It can be a slow, creaky process, but more is being done to open American workplaces to employees with disabilities. Bad news hit last month in a 5-4 Supreme Court decision that chips away at the Americans with Disabilities Act. Employers need workers, and many workers with disabilities want jobs - often to escape poverty. The government could also benefit. Curb cuts are a classic example of simple, revolutionary change.
Similar innovations can happen in workplaces.
This may require fancy technology such as voice-activated software. In Boston, a project called WorkTech Solutions is using money from Microsoft to promote these ideas. For workers, the goal is placement in jobs with career potential in areas such as health, banking, and government. Staff are also collecting national data. Government policies can also help.