution from parents

• Education: college graduate in communication• Career:

– internship at Fed government in Washington DC, – 1st job as disability service coordinator

Case Study: Real Estate Agent

• Disability: – learning disability, a cognitive condition, no physical or sensory

disabilities.

• AT used: – Speech Recognition for word processing– Print reading– Talking GPS for traveling to properties

• Education: college graduate• Career:

– Real Estate Agent, independent

Case Study: Pastor (planned)

• Disability: – learning disability, difficulty in writing, cognitive, – no sensory or physical disabilities, – good in verbal skills

• AT used: – speech recognition, – print ready with visual & auditory outputs, – digital recording pen

• Education: faith based college, communication, pastor• Career Goal:

– Counselor– Pastor

Case Study: Financial Consultants(multiple consumers)

• Disability: – visual impairment. adult onset, sensory, physical and cognitive all are

in decline. (Age 54, 59, 84 & 81)Needs: must learn emails, web search property location, virtual tour

• Education: some college, or no college, unknown• Career:

– financial management, insurance agents, real estate agent, rental manager, self-employed

• AT used: – Use current assistive technology for communication to maintain

business operation– Virtual tours, online property search

Case Study: Totally Blind University Professors(multiple consumers)

• Disability: – totally blindness, congenital condition– no physical or cognitive disabilities

• AT used: screen reader, print reading, email communication, braille note taker

• Education: doctoral degrees• Career: professors in colleges and universities

Case Study: Medical Transcriptionists

• Disability: – total blindness, no physical no cognitive disabilities

• Education, high schools, military services• AT used:

– screen reader, online transcription, – Good typing skills

• Career: – Long term medical transcriptionist – job future is not bright

Case Study: Home Business, small engine repair(Multiple Consumers)

• Disability, physical, back injuries, adult onset, no sensory or cognitive disabilities,

• Education: unknown• Self Business, small engine repair, MTV repair, cannot lift

metal parts, cannot stand or sit too long• Rural setting: • AT: ergonomic solution,

– ergo chair, floor matt, lifting device

• Career/business: self business, maintain with children helping

Case Study: Employer Tailors Job Positions

• Disability: visual impairment, auto accident, adult onset, • Education: unknown• Previous job: a good car salesman,

Employers have great desire to accommodate the special needs

• AT design service: – customize a job position, from good salesman to a good post sale

survey conductor (telephone work)– Use computer, use telephone to ask survey questions, record the

result, pass the result to the employer– Identify problems in customer services

The Recession-proof Careers for People with Visual Impairment (2008-2011)

• professors, attorneys, physicians, • Accountants, insurance agents, technology specialists,

teachers• Self employment, home jobs, BE operators, transcriptionists• government jobs, fed, state and local government agencies, • customer service, telemarketers, survey conductors, • Receptionist, secretaries, retail assistance

Keys to Career Success

• Know your Talents, passion, interest, avoid your weaknesses and limitations

• Choose a professional field that your disability has no impact on the job performance.

• Master the use assistive technology and make your disability irrelevant to your job performance

• Pursue and achieve advanced education• Develop a career strategy that can integrate all these factors

to ensure a successful career.

Case Study: Apps for IndependenceNathan Fernandes

• Resources and Links• http://www.apple.com/accessibility

• http://www.applevis.com

• http://www.apps4android.org