411 on Disability Disclosure

The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities

The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities, published by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth), is designed for youth and adults working with them to learn about disability disclosure. This workbook is free of charge and helps young people make informed decisions about whether or not to disclose their disability and understand how that decision may impact their education, employment, and social lives. Based on the premise that disclosure is a very personal decision, the Workbook helps young people think about and practice disclosing their disability.

To download the entire 411 on Disability Disclosure Guidebook in PDF* (99 pages/397KB)  visit:
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/assets/guides/411/411_Disability_Disclosure_complete.pdf

or  to read the guide in MS Word (85 pages) visit
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/assets/guides/411/411_Disability_Disclosure_complete.doc

*Please note: This is a large document, download time will be longer for users with slower connections.

Again, this workbook is free.

The workbook does not tell a young people what to do. Rather, it helps them make informed decisions about disclosing their disability, decisions that will affect their educational, employment, and social lives.

MS Word versions of the 411 on Disability Disclosure Workbook are designed specifically for those visitors using screen readers and/or braille translators. Phrases such as "pullout" and "sidebar" will be used throughout the Word documents to give readers with low vision and/or blindness a better understanding of how the text is laid out in the PDF version (with complete graphics). In addition, tables and charts within the documents will be reformatted for clarity.

Units and Activities

Unit 1: Self-Determination…the BIG Picture
Activities: "Just what do you know about yourself and your disability?," "Self-Determined Short-Term Goals"

Unit 2: Disclosure… what is it and why is it so important?
Activity: Describe your disability-related needs, and your abilities and skills

Unit 3: Weighing the Advantages and Disadvantages of Disclosure
Activities: "Discuss Scenarios," "Famous People Matching"

Unit 4: Rights and Responsibilities Under the Law
Activities: "Defining Your Disability," "Recognizing Discrimination," "Small Group Poster Activity," "Identifying Adult Service Providers & Eligibility Criteria"
Appendices: "Basic Facts about the Americans with Disabilities Act," "Summary of Legislation"

Unit 5: Accommodations
Activities: "The Job Accommodation Network (JAN)," "Situations and Solutions at School and at Work"

Unit 6: Postsecondary Disclosure…Why, When, What, to Whom, and How?
Activities: "Course for Disclosure Examples," "Exploring Disability Support Services," "My Practice Script"

Unit 7: Disclosure on the Job…Why, When, What, to Whom, and How?
Activities: "Course for Disclosure Examples," "My Practice Script," "Visit your local One-Stop Career Center,"

Unit 8: Disclosure in Social and Community Setting…Why, When, What, to Whom, and How?
Activities: "Course for Disclosure Examples," "My Practice Script"

Disclosure Glossary

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The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) assists state and local workforce development systems to better serve youth with disabilities. The NCWD/Youth, created in late 2001, is composed of partners with expertise in disability, education, employment, and workforce development issues. Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the NCWD/Youth is housed at the Institute for Educational Leadership.