RE: Stand-up (was Re: Job Requirements (was Ethical Companies))

Subject: RE: Stand-up (was Re: Job Requirements (was Ethical Companies))
From: "Dan Hall" <dhall -at- san-carlos -dot- rms -dot- slb -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 29 Mar 2002 09:50:50 -0600


Equally important (in my location) is that people in the back
(behind the other 14 rows of tables) can't see the presenter at
the front of the room.

In our training room, we have about 15 rows of tables. It's difficult
enough for people sitting at the back to see the presenter when she's
standing. If she were sitting down, there'd be no way. For us, having
a presenter who can be seen is important - it's why we don't use web
conferencing more, even though we have to fly people in from all over
the country. In our experience (yours may differ), it's just not as
effective if you can't see the speaker. It's that disembodied voice
thing.

Standing for presentations may not be a requirement for every
situation, but I don't think you can assume it's unreasonable
either.

Is it a "reasonable accommodation" for us to install a $25,000 stage
at the front of the room, or to remodel the floor of the room so it
slopes? It all depends on your definition of reasonable. Do we judge
reasonableness on the basis of the needs of the disabled, on the
resources of the company, or...? Is something unreasonable for a
mom-and-pop store reasonable for a mega-corporation? This is a
question that remains to be resolved.

Moreover, I think the court's current definitions of "reasonable"
are sometimes ridiculous. Ask me about an acquaintance who lost his
property because the court looked at ADA and said a million-dollar
elevator was "reasonable" in a two-million-dollar retail center.

I agree that it's important to consider the difference between what
we "think" a person with disabilities can do and what they're
capable of. There are certainly cases where I've been surprised
(and been embarrassed at my surprise) to find a disabled person doing
a job I would have thought they could not - so I know I have a long
way to go.

This discussion has definitely got me thinking. :-)

Dan

Dan Hall
Sr. Technical Writer
SchlumbergerSema RTEMS


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References:
Re: Stand-up (was Re: Job Requirements (was Ethical Companies)): From: Elna Tymes

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