he Communication Ability Profile for Employees and Employers (CAPE) is a tool for potential and current employees with disabilities to advocate from a strengths-based perspective for employment with accommodations for a collaborative and productive communication in the workplace. From the CAPE, employees identify their communicative strengths, positive working attributes, and everyday strategies for communication as they work and function among coworkers and employers. Prior research and data from a validation study of the CAPE gathered from professionals including SLPs, transition specialists, and social workers will be presented. The CAPE, a four-page fillable PDF, will be reviewed through a case study. Participants will be invited to contribute how the CAPE applies to a PWUAAC that is familiar to them. Learn how the CAPE supports communication for PWUAAC in the workplace.
Literature Base
Research shows that attending to the employer and coworkers’ communication expectations and needs is important (Fleming, Curis, Martin, & Varda, 2019; McNaughton & Arnold, 2010). Kennedy (2010) emphasizes the importance of transitions to the workplace that may lead to meaningful friendships and professional interactions. A strong corporate culture in which employers share a relatively consistent set of values and ways of doing business fosters a culture of diversity and inclusion that influences positive attitudes towards employees from diverse backgrounds including people with disabilities (Wehman et al, 2021, Wright, 2020). The principles of communication reciprocity between employees, employers, and coworkers are hallmarks of the World Health Organization International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (WHO-ICF, 2025).
Research Base
In the Fall of 2022, a protocol validation study was completed on the CAPE. Fifteen professionals who work with post-secondary, transition students, and young adults transitioning into the workplace were recruited. A total of 11 participants (73.3%) participated in the study. Participants (n = 7) strongly agreed or agreed (98%) that the items within the sections of the CAPE were beneficial to include with one participant (2%) noting a neutral response on one item. A total of 27 qualitative responses were collected from 8?participants?(N=11) across 10 different questions. One participant stated that the CAPE gives the applicant?more voice and advocacy for their specific accommodations and?needs.
CAPE
The implementation of the CAPE may benefit success in the workplace in many ways such as increasing workplace engagement and productivity, promoting civic duty and civility, and supporting Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance. The CAPE begins with a one-page introduction of the rationale, purpose, and benefit. Three fillable PDF pages result in rich details about a PWUAAC’s communication strengths, workplace attributes, and possible accommodations to optimize productivity (e.g., sensory, attention, communication modalities, topics, tips for co-workers). The CAPE will be introduced along with a case study. Participants will be invited to consider a PWUAAC for whom they would like to apply the CAPE and to interact during the presentation by offering a) three communication strengths of PWUAAC, b) attributes the PWUAAC brings to the workplace, and c) one way communication could be implemented immediately.
Conclusion
CAPE benefits people with complex communication profiles with an accessible tool to advocate for their own strengths and attributes. Each stakeholder from employees, to support persons, to co-workers, and to employers now have a means to identify and increase innovative and meaningful communication. This in turn supports engaging interactions in the workplace that often leads to improved productivity. CAPE fosters inclusion in successful employment of PWUAAC as they practice the principles and practices of ADA and International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.
References
Fleming, C., Curtis, R., Martin, E. D., & Varda, K. (2019). Social role valorization and employment of people with the most significant disabilities. Journal of Rehabilitation, 85(3), 14-21.
Kennedy, P. (2010). Navigating through transitions with individuals with speech difficulties. Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 19(2), 44-50. doi.org/10.1044/aac19.2.44
McNaughton, D., & Arnold, A. (2010). Supporting positive employment outcomes for individuals who use AAC. Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 19(2), 51-59. doi.org/10.1044/aac19.2.51
Wehman, P., Sima, A., Iwanaga, K., McDonough, J., Brooke, A., Godwin, J., Junod, P., Ham, W., and Brooke, V (2021). Organizational factors influencing coworker’s attitudes toward employees with disabilities: A hierarchical regression analysis. Rehabilitation Research, Policy, and Education, 35, 83-92.
World Health Organization. (2025). International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). https://www.who.int/standards/classifications/international-classification-of-functioning-disability-and-health
Wright, T., Wehman, P., McDonough, J., Thomas, K., Ochrach, C., Brooke, a., Ham, W., Godwin, J. C., Junod, P. (2020). Charity-oriented versus human resource-oriented perspectives: Investigating staff understandings of employment practices for persons with disabilities. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 51(2). 146-167). http://dx.doi.org/10.1891/JARC-D-19-00022
