This video is intended to portray the incredible talent, enthusiasm and value that people with disabilities can bring to the workplace. It achieves that well! (Available in DVD or VHS Format)

This product is part of the Open Futures Employment Package - an interrelated set of materials that we consider to possibly be the best audio/visual tools that have ever been available for advancing the employment of people with disabilities .

Flying in the face of all-too-common misinformation and attitudinal barriers that prevent people with disabilities from fair opportunities in the job market, this little video is a refreshing and convincing portrait of many real individuals, with a wide range of disabilities, who are productive and enthusiastic participants in the workforce.

It presents a fast-paced series of portraits and interviews with dozens of people with disabilities who describe how they found their paths to successful careers, how they have worked with their employers to meet any accommodation needs, and why they love their jobs.

This video is cross-disability in nature. It is about the contributions that people with any kind of disability can make to the workforce. People with a wide range of disabilities are portrayed - folks who use wheelchairs, who have developmental disabilities, who have epilepsy, who are blind, who have speech impediments, who are deaf, etc.

This Open Futures video is highly-engaging and it successfully:

• Demonstrates how people with all kinds of disabilities have overcome barriers to become successful in their chosen careers.

• Shows people engaged in a fascinating array of careers - and opens viewers' imaginations to the wide spectrum of exciting careers that are open to people with disabilities.

• Demonstrates how successful job accommodations can become seamless arrangements that effectively contribute to the success of talented employees.

Audience

This snappy little video is a must-see for anyone who is likely to be influential, in any way, in the career development and/or employment of someone with a disability. It is extremely effective at shattering myths and preconceptions of inability. It will open viewers' minds to the virtually limitless career possibilities that are open to people with disabilities. It is particularly important for:

• Employers - Recruiters, Hiring Managers, Supervisors, Coworkers

• Job Developers and Employment Specialists

• Rehabilitation Counselors

• Career Counselors

Training Uses

This video accomplishes an amazing amount in 9 minutes. Its compact length makes it ideal for:

• Diversity Managers who only have a limited time to capture the attention of hiring managers, recruiters or other key employees in their company.

• One Stop Centers, Community Placement Agencies and Vocational Rehabilitation Offices who want an effective way to orient their staff to the potential of people with disabilities in the job market.

• Job Developers and Employment Specialists who want an effective audio/visual presentation to supplement their presentations to employers

• Career Counselors who want to to encourage job seekers with disabilities who may be discouraged or shortchanging themselves about their abilities and potential.

The Open Futures CD-ROM is an excellent follow-up tool for these same audiences. Allowing for individual study, it covers the same ground as this video - but with much greater depth and focus.

Captioning

This video is Open Captioned.

Note: The focus of this video is primarily on employers. Its companion video "People with Disabilities at Work" is primarily for young people with disabilities. While some of their content is the same, these two videos effectively address the concerns of their respective audiences.

"Open Futures is simply excellent. The clear spirit and ability of these dedicated workers is an undeniable demonstration of how little a disability means when it comes to making meaningful and creative contributions to the workplace and our communities."

- Gary Karp, Trainer/Speaker/Author, Onsight