October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)
Each October, Colorado celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) and Governor Jared Polis has issued a proclamation to recognize the value, talent and many contributions that people with disabilities bring to the workplace. This year’s theme, Disability: Part of the Equity Equation, reflects the important role people with disabilities play in a strong and inclusive workplace.
The federal effort to recognize people with disabilities began in 1945, when Congress declared the first week in October to be National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week. The word physically was dropped in 1962 to include individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week and christened the month of October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Disability Employment Policy website includes activities for 31 Days of NDEAM along with ideas and resources for hosting them.
In addition, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation offers an NDEAM/Employer Challenge, along with other helpful resources and events. Among those is a yearlong challenge to employers to commit to hiring and retaining people with disabilities.
Take some time in October to learn more about the intersection of disability employment, equity, and your role. Everyone plays an important part in fostering a more equitable and inclusive workforce, one where all people are recognized for their abilities — every day of the year.
State Agencies: Next Steps for Planning
This article is for state agency information only and does not pertain to local government entities.
On Oct. 6, Beckie Bean, one of the Technology Accessibility Program’s (TAP) accessibility consultants, facilitated a retrospective of Phase 1 of Accessibility Adoption Planning.
Key takeaways from the meeting include:
- Feedback that the IT Accessibility Adoption Plan Template (now called Checklist) was very helpful.
- Communicating internally continues to be a struggle; some folks want/need more detailed information and others are still unaware that accessibility is something that all of our staff need to know a little bit about, not just specialized staff.
- There is a need to find and create training on accessibility.
- All stakeholders acknowledging this is a learning space and we are in it together.
What’s next? Phase II of accessibility planning and implementation
Phase II picks up where Phase I planning left off. The goal of Phase II is to complete the Accessibility Adoption Plans and put in place necessary accommodations by the July 1, 2024 deadline. The ideal outcomes for Phase II at agency, team, and individual levels are as follows:
- For agencies to have the strategic support they need to comply with state accessibility standards within one year. Success will be measured by the following outputs:
- Agencies have implemented their Agency Accessibility Adoption Plans through at least the “Integrate” phase.
- Agencies have completed an accessibility accommodation evaluation.
- Agency projects are managed with accessibility as a tangible metric.
- For teams to have the resources and tools they need to prioritize, assess and remediate agency web services. Success will be measured by the following outputs:
- Teams have guidance on planning and implementing accessibility standards, including user-friendly accessibility planning tools, and resources.
- Digital touchpoint audits (for websites, applications, PDFs, etc.) are used to check for compliance with accessibility standards.
- Each agency procures the software that teams need to comply with state standards.
- Teams have established governance practices including roles and responsibilities.
- Policy and standard operating procedures (SOPs) are in place.
- For individuals to have the skills they need to apply accessibility best practices to their role and responsibilities. Success will be measured by the following output:
- Individuals will have access to role-based accessibility training and to a statewide community of practice.
If you have any questions about Phase II accessibility planning please contact your agency’s accessibility consultant, or email OIT_Accessibility@state.co.us for more information.
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