August 2010

HistoryAccomplishments

Goals and Major Initiatives of IRS Deaf/HH Employee

Organization

• First informal group established in 1973 out of Gallaudet University in Washington D.C. by new group of hired Deaf employees

• Second informal group established in 1989 and became the grassroots of current group

History of Deaf Organizations within IRS

2004 Start of Current Deaf/HH Employee Organization

• In December of 2004, Jim Bishop formally organized current organization of IRS Deaf Employees at IRS with assistance of Deaf Executive Committee Members

• In 2007 a decision was made to include Hard of Hearing employees and the group formally became the IRS Deaf/HH Employees Organization

Animated Dialogue – First National Leadership Conference 2007

2007 Commissioner’s Task Force Established to review all possible reasonable accommodations and computer assistive technology devices.

Members included Vicki Lowen, Vice President of IRS Deaf Organization

Recommendations of the committee to the Commissioner of IRS was for videophones

History of Organization continued

Commissioner’s

Task Force on

Reasonable

Accommodation

s

Pictured with Linda

Stiff – Commissioner

of IRS in 2007/2008

is Vicki Lowen who

served on the Task

Force making

recommendations of

computer assistive

technology

including

videophones

VIDEOPHONES

Recommendatio

ns of the Task

Force to the

Commissioner of

IRS was for

purchase of

videophones for

IRS Deaf

employees.

VIDEOPHONES

Second

Commissioner’s Task

Force established in

2008 with NTEU to

purchase

videophones and test

them on 20 IRS Deaf

employees

throughout the

country

Recommendations of

second Task Force is

that videophones be

given to all Deaf

employees at IRS

who request the use

of one.

Federal Relay Service is established in 2007 as a result of a Congressional Act in 2006 Allows for on-line telephone conferencesAllows for use with videophonesAllows for computer to be used a TTYAllows for voice interpreters

2007 – NTS Software was made available to all Deaf employees and co-workers who requested through reasonable accommodations

2007 Captioned Telephones were offered to Hard of Hearing – free in many states

History Continued

2007 First Deaf Conference in New Carrollton with 100 participants

Commissioner Linda Stiff stated she would listen to IRS Deaf/HH Employees for solutions to workplace accommodations

First IRS Mentoring Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Established with 28 participants in 18 states connect IRS Deaf/HH Employees with Hearing employees using computer assistive technology that includedVideoconferencing – first of IRS to use more than

4 PODs as educational tool in ASL by Mike Harrell

First education of IRS Deaf employees in ASL “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” taught by Vicki Lowen

Shared Folders files on IRS Intranet

Results of First Deaf Conference

Coordinators of Deaf Mentor Program 2007 to 2009

Mary Engley- RA

LMSB

Mike Harrell –

MITS

Charlene

Kennedy – MITS

Linda Stiff – Commissioner of IRS

As President of

IRS Deaf/HH

Employee

Organization, Jim

Bishop meets

regularly with the

Commissioner of

IRS to advocate

for Deaf issues

Pictured with

Linda Stiff –

Commissioner of

IRS in 2007

Deaf Newsletter started by Stephen Kovscek Website for Deaf/HH Employees establishedOrganization of Deaf/HH Employees

expanded from 100 members within the D.C. area to nationwide membership of currently 300 Deaf and Hard of Hearing Employees at IRS

Deaf/HH Employees who Volunteered to organized conference demonstrated what IRS Deaf/HH employees could do if given the opportunity

Results of First Conference Con’t

John Gerken ‘s Presentation at 2007 Conference in ASL

Speakers at First

Deaf Conference

included IRS

Deaf/HH

Employees who

demonstrated

creative and

innovative ideas

as well as

professional

public speaking

skills to Hearing

audience

Mary Jean Hooke in Conference Discussion would go on to be a presenter at 2008 conference

Volunteers at 2007 Conference & Participants Volunteer at Conference pictured with IRS Commissioner Linda Stiff would go on to be a video presenter for IRS Internet and U-tube videos in 2009 and 2010

Joy Evans – current recording secretary

Opportunities for Leadership Development from 2007 to presentTina Valentine – Secretary

of IRS Deaf/HH Org asks questions during conference

Karen Breuer – in 2007 became presenter at 2008 conference - pictured with her manager & Commissioner Linda Stiff

Leadership Development from 2007 to 2008

Volunteer Reba Ober receiving award recognition for hard work on conference in 2008

2nd IRS Deaf/HH Employee Conference in 2008 in Martinsville, WV

Mike Harrell Coordinated 2007; 2008; 2009; and 2010 Deaf ConferencesMike also was Co-Coordinator of IRS Deaf/HH Employee Mentoring Program for 2007; 2008; 2009 with 50 participants in 18 states

Continuation of IRS Deaf/HH Employee’s Mentoring Program an expanded to include 50 Deaf/HH employees and Hearing employees

Task force on videophones continues In April of 2008 First ASL video produced by

Toby Silver in Communications uploaded to U-tube; IRS website; IRS intranet; and National Association for Deaf on instructions for applying for stimulus package

Results of 2nd Conference

Toby Silver received Deaf President Award in 2008

Historic progress

in

communication

with IRS at the

first government

agency to use

ASL to

communicate

with Deaf Public

using internet

and computer

technology

Deaf Presentation

s

Rose Abbott

and Mary

Jean Hooke

and Jesse

Morris give

Presentation

on Deaf

Awareness

and

Etiquette at

2008

Conference

Non-profit status for IRS Deaf/HH Employee Organization granted by IRS

VITA sites included on IRS Deaf website with links to other organizations

NOTE: We need members to volunteer to assist in creating and maintaining professional website that is accessible for all members as well as Deaf public

2008 Con’t

3rd IRS Deaf/HH Employee Conference in Austin Texas in 2009

Charlene Kennedy

Charlene

Kennedy –

Coordinator for

Austin Texas

Conference in

2009 and 2010

Conference in

Salt Lake City as

well as

Coordinator for

2008/2009

Mentor Program

IRS Deaf/HH Employees expanded the conference to allow for VIEW (Visually Impaired Employees in the Workplace) to be included in the conference

In 2009 IRS Deaf/HH Organization Website expanded to include tax law video in ASL produced by Toby Silver in Communications linked to U-tube; IRS Intranet and Internet as well as National Organizations for Deaf.

Videophones made more common in workplace.

Results of 3rd Conference in 2009 in Austin, Texas

Toby Received Award at

2009 Conference for

producing a series of

videos uploaded to U-

Tube from www.IRS.gov

Internet website on tax

laws in ASL.

Historical method of a

government agency

communicating with the

Deaf Public in ASL!

Toby Silver – TV Producer in Communications

Initiatives for IRS Deaf/HH Employee’s

Organization for 2010 and beyond

Initiatives: Have more members employed within EEO

offices Have more Deaf/HH members on Diversity

CouncilsHave more Deaf/HH members stewards with

NTEUHave more Deaf/HH members provide

educational presentations to EEO Directors and specialists on how to use assistive technology to advance awareness between Hearing and Deaf so that it will be easier to obtain reasonable accommodations for a variety of workplace training, meetings, etc.

Working with EEO Directors and Diversity Councils

Members will provide education on Deaf/HH issues and methods of communication Individual managers and group levelTo mid-level and senior level executivesEEO staff

Increase exposure and awareness to Senior Executive and Management of IRS/DEAF Leadership talents and advocate for the promotion of IRS Deaf/HH Employees

Educational Initiatives

Nina Olsen – Commissioner of National Taxpayer Advocate Service is transformed:

Now a Champion of IRS Deaf/HH Employees and serving the Deaf Public

Comprehensive education to include: Learning about Hearing professional culture

and etiquettesLearning about Deaf professional culture

and etiquettesLearning about Hard of Hearing professional

culture and etiquettesLearning about Blind professional culture

and etiquettesLearning about other minorities

Educational Initiatives

Deaf Awareness Month either October (Disability Awareness) and/or April for Deaf/HH Awareness monthArticles of interest on IRS intranetPublished articles outside of IRSVideos Presentations in PODs Expanded Deaf/HH website Newsletter on IRS Deaf/HH frequent with

greater audience

Educational Initiatives

Schedule A USA jobsTell friends and/family about jobs and how to

applyProduce videos in ASL for Deaf/HH

Organization website on how to apply for jobs at IRS using Schedule A on USA jobs

Recruiting more Deaf/HH persons to work at IRS

ASL Interpreting service contractsDesktop videophone systemCapTel serviceAudio loop system and FM systems for individual use CART serviceVideo Relay ServiceNote taking serviceFederal Relay Conference CaptioningClosed Captioning for Video open and closed captioning; IVT and

CENTRAAmerican Sign Language Training service TTY service

TTY was introduced and deployed in IRS around 1973 for internal use. TTY became an official only means of communicating with deaf taxpaying

clients in 1980. TTY is being obsolete already. Desktop videophones and VRS are being explored.

Review quality and cost saving analysis in all RA devices and services

Review Reasonable Accommodation Programs for most up to date

Currently 300 membersExpand to include more IRS Hard of Hearing EmployeesDevelop Local Chapters

Austin Chapter (2008)Cincinnati Chapter (pending)Dallas Chapter (Pending)DC Metro Chapter (2009)Denver Chapter (Pending)Detroit Chapter (pending)Kearneysville Chapter (pending)Memphis Chapter (pending) Milwaukee Chapter (PendingNew York Chapter (pending) Ogden Chapter (2009) Philadelphia Chapter (pending) Professional Deaf/HH Accountants at IRS

Expanding Membership

Work with TEC and SPEC to produce training on tax preparation in ASL taught by IRS Deaf/HH employees to be put on a DVD

Upload Tax Law training to Deaf Organization website

Use trained IRS Deaf/HH Employees as tax preparers for Deaf public

Need IRS volunteers to work with Deaf communities; various colleges; and IRS TEC and SPEC

VITA Sites located within Deaf Communities staffed by Deaf/HH Tax preparers

goal is developing leaders and officers

fund raisers – volunteers needed

obtaining grants – volunteers needed to write grant and manage funding

IRS Deaf/HH Organizational Needs

Need volunteers to serve as Officers and Committee Members both a National level and local chapter level

Will need governance and by-laws establishedPamphlets and brochures on organization Chapters information to be located on

website Work on re-writing IRM to be current on Deaf

issues; ADA laws; technology; interpreter issues; videophone issues; relay service issues; and expanded awareness of Deaf employees performing in workplace

IRS Deaf/HH Employee Organization Needs

Currently in need of TreasurerCurrently the organization is a 501-c, tax

exempt organizationNeeds recordkeeping done with annual

financial reports to be done Needs to have tax returns prepared annually

Financial Needs of Organization

Publicity CommitteeWebsitePamphletsNewslettersNews articles for IRS intranetVideos done in ASL

IRS Deaf/HH Organization Needs VOLUNTEERS

Concerning the Deaf employeesConcerning the HOH employeesConcerning the Deaf/Blind employees

Building Evacuation and Safety Programs

Tax law in ASL (currently partially complete)AccessibilityMentoring program – self study Applying for jobs at IRS Links to other Deaf related websites such as

www.irs.gov,

Websites for IRS Deaf/HH Organization

Continue at local chapter levelNeeds national coordinators – must have this

to continue the program Recruit mentorsRecruit protégésHave more self-study

Mentor Program

Speaking contestWriting contestReading contestMath contestComputer technology contestASL Video production contest

Scholarship Program for members and children

Deaf and Hard of Hearing In GovernmentFederal Employees OrganizationsNational Association for Deaf VIEW Disability Awareness Program (Pa) Hearing Loss Association of America AIM (Association for the Improvement of

Minorities)

Liaison with other organizations

2006 – Washington DC (postponed)2007 – Lanham, MD2008 – Martinsburg, WV2009 – Austin TX2010 – Salt Lake City, UT2011 – Cincinnati, OH 2012 – Atlanta, GA2013 – and beyond – open

IRS Deaf/HH Employee Conferences

Have a

wonderful

Conferenc

e for 2010

in Salt

Lake City

and see

you next

year in

Cincinnati

, Ohio!!!!