Scene Two: March 23, 2007:
Including and Engaging People with Disabilities: Don't "Dis" Abilities!
Engage Employees and their expertise!
The second session of the Series focused on what people can do to raise their personal awareness around disabilities. It provided both employees and employers tools and strategies to effectively include and engage people with disabilities in the workplace.
Below are additional statistics on disabilities not included in the session.
Additional Disability Statistics
- Women with disabilities are less likely to be hired than men with disabilities, with 51.4 percent and 60.1 percent employed respectively.
- Minorities with disabilities are less likely to e hired than whites with disabilities. Only 26.4 percent of working people with disabilities are non-white.
- The highest employment rates are for people with sensory disabilities; the lowest are for people with self-care disabilities.
- 23.7 percent of people with a disability live under the poverty line, compared to 7.7 percent of the population without a disability.
- People with a mental disability account for 30.8 percent of those under the poverty line.
- The median household income for people with a disability is $34,600 compared to a median income of $60,000 for people.
- In 2005, 12.8 percent of people with disabilities had a Bachelor's Degree or more.
- In Washington State 13.9 percent of people between the ages of 21-64 have a disability.
- In Washington State, 43.1 percent of people with disabilities are employed, compared to 78.3 percent of those without a disability.
Sources:
A guide to Disability Statistics from the American Community Survey; American Association of People with Disabilities.
Houtenville, Andrew J. 2007. "Disability in the United States." Ithica, NY: Cornell University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, http://www.disabilitiystatisticcs.org. Posted May 15, 2004. Accessed March 16, 2007.
Barbara Ceconi and Kurt Kuss of Access Umbrella, Inc. were the presenters for the second session, March 23, 2007, on including and engaging people with disabilities in the workplace.
Scene Two was the second session of the 2007 NW Diversity Learning Series held in Seattle Washington, Life theater - Inclusion and Engagement: Challenging and Expanding My diversity Competency: Moving Beyond My Comfort Zone. The Series is organized by The GilDeane Group, publishers of DiversityCentral.com.