You’re Hired: Employers and Agencies Share Their Perspectives on Employment for Individuals Who Use AAC

SEMINAR DESCRIPTION:

During this event, participants will hear from four unique presenters as they share their own experiences
with the recruitment, hiring and successful employment of individuals who use AAC as their primary form of
communication. Recognizing that some employers have a little apprehension in giving diverse candidates
an opportunity, this session will help webinar participants learn how to ease those concerns and educate
employers about the advantages of hiring individuals with disabilities. Panelists will discuss practical
solutions for ensuring an employee is successful on the job and provide ample evidence that individuals who
use AAC can and DO thrive in community-based positions.

PRESENTED BY: The Rev. Andy Bartel, Doug Crandell, Jared Daly and Monica Stelmack
MODERATED BY: Betsy Caporale, M.S., CCC-SLP, AAC/AT Specialist

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS:

The Rev. Andy Bartel is in his 8th year as the Lead Pastor for St John. He has served church and church
camps in Alaska, South Dakota, and North Dakota. Prior to ministry, he managed all the teaching labs (and
tech) for the University of Alaska Anchorage. He is married with two high school teenagers at home

Doug Crandell, MFA has worked for decades in the field of community-based employment practices to
increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Mr. Crandell is a public service faculty
member within FACS at IHDD. He provides training and technical assistance to Georgia’s supported
employment providers through webinars and on-site mentoring. He has provided hands-on, real-time
training to organizations across the country. Crandell has been the Project Director for a number of
demonstration grants funded through the U.S. Department of Labor, the Bureau of Justice Assistance and
the Social Security Administration (SSA). He is a Subject Matter Expert with the Employment First
Leadership State Mentoring Program at the Office of Disability Employment Policy

Jared Daly has a BA in Psychology and Criminal Justice. He works for The Cuyahoga County Board of
Developmental Disabilities as the Regional Coordinator of Workforce Development, assisting local
organizations to hire, onboard, train, and retain individuals with disabilities. Jared is the founder of The
Employment Collaborative of Cuyahoga County (ECCC), a nonprofit group which works to connect the local
business community to a diverse talent pool of job seekers with disabilities and other barriers to
employment. Jared is an author and national presenter on creating collaborative networks to increase
employment opportunities for job seekers with disabilities. He is the President-Elect for The Cleveland
Society of Human Resource Management.

Monica Stelmack is a Mexican-American entrepreneur, business professional, and long-time advocate for
individuals with unique challenges. As a mother of three boys, one of whom has autism, she has spent the
last twenty-six years fighting for her children’s rights to experience fulfilling lives. She was inspired to build
Wide Horizons, Inc. while earning her bachelor’s degree in business Administration in 2013. She continues to
mentor others and provide guidance and advice for families facing challenges with children with
disabilities.

PARTICIPANTS WILL:

• Name at three advantages of hiring individuals with disabilities that can be shared with potential employers.
• Cite three examples of on-the-job accommodations for individuals who use AAC.
• Describe three strategies for supporting the unique communication needs of employees.

TIME ORDERED AGENDA:

• 5 minutes: Introduction of speakers, USSAAC and topic
• 12 minutes: The advantages of hiring individuals with disabilities
• 12 minutes: AAC supports to increase independence in the workplace
• 12 minutes: Ensuring success for employees who use AAC
• 12 minutes: Creating equity for AAC users in the workplace
• 7 minutes: Wrap-up, Questions

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) CEUs in speech-language pathology and
audiology are awarded by the ASHA CE Registry upon receipt of the CEU Participant Form from the ASHA Approved CE Provider, USSAAC. CEU Participant Forms are available onsite at Registration. ASHA CEUs are provided to full registrations. This program is offered for .1 ASHA CEUs (Introductory Level, Professional Area)

ASHA Disclosures:

•  Speakers
  • Financial:
    • The Rev. Andy Bartel has no Financial disclosures to report.
    • Doug Crandell has no Financial disclosures to report.
    • Jared Daly has no Financial disclosures to report.
    • Monica Stelmack has no Financial disclosures to report.
  • Nonfinancial:
    • The Rev. Andy Bartel has no Non-Financial disclosures to report.
    • Doug Crandell has no Non-Financial disclosures to report.
    • Jared Daly has no Non-Financial disclosures to report.
    • Monica Stelmack has no Non-Financial disclosures to report.

• Moderator
  • Betsy Caporale has no financial disclosures to report. She serves on the board of USSAAC (nonfinancial).

USSAAC CEU Form

To register for this Webinar please go to the following link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-k4i15pERLeQJT7mfX8WNQ

PLEASE NOTE: Only the first 150 attendees to log into
the webinar will be guaranteed spots.

USSAAC EDUCATION COMMITTEE:

Betsy Caporale, Richard Hurtig, Stephanie Meehan, Sharon Redmon, Wendy Quach

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