BRS Community Resources & Advocacy 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A BRS specialist wants to refer a newly blind veteran to VA services. Which VA program specifically provides inpatient blind rehabilitation training at residential centers?
- Veterans Benefits Administration Disability Compensation program
- VA Blind Rehabilitation Centers (BRCs) within the Veterans Health Administration (Correct answer)
- State Veterans Homes operated by state departments of veterans affairs
- Department of Defense TRICARE visual rehabilitation benefit
Correct answer: VA Blind Rehabilitation Centers (BRCs) within the Veterans Health Administration
VA Blind Rehabilitation Centers (BRCs) are inpatient residential programs within the Veterans Health Administration that provide comprehensive rehabilitation training.
Question 2: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 differs from the ADA primarily in that Section 504:
- Applies only to recipients of federal financial assistance, while the ADA covers a broader range of entities (Correct answer)
- Provides stronger remedies including punitive damages up to $500,000
- Requires reasonable accommodations only in employment, not education
- Was enacted specifically to protect blind and deaf individuals, not all disabilities
Correct answer: Applies only to recipients of federal financial assistance, while the ADA covers a broader range of entities
Section 504 applies specifically to programs and entities receiving federal financial assistance, whereas the ADA extends protections more broadly to private employers, public accommodations, and others.
Question 3: When a BRS helps a client navigate the SSA work incentives program, which incentive allows a blind SSI recipient's earned income up to a certain amount to be excluded from the income calculation?
- Ticket to Work
- Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)
- Earned Income Exclusion and Blind Work Expenses (BWE) (Correct answer)
- Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) for SSDI only
Correct answer: Earned Income Exclusion and Blind Work Expenses (BWE)
SSI blind recipients can deduct Blind Work Expenses (BWE) from earned income before calculating countable income, in addition to the standard earned income exclusions.
Question 4: The Telecommunications Act of 1996 Section 255 requires manufacturers to ensure that telecommunications equipment is:
- Compatible with TTY devices only when requested in writing
- Accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities if readily achievable (Correct answer)
- Provided with audio description tracks on all digital content
- Offered at no additional cost with a braille user manual
Correct answer: Accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities if readily achievable
Section 255 requires that telecommunications equipment and services be accessible to people with disabilities where readily achievable, covering manufacturers and service providers.
Question 5: A community-based BRS wants to connect a client with peer mentoring. Which national consumer organization specifically trains and deploys blind mentors to work with newly blind adults?
- American Council of the Blind (ACB)
- National Federation of the Blind (NFB) — through NFB BELL Academy and mentoring programs (Correct answer)
- Prevent Blindness America
- Foundation Fighting Blindness
Correct answer: National Federation of the Blind (NFB) — through NFB BELL Academy and mentoring programs
The National Federation of the Blind operates multiple mentoring programs and training academies where experienced blind individuals mentor newly blind adults and youth.
Question 6: Under Title II of the ADA, state and local government programs must provide effective communication to blind individuals. Which accommodation would typically satisfy this requirement for accessing printed government forms?
- Providing a sighted volunteer escort to read forms aloud on request
- Offering the document in an accessible electronic format, audio recording, or Braille upon request (Correct answer)
- Posting a large-print version on the agency's website
- Directing the person to call a 1-800 number staffed by a live agent
Correct answer: Offering the document in an accessible electronic format, audio recording, or Braille upon request
Effective communication under ADA Title II includes providing alternate formats such as accessible electronic files, audio, or Braille so the blind individual can access the same information independently.
Question 7: A BRS advocates for a client who was denied reasonable accommodation at work. Which federal agency is the primary body for filing an ADA employment discrimination charge?
- Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) (Correct answer)
- Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)
- National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
Correct answer: Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
The EEOC enforces ADA Title I employment discrimination provisions and is the first agency through which a discrimination charge must typically be filed.
BRS Community Resources & Advocacy 3
A BRS specialist wants to refer a newly blind veteran to VA services.
Which VA program specifically provides inpatient blind rehabilitation training at residential centers?