Archived Webinars

Pennsylvania’s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (PA OVR) initiated two job-driven projects as part of the Job-Driven VR Technical Assistance Center (JD-VRTAC). For the first project, the results of a preliminary staff survey informed a training curriculum on how to integrate labor market information (LMI) into the VR process. For the second project, the results of a business roundtable helped shape a training curriculum informed a training curriculum on engaging businesses to hire minors.

In this webinar, Sara Gales and Vondol Hammond from PA OVR will provide an overview of their JD-VRTAC projects on LMI and business engagement. They will discuss the goals of this project, how it was implemented, and some accomplishments, challenges, and lessons learned. Gales and Hammond will also share their experiences as members of the JD-VRTAC Learning Collaborative, and the future direction of their job-driven projects.

Download the Powerpoint presentation: Integrating Labor Market Information and Engaging Employers to Hire Minors: An Overview of PA OVR’s Completed JD-VRTAC Project Powerpoint (PPT)

All ExploreVR webinars are live captioned: Integrating Labor Market Information and Engaging Employers to Hire Minors: An Overview of PA OVR’s Completed JD-VRTAC Project Transcript (WORD)

All other downloadable files:

• PA OVR's LMI Survey (PDF) (WORD)
• PA OVR's LMI Training Powerpoint: Integrating LMI into the VR Process (PDF)
• PA OVR's Business Engagement for Students Powerpoint: Employer Engagement to Increase Work-Based Learning Experiences for Students with Disabilities (PDF)
• PA OVR's Employer Roundtable Questions (WORD)

The JD-VRTAC is a national center housed at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The center and its webinars are funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) within the US Department of Education under grant #H264A140002.

The US Department of Labor (DOL) Registered Apprenticeship (RA) program provides a unique, flexible training system that combines job related technical instruction with structured on-the-job learning experiences. This “Earn and Learn” training model is highly active in traditional industries such as construction and manufacturing, but it is also instrumental in the training and development of emerging industries such as healthcare, energy, and information technology. While the RA system has been used to meet the needs of America’s skilled work force for over 75 years, Persons with Disabilities (PWD’s) have not typically benefitted from the program. 

This one hour webinar provides an introduction to the RA program and feature presentations by staff from the US DOL and the Office for Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), which released a report in 2015 related to increasing the number of PWDs entering RA programs. Information on locating and accessing RA programs in your state/area will be shared. For more information about the program: https://www.doleta.gov/oa/apprenticeship.cfm

Download the Powerpoint presentation: RA 101: Registered Apprenticeships for VR Professionals Powerpoint (PDF)

All ExploreVR webinars are live captioned: RA 101: Registered Apprenticeships for VR Professionals Transcript (WORD)

For more information about Registered Apprenticeships, read, The Basics of Registered Apprenticeships 

FAQ from this webinar, RA 101: Introduction to Registered Apprenticeships for VR Professionals coming soon!

The JD-VRTAC is a national center housed at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The center and its webinars are funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) within the US Department of Education under grant #H264A140002. 

Are you new to business engagement and/or job development? Even if you’re an experienced rehabilitation professional, it’s natural to be apprehensive about your new role. This webinar will offer you strategies for making connections with employers in both formal and informal situations. We’ll also share ideas to help you understand employers’ business needs, and respond to concerns and misunderstandings they may have about employing people with disabilities.

Upon completion of this webinar, you will be able to:

• Introduce yourself and VR services in a succinct manner that will be attractive to businesses
• Assess labor needs of your business contacts to promote more effective job matches
• Respond to employers’ concerns about hiring candidates with disabilities

Download the PowerPoint Presentation: Skills for Business Engagement: Part 2 - Making Connections Powerpoint (PDF)

All ExploreVR webinars are live captioned: Skills for Business Engagement: Part 2 - Making Connections Transcript (Word)

The JD-VRTAC is a national center housed at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The center and its webinars are funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) within the US Department of Education under grant #H264A140002. 

The Vocational Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Demand-Side Strategies (Demand-Side RRTC) is housed at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The center and its webinars are funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) Grant # H133B120002.

This webinar will focus on how vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies can identify and use labor market information (LMI) to benefit clients. Libin Zhang and Rick Kugler from the Institute for Community Inclusion will discuss uses and misuses of LMI. Lindy Foley from Nebraska VR and Rob Hines from the Washington VR will explain their agencies’ experiences incorporating LMI into VR practice with clients.

The goals of this webinar are to:

• Assist counselors and employment specialists in identifying relevant LMI
• Help supervisors guide counselors and employment staff on the best ways to incorporate LMI into their tasks
• Inform participants about how 2 state VR agencies think about LMI and put it into practice

Download the Powerpoint presentation: LMI: An Embarrassment of Riches or Fools Gold? Powerpoint (PDF)

All ExploreVR webinars are live captioned: LMI: An Embarrassment of Riches or Fools Gold? Transcript (WORD)

The JD-VRTAC is a national center housed at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The center and its webinars are funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) within the US Department of Education under grant #H264A140002. 

The Vocational Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Demand-Side Strategies (Demand-Side RRTC) is housed at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The center and its webinars are funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) Grant # H133B120002.

In Part 2 of this ExploreVR webinar, Mark Harniss and Maria Kelley from the University of Washington Center for Technology and Disability Studies will identify different types of assistive technologies to address executive function and emotional support for people with mental health conditions. The objective of this webinar is to help participants understand how assistive technology can address common cognitive barriers and improve employment outcomes.

Download the Powerpoint presentation: Assistive Technology for People with Mental Health Conditions: Part 2 Powerpoint (PDF)

All ExploreVR webinars are live captioned: Assistive Technology for People with Mental Health Conditions: Part 2 Transcript (WORD)

The JD-VRTAC is a national center housed at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The center and its webinars are funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) within the US Department of Education under grant #H264A140002. 

In Part 1 of this ExploreVR webinar, Mark Harniss and Maria Kelley from the University of Washington Center for Technology and Disability Studies will provide an overview of the cognitive functions that affect job performance of individuals with mental health conditions. The objective of this webinar is to help participants understand the cognitive impact caused by mental health issues and the effects on employment outcomes.

Download the Powerpoint presentation: Assistive Technology for People with Mental Health Conditions: Part 1 Powerpoint (PDF)

All ExploreVR webinars are live captioned: Assistive Technology for People with Mental Health Conditions: Part 1 Transcript (WORD)

The JD-VRTAC is a national center housed at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The center and its webinars are funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) within the US Department of Education under grant #H264A140002. 

Mid managers play a key role in ensuring LMI is fully incorporated in the counseling process. As new procedures and expectations emerge, an understanding of change implementation and strategies will be useful to managers responsible for training and supporting counselors.

Change initiatives are a part of organizational life. Individuals holding middle management positions are frequently tasked with implementing a change directive and ensuring it is translated to new employee behavior.  As a result, it is essential for middle management to understand “the human side of change”, strengthen change leadership skills, and develop strategies to support change implementation.

This webinar presentation will explore:

• The human side of change
• Leadership for change initiatives
• Applying a model of change (ADKAR) to the use of LMI in VR
• Anticipating changes for counselors relative to LMI utilization

Download the Powerpoint presentation: Implementing Change in the Age of WIOA: Mid-Managers Supporting Counselors in the use of LMI Powerpoint (PDF) 

All ExploreVR webinars are live captioned: Implementing Change in the Age of WIOA: Mid-Managers Supporting Counselors in the use of LMI Transcript (WORD)

The JD-VRTAC is a national center housed at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The center and its webinars are funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) within the US Department of Education under grant #H264A140002. 

The Vocational Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Demand-Side Strategies (Demand-Side RRTC) is housed at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The center and its webinars are funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) Grant # H133B120002.

Treva Roanhorse and Paula Seanez from the Navajo Nation Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services Program will present on the Navajo VR program’s involvement with the ICI Learning Collaborative, and their work on using Motivational Interviewing techniques with clients. MI incorporates strong beliefs, values and practices of Native people by forming partnership with clients. A foundation of Navajo culture includes not only the individual but the family and community.

This webinar is part of a series where members of the NIDILRR-funded RTAC project of VR Program Management present the lessons they've learned through their management initiative. The RTAC is a collaborative initiative to identify, test, and disseminate management practices to build a performance management model tailored to the vocational rehabilitation system.

Download the Powerpoint presentation: Motivational Interviewing: A Management-Focused Learning Collaborative Powerpoint (PDF)

All ExploreVR webinars are live captioned: Motivational Interviewing: A Management-Focused Learning Collaborative Transcript (WORD)

This ExploreVR webinar will focus on how Missouri has developed a collaborative partnership between vocational rehabilitation and workforce development. Yvonne Wright, the director of business outreach and workforce development at Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation, will discuss how the partnership was established, how it has evolved, and the positive effects it has had in serving the dual customer.

Download the Powerpoint presentation: Partnering with Workforce in Business Engagement Powerpoint (PDF)

All ExploreVR webinars are live captioned: Partnering with Workforce in Business Engagement Transcript (WORD)

The JD-VRTAC is a national center housed at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The center and its webinars are funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) within the US Department of Education under grant #H264A140002. 

The Vocational Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Demand-Side Strategies (Demand-Side RRTC) is housed at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The center and its webinars are funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) Grant # H133B120002.

In Part 2 of this ExploreVR webinar, Mark Harniss and Maria Kelley from the University of Washington Center for Technology and Disability Studies will provide an overview of the types of assistive technologies available to support adults with learning disabilities in reading and writing. 

Download the Powerpoint presentation: Assistive Technology for Supporting Adults with Learning Disabilities: Part 2 Powerpoint (PDF)

All ExploreVR webinars are live captioned: Assistive Technology for Supporting Adults with Learning Disabilities: Part 2 Transcript (WORD)

The JD-VRTAC is a national center housed at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The center and its webinars are funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) within the US Department of Education under grant #H264A140002.