Disability Research News

How would you feel if, due to poor eye health, you could no longer see your loved ones clearly or perform routine tasks that you’ve been doing your entire life? Many of our nation’s Veterans are, unfortunately, facing this reality. For Veterans like Earl White, 92, who is functionally deaf and losing his vision due to age-related macular degeneration, having virtual eye care services has made adapting to a different lifestyle a little easier.

The National Governors Association, in partnership with the State Exchange on Employment & Disability, published a new commentary, “Governors Lead on Solutions to Improve Mental Health in the Workplace.” The commentary highlights a recent panel discussion at the NGA 2023 Workforce Symposium featuring ODEP Assistant Secretary Taryn Williams, among others, and examines three key strategies for states to better serve workers with mental and behavioral health conditions.

Last week, the State Exchange on Employment & Disability presented on a disability-focused legislative panel to more than 20 members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly during Representative Dan Miller’s 10th Annual Disability & Mental Health Summit in Pittsburgh, PA. The session, “Recommendations of the Employment First Oversight Commission,” featured model state employer examples of disability-inclusive policies and practices.

The U.S. Department of Labor announced this week the availability of $1.5 million in funds for the first year of a cooperative agreement to operate a policy development center focused on advancing employment opportunities and outcomes for youth with disabilities. Administered by the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, the funding will build on the work of ODEP’s Center for Advancing Policy on Employment for Youth.

Today, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology (OET) released a new report, "Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Future of Teaching and Learning: Insights and Recommendations" that summarizes the opportunities and risks for AI in teaching, learning, research, and assessment based on public input. This report is part of the Biden-Harris Administration's ongoing effort to advance a cohesive and comprehensive approach to AI-related opportunities and risks.

A report recently published by the ODEP-funded Job Accommodation Network reveals that the benefits of providing accommodations for workers with disabilities significantly outweigh the costs. Key findings, based on a survey of employers over the past four years, are that nearly half (49.4%) of accommodations cost nothing to implement, and 43.3% incur a one-time median cost of only $300. In addition, a majority (68.4%) of employers surveyed reported that the accommodation they made was either very effective or extremely effective, leading to multiple direct and indirect benefits.

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month in May, the U.S. Department of Labor launched Mental Health at Work—a new initiative that connects work being done across DOL agencies to improve worker wellbeing, reduce stigma, and promote equitable access to mental health resources and treatment, especially for historically marginalized populations. As part of this, DOL developed a new webpage centralizing workplace mental health tools and resources and published a blog post highlighting the importance of the initiative to DOL’s mission.

Earlier this week, the Society for Human Resource Management launched its 2023 Disability Inclusion Pledge. Developed in coordination with ODEP as part of its Alliance with SHRM, this new initiative encourages human resource professionals and other business executives to commit to fostering a culture of inclusivity and provides a suite of tools and resources to help them implement related policies and best practices.

The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) at ACL has opened two new funding opportunities under the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) program.

Today’s announcement is part of a broader effort across the federal government to advance a cohesive approach to AI-related opportunities and risks. The new AI Institutes will advance foundational AI research that promotes ethical and trustworthy AI systems and technologies, develop novel approaches to cybersecurity, contribute to innovative solutions to climate change, expand our understanding of the brain, and leverage AI capabilities to enhance education and public health.

Innovative research may allow amputee Veterans to control prosthetic with brain

On Monday, April 17, ODEP’s Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology hosted a virtual think tank on applying the National Institute of Standards and Technology AI Risk Management Framework to inclusive hiring. More than 60 participants gathered to discuss the importance of inclusive automated employment decision tools.

Learn how employers used employee assistance programs to support worker mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion research to practice brief. The practices outlined in the publication were developed based on the experiences of EAP professionals who are members of the Employee Assistance Professionals Association.

Today, the U.S. National Science Foundation has announced a $16.1 million investment to support shared research infrastructure that provides artificial intelligence researchers and students across the nation with access to transformative resources including high-quality data on human-machine interactions in the context of collaborative teams, automated driving and news recommendation. The projects will include platforms for carrying out AI research on social robotics and immersive virtual environments.

Many people with disabilities move through their entire educations without ever being taught self-advocacy skills, having conversations about possible careers, or getting information about independent living (IL) opportunities. Most are not exposed to the IL philosophy, which centers the right of people with disabilities to control their own lives, until they leave high school. As a result, many leave school unaware of the options available to them – and unprepared to take advantage of them.

The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) at ACL has opened a new funding opportunity under the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program for projects for translating the findings and products of DRRP research into practice.

U.S. National Science Foundation Director Sethuraman Panchanathan spoke at a press conference at the University of Washington in Seattle. Director Panchanathan was joined by Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA) and leaders from Washington state higher education institutions to discuss the "CHIPS & Science Act," next generation technologies and workforce training and development. Director Panchanathan outlined his vision for the NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, specifically focusing on chip development and manufacturing and artificial intelligence.

The Pathways to Partnership program is the largest discretionary grant administered by RSA, with an estimated $224 million available to fund multiple innovative model demonstration projects administered through partnerships among VR agencies, state or local education agencies, and CILs focused on the creation of systemic approaches to improve access to pre-employment transition services for students with disabilities. As young people with disabilities move through the school system, many do not have exposure to self-advocacy training, careers, and independent living opportunities.

The “Secure Your Financial Future: A Toolkit for People with Disabilities,” developed by ODEP and the Employee Benefits Security Administration, guides people with disabilities to strive for or maintain employment and achieve financial stability. Organized around five stages of the employment lifecycle, the toolkit provides tools and resources addressing common financial concerns during each stage. So, whether you are preparing for a job, starting a job, maintaining a job, changing or losing a job, or even planning for retirement, this toolkit has resources for you.

Accessibility is the foundation of a workplace culture that embraces all employees, including those with disabilities. Throughout April, the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion is highlighting the many ways to create and enhance accessibility across your whole organization, and how employees at every level can play a role. Follow EARN on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter this month for strategies, resources, and information about the benefits of creating accessible workplaces.

April is National Autism Month. The Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship has resources to help employers and apprenticeship organizations create inclusive apprenticeship programs that support neurodiversity in the workplace.

The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) at ACL has opened a new funding opportunity for a Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERC) Program: RERC on Universal Access to Information and Communication Technology. The purpose of the RERC program is to improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act by conducting advanced engineering research on and development of innovative technologies that are designed to solve particular rehabilitation problems or to remove environmental barriers.

The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) at ACL has a new funding opportunity under the Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTCs) Program to advance disability statistics and demographics to inform policy and practice.

Brian Arrington is a retired Air Force Veteran and founder of VETS2INDUSTRY. The non-profit organization supports and helps transitioning military personnel, Veterans and military spouses find meaningful and sustainable careers in the civilian workforce. In Arrington’s last year of service to the U.S. Air Force, he learned there were over 45,000 plus Veteran Service Organizations nationwide that provided free services and support to U.S. military families.

As part of its Women’s History Month observance, ODEP published a blog this week analyzing data on the employment of women with disabilities in skilled trade professions,which are a key component of the Biden Administration’s Good Jobs Initiative. Among the key findings is that among disabled women in the workforce, about 455,000 (10.2%) work in the skilled trades, with the largest representation in transportation and production (47% and 43%, respectively).