Where can I go to support my employees with disabilities?
Interpreters
Ontario Association of Sign Language Interpreters
Ontario Interpreting Services – Canadian Hearing Society
Captioning
Assistive Technology
Inclusive Design Research Centre
The IDRC is a research and development centre at OCAD University where an international community of open source developers, designers, researchers, advocates, and volunteers work together to ensure that emerging information technology and practices are designed inclusively.
An invaluable website with toolkits and resources on accommodation and all disabilities. This section is entitled Accommodation Ideas for Intellectual or Cognitive Impairment.
Within the website you will find:
- Accommodation and Compliance Series: Employees with Intellectual or Cognitive Disabilities
- Searchable Online Accommodation Resource: Intellectual or Cognitive Disabilities
- EEOC Fact Sheet: Questions and Answers About Persons with Intellectual Disabilities in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act
- Effective Accommodation Practices Series: Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities
- Organizations
Office of Equity and Affirmative Action – St. Cloud University
An excellent website for additional detail on accommodation best practices.
Improving Services to People with Developmental Disabilities (Deputy Ministers’ Review of Community Living British Columbia, December 2011 and 2012) This included a 12-point plan that began a shift from a complex system of supports and services to an integrated system of support that will better meet the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities and families.
ReThinking Disabilities – Global TV feature article and video – March 2013
Canadians are known for innovation, from inventing the Canadarm and the Blackberry to using light beams in Saskatoon to help solve scientific and medical mysteries. Yet, there is still no solution to dealing with inequalities persons with disabilities face. A new federal report, Rethinking DisAbility in the private sector, is looking to shed light on the employment situation.
The Developmental Disabilities Association (DDA) has been in existence for over 60 years and provides over 50 community-based programs and services for children, youths, and adults. Examples of programs and services for persons living with developmental disabilities can be found here.
For decades, Employee Assistance Programs have demonstrated their value, both to the individuals whose lives they have improved and to the employers and work organizations that benefit from having healthy workers. By developing new strategies and resources, and by strengthening partnerships and linkages with work/life, human resources, health
and wellness, absence and disability management, and accommodation efforts, EAPs will be even more effective in assisting this new generation in becoming productive workers in the 21st Century workplace. The full report can be found here.
Examples of accommadating specific disabilities
Down Syndrome
- Reasonable accommodation examples and solutions for persons living with Down Syndrome can be found here.
Autism
Employing People with Autism – A Brief Guide for Employers
- This guide aims to raise awareness of autism among employers and help employers understand the adjustments that someone with autism may need in the workplace.
Asperger Syndrome – short guide
- Is intended to be used by employers who are either employing or considering employing someone with Asperger Syndrome and addresses some of the main issues that employers commonly encounter when supporting employees who have this disability.