WHAT IS THE  "WINDMILLS" TRAINING PROGRAM?
Revised in 1993, "Windmills" is a high-impact, attitudinal training program developed by the California Governor’s Committee for Employment of Disabled Persons. The curriculum consists of 11 sections (modules) that use participation and discovery as learning vehicles.

HOW CAN THE "WINDMILLS" PROGRAM HELP MY ORGANIZATION?
Many organizations would like to employ persons with disabilities but find that fears, biases and myths create barriers in the hiring process. The training focuses on attitudes and human factors, but it also concerns issues including legal requirements and accommodation. The modules primarily consist of exercises relevant to the everyday world of work to which participants can relate and then remember on the job. The new "Windmills" program also incorporates language and requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

HOW IS THE PROGRAM DESIGNED?
This curriculum was designed to be easily portable, and it is comprised of 11 training modules that take about one hour each to complete. The modules may stand alone, or a number of modules can be incorporated into a longer presentation. The program features six audio cassette tapes that explain how to use the curriculum. It is designed so that the modules can be used to supplement and enhance ongoing training programs within the organization. The program targets mid-level managers, human resources professionals and first-line supervisors; however, it can be an effective tool for any employee. Users of the complete training program will find increased communications among organizational departments.

Although recent federal and some state laws prohibit employment discrimination against persons with disabilities, attitude often remains as the most significant barrier to employment. The new "Windmills" curriculum seeks to remedy attitudinal barriers.

"Windmills" works! Employers who use the program report a significant increase in the hiring of people with disabilities. Supervisors feel more confident in working with disabled persons after the training. Managers feel more confident about supervising people with disabilities. "Windmills" helps employers successfully include persons with disabilities as an excellent labor resource.

MODULE 1    Establishes group and individual identity.
                       Provides opportunity for participants to better 
                       understand their own feelings and the feelings that an
                       employee with a disability may experience in a
                       first-encounter situation.

MODULE 2    THE STORY – A warm-up exercise that allows
                       participants to share personal experiences they’ve had
                       with disabilities or with persons who have disabilities.

  MODULE 3    THE CALENDAR GAME – Shows the intensity of
                       competition among people and manifests the dynamics
                       of group interaction. Illustrates how a disabled
                      employee can be excluded from contributing to a
                      company.

  MODULE 4    RUMOR GAME – Shows that rumors can be frequent
                      fixtures in the work place. Shows how and why rumors
                      quickly become distorted as they spread and how they
                      can have a negative impact on the job environment for
                      a person with a disability.

 MODULE 5     PROFILE – Points out how employers have a tendency
                      to predetermine where a person with a disability can
                      work. This may be attributed to an employer’s lack of
                      experience or limited exposure to the wide range of
                      disability. Job matches on a case-by-case basis are
                      explored.

 MODULE 6     INTERVIEW – Demonstrates the critical importance of
                     asking questions in the interview to resolve concerns
                     about hiring. Participants receive helpful hints on what
                     to say and how to say it.

 MODULE 7    PICK A DISABILITY – Allows individual fears and
                     stereotypes about disabilities to surface. Such
                     attitudes that are based on experience (or a lack of
                     experience) of a disability affect a person’s willingness
                     to hire a disabled individual. It brings out participants’
                     fears about disability and demonstrates how easily
                     emotional reactions to disabilities can be transferred.

 MODULE 8    ASK IT BASKET – Provides a safe environment for
                     participants to ask questions about disabilities by
                     giving them the opportunity to question anonymously.
                     Embarrassment is avoided, and the answers come from
                     the group.

 MODULE 9    ENCOUNTER – Includes discussion with a panel of
                     individuals with disabilities in a non-competitive,
                     relaxed and information-sharing atmosphere.

 MODULE 10  WHOSE FAULT – Demonstrates how prejudices cause
                     us to personally limit the employment of persons with
                     disabilities because of our limited exposure to the
                     variety of disabilities.

 MODULE 11  REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION – Looks at potential
                     needs of workers with disabilities and possible
                     solutions. Includes a review of the enclosed ADA
                     question/answer sheet on the more frequently asked
                     questions about ADA requirements.

 APPENDIX    Includes a "Windmills" program planning guide and
                     checklist, examples of job accommodations, a list of
                     recommended, related films/videos, a disability
                     etiquette guide, an overview of disability legislation,
                     and general resource information.

ORGANIZATIONS USING THE "WINDMILLS" PROGRAM

    IBM Corporation Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO)
    Digital Equipment Co. AT&T
    General Electric Co. Lockheed Corporation
    Syntex Corporation U.S. Bancorp
    Bank of America Prudential Insurance Co.
    TRW Corporation Aerojet General
    Xerox Corporation ITT
    Chevron USA Fairchild Camera and Equipment Co.
    The Carnation Company U.S. West Communications
    Rockwell International McDonald’s
    Bechtel Corporation Northrop Corp.
    Hughes Aircraft Hewlett-Packard
    Wells Fargo Bank Disneyland
    Canadian Banking Co. Canadian Broadcast Assoc.
    Department of the Army NASA
    U.S. Department of Labor Equal Employment Opportunity Comm.
    U.S. Department of Agriculture Manpower Services, England
    Department of the Navy State Department of Water Resources
    U.S. Marine Corps U.S. Department of Education
    U.S. Department of Corrections U.S. Office of Personnel Management
    U.S. Conference of Mayors National Institute of Health
    Central Intelligence Agency States of Ohio and Alaska
    California Employment Development Department
    California Department of Rehabilitation
    The President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities
    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
    Social Security Administration

"All I can say about the training is that our employees that have gone through "Windmills" now are hiring individuals with a disability."

– Staff, Internal Revenue Service

 

"Excellent design. It was evident that a lot of thought and feeling has gone into the program. It addressed many of the problems our supervisors are having who employ persons with disabilities."

– Administrator, Kaiser-Permanente Medical Center

 

"I will feel much more comfortable working with persons with disabilities."

– Personnel Manager, ARCO

 

"I have a totally different outlook on disabled individuals thanks to this program. I feel like my eyes have finally been opened."

– Personnel Staff, TRW

 

"This workshop was excellent and the information will be used in my present position to break down attitudinal barriers."

– Personnel Manager, Prudential Insurance Company

 

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