Work RERC - User Needs Assessment

User Needs Assessment

Project Team

Project Director: Maureen Linden
Co-Investigators: Scott Haynes, Karen Milchus

Summary / Outcome Goals

The project engages people with disabilities to better understand their ongoing workplace accommodation needs. A key component of the project is the development of a framework in which ongoing participatory action research (PAR) can be supported. This framework consists of a the establishment of a network of individuals with disabilities interested in participating in research and development activities surrounding job accommodations, coupled with an initial broad-based survey of the types of job accommodations that are used to facilitate work. These two building-blocks will allow in-depth examination of the many features that facilitate employment through additional PAR activities such as focus groups, interviews, mini-surveys, and usability studies. The CATEA Consumer Network (CCN) is a network of people with disabilities and older adults. It was established to ensure that the perspectives of individuals with disabilities were accurately represented in all of CATEA’s research. Members of CCN test new prototypes, products and services in order to improve them through focus groups, field-testing and surveys. CCN members are among the first to preview new developments and provide input to make them more usable and accessible If you are a person with a disability who would like to participate in our focus groups, surveys, interviews or product testing, please join CATEA'S CCN.

Recent Research Conducted

Data collection has closed on our broad-based survey that examines the relationships between functional ability, job requirements, and accommodation use. Analysis of this data is currently underway, and results are being formulated and presented.  The goal of the survey is to provide better understanding of the need for accommodations addressing employment barriers. We hope to be better able to match accommodations with specific abilities and job tasks, and in doing so identify barriers that are not adequately addressed and understand how to improve access to employment.

Key Findings

• Regardless of age, 75% of respondents to a national survey stated that they could not perform all of their job duties without workplace accommodations.
• More than two-thirds of the respondents (67%) indicated that during current or past employment periods there were times when their disability prevented performance of specific job duties.
• Nearly two-thirds of workplace accommodations (63%) were provided for and used only by the survey respondent.
• Slightly more that 21% of survey respondents had accommodations provided for them, but used by other people as well.
• Over half (60%) of the respondents claim that their accommodation has continued to be useful, including 8% who continue to use their accommodation at a new job.
• 15% were fired or laid off because they could not get the accommodations necessary to do the work required
• 12% delayed starting a job while they waited for workplace accommodations

Selected Publications / Presentations

• Linden, M. (2011). "Characteristics of Workplace Accommodation Use for those with Physical Limitations", in Update from the RERC on Workplace Accommodations, presented at RESNA 2011 Annual Conference, Toronto, Canada, June 8.
• Linden, M. (2011). "Workplace Accommodation Use for Individuals with Mental Function Limitations", in Update from the RERC on Workplace Accommodations, presented at 2011 Annual NARRTC Conference, Bethesda, MD, April 27.
• Linden, M. (2011). "Workplace Accommodation Use for Individuals with Vision Impairment" 26th International Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference, San Diego, CA, March 14-19.
• Linden, M. (2010). Accommodation Use and the Aging Worker, in International Conference on Aging, Disability and Independence. Newcastle UK.
• Sabata, D., et al. (2008). A Retrospective Analysis of Recommendations for Workplace Accommodations for Persons with Mobility and Sensory Limitations. Assistive Technology, 20(1): p. 28-35.
• Milchus, K. (2008). Aging Educators with Disabilities: Experiences with Accommodation, in Aging, Disability, and Independence: Selected Papers from the 4th International Conference on Aging, Disability, and Independence, W.C. Mann, Editor. IOS Press: Amsterdam. p. 141-150.
• Zolna, J., D. Sabata, and J. Sanford. (2008). Accommodations for Mobility in the Workplace:� A Comparison of Workers with and without Wheeled Mobility Devices, in Aging, Disability, and Independence: Selected Papers from the 4th International Conference on Aging, Disability, and Independence, W.C. Mann, Editor. IOS Press: Amsterdam. p. 131-140.
• Zolna, J., J. Sanford, D. Sabata, and J. Goldthwaite., et al. (2007). Review of accommodation strategies in the workplace for persons with mobility and dexterity impairments: Application to criteria for universal design. Technology and Disability. 19(4): p. 189-198.
• Sabata, D., S. Schomberg, and M. Williams. (2007). Optimizing access to home, work and community., in Occupation Therapy for Physical Dysfunction, C. Trombly and M. Radomski, Editors. Wolters Kluwer | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 951-973.
• Williams, M., Sabata, D., & Zolna. (2006). "User Needs Evaluation of Workplace Accommodations." Work 27: 355-362.
• Bruce, C. & Moscoso, G (2006, November 3). "AAC in the Workplace." Georgia Workforce and Touch the Future Conference, Athens, GA.
• Endicott, S., Sabata D., & Williams, M. (2006, Oct.). "Research it's a science not a mystery." Paper presented at the Georgia Occupational Therapy Association annual conference, Atlanta, GA
• Sabata, D. & Williams, M. (2006, September). "Examining workplace accommodations for workers with disabilities." Paper presented at the Employment Access Conference, Mt. View, CA .
• Williams, M. & Sabata, D. (2006, June). Poster presented at the annual conference of the Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America, Atlanta, GA.
  
• Bruce, C. and Sabata, D. (2006, April). "Workplace Accommodations." Workshop delivered at AOTA Annual Conference, Charlotte, NC.
• Endicott, S. (2005). "Workplace accommodations outcomes." Paper presented at the Workplace Accommodations State of the Science Conference, Atlanta , GA. https://workrerc.org/sos/endicott.php
• Williams, M. Sanford, J. & Zolna, J. (2005). "Workplace accommodation use by aging workers." Paper presented at the Workplace Accommodations State of the Science Conference, Atlanta , GA.
• Williams, M. (2005). Research: Accommodating Older Workers in the Workplace, In Sanford, J. (Chair), Universal design: An investment for aging in place, in the workplace, and in play. Pre-conference workshop conducted at the International Conference on Aging, Disability, and Independence , St. Petersburg , FL.
• Williams, M. (2005). "Disability, aging and workplace accommodations." Paper presented at the International Conference on Aging, Disability and Independence , St. Petersburg , FL.
• Butterfield, T. and Ramseur, H. (2004). Research and Case Study Findings in the Area of Workplace Accommodations Including Provisions for Assistive Technology: A Literature Review. Technology and Disability. 16(4): p. 201-210.