Welcome to our January 2026 newsletter!
Bringing you disability-related research, policy, events, training, consultation, and more.
January 2026 Highlights
January brings us World Braille Day and is Braille Literacy Month. Established by the United Nations, World Braille Day marks the birthday of Louis Braille, creator of braille, and aims to raise awareness of the importance of braille for those who are blind. Braille is a tactile language code in which raised dots, designed to be read by touch, represent letters and punctuation. Combinations of dots can also stand for letter groups or common short words.
To learn how braille fits into the “effective communication” called for by the Americans with Disabilities Act, read About Effective Communication in Title II and Title III, from the Northeast ADA Center. The Center, which is housed in the Yang-Tan Institute (YTI), also has a cartoon, Braille Printing, of Spike the seeing-eye dog interviewing a braille transcriber.
Benefits planners who help people understand exactly how employment can impact their disability-related government benefits can receive training and support from the Work Incentive Support Center (WISC). This is important because the rules are complex and because research shows that benefits planning boosts both the likelihood of working and the amount people earn. WISC, which is based in YTI, has credentialed over 3,000 planners and offers semester and custom courses both in person and through YTIOnline:
- Core credential course
- Specialty courses about youth and Veterans
- Mini-course for non-credentialed professionals
- Leadership course for program managers
WISC also publishes the free Disability Benefits at Work website, which answers questions about benefits – such as SSI, SSDI, and Medicaid – and work.
Planning an Accessible Meeting or Event
When laying the groundwork for a successful event, ensuring access for all participants is key. For information about what to do before, during, and after an event, see the tip sheet Planning an Accessible Meeting or Event, from the Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN). This list helps with in-person, hybrid, and virtual events, and it has advice about making an accessible recording for attendees to review afterward. (EARN is housed at YTI.)
Can Career Coaching Be Transformative?
Researchers at YTI are evaluating a career program for people with disabilities that adds a coaching component. Called the Inclusive Career Advancement Program (ICAP), it is for people with disabilities pursuing a career pathway in any of 17 Oregon-based community colleges. The researchers’ “process evaluation” already has them collecting and analyzing data for a five-year period, allowing them to quickly identify problems and propose immediate solutions. They will also conduct an “outcome evaluation” to analyze the program’s overall effect.
Upcoming Events
Building Pathways to Collaborative Partnerships to Support Successful Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS)
January 27, 2026, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. EST
Free webinar from the Yang-Tan Institute
Designed for vendors and educators, this training will examine how students with disabilities can benefit from Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) when services are delivered through strong, effective collaboration. The session will also explore strategies for fostering collaboration among schools, families, and community partners to maximize impact, with networking and collaborative activities woven throughout.
Suicide Prevention in the Workplace
February 18, 2026, 2:00–3:00 p.m. EST
Free webinar from the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability (EARN) and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Join EARN and NAMI for a free, informative webinar on practical strategies for implementing suicide prevention efforts in your workplace.
Register for suicide prevention webinar
Is That a Service Animal? What Rights Apply Where
March 3, 2026, 1:00–2:00 p.m. EST
Free webinar from the Northeast ADA Center
A popular topic that the Northeast ADA Center gets asked about is service animals. It can be confusing for individuals with disabilities, businesses, transit providers, and the public to know what rights a person with a disability has under which law, in which places, and what’s required. This webinar will discuss what is a service animal or an assistance animal – and where these animals can or cannot go.
Register for the service animal webinar
YTIOnline & eCornell
Get credentials and education in disability employment at YTIOnline or advance your knowledge about disability at work as an HR professional with eCornell courses
Disability Workforce Development Center (DWDC)
DWDC provides professional development to practitioners supporting individuals with disabilities seeking competitive integrated employment.
Next Webinar:
Understanding and Supporting Employment for Individuals with Depression & Bipolar Disorder
February 10, 2026 | 10:00–11:30 a.m. EST | $50 | CRC and CVE credits
Work Incentive Support Center (WISC)
WISC provides training to benefits planners about government disability benefits and work incentives.
Next Webinar:
Critical and Emergency Payments: The Best-Kept Secret Every Work Incentive Practitioner Should Know
February 17, 2026 | 1:00–3:00 p.m. EST | $20 | WIP continuing education units
eCornell Offerings for HR Professionals
Disability at Work and Neurodiversity at Work are two eCornell courses created by YTI Academic Director Susanne Bruyère. You can take these online courses independently or as part of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for HR Cornell Certificate Program.
Subscribe to YTl’s monthly newsletter to be the first to know about new research findings, publications, training opportunities, special events, and more!