National Council on Disability

An independent federal agency making recommendations to the President and Congress 

to enhance the quality of life for all Americans with disabilities and their families.

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Workforce Investment Act Reauthorization 

National Council on Disability 

March 23, 2010 

TOPICAL BRIEF: One­Stop Career Centers 

Recommendation:

Congress should direct workforce development partners to incorporate universal 

design in the delivery of One­Stop Career Center core, intensive and training

services to insure access and use by all individuals seeking employment services 

and supports, including individuals with disabilities. Universal design should be 

applied to all methods of information dissemination, assessment, and training. 

Summary of Concern:

One of the principles of WIA that guides implementation of One­Stop service delivery is 

universality – the intent for all services available through the One­Stops to be accessible 

to everyone who uses them. Workforce Investment Boards have made great strides to 

improve the accessibility of One­Stop Career Center facilities, but barriers remain, 

preventing full access to services and supports. Services and materials need to be

developed from their inception using universal design, rather than continuing to depend

on assistive devices that require knowledgeable staff to oversee their use. This may 

mean making it possible for assessments to be completed independently on a computer

that has screen reading capabilities or that the assessment be presented aloud and 

responded to verbally. Rather than converting hard copy documents, it would be more 

cost effective if the document was created in a format that lends itself to screen readers, 

Braille writers, or audio recordings. Training can be developed, delivered and evaluated 

in modules using universal design so that participants who need additional support or

time for completion can still participate along with the general public.

ISSUE 2: Expansion of the Disability Program Navigator role in One­Stops 

Recommendation:

Congress should require that each One­Stop Career Center employ a Disability 

Program Navigator (DPN) in the workforce system, and require that the role of the 

Navigator be expanded to include the provision of service coordination to

facilitate the use of One­Stop services by individuals with disabilities. Congress 

ISSUE 1: Use of universal design in the delivery of One­Stop services
should dedicate funding to support the DPNs and require that qualified

individuals with disabilities be given hiring priority for vacant DPN positions. 

Summary of Concern:

DPNs were envisioned to assist people with disabilities to navigate through what is 

often perceived as a complicated employment service delivery system. Individuals who

do not have the assistance of a VR counselor often need ongoing coordination of 

employment related support services. Currently, there is not a mandate for Disability 

Program Navigators (DPN) to be located in One­Stop Career Centers. Through a joint

funding initiative of the Employment Training Administration (ETA) and the Social 

Security Administration (SSA), DPNs have been in One­Stops in 42 states and

territories for several years, but this does not mean that every One­Stop in these states 

has a DPN, nor that the DPNs in place can keep up with the demand for facilitating 

access to services for people with disabilities who are seeking workforce system

services. Furthermore, DPN funding is not secure, as it currently depends on a funding

allocation by two different federal agencies. Should Congress require DPNs, One­Stop

administrators will need direction for hiring them. People with disabilities who have 

experience using One­Stops are a logical source for filling newly­created positions.

ISSUE 3: Participation credentials for when completion criteria cannot be met

Recommendation:

Congress should direct ETA to conduct a demonstration project in which

individuals earn credentials of completion after finishing each key portion of

training programs offered through One­Stop Career Centers. These credentials 

would be made available to all people as a form of documenting the skills and

competencies successfully demonstrated to date. 

Summary of Concern:

One­Stop Career center training programs may include requirements or time limits that 

are difficult if not impossible for some people with disabilities, to complete. For example, 

a single program requirement that necessitates demonstration of physical dexterity or

endurance should not preclude an individual with a particular physical disability from

obtaining documentation of partial completion when that individual has otherwise 

satisfactorily met all the rest of the program’s requisites. Establishing a system whereby 

each individual participant is provided with documentation of incremental as well as 

partial program completion would provide built­in flexibility to recognize the skills and 

competencies gained through a training experience. For some people, for whom

industry certification or graduation from a college degree program is not possible, such

documentation may prove a useful tool in articulating skills proficiency to a prospective 

employer. Employers look at credentials when hiring new employees, so having some 

type of certification would provide verification that the job applicant has earned a 

particular level of skill proficiency. It is not known what a partial credential/certification of

training would look like, nor is it known the extent to which such a certification would 

assist an individual in obtaining employment. Therefore, a demonstration project is a 

sensible method to obtain this information before requiring it of the One­Stops.
The National Council on Disability wishes to express its appreciation to Dr. Beth Bader

and Dr. John Kregel of Virginia Commonwealth University for their assistance in 

developing this brief.