Disability Terms and Definitions

Augmentative or alternative communication (AAC) device An electronic device that talks for a person who cannot speak. The device usually has a recorded or electronic voice and can say words or sentences the user chooses. Benefit Percentage The benefit payable is usually determined as a percentage of the insured's pre-disability income up to an overall maximum benefit amount. Auxiliary Aids and Services Devices or services that accommodate a functional limitation of a person with a communication disability. Indexing Indexing is designed to provide some protection against inflation. After the first year of disability, a disabled employee's pre-disability earnings are usually increased (or indexed) by a certain percentage on an annual basis. Representative Payee Individual appointed by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to manage the cash benefits of a recipient of SSI or Social Security benefits, or both. ADA Title I: Employment Title I requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide qualified individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from the full range of employment-related opportunities available to others. DHO Disability Hearing Officer. Conducts in person hearings. Next appeal is to a federal Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). ADAAG ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities DHU Disability Hearings Unit. A unit in each DDD regional office that conducts in person hearings with disabled beneficiaries who appeal a DDD decision that the individual is no longer disabled. Vocational Rehabilitation Services Those services identified in Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, which are provided in an individualized plan for employment necessary to assist an individual with a disability in preparing for, securing, retaining, or regaining an employment outcome that is consistent with the strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice of the individual.

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	Did You Know?
	Disability Insurance Benefits is a coverage provided by the government If your Disability Insurance Benefits claim is approved, the monthly payment you will receive is set by your earnings (and Social Security tax payments) during your working career. There is no minimum rate. A person must prove that he or she became disabled while disability insurance coverage was in force or you are not entitled to Disability Insurance Benefits