Download this page as a Word Document

This is a Companion Training Manual to accompany the Corporation for National and Community Service publication Creating an Inclusive Environment: A Handbook for the Inclusion of People with Disabilities in National and Community Service Programs. The Inclusion Handbook is available on-line at www.serviceandinclusion.org, or you may call the National Service Inclusion Project at 888-491-0326 (voice/TTY) or email at nsip@umb.edu.

Overview

Key Words and Terms

• Accommodations
• Essential Functions
• Marginal Functions
• Qualified Individual with a Disability
• Service Description

Introduction

This section discusses the importance of creating and utilizing universally designed, inclusive service descriptions. It is important to accurately describe and explain the outcomes expected from the service. By accurately portraying the essential elements of the service, you can more closely match the individual's abilities and skills with the needs of the service site. This is the same process you would use with any hiring, but is especially important when you are interested in promoting success.

A "qualified individual with a disability" is able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without accommodations. He or she must also meet any qualifications or certifications that the program has in place, such as being a registered nurse. Simiply because someone may be a person with a disability does not mean that you must accept him or her to serve as a participant in your program. The individual must meet the same qualifications as other participants in the program. Individuals who wish to be service members or volunteers must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without accommodations.

Trainer Notes

Objectives for this Section

At the completion of this unit, each participant will:

1. Identify the elements of essential functions and marginal functions in a service description.
2. Relate principles of universal design to the development of a service description.
3. Analyze a service description based on essential functions and desired outcomes.
4. Demonstrate knowledge and significance of a marginal function within a service description.
5. Demonstrate knowledge and significance of a "Qualified Individual with a Disability".
6. Demonstrate knowledge and significance of key terms as they relate to filling a service position, such as:
   1. Accommodations
   2. Essential functions
   3. Marginal functions
   4. Qualified Individual with a Disability

Suggested audiences

• Members in service
• Members involved in capacity-building
• Service and volunteer program managers and staff
• Organization staff
• Organization Board of Directors
• Disability organizations

Visuals and Power Points recommended for this Section

Slides with Notes pages are found at the end of this section.

Activities included for this Section

• Essential Functions group activity, including samples
• AmeriCorps Service Descriptions
• Qualified Individual, including applicant descriptions
• Writing Inclusive Service Descriptions and Worksheet

Handouts recommended for this Section

• Essential Functions Fact Sheet
• Qualified Individual Fact Sheet
• Who are People With Disabilities Fact Sheet

Supplies/equipment needed: (e.g. markers, flipcharts, LCD)

Use depends on your personal preferences, availability, and the activities chosen. Each activity lists any unique needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What does the term 'universal design' mean?
• What are the elements of an inclusive service description?
• What is an essential function?
• What is a marginal function?
• What is the definition of a 'Qualified Individual with a Disability"?

Useful references and resources for this Section

Frequently Asked Questions - Opening Doors to Service Inclusion in Action – Profiles of Alumni See Appendix – References and Resources

Making your meetings accessible to persons with disabilities- http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/epicenter/practices/index.php?ep...

Promoting inclusion in mentoring- http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/epicenter/practices/index.php?ep...

Helpful hints:

• Depending on your time, you might project a slide with a sample service description and show designers how to reduce the text to essential elements and concepts.
• Use key words like 'outcomes,' 'products' and processes,' to foster understanding of the concepts and principles of core job elements.
• Reference universal design all around you, in physical access, materials, presentation style and environment.
• You may ask participants to bring position descriptions they would like to have critiqued or improved as a result of the training. This would engage them in a meaningful exercise by allowing them to create/revise a tool they currently use and would then have worked through, and will use in the future.

Assessment

Training Survey

Date: _________________________

After each numbered statement, indicate your current level of knowledge about the following topics on a scale of 1 - 5.  1= nothing, 2 = not much, 3 = somewhat, 4 = some, 5 = a lot

1. Person-first language and etiquette
2. What is an Inclusive Service Description?
3. What is the definition of a ‘qualified individual with a disability?
4. The difference between ‘essential’ and ‘marginal’ functions of a service description
5. How to use information about ‘essential’ functions to write a meaningful service descriptio
6. How a ‘marginal’ function can be accomplished
7. Who are ‘qualified applicants’ for service positions
8. The meaning of key terms such as:
   1. Accommodations
   2. Essential functions
   3. Marginal functions
   4. Service description
   5. Universal design