This month’s White House Disability Policy Call dealt with education and children with disabilities. The call was led by Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the President on Disability Policy. The two speakers for today were U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Rebecca Copely from the Presidential Personnel Office. There was also a Q&A period at the end of the call.
Mr. Duncan spoke first and he shared with the listeners several statistics, including that 60% of students with disabilities now spend 80% of their time in school included in classrooms with able bodied students. Mr. Duncan spoke on the inclusion of all students in the school system and that students with disabilities should have to meet the same expectation as all other students. He also spoke about how we, as a nation, need to close the achievement gaps.
Ms. Copely spoke about how the Presidential Personnel Office handles Presidential appointments and that all who apply are considered, including people with disabilities (who are encouraged to apply). To look at what appointments need to be filled, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov.
Mr. Dale made several announcements during the call. These announcements included the Department of Energy’s loan to support purposely built vehicles (from the ground up) that is wheelchair accessible and uses compressed gas. He also shared FEMA’s agreement with the Disability Network that insures that people with disabilities are available for information so that FEMA can provide services to people with disabilities during emergencies. Mr. Dale also shared that the Department of Justice had a settlement with INOVA dealing with the services needed by people with hearing impairments (such services include interpreters) to have access to health services.
The call ended with a Q&A period. The questions were all within the education and disability policy range, including one dealing with Pell Grant Applications and Braille.
Ms. Copely, I’ve heard you on video stating that there isn’t public policy for which the disabled are not making the policy, or something close to this. I have severe chemical intolerance so much so that I cannot venture outside safely in the presence of people’s personal fragrant deodorants, laundry detergents etc. When an area says it is disability friendly everyone thinks of a ramp for a wheelchair, yet the air that we breathe is omnipresent.
Im interested in a position where I can return safely to teaching and perhaps in rooms suitable for children who also have chemical intolerance and are suffering physically daily, or simply must be home schooled due to their exposure reactions.
Is there anything you can guide me to for employment, as I’d rather be working. I really miss teaching. My skills are there, but spaces are disabled in trying to accommodate me. Evidently I create undo burdens for any employer
Angela Page
Dwyer Ave, Liberty NY 12754
FolkPlus@gmail.com
Hello Ms. Page —
Thank you for visiting the NARIC Spotlight Blog! While we post a wrap up of the White House Disability Conference Call, we are not affiliated with it or the participants in any way. Multiple chemical sensitivity is certainly a difficult issue to accommodate for both the person with the sensitivity and their employer. The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) has an article on accommodation ideas for MCS at http://askjan.org/media/mcs.html. It may be worth it to contact JAN for further information and advocacy resources in addressing your concerns.
Good luck!
—Jess Chaiken
Media and Information Services Manager
NARIC
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