Disability inclusion is a critical part of any business.
Employees with disabilities make up a large percentage of the workforce. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four adults in the United States has a disability.
That includes invisible disabilities as well as visible ones. Many employees have disabilities, whether or not they’ve disclosed those disabilities at work.
Without disability inclusion, your business isn’t doing all it can to support its current employees. And if your company isn't proactive about disability inclusion in the hiring process, you may be losing out on top candidates.
Virtual Live Training
Virtual live trainings (VLTs) from Understood help companies build awareness and offer simple tips employees, managers, and HR and DEI leaders can use to create a more inclusive workplace and support not only employees with disabilities, but all employees.
Through dialogue and interactive activities, our expert facilitators help guide staff, managers, and leaders in building their knowledge about disability awareness, recognizing bias and stigma, using inclusive language and behavior, and leveraging tools that promote inclusion. Tools and resources are also provided for learners to use on their own time.
Trainings are offered as stand-alone, facilitated events or as part of a series. Or, you can choose a “blended” experience where learners participate in self-led video learning through a learning management system (LMS) in combination with a VLT. Suggested pairings are provided for each training. All trainings are fully accessible, with live closed captions, transcripts provided for any embedded videos, and options to participate in the way that works best for each learner.
This flagship learning experience is an introduction to disability inclusion. Through thought exercises and conversations, the session challenges learners to investigate their assumptions and biases about disability. Learners get practical tips for interacting respectfully and comfortably with colleagues with disabilities, and an opportunity to practice those tips in the context of a real-life workplace scenario.
By the end of this session, learners will be able to:
Define “disability” as a nuanced concept
Recognize how disability inclusion moves workplaces beyond compliance to create environments that support all employees, including those with disabilities
Apply inclusive behavior and language tips to recognize bias and create a culture where employees with disabilities feel welcomed and supported
Leverage resources that are key to a flexible, inclusive workplace, including reasonable accommodations, inclusive design tips, and natural supports
This 60-min training is designed for all audiences.
One of the biggest questions we hear is: “How can I as a manager support my employees with disabilities?” This interactive session teaches managers how to do just that, providing tips for creating a “culture of support” where employees can comfortably talk about disability and managers can easily provide support.
Through discussions and activities, participants learn to
consider the perspectives of direct reports with disabilities,
use awareness and etiquette tips to build an inclusive environment,
engage in respectful conversations about support and accommodations,
respond appropriately to disclosures and support requests, and
embrace flexibility as the key to productive workplace collaboration.
By the end of this session, learners will be able to:
Identify their unique role in supporting direct reports with disabilities
Recognize the ways in which a “culture of support” empowers all employees, including those with disabilities
Practice disability awareness and etiquette in everyday interactions
Respond respectfully and appropriately to disclosures and requests for accommodations
Leverage resources that are key to a flexible, inclusive workplace
This 60-min training is designed for managers, supervisors, and leadership.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities who need them. This interactive session takes a deep dive into this subject by
countering misconceptions about the cost and purpose of reasonable accommodations,
exploring the range of what can be considered a reasonable accommodation, and
providing guidance on navigating the “interactive process” to ensure that employees get the support they need.
By the end of this session, learners will be able to:
Define “reasonable accommodation”
Identify the benefits of reasonable accommodations and counter myths
Recognize the range of supports that may qualify as reasonable accommodations
Contribute to an environment where employees with disabilities feel comfortable disclosing and/or asking for the reasonable accommodations that they need
Navigate the interactive process for providing a reasonable accommodation
This 60-min training is designed for general staff, managers, HR professionals, and leadership.
This isn’t a legal training. It’s a layperson’s guide to reasonable accommodations. This session can be used to introduce and promote your company’s accommodations policy.
This interactive session offers a guide to being an ally and contributing to a disability-inclusive workplace. Through discussions and activities, participants learn to
recognize and counter ableism,
user awareness and etiquette tips to build an inclusive environment,
engage in respectful conversations about support and accommodations, and
embrace flexibility as the key to productive workplace collaboration.
By the end of this session, learners will be able to:
Define their own role as an ally in creating a disability-inclusive environment
Recognize ableist thoughts, actions, and words, and take steps to counter them
Practice disability awareness and etiquette in everyday interactions
Provide an inclusive experience during onboarding
Leverage flexibility and inclusive design as tools to facilitate productive collaboration among people who may work, learn, and think differently
Approach challenges without jumping to conclusions
This 60-min training is designed for all audiences.
This interactive session provides tips for conducting interviews that welcome and support candidates with disabilities. Participants will learn how to develop an interview process that
anticipates that candidates may have disabilities,
removes barriers that could prevent qualified candidates with disabilities from being considered for jobs, and
ensures that interviewers are focused on a candidate’s skills and talents rather than their disability.
By the end of this session, learners will be able to:
Ensure that candidates have any supports or accommodation they need to engage in the interview process
Structure the interview to best allow candidates to demonstrate their skills and talents
Ensure that interview spaces are accessible and conducive to focusing on the interview itself
Ask questions that explicitly focus on skills that are fundamental to the job
Avoid questions that unnecessarily focus on a candidate’s disability
This 60-min training is designed for general staff and HR professionals.
Our disability inclusion experts
James Emmett, MS
is the founder of James Emmett & Co., which provides disability inclusion support services to companies.
James Emmett, MS, is the founder of James Emmett & Co., which provides disability inclusion support services to companies across the globe. This often involves helping organizations expand their disability employment services and other similar programs. He helped develop the YouTube video “Improving Customer Service for People with Disabilities,” and has been the director for three award-winning research and demonstration projects on career development and transition strategies for people with autism and other disabilities. These projects included the Vocational Alliance Autism Project, the Business Approach to Social Integration & Communication (BASIC) Grant, and the EmployAlliance Employment Within Business Project.
Emmett earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a master of science degree in rehabilitation counseling at the Illinois Institute of Technology.
is a psychotherapist and disability inclusion expert in New York. She serves children and families affected by neurodivergence across the state.
Claire Odom, MSW, LMSW, is a licensed psychotherapist, disability inclusion expert, and ADHDer practicing in New York’s Hudson Valley. After supporting Understood’s Workplace Initiative for four years, Odom brought her inclusive lens to the therapy room, where she now serves children and families affected by neurodivergence.
Odom’s areas of research and focus include building disability-inclusive workplaces across industries. She also supports families dealing with confusing behavioral issues and parents struggling to connect with their children across neurotypes.
Odom received a master of social work degree from Columbia University with a focus on disability and public policy. She discovered her ADHD diagnosis as a result of working with Understood, and she loves helping others understand and work with their neurotype.
is an advocate for disability justice in the workplace and beyond.
Jamie Studenroth is an advocate for disability justice in the workplace and beyond. She has supported people with disabilities in settings such as schools, camps, nonprofits, and is a former job coach for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In her role with Understood, she leads our assessment and action plan, working with companies to identify and improve practices and processes to make their workplaces more inclusive for people with disabilities.
In addition to facilitating training, our disability inclusion experts are available for conferences, speaking engagements, and trainings.
