Telework and Accessibility
With the rapid rise of telepresence, many workplaces are adjusting to a new way of doing business. Companies are considering how to enhance virtual experiences that boost productivity. Many traditional office environments and meeting structures have transformed, with work activities and conferences shifted from in-person to virtual.
This recent surge in digital communications, social media, and online platforms make it more important than ever for everyone, especially people with disabilities, to maintain reliable access to technology. There’s no better time to call attention to digital accessibility.
Whether you are a business owner, supervisor, or valued worker in a small organization, the Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology (PEAT), an initiative of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, offers resources to help make your virtual spaces as accessible as possible.
Telework & Accessibility Guide
The Telework and Accessibility Guide includes timely resources such as digital accessibility basics, tips for picking an accessible virtual meeting platform, and support for workers setting up a remote workspace for the first time.
Accessibility Benchmarking & Staff Training
TechCheck helps businesses of any size assess their technology accessibility practices as a whole whether you have a formal accessible technology effort or not. This 10-minute assessment provides a confidential benchmarking "snapshot" of the current state of your technology, the accessibility goals you want to reach, and what steps you might take to achieve them. Once you have this assessment in hand, the Staff Training Guide then provides detailed guidance in training employees across your organization with the knowledge they need, specific to their role.
Communicate Your Commitment
Once your company commits to increasing the accessibility of its workplace technology, it’s helpful to your organization and employees to strategically communicate that commitment, both internally and externally.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will turn 30 on July 26, 2020. Join PEAT and others in commemorating the ADA’s legacy by exploring what the next 30 years of work will look like for people with disabilities in the workplace.