February 16, 2009

Workshops to recognize Disability Awareness Month

The events are open to Purdue faculty, staff and the general public. The workshops include:

* March 3, 10-11 a.m. Purdue Memorial Union, West Faculty Lounge: "Accessibility: Including the Virtual World." Disability Awareness Month reception honoring the 2009 Focus Award recipients. Recipients have made outstanding contributions to the university's commitment to disability accessibility and diversity.

* March 3, 2-3:30 p.m. Purdue Memorial Union, Room 260: "ADA Legal Webinar - Employment and the ADA: Disparate Treatment vs. Disparate Impact." Workplace rules that are neutral on their face may still violate the Americans with Disabilities Act because they negatively impact people with disabilities. This session will review the legal concepts of disparate treatment and disparate impact, as well as discuss ADA cases decided under these two theories.

* March 11, 10:30 a.m. to noon, Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering, Room 1109: "When Web Design is Critical to Learning." Assistive technology and properly designed Web pages work together to do more than enhance learning - they make learning through the Web possible for many individuals. To highlight this, a current Purdue student with a disability will share his experiences with accessibility of Web pages. In addition, methods to improve the accessibility of Web pages to individuals with disabilities will be shared through the use of practical examples.

* March 17, 2-3:30 p.m., Stewart Center, Room 213: "ADA Audio Conference - Virtual Communication: Implications for Employers." This session will discuss the obligation of employers to ensure that all aspects of their communication are accessible, including that which is carried out in the virtual world. Learn what is required and how to implement best practices when using the virtual world to conduct business.

* March 19, 2:30-4:30 p.m. Stewart Center, Room 318: "ADA Amendments Act." In this workshop, learn about the changes the Amendments Act makes to the Americans with Disability Act and how it will affect employment, particularly supervisors' interactions with employees.

* March 26, 2:30-4:30 p.m., Stewart Center, Room 320: "ADA Overview." In this workshop, learn about the Americans with Disabilities Act - what the law means, its history and what is in store for the future.

For information, for assistance with reserving a space at a session, or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact the Office of Institutional Equity at (765) 494-7253, TTY: (765) 496-1343, or equity@purdue.edu.

Writer: Clyde Hughes, (765) 494-2073, jchughes@purdue.edu

Source: Marcy Hintzman, assistant director of compliance and disability services in the Office of Institutional Equity, (765) 494-7253, mhintzma@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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