Canada Signs UN Convention
Canada Ratifies UN Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities – (Government
of Canada).
"The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the
Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development,
today announced that, with the support of all provinces and territories, the
Government of Canada has ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities at United Nations headquarters in New York City."
http://news.gc.ca/web/article-eng.do?m=/index&nid=517849
Canada backs rights
for people with disabilities – by Andra Cernavskis (McGill Daily). "Canada's
ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
last Thursday has garnered support among disability rights activists, though
concerns remain as to when the convention's terms will be fully implemented.
Minister of foreign affairs Lawrence Cannon has said that 'Canada is
committed to promoting and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities
and enabling their full participation in society,' and that the ratification of
the convention underscores the federal government's 'strong commitment to this
goal.' The convention protects the rights and dignity of persons with
disabilities, and parties to the convention are required to promote, protect,
and ensure the human rights of such persons. Article 19 and 20 of the
convention state, 'Rights specific to this convention include the rights to
live independently and be included in the community and to personal mobility.'
However, president of McGill Students Supporting Disabilities (SSD) Molara
Awosedo asserted that the government would have to demonstrate its support for
persons with disabilities by putting the convention into practice."
http://mcgilldaily.com/articles/29080
Canada makes rights
of disabled a foreign policy focus – by Steven Edwards (Vancouver Sun). "Promoting the
rights of disabled people around the world will become a key foreign policy
focus for Canada,
Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said at the United Nations Thursday.
Cannon made the declaration after delivering Canada's ratification of the world
body's Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 'This is another
addition to Canada's
foreign policy, which is based on the promotion of democracy, the rule of law
and certainly based on human rights,' Cannon said at a news conference with
several Canadian disabled-community leaders. 'This is a fundamental human
right,' he added of the goals of the convention. Countries that join the
convention commit to advancing its core provisions, which include promoting
respect for the principles of nondiscrimination, accessibility and inclusion
for the world's half a billion disabled people."
http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Canada+makes+rights+disabled+foreign+policy+focus/2674655/story.html
Canada Ratifies
Historic UN Treaty On Disability Rights – (Canadian Association for Community Living).
"Today, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Canada
ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This is
a historic and profound moment in our country's history. It is Canada's declaration to Canadians and the
international community that disability is at last to be recognized as a matter
of fundamental human rights – at home in Canada and internationally. By ratifying
this first international treaty that comprehensively recognizes the rights of
persons with disabilities, Canada
binds our governments to its implementation. The Canadian Association for Community
Living (CACL) applauds the Government of Canada for this landmark decision, and
indeed all Provincial/Territorial Governments for their support in taking this
step. The Convention creates a new and lasting foundation on which to build an
inclusive and accessible Canada
where rights can no longer be diminished on the basis of disability."
http://www.cacl.ca/infoat/
Back to Contents Page
Access Guide Canada – "The mission of
Access Guide Canada (AGC) is to bring
you the most accurate listings on accessible resources possible - a pool of
information from which we may all benefit. Participate! You can help make this site great by adding your own favourite
accessible locations. Also, please let us know
if you have any comments on any AGC listing. Remember, this is not a final
product - but a work in progress - and always will be! Whether you are at home,
or travelling, please contribute to AGC - and watch it grow!"
http://www.enablelink.org/agc/aboutus.php
All Bank of America ATMS accessible
to blind – (Justice
for All). "On March 31, 2010, the Bank of America announced that every
one of its 18,000 ATM machines in the United States is now a Talking ATM,
used by people who are blind and others, to access cash and accounts
independently. The 18,000 Talking ATM milestone is the result of a long
collaboration between Bank of America and the blind community. The bank was
first approached in 1995 about ATM accessibility by the California Council of
the Blind and several individuals. The bank agreed to engage in Structured
Negotiations, and eventually signed three settlement agreements about Talking
ATMs, the accessibility of its website and on-line banking platform, and
alternative formats for print information."
http://jfactivist.typepad.com/jfactivist/2010/03/all-bank-of-america-atms-accessible-to-blind.html
Disability
party on verge of historic win – by Jason Om (ABC.net). "A political party for
people with disabilities is on the cusp of winning its first seat in an
Australian parliament. The Dignity for Disability Party looks set to pick up a
seat in the Upper House of South Australia's Parliament after last weekend's
election. That will be a historic result and one that will bring mixed emotions
for supporters because the party's lead candidate died during the campaign.
Kelly Vincent, 21, is almost certain of winning a seat in the Upper House,
which would make her South Australia's
youngest parliamentarian and the state's only MP in a wheelchair. 'They would
have to put a ramp at Parliament House,' she said. 'They would have to change
the rules. There'll be no more standing votes or standing. There'll be no more
standing as far as I'm concerned. So big changes are going to happen just
purely if I get elected.' The Adelaide Hills playwright has found herself on
the edge of victory after her party's lead candidate, Dr Paul Collier, died in
the second week of the election campaign."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/26/2857505.htm?section=justin
FCC Broadband Plan Draws from Center's Comments – (Trace Center).
"The Federal Communication Commission's National
Broadband Plan, sent to Congress on March 16, 2010, includes broad-ranging
disability access recommendations. Cited in the plan are the extensive public
comments submitted by Center Director Gregg Vanderheiden and both RERC teams
(Telecommunications Access; Universal Interface & IT Access), discussing
issues and potential solutions to ensure that people with disabilities are able
to fully participate and benefit from coming advances in broadband
technologies. The Center contributed its expertise in response to the FCC's
request for additional information on access to broadband by people with
disabilities."
http://trace.wisc.edu/news/archives/000265.php
Google's Smart Captioning Move – by Guest Blogger Suzanne
Robitaille (Business Week). "Ah,
video and search. Frank Sinatra said it best: Try, try, try to separate them –
it's an illusion. Here's proof of that: Speech Technology. This week, Google
sealed the deal on video search capabilities for its YouTube portal, saying it
would provide auto-captions for all of its uploaded videos using proprietary
Google's Speech Technology. Google's initiative, piloted in November, began
with a handful of partner channels including PBS, Stanford University
and National Geographic. It has now expanded to all uploaded English-speaking
videos, with more languages to be added later this year. . . The bigger news is
that auto-captions will have clear benefits for the deaf and hearing-impaired
population, who now will be able to better understand dialogue on uploaded
videos. Up to now, this group had to rely on the goodwill of YouTube users to
manually add captions to their videos. A time-consuming process, most users
didn't bother to do so."
http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2010/03/googles_smart_c.html
No sugar-coating for disability exhibit – by Kevin Griffin (Vancouver Sun). "For disability
rights activist Catherine Frazee, the personal overlaps with the political even
when she doesn't intend it. That happened with Frazee's recent journey to Vancouver from Toronto for
Out From Under, a unique exhibition on the social history of disability in Canada. As one
of its three curators, she felt it was important to be here for the exhibition's
opening during the Paralympic Winter Games. Frazee, the director of Ryerson's
Institute for Disability Studies, can't fly for medical reasons having to do
with living with spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic neuromuscular disease
characterized by the degeneration of the motor neurons. . . . Frazee was
willing to make sacrifices to travel out west, such as sleeping in her electric
wheelchair. She can't be separated from her wheelchair, which is uniquely
customized to her body's needs. At times, for example, she has to tilt it
slightly back to help with her breathing. When she contacted Via Rail, she was
told that she and her wheelchair had to travel separately."
http://www.vancouversun.com/health/sugar+coating+disability+exhibit/2679831/story.html
Welcome to the online public access catalog of the
National Federation of the Blind Jacobus tenBroek Research Library – "Located at the NFB
Jernigan Institute in Baltimore,
the tenBroek Library is the only research library on blindness owned and
operated by the blind themselves. This is the first online catalog intended for
general use in libraries to be developed in collaboration with blind access
technology specialists. . . . At present the catalog database is limited to
records for a few thousand printed books and periodicals, and the catalog
provides direct online access only to certain NFB publications. TenBroek
Library staff members are constantly adding entries to the catalog, acquiring
additional material for the
library collection, and linking more full-text digital
files to catalog entries. Hard-copy materials in the collection do not
circulate and are intended for use at the NFB Jernigan Institute."
http://webopac.infovisionsoftware.com/nfb/
Back to Contents Page
Disability
Voice Missing in Right to Die Debate – by Chris Ford (Voxy). "Today media coverage has
focused on Wellington
woman Margaret Page's stated intention to starve herself to death. This follows
the reported denial of a piece of supportive equipment by needs assessors
employed by the Capital and Coast District Health Board. The focus of the
euthanasia debate has always focused around the rights of every individual to
do as they wish with their bodies. That includes the right to elect when to
die, especially when terminally ill. What has long been missing from the debate
is a disability perspective on the issue. As a person who lives with
disability, I can say that it is not the state of our bodies or minds which
determines the quality of our lives but rather societal attitudes and barriers."
http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/disability-voice-missing-right-die-debate/1273/42874
Don't segregate
people with disabilities – by Linda Timmons (KansasCity.com). "March is National Intellectual and
Developmental Disabilities Month and this year it comes in the midst of an
ongoing debate about health care reform and budget challenges. One in 62
Americans has an intellectual disability, and awareness of issues affecting
millions of citizens can inform the direction of national and state discussions
and create a win-win-win outcome for states, communities, and people with
disabilities. The majority of funding for organizations that provide services
to people with intellectual disabilities comes through Medicaid. At Mosaic, we
serve approximately 3,500 people and more than 90 percent of our funding is
Medicaid dollars. When facing budget challenges, many states see this as an
area to cut, yet that is a short-sighted choice."
http://voices.kansascity.com/node/8106
In Shift,
Autism Speaks Appoints Self-Advocate To Advisory Board –
by Michelle Diament (Disability Scoop).
"After years of criticism for not including self-advocates in its
leadership, Autism Speaks said Tuesday it is appointing an individual with
autism to one of its committees for the first time. The organization, which is
the the nation's largest for autism advocacy, says self-advocate John Elder
Robison is joining its scientific advisory board. Other members of the
30-person board, which is responsible for reviewing grant applications for
millions of dollars worth of autism research, are researchers and family
members of those with autism. Robison, who wrote the book 'Look Me in the Eye:
My Life with Asperger's,' teaches at Elms
College in Chicopee, Mass.
and previously served on the public review board for the National Institutes of
Mental Health."
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/03/09/autism-speaks-appointment/7271/
Opening Doors -
A Discussion Of Residential Options For Adults Living With Autism And Related
Disorders – (Autism Center).
"Earlier this decade, the Wall Street Journal reported on the Tullis
family. The poignant story involved Tim Tullis, a 49-year-old man with autism,
who shared a cramped apartment with his 89-year-old father. Tim's mother died
about five years prior and, at that time, Mr. Tullis assumed all of Tim's
care--bathing and shaving him, packing lunches for his day program and enjoying
comforting routines . . .But in April 2004, Tim's comforting routines came to
an abrupt end when he returned home from his day program and Mr. Tullis was
gone. How do you break the news to an adult with autism that everything
familiar to him is about to change?. . . This report focuses on the
residential concerns of adults with autism and related disorders and is
designed to advance the development of residential models that offer quality,
affordable housing options. The study also looks at current and projected
demand for life-long living options that support individuals with autism
spectrum and related disorders who are unable to live on their own. This link
opens a PDF document. A fact sheet on
this report can be downloaded in Word format."
http://www.autismcenter.org/documents/openingdoorsprint.pdf
Openmind
closure fear – by Sunil Peck (Disability Now). "Survivors of the mental health system say
that the demise of a magazine published by the charity Mind would represent a
big loss to the mental health movement. Openmind was first published in 1982
and has been read and contributed to by survivors and service users,
psychiatrists and professionals in the field of mental health."
http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/latest-news2/openmind-closure-fear
Back to Contents Page
LABEL JARS, NOT
PEOPLE! Successful MindFreedom Web Radio – (MindFreedom). "Saturday, 13 March
2010, guests Paula Caplan, Lennard Davis, Dan Fisher and Martin Federman
answered live call-in questions on the next MindFreedom Mad Pride Live Web
Radio Show. Paula and Dan challenged the expansion of psychiatry's label bible,
the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). Dan and Martin remembered the
legacy of the late Judi Chamberlin. Host was David W. Oaks, Director of
MindFreedom International."
http://www.mindfreedom.org/radio/label-jars
Professional
Development
Get to the Core of It, Part 1: Information &
Referral – (ILRU). "Get to the Core of It is an
on-demand training series on the four-core services of Centers for Independent
Living. Each presentation in the series features CIL staff and programs that
are especially successful at providing excellent services to their communities.
The five-part series explores best practices and innovative approaches to the
four core services and is presented as follows:
·
Part I: Information & Referral
·
Part II: Peer Support
·
Part III: Independent Living Skills Training
·
Part IV: Individual Advocacy
·
Part V: Systems Advocacy "
http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/archive/2010/03-24-CIL-NET.html
K-12
FLEX / YES E-Newsletter 2009-10 – "The e-newsletter
includes summaries of current FLEX and YES student experiences, essays from 3
current students, useful information and resources, plus a look back to FLEX /
YES Alumni. This year's e-newsletter
includes many stories about the current FLEX and YES students, such as:
·
A FLEX student shares his involvement in the Key Club at this high
school.
·
A local newspaper publishes an article about a YES student's experience
as the first exchange student who is Deaf at her high school.
·
A FLEX student shares her enjoyment at being part of the school's swim
team.
·
A YES student tells of the places that he has traveled to with his host
family.
To read about these students, and many other stories,
please select either the pdf or rtf versions of the 2009-10 e-newsletter below!
FLEX
/ YES E-Newsletter 2009 - 2010 (PDF format)
FLEX / YES E-Newsletter 2009-2010 (RTF format)"
http://www.miusa.org/exchange/flexyes/flex-yes-e-newsletter-2009-10
Post-Secondary
A Great Website for Scholarship Opportunities for
Students with Disabilities – (Heath). "Proyecto
Visión lists 26 different scholarship programs for students with disabilities,
including scholarships for blind students, students with learning disabilities,
students with hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, epilepsy, asthma, autism, dwarfism,
mobility impairments, and many other types of disability."
http://www.proyectovision.net/english/opportunities/scholarships.html
http://www.heath.gwu.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1223&Itemid=5
Introducing "AWAY Topics"! - International
Student Issue - March, 2010 – (MIUSA). "A
World Awaits You (AWAY) has a brand new look! AWAY Topics, the latest series of
publications by the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange, will
continue to feature student profiles, tips, resources, and practical and simple
steps toward inclusion, but will present this content in a condensed,
easy-to-use format. A quick yet informative read, AWAY Topics places the
essentials at your fingertips while concluding each brief with links that can
provide readers with more in-depth information if they wish to learn more. The
NCDE is pleased to kick off AWAY Topics with its International Student Issue
(March 2010), which focuses on issues related to successfully recruiting,
accommodating and advising international students with disabilities such as:
·
How to reach out to international students with disabilities,
·
How to make programs and program materials more accessible,
·
How to understand U.S.
disability rights laws.
AWAY Topics is
available for free download in PDF and Rich Text Formats!"
http://www.miusa.org/news/awaytopicsmar10
Immigrants With
Disabilities More Frequently Employed Than US-Born People With Disabilities,
Says Study – (Rehab Management). "Foreign-born people make up approximately
13% of the total US
population, and as the immigrant population grows, understanding its disability
status and employment characteristics becomes increasingly important, according
to the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at
Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus,
Ohio. A new study by researchers
at the Center focuses on disability and employment among working-age immigrants
in the United States."
http://www.rehabpub.com/news/2010-03-09_02.asp
Cody Unser: Beauty
in Deep – by Roxanne Furlong (NewMobility). "In a moment of stark realization at the age of
12, while sitting in a bathtub, she first felt symptoms of the condition that
left her paralyzed from the chest down. But just two years later she
experienced an exhilarating freedom from her wheelchair and reclaimed her
independence while learning to scuba dive. Eventually diagnosed with transverse
myelitis, Cody — the diminutive granddaughter of race car legend Al Unser and
daughter of two-time Indy 500 champion Al Unser Jr. and his wife, Shelley —
credits Christopher Reeve with helping her learn how to live life to the
fullest and use her voice at an early age to help others."
http://www.newmobility.com/articleView.cfm?id=11600
Program lets
special-needs kids share toys – by Blythe Bernhard (StLToday). "Think of it as a toy
library. Parents of kids with developmental delays can now check out
educational toys and equipment for use at home and then return them for another
child to use. The Capable Kids and Families program allows parents to meet the
needs of their children at home by borrowing toys that may otherwise be
inaccessible. St. Louis Arc, a nonprofit agency that supports people with disabilities,
launched the lending program in December. A waiting list has already formed for
the free program, which has enough start-up funding from the state for the 50
local families who are enrolled."
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/lifestyle/stories.nsf/healthfitness/story/CEF927A25A19946E862576E90070E30B?OpenDocument
Government
Canada
Government
moving on disability crisis – by Kathryn May (The Ottawa Citizen). "The Harper
government is overhauling how it manages disability in the public service as
depression, stress and other mental illness account for nearly 45 per cent of
all claims. Treasury Board quietly kicked off the initiative several years ago
and is expected to have a business plan ready for cabinet within the year. The
plan is a critical first step in turning around the escalating number of mental
health claims that are taking employees off the job. It's developing a
'workforce wellness' strategy that aims to promote prevention, takes the stigma
out of mental illness and gets those suffering from depression treated and back
to work as quickly as possible. It marks the biggest shift in disability
management since the plans were introduced 40 years ago."
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/Government+moving+disability+crisis/2683191/story.html
NDP calls Ont. government cruel for scrapping special
diet allowance
– by Keith Leslie (Winnipeg Free Press).
"Ontario's
Liberal government was branded 'cruel and heartless' Thursday for scrapping a
special diet allowance of up to $250 a month for people living on social
assistance. About 135,000 people who rely on welfare or disability-support
payments received the allowance after a doctor certifies they have a medical
condition requiring a special diet. However, the Liberal government recently
announced it would scrap the program and replace it with something yet to be
determined, after the auditor general suggested the system was being abused.
Connie Harrison, a Toronto
mom who gets $72 a month to buy fresh vegetables to help her diabetes and high
blood pressure, said she is being forced to take drastic steps."
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/life/health/ndp-calls-ont-government-cruel-for-scrapping-special-diet-allowance-89728547.html
US
FCC Sends
National Broadband Plan To Congress – "Today, the Federal
Communications Commission delivered to Congress a National Broadband Plan
setting an ambitious agenda for connecting all corners of the nation while
transforming the economy and society with the communications network of the
future -- robust, affordable Internet. . . Titled 'Connecting America: The
National Broadband Plan,' the Plan found that while broadband access and use
have increased over the past decade, the nation must do much more to connect
all individuals and the economy to broadband's transformative benefits. Nearly
100 million Americans lack broadband at home today, and 14 million Americans do
not have access to broadband even if they want it. Only 42 percent of people
with disabilities use broadband at home, while as few as 5 percent of people
living on Tribal lands have access."
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-296880A1.pdf
Final Health
Care Votes Bring Boost For People With Disabilities –
by Michelle Diament (Disability Scoop).
"Disability advocates across the board hailed the health insurance reform
legislation as a major step forward for Americans with disabilities. The new
law will prevent coverage denials due to pre-existing conditions and eliminate
annual and lifetime limits while expanding Medicaid and giving incentives for
community-based living options. What's more, once the law is phased in over the
next four years, insurance plans will cover mental health services,
rehabilitation and habilitation services as well as behavior therapy."
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/03/26/health-care-reconciliation-bill/7450/
Insel and Obama
Want Transparency—Let's Oblige – by Daniel Carlat, MD (Psychiatric Times). "Two events
occurred last week that will have significant ramifications for psychiatry. On
March 23, The Physician
Payments Sunshine Act was signed into law by President Obama. The act was
embedded in the larger healthcare reform package, so it didn't receive a lot of
fanfare, but it is huge. The Sunshine Act will require that all drug and device
companies report all payments made to physicians and teaching hospitals. All
payments will be available on the Health and Human Services website, which will
publish unprecedented detail about such payments, including the precise nature
of the 'service' provided, the date of each check, and the name of the drug or
device that a promotional talk supported."
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/topics/content/article/10168/1546757
New 'Disability
Lifeline' name draws critic – by Brad Shannon (The Olympian). "The Senate and
House passed a bill making big changes to a program that helps out-of-work
people with disabilities Monday, ending what has been a long battle to rein in
costs in the General Assistance-Unemployable program. In moving to reform the
GA-U program to save about $29 million, House members also changed the name to
the Disability Lifeline — a name House Speaker Frank Chopp has championed after
Democratic Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson, D-Seattle, offered it up. Dickerson has
said it's a more accurate description of the program, which aids people in
crisis and provides medical help while many participants apply for permanent
Social Security disability benefits. But the most visibly disabled member of
the Legislature is not amused and says she looks forward to changing the program
name again."
http://www.theolympian.com/2010/03/23/1182276/new-disability-lifeline-name-draws.html
Summary of
Coverage Provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the
Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 – "On
March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act passed by the Senate on December 24, 2009 and by the House of
Representatives on March 21, 2010. The following summary explains key health
coverage provisions in the new law and incorporates modifications to the law
included in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, signed by
President Obama on March 30, 2010."
http://www.kff.org/healthreform/upload/8023-R.pdf
White House
Remains Steadfast In Support Of Disability Council Nominee -
by Michelle Diament (Disability Scoop).
"An anonymous Senate hold hampering the first-ever nomination of a person
with autism to the National Council on Disability is highlighting rifts within
the autism community. But despite the political hitch, President Barack Obama
remains solidly behind his nominee. . . It is unclear why Ne'eman's nomination
was delayed, but the effort to derail his appointment is leading some to
suspect that Ne'eman's sometimes divisive views on autism could be the reason.
A proponent of neurodiversity, Ne'eman has said he does not believe the disorder
should be cured, but rather that it should be accepted and accommodated as part
of a person's identity."
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/03/29/neeman-nomination/7473/
The Buddy System: How Medical Data Revealed Secret to
Health and Happiness – by Jonah Lehrer (Wired). "A revolution in the science of social networks began with a stash
of old papers found in a storeroom in Framingham,
Massachusetts. They were the
personal records of 5,124 male and female subjects from the Framingham Heart
Study. Started in 1948, the ongoing project has revealed many of the risk
factors associated with cardiovascular disease, including smoking and
hypertension."
http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/magazine/17-10/ff_christakis
http://www.wired.com/images/multimedia/magazine/1710/Wired_1710_Christakis.pdf
Integrated
Strategy on Healthy Living and Chronic Diseases - Healthy Living Program
Component – "The Healthy Living Program (HLP) is part of
the Government of Canada's contribution to the Integrated Pan-Canadian Healthy
Living Strategy, an inter-sectoral framework for sustained collaborative action
to reduce non-communicable disease in Canada. The Program is part of the
Integrated Strategy on Healthy Living and Chronic Disease (ISHCD), the federal
framework for public health activities, in keeping with the federal role,
across the spectrum of health and chronic-disease and through disease-specific strategies
on diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease."
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/about_apropos/reports/2008-09/hlcd-vsmc/hl-vs/intro-eng.php
Legal
Assisted suicide: guidelines strive for neutral tone – (Disabilit
Now). "New guidelines, published today by the Director of Public
Prosecutions (DPP), Keir Starmer QC (pictured left), make no mention of either
disability or terminal illness. The guidelines are an attempt to make clear the
circumstances under which anyone assisting someone to commit suicide might not
face prosecution. Meanwhile the law, which stipulates that anyone found guilty
of assisting a suicide will face a maximum of 14 years imprisonment, remains
unchanged. But disabled campaigners and disability groups say that any move or
concession towards leniency in this area could represent a threat to some
people's right to life."
http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/latest-news2/assisted-suicide-guidelines-strive-for-neutral-tone
Botox Maker Not Liable For Death Of Girl With Cerebral
Palsy, Jury Finds –
by Michelle Diament (Disability Scoop).
"A California jury let the makers of Botox off the hook Tuesday in the
death of a 7-year-old girl with cerebral palsy. But the jury never considered
whether injections the girl received contributed to her death, instead finding
that Botox carried sufficient warning labels. The ruling is win for drug maker
Allergan Inc. in what is believed to be the first case to come to trial
alleging that Botox use led to death. But it could be short-lived, as more
cases are in cue for trial across the country. This case centered on the death
of 7-year-old Kristen Spears who was given Botox injections to ease symptoms of
cerebral palsy. The girl's mother, Dee, alleged that an overdose of the drug
weakened her daughter's muscles leading to pneumonia and respiratory failure."
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/03/03/botox-trial-finding/7207/
City Tries To Blame Otto Zehm's Death On Otto Zehm,
Again – by Dave Reynolds (Inclusion Daily Express). "Nearly
four years to the day after Otto Zehm died at the hands of Spokane Police
officers, an attorney for the City of Spokane argued in federal court that Zehm
himself was to blame for his restraint-related death. According to the
Spokesman-Review newspaper, attorney Carl Oreskovich, who represents Officer
Karl F. Thompson Jr. in federal criminal and civil proceedings, argued in a
pre-trial hearing Friday that the officer was justified in using a high degree
of force against Zehm because 'Mr. Zehm had stopped taking medications for
paranoid schizophrenia'. Oreskovich told U.S. District Court Judge Fred Van
Sickle that Zehm's failure to take the medication caused him to experience 'excited
delirium' and to act with 'extraordinary' strength and stamina. Oreskovich
argued that this explained why Zehm allegedly refused Thompson's commands to
drop a 1-liter plastic soda pop bottle."
http://www.inclusiondaily.com/news/2010/03/19/031910zehm.htm
Judge Orders Swift Move From Institutions To Supported
Living –
by Shaun Heasley (Disability Scoop). "A
judge is ordering New York state to move thousands of residents with mental
illness out of institutional settings and into small, supported living
environments much faster than the state proposed. New York must create 1,500
supported living placements over each of the next three years, Judge Nicholas
G. Garaufis said Monday. Such placements in apartments or homes would allow
residents to live alone or with a small group of roommates independently, with
some assistance. The new placements are the result of a ruling in September
which found that the state's 'adult homes' where 4,300 residents live were in
violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The judge said the homes kept
residents segregated from the community much like the psychiatric hospitals of
decades past that they replaced."
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/03/02/new-york-adult-homes-ruling/7202/
Parents win bid to sterilise daughter – by Courtney Trenwith (Brisbane Times). "The parents of a severely disabled
Queensland girl have won a court case to have her sterilised. The 11-year-old,
known as Angela, cannot communicate and ''acts as a three-month-old baby would''.
Her parents sought permission from the Family Court for doctors to perform an
irreversible hysterectomy to stop Angela's menstrual cycle, which is believed
to cause epileptic seizures. Disability groups have described the decision as
an abuse of human rights and a disability researcher said it was 'a quick fix'
for a couple struggling to cope with the responsibilities of looking after
their disabled child. University of NSW disability scholar Dr Leanne Dowse told
ABC Radio the 'unusual' court ruling was the first in many years to side with
parents seeking an invasive, irreversible medical procedure for their disabled
child."
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/parents-win-bid-to-sterilise-daughter-20100309-ptlf.html
Settlement Paves Way For Thousands To Depart
Institutions –
by Shaun Heasley (Disability Scoop). "Thousands
of people with disabilities in Illinois will be able to move out of
institutions and into community living environments under an agreement filed
Monday in federal court. The agreement is a resolution to a class action
lawsuit filed in 2005 by two Chicago residents who had no choice but to live in
a nursing home. The plan laid out in the settlement would dramatically reshape
Illinois' long troubled care system for those with developmental disabilities
and mental illness. Under the plan, about 4,500 residents would be given the
choice to leave large institutions known as 'institutions for mental diseases,'
or IMDs, in favor of small, community based residences with supports. The plan
would be implemented over the next five years."
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/03/15/illinois-housing-suit/7320/
Vaccine Preservative Does Not Cause Autism, Court
Finds – by Michelle Diament
(Disability Scoop). "A federal 'vaccine
court' delivered the second of a one-two punch Friday to parents who believe
vaccines are to blame for their children's autism. In three test cases before
the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, parents sought to prove that the
mercury-based preservative thimerosal found in some vaccines caused autism in
their children. But the court overwhelming ruled against the families calling
the idea 'biologically implausible and scientifically unsupported.' The cases
are based on claims for compensation the parents filed with with the National
Vaccine Injury Compensation Program — a federal fund for those injured by
vaccinations. Friday's rulings follow a similar outcome in three different test
cases last year, which looked at whether the measles, mumps and rubella, or
MMR, vaccine together with thimerosal could cause autism. Though there is
consensus among those in the scientific community that no link exists between
autism and vaccines, many parents believe otherwise. In fact, a study released
earlier this month in the journal Pediatrics found that 1 in 4 parents believe
that vaccines can cause autism in otherwise healthy children."
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/03/12/vaccine-court/7313/
Media
Artful
disabilities act - by Margaret Sheridan (Chicago Tribune). "Carrie Sandahl talks about Chicago with the
wide-eyed wonder of a newcomer. She's enthralled by the cultural energy, the
varieties of educational programs for kids and families and the on-going
opportunities for new talent, especially artists with disabilities. 'Chicago is
so progressive,' says Sandahl, 41, an advocate for disability rights who has
become a leading researcher on disability and the arts. She arrived last fall
from Florida State University in Tallahassee to head a new program at the
University of Illinois at Chicago called the Program on Disability Art,
Culture, and Humanities. The curriculum is devoted to research of and the
creation of disability art."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/ct-x-c-disability-arts-course-20100319,0,3480319.story
Defining
Dyslexia: Man behind documentary film to join panel discussion about the
disorder – by Kim Underwood (Winston Salem Journal). "The purpose of the movie is to give
people a better idea of what dyslexia is. 'Our job is to wake up a lot of
people,' he said. Carrie Malloy, the academy's director, said that many people
don't understand dyslexia. 'People still think this is a visual problem,' she
said of dyslexia. 'It literally means 'difficulty with language'."
http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2010/mar/24/man-behind-documentary-film-to-join-panel-discussi/
'Glee' Among TV
Shows with 'Conscience' For Highlighting Disabilities –
by Michelle Diament (Disability Scoop).
"An episode of Fox's 'Glee' spotlighting disabilities and a documentary on
autism are among eight shows that will be honored this spring for exemplifying 'television
with a conscience.' In addition to disability issues, the programs selected
this week to be honored by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences tackle
issues ranging from physician-assisted suicide to racism and Alzheimer's
disease. The shows were chosen for displaying the 'power of television to
change attitudes and lives,' the Academy said."
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/03/18/tv-awards/7365/
Heroes: From a disability perspective (Redeye: Vancouver Cooperative Radio
Interview Length: 12:19 minutes) – by Jane Williams (Rabble.ca). "A group art exhibit
organized as part of the Kickstart Festival of Disability Arts and Culture
opened on March 8. The artists in the show explore what heroism means to them.
We speak with artist Cleo Pawson."
http://www.rabble.ca/podcasts/shows/redeye/2010/03/heroes-disability-perspective
Hollywood — Performers with Disabilities – by David Radcliff (Ability Magazine). "Like a lot of
children of the '80s and '90s, I spent a lot of time in front of a television
in my formative years. Somewhere in my mother's house are stacks of videotapes
of Looney Tunes, Seinfeld and Quantum Leap episodes that I watched again and
again until their images started to fade. And I'm pretty sure I was the only
ten-year-old on my block to dress as Lieutenant Columbo for Halloween. But in
all of my boob-tube-watching childhood, I rarely, if ever, saw anyone like me
on television: someone with a physical disability. While I may have
subconsciously measured my young self-image against the Kevin Arnolds and the
Theo Huxtables (and yes, even the Steve Urkels) that I saw on screen, I knew
intuitively that those guys weren't exactly living life quite the way I was
living it. They stressed about acne and homework, sure, but they didn't have
the unique concerns or self-doubts of an adolescent with a noticeable physical
limitation. They didn't use crutches or a wheelchair every day."
http://www.abilitymagazine.com/hollywood.html
Music by Prudence – (Los
Angeles Public Relations). "The winner of Best Documentary Short
Category, is 'Music by Prudence,' directed by Roger Ross Williams, and starring
Prudence Mabhena. The 33 minute documentary, focuses around a gifted young
woman Prudence, who suffers from arthrogryphosis, a rare disorder which
severely deforms the joints of the body. Prudence who has had to face many odds
in her young life, although this has not stopped her from living. Prudence
sings in an amazing five languages, and shares her talents with the world."
http://losangelespublicrelations.com/music-by-prudence/03864
New book raises
disability awareness – by Daniel J. Vance (Hernando Today). "Kris Schanilec and Rachel Faldet of Decorah,
Iowa, have co-edited 'From My Perspective: Essays About Disability,' a book
authored by people affiliated with The Spectrum Network, an Iowa-based
organization that helps people with disabilities with work and training, daily
living tasks, and day activities. The book published last August. 'One of our
2009 goals was to promote awareness of issues related to people living with
disabilities,' said 44-year-old Schanilec, who reads this column in the Waukon
(Iowa) Standard. 'Also, this book was a special project to celebrate The
Spectrum Network's thirty-fifth anniversary.' With the help of Faldet, a Luther
College creative writing instructor, and others who physically put pen to
paper, people with disabilities using their own words were able to 'write'
their personal stories about living with a disability."
http://www2.hernandotoday.com/content/2010/mar/11/new-book-raises-disability-awareness/
Medical
BOTOX
(OnabotulinumtoxinA) Receives FDA Approval for Treatment of Upper Limb
Spasticity in Adults – (Spinalcord.org).
"Allergan, Inc. (NYSE: AGN) today announced that the United States Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved BOTOX (onabotulinumtoxinA) for the
treatment of increased muscle stiffness in the elbow, wrist and fingers in
adults with upper limb spasticity. . . Although not a life-threatening
condition, upper limb spasticity can be severely debilitating and painful,
producing disfiguring muscle contractions that can result in stiff, tight muscles
in the elbow, wrist and fingers, or a clenched fist. This stiffness hinders a
patient's ability to perform simple tasks, such as dressing or washing the
hand, and often leaves the patient dependent on a caregiver to help with simple
activities."
http://www.spinalcord.org/news.php?dep=1&page=0&list=2667
Hereditary Condition Causing Limb Weakness Traced to
Gene for Rare Disorder – (NICHD). "A gene that
causes a fatal childhood brain disorder can also cause adults to develop
peripheral neuropathy, a condition resulting in weakness and decreased
sensation in the hands and limbs, according to a study by researchers at the
National Institutes of Health and other institutions. The study is the first to
show that different mutations in the same gene cause the two seemingly
unrelated disorders."
http://www.nih.gov/news/health/mar2010/nichd-11.htm
Medical
Marijuana Strains: Which is Right for You? – by Misty Faucheux (Disaboom). "Marijuana plants are
not the same; a variety of medical marijuana strains serve different medicinal
purposes. But how do you know whether to spend your healthcare dollars on
Purple Haze or Skull Candy when you arrive at your local medical marijuana
dispensary? Generally, there are three types of medical marijuana strains:
Cannabis Indica, Cannabis Sativa and many Cannabis Hybrids. Each variety
actually produces a different effect for the patient. The uses of medical
marijuana cover a plethora of disabilities and conditions, and it's important
to match the plant to the pain."
http://www.disaboom.com/alternative-therapies/medical-marijuana-strains-which-is-right-for-you
New Down Syndrome Theory Emerges – (Business Week). "New research suggests that missing proteins
in the brain -- not too many genes or proteins, as previously thought -- may
explain symptoms of Down syndrome. Researchers found that both humans and mice
with Down syndrome have lower levels of specific protein in the brain than
those who don't have the condition. But an experimental drug returned the
protein levels to normal in mouse brains. 'We're talking about a
paradigm-shifting idea that maybe we should look for underexpressed proteins
and not overexpressed proteins in Down syndrome,' study senior author Terry
Elton, a professor of pharmacology at Ohio State University, said in a
statement. 'What this offers to the Down syndrome community is the potential
for at least five new therapeutic targets to pursue.' An estimated 13 out of
every 10,000 babies born in the United States has Down syndrome. Those with the
condition can develop cognitive problems, difficulty with physical coordination
and delayed language development. Many are also born with congenital heart
defects."
http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/637375.html
Policy/Research
Down but Not Out: Reforming Social Assistance Rules
that Punish the Poor for Saving – by John Stapleton (C. D. Howe Institute). "One of the goals of social assistance
programs in Canada is to put in place measures to break the cycle of welfare
dependency. Savings, however small, can provide a cushion against unforeseen
circumstances or provide the foundation for later choices about education or work.
When governments penalize welfare applicants or recipients for saving by
denying program benefits – as happens in the case of savings in Registered
Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) and Tax Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs) – social
assistance programs may become traps"
http://www.cdhowe.org/pdf/ebrief_93.pdf
Innovations in Community Care: From Pilot Project to
System Change
– by Marcy Cohen, Nancy Hall, Janice Murphy, Alicia Priest (Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives).
"This paper highlights positive examples of what is working well in home
and community care in British Columbia. BC can boast of a number of local,
small-scale initiatives that support people with significant health challenges
who continue to live in their homes or in residential care. Many of these
people are individuals with low income, frail seniors, and/or people living
with a mental or physical disability. by helping them function in the
community, these innovations take pressure off in-patient hospital and
emergency services. And while they often cost more at the start, over the long
term these innovations can reduce costs and improve the health status of those
using these services."
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/innovations-community-care
People from
non-English speaking background with disability in Australia: What does the
data say – by Brian Cooper, Dinesh Wadiwel, Sibylle Kaczorek
(Australian Policy Online). "Australia
is an increasingly diverse country, with a robust history of migration which
has a strong impact upon Australian values, culture and composition,
particularly with respect to the contribution that has been made by of a
growing proportion of Australians with non English speaking background (NESB)
ancestry. People from diverse backgrounds also include people with impairment
and illness, with an increasingly large number of Australians from non English
speaking backgrounds with disability. Despite evidence of a strong impact of
cultural and linguistic diversity on the 'face' of Australia, there remains
very little data on the role of non English speaking migration in shaping
contemporary Australia and Australians. While data is released through
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) surveys on select characteristics for
migrants and people born in countries where English is not the primary
language, the sophistication of this reporting has arguably been lacking."
http://www.apo.org.au/research/people-non-english-speaking-background-disability-australia-what-does-data-say
Richard talks
about poverty and hope – (Canadian
Centre for Policy Alternatives). "Richard receives disability benefits through
British Columbia's welfare program. Disability benefits are very low (less than
$1000 a month in a city where the average one bedroom apartment costs that
much). Richard lived on the streets for many years while he waited to get into
social housing -- he moved into his own home just a few months after this video
was made. This video is part of a slideshow about welfare (or social assistance)
and poverty in British Columbia, Canada."
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/multimedia/richard-talks-about-poverty-and-hope
Siblings of Kids With Autism May Be Prone to
Hyperactivity
– (Health Day News) . "Older
brothers and sisters of preschool children with autism may be at increased risk
of developing hyperactivity, a new study finds. It also found that mothers of
young autistic children suffer more depression and stress than mothers without
an autistic child. The study included 20 families with a preschooler (ages 2 to
5) diagnosed with autism and a typically developing older sibling (ages 6 to
10). It also included a control group of 23 families that did not have an
autistic child. 'Contrary to what has been found by many researchers, we found
that older siblings [of children with autism] were pretty well-adjusted, with
no significant differences in parent-reported or teacher-reported social
skills. These are all typically developing kids,' Laura Lee McIntyre, director
of the school psychology program at the University of Oregon, said in a news
release. But teachers did report that older siblings of children with autism
had slightly more fidgeting, movement and attention problems than older
siblings in the control group."
http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/636916.html
Multiple
treatment options available for MS – (DelmarvaNow). "We're talking again about multiple sclerosis
and reviewing today some of the physical therapy exercises that can be used to
help patients with MS to better cope with this disability, while relating some
of the newer drugs that are also being used to help overcome some of the other
symptoms of MS. We'll also try to review what the current prognosis is for MS
patients, as well. Physical therapy and exercise can help preserve remaining
function, and patients may find that various aids -- such as foot braces, canes
and walkers -- can help them to remain independent and mobile. Avoiding
excessive activity and avoiding heat are probably the most important measures
that patients can take to counter physiological fatigue. If psychological
symptoms of fatigue, such as depression or apathy, are evident, antidepressant
medications may help."
http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20100328/NEWS01/3280327
Sports
& Recreation
Canada achieves
Paralympic goal of top-three finish in medals – by Gary Kingston (Canwest News Service). "Not nearly
as sexy a rallying call as Own the Podium, but for Canada's elite athletes with
a disability, many of whom had cruised through earlier Paralympics with little
outside pressure, the 2010 Games definitely ratcheted up the expectation level.
These were 'home' Games and, while the athletes weren't being asked to
collectively Own the Podium, they had received extra resources and support from
the program that was ostensibly set up to aid the Olympic effort. The Canadian
Paralympic Committee figured that after a fifth-place finish at Turin in 2006
(13 medals, five gold), it should set a goal of a top-three finish at
Vancouver/Whistler. It was accomplished with a terrific final weekend."
http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/2010wintergames/Canada+achieves+Paralympic+goal+three+finish/2709474/story.html
Government of
Canada Celebrates the Abilities of Canadians with Disabilities at the Vancouver
2010 Paralympic Winter Games – (Marketwire). "On behalf of the Honourable James Moore,
Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, the Honourable Diane
Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, today announced
funding for the Paralympic Torch Relay National Educational Outreach Initiative
of the Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability (ALACD). The
ALACD's National Educational Outreach Initiative will provide schools,
communities, and young people across Canada with a better understanding of the
needs of people with disabilities. This initiative will also promote the
benefits of healthy communities, healthy lifestyles, and individual excellence;
show support for Canadian Paralympic athletes; and encourage the participation
of new athletes in the Paralympic movement."
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Government-Canada-Celebrates-Abilities-Canadians-with-Disabilities-Vancouver-2010-Paralympic-1135056.htm
Paralympics
2010: A legacy certain to inspire – by Daniel Girard (The Star). "The Paralympic Winter
Games ended Sunday night with the turning off of both the flame and the
spotlight on sports for people with disabilities. The Games, the first to be
held in Canada, were record-setting. Canadian athletes won 19 medals, their
most ever. Ten of those were gold, a new standard. And the goal of placing
third overall in the medal standings, up from sixth in Turin four years ago,
was also achieved."
http://olympics.thestar.com/2010/article/783153--paralympics-2010-a-legacy-certain-to-inspire
Paralympic
Founder Wants Games Concurrent With Olympics – by Shaun Heasley (Disability Scoop). "A major voice
behind the International Paralympic Committee is calling for future winter
games to be held simultaneously with the Olympics. Dr. Robert Steadward, one of
the founders of the international Paralympic organizing body, says it's time
for the two events to occur concurrently to share resources and exposure, while
also furthering inclusion of people with disabilities. Steadward's remarks come
as the Paralympic Games are set to kick off in Vancouver Friday, nearly two
weeks after the close of the Olympics. Under Steadward's idea, the two games
would remain separate in terms of athletes and events, but could share
resources like housing and transportation. Such a move would reflect a new
level of acceptance of people with disabilities and bring more visibility to
the Paralympic Games, which generally garner far less media coverage than the
Olympics, he says."
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/03/11/paralympics-2/7298/
Protests give
lift to state parks – by Dennis Yusko (Times Union). "Pressure from the public and advocacy groups is
building support from lawmakers to keep state parks open, according to park
leaders, who proposed Wednesday to toughen eligibility guidelines for disabled
patrons to receive free or discounted passes to park facilities. . . At its
meeting the commission also discussed a new state parks initiative that would
change who is eligible for its Access Pass program, now used by about 34,000
state residents a year who claim disabilities. The pass entitles them to free
or discounted admission to parks, cabins, campsites, golf courses, historic
sites and recreational facilities operated by the state."
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=910060&category=STATE
Technology
An Evaluation
of Kindle II and Sony Reader Digital Book Players – by Darren Burton (AFB). "As
many Access World readers know, the accessibility of e-books and other digital
publications has become quite a controversial, hot-button issue, and the Amazon
Kindle has been at the center of much of the debate. In this article, I will
briefly discuss some of the issues surrounding e-book accessibility, while the
bulk of the rest of the article will evaluate the Kindle 2 and the Sony Reader
Touch Edition PRS-600. These two devices are the market leaders in a category
of devices that display digital books and other content using e-ink, a
technology that attempts to mimic the visual reading experience of a print book.
In addition to the devices themselves, I will also evaluate the available
software used to access their books on a PC or iPhone."
http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pub.asp?DocID=aw110104
Apex and Intel – by Deborah Kendrick (AFB). "Sometimes,
a particular company just fits your personality. I have serious loyalties, for
instance, to products by Liz Claiborne, Coach, or Gevalia! Transferring the
concept to the world of technology, maybe you happen to follow every product
put out by Panasonic or will only buy flash drives from SanDisk, and so it has
been for me with HumanWare. Long before it was even called HumanWare, products
from this company never failed to push all my happy buttons. . . Then, the
announcement came in October of two new products, Apex and Intel. I was so
accustomed to welcoming each new HumanWare product with joy, my own reaction to
news of these products came as not only a disappointment but a genuine
surprise."
http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pub.asp?DocID=aw110105
Book Review -
Assistive Technology for Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired: A Guide
to Assessment – Reviewed by Karyl Loux (AFB). "I was privileged this past
winter to have the opportunity to see several prepublication chapters of Ike
Presley and Frances Mary D'Andrea's new book, Assistive Technology for Students
Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired: A Guide to Assessment, as I was deciding
whether to use it as a textbook for my class at Florida State University on
assistive technology for people who are visually impaired. My early glimpse at
those chapters clearly showed me that this book is an important work that will
stand the test of time, and it made me anxious to see the rest of the book."
http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pub.asp?DocID=aw110109
Freedom
Scientific Reduces Price of Focus 40 Blue Braille Display by 38% to Support
Drive for Braille Literacy – "Freedom Scientific today
announced that it has reduced the US list price of its Focus 40 Blue Braille
Display from $4,495 to $2,795, a $1,700 reduction, in a move to support Braille
literacy. . . The factors that contribute to a low Braille literacy rate in the
US are many, among them a shortage of qualified Braille teachers and an
increasing reliance on recorded audio and text-to-speech technologies. 'We
believe that technology should be supporting Braille literacy, not replacing
it,' states Dr. Lee Hamilton, President and CEO of Freedom Scientific. 'The
combination of JAWS and a Braille display makes learning and using Braille
easy. JAWS can translate almost any electronic document or Web page into
Braille and then display them on the FOCUS 40 Blue. JAWS also has a built-in
Braille tutor that works with the Focus 40 Blue to provide immediate spoken
help when the reader encounters an unfamiliar Braille symbol. This makes
independent Braille study easier, as it can be used with any document of
interest to the student. With a computer and a Braille display, a person who is
Braille literate can carry hundreds of books on a single memory card or USB
thumb drive'."
http://www.freedomsci.com/News/Pressroom/2010/Braille-Prices-Support-Braille-Literacy.asp
Microsoft
Showcases Assistive Technology for Seniors – by Suzanne Robitaille (Business
Week). "Not even the vibrancy of the city that never sleeps could get
lifelong New Yorker Milton Greidinger to leave his home. Chronic illness kept
Greidinger, 86, from participating in outside activities. Loneliness set in. 'I
was just waiting for my time to finish,' Greidinger says. Now Greidinger, a former
department store salesman, has revived some social interests with the help of a
private-public partnership between Microsoft (MSFT) and the City of New York
that introduces seniors to computer, video, and Internet technology in their
homes. The program, known as the Virtual Senior Center, uses technology to
fight social isolation and give older, homebound New Yorkers better access to
community services. Working with the Benjamin Rosenthal Senior Center in
Flushing, Queens, Microsoft equipped a group of seniors, aged 67 to 103, with a
range of technology gadgets and assistive technology to help them function."
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/mar2010/tc2010037_357088.htm
The ScripTalk
Experience – by Bradley Hodges (AFB). "AccessWorld has reported on
the technical characteristics of En-Vision America's ScripTalk talking
medication system in the past, and we found the technology works well. The use
of assistive technology for identifying prescription medications is relatively
new, and only a relatively small number of people have access to it; therefore,
we thought it would be useful to talk with some people using ScripTalk. This
article summarizes conversations I conducted with ScripTalk customers, and I
have used first names and geographic locations when appropriate. Names were
provided upon request by En-Vision America. These interviews and the resulting
information provided a sort of 'snapshot' of individuals using a relatively new
technology."
http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pub.asp?DocID=aw110107
Oratio for
BlackBerry is Now Available – by Darren Burton (AFB). "On February 1, Humanware and
Code Factory announced the release of Oratio for BlackBerry, the first screen
reader available for the popular Blackberry line of cell phone/PDAs
manufactured by Research In Motion. Their release note reports that Oratio will
first be released in North America in English, supporting the BlackBerry Curve
8520 smartphone from AT&T. The Oratio software will be available through
online purchasing from www.oratio4bb.com for $449 for a single license."
http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pub.asp?DocID=aw110101
Conferences
ESPA Hosts Free
Audio Conference: How to Find a Ride - May 5, 2010 | 2 - 3 p.m.
EDT. "As part of Easter Seals Project ACTION's Promising Practices and
Solutions in Accessible Transportation, Ken Thompson, technical assistance
specialist at ESPA, will address ways customers can find a ride in their
communities. This presentation is intended for human service providers,
caregivers, and people with disabilities interested in learning more about how
to best explore their transportation options. Resources related to the
presentation will be posted one week prior to the conference. The materials
will provide more in-depth information on the topic, but it will not be
necessary to download them for the presentation."
http://projectaction.easterseals.com/site/Calendar?view=Detail&id=31561&autologin=true
Canada
DRN 2010 "Pathways To Success: The Power of Inquiry,
Connections & Mentorship" – May 17-18, 2010 |
Vancouver, British Columbia."The DRN Conference Planning Committee is
pleased to invite you to the 2010 annual conference, which will bring together
once again, practitioners in both programs and services in post-secondary
institutions from around the province, along with community based programs.
This year, we are also looking forward to including representatives from lower
mainland secondary schools with a view to strengthen the transition process for
students. This year's theme aims to bring you new information through inquiry,
expand and strengthen your efforts through connections among all stakeholders,
and foster success through mentorship. Featuring international keynote
speakers, such as David Harp : internationally- acclaimed writer and teacher of
cognitive psychology and cognitive science , actor Geri Jewell and much, much
more!"
http://www.drnbc.org/newsDetail.cfm?DNWS_NEWS_ID=760
College Committee on Disability Issues 22nd Annual Conference – May 17-20, 2010 | Huntsville, Ontario." The College
Committee on Disability Issues (CCDI) invites you to join us at Deerhurst
Conference Centre for the 22nd Annual conference. Titled 'It All Starts Here -
Transitioning from Secondary School to College or University' the conference
will highlight transitioning from secondary school to College or University to
employment. The conference program has
three tracks, Adaptive Technology, Learning Strategies and Transition /
Employment."
http://www.ccdiconference.org/
International Society for Gerontechnology 7th World Conference – May 27-30, 2010 | Vancouver, British
Columbia. "Internationally recognized experts in gerontechology will share
their knowledge and experience through lectures, symposia, workshops, papers
and posters. Topics to be addressed will include rehabilitation engineering,
robotics, telemonitoring, telecare, ICT, biomechanics and ergonomics, assistive
technology, inclusive design and
usability, smart homes and smart fabrics, sensor technology, and
cognitive aging and computer games."
http://www.sfu.ca/isg2010/about/index.html
2010 CDSA-ACEI Conference – June 2-4, 2010 | Montreal, Quebec. "The
Congress 2010 theme is 'Connected Understanding – Le savoir branché' and
encapsulates the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of research and the
importance of connecting the academic world with users of knowledge from all
sectors. It also refers to the impact of the rise of digital technology on
scholarly research."
http://www.cdsa-acei.ca/conference.html
Aiming for Accessibility - Meeting standards, making change – June 8-9, 2010 | Guelph, Ontario. "The
requirements of the Customer Service Standard of the AODA (Accessibility for
Ontarians with Disabilities Act) have now come into effect and more standards
will be enacted soon. Information and guidance on implementing the AODA
standards is more important than ever. In an expanded, two-day format, the
Aiming for Accessibility Conference is returning to offer a range of practical,
theoretical and technical instruction on the AODA standards, especially where
they relate to assistive, or information and communication technology. The
Conference will also engage attendees to move beyond a simple focus on
standards compliance and work towards the creation of a true culture of
accessibility within their institutions."
http://www.accessconf.open.uoguelph.ca/
Shine 2010 CACUSS Conference – June 20-23,
2010 | Edmonton, Alberta. "On June 20th 2010 we welcome you, our student
services colleagues from across Canada and the world to Edmonton, Alberta. This
year our theme is 'Shine: Light it Up in Edmonton'. During these trying times
of economic recession our institutions are facing pressures from many sources
that are testing our student service capabilities daily. And so, our simple
theme is meant to celebrate what we do and to shine some light into the variety
of challenges we deal with daily. In doing so we plan to celebrate solutions,
share the difficulties, focus on the positives and embrace the possibilities."
http://www.cacuss2010.ca/
21st International Congress on Education of the Deaf (ICED) – July 18-July 22, 2010 | Vancouver, British
Columbia. "On behalf of the Organizing Committee it is our pleasure to
invite you to the 21st International Congress on Education of the Deaf (ICED).
The Congress will take place at the Westin Bayshore in beautiful Vancouver B.C.
over the dates of July 18 – July 22, 2010. This is the first time Canada has
hosted the International Congress and we feel particularly privileged to show
off our beautiful city of Vancouver and Canada's West Coast. Through the theme 'Partners
In Education', we look to celebrate past achievements in education of the Deaf
while also focusing on the latest research and established best practices to
help us map out an exciting future."
http://www.iced2010.com/
2010 ACRM-ASNR Joint Educational Conference – October 20-23, 2010 | Montreal, Quebec.
"The 2010 Annual Conference reflects ACRM and ASNR's focus on creating a
dynamic, innovative, evidence-based educational conference that brings together
generators, users, and funders of rehabilitation science and research in a
collaborative effort. The 2010 Program Committee invites members and newcomers
to join this exciting effort and submit proposals
for Symposia, Morning Sessions and Research Work Sessions focusing on evidence-based
medicine."
http://www.acrm.org/annual_conference/Papers_Posters.cfm
4th National Spinal Cord Injury Conference – October 28-30, 2010 | Niagara Falls,
Ontario. "The conference will include a pre-course, plenary sessions,
poster displays and concurrent workshops that are intended to promote
collaboration and exchange among attendees in a variety of formats. Please join
us once again at the pre-eminent gathering of clinicians, research scientists
and consumers in Canada and North America who are focused on understanding and
achieving recovery among the spinal cord injury population"
http://www.torontorehab.com/education/scic10index.html
U.S.
7th International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web
Accessibility – April
26–27, 2010 | Raleigh, North Carolina. "A revolution in the information
society is now starting, based on the use of mobile phones in developing
countries. The hyper-growth of mobile phone penetration is deeply changing the
lives of people in most of the world; their ways of communicating, working,
learning, and structuring their societies. The promising next step is obviously
to access the Web. The Web has already touched the lives of over a billion
people and now is the time for the next billions. However, this expansion faces
unprecedented accessibility challenges. Even the word 'accessibility' needs a
new definition for people in the developing regions. How can someone who is
illiterate or barely literate access the Web? In some cases, a language may not
even have a written form. The affordability of the technology is also a
challenge, while access is constrained by low computational power, limited
bandwidth, compact keyboards, tiny screens, and even by the lack of electric
power. All of these constraints compound the problems of access and inclusion."
http://www.w4a.info/2010/
2010 International VSA Arts Festival – June 6-12, 2010 | Washington, D.C. "From June
6-12, 2010, VSA arts will bring together artists, educators, researchers, and
policy makers with disabilities from around the world for a multicultural
celebration of the arts and arts education. Featuring visual, performing,
literary, media artists, and a guest list that includes over two thousand
participants from all corners of the globe. . . A primary goal of the
International Festival is to provide information and effective strategies that
can be translated from theory to practice for use in the home, community, or
classroom. With this goal in mind, the 2010 International VSA arts Festival
will convene an International Education Conference at the downtown Grand Hyatt
Washington, June 10–12, 2010. Focusing on three areas—21st -Century Learning,
Inclusive Education, and Pathways to Employment—the conference features several
notable keynotes including percussionist Evelyn Glennie, Kenneth Eklindh of
UNESCO, and noted author and arts educator Sir Ken Robinson."
http://www.vsarts.org/x5992.xml
21st Annual
APSE National Conference – June 8-10, 2010 | Atlanta, Georgia. "Last
year we had a fantastic conference in Milwaukee, WI. This year will be even
better! Based on the survey responses from conference participants it was clear
that people wanted a change. This year the Conference Committee dares to be
different and so far, judging by the number of early registrations, it seems to
be paying off! We will begin the conference with our Community Conversation –
starting where we left off last year. We will hear what bold moves were
accomplished and how we can continue to move forward toward Employment First
with more bold moves. Our second day keynote will by Kyle Maynard who will
inform and inspire us to remember that Employment First is not just a slogan!
On the final day – we will close the
conference with Cary Griffin
– who will challenge us to rethink our role in this era of Employment First!"
http://www.apse.org/training/lead.cfm
The National ADA Symposium – June 20-23 | Denver, Colorado. "The National
ADA Symposium has earned the reputation as the most comprehensive conference
available on the Americans with Disabilities Act."
http://www.adasymposium.org/#
RESNA 2010 and the International Symposium on Quality of Life
Technology – June 26-30,
2010 | Las Vegas, Nevada. "Call for papers: Scientific and Student Scientific Papers
will be due January 18, 2010. Instructions for submitting these papers will be
forthcoming."
http://www.resna.org/conference/index.php
Rebuilding Sustainable Communities with the Elderly and Disabled
People after Disasters –
July 12-15, 2010 | Boston, Massachusetts. "The International Federation of
the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has estimated that between 1987 and 2007,
about 26 million older people were affected each year by natural disasters
alone and that this figure could more than double by 2050 due to the rapidly
changing demographics of ageing. Correspondingly, a recent report by Baylor
College of Medicine and the American Medical Association (Recommendations for
Best Practices in the Management of Elderly Disaster Victims) has computed that
74% of the approximately 1,200 people who died as a result of Hurricane Katrina
in New Orleans were over 60 years old and 50% were over age 75. The elderly
comprised only 11.7% of the total population."
http://www.mccormack.umb.edu/centers/crscad/RSCEPD.php
International Forum on Disability Management 2010 – September 20-22, 2010 | Los Angeles,
California. "IFDM 2010 will
advance disability management knowledge and initiatives to:
·
Realize the aspirations of people with disabilities
to find and maintain meaningful employment.
·
Support employers in achieving productive and
stable workforces.
·
Educate human resource, workers' compensation, and
disability specialists on successful techniques to accomplish desired outcomes.
·
Advocate for public policy initiatives that provide
better social protection and economic empowerment for everyone."
http://www.ifdm2010.com/
Closing The Gap 28th Annual Conference – October 21-23, 2010 | Minneapolis, Minnesota.
"This year's conference builds on a tradition of providing a comprehensive
examination of the most current uses of technology by persons with disabilities
and the professionals who work with them. Topics will cover a broad spectrum of
technology as it is being applied to all disabilities and age groups in
education, rehabilitation, vocation, and independent living."
http://www.closingthegap.com/conference/
Overseas
12th International Conference on
Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons (TRANSED 2010) – June 2-4, 2010 | Hong Kong, China. "The Hong Kong Society for
Rehabilitation (HKSR) is proud to announce that the 12th International
Conference on Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons (TRANSED
2010) will take place in Hong Kong in 2010. The theme of TRANSED 2010 is
Sustainable Transport & Travel for All. Held every three years, TRANSED
conferences are milestone events in the field of accessible transportation,
attracting researchers, policy-makers, transport operators, consumers and other
specialists
worldwide to share innovations and best practices in order to make
transportation and mobility accessible to everyone."
http://www.transed2010.hk/front/#
12th International
Conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs –
July 14-16, 2010 | Vienna, Austria. " ICCHP
focuses on all aspects related to Assistive Technologies (AT) and Information
and Communication Technologies (ICT) for people with disabilities. According
changes in awareness and understanding of disability as well as social and
legal frameworks, driven by Disability Rights and Independent Living Movements
led to what is known as eAccessibility, Universal Design or eInclusion. User
involvement and user centred design are the underlying general topic of ICCHP
leading to an interdisciplinary discussion of all stakeholders in the value
chain that allows social innovation in the information society. Interfacing the
existing and emerging Human-Computer Interface is and will stay a key issue if
ICCHP."
http://www.icchp.org/node/194
The 3rd International
Conference for Universal Design in HAMAMATSU 2010
– October 30- November 3, 2010 | Hamamatsu City, Japan. "Japan's first
international Universal Design (UD) Conference was held in Yokohama in November
2002. The declaration adopted on the last day of the enormously successful
conference stated that UD signifies the building of a comprehensive social
environment that respects the dignity of each individual by redefining
relations between the user, the designer and the producer. With the experience
of a super-aged population ahead of other countries, Japan has the
responsibility to build a model society safe and secure not just for an
increasing number of seniors but for people with disabilities, children and
expectant mothers, and ethnic groups who have different languages and diverse
cultures. For this to happen, we absolutely must have designs that incorporate
facility and diversity so as to ensure that no one due to age, gender or origin
or lacking in skills and capacity will be unfairly excluded."
http://www.ud2010.net/outline/en_prospectus.html
http://www.ud2010.net/index.en.html