|
Dear Partners,
Many of you have worked with us over the last few years on issues related to accessible technology and its role in the employment and career advancement of people with disabilities. We hope that all of you who have worked with us in the past, and those who are new to ODEP's work, will join us in supporting our newest efforts "AT Works," an online educational series designed to explore the connection between emerging technologies and the employment of people with disabilities.
The "AT Works" series is part of ODEP's Accessible Technology in the Workplace Initiative, which promotes the accessibility of workplace technology as a means to increasing the hiring, retention and advancement of people with disabilities in the public and private sector. Through this important initiative, ODEP is working towards a future where information and communications technology is accessible, interoperable, universally designed and fully usable by people with disabilities. Our past activities have included roundtable dialogues on accessibility, the development of reports and case studies, the identification of exemplary business practices and efforts to advance the accessibility profession.
Over the coming months, ODEP will host a sequence of free webcasts and webinars as part of "AT Works." I am pleased to invite you to tune in to our kick-off event, AT Works: Accessible Technology's Role in Today's Workplace, a live webcast to be streamed on June 21st at 2:00pm EST. Details are as follows:
- What: A panel discussion moderated by Tom Temin, Anchor, Federal News Radio. Panelists include Kathleen Martinez, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy; Brian Hurley, Public Affairs Director, National Industries for the Blind; and Christian Vogler, Ph.D., Associated Professor and Director of the Technology Access Program, Co-PI, RERC on Telecommunications Access, Gallaudet University
- When: Thursday, June 21st from 2:00pm-3:00pm EST. An archived version will be available for viewing starting the day after the event.
- Where: Access the webcast at http://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/Technology.htm. This event will be live audio-captioned and offer a real-time Twitter feed with the hashtag #ATworks. No registration is required.
- Who: Employers, workers, policymakers, advocates and others interested in learning more about accessible technology and its impact on the employment of people with disabilities.
I hope you will join us for this important educational session and I encourage you to tweet about the event using the hashtag #ATworks.
Thank you for your involvement in the past, present and future of ODEP's Accessible Technology in the Workplace Initiative. Working together, we can advance policies that will ensure technology enhances, and does not hinder, employment and career advancement opportunities for people with disabilities.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Martinez
Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy U.S. Department of Labor |
