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***>> BETH LOY: Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Job Accommodation

Network's Monthly Webcast Series. Today's webcast is called "Testing and Training Accommodations" I'm Beth Loy and I'll be your moderator Our featured speakers today are Teresa Goddard, JAN Lead Consultant Sensory Team, Teresa say hello to our audience.

>> TERESA GODDARD: Hello, everybody>> BETH LOY: And we have Lisa Matthes a Senior Consultant on the Motor Team.

Lisa, say hello.>> LISA MATTHES: Hi, everybody.>> BETH LOY: Before we get started we need to go over a few housekeeping

items that we traditionally go over. First if any of you experience technical difficulties during the webcast call us at 800-526-7234 for voice and hit button 5 or for TTY call 877-781-9403. Now, toward the end of the presentation, we plan to have a question and answer period. But you can send in your questions at any time during the webcast to our email account which is question@askJANorg or you can use our question and answer pod located at the bottom of your screen. To use the pod just type in your question and then submit to the question queue.

On the bottom of your screen, you'll also notice a webcast download or file sharepod. If you have difficulty viewing the slides or would like to download them, click on the slides and then click on the button that says download file. And finally, I want to remind you that at the end of the webcast an evaluation form will automatically pop up on your screen in another window. This will happen if you don't have your popups blocked. If you do, we'll send it to you at a later date.

We really appreciate your feedback. So please stay logged onto fill out the evaluation form. And now let's go ahead and get started. Who is kicking us off today.

>> I am. So a quick overview. So when we say we're going to do a webcast on "Testing and Training Accommodations", a few questions popped up, what does the ADA even say about testing and training accommodations? Are there different rules for pre-employment versus on-the-job testing and training? Who will need these types of accommodations? What are some accommodation options? And do they even work?

Hopefully during this hour we will answer all of these questions and more so let's get into it. Let's take a quick look at what the regulations say about what an employer may have to do for a qualified applicant and employees with disabilities. So we all know there are lots of modifications or adjustments that may be considered reasonable. And included in the basic list of accommodations are the things like making facilities accessible, restructuring positions, getting equipment. And then here is what we're going to talk about today is the changes in test and training materials and/or policies. So another note on regulation is training falls under the umbrella of benefit and privileges of employment so training is offered to all employees to those with and without those with disabilities then training should be made available to a person if they need that absent undue hardship.

So there is a duty to accommodate so employees can attend training programs this extends to in-house training as well as training offered by an outside entity. Regardless of where the training takes place there's an employer obligation to make accommodations absent hardship so for practical guidance employers may want to avoid problems by specifying in the contract who has responsibility to provide appropriate reasonable accommodations. Employers should ensure that any offsite training will be held in accessible facilities if they have an employee who because of disability requires such accommodations.

So let's look at an example that shows the employer obligation when it comes to training at another location which could include traveling. With someone with paraplegia and they use a motorized wheelchair they have to travel to a training at corporate but are concerned about navigating the airport and their flight so as far as ADA goes we may have to provide accommodations to enable an employee to travel to get to that training.

The solution we see here is the employer did just that. They arranged ahead of time for an attendant to escort the employee throughout the airport and get the

employee on the flight safe and soundly thus enabling them to participate in the employer-sponsored training.

So employers may use any kind of test to determine job qualifications. The ADA has two major requirements in relation to tests if a test screens out a person with a disability it must be job related and consistent with business necessity a test will most likely be an accurate predictor of a job performance for a person with a disability when it most directly or closely measures actual skills and ability needed to do a position. So even if a test is job related and justified by business necessity, the employer has an obligation to provide a specific reasonable accommodation, if needed.

Then looking at the second bullet, tests should be given in such a way that don't require use of an impaired skill so the purpose of this requirement is to ensure that tests accurately reflect a person's job skills, aptitude, or whatever else the test is supposed to measure rather than the person's impaired skills.

>> Now I'll talk a little bit about the pre-employment requests. We think it's a good idea for employers to inform applicants well in advance if testing is going to be required as part of the hiring process and this gives time for the applicant to make the request they are going to make and also time for the employer to respond appropriately. Usually it's going to be the job applicant with a disability who makes the request. Typically they would be responsible for notifying the employer or the testing company in advance of the testing date. Sometimes we get questions about can an employer ask whether an accommodation is needed. more details about that I would refer you to the EEOC's guidance document on pre-employment testing. We do have a link on our Web site. But if an accommodation is not obvious an employer may ask for reasonable documentation about the applicant's medical history because the employer needs to know if the person has a disability which an accommodation is needed. The employee is responsible for providing this documentation which can include a letter from a qualified medical provider, a rehabilitation counselor, psychologist or other professional who is familiar with the person's limitations

As with any other types of requests, the requests could be made verbally or in writing And it might be that you have them fill out a form as part of your process.

The name of that document I mentioned is Pre-Employment Disability Related Questions and Medical Examinations. That's an EEOC guidance document. And again you can find that linked on the JAN Web site Let's look at an example involving a pre-employment test with a listening component.

A representative for a provider of pre-employment testing services contacted JAN to discuss a testing candidate's request. The company provided testing for court interpreters.

The candidate had disclosed a hearing disability and explained that she needed to listen to whatever she was hearing at 61 decibels or greater.

She was to take a recorded exam in which she would listen to instructions and a

court proceeding via a DVD and a CD and would then have to interpret what was said. Now, the caller was a little bit confused by the request because it was their

understanding that usually that recording would be played at 61 decibels or higher. So they called us just for a little bit of information to help them decide how to

respond. So they called here to JAN and the JAN consultant discussed with them that they

might ask the candidate to clarify her need for accommodation. And that they might also explain to her that she can increase the volume, if needed.

It was also suggested that the test provider stay focused on testing her language and interpreting skills because those were the skills being tested.

It turned out that the candidate actually already had a piece of assistive technology called a Pocketalker that she thought she could use for a portion of the test. Now, usually part of the test was delivered via headphones and that was the section about which she was concerned. In the end, the candidate was allowed to bring in her own assistive technology during the examination a Pocketalker is a small relatively affordable personal listing device and as you might guess from the name it's usually pocket sized and typically used with headphones.

Let's look at another example. An applicant was unable to complete a pre-employment typing test because the

testing software did not work with his assistive technology. The employer offered a reader, a qualified reader, a person basically qualified to

read what was on the screen but the applicant was concerned that wouldn't really reflect his ability to do the typing test and the reason for that is a human reader can't really match the speed and consistency of a screenreader This is a pretty common concern because experienced screenreaders often listen to the content from their computer screen at a really high rate of speed. Higher than you would have in normal conversation. And listening to a human reader could indeed slow them down.

In this particular case, the applicant's Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor was able to provide a proctored test of his typing ability using an accessible typing program. Now, we don't know which program that they used But a typical example of such a program is the accessible typing program called TypeAbility. Which incidentally is supposed to work with the new product ZoomText Fusion which combines elements of screen magnification with the screenreader JAWS.

Next let's talk about training requests. As is typical with accommodations, the employee with the disability is the one who

would typically make the request and generally speaking they should do so as soon as they realize they may need accommodations to participate in the training. This helps an employer to prepare for the accommodation in time to provide it.

For example, providing an interpreter might require a little bit of lead time in order to find one with the appropriate skill level and vocabulary Not to mention availability.

As with other accommodation requests, requests for accommodations that are related to training may be made verbally and/or in writing. Filling out a form might be part of the process. And a medical documentation might be requested in cases where the disability and need for accommodation are not obvious. And when that documentation has not already been previously received by the employer.

While this next example pertains to a question we get pretty often here at JAN, it involves non-mandatory training. So in this example, XYZ Corp. Arranges for one of its employees to provide CPR training. This three-hour program is optional. A deaf employee wishes to take the training and requests a sign language interpreter.

For the purposes of this example, XYZ would typically be required to provide the interpreter absent undue hardship of course because the CPR training is a benefit that XYZ offers all employees, even though it is optional. Now, in this particular example, an employee provided the training.

But sometimes the employer might contract with an outside entity in order to provide a training. And in such situations there might be a dual or shared responsibility as Lisa described previously. You can read more about those types of situations in a guidance document called Reasonable Accommodations and Undue Hardship Under the ADA. Again that's an EEOC guidance document and we do have a link to it on the JAN Web site now I'm going to turn it back to Lisa take it away Lisa.

>> BETH LOY: Lisa I'm going to interrupt you for a second I just want to let the audience know there is a delay in the Adobe system it's something we've been experiencing at the beginning of our webcasts in the last couple of episodes and that's one reason why we make those slides available to everyone so you can print them off. Usually the system catches up. You know, 20 or so minutes into the webcast but it's hard to say. I just want everybody to know that we are advancing the slides. Currently with Lisa we're going to start an Slide 17. So it's not that we're not sitting here advancing the slides in this case. They are being advanced. There is just a delay in the Adobe system. So Lisa, with that, let's get back to the topic at hand.

>> LISA MATTHES: Okay so on Slide 17 we just wanted to showcase the variety of disabilities and medical conditions that may need to request accommodations for testing and training. This list of course is not a list of disabilities covered under the ADA because that doesn't exist. Nor is it an all-inclusive list of disabling conditions for which test-takers would need accommodations.

It's just an overview of what we see and what we get calls on for testing and training accommodations.

So some examples of alternative test formats and accommodation ideas, substitute written for an oral test or vice versa. You often see large print, Braille or a reader or via computer for those with a visual or reading disabilities.

Record test answers. This could be done with a tape recorder, dictation or a computer This may be for someone with limited use of their hands to physically write

out answers. Extra time to complete a test. Again, with learning disabilities or impaired writing skills.

Rest breaks, I think this is good for anyone, disability or not. But we see this with all types of disabilities getting more rest breaks.

Accessible testing site for those with mobility impairments. A separate testing room. This may help someone with a mental disability that has

issues with distractions. And then there is evaluate by other means. This is where it's not possible to test an

individual with a disability in an alternative format so we may want to evaluate the skill being tested through an interview, job experience, looking at different workability and certifications

So moving right along to universal design in regards to testing spaces. Universal design is the process of creating products or environments that are

usable by as wide a range of people as possible. So things we want to be mindful about when trying to be as accessible to as many

people as possible could include providing ergonomic adjustable chairs and desks. This can allow a test-taker to move positions and alternate between sitting and standing as needed throughout a testing window.

Ensure computers are preloaded with various AT software. This can range from the speech recognition software options to the screenreaders and magnification. Just an array of programs that are often used by those with disabilities.

I want to jump to the last bullet of having a selection of alternative mice and keyboards again this could be miniature keyboards, the trackballs, large button keyboards. There's so many options So again just being mindful of what people may request when they are taking a long test.

Then finally, training for exam proctors. This is more of a policy and procedural modification. But ensure that those who are monitoring these tests are aware and know how to recognize an accommodation request. We'll get into specifics later. But you'll see some of the accommodations may involve a proctor doing things in a different way than they normally do it this could be verbally making time announcements versus writing it on a board it may involve a proctor capturing answers for them, a proctor may be involved in these accommodations so just providing the training so they are well prepared is going to be important.

So let's take a look at accommodation ideas that could be for both testing and training situations. First we're going to look at things for cognitive and neurological limitations. This could be for TBIs, developmental disabilities, fibro, a variety of learning disabilities and lots of psychological impairments

So if we're limited with memory and remembering events on the day of the test we can post and announce any reminders we can post the bathroom location or time remaining modifying the schedule and flexing the schedule should also be considered

maybe take certain sections of the test on one day and let test-takers come back the next day to do other sections and then we have limitations in reading print material. Providing a reader or a test on tape, which is also a similar premise to using a computer with voice output. But speaking of reader, I did want to point out that it's someone who literally reads the test to the test-taker they should be familiar with terminology used on the test, a reader doesn't explain the test or interpret the test, they just read the words on the page for the test-taker and then bold print could be beneficial often using symbols where appropriate and color coding the different sections may make it easier for the person to differentiate the subject sections.

So let's look at an example to illustrate an accommodation idea we saw on the previous slide so someone with a learning disability had to take a test to keep his certification current. He couldn't read the written words on the test and he failed the first time.

So for the second attempt at the test, a reader was provided, which cost the employer $150 and the employee ended up passing the test.

So sticking with more accommodation ideas for cognitive and neurological issues, if a person has problems managing their time, we might consider extending the timeframe to complete the test. Having that trained proctor announce time in intervals so the test-taker can pace themselves accordingly. Permitting the use of a clock or watch. Oftentimes we see that watches may be prohibited in certain tests so modifying that policy could be an idea and if we let them use the watch then let's set timers to vibrate at certain intervals.

And then moving on to concentration, if we have someone who is distracted or disorganized in taking a test, letting them test in a separate private room. Providing a reader to keep it moving. And then same with the test on tape. It may keep the test-taker moving along at a decent pace so they don't run out of time

And then eliminate distractions, the doors and the windows, those can have outside noises that can keep us from focusing on the test.

So now let's look at when someone is limited in writing words, sentences or paragraphs.

Letting them have the option to do a first draft to get all of their thoughts out on the paper may help. Providing a scribe, which is someone who writes down or records the test-taker's responses. Permitting verbal responses instead of writing answers. Letting a test-taker use a dictionary or thesaurus, allowing the use of computer word processing to create a written response which can also assist with grammar, assist with spelling and time management.

And then when we consider ideas for performing mathematical calculations of course a calculator could make sense for certain tests, scratch paper so someone can work out the equations. Using a times table or multiplication chart to help with equations. And then pictures and graphics with word problems so they can visualize

things differently. So another example to illustrate our point, someone with dysgraphia and writing

limitations had to take an employment test to maintain her credentials. So the employer let this person take the test orally so she was able to showcase

that she knew the material in a different way without having to write out her answers. And so it's a win-win for both parties.

Another example, we have an electrician who is depressed and has to go to periodic training but the employee has a hard time taking notes and paying attention the whole time. The accommodation solution for this one was the employer provided CART service as an accommodation, which is a third party service that provides the transcription of the meeting notes.

Then I'm going to let Teresa jump in >> TERESA GODDARD: Thanks, Lisa. I'm going to talk just for a minute about

panic attacks and how to accommodate people who experience those. Here at JAN we take a lot of questions about test anxiety. Certainly not unusual for an employee to request accommodations to help them prevent or manage panic attacks through the symptoms of other anxiety disorders.

So some typical accommodation ideas include the following. One would be allowing frequent breaks. Extending the testing time. Sometimes the time pressure involved in taking a test can exacerbate symptoms. So when possible, you might consider an untimed rest. Of course your exact decision is probably going to depend on whether or not completing the test items within a certain amount of time is the skill being tested.

Providing a private room can also be helpful and it might help the test-taker to feel a little bit less self-conscious about using stress management techniques such as breathing exercises and it might also make it easier to provide appropriate proctoring, especially if the individual uses some type of wearable device to coach them through some breathing exercises in case of experience of some panic or anxiety We'll talk about an example of that later when we get to the issues and training section of the webcast.

Occasionally test-takers also ask for environmental accommodations involving lighting or the use of background music or other sounds or maybe even a quieter environment. And these are easier to provide in a private testing room.

Sometimes you'll get a request to permit the test-taker to sit in the back of the room closer to an exit. It might also help to modify the restroom break policy so individuals have flexibility to remove themselves from the setting, if necessary.

Sometimes, however, just being near an exit might help someone to feel more at ease.

Now, allowing the test-taker to become familiar with the test environment can also help if you can't do that in person, there might be other ways to help the person become

more familiar and comfortable, such as providing photos or detailed descriptions of the location and what to expect.

Allowing the test-taker to choose their own seat can also be helpful. For instance, some people might feel more comfortable if there's a wall to their back as they are seated. Or if there's a buffer seat between them and another test-taker.

Some people may also prefer an aisle seat so they can get up easily if a break is needed. Finally, test administrators may want to have a plan of action for dealing with emergencies, including medical emergencies. Now, this could be a general plan of action. Or a plan of action that's developed as part of the Interactive Process with a particular test-taker.

Now Lisa is going to talk a little bit more about accommodations related to writing on Slide 30.

>> LISA MATTHES: All right. So getting into some motor limitations, which could stem from amputation, back issues, MS, paraplegia, so talking specifically about writing. But this time we're referring to the physical aspect of writing, not the cognitive process. So we may allow a verbal response so they don't have to write their answers. We may provide a scribe to write the answers for them. Providing a writing aid. There's lots of options out there for assistive technology when it comes to writing aids.

And then letting a test-taker use a line guide or writing template or ruler so they can write in a straight line.

And then the second half of the slide is for turning pages. So it could include having a proctor turn pages or having a reader read the test for the test-taker. Simple fix can be unstapling the booklet and lay it flat so easier to move through the pages and again with technology you can always provide a page-turning device

So the last accommodation slide for motor limitations if someone is limited in being seated for long periods of time. Providing a table instead of a desk. This could be for the more legroom. Permitting frequent breaks so they can stand and stretch a little. Of course extended time makes sense.

Letting the person alternate between sitting and standing this is what we mentioned on the universal design space slide. An adjustable table or desk can let people test how they are most comfortable

And then permitting ergonomic principles. This could be that alternative chair, the lumbar cushions, the seat rests.

And then when we have typing and mousing limitations. Allowing test-takers a practice run on the test device could be beneficial. Speech recognition to essentially take the need to type and mouse out of the equation. And of course there's all types of alternative input devices, alternative keyboards, larger or miniature keyboards and a variety of alternative mice

So now we have an applicant with an arm amputation but they have trouble working the computer mouse so this is a good example of a pre-employment request where you

hopefully find out what a test entails beforehand and can make that accommodation request before that actual test day. So this applicant found out it was a computer and mouse test and emailed that employer right away

So the employer in this case was willing to give the applicant a scribe who submitted the questions for the applicant.

Now we have an example of an employment training. So this employee had MS and was concerned about sitting in a conference room for 8 straight hours.

So they talked to the employer about it and the employer ended up letting this employee take periodic breaks to get up and stretch and walk around a bit and get reenergized and then for any time away from the meeting in that he missed information, they were given notes to catch up on

So back to Teresa to get into the sensory limitations.>> TERESA GODDARD: Thanks, Lisa. Next let's talk about accommodations for someone who is deaf or hard of hearing.

Remember, the appropriate accommodation will depend on the individual's unique hearing needs as well as the types of equipment and other supports that they typically use. Not every individual with a hearing impairment will use all of these accommodations. And some might need accommodations that are not on this list.

Now, having said that, here are some typical accommodations relating to hearing and testing and training.

You might have the proctor use a microphone and that might also be used with an FM loop. Or a telecoil with a -- that the person can access with their hearing aid or with headphones.

A private room might be helpful for two reasons. One, it might be easier to hear the proctor's instructions in a quiet room without background noise. And also, some people with hearing impairments may also experience noise sensitivity. So they may be distracted by other sounds in the environment like other test-takers that are scooting their chairs around and that sort of thing. Sometimes hearing aids can amplify those unwanted sounds and cause a problem Other people may just have a sensitivity to sound that's directly related to functioning of their ears.

So this should go without saying that I'm -- but I'm going to say it anyway, you might want to post the time prompts in writing. Personally I think you should do your prompts both in a written format and in an auditory format And that way you'll cover the needs of most test-takers

You could provide captions of what the proctor is saying, like the instructions, or even captions for some of the audible material on the test self. Again, if we're talking about content within the test, it's going to depend on what skill was being tested. Now there are a lot of different ways to provide captions. You might do that by providing CART services, in other words, a professional captioner to produce those that can be done by someone who is physically in the room or remotely using a service that we call

remote CART. There are also a number of what we call communication access technologies that can produce captions in a more automated way. And we're beginning to see the emergence of apps that can be used to produce captions on the spot. And two examples of that would be the Ava app that's spelled A-v-a and Microsoft also has released an app called Microsoft Translator. It's designed to translate what a speaker is saying but it can also be used to capture captions. And the neat thing about that is you can get out a code so the people can receive the captions on a device that's near them. Or you can also project it.

These automated options are not the same as a live interpreter. Of course -- or a live captioner. A live captioner is a person with their own skills and training and experience. They have the ability to make corrections on the fly and can also be briefed in advance on vocabulary and on the topic that's going to be covered. So you really need to consider the effectiveness of the accommodation when making your choice.

Another typical request is for an interpreter. And again, while there are many technologies available to assist someone who is deaf or hard of hearing in a test or a training environment, for some people, providing an interpreter is just going to be the most appropriate and effective accommodation that you could do.

If you do have questions about how to find an interpreter, you could go to RID.org. That's the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. And if you would like to know more about these other options you can either contact JAN or visit our Web site.

So let's look at an example. A large state employer held periodic meetings to update employees about agency

policies and safety issues. A deaf employee had difficulty benefiting from a meeting and filed a complaint.

The employer decided to contract with an interpreter service in order to provide interpreters for those meetings going forward. And again, while there were lots of ways to provide communication support, the appropriate solution does depend on the needs of the individual with a disability. For individuals who are deaf and use ASL, an interpreter will sometimes be the most effective and appropriate solution.

Now let's look at some vision related accommodations. An individual who has difficulty seeing may benefit from one or more of the

following. You might allow the test in another way. In other words, try not to be rigid in how you get your information about the individual's ability. You might provide a reader. This means a person to read aloud to the individual. If there are colors involved in the test, you might consider providing the test in alternate colors. Unless, of course, caller identification is part of the test.

You might use screenreaders and by this we mean screen reading software. For example JAWS. The screenreader from Freedom Scientific.

Other equipment such as a Braille display or headphones might also be needed in order to kind of make the screenreader work. If someone is using a screenreader

auditorily, they are going to need a way to listen. And typically headphones would be the way that you do that.

Other people may access the information from the screenreader using Braille. In that case, they are going to need a Braille display and possibly a Braille keyboard.

Now, occasionally we get questions about situations where the person wants to bring in their own Braille display from home because they anticipate needing it during a test.

And in one case we had someone who requested to bring in a Braille notetaker that they thought would also be able to serve as a Braille display for them. And the employer had to make a decisions about whether they wanted to allow that or not. There was a concern that the person might have information stored on the notetaker. Or it might actually store information about the test on the notetaker itself.

On the other hand, Braille displays are expensive. And while technically possible to borrow or rent one, that might be difficult to do So the employer really had a difficult decision to make in that situation.

Another typical accommodation is to provide magnification. So for example, a CCTV is an example of a device that can provide different levels of magnification. It might be useful to have one on hand especially if you think someone might need magnification but you're not sure how much.

typically the individual should be able to tell you approximately what level of magnification they need. And also if you're providing enlarged material, or large print material, there's a subtle difference between those two. Enlarged basically means enlarging it like you would on a copier. Large print means specifying for example a font size. A person should be able to tell you approximately what they need in that area. So for instance sometimes when I'm on the phone with someone who is requesting materials in large print I might ask, okay, we can do that. Would 16 point work for you? And then they can tell me what works for them.

As for the time prompts, just as you would want to put those in writing for someone with hearing-related impairments you would want to announce them verbally for someone who has a vision impairment, not just write them on a whiteboard or a blackboard.

Another thing that comes up is a request to bring a service animal into the testing area. So you might need to allow both the entrance of the service animal and permission to leave the room and breaks to do so to provide care for the animal during the test.

And what we mean by that is the animal may need to visit the service animal release area.

Of course people with other disabilities other than vision might also benefit from this type of accommodation.

Next let's talk about some communication related accommodations. Below are

some examples related to communication needs in the training or testing environment. You might provide an interpreter for someone who uses sign language. Someone

may need to communicate with a proctor in writing. Providing extended testing time might also be helpful if there is some communication that needs to take place that may take longer than usual.

It kind of depends on the situation. But you may run into a scenario where it would be helpful to provide some communication in symbols instead of words or perhaps instead of numbers.

So for instance, let's say you're providing prompts on how much time is left. Sometimes instead of announcing that or even writing the time left, it might be useful to use a different type of display where you can kind of display in quarter hours how much time is left. Some type of symbol.

If a person requires symbols either they or someone who is assisting them in getting an accommodation should be able to describe what's needed.

Now when it comes to using appropriate assistive technology, that might actually mean allowing the person to bring the device that they usually use in order to produce a synthetic voice into the testing or training environment.

So it used to be that most people who needed assistive technology for communication, say because they had a speech impairment, might have a large device, perhaps attached to a wheelchair, especially if they were using this type of AAC device we call it or speech generating device and also had a motor impairment like cerebral palsy. Then later, we started to see these types of devices being built on say a laptop model. And you would see something that looked very much like a laptop or at least the screen part of a laptop.

But these days we're often seeing people who bring in things like SmartPhones or tablets. And they have an app on that device that they literally use as their voice. So you may need to modify policies related to bringing various devices into the environment.

And in a training situation it might also make sense to use very careful turn taking and other techniques to make sure someone who uses a speech generating device has an equal chance to make comments and ask questions And remember that someone who uses a speech generating device might need something other than a standard microphone to amplify their comments and questions or else the trainer might need to repeat or paraphrase those into a microphone so that the whole group can hear.

And you should also be aware that it sometimes takes a little bit longer to compose a response on an AAC or speech generating device so make sure to leave enough time that a person can compose their response if they are responding to a question or if you see that they are trying to make a comment.

We have email learning disability here. And that could potentially be used to communicate about the accommodation needs in advance. Or something like email,

instant messaging, or texting might be used to communicate during an actual training experience. And obviously an employer would want to carefully consider whether and to what extent they would want to allow those during a testing situation rather than a training situation. There may be times when it's appropriate. There may be times when it's not.

Next I want to talk for a few minutes about accommodations related to chemical sensitivity. Often a fragrance free environment is requested. Some accommodations that might help an individual with chemical sensitivity include the following: Providing an air purifier. Now, here the type of air purifier really does matter. You want one that's appropriate not only to the size of the space but also that actually is designed to remove whatever it is you're trying to remove. So one might be really great for pollen. Terrible on perfume.

Speaking of perfume, it might be helpful if the proctor is instructed not to wear perfume or fragrance products on the day of the test. Testing in a private room where people can be away from other test-takers wearing perfume could be helpful sometimes people ask to be put by a window they can open to get fresh air if person is also allergic to pollen or bees that might not be a good idea. You might permit the use of a mask if a person benefits from those and one thing people will try is using a fan but just keep in mind that a fan might not provide enough benefit to be effective for some individuals I'll also throw out there that some people do wear small devices that contain a fan around their neck. And you might think that that's some type of device that could interfere with the test. But really a person may need an exception in order to be able to wear that into a testing room.

I know some of the outside entities are very strict on what they will allow and not allow but sometimes policies have to be modified as an accommodation.

Now, many people are sensitive to bright lights or certain types of lights. Here are some accommodations to help with that. You might provide a private or modified testing space like a place with lights out or with alternate lighting. You can put anti-glare monitor filters on the computers. Use shades or light filters as needed we have lots of examples of those in the JAN database you might allow the use of personal items that you might usually restrict like sunglasses consider proximity to windows some people do better when they are close to natural light other people may need to avoid it.

Let's look at an example. This one involves an employee with photosensitivity who needed equal access to

training they were a Federal employee with lupus and they had photosensitivity and were scheduled to attend a training in a facility with fluorescent lighting and that aggravated the employee's condition. The lights could not be turned off because without them it was just too dark.

In this particular case, the employer rented a training site without fluorescent lighting. There was a one-time cost of about $1,000. Now in some cases if you're doing

a lot of trainings you might decide to modify the space so you don't have those reoccurring rental costs. Let's talk about dietary needs and also about fatigue.

Dietary needs and fatigue can be experienced by people with a variety of disabilities and some things you can do to accommodate the limitations include the following: You might provide extended time for the test or even an untimed test if that's possible. Testing in a private room might make it possible for a person to eat as needed during the test without feeling self-conscious and without disturbing others.

In other cases you might allow eating or drinking during the test in a room that's shared with others. It just depends on your situation.

Now, when it comes to medication, some people don't feel comfortable taking medication in front of others or they might need to use a medication more comfortably administered privately such as something that might be injected so you might allow time to administer those or perhaps an extra break.

As for fatigue, frequent breaks or extended time and flexibility to take breaks as needed might be helpful. Depending on the person they might also need to be able to lie down during those breaks and providing a private room might be helpful, too, especially if they need space to lie down or if they need a distraction-free environment to cope with their fatigue.

Also somebody is using some kind of device to alert themselves that they are kind of nodding off to sleep then a private space would allow them to use that without disturbing others.

So let's look at an example where someone found a less complicated solution to meet someone's needs. A person who used a power wheelchair wanted to attend a training on grant writing at the headquarters of a nonprofit. The training was to be held in a conference room on the second floor of a beautiful historic building. With a beautiful historic staircase the nonprofit was considering installing a stairlift but the individual was unsure about how they would do with transferring to and from the lift and there was also a concern about what to do at the top of the stairs because that chair was way too heavy to lift up the steps.

The nonprofit brought in folding tables to create a temporary meeting space on the first floor. And I don't know if they had adjustable height tables for this individual but of course you can raise the height of a table with something simple like wooden blocks or bricks.

All right. Finally, we want to talk about some emerging issues and trends related to testing and training. One hot topic around the JAN office lately has been wearables. We often talk about wearables as an accommodation tool. But they can also raise some issues when it comes to testing and training.

I recently read a newspaper article about students using Smartwatches as a tool to cheat on tests some watches allow you not to just get notifications and alerts but you can also get text messages right on your wrists so many testing sites and colleges are

asking people to remove their Smartwatches before taking a test naturally. This doesn't always work we have heard of individuals taking off the watchband and concealing the watch face in their palm or somewhere else on their person but there might be some situations where you would not want to ask someone to remove a wearable. You might do something else like modifying your proctoring methods. Maybe adding additional proctors and testing in a private room where a person can be observed one-on-one and here is why I say that.

For example, there's a product called the iBeat, which is a type of emergency related watch. It's a SmartWatch that's actually used to monitor somebody's heart rate continuously. And then it can notify the wearer or even people on their contact list if there's a problem with the heart rate People even use it to get help in an emergency involving their heart.

So if somebody is wearing that, I'm not sure if I would want them to take it off during the test. It might make a lot more sense to modify any policy that involves removing wearable smart devices.

Another example might be that someone might use an app to manage stress. For example, there's one called Breathe Well which is something that's currently in development and that's designed to coach somebody through a breathing exercise to help them with the anxiety they are feeling in that moment.

It's not yet widely available but I think we'll start to see people use these types of apps more frequently and there are some wearables designed to be worn on the waistband or maybe under other clothing maybe to manage stress or to track activity and it could just be awkward to ask somebody to remove those in the testing room.

So these are just some things to think about when you're considering your testing and training policies.

If you have a question about wearables I hope you'll call in because we just love talking about them.

>> All right to bring it altogether JAN does have this publication available on the Web site at askJAN.org if you go to A to Z, and by topic and then under testing accommodations if you can't find it feel free to email us or call us we can send it out and the direct hyperlink is also on the slide.

Next slide, the contact information. So if you have questions about this or anything else ADA and accommodation related, please don't hesitate to call us in the future or email us, text or chat.

>> BETH LOY: Well, let's go ahead and see what questions we have. Everybody ready?

>> Oh, yes>> BETH LOY: Okay. Let's start with one for Lisa. Lisa, what about people who

are going for a third party certification like a CNA. So the employer isn't sending that person to training. The person is going independently. Is it then the training facility like

let's say it's the Red Cross for example is it the Red Cross's responsibility for the accommodation? And this is actually a different part of the law, right?

>> LISA MATTHES: It is So if this type of training and certification is not a benefit of employment, then it's probably going to fall to Title III of the ADA which is the public access.

So public accommodations, public access, those types of entities do have their own responsibilities to ensure equal access for customers and clients and consumers to enjoy their products and services.

So in this example it probably would fall to the reds cross if the person is going on their own accord to get a CNA training.

>> BETH LOY: Next question, Teresa, can you talk about online testing as most employers are requiring not only online applications but also testing. We have to do online tests here as well like the driving test we have to take, some other personnel tests that we're now taking online.

>> TERESA GODDARD: Yeah we're seeing more and more of those to be honest I think we could do a whole hour on online testing I think the key is to make sure you're using an online application as well as an online test that is accessible. If you want some information about how to make sure that the employment section of your Web site is accessible we do have an article about that on the JAN Web site which also includes a little self-assessment tool that you can use to double-check your own Web site. One thing that's key is to make sure that the application site has some way for people to contact if they do need an accommodation. We've had some really interesting questions, though. I had a case a couple of weeks ago where someone wanted to take an online test but the test was not accessible. They said, well, I can do it with a reader. The employer is like well I don't know how you'll do that because you'll take the test at your house she said I can get my sister to read it outloud to me and maybe that will be okay well for some reason this kind of freaked the employer out a little bit and they are like if you're going to have your sister read the test we have to have a proctor present to make sure they are not doing the test for you. They were doing it at home anyway everybody does the test at home. So a whole bunch of people got involved. There was a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor involved they thought maybe that person could come to the home and be a proctor while the sister takes the -- is administering the test. The voc rehab counselor didn't want to come to the house they wanted everybody to come to his office and have it done there it turned into a whole big thing which could have been avoided had the test been accessible from the beginning. So I know that can be very challenging especially with typing tests but that's the ideal.

>> BETH LOY: That kind of leads us into the next question if an individual says -- the individual says they have had difficulties finding resources for visually impaired call center agents, specifically software that can read the program screen. This is your area Teresa so this individual is looking for some industry resources for call centers And I

think you just answered the question. This is a lot better when the system is accessible to begin with.

>> TERESA GODDARD: From the get-go. It's better to prepare in advance than to fix on the fly. Almost always. But you do run into challenges. Sometimes in call centers the person who is actually answering the call is dealing with a portal or with software that the employer controls at their site or which they have licensed but we are seeing more and more situations where a marketing company might have their employees have to go to Web sites that are controlled by others where they really don't have a direct way to make the accessibility changes needed. That's much more challenging. I would say these situations can be very simple Or they can be very complex.

The AFB, AFBorg, American Foundation for the Blind, does have a very nice resource on their Web site about in general how to make vision related accommodations in call centers. But one thing that we offer here at the Job Accommodation Network is that we can do a conference call involving the individual and involving the employer and I've done that a few times for situations involving call centers and I also like it if they also include a representative from the I.T team. It's just one of those situations where having IT. involved is really key to finding an effective solution or figuring out why you can't in those rare situations where it's going to be almost impossible to the point of undue hardship.

But yeah, preparing in advance is better than fixing on the fly, always, always, always.

>> BETH LOY: And it's cheaper.>> TERESA GODDARD: Amen to that >> BETH LOY: Okay. We don't have any other questions today and that pretty

much wraps us up for the day So let's just go ahead and wrap it up. If you have any additional questions, you know how to find us. You know how to find Lisa as well as Teresa. And that is all the time that we have. We thank you for attending and thank you, also, to Alternative Communication Services for providing the net captioning.

We hope the program was useful. If you need additional information about anything we talked about today, please let us know. And if you want to discuss an accommodation, please feel free to contacts at JAN. This concludes today's webcast.

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