title: Teleworkers with disabilities: characteristics and accommodation use.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of telework among people with disabilities is not as great as the general population, despite the accommodative benefits of telework.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study of employment and accommodation use patterns of people with disabilities investigates relationships between functional abilities, work location and nature, and accommodation use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Currently employed subjects with disabilities were recruited from client lists of research, technical assistance, and service provision centers, as well as through over 100 social networking venues focused on individuals with disabilities.
  
  
  METHODS
  A national, cross-sectional survey was administered electronically. Details of accommodation use for 373 individuals were compared using Chi-Square distribution analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Those in white-collar and knowledge-based jobs were twice as likely to telework as other worker types, and teleworkers were twice as likely to use flexible scheduling. Only 47% of teleworkers reported telework as a job accommodation. Of those, 57% were satisfied with telework and 76% reported it as important to job task completion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased use of flexible scheduling, particularly among those who view telework as an accommodation, suggests the primary accommodative benefit of telework is to reduce pain and fatigue-related barriers to traditional employment. Relatively low satisfaction with telework suggests that it presents other employment-related barriers.
authors.affiliation: Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linden
authors.affiliation: Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Milchus
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D004651:Employment; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D013685:Telecommunications; D014186:Transportation; D017132:Workplace
keywords: Employment; assistive technology; remote work; work environment; workplace accommodations