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Understanding the history of employment for people with disabilities is essential to advancing equitable workforce practices today. This webinar explores the historical evolution of employment opportunities for people with disabilities in the United States, beginning with early institutional models and sheltered workshops and progressing through major legislative milestones that reshaped disability employment policy.
Participants will examine key laws including the Smith-Sears Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act and Section 14(c), the Community Mental Health Act, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The session highlights how shifting societal values – from segregation to civil rights and competitive integrated employment – have influenced modern workforce systems.
By grounding current employment practices in historical context, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of why employment equity, community integration, and informed advocacy remain central to disability services. This webinar is especially valuable for employment service providers, vocational rehabilitation professionals, and workforce partners committed to advancing inclusive employment outcomes.
Objectives
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Describe major historical milestones that shaped employment policy and workforce participation for people with disabilities in the United States.
- Explain how federal legislation, including the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, shifted disability employment from a charity-based model to a civil rights framework.
- Analyze how historical employment practices continue to influence current workforce systems and identify implications for advancing competitive integrated employment.
About the presenter:
Dr. Linda Holloway is a nationally recognized leader in disability employment and workforce development. With extensive experience in vocational rehabilitation, policy implementation, and systems change, Dr. Holloway has dedicated her career to improving employment outcomes for people with disabilities.
She brings a deep understanding of both the historical and contemporary landscape of disability services, helping professionals connect legislative evolution with practical application. Dr. Holloway has worked closely with workforce agencies, rehabilitation professionals, and community partners to promote inclusive employment practices grounded in equity, access, and informed advocacy.
Through her teaching and professional presentations, Dr. Holloway equips service providers with the knowledge and historical perspective necessary to support competitive integrated employment and strengthen workforce participation for individuals with disabilities.
