The state Department of Human Services has received $1.5 million in federal funding to help people with disabilities obtain jobs or advance in employment.

Human Services Director Lillian Koller said in a news release that the funds “;will speed delivery of services to clients with disabilities so they can maximize their employability and independence and participate to a greater degree in our communities.”;

The money will be used by the department's Vocational Rehabilitation and Services for the Blind Division for education and training of clients.

The department will pay for adaptive equipment to help clients in the workplace, such as speech recognition software for the blind, hearing devices for the deaf and vehicle modifications for those using wheelchairs.

The department had applied for the funds from the Rehabilitation Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Education. They became available because six states gave up a portion of their basic federal support funds, and the money was reallocated among 26 states, the department said.