National Disability Institute's Virtual Toolkit has been designed to provide partners across the country with easy access to tools and resources that will assist in building an inclusive community of practice for VITA and Asset Building Coalitions across the country. The Virtual Toolkit will be updated regularly throughout the year, so please bookmark this page and visit often for new tools.

Disability Awareness Training for VITA Volunteers & Site Coordinators

Getting Started With Social Media

Disability Outreach Flyers

Effective Strategies

TaxAccess

This training was designed to provide VITA/TCE Volunteers with basic tips on interacting with persons with disabilities, information to eliminate myths and increase awareness of a growing demographic we serve at free tax sites.

The training includes:

• Information on "What is a Disability?"
• Identifies different types of disabilities,
• Provides an understanding of "people-first language",
• Provides tips to better communicate with people with disabilities, and
• Explains what service animals are and how to interact with them.

NDI's Disability Awareness Traning is available in two formats:

1. A self-paced online course at http://ndi.elogiclearning.com
2. A downloadable PowerPoint: Disability Awareness Training for VITA Volunteers - (PowerPoint)

This video, created by Creating Assets, Savings & Hope (CASH) Buffalo, serves as a wonder training tool to acclimate VITA volunteers to situations where they may encounter customers with disabilities. View the video below or on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vS3pCe0eO4.

This guide will introduce you to the four biggest social media platforms for non-profits as well as give the compelling case for adopting social media in your communications strategies.

Getting Started with Social Media (PDF)

These Bank of America sponsored flyers were created for organizations to post and disseminate to inform taxpayers about the Earned Income Tax Credit and free VITA tax preparation and to dispell some common myths people with disabilities may have regarding tax filing. Each flyer is a print ready and fully accessible PDF. (Can't open PDF files? Download Adobe Reader )

Earned Income Tax Credit

Disability Myths

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance

Effective Strategies highlight best practices and provide case studies that NDI partners can distribute to individuals, coalition members and can be used as a tool to implement new strategies into their existing program. Each Effective Strategies handout is available to download as an accessible PDF document. (Can't open PDF files? Download Adobe Reader )

Examples of People First Language

Hosting a MoneySmart Training

Selecting an Interpreter

Individual Development Accounts - Case Study

The TaxAccess Project is a pilot project that was started in 2011 to increase awareness and provide technical assistance to VITA sites in 6 pilot cities in the Southeast portion of the United States. The TaxAccess Project is a collaborative project between NDI's REI Tour and the Southeast ADA Center. The TaxAccess Project provide a forum (safe zone) for questions and answers via email communication to disability accessibility experts. Visit www.adasoutheast.org/taxaccess.