by Ken Quintanilla

Guam - The Department of Integrated Services for Individuals with Disabilities' Evaluation, Enforcement and Compliance Program held the Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinators training today. DEEC program administrator Zeni Natividad says the training covered the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, which covers more individuals with disabilities than before.

She says the training is to provide accommodations to the changes to the act in the workforce. Natividad added, "We may look at these people and they look normal but internally, there are some major bodily functions that are hampered and if at least one of those organs are experiencing a substantial limitation, then that person now is considered a person with a disability and therefore is covered by the American Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008."

Although many may consider a person with a disability to have sight, hearing or mobility impairments, the new act includes bodily functions as disabilities from those dealing with diabetes or cancer. This was a second of three coordinators training. The first dealt with the role of an ADA coordinator whereas the next training will take place on October 10 , which gives hands-on training to the ADA coordinators on how to do facilities AD compliance inspections.