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TO FOCUS ON ABILITIES, A PROGRAM[Focus on Abilities (#200): "Deborah M. Jones - ADA Information Specialist, SW ADA Center at IRLU"]
ABOUT ISSUES AFFECTING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.I'LL BE YOUR HOST FOR TODAY'S PROGRAM.
I'M PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT HOUSTON, AND I DIRECT THE SOUTHWEST A DA CENTER AND THE INDEPENDENT LIVING RESEARCH UTILIZATION PROGRAM AT TIER MEMORIAL HERMANN.
WE HAVE A GREAT GUEST TODAY, AND I'LL INTRODUCE HER AFTER WE TAKE A SHORT BREAK, BUT BEFORE WE DO, I WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION ONE THAT WE'LL ANSWER BEFORE THE END OF TODAY'S PROGRAM.
THAT IS WHAT NUMBER CAN YOU CALL TO GET TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ABOUT THE A DA? WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THIS SHORT BREAK WITH OUR GUESTS TODAY, SO PLEASE STAY TUNED TO FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS SPONSORED BY ILRU SOUTHWEST, A DA CENTER PROMOTING COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
THIS IS FOCUS ON ABILITIES, AND I'M LEX FRIEDEN.
TODAY, WE'VE GOT A GREAT GUEST AND I WANT TO INTRODUCE HER NOW.
UH, THIS IS DEBBIE JONES FROM THE SOUTHWEST, A DA CENTER.
UH, DEBBIE, THANKS FOR BEING OUR GUEST TODAY.
SO, DEBBIE, I, I, I OUTED YOU, YOU WORK FOR THE SOUTHWEST A DA CENTER? YES.
AND WHAT'S YOUR JOB THERE? I'M AN A DA INFORMATION SPECIALIST.
SO I ANSWER THE PHONE AND, AND GIVE PEOPLE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES RELATED TO THE A DA.
DO YOU DO ONSITE TRAINING AS WELL? YES.
UM, KIND OF WHATEVER PEOPLE ASK FOR RELATED TO THE A DA, WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR THAT.
AND WHEN YOU SAY RELATED TO THE A-D-A-A-D-A IS A BIG LAW.
I THINK THE LAST TIME I COUNTED IT WAS 52 PAGES LONG.
AND IT HAS SEVERAL SECTIONS THAT DEAL WITH ALL KINDS OF ISSUES PEOPLE FACE IN LIFE.
ARE YOU AN EXPERT ON ALL THOSE ISSUES? INDEED.
WELL, UM, I WILL TELL YOU, I, I JOINED THE A DA CENTER, UM, A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS AGO, AND I CAME FROM A, A BACKGROUND IN EDUCATION, SO I KNEW HOW THE A DA APPLIES TO EDUCATION AND THEN SECTION 5 0 4 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT AND HOW THAT APPLIES TO EDUCATION.
BUT I REALLY DID NOT KNOW WHEN I, WHEN I CAME INTO THE ROLE, HOW VAST THE A DA IS AS A LAW AND ALL THE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT IT COVERS.
SO IT, IT HAS TAKEN ME A WHILE TO LEARN ALL THE NOOKS AND CRANNIES OF THE A DA.
UM, THERE ARE SOME NUMBER OF QUESTIONS THAT I CAN ANSWER AT THIS POINT PRETTY EASILY.
UM, AND THEN THERE ARE A FEW DETAILS THAT I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GO DO SOME RESEARCH TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT I, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE RIGHT ANSWER FOR SOMEONE'S PARTICULAR QUESTION.
I'M GONNA THROW A FEW QUESTIONS AT YOU IN A LITTLE BIT.
BUT, UH, BEFORE WE DO THAT, I, YOU MENTIONED, UH, SECTION 5 0 4 MM-HMM
WHICH IS A PART OF TITLE V, WHICH IS A PART OF THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973.
AND IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE THINK ABOUT DISABILITY RIGHTS, I THINK MOST PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THE A DA, THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, UH, WHICH WAS SIGNED BY PRESIDENT BUSH JULY 26TH, 1990.
BUT LONG TIME BEFORE THAT 1973 CONGRESS PASSED AND THE PRESIDENT SIGNED THE, UH, THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973, WHICH INCLUDED A TITLE V.
WHAT ALL DOES THAT TITLE V COVER? THAT WAS ACTUALLY HERE BEFORE THE A DA? WELL, IT, IT COVERS, UH, APPROPRIATE ACCESS TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, BUT IT ALSO COVERS, UH, GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS, GOVERNMENT FACILITIES, EMPLOYMENT BY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT, UH, RECEIVE GOVERNMENT FUNDS.
BUT IT, IT WASN'T AS BROAD AS THE A DA.
UM, AND I DON'T THINK IT WAS USED AS MUCH AS THE A DA, I DON'T THINK IT GOT ENOUGH, UH, RECOGNITION AND PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW THEY HAD RIGHTS THAT WERE COVERED UNDER SECTION TITLE V AND SECTION 5 0 3.
5 0 5, UH, IN FACT, IT TOOK, UH, AS I RECALL, FIVE YEARS FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO WRITE REGULATIONS ABOUT, UH, TITLE V.
AND DURING THAT TIME, NOBODY COULD TAKE ANY ACTION BASED ON IT ANYWAY.
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I DON'T WANT TO CALL 'EM RIOTS, BUT PUBLIC ACTION SOCIAL ACTION BY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, EVEN CIVIL DIS DISOBEDIENCE.DURING THAT TIME, BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE BEING FRUSTRATED, THEY, THEIR RIGHTS WERE PROTECTED, BUT THEY COULDN'T ENACT ANY, UM, DO ANYTHING TO, TO HAVE THAT CHECKED OR, OR INVOKED OR ANYTHING ELSE, UM, THAT, THAT DOESN'T AFFECT US TODAY, DOES IT? HOW SO? IN THE, IN THE FACT THAT WE, WE DO NOW HAVE REGULATIONS AND PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO USE THEM.
UM, COMPLIANCE IS STILL SOMETIMES AN ISSUE, THOUGH.
UM, AND THOSE ARE A LOT OF THE CALLS THAT WE GET, UH, PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED OR QUESTIONING ABOUT WHETHER, UH, A PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCE IS IN COMPLIANCE UNDER THE A DA, AND, AND SOMETIMES IT IS, AND SOMETIMES IT'S NOT.
AND IF, IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN WE WILL HELP THEM FIND AVENUES TO, UM, FILE A COMPLAINT TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENT, TO ADDRESS IT WITH THE CORRECT PERSON TO SEE HOW THEY CAN MAKE THE CIRCUMSTANCE BETTER.
SO PEOPLE ARE GENERALLY AWARE OF THE A DA EMPLOYERS, UH, MOM AND POP PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES GENERALLY AWARE, BUT THEY'RE NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT ALL IS COVERED AND HOW TO INVOKE THEIR RIGHTS.
UM, I THINK SOME PEOPLE ALSO HAVE AN IDEA THAT THE A DA IS, UH, AN EDIFICE OR, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO CALL THE A DA, UM, AS AN ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION SOMEHOW.
SO WE NEED TO HELP EDUCATE PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS A LAW THAT, UM, DIFFERENT AGENCIES WILL, UH, ENFORCE.
UM, BUT IT ISN'T, IT ISN'T ACTUALLY A, A THING TO CALL PER SE, BUT YOU CAN CALL FOR HELP, BUT YOU CAN CALL FOR HELP.
AND WHEN THEY CALL US, THEY'VE CALLED THE RIGHT PLACE.
WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT IN A MINUTE.
NOW, YOU WORKED FOR 20 YEARS FOR A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY MM-HMM
AND DURING THAT TIME, YOU INTERACTED WITH A LOT OF STUDENTS WHO HAD DISABILITIES MM-HMM
AND PROBABLY ADMINISTRATORS AND INSTRUCTORS WHO WERE LESS INFORMED, PERHAPS, THAN EVEN THE STUDENTS.
UM, WELL, IT'S COME A LONG WAY.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S CERTAINLY PEOPLE ARE MORE INFORMED THAN THEY USED TO BE.
UM, I CAME INTO THE UNIVERSITY AS A, AS A LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR AND HAD NO IDEA THAT AT ONE POINT I WOULD BE ADMINISTERING DISABILITY SERVICES TO COLLEGE STUDENTS.
SO, UM, I HAD TO RAMP UP MY KNOWLEDGE AT THAT POINT, UH, ABOUT THE EIGHT OH A DA AND, AND 5 0 4.
UM, AND IT'S, IT'S GREAT WORK.
UM, STUDENTS WHO COME IN WITH DISABILITIES WANNA GO TO SCHOOL, THEY WANNA DO WELL MM-HMM
AND, UM, BY AND LARGE, THEY JUST WANT ACCESS.
THEY DON'T, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT BURDENSOME WHAT PEOPLE WANT.
WHAT KIND OF BARRIERS DO THEY RUN INTO? WELL, UM, THE, THE MOST COMMON ISSUE IS NOT HAVING ENOUGH TIME TO TAKE A TEST FOR WHATEVER REASON.
UM, PEOPLE MAY HAVE A PROCESSING SPEED ISSUE.
THEY MAY HAVE PHYSICAL DISABILITIES THAT JUST REQUIRE EXTRA TIME, SO THEY NEED EXTRA TIME TO TAKE A TEST.
AND FACILITATING THAT SHOULDN'T BE A VERY DIFFICULT THING TO DO.
UM, AND I THINK AT THIS POINT, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY MUCH NOT.
IT'S A, IT'S A, THE NUMBER ONE ACCOMMODATION ACROSS THE BOARD, I THINK FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS AT THIS POINT, IN MY EXPERIENCE, IN THIS STATE SPEC, LITERALLY DECADES, MAYBE HALF A CENTURY, UH, WHEN I WAS A STUDENT AND NEEDED EXTRA TIME, NOBODY OFFERED IT TO ME.
BUT WHEN I SUGGESTED IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL BECAUSE I HAD SO MUCH DIFFICULTY WRITING, UM, I WAS TOLD I HAD THE SAME TIME AS EVERYBODY ELSE.
AND THEY REALLY WEREN'T AWARE OF MAKING ACCOMMODATIONS THEN.
SO, I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT WE'VE MADE PROGRESS.
I WANT TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE KIND OF ACCOMMODATIONS THAT STUDENTS NEED AND PEOPLE IN THE WORKFORCE.
UH, BUT WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BREAK FROM FOCUS HERE FOR A SECOND, AND I'D LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO STAY TUNED.
WE'LL BE BACK WITH DEBBIE JONES AND MORE FOCUS IN A MINUTE MOMENT.
SHARED WITH LOVED ONES ARE PRECIOUS JOY ENCHANTMENT CONNECTION.
IT'S WHY WE TRAVEL AT HOUSTON AIRPORTS.
WE KNOW THE MAGIC OF FLIGHT BEGINS THE MOMENT YOU SECURE YOUR PARKING SPOT AND EMBARK ON YOUR JOURNEY.
THAT'S WHY WE WORK SO HARD TO BRING YOU THE MOST CONVENIENT PARKING SOLUTIONS THAT ARE THE BEST FIT FOR YOUR TRIP.
IF YOU'RE TRAVELING FOR BUSINESS OR LEISURE, WHETHER YOUR VOYAGE STARTS FROM BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL OR WILLIAM
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P.HOBBY AIRPORT, OUR PARKING TEAM AT VALET PARKING ECOPARK ECO PARK TWO OR TERMINAL PARKING, IS HERE TO GIVE YOU A FIRST CLASS EXPERIENCE WITH A BIG TEXAS SMILE.
WE ARE HERE FOR YOU TO ENSURE THIS MOMENT AND EVERY MOMENT IN BETWEEN WILL BE FILLED WITH GREAT MEMORIES THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME.
SO, TRAVEL SMARTER, PARK SMARTER, AND GET MORE OF THE MOMENTS THAT MATTER.
OUR GUEST TODAY IS DEBBIE JONES.
AND DEBBIE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE KIND OF ACCOMMODATIONS THAT UNIVERSITIES AND SCHOOLS MAKE, UH, FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
DO YOU FIND, I MEAN, IN THAT PRIOR ROLE, UH, WHERE YOU WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSISTING STUDENTS ON CAMPUS, DO YOU FIND THAT MANY OF THEM DON'T COME TO YOU UNTIL AFTER THEY'VE BEEN AFFECTED BY THEIR DISABILITY IN THE CLASSROOM? OR DO MOST OF THEM, UH, REVEAL WHEN THEY ENTER, WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY ENROLL, WHAT THEIR ISSUES MIGHT BE? WELL, THAT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE, UM, THERE ARE MANY STUDENTS THAT COME TO COLLEGE HAVING HAD A A A 5 0 4 PLAN, UH, K THROUGH 12.
SO THEY HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THEIR PARTICULAR DIAGNOSIS OF, OF THEIR ACADEMIC CHALLENGES, AND THEY COME STRAIGHT AWAY TO THE DISABILITY SERVICES OFFICE TO SET UP ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS FOR COLLEGE.
UM, THERE ARE SOME STUDENTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE AND HAVE DECIDED, WELL, THEY WANNA TRY COLLEGE WITHOUT ANY ACCOMMODATIONS.
THEY WANNA SEE HOW THEY DO BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'VE GOT ENOUGH TOOLS, AND SO THEY DON'T COME RIGHT AWAY, AND THAT IS THEIR RIGHT.
UM, ONE MESSAGE, A BAD MESSAGE THAT THAT WAS OUT THERE SEVERAL YEARS AGO, UM, WAS THAT STUDENTS HAD TO HAVE A PARTICULAR TIMELINE.
THEY HAD TO, UH, TELL THEIR PROFESSORS OR, OR, UH, PRESENT THEMSELVES TO THE DISABILITY SERVICES OFFICE, LIKE WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF STARTING SCHOOL.
AND IF THEY DIDN'T HIT THAT TWO WEEK TIMELINE, THEN THEY WOULDN'T BE ACCOMMODATED.
WHICH, UM, THE A DA SAYS IS NOT APPROPRIATE.
UM, STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO COME IN WHENEVER THEY WANT FOR ACCOMMODATIONS WITHIN REASON.
UM, IF A STUDENT DECIDES THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE DAY BEFORE OR TWO DAYS BEFORE THEIR FINAL EXAM, THAT THEY WANT ACCOMMODATIONS ON THAT EXAM, IT IT'S POSSIBLE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THAT LOGISTICALLY.
WELL, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT ACCOMMODATION THEY'RE REQUESTING.
IF IT'S A LITTLE MORE TIME, MAYBE THAT'S EASIER DONE, THEN THEY NEED SOME SPECIAL EQUIPMENT OR A SPECIAL APPLICATION FOR THEIR COMPUTER OR SOMETHING.
UM, BUT WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT THE, UH, SORT OF THE INDUSTRY OF DISABILITY SERVICES IN HIGHER EDUCATION IS THAT THE, THE PROVIDERS, THE PEOPLE WHO ADMINISTER, UM, ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS KIND OF HAVE TO WALK A FINE LINE BETWEEN WHAT STUDENTS NEED AND THEN WHAT THE INSTITUTION NEEDS.
SO PROFESSORS HAVE WHAT'S CALLED ACADEMIC FREEDOM.
THEY'RE ABLE TO CREATE THEIR COURSES AND DECIDE, UM, WHAT OBJECTIVES THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRYING TO MEASURE, AND, UM, HOW MANY ASSIGNMENTS, ET CETERA, ALL OF THAT.
UM, AND, AND THIS IS MEANT TO BE A REASONABLE THING.
I MEAN, WE'RE HOPING THAT PROFESSORS ARE BEING REASONABLE IN TERMS OF, OF DESIGNING THEIR COURSES, AND THERE ARE TIMES THAT, UH, AN ACCOMMODATION THAT A STUDENT WILL REQUEST MIGHT RUN UP AGAINST THE PROFESSOR'S OBJECTORS IN THAT COURSE.
SO THE DISABILITY SERVICE PROVIDER HAS TO KIND OF BE A MODERATOR THERE TO FIG, YOU KNOW, TALK TO THE PROFESSOR, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU NEED, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU EXPECT? AND THEN TALK TO THE STUDENT ABOUT HOW CAN WE ADDRESS YOUR NEEDS AND STILL HAVE YOU ACHIEVE THE GOAL OF COMPLETING THE COURSE.
SO AN EXAMPLE MIGHT BE, UH, A COURSE WHERE STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO LOOK THROUGH A MICROSCOPE AND IDENTIFY CERTAIN BUGS, AND THAT PERSON'S NOT ABLE, UH, BECAUSE OF THEIR VISION OR BECAUSE OF THEIR, UH, MOBILITY TO ACTUALLY LOOK THROUGH A MICROSCOPE.
THAT'D BE AN EXAMPLE WHERE THE PROFESSOR MIGHT NOT THINK OFFHAND OF THE SOLUTION TO THAT.
WHAT WOULD YOU, IN YOUR CASE, IF YOU WERE COUNSELING THE PROFESSOR AND THE STUDENT, WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST? WELL, I CAN THINK OF A COUPLE OF OPTIONS FOR THAT.
ONE WOULD BE SOME NICE NEW EQUIPMENT THAT WOULD, UH, HELP AN INDIVIDUAL BE ABLE TO SEE MAYBE AN OFFSET LENS, SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, UH, ACCESSIBLE TO THEM OR POSSIBLY A, UH, UH, A LAB
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ASSISTANT, SOMEONE WHO COULD DESCRIBE FOR THEM, UM, WHAT'S BEING SEEN.AND THEN HAVE THE INDIVIDUAL MAKE AN ASSESSMENT BASED ON THOSE FACTS.
BACK IN THE DAY, AGAIN, WHEN I WAS A STUDENT, THE ACCOMMODATION THAT WAS MADE, AND I APPRECIATED IT, WAS THE PROFESSOR ACTUALLY TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS THROUGH THE LENS OF VARIOUS SAMPLES.
AND THEN I USED THE PHOTOGRAPHS TO IDENTIFY, OR TO PRACTICE WHAT I HAD LEARNED THROUGH THE BOOK AND THE LECTURES.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS PRETTY CHEAP AND EASY ACCOMMODATION.
AND THAT WAS AN, THAT WAS AN ENLIGHTENED PROFESSOR.
THAT'S WHO DID THAT FOR YOU'S.
ENLIGHTENMENT IS THE KEY, I THINK, TO A LOT OF SOLVE PROBLEM SOLVING.
I, YOU KNOW, I'M SURPRISED AT SOME OF THE STORIES I HEAR FROM SCHOOLS EVEN NOW MM-HMM
ABOUT, UH, FACULTY WHO DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE, UH, THE POSSIBILITIES OF ACCOMMODATIONS OR THE WAY IN WHICH THEY MIGHT BE PROVIDED.
UH, DO YOU, IN THAT PRIOR ROLE, EVER HEAR COMPLAINTS? OR DO YOU, IN YOUR CURRENT ROLE AS AN A DA ADVISOR, HEAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE COST OF REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION? OH, SURE.
UH, FROM ADMINISTRATORS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY SEE A, A DOLLAR FIGURE AND, AND, YOU KNOW, BECOME UPSET OR ANXIOUS ABOUT THAT.
AND, UM, THEY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S THE, IT'S THE WHOLE INSTITUTION THAT IS OBLIGATED TO, TO PAY FOR WHATEVER IT IS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, IF THEY COME TO INVESTIGATE, IF THERE'S A COMPLAINT, THEY'RE LOOKING AT, UM, ALL THE MONEY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE KITTY, THAT THE, THAT THE UNIVERSITY HAS.
UM, IT ISN'T JUST THE OPERATING BUDGET OF THE DISABILITY SERVICES OFFICE OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.
SO, UM, IT'S REALLY HARD FOR A, FOR A SCHOOL, UM, TO CLAIM AN UNDUE BURDEN FOR A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
BUT, BUT THERE MAY BE A CASE WITH A SMALL SCHOOL WHERE A STUDENT NEEDS AN ELEVATOR AND IT DOESN'T EXIST.
IN THAT CASE, PERHAPS THE UNIVERSITY COULD PROPOSE MOVING THE CLASSROOM DOWNSTAIRS.
SO THAT'S WHERE I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT, UH, IT, RATHER THAN HAVE A KIND OF A GUT REACTION, KNOW THAT ADMINISTRATORS, MANAGERS, OWNERS, WHOEVER, STOP AND THINK ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION.
HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE THAT WHEN YOU'RE DOING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO, UH, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION? WHAT'S IT MEAN TO PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLING LIKE PARENTS OR, OR SOMETHING NOT TO, UH, UH, STORE OWNERS OR, OR, UH, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS? WELL, IT IS, UH, I MEAN, JUST AS A GENERAL CONCEPT, IT'S ABOUT ALLOWING A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY TO ACCESS, UM, WHATEVER THE GOODS SERVICES PROGRAM ARE, UM, IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY THAT THEY CAN.
BUT A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION WOULD MEAN THEY HAVE OPTIONS ABOUT THE WAY THEY, UH, PROVIDE THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS.
UM, UH, SOMEONE MAY REQUEST AN ACCOMMODATION IN A CERTAIN WAY, AND, AND THAT MAY NOT BE, UH, THAT MAY NOT BE EASY TO DO BECAUSE OF WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE FOR THE BUSINESS.
UM, AND AN ALTERNATIVE COULD BE, COULD BE PROVIDED, RIGHT.
BUT THAT HAS TO BE NEGOTIATED WITH AND SUITABLE FOR THE STUDENT OR THE EMPLOYEE IN THOSE CASES.
UH, WE'RE GONNA TAKE ANOTHER BREAK FROM FOCUS ON ABILITIES, BUT WHEN WE COME BACK, I WANT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT WE ASK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SHOW, AND, UH, ALSO SEE IF YOU HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL ADVICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO ARE LOOKING FOR ACCOMMODATIONS.
WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH, UH, FOCUS ON ABILITIES AFTER THIS SHORT BREAK.
ARNOLD TEXAS'S, OLDEST CRAFT BREWERY SHIPPED THEIR FIRST KEG OF BEER IN 1994.
DOWNTOWN IS AN ART LOVER'S DREAM WITH MORE THAN 65 PIECES OF PUBLIC ARTS.
DEBBIE JONES IS OUR GUEST TODAY, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACCOMMODATIONS.
UH, DEBBIE, YOU'RE AN EXPERT NOW BECAUSE YOU WORK FOR THE SOUTHWEST, A DA CENTER.
UH, YOU ANSWER PHONE CALLS FROM TEXAS AND THE 1, 2, 3, 4, UH, ADJACENT STATES.
NEW MEXICO, OKLAHOMA, ARKANSAS, AND LOUISIANA.
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THOSE STATES PRODUCE THE MOST CALLS THAT YOU'VE RESPONDED TO? I WOULD SAY TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO, TEXAS, NEW MEXICO, PROBABLY.AND ARE THE ISSUES THAT ARE RAISED IN TEXAS DIFFERENT FROM THOSE RAISED IN THE OTHER FOUR STATES? HMM.
UH, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THAT.
I MEAN, THEY'RE ALL, EVERY PHONE CALL FEELS LIKE IT'S DIFFERENT.
AND, WELL, IN THAT RESPECT, WHAT IS THE, I, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO ASK THE QUESTION NOW THAT YOU'VE SAID THAT.
WHAT IS THE MOST FREQUENT, UH, REQUEST FOR INFORMATION YOU GET? YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY IT HAS TO DO WITH ANIMALS.
UM, WE ARE A COUNTRY THAT LOVES OUR ANIMALS, AND I THINK PEOPLE, UH, WANNA KNOW ABOUT SERVICE DOGS, AND THEY WANNA KNOW ABOUT EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, AND THEY WANNA KNOW WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS, AND THEY WANNA KNOW IF THEY SHOULD PAY FOR CERTIFICATION OF THESE ANIMALS ON THE INTERNET.
UH, AND I'M ALWAYS HAPPY TO CATCH THEM BEFORE THEY DO THAT.
SO YOU, I MEAN, YOU'VE JUST OPENED THE, THE PYTHONS BOX.
SO WE CAN'T CONTINUE UNTIL YOU TELL US I IS EVERYBODY ELIGIBLE FOR A SERVICE ANIMAL AND ARE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS COVERED UNDER THE A DA? THEY ARE NOT EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.
ANIMALS ARE COVERED UNDER THE FAIR HOUSING ACT.
UM, SO PEOPLE CAN HAVE AN EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL IF THEY'RE RENTING IN AN APARTMENT.
UM, THERE'S A PROCESS THEY NEED TO GO THROUGH, UH, TO, TO BE APPROVED FOR THAT.
UM, UNDER THE A DA, IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE UNDER TITLE ONE THAT AN EMPLOYEE MIGHT REQUEST AN EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL AS A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION TO BRING TO WORK.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW COMMON THAT IS.
AND EMPLOYERS DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAY, NO, YOU CAN'T BRING AN ANIMAL BECAUSE IT WOULD BE DISRUPTIVE TO OUR PARTICULAR WORKPLACE, WHATEVER THAT IS.
BUT, BUT THAT, I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE UNDER THE A DA, THAT IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE FOR AN EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL TO BE CONSIDERED.
SO, BUT, BUT THE ANIMALS THAT ARE PROTECTED MM-HMM
UNDER THE A DA ROUTINELY ARE SERVICE ANIMALS.
AND IS THAT ONLY DOGS? UH, I THINK 99.9% OF THE TIME IT IS DOGS.
UM, THERE ARE, UM, A VERY FEW MINIATURE HORSES IN THE COUNTRY.
I HAVE NOT SEEN ONE, UH, NOR HEARD ABOUT ONE IN TEXAS.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ONE, ONE DAY.
UM, BUT THERE, THERE WAS ACTUALLY A FAMOUS CASE WHERE ONE WAS ACTUALLY TAKEN ON AN AIRCRAFT.
YOU GO BACK TO THE HISTORY FOR THAT ONE.
BUT THE, UH, THE SERVICE DOGS THEN ARE AVAILABLE.
I MEAN, THEY, THEY CAN ASSIST SOMEBODY IN VIRTUALLY ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, RIGHT? RIGHT.
UNLESS, UH, THEY WOULD PRESENT SOME SORT OF DANGER OR THEY WOULD BE IN SOME SORT OF DANGER.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, ANY PLACE THEIR HANDLER CAN GO, THEY CAN GO TO WHAT'S A LEGIT SERVICE DOG.
BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE WOULD SAY THEIR DOGS ARE SERVICE ANIMALS, AND IN FACT, I THINK THEY CAN BUY A STICKER FOR THEIR DOG ON THE INTERNET.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, THE LAW DOES, DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY KIND OF CERTIFICATION OR, UM, IDENTIFICATION FOR A SERVICE DOG.
BUT THEIR BEHAVIOR IS A, A SIGNIFICANT MARKER THAT YOU CAN TELL.
BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY A SERVICE DOG.
THEY NEED TO BE VERY, VERY WELL TRAINED, AND THEY SPECIFICALLY NEED TO BE TRAINED TO DO A PARTICULAR TASK OR MORE.
SO IF I'M A RESTAURANT TOUR AND SOMEBODY COMES TO THE RESTAURANT WITH AN ANIMAL DOG IN THIS CASE MM-HMM
AND INTENDS TO BRING THAT IN, AND I'VE NOT, UH, BEEN TRAINED OR VERSED ON HOW YOU DEAL WITH DISABLED PEOPLE BRINGING DOGS MM-HMM
WHAT CAN I SAY BESIDES THAT'S NOT ALLOWED, WHICH WOULD WIND UP HAVING ME THE SUBJECT OF A FEDERAL COMPLAINT.
UM, PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO ASK TWO QUESTIONS.
UM, WHEN THEY SEE SOMEONE WITH A DOG, THEY CAN SAY, IS THIS DOG NEEDED FOR A DISABILITY? IF IT'S NOT OBVIOUS, IF THE PERSON DOESN'T HAVE AN OBVIOUS PHYSICAL DISABILITY OF SOME KIND, UM, BECAUSE IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN THEY, THERE REALLY WOULDN'T BE ANY REASON TO ASK.
UM, IF THEIR DISABILITY ISN'T OBVIOUS, THEY CAN SAY, IS THIS DOG NEEDED FOR A DISABILITY? THEY CANNOT ASK, WHAT IS YOUR DIAGNOSIS? OR, YOU KNOW, WHY DO YOU NEED THIS DOG? UM, IF THEY SAY YES, THEN THE NEXT QUESTION IS, WHAT TASK OR JOB HAS THIS DOG BEEN TRAINED TO DO FOR YOU? AND IT, AND IT SHOULD BE A LEGITIMATE TASK THAT A DOG WOULD HAVE TO BE TRAINED TO DO.
UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, LICKING THEM WHEN THEY'RE FEELING ANXIOUS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD TRAIN A DOG TO DO.
THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT A PET
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WOULD DO.SO GIMME AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THEY COULD BE TRAINED TO DO THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO ME.
UM, SO, UH, DOGS CAN BE TRAINED TO, TO OPEN DOORS TO PICK THINGS UP THAT HAVE BEEN DROPPED TO, UM, SCOUT THE WAY AHEAD TO BE SURE THAT IT'S CLEAR.
UM, I THINK IT'S FASCINATING WHEN DOGS HAVE BEEN TRAINED TO DETECT BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS FOR PEOPLE WITH DIABETES, UM, OR TO DETECT, UM, THE, UH, THE COMING OF A, UH, OF A SEIZURE.
UM, I THINK THAT TAKES A HUGE AMOUNT OF TRAINING AND A VERY TALENTED DOG TO BE ABLE TO DETECT SUBTLE, BUT THEY'RE ABLE TO BE TRAINED TO CHEMICAL LEVELS.
IF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ARE INTERESTED MORE IN THIS SUBJECT OR IN ANY SUBJECTS RELATED TO THE A DA COMPLIANCE, AND IT COULD BE A, A RESTAURANT MANAGER, IT COULD BE A STORE MANAGER, IT COULD BE A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY, ANY KIND OF A DISABILITY.
A FAMILY MEMBER OF A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY, OR SOMEBODY THAT JUST SEES SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT, UH, THEY CAN CALL BEFORE THEY HAVE TO CALL THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, THEY CAN CALL THE A DA TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE LINE.
AND AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SHOW, I SAID, THIS WILL REVEAL THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION.
I THIS IS ONE WHERE I ACTUALLY KNOW THE ANSWER.
1-800-949-FOUR 88, AND THAT, THAT DEBBIE IS TRANSLATES TO 1-800-949-FOUR TWO.
UM, ARE THEY APT TO REACH YOU IF THEY CALL THAT NUMBER? WE HAVE A TEAM AND, UH, WE ROTATE AROUND, UH, WHO'S ANSWERING? SO, UH, IT MIGHT BE ME OR IT MIGHT BE ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES.
AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, YOU MIGHT TRANSFER THEM TO ANOTHER SPECIALIST.
I, I MIGHT, OR I MIGHT TELL THEM, I'M GONNA GET BACK TO THEM AND DO SOME RESEARCH AND THEN CALL THEM BACK.
SO THEY ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
HOW DO THEY DO THAT? UH, THERE ARE ONLINE FORMS THAT PEOPLE CAN FILL OUT.
THERE ARE PHONE NUMBERS TO CALL, UM, IF THEY CAN'T, UH, DO IT ONLINE, UM, FAXING, I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE ARE A LOT OF AVENUES TO GET A COMPLAINT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND LOCALLY, THEY CAN CALL THE US ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UH, WHICH REPRESENTS THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IN, IN LOCAL REGIONS.
SO, AND I, YOU KNOW, I'M A FAN OF THE US ATTORNEYS BECAUSE THEY, UH, THEY TAKE ACTION AND THEY GET CHANGES MADE.
UM, IF YOU SEE, UH, VIOLATION OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, OR IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY'S, UH, DISABILITY, UH, FIND REACHING DISCRIMINATION ANYWAY, IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY IN A PARKING LOT THAT DOESN'T BELONG IN A SPACE, UH, SEE SOMETHING, YOU SAY SOMETHING, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A DISABILITY TO COMPLAIN.
AND, UH, DEBBIE, THEY CAN CALL YOU IF THEY WANT TO VERIFY THAT.
OR THEY CAN JUST, UH, INFORM THE, THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND THEY'LL EVENTUALLY INVESTIGATE IT, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY PEOPLE IT AFFECTS AND HOW MUCH TIME THEY HAVE AND SO ON.
THERE MAY BE STATE AVENUES TO FOLLOW FOR COMPLAINTS AS WELL.
THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT THAT BY REACHING THE A DA CENTER AT 1-800-949-FOUR 2 3 2.
UH, I SHOULD ADD HERE THAT ANYBODY WHO'S WATCHING THIS PROGRAM ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES CAN CALL THAT NUMBER BECAUSE THE SAME NUMBER WILL BE ANSWERED BY AN A DA TECHNICAL ASSISTANT IN YOUR FEDERAL REGION.
UH, SO YOU MAY NOT REACH DEBBIE AND HER COLLEAGUES IN HOUSTON, BUT YOU WILL REACH SOMEBODY ON THAT (800) 949-4232 PHONE NUMBER.
USE IT, UH, USE IT LIBERALLY WHENEVER YOU NEED ACCOMMODATION ASSISTANCE OR OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
DEBBIE, I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING OUR GUEST TODAY ON FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
I HOPE YOU COME BACK AGAIN AND TELL US MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU LEARN AS YOU DO YOUR JOB.
THANK ALL OF YOU FOR WATCHING.
UH, THIS SHOW IS PRODUCED BY HTV.
IT'S AVAILABLE TO YOU VIA THE CITY OF HOUSTON WEBSITE OR ONLINE VIA YOUTUBE.
AND, UH, WE'D BE GLAD TO HAVE YOU COME BACK NEXT TIME TO WATCH MORE.
THIS HAS BEEN A PRODUCTION OF HTV.
AND I'M LEX FRIEDEN, YOUR HOST.
PLEASE TURN IN NEXT TIME FOR MORE FOCUS ON ABILITIES.