People with Disabilities
Our vision is to create a world where people with all disabilities have access to competitive, integrated employment in all settings.
What’s Happening Now
We serve as a connector and convener between disabled self-advocates, private sector leaders, and public sector decision makers. We gather and share best practices in inclusive hiring, workforce retention, universal design, workplace accommodations, and other disability employment issues.
The Harkin International Disability Employment Summit brings together key champions and implementers from around the world to increase the employment of people with disabilities. The Summit has occurred annually since 2016 and has gathered private employers, government leaders, and disability advocates from more than 40 countries to address the barriers to competitive, integrated employment for persons with disabilities.
Recent Events
Workplace Accessibility Roundtable
June 9, 2025
The Harkin Institute partnered with the Greater Des Moines Partnership to host a Workplace Accessibility Roundtable on Monday, June 9. These roundtables provide opportunities for individuals in Greater Des Moines (DSM) to build new relationships and connect with others who are passionate about fostering an inclusive community. This event is part of the Greater Des Moines Partnership’s Multicultural Reception and Roundtable series, which fosters meaningful connections and conversations.
ADA Documentary Screening and Panel Discussion
April 29, 2025
The Harkin Institute and Iowa PBS hosted an accessible screening of Change Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act, followed by a panel discussion with film director Jim Lebrecht and film writer/producer Chana Gazit. The screening included open captions and open descriptive audio.
Harkin Summit D.C. 2024
December 17-19, 2024
The Harkin Summit brings together key champions and implementers from around the world to increase employment of people with disabilities. The 2024 event was held in Washington, D.C. at the JW Marriott Hotel.
The Harkin International Disability Employment Summit has occurred annually since 2016 and has gathered private employers, government leaders and disability advocates from more than 40 countries to address the barriers to competitive, integrated employment for persons with disabilities
Solutions on a Platter with EnAble India
October 28, 2024
The Harkin Institute teamed up with EnAble India for this virtual event to discuss the Disabilities Innovative Solutions Hub (DISH). DISH is an AI-based platform which aspires to bring all the published assistive solutions under one umbrella and make it discoverable for the disability sector, including the stakeholders. An assistive solution could be a product, process, or program that helps a person with disabilities to overcome a barrier.
A Taste of ReelAbilities Des Moines
October 4-6, 2024
Founded in New York City in 2007, ReelAbilities is dedicated to screening films created by and about people with disabilities. In 2012, ReelAbilities began their Affiliate Festivals Program, making it possible for organizations like the Des Moines Art Center and The Harkin Institute to host ReelAbilites festivals in cities all over the world. The 2024, Des Moines festival was a “Taste of ReelAbilities”, which featured a screening of three feature films. All film screenings were followed by a conversation with individuals from the disability community related to the specific content of the films.
Reports and Resources
Harkin Summit on Scaling Disability-Driven Innovation 2023 Key Takeaways and Outcomes
On May 9 – 10, 2023, The Harkin Institute on Public Policy & Citizen Engagement (THI) hosted the Harkin Summit on Scaling Disability-Driven Innovation – a two-day summit at the Tom and Ruth Harkin Center, located at the Drake University campus in Des Moines, Iowa. The Harkin Summit on Scaling Disability-Driven Innovation brought together leaders in the disability movement, entrepreneurs and small business owners, the investor community, and experts from the public, private, and advocacy sectors.
Iowa Summit on Disability Employment Business Toolkit
As society’s attitudes on disability have changed over time, efforts to be more inclusive of people with disabilities have grown significantly. Since its creation, The Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement has worked extensively to collaborate with global leaders in business, government and advocacy to foster inclusive and integrated work environments for people with disabilities. The Iowa Summit on Disability Employment is meant to serve as a catalyst for Iowa’s leaders to rethink the workforce and consider the largely untapped labor pool of people with disabilities that are excited to work and gain a sense of independence.
Solving “Then What”?
Empowering Investors to Achieve Competitive Integrated Employment for Persons with Disabilities This white paper explores the role the investor community can play in improving employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Investors have both the power and the influence to work with the companies they invest in to fully integrate people with disabilities into all levels of their operations – from entry level to executive management. This paper, authored by The Harkin Institute Research Fellow Robert Ludke, provides a blueprint for achieving this.
Innovative Employment Practices at Work
The Harkin Legacy
As a young senator, Tom Harkin was tapped by Senator Ted Kennedy to craft legislation to protect the civil rights of the millions of Americans with physical and mental disabilities. Sen. Harkin knew firsthand about the challenges facing people with disabilities from his brother, Frank, who had been deaf since an early age. What emerged from that process would later become one of the senator’s most important legislative achievements: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Highlights of Senator Harkin’s work throughout his 40 years in Congress include:
Sen. Harkin championed the 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which ensured public schools could provide resources to students with disabilities. The act mandated “free and appropriate public education” and individualized education programs (IEPs) for those with disabilities.
In addition, the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 sought to increase the enrollment of young people with disabilities in community colleges and universities.
Civic Participation
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 included specific provisions to ensure people with disabilities could participate fully in the voting process and that they were not disenfranchised during elections.
Workforce Inclusion
The 2014 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act established vocational education services to ensure the success of people with disabilities in the competitive, integrated job market.
Global Disability Rights
Sen. Harkin left a lasting impact on federal organizations operating in foreign countries through the creation of disability advisor positions at the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development. He also consistently advocated for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, an act that would ensure ADA-like protections for more than one billion people with disabilities.
Address: 2800 University Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50311
Phone: (515) 271-3623
Email: harkininstitute@drake.edu
Office Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.