Many people who are disabled would still like to work. Some may be limited in their ability to travel to and from a place of business. Others may find it difficult to work inflexible hours, such as eight consecutive hours. For these workers, telecommuting may be the perfect answer.

One option for disabled people is to work as call center agents for large corporations, and this can often be done from home.  There has been a trend in America by large corporations to move their call centers to India, but the result is often a multitude of customer complaints. Customers often have difficulty communicating with call center agents who don’t speak English well. Because of the prevalence of customer dissatisfaction with foreign workers, some large corporations are changing back to U.S. agents. This is good news for disabled workers who may wish to work as call center agents from home.

There is a unique organization that has pioneered the development of telecommute jobs for workers with disabilities. It is called National Telecommuting Institute (NTI). This organization is a multi-state staffing agency which specializes in home based training and job placement for individuals with disabilities. Qualified applicants are prepared to work mostly as customer service representatives.

NTI brings together employers that are willing to hire workers on a telecommute basis with agencies that assist in the rehabilitation of disabled workers, enabling them to receive training to work online form home. It is the prime contractor on contracts from federal agencies such as the IRS.  Many disabled workers answer calls and take orders for IRS forms and publications. Home agents with disabilities have been matched with commercial contractors who operate call centers such as centers for Medicare and Medicaid. They have also been matched with companies such as Ticket Master, AAA Roadside Service, and Home Shopping Network, to name a few. Besides training call center agents, NTI also assists companies to set up home agent programs.

NTI offers training to qualified applicants. You will need to supply a written certification of your disability by a physician or a vocational rehabilitation office in your state.  If you are disabled and want to work from home, learn more about NTI at http://www.nticentral.org/apply/a0030.shtm.

The important thing for workers with disabilities to keep in mind is that telecommuting is a great option. There are several different types of jobs that can be done from home. With or without the help of these organizations, if you are persistent and determined you will find the right telecommute opportunity for you.