Including People with Disabilities in the IT World
The opportunity arose unexpectedly, as it often does. One of our client companies proposed that we provide on-the-job training to a team of people with disabilities (PwD) they had recently hired in Brazil.
We loved the proposal as soon as we heard it. It fit perfectly with our purpose of expanding opportunities for people without experience in the technology field. So we jumped into the adventure, and here we are—learning a lot.
As experts in experiential training, we already had extensive experience in integrating people with little or no experience into the technology teams of our clients. Along the way, we have faced various challenges inherent to our project, such as the cultural, educational, and attitudinal diversity of the trainees. However, this opportunity took us to a new level of challenge: applying our methodology to people with motor disabilities (for example, someone who cannot move a part of their body), sensory disabilities (for example, someone with significant vision loss), or cognitive disabilities (for example, someone diagnosed within the autism spectrum).
After our first cohort of 12 trainees completed their training, we conducted a retrospective to reflect on the work done so far and the lessons we had learned. Our senior team reached a unanimous conclusion: these individuals needed to build confidence in their ability to achieve their goals. This may be due to a lack of previous opportunities, a lack of awareness—both internal and external—of their skills, or even a lack of expectations, or a combination of all of the above. Our program is demanding, and we kept it that way, providing support and making personalized adjustments, such as narrating presentations or modifying screen settings for those with visual impairments. The results were outstanding—so much so that we tripled the number of participants in the next cohort and expanded the program to Uruguay.
Our team of neuropsychologists gave us great guidance regarding terminology: “We are working on their self-efficacy, meaning we are providing them with more tools to successfully navigate the situations they face.” One of the most effective strategies was encouraging them to express their needs assertively. For example, if a person with hearing difficulties does not communicate their needs, their mentor may not know whether it is a hearing issue or a comprehension issue. The actions required in each case are very different.
These tools not only benefited the trainees but also helped our senior team develop a greater level of empathy applicable to different situations. For example, they learned that when working with people with autism, direct communication is essential, avoiding abstract or implicit messages. The invitation for our seniors—and for all of us—is, as Ted Lasso says in that sublime dart game scene: to be curious. The bonus? The same principle applies to every person you encounter in life, with or without a diagnosed disability.
As we continue this journey, we realize there is still so much to learn and discover. The path is just beginning.
Head of People at Teamcubation. Follow me on LinkedIn.