What are effective ways to accommodate people with disabilities?

As a person with a disability , a son who is autistic and LD who lives in supported living -personalisation is the absolute key 🔑 -Listen to the person( not follow policy blindly because we know the policy is flawed -never assume anything -always check with the person that you have understood -be creative and make it happen not just squeeze the person into your tick box options -Believe the person -do not bring your own personal biases into the decision making process

Corporate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies are - in my opinion) contributing to a lack of awareness, and flexibility in regard to disabilities. Stop deciding what inclusion means to people with disabilities, stop deciding that being diverse and equitable means highlighting that a person has a disability and as such WILL have specific needs. Avoid making accessibility and awareness a 'clip on' feature, make the discussion about inclusion and accessibility a part of your planning.

Use a person-centred approach. Ask the person with a disability (PWD) what their needs are, how they want their disability to be accommodated; do not assume you know what they need. Listen well and pay attention to PWDs, they are the experts of their lives. Seek to understand each PWD's unique challenges and the barriers they face eg just because two individuals have the same disability does not mean that they face the same barriers and challenges. Adopt a reasonable accommodation approach that is person-centred.

creating accommodations for people with disabilities requires a good understanding of the social -cultural context. many barriers, especially social-societal barriers to the participation of persons with disabilities are reinforced by social-cultural- traditional beliefs addressing such barriers needs to work with stewards of the traditions to make them allies.

Communication, communication, communication. Now having declared that here is the challenge, enabling the communication. The Hāpai Access Card and UK Access Card have looked to contribute by providing a simple way that disabled customers can communicate to businesses their access needs. By preparing staff through training that is not over detailed or too long, but does enough to facilitate upskilling and better understanding resulting in a significant improvement in disabled peoples' customer experience. What hinders communication is insisting on the language and terms that must be used. This scares people off engaging for fear of being criticised. Plus language is always changing.

A personal example of a person-centred approach is when I moved from a special school to a government primary school. As the only student with a disability in the school, the ministry of social welfare &education worked together with my then physiotherapist to ensure that my disability could be accommodated. I was assessed on how I would climb the stairs into the school hall, sit on the chairs, whether the desk height was okay for me, easy access to the toilets, where I would sit in class to accommodate my crutches. The headmaster & teacher were also involved in these assessments. Throughout the process, I was asked what I was comfortable with, no decision was made without my input.

It may sound obvious, but to adopt a people-centered approach, we must place individuals at the heart of the process. And by that, I don't mean placing the idea of a person or a persona at the center of the project, but rather inviting people to participate in the conception and decisions of a project that will impact their lives. I observe many organizations alienated from the concept of user-centered design when, in reality, they are centered only on themselves and their own business and economic interests.

It's also important to make it safe for people to ask for accommodations. Many people are hesitant to ask for things that would help them do better work. They're worried they'll be treated differently, told no, or be punished for asking. If people have seen their co-workers be supported and helped, then they'll know it's okay to ask for what they need. This helps them trust their organization more, and that makes them more likely to be a loyal employee.

Agree, and work collaboratively with your HR team as an ongoing practice. Accommodations should be an ongoing conversation that is normalized in the workplace.

We also need to think about UD as it relates to training. When designing curriculum, either online or in-person, it is critical to both consider what you are teaching and how the people interacting with your training learn and communicate. For instance, are your materials accessible to someone who is Blind or visually impaired? Do you have close captioning and sign language included in your videos for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing? Do you use plain language and plain instruction to include people with cognitive impairments? The more universally designed your training is the more likely you are going to convey the correct messages to your audience.

I recognize the importance of a more inclusive design. However, I wonder if we should consider universal design as a path forward. Can a standardized practice truly accommodate the diverse needs of human beings? Is it possible to cater, simultaneously and with equal consideration, to people with visual impairments and those with good vision but limited hand mobility? How can a social network be suitable for both young and elderly users? I don't intend to refute the importance of accessibility requirements for product development, though different individuals require different care. Thus, the concept of universality in social work seems extremely problematic to me.

To build a culture of equitable access and inclusion, we must go beyond the mere implementation of accessible infrastructure and accommodations. A profound transformation in our understanding of disability and inclusion is essential. We must acknowledge and address the intricate web of disability's intersectionality with other aspects of identity, including race, gender, sexuality, and socioeconomic status. It is imperative to recognize that disabled individuals belonging to marginalized groups often encounter extra hurdles in accessing opportunities and suffer from discrimination. We can also embark on the journey of reshaping societal attitudes towards disability and acknowledging the invaluable contributions made by disabled people.

When exploring reasonable accommodations that meet individual needs, adopt a respectful, empathetic, and accountable approach underpinned by active listening and humility. Familiarize yourself with concepts like disability models, systemic barriers, the progression of disability rights, and pertinent legal obligations. Seek out learning opportunities and resources developed by people with lived experience. Avoid assumptions and instead engage in collaborative discussions about needs, adopting a client-directed approach when possible. Appreciate the diverse insights individuals bring from personal experiences. Together, identify potential challenges and devise accommodations that leverage the individual's unique strengths and abilities.