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.
Introduction to disability inclusion: Awareness and etiquette
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.
Inclusive management: Building a culture of support
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.
Reasonable accommodations in the workplace
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.
Building a culture of support: Allyship
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.
Inclusive interviewing
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 lead workplace strategist for Understood, supporting our efforts to create more inclusive workplaces for people with disabilities.
James Emmett is the lead workplace strategist for Understood, supporting our efforts to create more inclusive workplaces for people with disabilities. James is one of the most recognized experts in the field of disability inclusion, having helped plan and execute initiatives that have resulted in over 80,000 jobs for people with disabilities. He has worked on many of the most visible disability inclusion initiatives, with companies like Walgreens, Best Buy, Office Depot/Max, PepsiCo, and Mercy Health.
James has received numerous awards for his innovative approach to company-owned disability inclusion. His vision is to forever change the business and disability communities by helping companies of all sizes and industries create best-in-class disability inclusion initiatives.
Claire Odom, LMSW
is a disability inclusion advocate who helps create excellent places for people with disabilities to work.
Claire Odom is a disability inclusion advocate who has spent more than a decade helping individuals and organizations of all sizes create excellent places for people with disabilities to work. She is also a licensed psychotherapist who provides mental health care to children, teens, and adults, with a focus on supporting neurodivergence in school and at work.
Jamie Studenroth
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.
