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State of the Science Conference
September 15-16, 2005
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Workplace Accommodation Outcomes
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- Workplace Accommodation Outcomes
- What prompted this study?
- Methodology
- Demographics
- Demographics, cont.
- Employment Status
- Accommodations used prior to assessment
- Job classification
- The decision makers in the accommodation process
- Accommodations recommended
Workplace Accommodation Outcomes
Putting Practice into Policy
September 15-16, 2005
State of the Science Conference
Sarah Endicott
Logos: Work RERC, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
(NIDRR), Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access (CATEA), College
of Architecture, Georgia Tech.
What prompted this study?
A literature review on workplace accommodations revealed that information
about accommodations is presented in general terms, and specific accommodation
solutions and outcomes are not well documented in the literature
The Work RERC study entitled A Retrospective Analysis of User Needs
identified accommodation and assistive technology recommendations given for
the subject population, but revealed inconsistent documentation for implementation
outcomes of the technology and accommodations recommended
Methodology
- A survey tool was developed and approved by IRB
- Subject pool consisted of the working age adults with disabilities
included in the Retrospective Analysis of User Needs
- Contact information for subjects was identified, as possible and as
available
- Subjects were contacted by telephone
- Approximately 20% of the subjects for which contact information is
available have completed the survey
Demographics
- Subjects participating in the study ranged in age from 20 to 52
years, with a mean age of 39.2 years
- Gender: 39% male, 58% female
- Race: 65% white, 12% black, 23% unknown
- Top 5 primary conditions:
- Spinal cord injury, 27%
- Visual impairment, 23%
- Cerebral palsy, 8%
- Multiple sclerosis, 8%
- Traumatic brain injury, 8%
Demographics, cont.
- Education level
- Some high school, or graduated from high school, 31%
- Completed Bachelors, 31%
- Completed Masters/Doctorate, 12%
- Total years of work history ranged from 0 to 21 years, with a mean
of 9.1 years
- Number of previous jobs held ranged from 0 to 8
- Subjects included in the study had been assessed by Georgia Tech at
some point in time between 1990 and 2000
Employment Status
At the time of original assessment, subjects were:
Employed, 58%
Unemployed, 42%
Accommodations used prior to assessment
No accommodations or doesn’t remember, 77%
Physical/spatial environment - None reported
Assistive technology and work equipment, 25% - Communication device,
speakerphone, adapted tools, computer accommodations, magnification aids
Adaptive strategies, 2% - Made large print documents using copier, job
site orientation
Job classification
The decision makers in the accommodation process
Self / subject, 89%
Family member, 31%
Friends, community, 4%
Medical professional, 8%
Private insurance, none
Workers compensation, none
Vocational rehabilitation, 50%
Employer, 31%
The above persons participated in addition to the service providers from
the Georgia Tech team
Accommodations recommended
Physical/spatial environment: Ramp, floor surface alterations, door
modifications, bathroom modifications, arrange furniture, parking
Assistive technology and work equipment: Communication device, speakerphone,
assistive technology, adapted tools, computer accommodations, magnification
aid, workstation, ergonomic chair
Adaptive strategies: Job site orientation, training, eliminate non-essential
tasks, pacing, taking breaks, assistance, tool placement
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