MY NAME IS DANNY AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY HERE AT THE OFFICE OF DECIDE VERSITY HERE AT NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH. IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO WELCOME ALL OF YOU ALL TO OUR SECOND SCHEDULED EVENT AN OBSERVATION OF NATIONAL DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH. I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO THOSE OF YOU VISITING NIH FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO MAY BE VISITING WITH US ONLINE. IT'S JUST A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU ALL TO JOIN WITH US, WHETHER YOU'RE HERE IN THE ROOM OR REMOTELY. WE HAVE A WONDERFUL PROGRAM FOR YOU TODAY, AND NOT ONLY IS IT INSPIRATIONAL AND MOTIVATIONAL IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE EDUCATIONAL. HERE AT NIH IT'S A PRINCIPLE BUT INCREASED SENSITIVITY MODELLED THROUGH OUR EDI365 INITIATIVE. THAT BASICALLY MEANS WE ENGAGE IN EQUITY DIVERSITY AND COMMIT OURSELVES ON A YEARLY BASIS NOT JUST DURING A PARTICULAR MONTH OR RECOGNITION OR COMMEMORATION. WERE WITH THE CREATION OF THIS NEW REASONAL ACCOMMODATION PROGRAM WHICH YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT WHICH HAD A SOFT LAUNCH IN MARCH ALONG WITH THE NIH DISABILITY PORTFOLIO SPECIALIST EDI HAS SHOWN ONCE AGAIN WITH NIH LEADERSHIP ITS COMMITMENT TO EDUCATING, AND SENSE TIFITY TO THE RIGHTS OF THOSE WITH THOSE OF INDIVIDUALS. CAN YOU GIVE THIS TEAM A WONDERFUL HAND CLAP FOR ALL OF THE WONDERFUL EFFORT THEY HAVE GONE TO. I ASK YOU TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH YOUR RA TEAM THE DISABILITY PORTFOLIO SPECIALIST AND CLAM RATING WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES TO ENSURE THAT ALL EMPLOYEES HAVE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD HERE AT NIH, IT IS REALLY WHAT YOU DO EACH AND EVERY DAY THAT WILL REALLY HELP US TO PROMOTE THESE. BEFORE WE TRANSITION TO THE INTRODUCTION OF OUR PANELISTS I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK EACH OF YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY. THANK YOU FOR GIVING US YOUR TIME, TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR VERY BUSY SCHEDULEDS TO MAKE SURE THESE EVENTS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL EDUCATIONAL AND MOTIVATIONAL. ON BEHALF OF OUR DIRECTOR MR. EVERETT SHOE DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF EQUITY DIVERSION INCLUSION THE NIH WORK RESPECT FOR AND ALL YOU ALL HERE WE KNOW WE WILL HAVE GREAT MOVEMENT WITHIN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY. TO OUR AUDIENCE WE PLEASE RELISH AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN A DISCUSSION TODAY THAT PROMOTES OPTIMISM EMPOWERMENT AND MOST IMPORTANTLY POSITIVE CHANGE. AND IF YOU ARE JOINING US ONLINE, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS EVEN DURING THE PANEL DISCUSSION WE INVITE YOU TO E-MAIL THOSE QUESTIONS TO EDI.GUIDANCE AT NIH NIH.GOV. I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU AGAIN, EDI .GUIDANCE@NIH.GOV AND EVEN DURING THOSE TIMES YOUR QUESTIONS CAN BE ANSWERED. WITHOUT FURTHER ADO I TURN IT OVER TO CATHY FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF OUR PANELISTS AND OUR FACILITATOR. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON, WELCOME AGAIN TO OUR DISCUSSION ON REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS HERE AT THE NIH. MY NAME IS KATHLEEN TPHAZ I'M PROUD OF BEING PART OF THIS COMMITTEE FOR 20 YEARS NOW NOW AS LEGISLATIVE COORDINATOR. MOST IMPORTANTLY I'M ALSO THE MOTHER OF A CHILD WITH AUTISM AND I CARRY MY OWN DISABILITY. IT WAS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO FACILITATE THIS IMPORTANT DISCUSSION TODAY. WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE TIME PROVIDED BY OUR PANELISTS LOCATED HERE AND WE WOULD FIRST LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. STEPHAN SCOTT, CHIEF OF EDI'S EQUITY BRANCH. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? >> SURE. THERE ARE THREE SERVICES WITHIN OUR BRANCH, AND THEY ARE LANGUAGE ACCESS, WE PROVIDE EEO GUIDANCE TO THE NIH COMMUNITY AND AS WELL REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION SERVICES TO THE NIH COMMUNITY. AND IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE, TO BE ABLE TO FIELD SOME QUESTIONS, AND TO INTERACT WITH EVERYONE HERE ON THIS SPECIAL DAY. SO THANK YOU. >> WE HAVE NEXT MISS KERRI GRAY DIRECTOR OF NEXT-GEN INITIATIVES T DISABILITY-IN. >> THANKS FOR HAVING ME TODAY I'M REALLY EXCITED TO JOIN ALL OF YOU AND TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT I LOVE, WHICH IS DISABILITY INCLUSION. I WORK FOR AN ORGANIZATION CALLED DISABILITY-IN WE'RE A NATIONAL NON-PROFIT THAT FOCUSES ON THE PRIVATE SECTOR SO WE WORK WITH A LOT OF FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES AND POWERING THEM THROUGH DISABILITY INCLUSION. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO INCORPORATE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN YOUR COMPANY. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO DESIGN PRODUCTS AND INITIATIVES THAT ARE INCLUSIVE WITH ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE SO WE WORK HARD TO GROW WHAT TOMORROW AND TODAY CAN LOOK LIKE. I HAVE THE ABSOLUTE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH THE NEXT GENERATION OF TALENT. MY HEART IS IN LOOKING AND WORKING WITH YOUNG FOLKS, WITH COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO HAVE BIG DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS BUT A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON HOW TO GET THERE. AND ESPECIALLY A LOT OF QUESTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO BEING AN UNDERREPRESENTED INDIVIDUAL IN THIS COUNTRY. BEING A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY MAYBE ALSO INTERSECTING WITH A PERSON OF COLOR, A WOMAN, THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT LEAD THEM TO BE UNSURE OF HOW SUCCESSFUL AND HOW RECEPTIVE FOLKS WILL BE OF THEM. SO IN THE PROGRAMS THAT I RUN AND IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR PARTNERS WE INVEST IN THE STUDENTS, WE SHOW THEM FOLKS AND COMPANIES THAT WANT TO GET TO KNOW THEM, THAT WANT TO SEE THEIR SUCCESS, AND THAT MEANS EVERYTHING. SO I'M EXCITED TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THAT AND THANKS AGAIN FOR HAVING ME. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND FINALLY WE HAVE MR. BRUCE BAILEY, IT SPECIALIST AT THE ACCESS BOARD. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AM I COMING THROUGH OKAY WITH THE AUDIO? EXCELLENT. HI I'M BRUCE BAILEY, I'M HERE TODAY AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ACCESS BOARD WE'RE THE FOLKS THAT WRITE THE ACTUAL 508 STANDARDS. WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT OPTIMISM AND WHY WE'RE GETTING STARTED AND WHY WE CAME FROM. I'LL TELL YOU MY GETTING STARTED STORY WHICH I HAD THE ABSOLUTE WORST ATTITUDE. I HAVE TO TELL YOU. MANY, AND I COME ACROSS THAT NOW DAYS TOO BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE THEY'RE 508, ACCESSIBILITY RESPONSIBLE, OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED KIND OF THING. I DON'T THINK IT GETS THE ELEVATION THAT IT SHOULD MAYBE. YOU KNOW, I'M ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY IN TERMS OF INFORMATION ASSURANCE, AND IF WE CARE ABOUT PRIVACY OR IF YOU CARE ABOUT COPY RIGHT, OR IF YOU CARE ABOUT SECURITY, THOSE ARE ALL ASPECTS OF INFORMATION SECURITY. WELL THE OTHER LEG OF THAT STOOL IS ACCESSIBILITY. IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO MAKING SURE THE INFORMATION GETS TO WHERE IT BELONGS, AND THAT'S MOSTLY WHAT I DO IN MY DAY-TO-DAY LIFE. LIKE I SAID I WANT TO GO OFF SCRIPT AND TALK ABOUT GETTING STARTED, I WAS IN LIKE 1998-99, '89 RATHER, SO LIKE 30 YEARS AGO, AND ALL I WAS LOOKING FOR WAS SOMEBODY TO PAY FOR MY GRAD SCHOOL. THAT WAS MY CRITERIA, ALL RIGHT? AND IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, IF YOU'RE IN IT FOR THE MONEY, THAT'S NOT A GOOD START TO BEGIN WITH, I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU. ANYWAY, I DNTD KNOW THAT BACK THEN. SO ANYWAY, THIS LITTLE GROUP AT THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT ALBANY CENTER FOR COMPUTING AND DISABILITY THEY WERE GOING TO PAY WITH MY GRAD SCHOOL AND I HAD TO GIVE THEM A FEW HOURS. I'M LIKE FINE I'LL DO THAT. BUT GEE THAT SEEMS AWFULLY CRUEL YOU'VE GOT A DISABILITY AND YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE THE PERSON USE A COMPUTER? UGH TALK ABOUT KICKING SOMEBODY WHEN THEY'RE DOWN. I CAME OFF A FOUR YEAR DEGREE OF COMPUTER SCIENCE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT SOMETHING KONSTRUKTIVE I HEARD ABOUT THIS MICROSOFT COMPANY, BUT THEY DID NOT- - OH, YOU KNOW, SO I WAS A LITTLE BIT BURNT OUT ON COMPUTERS AT THE TIME. SO THAT ALSO PROBABLY CRICKETED TO MY BAD SENSE. I HAVE IT TELL YOU THAT THAT WAS SO TURNED MY LIFE AROUND TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES TO STUDENTS AT THE TIME, AND I'VE JUST KIND OF CONTINUED TO DO THAT AS MY CAREER PROGRESSED. FIRST AS A GRADUATE STUDENT THEN I GOT A JOB AT MARYLAND AND BALTIMORE. I'D NEVER BEEN TO BALTIMORE BEFORE. I DIDN'T KNOW HOW IT WAS GOING TO WORK. THEY WERE LIKE, WELL, WE'VE GOT A GRANT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, YOUR BACKGROUND'S GREAT, I SEE YOU'RE NEW TO THE FIELD BUT CLEARLY YOU KNOW COMPUTERS AND YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW BUT WE CAN ONLY OFFER YOU A JOB FOR FIVE YEARS AND THEN THE GRANT RUNS OUT. AND I WAS LIKE, FIVE YEARS? OH, THAT'S SUCH A LONG TIME! ALL RIGHT, I'LL TRY REALLY HARD TO DO THIS JOB FOR FIVE YEARS. YOU KNOW, ANYWAY. IT'S BEEN GREAT. IT'S BEEN SO TRANSFORMATIVE, AND OF COURSE BACK IN THOSE DAYS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU COULD USE A COMPUTER THAT MEANT YOU GOT A JOB. WHICH IS YOU KNOW WHERE THAT REHABILITATION CAME FROM. BUT IT'S STILL SO CRUCIAL FOR ACCESS. AND THE ONE THING I'LL MENTION HERE NOW, BEFORE YOU TRY AND GET BACK TO STOP DISRUPTING THE PROGRAM HERE, IS THAT IT'S INTERESTING TO ME THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW GOOD SOMEBODY, SAY SOMEBODY WHO'S BLIND, USES JAWS, THEY HAVE THE LATEST VERSION OF JAWS, THEY HAVE THE LATEST OPERATING SYSTEM, THEY'RE AN EXPERT WITH IT, THEY'RE ALL UP TO DATE. AND SO THEY'RE AN EXPERT COMPUTER USER BY ANY MEASURE. AN EXPERT ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY USER AND THEY COME ACROSS SOME PORNOGRAPHIC IN SOME DOCUMENT, AND THE PERSON DOESN'T HAVE THE ALTERNATIVE TEXT BEHIND THIS CRITICALLY PORNOGRAPHIC AND THEY'RE STUCK. SO IT'S REALLY KIND OF CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS YOU STILL HAVE TO GIVE SO MUCH ATTENTION TO DOCUMENTS. AND SO THAT'S WHERE I AM NOW, AND I'LL STOP THERE BEFORE I KEEP RAMBLING TOO LONG. BUT THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE FEELING BRAVE WE DO HAVE MICROPHONES AVAILABLE, OTHERWISE FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE ON THE WEB, JUST A GENTLE REMINDER YOU CAN E-MAIL YOUR QUESTIONS AT EDI EDI.GUIDANCE@NIH.GOV. ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW? I HAVE A QUESTION. MR. SCOTT, WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON MISCONCEPTION ABOUT REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS THAT YOU ENCOUNTER? >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND WE GET THAT A LOT. I BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE MAJOR MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION IS ONE IS IT'S A HANDOUT AS OPPOSED TO A HAND UP, FOR EMPLOYEES WITH DISABILITIES. ANOTHER MISCONCEPTION IS THAT A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY MEANS THAT THEY'RE UNABLE TO DO THE JOB THAT THEY WERE HIRED TO DO. I BELIEVE ANOTHER MISCONCEPTION IS THAT ONCE YOU PROVIDED, OR YOU'RE STARTING TO ENGAGE IN THE INTERACTIVE PROCESS WITH AN EMPLOYEE, THAT YOU'RE ALMOST TO THE POINT, AND AGAIN, I'M SPEAKING ABOUT MISCONCEPTIONS, HERE, THAT SOMEHOW YOU'RE NOT EXPECTED, OR YOU'RE NOT EXPECTING THE EMPLOYEE TO PERFORM THE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB. AND THAT MISCONCEPTION IS VERY, VERY STRONG. AND WE DEAL WITH IT ON A REGULAR BASIS. AND AS YOU, WHEN YOU INTRODUCED THE PROGRAM, YOU MENTIONED THAT WE'VE ENGAGED IN A SOFT LAUNCH SINCE MARCH OF 2018, AND SINCE WE'VE- - I JUST WANT TO DEFINE THE SOFT LAUNCH A LITTLE BIT. SO WHAT WE'RE DOING AS RELATES TO A SOFT LAUNCH, THAT WE ARE PROCESSING EMPLOYEES' REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS WHO ARE NON-BARGAINING UNIT EMPLOYEES BECAUSE OUR PROCEDURES STILL NEED TO BE VETTED BY THE NIH UNION. THEY ARE APPROVED BY THE EEOC, HOWEVER, AND SO WE'RE USING THEM FOR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE NOT PART OF THE BARGAINING UNIT. BUT EVEN IN THAT SHORT OF TIME I THINK WE'VE HAD SOMETHING A LITTLE OVER 100 INDIVIDUALS ALREADY MAKING REQUESTS FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION WITHIN THAT SHORT AMOUNT OF PERIOD, AND WE'VE OBVIOUSLY HAD TO ENGAGE MANAGERS IN THE PROCESSING BE OF THE REQUESTS. AND THAT, THOSE MISCONCEPTIONS, THEY KEEP RISING OVER AND OVER AGAIN. WE REALIZE THAT OUR JOB IS NEUTRAL BECAUSE WE'RE AN EEO OFFICE SO WE'RE NOT ADVOCATES FOR EITHER PARTY. WHILE AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE EDUCATING. WE'RE IN THIS EDUCATIVE MODE ON THE ONE HAND WHILE ON THE OTHER HAND WE FIND OURSELVES IN A PERSUASIVE MODE, WE FIND OURSELVES HAVING BE TO PERSUADE WHILE WE'RE EDUCATING. AND WHILE WE'RE IN BOTH OF THOSE MODES SIMULTANEOUSLY THE MISCONCEPTION OF THIS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO REMOVE THIS ESSENTIAL BE JOB FUNCTION SO THAT WE CAN GET THEM TO DO THE JOB--WE HAVE TO CONTINUALLY REMIND MANAGEMENT, NO. THE ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS ARE THE ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS. AND THE EMPLOYEE'S NOT ASKING FOR THEM TO BE REMOVED. THE EMPLOYEES RECOGNIZE THERE MAY BE SOME WORK PLACE BARRIERS THAT WE CAN HELP TO OVERCOME BY PROVIDING THE ACCOMMODATION. AND IT DOES TAKE A CONVERSATION. AND I AM QUICK TO GO TO E-MAIL AND WHAT? HERE, I CAN BE TRANSACTIONAL IN A HEARTBEAT. BUT YOU HAVE TO LEARN, YOU HAVE TO BE TRANSFORMATIVE IN THIS WORK, YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE TIME TO SIT WITH THE MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS, SIT WITH THE EMPLOYEES, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ENCOURAGING THEM TO SPEAK WITH ONE ANOTHER ABOUT WHAT IS THE BARRIER? WHAT'S THE LIMITATION WE'RE TRYING TO OVERCOME? AND AGAIN ABSENT AN UNDUE HARDSHIP THE AGENCY IS COMMITTED, ASIDE FROM THE LEGAL OBLIGATION, IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE EMPLOYEE WHAT THEY NEED. SO OVERCOMING THOSE MISCONCEPTIONS, I BELIEVE, ARE THE MOST PREVAILING ONES THAT WE'RE ENCOUNTERING. WHILE AT THE SAME TIME WE TAKE PLEASURE IN WORKING WITH THE MANAGEMENT AND THE EMPLOYEE TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE HERE TO ASSIST AND TO MAKE SURE THAT MANAGEMENT IS COMFORTABLE WITH SAYING, COMFORTABLE IN THE SENSE THAT THEY'RE ACTING CONSISTENT WITH THE LAW, THE JOB'S GOING TO GET DONE, THE EMPLOYEE'S BARRIER IS GOING TO BE MITIGATED. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> ANY FOLLOWUP QUESTIONS WITH THAT? HEARING NONE MISS GRAY I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU. WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR HIRING OFFICIALS TO ENSURE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ARE MADE AVAILABLE? >> RIGHT. SO I LOVE THESE CONVERSATIONS, BECAUSE WE NEED TO HAVE THEM MORE OFTEN. I THINK AT THIS POINT MOST FOLKS IN THE EMPLOYMENT SECTOR UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF DIVERSITY. IT'S BEEN VERY WELL HAD HE REMEMBER MUCHED AND DOCUMENTED THAT INCLUDING FOLKS FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS WITHIN YOUR COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS ENSURE THAT CREATIVITY IS THERE, INNOVATION IS THERE, THE DIFFERENCE OF THOUGHTS ADD A LOT OF VALUE. THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH ALREADY THAT SHOWS WE NEED TO BE ENSURING THAT DIVERSITY IS INCLUDED IN OUR HIRING PRACTICES AND THE DIFFERENT INITIATIVES THAT WE PRODUCE. I THINK THE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS THAT WE TEND TO HAVE IS SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY. SO WE WORK WITH RECRUITERS AND MANAGERS, AND FOLKS THAT GO OUT AND THEY ARE RECRUITING PEOPLE OF COLOR, THEY'RE RECRUITING WOMEN, VETERANS, AND DIFFERENT GROUPS. BUT THERE'S STILL KIND OF THESE CONCERNS AROUND THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY, BECAUSE WHEN THEY HEAR THE WORD DISABILITY, WHEN THEY THINK OF CERTAIN IMAGES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN PROJECTED, THEY START TO THINK OF WHAT SOMEONE CANNOT DO, OR WHAT, YOU KNOW, TYPES OF THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT NEED IN ADDITION TO GETTING THE JOB DOWN. IT JUST STARTS TO SOUND COMPLICATED. AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, THERE'S JUST THIS LEVEL OF, LIKE, UNCOMFORTABLENESS AND AWKWARDNESS THAT FOLKS HAVE TO LEARN TO ENGAGE WITH. AND THAT CAN BE NEW FOR PEOPLE. SO I'LL GIVE YOU A CALM OF EXAMPLES. I WORK WITH STUDENTS WHO ARE LOW VISION BLIND, AND ONE OF MY HUNDRED DIFFERENT JOB INTERVIEWS AND SHE SHOWS UP TO THE INTERVIEWS, SHE TOLD ME ABOUT ONE SITUATION IN PARTICULAR WHERE SHE TOOK A COUPLE OF BUSES TO GET TO A PARTICULAR PLACE WHERE THEY SAID THEY WOULD INTERVIEW ON THE SPOT, AND SHE SHOWS UP EXCITED, READY TO WORK, WELL QUALIFIED, AND THE MOMENT THAT SHE STEPPED INTO THE ROOM AND THEY SEE THAT SHE WAS BLIND, THEY KIND OF FREAK OUT A LITTLE BIT. AND THEY'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW, I BROUGHT THESE PAPERS FOR HER TO LIKE LOOK AT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF SHE CAN SEE THEM ANY MORE. I'M TRYING TO REACH OUT MY HAND, BUT I DON'T THINK SHE CAN SEE MY HAND. THERE'S THESE AWKWARD MOMENTS THAT TEND TO HAPPEN IN THE RECRUITMENT AND HIRING PHASES THAT FOLKS JUST AREN'T PREPARED FOR. AND IT'S VERY COMMON FOR YOU TO INTERACT AND ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND JUST NOT BE READY FOR THAT EXPERIENCE. AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT HAS PREVENTED SOME REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FROM OCCURRING. I'LL GIVE YOU ONE MORE EXAMPLE. SO THERE'S ISSUES WITHIN THE INTERVIEWING PROCESS BUT THEN WHEN YOU'RE ACTUALLY ON THE JOB THAT'S ALSO ANOTHER QUESTION, RIGHT? SO ONE THING THAT MIGHT HAPPEN IS THAT YOU'LL END UP HAVING EMPLOYEES THAT DISCLOSE LATER, AND THEY DON'T DISCLOSE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS, BECAUSE OF A NUMBER OF REASONS. AND THEY SHOW UP THERE, AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN THEY'RE REALIZING I NEED ACCOMMODATIONS IN ORDER TO BE AS PRODUCTIVE AS I CAN BE. SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE LEARNING DISABILITIES AND VISIBLE DISABILITIES, AND THEY, IN ADDITION TO MAYBE SOME OTHER THINGS GOING ON, LIKE ADD AND ADHD AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND SO I KNOW I WAS WORKING WITH ONE STUDENT AND HE WAS TELLING ME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THEY HIRED HIM. THEY WERE EXCITED ABOUT HIM. HE KNEW HE COULD DO THE JOB, AND THERE WAS A REASON WHY HE WAS HERE. BUT HE WAS HAVING A HARD TIME FUNCTIONING IN THE WORK ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE OF HIS OPEN LAYOUT SPACE. AND HE NEEDED A TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT THAT WOULD NOT ALLOW TOO MANY DISTRACTIONS. AND SO HE WAS TRYING TO THINK IN HIS MIND HOW CAN I PRESENT THIS CONVERSATION TO MY SUPERVISOR WITHOUT SEEMING INADEQUATE? AND HOW CAN I THINK OF ACCOMMODATIONS THAT I MIGHT NEED THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT FEEL LIKE I'M THIS SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE THAT'S MAKING THE ENVIRONMENT COMPLETELY SHIFT BECAUSE OF ME. RIGHT? SO WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF TALKING IT OUT, AND HE HAD TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS LEVEL OF CONVERSATION WITH HIS SUPERVISOR AND MANAGER IN A WAY THAT MADE THEM BOTH FEEL LIKE THEY COULD BE ENGAGED IN THE CONVERSATION. IT TURNED OUT TO BE A PRETTY EASY SOLUTION. THEY INVESTED IN GETTING NOISE CANCELLING HEAD PHONES, YOU KNOW? IT WASN'T THAT CHALLENGING. >> BUT IT'S THE STIGMA. >> IT'S THE STIGMA THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH BEING A PERSON WITH A DISABILIY. >> IT'S THAT, AND IT'S THE CONCERNS ABOUT JUST HAVING THE CONVERSATION AND BRINGING IT UP IN THE FIRST PLACE. I THINK WEN WE TALK ABOUT THE STIGMA, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT CAN BE IMPROVED UPON, I THINK IT'S JUST ONE, MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S A WILLINGNESS TO GET PAST THAT AWKWARD PHASE, AND ENGAGE IN THIS DIALOGUE. AS A MANAGER, AS A SUPERVISOR, AS AN EMPLOYER, AS I OPEN TO IF SOMEONE WERE TO APPROACH ME AND SAY I NEED AN ACCOMMODATION, AND LET'S WORK THIS OUT, RIGHT? AS A RECRUITER, YOU KNOW, AM I PREPARED FOR SOMEONE WHO, YOU KNOW, MIGHT NOT HAVE ALL THE FUNCTION OF THEIR HAND, OR WHO MIGHT SHOW UP AND NEED DIFFERENT DEVICES IN ORDER TO SEE PROPERLY, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO TO ENSURE THAT I CAN HANDLE MY BUSINESS AND THAT THEY CAN DO THAT AS WELL? AND I THINK AS LONG AS WE'RE WILLING TO ENGAGE THAT DIALOGUE AND THINK CRITICALLY TOGETHER IT'S AN EASY WIN. >> AND IF I CAN CONTINUE WITH WHAT SHE'S SAYING, JUST THE NOTION OF HAVING AN EFFECTIVE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION PROGRAM CAN SERVE AS THAT LIAISON WHEN THERE ARE AWKWARD MOMENTS WHEN EMPLOYEES FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE GOING TO THEIR SUPERVISOR DIRECTLY OR WHERE THE SUPERVISOR MAY FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE IF THEY SEE SOMETHING THAT THEY BELIEVE MAY NEED TO BE ACCOMMODATED. AT OUR OFFICES HERE FOR THE NIH COMMUNITY, TO SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY. AND I LIKE HOW YOU STATED THE LAST PART OF IT THAT AT A CERTAIN POINT THE VISION, THE LONG-TERM GOAL SHOULD BE, AND OF COURSE WE'RE TALKING DOWN THE ROAD, WHY THE NIH COMMUNITY IS THOROUGHLY EDUCATED AND INFORMED AS IT RELATES TO REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION, WHERE THEY ARE COMFORTABLE ENOUGH TO ENGAGE ONE ANOTHER AS IT RELATES TO REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION. BUT THAT'S A TRAJECTORY, AND IT TAKES TIME. SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THERE'S A QUESTION ONLINE ACTUALLY THAT I'M GOING TO READ THE QUESTION ON LINE. THIS IS MORE DIRECTED TO THE ACCESS BOARD, 508. SO WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE FEDERAL AGENCY TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE PROACTIVE APPROACH IN DEVELOPING ACCESSIBLE IT INFRASTRUCTURE RETAIN BEING SKILLS AND SUPPORT STAFF AND REMAIN ABREAST OF THE CURRENT TECHNOLOGY TRENDS INCLUDING ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY? >> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION TO GET ME INTO THIS CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. SO, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S VERY INTERESTING TO ME IN MY ROLE NOW, IS THAT YOU KNOW THERE'S THESE THREE A WORDS THAT INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION, AND THEN THERE'S BEEN MENTION OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY WHICH OF COURSE MIGHT BE PROVIDED AS PART OF A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION. AND THEN THERE'S REALLY WHAT I TALK ABOUT MOST DAYS, WHICH IS JUST YOUR BASIC ACCESSIBILITY. AND THE ACCESSIBILITY PART DOESN'T GET RID OF EITHER OF THE NEED FOR THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY OR THE ACCOMMODATION. BUT HAVING AN ACCESSIBLE ENVIRONMENT ALLOWS THE ACCOMMODATION TO WORK. IT ALLOWS THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TO WORK. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND HELPS THE WHOLE, HELPS EVERYTHING FLOW TOGETHER. SO THE OTHER THING I'LL MENTION WITH THAT IS THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, AS I'VE COME TO BE KIND OF MORE OF THE IVORY TOWER THING WHERE I'M WORKING ON REGULATIONS, I END UP DOING LESS ONE ON ONE WITH PEOPLE BECAUSE I'M NOT PROVIDING ANY OF THE ACCOMMODATIONS. SO THAT'S BEEN A LITTLE BITTER SWEET IN MY JOURNEY. BUT IT'S ALSO, I CAN SEE HOW VERY IMPORTANT ALL THOSE PIECES ARE THAT THEY WORK TOGETHER. AND THEN THE OTHER THING I'LL MENTION, I LEFT OFF MY STORY I WAS WORKING IN BALTIMORE UNDER A GRANTD FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION THEN AFTER THAT WAS OVER I WENT AND FOUND A JOB AT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. BUT IT WAS PRETTY FUNNY HERE IN D.C. OF COURSE, WELL NEAR BY IN D.C. BUT IT WAS FUNNY FOR ME BECAUSE WHEN I WAS IN MARYLAND I WAS TRAINING NEW PEOPLE, AND I FELT LIKE I REALLY DID KNOW ABOUT ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, AND THAT I AS A SIGHTED PERSON WAS PRITD GOOD WITH A KEYBOARD AND KNEW HOW A SCREEN READER WORKED. THEN I WAS PROVIDING SOME OF THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE BLIEPD AT THE DEPARTMENT OF ED AND I QUICKLY LEARNED THAT I WAS NOT ALL THAT. ALL RIGHT? SO YOU KNOW, I DON'T TRY TO TEACH OR- - WELL, TECHNICAL FOR SURE, BUT I DON'T TRY TO DEMO SCREEN READING SOFTWARE ANY MORE BECAUSE I'M MORE AWARE OF MY OWN LIMITATIONS AND PREJUDICES AND PERSPECTIVES THAN I EVER WAS BEFORE, EVEN WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS AN EXPERT ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY USER. AT ONE POINT I TAUGHT A WHOLE ROOM OF DIVISION OF REHAB FIELD COUNSELORS THEY WERE ALL PROFESSIONALS, ALL WERE USING SCREEN READING SOFTWARE, THEY WERE ALL BLIND, BUT WE WERE SWITCHING OVER FROM DOS TO WINDOWS. SO THIS WAS SOMETHING I COULD HELP WITH. BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I WAS, I GAVE MYSELF SO MUCH MORE CREDIT THAN I DESERVED. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO WORK WITH PEOPLE AND GIVE THEM THE SPACE, AND YOU KNOW, IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WE GET TO BE THE MODEL EMPLOYER. YOU KNOW, IT'S A PRIVILEGE, REALLY. >> THAT'S A GREAT POINT. >> IT IS. AND I THINK WE'RE LUCKY. BUT IF YOU WANTED TO BE JUST A CYNICAL TAXPAYER, OR YOU KNOW, ACCOUNTANT-TYPE ACTUARY LOOKING AT IT, IT STILL MAKES SENSE FROM THAT POINT OF VIEW. AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WE'RE SERVING EVERY CITIZEN AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO WORK WITH EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO WORK WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND IF HE WERE PUT SYSTEMS IN PLACE THAT DON'T LET THAT PERSON GO TO WORK WE'RE PUTTING THEM ON THE DOLE WHICH MAKES NO SENSE AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. >> WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE I WANTED TO INTERJECT THIS NOTION OF 508, YOU HAVE ACCESS ON THE ONE HAND, AND USABILITY ON THE OTHER. WHERE FOLKS MIGHT SAY OKAY HERE'S YOUR COMPUTER YOU CAN ACCESS IT, BUT CAN I USE IT? AND I THINK IT SEEMS LIKE THAT SECOND PRONG IN 508 GETS MISSED A LOT. YEAH I GIVE EVERYBODY IN THE OFFICE A COMPUTER, GREAT. BUT THIS PARTICULAR EMPLOYEE MIGHT SAY WELL BUT I CAN'T USE IT. I CAN GET INTO IT AND CHECK AN E MAIL BUT THE FUNCTIONS OF IT. AND SO IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THE USABILITY PIECE OF IT? >> WELL THAT COMES UP A LOT TOO. BECAUSE YOU KNOW, 508, THE ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, THEY'RE A FLOOR. THEY'RE NOT THE CEILING, RIGHT? THEY'RE JUST THE BASE LINE, AND AN ACCOMMODATION MIGHT NEED TO GO OVER AND ABOVE SOME OF THE THINGS LIKE THAT, OR YOU MIGHT NEED TO PROVIDE THE TRAINING. SO IT'S- - 508 ALMOST SOLVES THE LEAST IMPORTANT PROBLEM, AND IT'S WHAT I DO ALL DAY LONG. AND I DON'T LIKE TO ADMIT IT'S ONLY SOLVING THE LEAST IMPORTANT PROBLEM BUT IT IS A KEY IN THAT WHOLE THING. I DON'T KNOW IF YOUR ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION OR DAVID IF I ANSWERED THE CALLER'S QUESTION. >> I DO WANT TO JUST ADD ONE THING TO THE QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED WHEN YOU USED THE WORD PROACTIVE, THAT REALLY JUMPED OUT TO ME. AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT FOR EMPLOYERS TO THINK OF HOW THEY CAN BE PROACTIVE IN THE PROCESS. THE IDEA THAT IF YOU WANT TO CREATE SPACES THAT ARE INCLUSIVE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, FOLKS FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE DOING TO ENSURE FOLKS KNOW THAT? IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO BRING IN COMMUNITY MEMBERS, POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE NOT TRADITIONALLY WORKED IN THESE TYPES OF SPACES WITHIN YOUR ORGANIZATIONS OR COMPANIES THEN THAT MEANS SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE YOU'RE ABOUT TO SHIFT THE CULTURE A LITTLE BIT. AND I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT IN LIKE A BAD WAY, MAKE PEOPLE NERVOUS. BECAUSE I KNOW SOMETIMES WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT OH WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT. THOUGH I'M A YOUNG PERSON I THINK CHANGE IS BEAUTIFUL. ANYWAY, BASICALLY I'M JUST TRYING TO SAY THAT I THINK THAT PROACTIVE PART IS INCREDIBLE. WHAT TYPE OF STATEMENTS CAN WE PUT ON OUR WEB SITE THAT LET PEOPLE KNOW WE ARE INCLUSIVE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OF FOLKS FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS? IF YOU WERE IN NEED OF ACCOMMODATION, HERE'S WHERE YOU CAN GO TO REQUEST THAT. DO WE KNOW THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS? I THINK THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE CAN DO THAT ARE SUBTLE THINGS THAT ALLOW FOR FOLKS TO KNOW THERE'S A PLACE FOR YOU HERE. I WAS DOING ONE, I WAS WORKING WITH ONE OF OUR PARTNER COMPANIES AND THEY WERE SHOWING US AN AD THAT THEY WANTED TO SHOW ON TELEVISION. AND THEY WERE ASKING DO YOU THINK THIS IS INCLUSIVE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES? AND I SAW A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT SPOKE TO ME AS BEING A BLACK WOMAN, AND LIKE OH THERE'S A 'FRO, I LOVE AFROS BUT I WAS LIKE THE SUBTLE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO TO SHOW THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE AROUND, AND IT'S JUST A PART OF OUR CULTURE. AND I WAS LIKE SHOWING FOLKS THAT USE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY IN YOUR COMMERCIALS, SHOWING FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATE IN DIFFERENT WAYS IN YOUR COMMERCIALS, AND NOT DOING THAT IN LIKE A TOKENIZING WAY. BUT IF IT'S REAL, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GAIN THEN I THINK THAT IT'S WORTH IT TO BE PROACTIVE IN THE PROCESS. >> I AGREE- - I'M SORRY. >> THANK YOU. I'M VERY SGLAD TO HEAR IT SAID. (INAUD I BELIEVE INAUDIBLE. ) (APPLAUSE) >> AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND WE ALL HAVE MICROPHONES ARE THEY NOT TURNED UP ENOUGH? THEY ARE? THEY'RE NOT HOOKED- - HE DOESN'T HAVE A LOOP SO HE'S NOT HEARING THE AMPLIFICATION FROM A MICROPHONE. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE DETAILS. >> YES, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT AT NIH A LOT OF SPACES WE DO HAVE AVAILABLE, I KNOW THAT THIS ONE IS COMING UP SOON TO GET THE LOOP AS WELL. SO WE'RE TRYING TO PROGRESSIVELY MOVE THE NEEDLE GOING FORWARD, AND WE PROBABLY COUGH PROVIDED CAPTIONS IT COULD HAVE BEEN AN OPTION, WE PROBABLY COULD HAVE DONE THAT SO WE'LL DEFINITELY WORK ON THAT GOING FORWARD. I APPRECIATE BRINGING IT FORWARD. >> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. >> I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT 508. ARE THE SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE THAT NIH EMPLOYEES USE TO DO THEIR JOB REQUIRED TO BE 508 COMPLIANT? AND SPECIFICALLY FOR VOICE ACTIVATED SOFTWARE. >> SO YOU'RE ASKING ME IF THE SOFTWARE THAT YOU USE AS AN NIH EMPLOYEE IS REQUIRED TO BE COMPLIANT WITH THE 508 STANDARD. YES. EVERYTHING YOU USE. AND THE 508 STANDARDS ARE KIND OF AGO NO, SIR PARTICULAR TO THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, BUT THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS, LOTS OF REQUIREMENTS IN 508 THAT REQUIRE NOT JUST THE COMPATIBILITY WITH A SCREEN READER SOFTWARE THAT SOMEBODY IS BLIND WOULD USE WHICH IS WHAT MOST PEOPLE PAY ATTENTION TO JUST BECAUSE IT'S LIKE THE MOST TECHNICALLY CHALLENGED, BUT YES, THAT WOULD ALSO APPLY TO VOICE RECOGNITION. BECAUSE VOICE RECOGNITION RELIES UPON THE KEYBOARD ACCESSIBILITY, THE SAME KIND OF KEYBOARD ACCESS ACCESSIBILITY BUT ALSO THE VISUAL LABEL. BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING LIKE DRAGON NATURALLY SPEAKING OR VOICE RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY, IT'S, I WANT TO SAY INCONVENIENT IS NOT THE RIGHT WORD. IT'S REALLY A PROBLEM. YOU WANT TO TRY TO CLICK ON A BUTTON SO YOU SPEAK THE VERBAL COMMAND, AND MAYBE THERE'S AN INVISIBLE BEHIND-THE-SCENES TAGGING OF THE PROGRAMMATIC NAME ASSOCIATED WITH THAT CONTROL. SOMEBODY'S USING SOMETHING LIKE JAWS THEY'LL KNOW ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY HEAR IT. IF SOMEBODY'S JUST LOOKING VISUALLY LIKE MOST PEOPLE THAT USE VOICE RECOGNITION THEY WON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT. SO I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT PARTICULAR DESIGN ELEMENT IS NECESSARILY SPECIFICALLY A FAILURE AGAINST OUR OOL ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS. AGAIN, IT'S A FLOOR. BUT YEAH THAT'S A REAL ISSUE. AND HOPEFULLY CODING, THE 2.0AA OUR STANDARDS WILL ADDRESS IT THERE. >> HOW WOULD THAT BE ENFORCED? OR IF YOU NEED HELP GETTING THAT ENFORCED? >> SO I'M NOT ABLE TO SPEAK TO YOUR ENVIRONMENT HERE FOR THE ENFORCEMENT. >> MY AGENCY THE ACCESS BOARD I CAN HELP YOU WITH IS FIGURING OUT OKAY IS THIS REALLY A 508 FAILURE? BUT AGAIN THAT'S LIKE THE LEAST IMPORTANT THING. BUT WE DEFINITELY CAN HELP SORT THAT OUT. (INAUDIBLE) >> SECTION 508 COORDINATOR FOR NIAAA? I HAVE SEEN TECHNOLOGY, AND IT'S IN ITS SLOW PERIOD AND NOW IN ITS RAPID PERIOD. TWO WEEKS AGO I HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH SOMEONE WITH A VISUAL IMPAIRMENT WHO WE BOTH THINK ALONG THE SAME LINES. IN THREE YEARS, THE WAY MICROSOFT IS APPROACHING WINDOWS 10 AND APPLE HAS ALREADY APPROACHED THEIR ENVIRONMENT, A LOT OF THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES ARE NOT GOING TO BE NEEDED. WHEN THEY BROUGHT UP THE DISCUSSION ABOUT JAWS--JAWS IS THERE, BUT WINDOWS, MICROSOFT IS MAKING A POINT THAT THEY WANT TO HAVE IT SO THAT THEY CAN BE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE A PERSON DOESN'T HAVE TO SPEND OUT IN ORDER TO WORK, IN ORDER TO LIVE, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE FOR THEMSELVES. APPLE ALREADY HAS THAT IN THEIR MAC ENVIRONMENT. I DO WORK WITH A LOT OF SCIENTIFIC SOFTWARE, AND A LOT OF THEM ARE ALREADY COMPLIANT. IT'S JUST WE HAVE TO LEARN THE TOOLS OURSELVES. >> I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE QUESTION THAT WAS ANSWERED PREVIOUSLY, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD IT CORRECTLY. WERE YOU ESSENTIALLY ASKING WHAT DO YOU DO IF SOMETHING IS INACCESSIBLE AT THE NIH? IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU COULD CONTACT THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER, AND INFORM THEM THAT YOU BELIEVE THAT THE EQUIPMENT OR SOFTWARE IS NOT 508 COMPATIBLE. AND YOU'RE WELCOME IF YOU CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH ONE OF OUR FOLKS CAN GET YOUR NAME- - I'M SORRY, IF ONE OF THE FOLKS CAN GET YOUR NAME AND WE CAN GET THAT E-MAIL ADDRESS OR SOMETHING TO YOU. >> HI MY NAME IS JENNIFER JOFFRIES, NICE TO SEE YOU BRUCE. I'VE BEEN A FAN OF THE ACCESS BOARD FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. I'M INTERESTED IN ASKING A QUESTION THAT'S GOING TO GO ACROSS THE ENTIRE PANEL. THINKING ABOUT YOUR COMMENTS, BRUCE, ABOUT THE SUPERUSERS, PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY, VERY INTO IT THEY HAPPEN TO BE BLIND AND THEY'RE VERY ABLE TO USE THE COMPUTERS THESE DAYS AND THEN THINKING KERRI ABOUT THE POPULATION YOU'RE SERVING. MANY, MANY YOUNG PEOPLE ESPECIALLY COMING OUT OF COLLEGES UNIVERSITIES AND TRANSITIONING INTO THE WORK WORLD. AND MR. SCOTT COMING HERE FOR EXAMPLE TO THE NIH AS A PLACE OF WORK. HOW HAVE YOU SEEN THE GENERATIONS CHANGE? SO I SEE THAT WE'VE HAD EXTRA, WONDERFUL SUPER COMPUTER USERS IN THE PAST THAT WERE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. BUT NOW IN THIS NEW GENERATION OF SUPER TECHNOLOGY USERS ACROSS THE BOARD, WE HAVE MANY MORE SUPERCOMPUTER USERS. AND NOW THEY'RE COMING TO THE WORK WORLD. SO HOW CAN ALL OF THE LEGS OF THE STOOL, ACCESSIBILITY AND USABILITY AND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS COME TOGETHER TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THESE PEOPLE? AND HOW ARE THE NEXT GENERATIONS GOING TO BE EVEN BETTER OFF THAN THE ONES THAT HAVE GONE BEFORE? >> SO YEAH, BECAUSE I THINK I MENTIONED IN THE BEGINNING, JUST HAVING A COMPUTER WAS SUCH AN ADVANTAGE WHEN I GOT STARTED, RIGHT? NOW NO, THEY'RE EVERYWHERE. SO IT'S NOTHING AT ALL. AND WE ARE SEEING, I'M WITH TONY IN THAT WE ARE SEEING THINGS CHANGING EVEN FASTER AND FASTER THAN THEY WERE BEFORE, THAT WERE KIND OF IT REALLY DOES SEEM WE'RE ON THE CUSP OF SOME ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. I MEAN IT'S AMAZING TO ME NOW, AND THEY HAVEN'T REALLY BRAGGED ABOUT IT, BUT BOTH ADOBE AND MICROSOFT IN THEIR CORE PRODUCTS THEY INCLUDE THESE REALLY PRETTY ROBUST ACCESSIBILITY WIZARDS, RIGHT? IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR PEOPLE NEVER TO KNOW THAT WAS THERE. BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE MICROSOFT AND ADOBE BRAGGING ABOUT IT. BUT REALLY THEY'RE PRETTY ROBUST. AND NOW DAYS, WORD WILL, IF YOU STICK AN IMAGE IN IT, I THINK IF YOU DON'T EVEN DO ANYTHING IT MAKES A GUESS AS TO WHAT THAT IMAGE IS, IT SENDS IT TO THE CLOUD, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, IMAGE CAPTURE, IT'LL TELL YOU IF IT'S PEOPLE SMILING. IT MAKES A PRETTY GOOD GUESS, ACTUALLY. IT'S A LITTLE FRIGHTENING. THAT'S ALSO THE TREND WITH SOME OF THE ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS, THE WEKEG2.1 JUST STARTED IT, 508 DOESN'T DO 2.1 BUT IT'S JUST 2.2.0 BUT THAT'S THE TREND THE WC3 IS GHG TOWARDS, PERSONALIZATION SUPPORT. IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO WRITE DOWN OUR PREFERENCES THAT THE COMPUTER ON THE FLY MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A SIMPLER LANGUAGE VERSION OR RETRANSFORM IT INTO A PLAINER TEXT VERSION. AND THIS TECHNOLOGY MIGHT BE EVEN ABLE TO FOLLOW YOU OR BE ABLE TO FOLLOW YOU IN A WAY THAT MAYBE IT'S A FOB YOU HAVE IN YOUR KEY RING. SO THAT IT CAN BE PRETTY INVISIBLE AND STILL BE PRIVATE AND STILL BE SECURE. SO I MEAN IT IS DEFINITELY AN EXCITING TIME TO BE AROUND, AND TO BE WORKING. AND I DON'T THINK I'VE ANSWERED THE QUESTION AT ALL. IS SO I'M GOING TO LET SOMEBODY ELSE GO. >> THAT'S ONE LEG OF THE STOOL. >> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT HELPS BECAUSE BEING ON THE YOUNGER END, KNOWN AS LIKE FOR SOME FOLKS PROBABLY GENERATION ADA, THE GENERATION THAT CAME BACK AFTER THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT WAS PASSED. IT'S REFRESHING TO HEAR WHAT TECHNOLOGY USED TO LOOK LIKE. >> DOS, DID YOU- - >> WHAT ACCESSIBILITY USED TO LOOK LIKE, AND JUST LIKE WOW YOU ALL DIDN'T USE COMPUTERS LIKE THAT BACK IN THE DAY. AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. BUT NOW IT'S REALLY EXCITING WORKING WITH THE STUDENTS THAT I WORK WITH, AND KNOWING THAT WE USE TECHNOLOGY ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, ALL THE TIME. AND IT'S HELPFUL, OBVIOUSLY, ONE, BEING A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY, AND THERE'S JUST SO MANY DIFFERENT NEEDS THAT WE HA HAVE, AND TECHNOLOGY BEING A SOLUTION TO THAT. I'M PERSONALLY A PROSTHETIC USER, I'M A CANCER SURVIVOR, AND I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITH PROSTHETICS RIGHT NOW. SCOMBH THINKING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES OF WHAT MY WORLD CAN LOOK LIKE IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AND THE NEXT TEN YEARS. FOR THE NEXT GENERATION TO COME, IT'S COMPLETELY EXCITING. AND I KNOW IT'S THE SAME THING ON DIFFERENT LEVELS FOR FOLKS WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF DISABILITI DISABILITIES. SO I THINK RIGHT NOW IN OUR COUNTRY IS CONSTANTLY PUSHING THIS MESSAGE OF, CAN WE PROMOTE MORE FOLKS TO ENTER INTO THE STEM WORLD? I KNOW COMPANIES ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR FOLKS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN TECHNOLOGY, INTERESTED IN STEM, AND HOW THAT CAN BE LEVERAGED AND UTILIZED FOR PEOPLE'S DAY TO DAY LIVING, FOR THE THINGS WHICH WE CAN DO. IF YOU EVEN THINK OF THE ADVANCEMENTS THAT COME WITH ONLINE GROCERY SHOPPING AND THAT BEING AN UP AND COMING PHASE THAT FOLKS WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES USE. THINK OF ALL OF THE VOICE TO TEXT ADVANCEMENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW THAT EVERYONE USES IN YOUR CAR, ON YOUR REMOTES, ON YOUR PHONES. LIKE ALL OF THAT IS HELPFUL FROM A UNIVERSAL FRAMEWORK. IT'S SOMETHING THAT GETS, I DON'T WANT TO KNOW IF I WANT TO USE THE WORD INSPIRED. BUT I THINK A LOT OF THIS INNOVATIVE DESIGN AND A LOT OF THE ADVANCEMENT IS CONNECTED TO THE NARRATIVE OF FOLKS WITH DISABILITIES. AND IT'S CONNECTED TO FOLKS WHO HAVE RELATIONS TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. AND SEEING GAPS WITHIN OUR SOCIETY AND WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN DO MORE. SO I THINK IT'S INTEGRATED WITHIN OUR GENERATION AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED FOR WHAT'S TO COME AND I HOPE THAT WE WERE CAN CONTINUE TO PUSH THE MESSAGE OF INNOVATION AND GETTING MORE PEOPLE TO BE INVOLVED IN THE SOLUTION, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT. >> I AGREE. AND YOU KNOW, REFLECTING ON YOUR QUESTION. AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE INTERSECTION OF MY FELLOW PANELISTS AND WHAT WE DO, I'M THINKING PREPAREDNESS COMES TO MY MIND. BECAUSE WHEN YOU ARE SAYING OKAY FOLKS WHO ARE PREPARING FOR THE WORK FORCE, HERE WE ARE THE WORK FORCE, AND THEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ACCESS BOARD IN DIFFERENT WAYS, TO LOOK AT POLICY, TO PUSH THE ENVELOPE ON TECHNOLOGY. I THINK THAT THE NIH, WE COULD INFORM ONE ANOTHER. SO AS TO BE PREPARED FOR THE NEXT GROUP OF FOLKS COMING INTO THE WORK FORCE. I CAN SPEAK FROM THE DATA, AND I AM NOBODY'S STATISTICIAN, BY THE WAY, BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS FROM THE DATA, THE OVERWHELMING REQUEST FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION ARE AROUND WHAT WE CALL ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. AND THAT IS MODIFIED SCHEDULES, FLEXIBLE USE OF LEAVE, TELE-WORK, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO IF WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT, AND THAT'S ON THE DEMAND TODAY. THE QUESTION THEN BECOMES HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE WITHOUT TECHNOLOGY? AND THE QUESTION'S ANSWERED--WITH SKYPE FOR BUSINESS, AND THINGS THAT NATURE. SO THAT ALLOWS FOLKS TO WORK REMOTELY AND BE SEEN, NOT AS HIGH SPEED AS THAT GADGET OUT THERE IN THE HALL WAY. DID ANYBODY SEE THAT OUT THERE? THAT REMOTE, THAT ROBOT WHERE YOU CAN BE ANYWHERE AT ANY TIME? BUT YOU KNOW, SO I'M LOOKING AT, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? IT LOOKS LIKE PREPAREDNESS. WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOUR WORLD AND HOW WILL THAT INFORM US? WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO AS AN AGENCY TO BE BETTER PREPARED TO RECEIVE EMPLOYEES WITH DISABILITIES? AND WHILE YOU HAVE THE FINAL RULE ISSUED BY THE EEOC TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IN OUR WORK PLACE, THAT'S ONE THING. ON THE OTHER HAND, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO PREPARE FOR THAT? AND SO I THINK IF WE REACH ACROSS AND WORK--THIS IS SPEAKING MORE TO YOUR QUESTION--AND WORK COLLABORATIVELY WE COULD GET INSIGHT ON WHAT IS TO COME. WHO IS COMING INTO THE WORK PLACE? ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'RE SAYING WE WANT YOU IN OUR WORK PLACE. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE INCLUSIVE AND THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF WHAT YOU WERE SAYING BEFORE WE HAD OTHER QUESTIONS. AND I RELY UPON THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. THEIR INSTITUTE ON DISABILITY, FOR MY DATA, FOR MY RESEARCH AS IT RELATES TO DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT, RECRUITMENT, RETENTION. AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GO TO THEIR WEB SITE, IT'S RESEARCH ON DISABILITY.ORG. SO RESEARCH ON DISABILITY.ORG. I MEAN THE RESEARCH IS REPLETE WITH EMPIRICAL DATA, RESEARCH, DIFFERENT TYPES OF TECHNOLOGY. AND THEY'VE ALSO, THEY'RE WORKING I THINK IT'S WITH, I BELIEVE IT'S THE KESSLER FOUNDATION AND THEY'VE HELPED FUND I THINK IT'S 22 DIFFERENT RESEARCH PROJECTS AROUND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AND EDUCATION AS WELL AS THE WORK PLACE, AS WELL AS JUST LIVING EVERY DAY. AND I WANT TO CONCLUDE WITH THIS, AND YOU KNOW, I TEND TO READ TOO MUCH INTO STUFF, AND MY BOSS'S BOSS'S BOSS IS HERE. DEBRA CHU, AND SHE HAS NO PROBLEM CHECKING ME, LIKE YOU MAY HAVE READ INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT. BUT WHEN I'M READING THE LAWS, I'M LOOKING AT OKAY WHAT'S THE LAW SAYING THAT WE'RE CHARGED TO DO? AND WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT ARGUMENTS THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT THERE TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES TO BRING MORE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES INTO THE WORK PLACE? AND IN ALL OF THE ARGUMENTS THAT YOU MADE THAT YOU PUT FORTH ON DIVERSITY, AND THE VALUE OF DIVERSITY IN THE WORK PLACE, ALL THOSE ARE VALID AND WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO BUTTRESS THOSE ARGUMENTS AROUND, IT WELCOMES INSOLUTION, INNOVATION, AND DRIVES VERSITY. ON THE OTHER HAND AND WE SHOULDN'T FORGET THIS, THE LAW ITSELF IF YOU READ THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, THERE'S A PROVISION IN THE ACT ITSELF THAT SAYS THAT IT IS THE GOAL OF THE ACT, OF THE LAW, TO BRING PEOPLE INTO THE WORK FORCE WITH DISABILITIES BECAUSE IT'S MOVING TOWARDS THE RIGHT TO INDEPENDENT LIVING. THE RIGHT TO A JOB. THE RIGHT FOR ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY. SO WHILE ALL THOSE OTHER ARGUMENTS ARE ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE USING BOTH OF THEM. BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S JUST A MATTER OF FOLKS HAVE A RIGHT TO A JOB JUST LIKE ANYBODY ELSE. AND SO WHEN THEY COME INTO THE WORK SPACE, WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, IT'S NOT JUST ACCESSIBLE, IT'S ALSO USEABLE, IT'S'S VALUING THEM SO THAT THEY CAN IN EDI'S WORDS THAT WE EMBRACE, BRING THEIR WHOLE SELF TO WORK, AND NOT BE STIGMATIZED TO THE POINT WHERE THEY'RE ASHAMED TO EVEN SAY THEY NEED HELP. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. >> THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO THE END OF OUR TIME. IF THERE IS- - I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING TODAY AND THANK EACH OF THE PANELISTS FOR THEIR INSIGHTS AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. DAVID RICE WHO WILL PROVIDE SOME CLOSING REMARKS. >> HI EVERYBODY I'M DAVID RICE. I JUST WANT TO BE BRIEF AND SHORT. SO DOWNSTAIRS AT 2:15 WE HAVE BREAKOUT SESSIONS, THE TRAINING OF REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS FROM 2:15 TO 3:15. AND THERE'S ANOTHER BREAKOUT SESSION ON TRAINING ON SECTION 508 WHICH WILL BE BROOKS BAILEY WILL BE PRESENTING ON THAT. WE ALSO HAVE OUT IN THE HALL WAY ALL THE ACCESSIBILITY VENDORS THAT HAVE COME TO NIH TO SHOW THE TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE OUT THERE AND HOW THEY'RE ADVANCING THE TECHNOLOGY FORWARD. SO AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO ADD SOMETHING THAT WE DID A LITTLE BIT NEW THIS YEAR, AND I WOULD LIKE YOU ALL TO CHECK OUT. IF YOU GO DOWN, DOWNSTAIRS, AND IT'S IN YOUR MAP, IT'S CALLED, IT'S A ROOM CHANGE CALLED A SENSORY ROOM AND IT'S BASICALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE DISABILITY OR ANY SENSORY DISABILITIES CAN CAN GO IN. AFTER A LOT OF INFORMATION BELOW THEY CAN TACKLE, AND DESENSITIZE A LITTLE BIT. WE'VE BEEN READING ABOUT THESE SENSORY ROOMS IN CONFERENCES HOW THEY'RE BECOMING MORE COMMON AT DIFFERENT CONFERENCES. YOU CAN CHECK THAT OUT, GET A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THAT. OTHERWISE, I THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING TODAY. I APPRECIATE IT, AND I'LL SEE YOU OUT AND ABOUT IN THE HALL WAY. >> THANK YOU.