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ADA In Focus – Pennsylvania 2015 Session Descriptions
Tuesday, June 2, 1:00 – 4:30 PM
Pre-Conference Session: ADA Overview
--Mid-Atlantic ADA Center Staff
This session is designed for those new to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or
anyone needing a refresher. The presentation will provide a basic outline of the three
major sections of the ADA: Title I, the employment provisions of the ADA, Title II, the
provisions covering state and local governments, and Title III, the provisions covering
public accommodations and services operated by private entities. The three-hour
session will provide a working knowledge of the major concepts and regulations of the
ADA.
Wednesday, June 3, 9:15 AM – 12:00 PM
Federal Agency Panel
Representatives from the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission, U.S. Access Board and U.S. Department of Transportation
will each make short presentations on their agencies current initiatives and activities
related to the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or the ADA Amendments Act and take
questions from the audience.
Moderator: Laura Owens, President, TransCen, Inc.
Presenters:
 Regina Andrew, Senior Trial Attorney, Baltimore Field Office, U.S. Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission
 Sally Conway, Deputy Chief, Disability Rights Section, Civil Rights Division U.S.
Department of Justice
 Peggy Greenwell, Training Coordinator/Accessibility Specialist, U.S. Access
Board
 Dawn Sweet, Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation
Wednesday, June 3, 12:45 PM
Keynote Address
C. Scott Wyatt, Carnegie-Mellon University
Naturally Better: How Accommodations and Flexibility Benefit Workplaces
Wednesday, June 3, 1:30 PM
Session 1.1
EEOC - Title I Update
-- Regina Andrew, Senior Trial Attorney, Baltimore Field Office, U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission
This session will highlight the latest initiatives and significant case law in Title I
enforcement. The session will include a question and answer period where participants
can ask those burning questions about the employment provisions of the Americans
with Disabilities Act.
Session 1.2
DOJ – Title II and III Update
--Sally Conway, Deputy Chief and Jim Bostrom, Deputy Chief, Disability Rights
Section, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice
Sally Conway and Jim Bostrom bring their years of experience with the ADA to provide
an update of Titles II and III ADA-related activities from the U.S. Department of Justice.
This session will also examine the effect of these activities on future ADA
implementation. This is an excellent session for anyone who has responsibility for Title
II or Title III ADA compliance activities.
Session 1.3
U.S. Access Board Update
--Peggy Greenwell, Training and Accessibility Specialist, U.S. Access Board
The Access Board is an independent federal agency that promotes equality for people
with disabilities through leadership in accessible design and the development of
accessibility guidelines and standards. Accessibility Specialist, Peggy Greenwell, will
talk about the Access Board’s latest initiatives and updates and answer participant
questions.
Session 1.4: Transit & ADA Updates
--Dawn Sweet, Team Leader, Office of Civil Rights, Federal Transit Administration, U.S.
Department of Transportation
The Federal Transit Administration’s Dawn Sweet will discuss the latest updates to the
Department of Transportation’s ADA Regulations as well as emerging topics in
accessible transportation.
Session 1.5: The One Step Project Journey: The City of Pittsburgh’s initiative
towards accessible inclusion inside an old city
--Richard Meritzer, City of Pittsburgh
The City of Pittsburgh, Department of City Planning, has created an initiative, the first of
its kind, that encourages businesses to make their entrances more accessible by
removing one step. This current project is Pittsburgh's unique twist to dealing with the
nuances of enforcing the ADA. With the One Step Project, the city is One Step closer to
creating a more inclusive city. The presentation discusses the One Step packet, the
One Step submission process, its recruitment of architects, and its rollout to the
business communities in Pittsburgh.
Session 1.6: Effective Practices for Employment Preparation and Support for
Youth with Disabilities
--Laura Owens, President, TransCen, Inc.
As we approach the 40th anniversary of IDEA and the 25th anniversary of the ADA, it is
important to reflect on our accomplishments in order to ensure that every individual with
a disability, regardless of severity, is provided equal opportunity to achieve the
American dream and become a valued, contributing member of society. Employment is
a desired outcome for all individuals – including youth with disabilities. For many,
employment is both an intervention and an outcome. Research has shown that one of
the key indicators of whether youth with disabilities have succeeded in the transition
from school to adult life is whether or not they are employed after they leave high
school. This presentation will address why we should presume all youth can be
employed through stories and discussion of the latest professional research.
Wednesday, June 3, 3:00 PM
Session 2.1
ADA and Reasonable Accommodation
-- Regina Andrew, Senior Trial Attorney, Baltimore Field Office, U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission
The ADA requires that employers provide reasonable accommodations for applicants
and employees with disabilities to remove workplace barriers and provide equal
employment opportunity. For many employers, understanding when and how they must
comply can be complex. This session will help employers develop effective policies,
procedures, and best practices that can assure full compliance as well as help to
successfully respond to reasonable accommodation requests and needs through the
interactive process. It will also help employees understand what to expect in the
reasonable accommodation process.
Session 2.2 Title II Overview
--Sally Conway, Deputy Chief, Disability Rights Section, Civil Rights Division, U.S.
Department of Justice
Title II of the ADA provides that programs, services and activities provided by state and
local governments be accessible to individuals with disabilities. Sally Conway will review
Title II, giving a brief summary of the administrative processes to be followed, including
requirements for self-evaluation and planning; requirements for making reasonable
modifications to policies, practices, and procedures where necessary to avoid
discrimination; architectural barriers to be identified; and the need for effective
communication with people with hearing, vision and speech disabilities.
Session 2.3: 2010 Standards: Practical Applications & Errors & Omissions
--Jim Bostrom, Deputy Chief, Disability Rights Section, Civil Rights Division, U.S.
Department of Justice
The 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design is the only standard allowed by the
Department of Justice for use in new construction and alterations. This session will use
the 2010 Standards as we show select examples of good and bad accessibility and
discuss how to evaluate access and fix common problems.
Session 2.4: ADA in Action: Resources and Best Practices to Enhance
Implementation of the ADA
--Marian Vessels, Director, Mid-Atlantic ADA Center, Misty Dion, Executive Director,
Roads to Freedom, CILNCP
This session, a roundtable discussion, is designed for advocates and others to learn
about strategies and resources that can be used in the community to enhance
implementation of the ADA. The panel discussion will include opportunities for audience
questions. The panel will include a representative from a national advocacy
organization, a CIL staff member and a representative from the ADA National Network.
Session 2.5: Emergency Evacuation, Assistive Technology and the ADA
-- Jamie Arasz Prioli, Assistive Technology Specialist, Institute on Disabilities at Temple
University College of Education
This training describes the requirements for employers and businesses to evacuate
people with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Assistive Technology
(AT) resources are reviewed to accommodate a variety of disabilities.
Session 2.6: The Responsibilities of Colleges and Universities to Students with
Disabilities under Section 504 and the ADA
-- Robert Berrian and Leah Zimmerman, Disability Specialists, Office for Disability
Services, Penn State University
This session is intended for college campus ADA and DSS professionals who have a
need to be up on the latest information on compliance obligations and accommodation
strategies in order to insure equal access and opportunity to students with disabilities in
the post-secondary setting. The presenters, college disability service professionals, will
discuss best practices and real-life scenarios in this interactive session.