At Applied Development, we champion the rights of people of all abilities to communicate effectively. One of the main ways we do that is through our the reasonable accommodations we provide through our diversability programs, which include sign language interpretation, Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART) Services, and reader services. We also advocate for the rights of disabled employees through our Compliance Services for sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Read more about this program, and what it means to put our vision into action.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became a ground-breaking civil rights law in 1990. It established that people with disabilities legally had a right to the same rights and opportunities as people without disabilities. The Act makes sure that in public life, people with disabilities cannot be discriminated against. It is also divided into sections, that each guarantee equality in public accommodations, transportation, state and local government services, telecommunications, and employment. The Rehabilitation Act prohibits disability discrimination, “in programs conducted by Federal agencies, in programs receiving Federal financial assistance, in Federal employment, and in the employment practices of Federal contractors.” Sections 504 and 508 of the act specifically mentions equal access to technology and reasonable accommodations for employees.
Our diversability services make sure that employees and clients of the Federal Government have the services they need. In VA Hospitals, that can mean a sign language interpreter for a patient or family member; at the Department of Defense (DoD), that can mean real-time transcription services for an employee during a video conference; and at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA), that can mean reading documents for a Blind employee. These are reasonable accommodation services that help each agency comply with the ADA and sections 504 and 508.
However, our work in this area also makes sure that the government and other clients are ideal employers for people with disabilities. At a high level, we can provide inclusion and disability program evaluation and analysis to make sure that the approach an employer takes is in compliance. We also help develop policies and programs that support compliance.
One of our current clients is the Defense Human Resource Management Activity (DHRA), Diversity Management Operations Center (DMOC). This office provides “diversity management and equal opportunity outreach, training, and operational services across DoD”. Hiring and retaining employees with disabilities part of that diversity management and equal opportunity initiative. We recruit persons with disabilities for federal government positions through the Workforce Recruitment Program and manage 504/508 complaint resolution.
We currently provide reasonable accommodation services in 23 states for 10 different federal agencies. We’re proud to have a team that shares our passion for communication, and we make sure that passionate people join our team. Our employees treat clients with humanity, compassion, joy, and professionalism. In any type of communication, trust is paramount. We ensure that every client can trust us to make sure their messages are received and delivered as intended.
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