State of the Science Conference
September 15-16, 2005

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Telework Opportunities for Workers with Disabilities

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Slides Index Slides 1-11 Slides 12-22

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1. Information Technology Accessibility: Implications for People with Disabilities
2. Acknowledgements
3. Presentation Purpose
4. Cornell University Research
5. Why Interest in IT and the HR Process?
6. E-HR and People with Disabilities
7. HR and IT Survey
8. Percentage of Respondents Organizations' Workforce Using Computers More than Half the Workday, by Industry
9. Organizations' Use of Online Technology
10. Use of On-line Technology by Organization Size
11. Perceptions of IT as a Barrier

Slide 1 of 22

Information Technology Accessibility: Implications for People with Disabilities

Susanne M. Bruyère, Ph.D.
Cornell University
Workplace Accommodations:
State of the Science Conference
September 15, 2005

Slide 2 of 22

Acknowledgements

This research was funded by two four-year grants from the U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research to Cornell University (NIDRR): Grant No. H133A70005 (Improving Employer Practices Covered by Title I of the ADA) and Grant No. H133B980038 (Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Economic Research on Employment Policy for People with Disabilities).

Slide 3 of 22

Presentation Purpose

Discuss the accessibility of human resources (HR) online processes and the implications for applicants and employees with disabilities

Slide 4 of 22

Cornell University Research

• Focused on disability employment nondiscrimination workplace policies and practices
• Examines ADA compliance

Slide 5 of 22

Why Interest in IT and the HR Process?

• One in 6 people in U.S. have a disability
• As workforce ages, visual and hearing disabilities become more common
• Over half of U.S. households now own computers; people with disabilities are half as likely to have Internet access as those without disabilities

Slide 6 of 22

E-HR and People with Disabilities

• As Internet access becomes more common, businesses are becoming network intensive
• Web applications can pose barriers for those with vision, hearing, or dexterity-related disabilities
• Most Web sites are not designed to be accessible to people with disabilities

Slide 7 of 22

HR and IT Survey

Slide 8 of 22

Percentage of Respondents Organizations' Workforce Using Computers More than Half the Workday, by Industry

Bar graph: Percent of all respondents organizations’ workforce (n=433) that use computers more than half the workday, by industry, excluding "don't know/refused" responses.

Source: Survey of SHRM Membership on IT Access in the Employment Process. Cornell University, 2003.

Slide 9 of 22

Organizations’ Use of Online Technology

Bar graph: Percent of all respondents (n=433) that use online technology for various purposes, by the amount of use, excluding "don't know/refused" responses.

A Great Deal Some Not at All
Online Employee Training 4% 59% 37%
Online Benefits Self-Service 18% 39% 43%
Online Benefits Information Dissemination 25% 57% 18%
Online Job Postings 44% 45% 11%

Source: Survey of SHRM Membership on IT Access in the Employment Process. Cornell University, 2003.

Slide 10 of 22

Use of On-line Technology by Organization Size

Bar graph: Percent of all respondents (n=433) that use online technology for various purposes, by organization size, excluding "don't know/refused" responses.

Under 500 Employees 500 - 4999 Employees Over 5000 Employees

Note: All types of technology show a statistically significant difference at the p= .05 level.

Source: Survey of SHRM Membership on IT Access in the Employment Process. Cornell University, 2003.

Slide 11 of 22

Perceptions of IT as a Barrier

Bar graph: Percent of all respondents (n=433) that perceive that IT would be a barrier for various disability groups, by magnitude of barrier, excluding "don't know/refused" responses.

Very Significant Barrier (1) Somewhat a Barrier (2,3,4) Not a Barrier at All (5)

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