The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program is a state-federal partnership that promotes the employment and independence of individuals with disabilities. VR counselors have specialized training that enables them to identify qualified individuals with disabilities who are ready for employment. They provide access to leading edge technologies that can improve the overall work performance of individuals with disabilities. To connect to the VR point-of-contact in your state, visit the website for the State Employment Specialists in Vocational Education.

 

 

 

The website for the Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTAC) national network of ADA Centers provides information, training, and technical assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act. The centers are funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDDR) under the U.S. Department of Education. More information is available at http://www.acl.gov/programs/NIDILRR

 

 

 

Centers for Independent Living (CILs) are non-residential places of action and coalition. The CILs work with individuals and local communities to remove barriers to independence and ensure equality. More information is available on the Virginia state website at http://www.vadrs.org/cbs/cils.htm

 

 

 

The Employer Assistance and Recruiting Network (EARN) is a national toll-free telephone and online information referral service designed to assist employers in locating and recruiting qualified workers with disabilities. EARN, which is a service of the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), also provides technical assistance on general disability employment-related issues. For more information, call 1-855-AskEARN (275-3276) or visit http://askearn.org

 

 

 

Individuals with disabilities often are subjected to a system that is fragmented and difficult to navigate. The One Stop Career Centers, created under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), have a legislative mandate to serve individuals with disabilities in finding employment. These centers play a major role in assisting employers by tapping into this pool of workforce talent. They can be found through the public Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) system. A list of VR offices by state is available on the JAN website.

 

 

 

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) provides free consulting services for employers. Services include one-on-one consultation on employment of individuals with disabilities, including the accommodation process, accommodation ideas, product vendors, referral to other resources, and ADA compliance assistance. Extensive information is available at the Job Accommodations Network (JAN) website. JAN also provides an employer’s guide to reasonable accommodations in compliance with the ADA in its website.

 

 

 

The ADA National Network provides information and guidelines on ADA requirements. It is funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). For more information on NIDILRR, see the website at http://www.acl.gov/programs/NIDILRR. See the ADA National Network web search portal for answers to a range of questions about individuals with disabilities.

A helpful fact sheet and a self-study course on ADA are available from the ADA National Network online.

 

In addition, the Southeast ADA Center—the regional ADA National Network covering the southeastern U.S.—hosts training and tutorials, including a free introductory web course that explores the legal requirements and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The course takes two to three hours to complete and includes quizzes and a post test offering CEUs and CRCCs.
 

Additional websites that link employers with qualified applicants with disabilities include the following: