Accessiblity resources

Ability Tools (AT), formerly the AT Network, is California’s Assistive Technology Act Program. They provide a variety of services for Californians with disabilities of all ages which include:

• NATADS Assistive Technology Portal
• Device Lending and Demo Centers
• Financial loan program for AT
• Information & Referral
• Reuse program in affiliation with organizational partners

In addition, Ability Tools provides in-person and webinar trainings, technical assistance to organizations on AT issues, and coordinates the California Assistive Technology Reuse Coalition.  Ability Tools offers a FREE membership to anyone interested in learning more about AT and looking to connect with other like-minded individuals via the Ability Tools listserv.

Ability Tools is made possible through funding from the Department of Rehabilitation, financed by the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration with funds allocated by the Assistive Technology Act of 2004.

Phone: (800) 390-2699
Toll-Free: (800) 900-0706
Email
Website

• Disability Civic Engagement Guide - A guide to event and communication inclusivity and accessibility for People with Disabilities

• Wounded Warrior and Caregiver Resource Guide - Dept. of Labor, January 2022
• Veterans: Resources by Disability - Job Accommodation Network
• Veterans and the ADA: A Guide for Employers - EEOC
• Employment Resources for Veterans - Dept. of Labor: Office of Disability Employment Policy
• Disabled Veterans: Understand how your organization can benefit from sourcing and recruiting veterans with disabilities. - Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN)

• The "Let’s Get Prepared" guide by the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities is a fantastic resource. The guide is designed to help individuals with disabilities address the specific needs they may face during an emergency. If you have a disability, extra planning is essential. This resource will guide you through the preparedness process.
• In partnership with the California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) and the California Department of Aging (CDA), Cal OES helped develop the "Emergency Preparedness Guide and Toolkit” to increase readiness among people with disabilities and older adults before, during, and after disasters. Whether you are preparing for wildfires, earthquakes, or any other disaster, this guide is designed to support your unique needs and considerations.
• The American Red Cross provides valuable preparedness tips and information for the whole community. In addition to great resources, their website has several apps to download on your smartphone that can be used to manage emergency communications, equipment, and hazards.

• New guide for employers on disability disclosure in the workplace – The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion guide helps employers better understand when and why employees disclose, the role employers play in creating a supportive workplace, and the positive ways employer-employee relationships can lead to disclosures.
• Employment and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – The Pacific ADA Center has a new infographic to share which answers the questions: Am I protected by the ADA at work? How am I protected? How do I ask for an accommodation?
• Disability Discrimination Fact Sheet: Employment
• Department of Labor Launches Tool to Provide Workers with Disabilities, Employers Ideas for Workplace Accommodations - As the nation marks National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of a new tool that provides access to more than 700 accommodation ideas for workers with disabilities and their employers. The “Situations and Solutions Finder” offers examples of workplace accommodations, drawn from organizations large and small, across industries, and from the private and public sectors. The tool allows users to filter and save results by disability, limitation, and/or occupation.

• Free home modifications for qualified Marin County residents

• Mental Health Conditions in the Workplace and the ADA - ADA National Network
• Mental Health - Office of Disability Employment Policy
• Mental Health at Work - U.S. Department of Labor
• Mental Health Toolkit - Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN)
• Accommodation and Compliance: Mental Health Conditions – Job Accommodation Network

Plain language (also called plain writing or plain English) is communication your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. The Plain Writing Act of 2010 defines plain language as writing that is clear, concise, and well-organized and follows other best practices appropriate to the subject or field and intended audience. Language that is plain to one set of readers may not be plain to others. Material is in plain language if your audience can:

• Find what they need
• Understand what they find the first time they read or hear it
• Use what they find to meet their needs

There are many techniques that can help you achieve this goal. Among the most common are:

• Reader-centered organization
• “You” and other pronouns
• Active voice, not passive
• Short sentences and paragraphs
• Common, everyday words
• Easy-to-follow design features (lists, headers, tables)

Please find a list of resources below to help support your efforts in creating plain language communications:

• Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN) Easy Read Guide
• State of CA Content Style Guide
• State of CA Visual Design Style Guide
• PlainLanguage.gov’s checklists and reference handouts
• Center for Plain Language’s Five Steps to Plain Language
• Green Mountain Self-Advocates’ How to Write Using Plain Language Webinar
• Learning Tools from the Center for Plain Language

• Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights  - U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT)
• The Air Carrier Access Act and Passengers with Disabilities - U.S. DOT
• The Air Carrier Access Act and Service Animals - U.S. DOT
• Aviation Consumer Protection- Traveling with a Disability - U.S. DOT
• The ADA & Accessible Ground Transportation - ADA National Network
• Reasonable Modifications to Policy, Practice & Procedure in Public Transportation – ADA National Network
• Questions and Answers Concerning Wheelchairs and Bus and Rail Service - U.S. DOT, Federal Transit Administration