Insights and Perspectives

At the Intersection of Vocational Rehabilitation and Accessibility

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 17:17:39 GMT

With the impact of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, to the rise of hybrid work, 2025 promises to be a transformative year for Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) and accessibility.

These changes influenced Geographic Solutions to host a timely discussion on trends in vocational rehabilitation and accessibility with Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation's (CSAVR) Chief Executive Officer, Steve Wooderson and Director of Business Relations, Kathy West-Evans. The panel also included Joe Devon, GAAD Foundation Chair, and the Founder of A11y Audits, a boutique consultancy that derives its name from the numeronym for the word accessibility.

Throughout his career, Wooderson has been acutely involved in public VR programs with over 40 years of service in the industry, initially starting his career as a counselor with the Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation Agency. At CSAVR, his guiding principles are still very much intertwined with the programs he supported at the beginning of his career.

“We help folks with disabilities return to work, find new employment, and gain skills necessary to retain employment through a variety of different employment-related services,” said Wooderson during the webinar of his work with VR and at CSAVR.

West-Evans’ career began in 1978 working at the community, state, federal, and national levels during what has become over a 45-year tenure in the industry. At the beginning of her career, she worked as a vocational consultant and manager of the Projects with Industry program at the Hearing, Speech, and Deafness Center. From there, she joined Washington State’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, holding several positions over a 14-year tenure. She worked at the Federal level in the Rehabilitation Services Administration for close to ten years before being hired by CSAVR.

“Twenty-eight percent of people in the United States are individuals with disabilities, and disability can happen at any time during your life, including the employment life cycle,” said West-Evans communicating the importance of VR to the career journey.

Perhaps most well known as co-founder of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), Devon is a seasoned tech entrepreneur and public speaker. He’s consistently at the forefront of technological advancements, especially with accessibility.

“Almost everybody does work that is connected to a computer, and any at any place that touches a computer, you need to make sure that there’s digital accessibility,” said Devon.

Devon’s inspiration for accessibility stems from his father. He observed the challenges his father would go through after losing his eyesight and hearing. It would take all day for his father to do a simple task, such as visiting a bank using a standard ride-share program.

In an article that first appeared in the Jewish Journal, Devon stated that he believed developers and designers were not making websites inaccessible out of malice, but simply out of ignorance. Thus, his journey began.

How does this tie in with VR? Keep reading!

VR at its Core: A Brief History

CSAVR, the organization represented by Wooderson and West-Evans, was initially formed to maintain and enhance a strong, effective, and efficient national program of public VR which, in partnership with education and business, and the workforce system, empowers individuals. The Council is made up of chief administrators of public agencies serving individuals with physical and mental disabilities in the states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.

Within CSAVR is the NET, or National Employment Team, a network of 78 public vocational rehabilitation programs united in serving its customers. The NET is based on a dual customer strategy, connecting the talents of candidates with disabilities to the employment needs of business.

VR established its roots in the World War I era. The Soldier’s Rehabilitation Act of 1918 helped hundreds of thousands of soldiers returning home with war-related disabilities. The Act essentially sparked the first vocational rehabilitation program, establishing training for injured veterans to find new jobs. The act also created a federally-funded program to help veterans find employment in civilian jobs. The success of this program made it easy for Congress to extend its offerings to civilians through the 1920 Smith-Fess Act.

Since then, there have been a lot of changes to the program. But its core mission remains the same – provide a variety of different services, including career counseling, skills training, job career placement, workplace accommodations, support services, and working with businesses for job placement.

Today, the program is still constantly evolving. Many of the trends that are causing transformation and disruption in similar industries that are tied back to employment, are also affecting VR.

Where Does VR and Accessibility Intersect?

Employment and the activities around finding a job, upskilling, reskilling, or applying for benefits more often are found at this intersection. From legislative mandates, to simply using a mobile device to search for jobs, VR and accessibility have many intertwined waypoints.

“Accessibility and independence for individuals, as well as accessibility in the workplace, are key elements of the work that we do, supporting people in their training, their careers and independence” said West-Evans.

Devon built upon West-Evans’ sentiments adding that as the world becomes more technology driven, there are even more intersections between VR and accessibility.

“When you’re doing work remotely, it’s almost all digital accessibility…this very platform that we’re on is a prime example,” said Devon, referencing the GoToWebinar platform for virtual meetings.

The Influence of AI

There is no shortage of industries that AI has touched. VR and accessibility are no exceptions.

“We’re seeing artificial intelligence being developed and deployed to assist with communications between the VR staff and the VR customer, even to the point of reminders, appointments, and initial information gathering,” said Wooderson. “It still blows my mind.”

Wooderson added that there is still a ways to go in understanding how AI maximizes access to employment for VR customers. He advised that caution still be applied to developing AI tools for employment, especially to combat bias, and that the disability community remain vigilant in the design of products that use AI.

"Hire talent with disabilities to be part of the team that is developing the tools," recommended West-Evans.

Devon hosts a podcast called Accessibility and AI. Being a part of this production has exposed Devon to many AI tools, some because of captioning and transcription. Devon talked about how in this instance, it’s still very important to put a human in the loop.

“The way I view AI is that it’s all very highly connected to disability because artificial intelligence is trying to emulate all of the different sensations, senses, and generative abilities,” said Devon.

What’s in Store for Vocational Rehabilitation and Accessibility?

From AI and automation in vocational training, to the expanded need for digital accessibility for job seekers with disabilities, these two industries will continue to intertwine. Coupled with the rise of hybrid work and the need for personalization in Individualized Plans for Employment, the software industry will have the opportunity to rise to the occasion with new solutions that bring both features that are both accessible and poised to assist in rehabilitation.

Towards the end of Pathways to Employment: Empowering Abilities, Devon imparted wisdom about the uncertainties around AI with regards to both VR and accessibility, and employment in general, but also his innate excitement.

“Don’t let fear stop you from paying attention to AI and playing with it,” said Devon.

Interested in seeing the full webinar that this article is based on? Visit our Pathways to Employment page to watch.

Celebrating Inclusivity and Advancing Workforce Technology for All

Thu, 16 May 2024 16:02:48 GMT

Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is celebrated annually on the third Thursday of May, this year GAAD is on May 16th, marking its 13th anniversary. GAAD aims to raise awareness and educate individuals about equality, accessibility, and inclusion for the over one billion people worldwide with disabilities and impairments. This day highlights the importance of accessible technology to ensure access to digital content for all individuals.

The Origins of GAAD

Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) was first celebrated in 2011 when a blog post was written by web developer Joe Devon. He encouraged developers to come together to raise awareness and set global standards for closing the accessibility gap. Jennison Asuncion, an accessibility expert from Toronto, stumbled upon Devon's blog post by chance after seeing a tweet about it while browsing the internet. Inspired by Devon's vision, Jennison Asuncion collaborated with Joe Devon to co-create GAAD.

Understanding Inclusive Design

Digital accessibility refers to enabling individuals with disabilities or impairments to access and interact with digital applications, such as websites and mobile apps. According to a Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults, 62% of adults with a disability say they own a desktop or laptop computer, compared with 81% of individuals without a disability. While activities like browsing the internet, catching up on social media, or texting on mobile devices feel natural to many, accessibility barriers create challenges for millions of people with disabilities, making it challenging to use some forms of technology or deterring them altogether. According to WebAIM, over 96% of the world’s top one million web pages are not accessible. This equates to less than 4% of the world’s most popular websites are accessible to people with disabilities.

Accessibility on the web is crucial, yet many disabled web users encounter challenges accessing the websites and content they need. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) actively campaigns for the creation of websites, tools, and technologies that are designed in a way that is accessible for people with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law that prevents discrimination based on disability. When designing ADA accessible websites, developers and organizations must consider a wide range of impairments that may affect web access. These disabilities encompass permanent, temporary, or situational limitations, as well as challenges related to technology or internet connectivity.

Types of Disabilities:

•   Visual - Full blindness or partial blindness and other visual impairments including color blindness, cataract, or glaucoma
•   Auditory – Different degrees of hearing loss, from deafness or loss of hearing from old age
•   Cognitive – Impairments that impact memory, language, thinking, or judgement
•   Physical – Limitations that affect mobility and navigation

Additionally, temporary disabilities such as broken bones or fatigue, situational limitations such as bright sunlight, time constraints or independent living, device constraints such as small screens or outdated technology, and internet-related factors like slow connection are all factors that need consideration. Each of these impairments highlights the range of barriers that many individuals face when trying to navigate and use digital technologies effectively.

Ensuring Digital Accessibility

Geographic Solutions, as a software development firm, understands the importance of creating accessible web applications and is dedicated to ensuring ease-of-use for all users. Ensuring accessibility is a core aspect of our software development process. All our software is designed to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Our team utilizes a myriad of accessibility tools to mimic color impairments, test alternative text for images, check screen reader order, evaluate keyboard navigation, and more. Our ADA Compliance Team is made up of many people, but it was important to our company to employ individuals with various impairments as part of this process. We invite you to enjoy this video on our ADA Compliance processes.

Our commitment to accessibility goes beyond compliance, we believe that empathy drives us to find ways to include everyone. We prioritize accessibility to empower workforce staff and job seekers of all abilities. Our accessible technology expands job opportunities for individuals with disabilities and equips workforce agencies with the effective tools that they need to provide equal service. As we celebrate GAAD, Geographic Solutions remains dedicated to fostering digital accessibility and creating an inclusive workforce landscape that is diverse and inclusive. Looking ahead, we are dedicated to ongoing improvement in accessibility for our software, ensuring that it evolves to meet the needs of all users.

GAAD is a Good Day: Promoting Accessibility and Inclusion Across the Digital Landscape

Thu, 19 May 2022 13:32:00 GMT

It Starts with One Voice

Who knew a single blog post could spark an accessibility movement on a global scale? In 2011, web developer Joe Devon posted a blog entry calling for greater awareness of accessibility and for the creation of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). In a 2019 interview with Interactive Accessibility Podcast, Joe Devon tells the story of where the inspiration behind the blog post came from: his father, “a brilliant man … [who] spoke 10 languages, was a Holocaust survivor,” was trying to use a banking website but it was not accessible. Joe said of this frustrating experience, “It was painful to watch him get older and not be able to access a website.”

Joe Devon admits he had the expectation that his idea for a day of accessibility awareness would go nowhere. He stated, “I wasn't even smart enough to tweet this out. WordPress had an automated tweet thing so it tweeted out my blog post.” That’s where Jennison Asuncion, an accessibility professional, came across Joe’s blog. Jennison contacted Joe via Twitter, and they joined forces to create the worldwide day of observance. Thanks to their efforts, GAAD is observed on the third Thursday of May each year, driving awareness of accessibility issues.

What Does Accessibility Mean?

In a post-COVID 19 world, the need for digital accessibility is more prevalent than ever. Social distancing requirements stimulated an increase in the reliance upon electronic activities such as shopping, banking, entertainment, work, healthcare, and more. For many people with disabilities, this may have provided additional access to opportunities they may have been limited or nonexistent previously — such as remote work opportunities or access to virtual services like entertainment and healthcare. Deque Systems collaborated with the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) to survey 292 accessibility practitioners in 2020 and followed up in 2021 with 270 responses. They found that although awareness around digital accessibility was higher than anticipated, accessibility complaints from people with disabilities increased.
Accessibility means that a person with a disability must be able to experience web-based services, content, or other digital products with the same successful outcome as those without disabilities. In the U.S. alone 61 million adults live with a disability — that’s 26% of the adult population — and 1 billion people worldwide are living with disabilities. Of those American adults who make up the working population, 19.1% have a disability. Digital access and inclusion is not just crucial, it is an absolute requirement for an equitable world.

Digital accessibility is not a new topic. It was 1998 when Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to include electronic and information technology accessibility. Job hunting is difficult enough but navigating a system that is inherently working against you makes it near impossible, and remote service delivery has transformed more than one workforce development office. The North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Guilford County (Greensboro) teams found creative ways to continue high levels of service delivery through their use of no-touch tools. The pandemic pushed many services to be provided virtually and accelerated the development of many no-touch tools.

Creating an Accessible Experience for Every User

As a software development company, Geographic Solutions recognizes the large role it owns in creating accessible web applications and strives to bring ease-of-use to its products for all users.

Each site we develop provides the same modern accessibility technology including keyboard shortcuts, alternative text and descriptions for images, usability with alternative computer technology, clear and simple text language, and the use of WAI-ARIA markup for screen readers. In addition to the accessibility features, our sites employ logical and consistent navigation to allow for navigation via keyboard shortcuts both vertically (within the page) and horizontally (between pages). Hyperlinks are described with meaningful location text, and hidden headers can be used to navigate the site.

But for us, it is about more than just accessibility. Part of inclusion is empathy. When we feel empathy for others, we are more likely to find the ways to include them. In previous years, our in-house accessibility team executed Disability Awareness Labs to demonstrate the challenges faced by people living with disabilities. For 2022, Deque Systems, an authority in digital accessibility, is offering both an Accessibility Awareness Lab and a Fundamentals Bootcamp online.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month Highlights The Importance Of Accessibility And Inclusion In The COVID Age

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 13:59:00 GMT

National Disability Employment Awareness Month brings focus to the proliferation of accessible practices due to the global pandemic.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month: An Important and Timely Observance

2020 marks two important milestones for disability awareness: the 75th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) and the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. 1945 was the year Congress initially declared the first week of October to be “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week”; the name was changed 16 years later to acknowledge individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress moved to expand the observance from a week to a month, giving us the NDEAM we know today.

To commemorate this important year, the Office of Disability Employment Policy chose to center their celebrations on the theme “Increasing Access and Opportunity”. NDEAM is a way we can celebrate American workers with disabilities and remind employers of the importance of inclusive hiring practices.

Accessibility and Coronavirus

The coronavirus has become a catalyst for digital transformation in many companies and industries. This is the age of COVID-19, and technology is at the forefront. In some cases, the pandemic has helped to level the playing field—especially for persons with disabilities. Firms large and small have adapted and created new policies meant to keep their employees safe.

In August, the New York Times published an article discussing how the coronavirus pandemic limited public life for most yet opened some doors for persons with disabilities. Thanks to modern technology, house parties, professional conferences, and improv classes became more accessible.

And, earlier this month, the Seattle Times posted that embracing universal design could make the digital world more accessible. With 26 percent of Americans having a disability, there is an opportunity as businesses and institutions reopen to become more inclusive.

Vocational Rehabilitation, Disability, and Empowerment

At Geographic Solutions, we’re working to help close gaps in digital accessibility, especially for state and local workforce agencies. In addition to crafting accessible software to assist people with all levels of ability, we also created an effective Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) case management module to track and manage individuals with disabilities as a way of supporting them in their goal of working and living independently. The module has been designed to give program staff the tools they need to improve efficiency and service delivery, while providing individuals with the necessary resources to find employment that is suitable for them.

Although the entire module focuses on helping people with disabilities find employment, some sections are unique because they focus on program eligibility, and tailoring services to maximize success. For instance:

The accommodations section of the application is designed to for use by workforce agency staff since they too have people with disabilities making use of the program.
The Health Assessment wizard in the VR Module uses a determination formula to help with finding a person with disabilities eligible for VR services.
The Individualized Plan for Employment is a key component for outlining the services needed by the person with a disability.

The Future of Disability Employment Awareness

To quote Office of Disability Employment Policy Deputy Assistant Secretary, Jennifer Sheehy, "People with disabilities are experienced problem solvers with proven ability to adapt. Now more than ever, flexibility is important for both workers and employers".

The 75th anniversary of NDEAM and the ongoing implication of coronavirus makes this the perfect time to reassess accessibility and promote inclusion for all.

Creating Awareness For Digital Accessibility

Wed, 20 May 2020 14:55:00 GMT

Geographic Solutions as a company is focused on bringing ease-of-use in their products to people with disabilities. In the United States alone, over half of working-age people have a disability or impairment, making it imperative to consider accessibility from the initial stages of software development. Geographic Solutions is committed to making our software as accessible as possible, and we are proud to observe Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD).

Each year, GAAD is observed on the third Thursday of May, as a means to get everyone talking, thinking, and learning about digital access for individuals with disabilities. GAAD was first celebrated in 2012 to help highlight the need for increased accessibility for over one billion people with disabilities and/or impairments.

"GAAD creates awareness. The more people who begin to know and understand what digital accessibility is -- everyone will benefit in way they may not know," said Geographic Solutions' Accessibility Services Programmer, John Contarino.

Ensuring Inclusiveness for All Users

To offer a truly inclusive experience, individuals with disabilities must be able to experience web-based services, content, and other digital products with the same successful outcome as those without disabilities. Accessibility guidelines enhance the product experience for those with disabilities as well as for all users. These guidelines became part of an industry-wide movement with revised regulations from the Department of Justice in 2010.

As a company, we are committed to ensuring our software is universally accessible. As a testament to this commitment, our Accessibility Services Team periodically creates awareness labs. These workshops not only show how imperative inclusive design is to our user base, but they also demonstrate to our employees how advantageous accessible design can be.

While no days are typical in an agile-driven software development company, this team spends any given week analyzing websites, documents, and other materials for compliance with the latest accessibility guidelines.

"We continually research, train, and ask questions to better understand the barriers that persons with disabilities encounter," said Accessibility Services Team Lead, Patti Arouni.

Looking Toward the Future

The benefits far outweigh the challenges, and our accessibility services group agrees that the most rewarding part is helping level the playing field for all individuals, regardless of impairment.

"We recommend visiting the GAAD website, globalaccessibilityawarenessday.org, to take part in the event," said Contarino.

Enhancing The User Experience

Mon, 03 Sep 2018 14:39:00 GMT

How Geographic Solutions Ensures Accessibility in Software Development

You won’t find it on a list of the world’s most dangerous jobs, but this career path requires brave employees who are willing to work with JAWS. No, not the infamous great white shark, but something equally powerful in the world of accessibility technology: JAWS (Job Access with Speech). This screen reader software is a key tool used by Geographic Solutions’ Accessibility Services Team to ensure that web pages and applications are fully accessible to users with low or no vision.

JAWS Technology: Enhancing Accessibility for All Users

Considered the next frontier in worldwide accessibility equality, Geographic Solutions is focused on bringing ease-of-use in their products to people with disabilities. In the U.S. alone, over half of working-age people have disabilities, making it even more imperative to consider accessibility from the second a product is conceived.

The Accessibility Services Team: Pioneering Inclusive Design

The benefits far outweigh the challenges, and this group within the development department agrees that the most rewarding part is helping level the playing field for all individuals, regardless of specific impairment. JAWS technology is crucial in enabling this mission and ensuring our software meets the necessary accessibility standards.

As a company, we're committed to ensuring our software is universally accessible. As a testament to this movement, the Accessibility Services Team periodically creates awareness labs. These workshops not only show how important inclusive design is to our users, but also demonstrate to employees across all departments how impactful accessible design can be.

The Importance of Accessibility Compliance in Software Development

Part of an industry-wide movement since the Department of Justice revised regulations in 2010, accessibility guidelines not only enhance the product experience for those with disabilities but improve usability for all users.

“The Accessibility Services Team is here to help,” said Accessibility Services Team Lead, Patti Arouni. “We can answer questions, provide training, recommend tools, and do whatever else is necessary so that our products are usable by as many people as possible.”