[October 27, 2009]

Disabled employees can work just as well as their able-bodied counterparts

FORT LEE, Oct 27, 2009 (The Progress-Index - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Sherry Kidd isn't like most of the employees on post. In fact she's in a distinct minority that comprise only 0.6 percent of all civilians working on post.

Kidd who works as a Family Readiness support specialist for the Headquarters and Headquarters Company under the Combined Arms Support Command, is one of the few employees on post with a targeted disability -- Kidd is blind, but she hasn't let that hold her back in her job.

She was one of the speakers at a recent event recognizing October as National Disabilities Employment Awareness Month.

"Our goal in the Department of the Army and Department of Defense, on post is to have 2 percent of our civilian employees with targeted disabilities," said Karen Swindell, affirmative employment and disabilities manager on post.

Kidd said that blindness is one of those targeted disabilities, which are distinctly different from other disabilities. "Diabetes is listed as a disability, but unless it severely stops or has a major impact on your life functions like they can no longer walk, it's not a targeted disability," Kidd said. "But that doesn't mean tat at some point it couldn't become a targeted disability for a person." Kidd said that in reality, since the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed more than 20 years ago, the only barrier for persons with disabilities to employment is that some people don't feel comfortable around the disabled.

"Architecture is no longer the barrier," Kidd said. "Now the barriers are more with attitude." She says that in her own personal experience, people will sometimes talk very loudly or slowly to her -- though she hears perfectly and lost her sight well after birth.

Swindell said that's part of the reason for the National Disabilities Employment Awareness month.

"When we go to higher folks, it's an educational process," said Swindell. "While I've known Sherry [Kidd] for years and know her capabilities, others might not, so we have to educate people that just because someone is disabled, that doesn't mean that with the right resources they can't do the job." In many cases Swindell said, technological resources can be provided very easily through the Computer Electronics Accommodation Program. "There's actually a lot of money to accommodate people who may need assistance," Swindell said. That money can be used to purchase, software and tools for those that need the accommodations.

Kidd said that the computer she uses is equipped in just such a way -- including a scanner that will read printed words from a piece of paper to her and that will read e-mails.

"The only thing it won't read for me is photos," Kidd said. "When someone sends me a photo it just says 'graphic.'" Kidd added that she's also had to memorize a number of keyboard shortcuts and commands to make her job a little easier, but that she can perform just as well as a sighted person.

"I don't know what I would do if I didn't have a job," Kidd says. "We just need to educate management." Kidd says that the attitudes of many still don't take into account that a disabled person can perform a job and often times, disabled employees are passed over for promotions.

- F.M. Wiggins may be reached at 732-3456, ext. 3254 or fwiggins@progress-index.com.

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