Department of Education
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
ADA Program Assistance Coordinator

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the most far-reaching civil rights legislation ever passed for persons with disabilities, is the focus of CESSI’s current work for the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). CESSI supports and enhances the operation of 11 NIDRR grant recipients who are national partners in the ADA Technical Assistance Program. Working in tandem with the federal enforcement agencies, CESSI coordinates, promotes and reports on the progress of these grantees as they respond to the goals and mission of the program. Adding new dimensions during the three- year initiative, CESSI has updated the Web site (www.adata.org) to reflect the central coordinating functions and to serve as a conduit to pass along relevant information to grantee’s Web sites. The centralized Web site activity has tripled during CESSI’s tenure. Additionally, regular teleconferences and a listserv have been instituted to facilitate discussion of relevant ADA technical topics among grantees and CESSI is the driving force in promoting collaboration between grantees and Federal agencies.

Through a targeted public relations campaign, CESSI promotes the efforts of the Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTACs) and the National Employment Project at Cornell University. CESSI also assists TA grantees by assuring that frequently used materials are available in alternative formats for people with disabilities. By instituting an archival system, CESSI makes information from news organizations available to the DBTACs for research and training purposes. CESSI regularly scans news from federal enforcement agencies, national businesses, disability agencies, state and local government organizations and circuit courts to assure that the DBTACs have timely information affecting their activities. Recent efforts have focused on providing resources on assistive information technology and the use of IT in educational settings.

More Disability Policy and Services Contracts

• Department of Education: National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, ADA Program Assistance Coordinator
• Department of Education: National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Logistical, Administrative, and Technical Support for the Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR)
• Department of Education: Rehabilitation Services Administration, Evaluation of the Independent Living Program
• Department of Education: National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Technical Support for Assessment of Management and Ancillary Activities of NIDRR
• Department of Education: National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Accessible Conference Management
• Department of Labor: Office of Disability Employment Policy, Employer Assistance Referral Network
• National Rehabilitation Hospital Research Center: Research and Training Center on Managed Care and Disability
• Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center: Quality of Care and Service Use for People with Disabilities
• The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (formerly HCFA): Bridges for Health and Employment: A National Conference on Federal Medicaid/Medicare
• National Council on Disability: The National Leadership Conference for Youth with Disabilities
• U.S. Agency for International Development: Office of Health and Nutrition, Patrick J. Leahy War Victims Fund and Displaced Children & Orphans Fund
• Federal Emergency Management Agency: Emergency Education NETwork (EENET)

More On

• Information Technology
• Accessible Technology
• Studies/Analyses
• Disability Policy and Services
• Program Management
• Conference Management