Current State of Inclusion in the Workplace
Signed in 2014, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) aimed to improve services for individuals with a disability by helping them find and obtain competitive integrated employment (CIE). The ultimate mission of CIE is to provide opportunities that with instill consumers with ID’s the dignity of economic self-sufficiency within their communities while having a positive impact on the economy. The U.S. government has recently implemented changes to Fair Labor Standards Act; putting more monetary support into CIE efforts – while decreasing the usage of sub-minimum wage certificates to employers.

The impact of this is that supervisors who have not had the training in how to describe work assignments may now be forced to struggle with concepts such as task analysis and fading.

Need for Assistive Technology
These changes in legislation combined with the population of under employed ID consumers, will change the landscape of how we transition this population into sustainable employment. Historically, manual training programs have been led by supervisors who lack effective training themselves, and are challenged by both the time and instruction methodologies needed to effectively monitor employees with ID. While electronic coaches provide a low-cost solution to this dilemma; job coaches/supervisors have found them to be cumbersome to set up and maintain.
From the person-being served perspective, electronic coaches are needed to be able to overcome challenges maintaining task context and sequence. Electronic coaches provide them the visual and audio-only cues needed to stay on task and instill the confidence needed for job satisfaction.

The Employment Suite
CreateAbility, Inc. has been working with employees with ID and a variety of employers since 2003. Recognizing the changing climate of workplace inclusion, the company embarked on research and development of a solution to current challenges: Wearable Coach and WhenWear Advisor. Expanding the dynamics of their current MeMinder App, a talking to-do list/sequencing tool that helps guide consumers with ID’s or Down Syndrome through daily tasks, the company added the following solutions for a more robust (and user-friendly) solution in the workplace:

MeMINDER: This assistive technology provides additional features over-and-above standard electronic coaches in its ability to provide non-linear prompting that allows prompts to be delivered dynamically to help the worker achieve higher levels of function, improve task performance and greatly enhance independence without compromising safety or quality.

WhenWear Advisor: Built in CreateAbility Inc.’s exclusive BEAM cloud environment, this tool provides a platform for employers to establish daily regimes and training that is customized to the needs of each employee. Whereas training tools have been historically been challenging to change/manipulate, WhenWear Advisor is dynamic in its ability to efficiently convert work assignments into essential details required by the mobile worker with ID, and then wirelessly transfer the appropriate instruction to the targeted worker’s electronic coach. The technology offers drag-and-drop features that allow for both change and evolution of the work environment, the employees abilities, and changes in the workflow in real-time.

CreateAbility, Inc. has recently entered Phase II of development on Wearable Coach and WhenWear which is focused on enhancing the supervisory experience and automation feature, perfecting the integration, and adding preprogrammed jobs to the task list library. In addition, rigorous testing of the solutions is in full effect.

Demonstrations of this product will launch end of summer 2019 with product deliverables being available winter 2019. For more information on software demonstration for your consumer and/or business, please email info@createabilityinc.com.

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About CreateAbility, Inc.
CreateAbility strives to improve the dignity, security, and quality of life for people who are trying to maintain varying degrees of independence, but who need assistive technologies. Our mission is to create innovative products that help them flourish beyond their current capability. Our interactive health and safety monitoring software solutions help caregivers deliver an affordable blend of care, 24/7 that nurtures independence.
We serve caregivers, agencies, and organizations devoted to helping older adults, people with intellectual disabilities, brain injuries, and behavioral health issues.

Contact:

Kerri Pinger
Marketing & Sales Support Administration
CreateAbility, Inc.
kerri@createabilityinc.com

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