Local Resources for Baltimore Black-Owned Businesses

According to a report from the New York Fed, Black businesses experienced the “most acute decline” in business ownership last year, strongly as a result of the pandemic. In fact, Black-owned businesses dropped by nearly 41% from just February to April. One of our goals here at Applied Development is to help lift up other […]

5 Benefits of Hiring People with Disabilities

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only about 19% of people with disabilities were employed in 2019. When you compare this to the rate of employment for people without disabilities the contrast is shocking, since over 66% of the population without disabilities are currently employed. While there are some cases where employment is not […]

Getting Involved in Advocacy and Outreach for People with Diversabilities

Advocacy and outreach are important for people with all types of disabilities. Not only is being included and feeling like a part of a community a positive experience, it is also a critical part of mental health. Additionally, it can be important for safety and advancement. There are dozens of ways to get involved in […]

How Section 508 Compliance Services Can Help Your Federal Agency

The internet and its associated technology has been part of everyday life for decades now. As it began infiltrating every part of our lives from work to personal, the need for accessible websites and technology became increasingly clear. People who are Deaf, blind, or have other physical limitations or learning impairments need to be able […]

What Makes an Effective ASL (American Sign Language) Interpreter?

American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters are vitally important communication resources for people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. However, just because a person knows ASL does not mean that they want to interpret or would even be a particularly effective ASL interpreter. ASL is a language all its own rather than a direct translation […]

4 Tips for Creating a Positive Corporate Culture

People care about working for companies that are focused on creating a positive corporate culture now more than ever before. In fact, a Columbia University study showed that job turnover is 48.4% more likely when people are working somewhere that they perceive as negative. A company’s culture ultimately tells prospective employees how management will treat […]

How CART Services for Virtual Meetings Work

Introduction When the pandemic first drove people out of offices and into their homes, the idea of virtual meetings was kind of exciting. However, after nine months of working from home, virtual meetings have become the norm. More people than ever are logging on to platforms like Zoom and Google Meet every day. For people […]

Reflecting on 2020: What Lessons Can We Take Into Next Year?

If you spend any time reading the news or online publications, you have probably seen the term “unprecedented” about a thousand times since March. While there are a few other words to describe the year, unprecedented probably is the most accurate. Many of us are starting to feel like we have lived through an entire […]

5 Ways to Avoid Job Interview Bias

Introduction When searching for candidates to fill a position, it is important to stay as impartial as possible. You want to bring in the best person for the job without consideration of age, gender, disability, religion, or race. Unfortunately, many people have unconscious interview bias that can affect the hiring process. Unconscious biases, or implicit […]

What to Know if Sections 504 and 508 of the ADA Apply to Your Business

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) helps protect people with diversabilities (diverse abilities). Its primary job is to increase accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities. Two sections of the ADA, 504 and 508, apply specifically to federal departments and agencies, meaning private sector businesses and businesses that receive federal funding are exempt from these […]