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Disability Policy Forums

The Disability Policy Forums, sponsored by the Employment Policy RRTC in collaboration with the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), are held quarterly in Washington, DC. The topical theme of each Forum is discussed by nationally and internationally renowned scholars, activists, and policy makers. The purpose of these forums is to raise awareness of important disability policy issues and to teach the public how to participate in disability policy debates in informed ways.

Policy Forum Schedule and Topics

Next Policy Forum

July 9, 2008 Register here
Topic: Reframing the Disability Issue for Employers
Date: Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Time: 10:00 - 12:00 AM
Location: Cornell University Government Affairs Office
Hall of States, Room 333
444 North Capitol Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Speakers:
  • Susanne Bruyere, Ph.D., Cornell University, Employment and Disability Institute
  • Other speakers to be announced...
Flyer: Coming soon!
Transcript: Available after the forum
Program: Coming soon!
Presentation: Coming soon!
Contact: Alexis Falise
Telephone: 607-255-3921
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Past Policy Forums

March 21, 2008
Topic: Employment In The Federal Sector For People With Disabilities
Date: Friday, March 21, 2008
Time: 10:00 - 12:00 AM
Location: Cornell University Government Affairs Office
Hall of States, Room 333
444 North Capitol Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Speakers:
  • Susanne Bruyere, Ph.D., Cornell University, Employment and Disability Institute
  • Christine Griffin, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
  • Other speakers to be announced...
Flyer: March 2008 Policy Forum Flyer
Transcript: March 2008 Policy Forum Transcript:
WORD |  PDF  |  HTML
Program: March 2008 Policy Forum Program
Presentation: March 2008 Policy Forum Presentation
Contact: Alexis Falise
Telephone: 607-255-3921
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February 7, 2008
Topic: How Disability Employment Protection Laws Affect Employer Accommodation Provisions
Date: Tuesday, February 7, 2008
Time: 10:00 - 12:00 AM
Location: Cornell University Government Affairs Office
Hall of States, Room 333
444 North Capitol Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Panelists:
  • Richard Burkhauser, Ph.D., Cornell University, Policy Analysis and Management
Discussant:
  • Michael Collins, Executive Director, National Council on Disability
  • John D. Kemp, Esq., Executive Director & General Counsel, US Business Leadership Network
Flyer: February 2008 Policy Forum Flyer
Transcript: February 2008 Policy Forum Transcript: WORD |  PDF  |  HTML
Program: February 2008 Policy Forum Program
Presentation: February 2008 Policy Forum Presentation
Contact: Michele Cowen
Telephone: 607-254-8311
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November 8, 2007
Topic: Employment and Disability Policy Initiatives in the UK: Results & Lessons for the U.S.
The United Kingdom has undertaken three innovative projects to assist individuals with disabilities who receive cash benefits to work. These programs provide important lessons as we transform US policy to promote economic self-sufficiency.
Date: Thursday, November 8, 2007
Time: 9:00 - 11:00 AM
Location: Cornell University Government Affairs Office
Hall of States, Room 333
444 North Capitol Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Moderator: Stephen Bell, Abt Associates
Panelists:
  • Michael Daly, Department for Work and Pensions, U.K.
  • Susan Purdon, National Center for Social Research, U.K.
  • Richard Dorsett, Policy Studies Institute, U.K.
  • Bruce Stafford, University of Nottingham, U.K.
Discussant:
  • David Stapleton, Ph.D., Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.
Flyer: November 2007 Policy Forum Flyer
Program: November 2007 Policy Forum Program
Presentation: November 2007 Policy Forum Presentation
Transcript: November 2007 Policy Forum Transcript: WORD |  PDF  |  HTML
Contact: Michele Cowen
Telephone: 607-254-8311
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July 27, 2007
Topic: College Bound: Policy Recommendations for Improving Long-Term Employment Outcomes by Advancing Higher Education for Students
Experts on higher education policy and students with disabilities will share their research and suggestions for future policy directions that will increase higher education participation and improve long-term employment outcomes for adults with significant disabilites. After the expert panelists present their data and recommendations, two current college students with disabilities will react to the presentations from their personal perspectives as active college students interning on the Hill this summer as part of the Misubishi Electric America Foundation/AAPD Congressional Internship Program.
Date: Friday, July 27, 2007
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Hall of States, Room 333
444 North Capitol Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Presenters:
  • Jane West, Ph.D., American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
  • Robert Weathers, MATHEMATICA Policy Research, Inc.
  • George Jesien, Ph.D., Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD)
  • Arisa Nakamori, Student at UC Davis - Interning with the House Science Committee
  • Stacey Millbern, Student at Methodist University, Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation/AAPD Congressional Intern
Flyer: July 2007 Policy Forum Flyer
PDF (754 KB) | TEXT (2 KB)
Program: Download July 27, 2007 Program (pdf; 1.5 MB)
Presentation Slides: Download July 27, 2007 Policy Forum Presentation Slides (ppt, 3.6 MB)
Transcript: Download July 27, 2007 Policy Forum Transcript: HTML |  PDF (186 KB)
Contact: Michele Cowen
Telephone: 607-254-8311
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June 8, 2007
Topic: Harnessing Technology to Expand Employment Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities
Date: Friday, June 8, 2007
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Hall of States, Room 333
444 North Capitol Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Moderator: Jeff Rosen, Esq.
General Counsel and Vice President of Government Affairs, Snap!VRS (a division of Snap Telecommunications, Inc.)
Presenters:
  • Susanne Bruyere, Cornell University, Employment and Disability Institute
  • Paul Schroeder, American Foundation for the Blind
  • Kelby Brick, Esq., HandsOn Video Relay Service
  • P.J. Edington, IBM Human Ability and Accessibility Center
  • Steven James Tingus, National Institute on Disability Research and Rehabilitation
Flyer: June 2007 Policy Forum Flyer (pdf, 207 KB)
Transcript: Download June 8, 2007 Policy Forum Transcript: HTML |  PDF (191 KB)
Presentation Slides: Download June 8, 2007 Policy Forum Presentation Slides (ppt, 16.4 MB)
Webinar Archive: Download June 8, 2007 Policy Forum Webinar (wmv, 32 MB)
Audio Archive: Download June 8, 2007 Policy Forum Audio recording (mp3, 27 MB)
Remarks: Read Paul Schroeder's Remarks
Contact: Michele Cowen
Telephone: 607-254-8311
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February, 2007
Topic: Prospects for Harnessing Private Sector Capabilities to Improve Employment for Social Security Disability Beneficiaries
Date: Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Location: AARP Headquarters
Brickfield Conference Center
601 East Streat, NW
Washington, DC
Presenters: Moderator
  • David Stapleton, Cornell University, Institute for Policy Research
Speakers Discussant
  • John Lancaster, National Council on Independent Living
Flyer: February 2007 Policy Forum Flyer (pdf, 207 KB)
Program: February 2007 Policy Forum Program (pdf, 1.5 MB)
Transcript: Download February 21, 2007 Policy Forum Transcript: HTML |  PDF (197 KB)
Audio Archive: Download February 21, 2007 Policy Forum Audio recording (mp3, 27MB)
Contact: Michele Cowen
Telephone: 607-254-8311
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January 12, 2007
Topic: Social Security: A Disability System for 21st Century - Information and Discussion on the Report
Related Paper: A Disability System for the 21st Century. Social Security Advisory Board - Hal Daub, Chairman, Dorcas R. Hardy, Barbara B. Kennelly, David Podoff and Sylvester J. Schieber (2006, September). View related paper
Date: Friday, January 12, 2007
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Cornell University GA Office
Hall of States, Room 333
444 North Capitol Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Speakers: Moderator
  • Bonnie O'Day, Cornell University Institute for Policy Research
Speakers
Bios: Download January 12, 2007 Policy Forum Speaker Bios (pdf; 230 KB)
Flyer: Download January 12, 2007 Policy Forum Flyer (pdf, 208 KB)
Transcript: Download January 12, 2007 Policy Forum Transcript: HTML |  PDF (200 KB)
Contact: Michele Cowen
Telephone: 607-254-8311
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November 13, 2006
Topic: Workers with Disabilities: The Role of Workplace Flexibility A Forum on Policy and Practice
Date: Monday, November 13, 2006
Time: 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM
Location: Gewirz Conference Room, Georgetown University Law School
Washington, DC
Speakers:
Contact: Michele Cowen
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JULY 28, 2006
Topic: Disability and Employment Policy: Current College Students with Disabilities Offer Suggestions for Improving Outcomes for Young Adults
Date: July 28, 2006
Location: Rayburn House Office Building, the Gold Room
Washington, DC
Speakers:
  • Angela Kuhn of Indiana State University
  • Jeff McCaffrey of the University of Missouri-Kansas City
  • Ahmed Salem of Cornell University
  • Kristen Schiavone of James Madison University
Moderator: Gwen Gillenwater
Bios: Download speaker bios (pdf; 124 KB)
Transcript: Disability Policy Forum Transcript - July 2006: HTML |  PDF (207 KB)
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April 6, 2006
Topic: 21st Century Solidarity: Promoting a Living Wage and Civil Rights for all Workers
Date: April 6, 2006
Location: Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC
Speakers:
  • David Parr, Disability Champions Network, Trade Union Council, UK
    "Back to the States - and 100 Trade Unionists"
    Download David Parr's PowerPoint Presentation (ppt; 227 KB)
  • Louis Guida, Co-Coordinator, Save Our Safety Net Campaign, New York State, SEIU
  • Barbara Byers, Executive Vice-President, Canadian Labour Congress, Representative to the International Labour Organization, Ottawa, Ontario
  • Larry Trayner, Central Region Representative, Deaf/Hard of Hearing Task Force, American Postal Workers Union, Dearborn Heights, MI
Moderator: Richard G. Womack, Assistant to the President of the AFL-CIO
Remarks:
  • Representative John Conyners (D-MI)
  • Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
Transcript: Disability Policy Forum Transcript - April 2006: HTML |  PDF (181 KB)
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November 10, 2005
Topic: Realigning Disability Benefits to Support Greater Employment and Economic Self-Sufficiency for People with Disabilities: A Public Policy Forum
Date: November 10, 2005
Location: Hall of the States, Washington, DC
Speakers:
  • Dorcas R. Hardy, Dorcas R. Hardy & Associates
  • Marty Ford, Legal Advocacy for The ARC and United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) Disability Policy Collaboration
  • David Stapleton, Ph.D., Cornell University Institute for Policy Research
Moderator: Andrew J. Imparato, American Association of People with Disabilities
Transcript: Disability Policy Forum Transcript - November 2005: HTML |  PDF (170 KB)



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