Vocational Manager Uses Personal Experience with the Latest Assistive Technology to Help Others Find Employment

"If I didn't have the screen reading software I do, I would not have the confidence and skills necessary to do my job. It is highly possible that I would be unemployed. Once I learned about these screen reading programs, I was able to effectively communicate to potential employers during interviews about my disability and my ability to perform job responsibilities effectively."

Steven Famiglietti works every day helping people who are blind find employment. It's a challenging job for which he's well qualified. Famiglietti, a vocational manager at Oak Hill—a private, non-profit agency providing services and support to people with disabilities in Hartford, Connecticut—is legally blind. And that's the driving force behind his desire to help others. Seventy percent of people who are blind that live in Connecticut are not employed—and Oak Hill wanted to do something about that. Famiglietti feels fortunate to have found a challenging career that allows him to make a difference—and he wants others to find the same satisfaction.

"I use assistive technology (AT) on a daily basis because I am legally blind and need AT to assist me with my daily job duties," he says. Those duties include assisting people who are blind to find employment, teaching them how to use AT in their employment search, and teaching them how to use AT on the job if blindness has occurred after they were employed. Famiglietti's computer runs Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 along with a variety of AT products, including Kurzweil 1000 from Kurzweil Educational Systems, Inc.; JAWS for Windows, OpenBook and MAGic from Freedom Scientific; and Window-Eyes from GW Micro.

AT Proficiency Launches a Career

In 1998, Famiglietti was hired as a trainer and manager at Vision Dynamics, a local retail facility in Cheshire, Conn., that sells AT products to assist people who are blind.

"When I first started at Vision Dynamics, I was not able to assist customers or ring up their items until I was provided with the assistive technology I needed. The Connecticut State Board of Education and Services for the Blind (BESB) provided Famiglietti was a computer, scanner, OpenBook and JAWS programs at no charge to him or his employer. They also provided him with a bar code reader called i.d. mate by En-vision America. "With an i.d. mate, a person can scan a bar code, and i.d. mate will read and identify the product for you," says Famiglietti. "The Board of Education and Services for the Blind was very helpful to me while I was at Vision Dynamics. I became really excited about the possibilities that were then available for me and others with vision impairments."

"As I became more proficient, I began thinking about making a career of training other individuals with blindness to use AT to help them get jobs. The work gave me confidence and built my self esteem. It is great to know that I can help others," Famiglietti says. Today BESB works closely with Oak Hill and refers clients to Famiglietti for computer training with JAWS, OpenBook, ZoomText, Windows-Eyes and MAGic along with all of the Microsoft products. "Because of this collaboration between Oak Hill and BESB, I am able to work with many more individuals using AT," Famiglietti says.

AT Solution

Famiglietti is now a strong proponent of assistive technology. "I would recommend the AT I use for anyone with low vision or blindness—it is the only way we can productively use a computer. By learning the keyboard shortcuts of Windows Vista, and the correct screen reader keystrokes, a person with low vision or blindness can use a computer even more efficiently than many sighted colleagues," he says.

Famiglietti is also enthusiastic about the compatibility strides made by Microsoft and assistive technology manufacturers recently. "The assistive technology of today integrates well with existing systems. In many cases, manufacturers upgrade products constantly to assure they function on a superior level with new versions of Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office," he says.

Microsoft Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 Are Important Productivity Tools

"I am able to use a computer with any version of Windows and Microsoft Office—including Windows Vista and Office 2007—with very little assistance from other staff members in the building," says Famiglietti. "I am able to complete my job duties and requirements in a timely manner. I am able to meet deadlines set by my supervisor. I can communicate with other staff members in our office via email messaging, and I can communicate via email to clients currently taking classes here. I can also use my screen reading software to access the Internet to do research and fill out forms."

Spreading the Word on AT Opens Doors for Many

Since Oak Hill provides support and services to people with disabilities, educating people about AT is a big part of their job. The place on campus where Famiglietti works is called NEAT (New England Assistive Technology—one of the Microsoft Accessibility Resource Centers). NEAT houses all of the latest technology and equipment for people with disabilities, including a Windows Vista and Office 2007 computer provided by HP.

When someone with a disability visits NEAT, they will find information, resources and equipment to assist them. "We also instruct individuals on the use of AT," says Famiglietti. "In many cases, these classes are filled with Special Education teachers learning better ways to use AT. We are gratified to know that our services are reaching those people with disabilities who need our services and we are able to provide services because of the existence of AT."

"When I begin to train new clients with screen reading programs and Windows, they typically have no prior computer exposure or knowledge," says Famiglietti. "After a short time, they begin sending email messages to me and working with other Microsoft products. These skills open many doors that were previously closed to them."

AT Benefits Employers

"I feel that it is important to inform and educate people about AT," says Famiglietti. "Since one of our main goals with the Blind Services Vocational program is to place blind individuals in employment positions, it is always a good idea to reach out and educate as many people as possible. If potential employers are made aware of AT and its uses, it is more likely that their fears about hiring people with disabilities will be replaced with appreciation for its benefits—to employers as well as people with disabilities."