Peter Blanck to discuss at Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession: ABA Findings on LGBT+ Lawyers and Lawyers with Disabilities

Peter Blanck to discuss at Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession: ABA Findings on LGBT+ Lawyers and Lawyers with Disabilities

Peter Blanck, University Professor and Chairman of the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University to discuss at Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession: ABA Findings on LGBT+ Lawyers and Lawyers with Disabilities

March 26, 2018 11:45 am–1:15 pm

Location: University of Texas School of Law – 727 East Dean Keeton Street – Austin, TX 78705
William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law – TNH 3.126

Join us for a talk followed by discussion with Peter Blanck, chairman of the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University.

In 2017, the American Bar Association launched a first-of-its kind nationwide longitudinal study, conducted by the Burton Blatt Institute, to identify biases encountered by disabled and LGBT+ lawyers in the legal profession, and to help develop and implement strategies to ameliorate such biases. This talk presents preliminary findings from this national study, based on responses from 1,000 lawyers across the United States. The initial findings suggest the need for continuing efforts to promote the full and equal participation of all diverse persons, including lawyers with disabilities and who are LGBT+, in the legal profession.

This event is free and open to the public. Registration required. Please RSVP here to reserve your spot and lunch.

Sponsored by the William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law and the Mithoff Pro Bono Program

About the Burton Blatt Institute

BBI reaches around the globe in its efforts to advance the civic, economic, and social participation of people with disabilities, with offices in Syracuse, NY, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta, Georgia. BBI builds on the legacy of Burton Blatt, a pioneering disability rights scholar, to better the lives of people with disabilities. For more information about BBI and the dates and locations of the seminar series, visit: https://bbi.syr.edu.

Source: William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law Events

BBI Chairman Peter Blanck to speak at 17th Annual Coleman Institute Conference on Envisioning the Future of Technology

BBI Chairman and University Professor, Dr. Peter Blanck, will be a speaker at the 17th Annual Coleman Institute Conference in Broomfield, Colorado on November 2. Since 2001 The Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities has hosted an annual conference devoted exclusively to the research, policy, and development of technology for people with cognitive disabilities.   The conference is nationally recognized as one of the few venues dedicated exclusively to technology and information access for people with cognitive disabilities.

Attendees include leaders from diverse groups involved in technology development, promotion, utilization and policy.  These groups include; academia, industry, state and federal agencies, self-advocates and family members; software developers, engineers and service providers.

Past conference speakers have included: Tom Wheeler, Former Chairman FCC; Richard Ellenson, CEO Cerebral Palsy Foundation; Timothy Shriver, Chairman of the Board, International Special Olympics; John Seely Brown, former Chief Scientist, Xerox Corporation; Vinton Cerf, Chief Technology Evangelist, Google (and co-designer of the protocols and architecture of the Internet); Raymond Kurzweil, inventor and entrepreneur, and Eunice Kennedy Shriver (deceased).

View the conference program and more information about the event

The Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University reaches around the globe in its efforts to advance the civic, economic, and social participation of people with disabilities. BBI builds on the legacy of Burton Blatt, former dean of SU’s School of Education and a pioneering disability rights scholar, to better the lives of people with disabilities. For more information, visit the Burton Blatt Institute Website. [bbi.syr.edu]

New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers to Partner with Burton Blatt Institute on Statewide Legal Education on Diversity and Inclusion in Legal Profession

Peter Blanck, University Professor and Chairman of the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University, and Dr. Ynesse Abdul-Malak, BBI Post-doctoral Fellow, are collaborating with the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers to present a new statewide program of Continuing Legal Education on “Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession.” Continue Reading

Supported Decision-Making: Implications from Positive Psychology for Assessment and Intervention in Rehabilitation and Employment

Hatice Uyanik, Karrie Shogren, and Peter Blanck

Uyanik, H., Shogren, K.A. & Blanck, P. J (2017). Supported Decision-Making: Implications from Positive Psychology for Assessment and Intervention in Rehabilitation and Employment. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation. (27)4. 498–506. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-017-9740-z


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Purpose This article reviews existing literature on positive psychology, supported decision-making (SDM), employment, and disability. It examines interventions and assessments that have been empirically evaluated for the enhancement of decision-making and overall well-being of people with disabilities. Additionally, conceptual themes present in the literature were explored.
Methods A systematic review was conducted across two databases (ERIC and PsychINFO) using various combination of keywords of ‘disabilit*’, work rehabilitation and employment terms, positive psychology terms, and SDM components. Seven database searches were conducted with diverse combinations of keywords, which identified 1425 results in total to be screened for relevance using their titles and abstracts. Database search was supplemented with hand searches of oft-cited journals, ancestral search, and supplemental search from grey literature.
Results Only four studies were identified in the literature targeting SDM and positive psychology related constructs in the employment and job development context. Results across the studies indicated small to moderate impacts of the assessment and interventions on decision-making and engagement outcomes. Conceptually there are thematic areas of potential overlap, although they are limited in the explicit integration of theory in supported decision-making, positive psychology, disability, and employment.
Conclusion Results suggest a need for additional scholarship in this area that focuses on theory development and integration as well as empirical work. Such work should examine the potential utility of considering positive psychological interventions when planning for SDM in the context of career development activities to enhance positive outcomes related to decision-making, self-determination, and other positive psychological constructs.​

Supported Decision-Making: Implications from Positive Psychology for Assessment and Intervention in Rehabilitation and Employment

Purpose This article reviews existing literature on positive psychology, supported decision-making (SDM), employment, and disability. It examines interventions and assessments that have been empirically evaluated for the enhancement of decision-making and overall well-being of
people with disabilities. Additionally, conceptual themes present in the literature were explored.
Methods A systematic review was conducted across two databases (ERIC and PsychINFO) using various combination of keywords of ‘disabilit*’, work rehabilitation and employment terms, positive psychology terms, and SDM components. Seven database searches were conducted with diverse combinations of keywords, which identified 1425 results in total to be screened for relevance using their titles and abstracts. Database search was supplemented with hand searches of oft-cited journals, ancestral search, and supplemental search from grey literature.
Results Only four studies were identified in the literature targeting SDM and positive psychology related constructs in the employment and job development context.  Results across the studies indicated small to moderate impacts of the assessment and interventions on decisionmaking and engagement outcomes. Conceptually there are thematic areas of potential overlap, although they are limited in the explicit integration of theory in supported decisionmaking, positive psychology, disability, and employment.
Conclusion Results suggest a need for additional scholarship in this area that focuses on theory development and integration as well as empirical work. Such work should examine the potential utility of considering positive psychological interventions when planning for SDM in the context of career development activities to enhance positive outcomes related to decision-making, self-determination, and other positive psychological constructs.

Disability at Work: A Look Back and Forward

Purpose This article presents new evidence on employment barriers and workplace disparities facing employees with disabilities, linking the disparities to employee attitudes.
Methods Analyses use the 2006 General Social Survey to connect disability to workplace disparities and attitudes in a structural equation model.
Results Compared to employees without disabilities, those with disabilities report: lower pay levels, job security, and flexibility; more negative treatment by management; and, lower job satisfaction but similar organizational commitment and turnover intention. The lower satisfaction is mediated by lower job security, less job flexibility, and more negative views of management and co-worker relations.
Conclusion Prior research and the present findings show that people with disabilities experience employment disparities that limit their income, security, and overall quality of work life. Technology plays an increasingly important role in decreasing employment disparities. However, there also should be increased targeted efforts by government, employers, insurers, occupational rehabilitation providers, and disability
groups to address workplace barriers faced by employees with disabilities, and by those with disabilities seeking to return to work.

BBI Chairman Peter Blanck’s book, ‘eQuality,’ highlighted in July/August 2017 United Nations Magazine

The July/August 2017 issue of the United Nations Special magazine has described Professor Blanck’s book “eQuality” as articulating a standard to make the web an accessible and inclusive place. The book, “eQuality: The Struggle for Web Accessibility by Persons with Cognitive Disabilities” (Cambridge University press, 2014, 2016 paperback) explores how to make web content accessible to all. Continue Reading

Web accessibility and technology protection measures: Harmonizing the rights of persons with cognitive disabilities and copyright protections on the web

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) obligates State Parties to ensure full and equal access to the web for persons with disabilities. However, copyright law and policy sometimes poses challenges to realizing full and equal access to the web for persons with varying physical, mental, and cognitive disabilities. Recent developments in international law and policy that promote the use of technological protection measures (TPM) as a means for protecting copyrighted digital content on the web create barriers to accessibility for certain individuals with disabilities. This article uses theories of multilevel governance and social regulation to explore the relationship among laws and policies that aim to ensure web accessibility, and laws and policies to preserve and promote the use of TPM. It employs a case study of U.S. law and policy to examine how different levels of governance have ensured and supported the rights of persons with cognitive disabilities and web content publishers. This article argues that the Marrakesh Treaty acts as a bridge between the copyright and human rights regimes, can promote the meaningful participation of persons with an array of cognitive and other disabilities in the design and implementation of national and international copyright laws and policies, and thus fosters harmonization of TPM with the principles of web accessibility.