Winter ADA Coordinator Virtual Conference 2021

The ADA Coordinator Training Certification Program (ACTCP) presents the Winter ADA Coordinator Virtual Conference February 1st - 4th, 2021.

This 4-day event will be online for the first time. The conference will offer a variety of sessions and feature speakers from the National Network of ADA Centers, and other nationally recognized ADA experts.

Registration is open to the public. Members of the ADA Coordinator Training Certification Program will have an opportunity to obtain both foundation and elective level credits towards their program completion. In addition, members and non-members alike may participate in our newest program, ACTCP Advanced.

The conference will be divided up by the day. The first and second days will consist of sessions covering the foundation topics for the ACTCP Title II Certification. Days 3 and 4 will offer topic specific sessions for the ACTCP Advanced certificates.

Days 1 and 2- ACTCP Foundation Courses

The first two days of the conference will consist of Title II courses that meet the foundation requirements for the ADA Coordinator Title II professional certification. These are courses that we feel meet the basic information that every ADA Coordinator needs to know to be effective in their position. Participants will be able to choose from three sessions each day. Those choosing to attend either the 2010 standards for Accessible Design or the Self-Evaluation and Transition Plans sessions will need to take both parts one and two in order to get the foundation credit. 

Days 3 and 4

Days 3 and 4 of the conference will consists of targeted topics each day. Day three will focus on Title III Business sessions and day four will focus on Employment sessions. All of day three and four sessions will be considered advanced in nature.  Participants should have a good understanding of the ADA before attending these sessions. Participants attending these sessions will have the opportunity to earn  ACTCP Advanced Certificates.  

ACTCP ADVANCED

To obtain the Title III Certificate or the Employment Certificate:

• If you already have earned the ACTCP Title II Certification,  you will need to attend all day 3 and/or day 4 sessions . That's it. There is no exam and no online courses after the conference.  Just attend the sessions, and you will earn the certificate.

• If you have not earned the Title II Certification prior to the conference, you will need to attend prerequisite sessions in order to earn the ACTCP Advanced Certificates.

• If you have documentation that you have previously taken the 2010  ADA Standards training or the Title I Guidelines training prior to the conference,  you will not be required  to repeat those sessions.
  
  

Don't miss out on this great training opportunity!

Costs:

We are offering multiple cost options for the Winter Conference this year. Attendees can either attend by the day or there is a discounted full conference option.

• Days 1 and 2 are only $100 each
• Days 3 and 4 are $150 each
• There is also a discounted full conference option of $425 for all four days. That's a savings of $75.

Location:

All sessions will be online for this conference. We miss seeing everyone, and hopefully someday soon, we can all get back together but right now this is the safest option for all involved. 

Conference Registration:

The online registration page has a section for requesting alternate format and/or communication accommodations, you may also call 573-882-3600 for assistance. Online registration can be accessed by the link below.

Online Conference Registration

AGENDA - All Times are Central Standard Time(Session descriptions are provided below the Agenda)

Note:

For individuals who are members of the ADA Coordinators' Training Certification Program:
* indicates that the session is approved for Required Foundation credits.
** indicates that the session is approved for Optional Foundation credits.

All other sessions are approved for elective course credits.

The Self-Evaluation and Transition Plans and 2010 Standards for Accessible Design sessions are split into two parts but are considered one continuous session . Attendees registering for these sessions may not split the sessions. ACTCP members must attend both parts of each session to receive the Foundation credits for those topics.

Session Descriptions

Title I Employment Guidelines
Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act addresses the rights of individuals with disabilities in employment settings. ADA Coordinators should understand the basic requirements of Title I and non-discriminatory employment practices and procedures. This session will discuss who has obligations and rights under Title I, essential functions of a position, and reasonable accommodation and accommodation policies. This session will also focus on non-discriminatory practices related to employment recruitment, application process, interviewing, pre-employment inquiries & testing, hiring, medical examinations, and performance management.

Role of the ADA Coordinator
An effective ADA Coordinator is critical to successful ADA implementation. However, the role and responsibilities of the ADA Coordinator are often both ill-defined and misunderstood. This session will clearly outline the functions of the ADA Coordinator position, the departments and community members the ADA Coordinator should interact with, and how the ADA Coordinator position should fit into the overall structure of a Title II entity.

Reasonable Employment Accommodations
The ADA requires that employers provide accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities in order to remove workplace barriers to provide equal employment opportunity. For many employers understanding when and how they must comply can be, at times, complex. This session will help employers develop effective policies, procedures, and best practices that can assure full compliance as well as help to successfully respond to reasonable accommodation requests and needs resulting in creating a productive work environment for all employees.

Public Rights-of-Way
Agencies strive to offer vibrant healthy places for their citizens and visitors to enjoy. Making facilities and transportation accessible to everyone, including seniors and people with disabilities can be difficult in an environment with existing constraints. This session will discuss the technical criteria of the proposed Public Right of Way Guidelines and obligations of states and local agencies under the Americans with Disabilities Act to make the public right of way accessible. Topics covered include the minimum criteria for pedestrian access routes, curb ramps, street crossings, accessible pedestrian signals, parking and transit.

Self-Evaluation & Transition Plans (2-Part Continuous Session)
Are you one of those public entities that are slightly behind in doing a self-evaluation and transition plan? Are you asking yourself What is a self-evaluation and transition plan? Well then, this is the session for you. All public entities subject to title II of the ADA must complete a self-evaluation. For entities that have 50 or more employees, there is also a requirement to have in place a transition plan that addresses structural changes that are necessary for achieving program accessibility. Come to this 2-part session if you are interested in learning more about how to approach conducting a self-evaluation and how to integrate the information gathered into a transition plan.

Effective Communication
This is a comprehensive session that defines effective communication under the ADA, reviews different forms of communication that need to be accessible, and determine methods of communication. This session will cover proactive steps to take for effective communication, and applying effective communication obligations to different settings.

Emergency Preparedness

Local entities and communities are increasingly planning emergency management and preparedness to handle disasters for the whole community. Emergencies and disasters can be particularly concerning for persons with functional and access needs. Successful outcomes will depend on the inclusiveness of the plans and preparations before the disaster. This session will focus on key emergency management planning and preparedness strategies and approaches for including people with functional and access needs.  The presentation will provide primarily the local level of government’s perspective and their interactions with the state and federal level agencies.

The ADA and Customer Service
This session will provide a forum to discuss how businesses can accommodate individuals with disabilities and still provide superior customer service. Complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act is both the right thing to do and a way to attract a growing group of customers to your goods and services. Participants are encouraged to bring questions and ideas as we explore best practices for achieving superior customer service while meeting the needs of the disability community.

Accessible Websites for Business
Do Title III entities have an obligation under the ADA do provide accessible websites, and if they do, how is compliance defined?  This session will review recent guidance and court courses to provide some clarity on these questions. The session will discuss best practices and recommendations as well as identify common errors in both policies and approach to providing accessible websites.

Business Benefits of Disability Inclusion
Recruiting, hiring, retaining, and advancing qualified workers with disabilities provides extensive benefits for employers. This session will offer a discussion of those benefits with a focus on promising practices being used by top diversity employers around the globe. Learn about cutting edge techniques for campus recruiting, community partnerships, and innovations in professional development, among others.

Essential Job Functions and Descriptions
This session will discuss how to determine the difference between essential job functions and marginal job functions and why it is important to identify essential job functions under the ADA. The session will also cover job analysis,  job descriptions, and explore common strategies for developing “ADA compliant” job descriptions. Examples and scenarios will be used throughout the session. A Q&A segment will also be provided.

Accessible Recruiting, Interviewing, and Hiring
Human resources professionals, talent acquisition teams, and hiring managers play a vital role in the outreach, recruitment, employment, engagement, and retention of candidates/employees with disabilities. Learn about the Federal disability laws impacting hiring and on-boarding and discuss practical strategies for build organizational readiness, success, and sustainability for disability diverse recruitment, hiring, and engagement.

The Interactive Process
This 90 minute session that will describe the interactive process that employers should use in response to requests for reasonable accommodations.  The sessions will cover the importance of making a good faith effort in engaging in the interactive process steps, what is meant by good faith effort, how to demonstrate good faith effort, how to explore accommodations in good faith, and the consequences if an employer fails to engage in these efforts. Attendees will learn how to effectively identify an employee’s barriers to performance as well as barriers to effectively implementing reasonable accommodations.

Performance and Conduct Standards for Employees with Disabilities
Managing employee performance is a core function for any employer. Supervisors and employees work most effectively when everyone understands performance expectations and standards. Learn about ADA requirements for performance and conduct management for employees with disabilities and identify practical strategies for addressing disability-related performance issues while avoiding disability discrimination and furthering business objectives.

Go to Conference Registration