Webinar Archive - Access

The Accessibility and Disability Policy Webinars are free, real-time captioned sessions held on a monthly basis that cover a variety of topics regarding people with disabilities in ten issue areas. Topics of interest can benefit employers, governmental entities, service providers and individuals with disabilities.

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National Association of Governor's Committees Meeting on Adult Changing Tables

Presented on March 2, 2023

On Thursday, March 2nd at 2:30 CST, the Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities hosted a quarterly meeting of the National Association of Governor’s Committees (NAGC). The topic was Adult Changing Tables and Changing Rooms including presentations on:

Recent updates to the International Building Code standards for adult changing tables developed by the International Code Council
The landscape around the country for implementation of adult changing tables
A brief presentation from the Iowa Department of Transportation on their best-practices implementation of adult changing tables at their highway rest areas.
Innovations including portable adult changing station solutions
Q&A for panel of experts.
Next steps for advocacy at the local state and national level.

Effective Advocacy on Disability Topics with Texas Legislature

Presented on February 27, 2023

It’s that time again – the Texas Legislature is back at the Capitol and in session! Your elected Representatives and Senators will be considering legislative proposals for laws that impact the lives of all Texans. The legislative session is your time to let your representatives know what they can do for you!

Are you curious how to share your thoughts on important disability policy issues with the Texas Legislature? Do you wonder how you can get access? Get ready to learn more about the Texas Legislature and making sure your voice is heard!

On Monday, February 27th at 10:00 AM, the Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities hosted the Effective Advocacy webinar with expert panelists who answered questions about how Texans with disabilities and their allies can successfully access the state legislative process and engage with their elected representatives about disability topics.

Presenters: Matt Dickens, GCPD Host; Dennis Borel, Executive Director of Coalition of Texans with Disabilities; Scott Daigle, Public Policy Director of Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities.

National Association of the Deaf: Innovating for Opportunity in the 21st Century

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and its state affiliate the Texas Association of the Deaf (TAD) are among our nation’s oldest Deaf advocacy organizations, serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing Americans for more than 142 years. NAD continues to innovate with their advocacy services for the Deaf community. Some of their more notable accomplishments include working with the NFL to ensure top level Deaf American Sign Language (ASL) performers for the Super Bowl Pre Game Show since 2009 and to bring Deaf ASL performers to the halftime show for the first time in 2022. The NAD advocated to ensure that the White House provided ASL access to COVID press briefings in 2020, paving the way for the White House to ensure all press conferences include ASL interpretation going forward beginning in 2021. The TAD recently focused on the needs of younger Texans with the successful passage of a bill in the Texas legislature to monitor language acquisition for children who are Deaf or hard of hearing.

Presenters: Alyssa Kee & Kevin Markel, with Texas Workforce Commission, Vocational Rehabilitation Services.

20+ Years of Standards and Best Practice - Is the Web Accessible Yet?

In May 1999, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 1.0 were published by the World Wide Web Consortium W3C - the standards maker for the world wide web. Countries, states, and municipalities have adopted and adapted standards as the internet evolved.

In honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities will host a webinar on May 19 at 10 AM. Ms. Sharron Rush, Executive Director for Knowbility, will explore where we started, what we've learned, and how we move forward to ensure equal access to the world wide wed for all.

Understanding the Texas Accessibility Standards

Presented on March 23, 2022
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has been responsible for monitoring compliance with the Texas Accessibility Standards since 1970. This is a state regulation standard that is similar to the federal Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines. This webinar will identify the differences between application of federal requirements versus state requirements. In addition, the webinar will go over the TDLR complaint process, as well as the steps being taken to update the standards.

A Capitol Recap: Disability Policy in the 87th Legislature

Presented on July 15, 2021
Hosted by the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities and the Governor’s Committee on People with
Disabilities, the program featured an overview of new disability-related laws; a summary of disability issues that remain unaddressed; a discussion on topics lawmakers will cover in special session; and a Q&A session with TCDD and GCPD policy experts.

How Does the ADA Apply to Historical Landmarks and Older Buildings?

Presented on February 3, 2021
Most historic and older buildings were not originally designed to accommodate people with disabilities, however, they must comply with the same accessibility standards as other existing buildings. Historic landmarks may enjoy exceptions to allow for the preservation of the historic nature of the building. Join us in this session to discuss what may be required if your building is older or designated as a historic landmark and creative ways to ensure compliance to the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Texas Accessible Standards. Presented by John Torkelson, RAS, CASp, APA ADA Specialist and Mark J. Mazz, AIA, LLC.

Outside for Everyone – Adaptive Recreation

Presented on July 23, 2020
This session from Texas Parks and Wildlife highlights adaptive outdoor recreation opportunities. The Lonestar Paralysis Foundation and the City of Austin shared some of the unlimited indoor and outdoor sports opportunities that exists for people with disabilities.

Curb Ramps, Sidewalks, Oh My! Navigating the public rights of way in Texas

Presented on July 7, 2020
This session discussed the efforts of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to investigate the current state of pedestrian facilities in the public right of way to determine the level of accessibility and to propose remediation required by the ADA Transition Plan.

Texas Parks and Wildlife: Accessible Outdoor Programs and Education

Presented on May 31, 2018
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) provides, hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. This webinar explores TPWD’s accessible programming in their education programs and parks. Presenters will discuss TPWD grants available to support adaptive programming in your community. The presentation will feature success stories from past grant recipients.

Common Issues Regarding Service Animals and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Presented on April 6, 2020
This session will examine common issues and scenarios pertaining to the rights of service animal users under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related laws; as they navigate through public accommodations, businesses, housing　and other related settings.　Presenters Marisa Demaya and George Powers, JD of the Southwest ADA Center will explore common situations, discussing rights and obligations under the applicable laws and provide practical recommendations for both service animal users and entities navigating them. Discussions will also include any recent updates to laws such as the Fair Housing Act (FHA) as it pertains to service animals in a dwelling.

Criminal Justice and Working with the IDD Population

Presented on February 27, 2020
The criminal justice system can be difficult to navigate, particularly when you have to do it on your own. For people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD), interfacing with the system can be even more challenging, especially if their disability goes unidentified. Criminal justice professionals may not have the necessary training to properly identify and treat people with I/DD, which can lead to difficulties for everyone involved. In this hour-long webinar, attendees will receive a brief overview of the unique challenges faced by people with I/DD in the criminal justice system, what first responders and other professionals can do to ameliorate these challenges, and examples of how best to identify, communicate with, and support people with I/DD to ensure they receive equal access to justice. We will also discuss Pathways to Justice and Access Justice, trainings designed to support criminal justice professionals in interfacing with people with I/DD, and how to bring these trainings to your community.

Develop a Comprehensive ADA/504 Transition Plan

Presented on July 24, 2019
All public entities with 50+ employees are required to have a transition plan in place that addresses structural changes necessary for achieving program accessibility. The presenter will review the practical steps to get started on those essential tasks. She will review the four distinct parts of a compliant transition plan:

the planning process
determining the execution plan
the evaluation process
project management

The presenter will outline how to create an ADA compliant transition plan that will ensure that individuals with disabilities are not excluded from programs, services and activities. An ADA compliant transition plan will help your entity avoid costly litigation and prevent your government funding from being at risk.

Presented by Kristi Avalos, President and CEO of Accessology.

Tax Advantage Savings Program for People on SSI, SSDI and Medicaid

Presented on August 22, 2018
Join us for a presentation of the new Texas ABLE® Program - established by the Texas Legislature, signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott, implemented by Comptroller Glenn Hegar - that allows certain persons with disabilities to open tax-advantaged savings accounts for qualified disability expenses. Individuals can save up to $100,000 while still maintaining eligibility for SSI, SSDI and Medicaid.

People with Disabilities: Know Your Voter Rights

Presented on July 17, 2018
In recognition of National Disability Voter Registration Week, the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities is hosting a webinar that will cover voter registration and education. Disability Rights Texas and ADAPT of Texas, both non-partisan groups, will share information related to voter registration and community engagement. This dialogue will help ensure equal opportunity and full participation in the voting process for people with disabilities.

Knowing Your Rights: How to Effectively File an ADA Complaint

Presented on July 14, 2020
Experts discussed the complaint process in four areas: ADA Title I, Employment; ADA Title II, Public Entities; ADA Title III, Public Accommodations; and Programs serving Texans through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. This session included a Q&A.