Cognitive Challenges FAQ

LD and Cognitive Challenges Special Disability Training

Points to Remember: Three areas of content are included in this training:

1. About this disability
   
2. Assistive Technology available in your Resource Room
   
3. Additional Resources

Information and discussion:

This staff training includes the following LD and cognitive challenges, which will include these disability causes, conditions, and issues which may impact the workplace: 1. congenital cause meaning genetic (or inherited), 2. Pre-natal condition, birth accident, childhood illness or trauma, 3. adolescent or adult injury, disease or complication of other causation, 4.Psychiatric conditions such as mood disorder, emotional disorders, mental illness, and 5. substance abuse disorders. We will also discuss medication issues in the workplace, and alternative learning styles.

• Dangers of making assumptions: myths and consequences
• ADA issues Learning Disabilities and cognitive challenges in the workplace
  
• Accessibility Considerations in your local office:
  Greeting consumers, general environmental access, telephone access, training rooms, access to handouts and materials, alternative format resources, signage and labeling.
  
• Review of AT in your resource lab for clients who are cognitively challenged
  
• AT devices, software, and accommodations specific to cognitive impairments
  Signage and labeling in the workplace
  Large print documents, charts, and checklists
  Note-taking, written directions, tape recorders
  Attendance and memory aids: alarms, clocks, calendars, organized workstations
  Reducing distractions in the workplace
  Flexible work schedules
  Alternative technology devices for common workplace equipment
  Software to assist with reading comprehension and document preparation
  (Text Help)
  Staff training about cognitive disabilities and psychiatric conditions

• A peek at the AT Arizona One-Stop Accessibility site: http://www.ATarizona.com

Additional Resources:

Handouts during this training are available immediately as regular file documents and large print versions of these same documents. If presenters and Navigators are informed ahead of time, we can try to supply other alternative formats such as floppy disks, cds, and audio versions. Handouts will also be available in your resource rooms information kiosk for AT. Other documents that staff may want to access will be available online and by speaking with the Navigator of each One-Stop Center.

These training sessions are part of the AT grant, an establishment grant to facilitate training and resource development for the use of staff in State of Arizona One-Stop Centers and for vocational rehabilitation counselors of the Arizona RSA. The AT trainer is BJ Bolender, Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ACBVI Inc.) Questions may be directed to her and ACBVI through the website http://www.ATarizona.com and http://www.acbvi.org.