august 2010. first informal group established in 1973 out of gallaudet university in washington d.c....
TRANSCRIPT
August 2010
HistoryAccomplishments
Goals and Major Initiatives of IRS Deaf/HH Employee
Organization
• First informal group established in 1973 out of Gallaudet University in Washington D.C. by new group of hired Deaf employees
• Second informal group established in 1989 and became the grassroots of current group
History of Deaf Organizations within IRS
2004 Start of Current Deaf/HH Employee Organization
• In December of 2004, Jim Bishop formally organized current organization of IRS Deaf Employees at IRS with assistance of Deaf Executive Committee Members
• In 2007 a decision was made to include Hard of Hearing employees and the group formally became the IRS Deaf/HH Employees Organization
Animated Dialogue – First National Leadership Conference 2007
2007 Commissioner’s Task Force Established to review all possible reasonable accommodations and computer assistive technology devices.
Members included Vicki Lowen, Vice President of IRS Deaf Organization
Recommendations of the committee to the Commissioner of IRS was for videophones
History of Organization continued
Commissioner’s
Task Force on
Reasonable
Accommodation
s
Pictured with Linda
Stiff – Commissioner
of IRS in 2007/2008
is Vicki Lowen who
served on the Task
Force making
recommendations of
computer assistive
technology
including
videophones
VIDEOPHONES
Recommendatio
ns of the Task
Force to the
Commissioner of
IRS was for
purchase of
videophones for
IRS Deaf
employees.
VIDEOPHONES
Second
Commissioner’s Task
Force established in
2008 with NTEU to
purchase
videophones and test
them on 20 IRS Deaf
employees
throughout the
country
Recommendations of
second Task Force is
that videophones be
given to all Deaf
employees at IRS
who request the use
of one.
Federal Relay Service is established in 2007 as a result of a Congressional Act in 2006 Allows for on-line telephone conferencesAllows for use with videophonesAllows for computer to be used a TTYAllows for voice interpreters
2007 – NTS Software was made available to all Deaf employees and co-workers who requested through reasonable accommodations
2007 Captioned Telephones were offered to Hard of Hearing – free in many states
History Continued
2007 First Deaf Conference in New Carrollton with 100 participants
Commissioner Linda Stiff stated she would listen to IRS Deaf/HH Employees for solutions to workplace accommodations
First IRS Mentoring Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Established with 28 participants in 18 states connect IRS Deaf/HH Employees with Hearing employees using computer assistive technology that includedVideoconferencing – first of IRS to use more than
4 PODs as educational tool in ASL by Mike Harrell
First education of IRS Deaf employees in ASL “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” taught by Vicki Lowen
Shared Folders files on IRS Intranet
Results of First Deaf Conference
Coordinators of Deaf Mentor Program 2007 to 2009
Mary Engley- RA
LMSB
Mike Harrell –
MITS
Charlene
Kennedy – MITS
Linda Stiff – Commissioner of IRS
As President of
IRS Deaf/HH
Employee
Organization, Jim
Bishop meets
regularly with the
Commissioner of
IRS to advocate
for Deaf issues
Pictured with
Linda Stiff –
Commissioner of
IRS in 2007
Deaf Newsletter started by Stephen Kovscek Website for Deaf/HH Employees establishedOrganization of Deaf/HH Employees
expanded from 100 members within the D.C. area to nationwide membership of currently 300 Deaf and Hard of Hearing Employees at IRS
Deaf/HH Employees who Volunteered to organized conference demonstrated what IRS Deaf/HH employees could do if given the opportunity
Results of First Conference Con’t
John Gerken ‘s Presentation at 2007 Conference in ASL
Speakers at First
Deaf Conference
included IRS
Deaf/HH
Employees who
demonstrated
creative and
innovative ideas
as well as
professional
public speaking
skills to Hearing
audience
Mary Jean Hooke in Conference Discussion would go on to be a presenter at 2008 conference
Volunteers at 2007 Conference & Participants Volunteer at Conference pictured with IRS Commissioner Linda Stiff would go on to be a video presenter for IRS Internet and U-tube videos in 2009 and 2010
Joy Evans – current recording secretary
Opportunities for Leadership Development from 2007 to presentTina Valentine – Secretary
of IRS Deaf/HH Org asks questions during conference
Karen Breuer – in 2007 became presenter at 2008 conference - pictured with her manager & Commissioner Linda Stiff
Leadership Development from 2007 to 2008
Volunteer Reba Ober receiving award recognition for hard work on conference in 2008
2nd IRS Deaf/HH Employee Conference in 2008 in Martinsville, WV
Mike Harrell Coordinated 2007; 2008; 2009; and 2010 Deaf ConferencesMike also was Co-Coordinator of IRS Deaf/HH Employee Mentoring Program for 2007; 2008; 2009 with 50 participants in 18 states
Continuation of IRS Deaf/HH Employee’s Mentoring Program an expanded to include 50 Deaf/HH employees and Hearing employees
Task force on videophones continues In April of 2008 First ASL video produced by
Toby Silver in Communications uploaded to U-tube; IRS website; IRS intranet; and National Association for Deaf on instructions for applying for stimulus package
Results of 2nd Conference
Toby Silver received Deaf President Award in 2008
Historic progress
in
communication
with IRS at the
first government
agency to use
ASL to
communicate
with Deaf Public
using internet
and computer
technology
Deaf Presentation
s
Rose Abbott
and Mary
Jean Hooke
and Jesse
Morris give
Presentation
on Deaf
Awareness
and
Etiquette at
2008
Conference
Non-profit status for IRS Deaf/HH Employee Organization granted by IRS
VITA sites included on IRS Deaf website with links to other organizations
NOTE: We need members to volunteer to assist in creating and maintaining professional website that is accessible for all members as well as Deaf public
2008 Con’t
3rd IRS Deaf/HH Employee Conference in Austin Texas in 2009
Charlene Kennedy
Charlene
Kennedy –
Coordinator for
Austin Texas
Conference in
2009 and 2010
Conference in
Salt Lake City as
well as
Coordinator for
2008/2009
Mentor Program
IRS Deaf/HH Employees expanded the conference to allow for VIEW (Visually Impaired Employees in the Workplace) to be included in the conference
In 2009 IRS Deaf/HH Organization Website expanded to include tax law video in ASL produced by Toby Silver in Communications linked to U-tube; IRS Intranet and Internet as well as National Organizations for Deaf.
Videophones made more common in workplace.
Results of 3rd Conference in 2009 in Austin, Texas
Toby Received Award at
2009 Conference for
producing a series of
videos uploaded to U-
Tube from www.IRS.gov
Internet website on tax
laws in ASL.
Historical method of a
government agency
communicating with the
Deaf Public in ASL!
Toby Silver – TV Producer in Communications
Initiatives for IRS Deaf/HH Employee’s
Organization for 2010 and beyond
Initiatives: Have more members employed within EEO
offices Have more Deaf/HH members on Diversity
CouncilsHave more Deaf/HH members stewards with
NTEUHave more Deaf/HH members provide
educational presentations to EEO Directors and specialists on how to use assistive technology to advance awareness between Hearing and Deaf so that it will be easier to obtain reasonable accommodations for a variety of workplace training, meetings, etc.
Working with EEO Directors and Diversity Councils
Members will provide education on Deaf/HH issues and methods of communication Individual managers and group levelTo mid-level and senior level executivesEEO staff
Increase exposure and awareness to Senior Executive and Management of IRS/DEAF Leadership talents and advocate for the promotion of IRS Deaf/HH Employees
Educational Initiatives
Nina Olsen – Commissioner of National Taxpayer Advocate Service is transformed:
Now a Champion of IRS Deaf/HH Employees and serving the Deaf Public
Comprehensive education to include: Learning about Hearing professional culture
and etiquettesLearning about Deaf professional culture
and etiquettesLearning about Hard of Hearing professional
culture and etiquettesLearning about Blind professional culture
and etiquettesLearning about other minorities
Educational Initiatives
Deaf Awareness Month either October (Disability Awareness) and/or April for Deaf/HH Awareness monthArticles of interest on IRS intranetPublished articles outside of IRSVideos Presentations in PODs Expanded Deaf/HH website Newsletter on IRS Deaf/HH frequent with
greater audience
Educational Initiatives
Schedule A USA jobsTell friends and/family about jobs and how to
applyProduce videos in ASL for Deaf/HH
Organization website on how to apply for jobs at IRS using Schedule A on USA jobs
Recruiting more Deaf/HH persons to work at IRS
ASL Interpreting service contractsDesktop videophone systemCapTel serviceAudio loop system and FM systems for individual use CART serviceVideo Relay ServiceNote taking serviceFederal Relay Conference CaptioningClosed Captioning for Video open and closed captioning; IVT and
CENTRAAmerican Sign Language Training service TTY service
TTY was introduced and deployed in IRS around 1973 for internal use. TTY became an official only means of communicating with deaf taxpaying
clients in 1980. TTY is being obsolete already. Desktop videophones and VRS are being explored.
Review quality and cost saving analysis in all RA devices and services
Review Reasonable Accommodation Programs for most up to date
Currently 300 membersExpand to include more IRS Hard of Hearing EmployeesDevelop Local Chapters
Austin Chapter (2008)Cincinnati Chapter (pending)Dallas Chapter (Pending)DC Metro Chapter (2009)Denver Chapter (Pending)Detroit Chapter (pending)Kearneysville Chapter (pending)Memphis Chapter (pending) Milwaukee Chapter (PendingNew York Chapter (pending) Ogden Chapter (2009) Philadelphia Chapter (pending) Professional Deaf/HH Accountants at IRS
Expanding Membership
Work with TEC and SPEC to produce training on tax preparation in ASL taught by IRS Deaf/HH employees to be put on a DVD
Upload Tax Law training to Deaf Organization website
Use trained IRS Deaf/HH Employees as tax preparers for Deaf public
Need IRS volunteers to work with Deaf communities; various colleges; and IRS TEC and SPEC
VITA Sites located within Deaf Communities staffed by Deaf/HH Tax preparers
goal is developing leaders and officers
fund raisers – volunteers needed
obtaining grants – volunteers needed to write grant and manage funding
IRS Deaf/HH Organizational Needs
Need volunteers to serve as Officers and Committee Members both a National level and local chapter level
Will need governance and by-laws establishedPamphlets and brochures on organization Chapters information to be located on
website Work on re-writing IRM to be current on Deaf
issues; ADA laws; technology; interpreter issues; videophone issues; relay service issues; and expanded awareness of Deaf employees performing in workplace
IRS Deaf/HH Employee Organization Needs
Currently in need of TreasurerCurrently the organization is a 501-c, tax
exempt organizationNeeds recordkeeping done with annual
financial reports to be done Needs to have tax returns prepared annually
Financial Needs of Organization
Publicity CommitteeWebsitePamphletsNewslettersNews articles for IRS intranetVideos done in ASL
IRS Deaf/HH Organization Needs VOLUNTEERS
Concerning the Deaf employeesConcerning the HOH employeesConcerning the Deaf/Blind employees
Building Evacuation and Safety Programs
Tax law in ASL (currently partially complete)AccessibilityMentoring program – self study Applying for jobs at IRS Links to other Deaf related websites such as
www.irs.gov,
Websites for IRS Deaf/HH Organization
Continue at local chapter levelNeeds national coordinators – must have this
to continue the program Recruit mentorsRecruit protégésHave more self-study
Mentor Program
Speaking contestWriting contestReading contestMath contestComputer technology contestASL Video production contest
Scholarship Program for members and children
Deaf and Hard of Hearing In GovernmentFederal Employees OrganizationsNational Association for Deaf VIEW Disability Awareness Program (Pa) Hearing Loss Association of America AIM (Association for the Improvement of
Minorities)
Liaison with other organizations
2006 – Washington DC (postponed)2007 – Lanham, MD2008 – Martinsburg, WV2009 – Austin TX2010 – Salt Lake City, UT2011 – Cincinnati, OH 2012 – Atlanta, GA2013 – and beyond – open
IRS Deaf/HH Employee Conferences
Have a
wonderful
Conferenc
e for 2010
in Salt
Lake City
and see
you next
year in
Cincinnati
, Ohio!!!!