You are here: Home

Voices for Change: Heard or Not?

E-mail Print PDF

Image of Summit Report Cover-25pctOn February 6 and 7, 2007, Voices for Change: Beneficiaries Paving the Way to Work,  a summit planned by and for Social Security disability beneficiaries, was conducted in Atlanta, Georgia by the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Advisory Panel (Panel).We worked hard on making this Summit happen, and the resulting report, Voices for Change: Beneficiaries Paving the Way to Work captured the views of the participants who hailed from every state and territory of the United States.

Unfortunately, that report and the other reports of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Advisory Panel are no longer available on the Social Security Administration's website. Does that mean the recommendations have been addressed? Do beneficiaries have greater input into these programs?  Not that I know of.

Read the report again!

Last Updated on Saturday, 18 May 2013 14:42

Facilitating Tweetjams - Slides from IAFNA 2012

E-mail Print PDF
The presentation from IAFNA 2012 on Facilitating Tweetjams is available below. We are planning more tweet chats so check back here or search for #facilichat on Twitter.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 30 May 2012 13:20

New Contract - Goodwill of South Florida

E-mail Print PDF

Goodwill-South-Florida-logoWe are pleased to announce that we are assisting Goodwill Industries of South Florida in implementation of new case management software. Goodwill is dedicated to providing rehabilitation, on-the-job training, work experience, and placement services to help people with disabilities and special needs overcome barriers to employment and become employed in the community. Goodwill of South Florida is one of the largest Goodwills in the country and serves a diverse population.

The anticipated benefits from this change include:

  • Streamlined processes
  • Reduced redundant work
  • Better data and improved ability to access data on clients, programs, and services provided, both for daily operations and for strategic decisions
  • Better insights into outcomes achieved, and
  • Improved and easier reporting.

With Catoctin Consulting, we will assist Goodwill with the change process, from requirement validation and planning onward. We look forward to working closely with them to make this effort a success!

Last Updated on Wednesday, 30 May 2012 11:12

New Contract - Virginia Industries for the Blind

E-mail Print PDF

We are pleased to announce that we are assisting Virginia Industries for the Blind (VIB) with their strategic planning effort.

VIB is is a division of the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI), and provides employment opportuniities for Virginians who are blind or visually impaired in two manufacturing plants, eleven base supply stores, and six service locations. They have diverse contracts with federal agencies through the AbilityOne Program (e.g., contract management and closeout services for the U. S. Army), contracts through State Agency agreements such as  the Virginia Court Debt Collection Office, the Department of Motor Vehicles, and the Virginia Employment Commission, and manufacture items as diverse as mattresses for the U. S. Navy and state colleges and universities and reflective vests for the Virginia Department of Trnsportation.

Given the improvements in assistive technology and more ambitious expectations of young people who are blind and people who lose their sight after gaining work experience, VIB is exploring ways to attract workers who are looking for more than traditional product manufacturing. In fact, some of VIB's experienced contract closeout employees have already been hired by the government, which is quite a successful outcome for those people.

We look forward to helping VIB plan the modernization of its business to meet the evolving needs of people who are blind or vision impaired.

 

 

Last Updated on Wednesday, 18 April 2012 11:39

Google Translate

E-mail Print PDF

Another app I love is Google Translate.  While I've used Google Translate from time to time on the web, it's even more useful on the phone since you probably already have it with you when you need it.

It's nicely integrated with speech and with texting. While it's not perfect, it's a great resource beyond pointing and gesturing. Just make sure it gets the speech to text right:  e.g., :"robotics trip" vs. "robotic strip". Common words and simple phrases come through OK if spoken carefully.

The selection of languages is also pretty amazing, and it works in both directions in a conversational mode. When I was at Goodwill South Florida, I showed them it could not only handle Spanish but also Hatian Creole.

So this is one more tool just to have for those times when you just can't find the word in Spanish or don't have a clue how to say it in Korean. And the price is right.

Page 1 of 3

  • «
  •  Start 
  •  Prev 
  •  1 
  •  2 
  •  3 
  •  Next 
  •  End 
  • »