Employing People with Disabilities: 
National Network of DBTAC: ADA Centers Speak Out
- National Business Series Video (8 minutes)

President George Bush: Please join me in celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Since I signed the ADA into law July 26, 1990 millions of Americans with disabilities are gaining new opportunities to go to work, to go to school and to enjoy recreational activities. PWD are now integral participants in their communities and in our great nation. They are making enormous contributions to our society…our culture…and to our economy. Please celebrate their achievements as we celebrate the ADA. Though we’ve made tremendous strides since 1990 you can help keep the promise of the ADA alive by increasing your knowledge of what you can do to make sure everyone has access to all the opportunities that our society offers.

Narrator: July 26, 1990 President George Herbert Walker Bush signed into effect the historic Americans with Disabilities Act protecting qualified people from discrimination based on disability. It was a defining moment in Mr. Bush’s presidency. 

Lex Frieden (An Architect of the ADA): When President Bush signed the ADA in 1990 July 26th became the Independence Day for people with disabilities. 

Narrator: What no one could have envisioned was how the need for this civil right would grow in unexpected ways as the disability community has grown. War veteran Kenneth Adams sustained traumatic brain injuries and permanent blindness in Afghanistan. In previous wars these injuries may have killed him and thousands of others. But thanks to advances in medical care Kenneth survived. Kenneth’s post military plans were shattered by his injury. 

Kenneth Adams: Before my accident in Afghanistan, I wanted to come back and be a police officer and help people out as much as I could.

Narrator: He’s one of the many of our troops who left for war able-bodied and employed and returned an American with disabilities. In fact, people with disabilities are the fastest growing minority in America today. And it’s a group that anyone can join at any minute. Even as we age, the prevalence of disability naturally rises increasing the odds that you will one day become a part of the disability community.

Lex Frieden: I think it’s really important for people to understand the impact the ADA has made not only on the infrastructure…many people can see wider aisles in their grocery stores; but not many people understand the impact that ADA has had on the values, the lives, the culture of our society and on individuals who now can look forward to full participation and equal opportunity just like everybody else in America.

Narrator: The Americans with Disabilities Act is a civil rights law designed to keep Americans with disabilities active, productive members in their communities. The National Disability and Technical Assistance Centers network of ADA Centers or DBTAC, strives to increase awareness of the value of all people with disabilities including those who are employed or want to work. 

Sally Holmes, MD (Spinal Cord Injury Care Line Executive, Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center): When I started medical school one of my concerns was what was kind of reactions I was going to get from not only my patients but from other health care providers. What I found is really most often they don’t really get a different reaction. I think that the reason for that is probably that it’s evident that since I’m a physician, I’m qualified to do my job and so people give me that benefit of the doubt. And I think that’s important for anyone with a physical disability to be confident in what you do and portray that when you interact with people.

Narrator: Michael Shelton hired Julie Collins to work as a legal secretary. It’s a partnership that works well for both of them. 

Michael Shelton: The challenges of working with a disabled person are really non existent with Julie. She’s able to do anything that an able person can do. I have seen no down side at all to having Julie. It’s all been an upside for me. She does everything and better that people I have had in the past.

Julie Collins: I was afraid to take the leap and try for a professional job because I didn’t think I could do it again. But now that I have taken the job as a secretary, I wish I would have done it sooner. I wish I would have tried to be in this kind of position before because it’s very rewarding.

Narrator: Thanks to examples like Julie and Mike, Kenneth Adams has high hopes for his employment future.

Kenneth Adams: I can still get the job done just like a person who has sight. Now it’s just that it might take me a little bit longer to do, but I mean, I guarantee the work will get done.

Narrator: The Americans with Disabilities Act has brought much attention to the capabilities of Americans with disabilities. But it’s up to employers and potential employees to put that law into action. Employers can help by making their businesses accessible. It’s a tactic that not only broadens the depth of potential employees; it boosts business by drawing in customers with disabilities…a growing market with billions of dollars of discretionary spending. 

Vernus C. Swisher, CEO (Career and Recovery Resources): Our company is Career and Recovery Resources. We are a United Way agency which means we’re non profit. We were established in 1945 and our mission is to have persons identified to overcome barriers to employment.  We have great success with placing persons with disabilities. We have individuals that have come to us that may have a disability with mobility and we have talked to employers about ADA and the kind of adjustments they needed to make. And many of those adjustments have already been made and we’re able to obviously work with that employer to get our clients placed within their organization. 

Narrator: With the work of organizations like the national DBTAC network of ADA Centers people with disabilities are accepted as valuable members of their communities.

Sean Barr, Senior Project Engineer: I can’t speak for everybody but in my case, a lot of the times, the person you end up making accommodations for will end up being one of the best employees you have. A lot of times it’s been the fact that you’ve given them the opportunity and all you’re really sacrificing is a little bit of modification here and there, whether it be a door or computer or a certain keyboard. I mean, you’re really not shelling out a lot, but your gains are large.

Gloria Combs, Administrative Aid: We really want to show that we can do what everybody else can do. WE just have to do it another kind of way. But we’re able to do anything and we will show people what we can do and that we can do it better.

Alfonzo Hernandez, Therapeutic Program Director: I was working in warehousing, building things, lifting things, instrumentation and at the time I injured my back all that went out the door. That door closed on me. And from that point on, I had to get retrained in another type of setting—an office type of setting—where I was using computers. And I had never been exposed to computers in my life! And now it opened up a completely different line of work for me. And I really enjoy it.

Katherine Mack, Director of Human Resources (Fluor Corporation): We’re in a very tight labor market really all across the country. And whether we are or whether we’re not, people with disabilities are excellent performers. Any company that feels like they are lagging behind or are uncertain or unsure how to handle disability accommodations, how the law impacts them, call your resources. Call DBTAC. Call the resources. They are available.

DBTAC: Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center
National Network of ADA Centers
800-949-4232 (V/TTY)