4th Annual Conference on Employment and Visual Impairment: “Success Breeds Success”
Keynote Speaker:
Lainey Feingold, disability rights lawyer, who specializes in accessible websites, information and technology, and structured negotiations, a collaborative advocacy method.
Date: Friday, April 15, 2011
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Baruch College Conference Center, 14th Floor, 55 Lexington at 24th St., New York, NY 10010
Cost: Free admission including lunch and refreshments thanks to generous funding provided by the New York State Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH)
Sponsored by: Baruch’s Computer Center for Visually Impaired People & School of Public Affairs (SPA) of Baruch College - The City University of New York (CUNY)
2011 WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS
Morning Workshops from 10:35am – 11:35am
Policy and Practice: “Advocacy: How to Get Started, Be Heard, and Get Results”
Target Audience: General
Panelists will share their experiences in advocacy around the issues facing people with vision loss, why it is important, what they have done, and the difference from “being at the table or being on the menu.”
Employment: "Business Case for Hiring and Retaining People with Vision Loss"
Target Audiences: Job Seekers, Employers, HR Professionals, Placement Counselors
Employers will present the business advantage for recruiting, hiring, and training people with vision loss and other disabilities. In addition they will share with us what they look for in selecting a person and how they integrate that person into their business team. This is an opportunity to hear about the hiring process from the employer’s perspective.
Entrepreneurship: "Self Employment: How to Start Your Own Business"
Target Audience: Job Seekers, Placement Counselors
Learn what you need to think about and do when starting a business; what questions to ask yourself and others; where to get help; the importance of a business plan; what it takes to succeed; and some pitfalls to avoid.
Technology: "Apple’s Wonderful Accessible iPad"
Target Audience: General
In this session we will be looking at how the iPad works with both its screen reader (Voiceover) and screen magnifier (Zoom) features. We will look at scheduling appointments in the calendar, email, surfing the web, finding and viewing YouTube videos, writing a note and other multimedia functions such as listening to music and reading books.
Empowerment: “Creating a Career Persona”
Target Audience: Job Seekers, Placement Counselors
Participants will learn how to use tools for a successful career/job search particularly how to create a unique brand for themselves and the importance of social networking.
Morning Vendor Exhibit
Target Audience: General
Visit, get demos, and use assistive technology products.
Afternoon Workshops from 2:30pm – 3:30pm
Policy and Practice: "Update on Recent Changes to ADA"
Target Audiences: Job Seekers, Employers, HR Professionals, Placement Counselors, General
This workshop will identify the recent and upcoming changes and additions to the ADA and what they mean to people with vision loss.
Employment: “Employment Success Stories”
Target Audience: Job Seekers, Employers, HR Professionals, Placement Counselors
This session will feature a panel comprised of blind or visually impaired employees and their placement specialists speaking about the process by which they developed an effective working partnership: the first 90 days on the job, challenges, working relations, and what made it work.
Entrepreneurship: "Starting One’s Business: Lessons Learned"
Target Audiences: Job Seekers, Placement Counselors
People will share their experience with starting their own business including their research, plan, and objectives. They will also discuss the barriers they encountered and what they did; where they got help; and advice for people thinking about self-employment.
Technology: "How to Make STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) More Accessible for Students”
Target Audience: Returning Students, Job Seekers, Placement Counselors
Teachers and students will share with us what is happening in the math and the sciences to help students with vision loss choose these disciplines, succeed in their course work, and find successful careers.
Empowerment – “Known and Unknown Financial Resources and Benefits for People with Vision Loss”
Target Audience: General
This is a presentation on the various programs and players that consumers and professionals in the vision loss field should know. Topics covered include social security benefits, special bank and credit union programs, and IDA's (Individual Development Accounts).
