Disability Resource Digest

Volume 7 Issue 11 December 2007

Accessibility

Justice Department Intervenes in Lawsuit to Make the University of Michigan Football Stadium Accessible - "The United States today filed a motion to intervene in Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America v. University of Michigan, in the Eastern District of Michigan, a lawsuit challenging the accessibility of the University of Michigan football stadium for individuals with mobility disabilities. In its complaint in intervention, the United States alleges that the university and its Board of Regents violated and continue to violate Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act by illegally discriminating against persons with disabilities by failing to make its football stadium accessible."

http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2007/November/07_crt_937.html

Advocacy

Diversity ideal excludes disabled - by Helen Henderson (TheStar). "There's an ironic disconnect developing around the terms "diversity" and "inclusion." Somewhere along the way, we have shrunk the meaning of both words. Diversity should include all people who look and think and communicate and move in ways that distinguish them from the majority. These days the term is used almost exclusively to refer to skin colour and ethnicity. My diversity is not your diversity. Who knew a concept so inclusive could become so exclusive? When most people talk about visible minorities these days, they do not have in mind kids in wheelchairs. And herein lies the irony."

http://www.thestar.com/living/article/276141

Coach takes on FA to help create disability league - (Kentnews). "A football coach is about to take on the FA in an attempt to secure support for an adult disability league in Kent. At present, youngsters with disabilities can play football in the Kent Junior PAN Disability League up to the age of 16, but this is where it ends. There is no competitive league after the age of 16 for those with disabilities, but this could all change if Maidstone Raiders coach John Harvey gets his way. Harvey has been gathering support around the county for an adult disability league for Kent and is due to give a presentation to the FA in Soho Square on his plans on December 12."

http://www.kentnews.co.uk/kent-news/Coach-takes-on-FA-to-help-create-disability-league-newsinkent6786.aspx

End Exclusion Coalition Launches National Action Plan on Disability - (CNW). "Today, under the banner of End Exclusion, people with disabilities, their families and organizations issued a road map for ending the devastating exclusion, poverty and isolation experienced by Canadians who live with disability. At 11:45am, hundreds of people will gather on Parliament Hill to help raise awareness about the issues facing Canadians with disabilities and their families. National disability organizations, joined by community groups and the general public, will provide personal testimony about the barriers facing Canadians with disabilities and share their priority issues. An Accessible and Inclusive Canada is of concern to all Canadians."

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2007/21/c3229.html

Parents of Disabled Students Push for Separate Classes - by Robert Tomsho (The Wall Street Journal). "Last fall, groups who favor placing disabled students in regular classrooms faced opposition from an unlikely quarter: parents like Norette Travis, whose daughter Valerie has autism. Valerie had already tried the mainstreaming approach that the disability-advocacy groups were supporting. After attending a preschool program for special-needs students, she was assigned to a regular kindergarten class. But there, her mother says, she disrupted class, ran through the hallways and lashed out at others -- at one point giving a teacher a black eye. 'She did not learn anything that year,' Ms. Travis recalls. 'She regressed'."

http://www.aapd.com/News/education/071127wsj.htm

Stop the Cover-up About Forced Electroshock in New York State! - by Darby Penney (Mindfreedom). "MindFreedom members and readers may recall that the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) has a history of aggressively pursuing court action to force electroshock (ECT) on unwilling inmates of its inpatient facilities. OMH officials have been vague when asked about the numbers. At a public meeting in July 2007, director of OMH recipient affairs John Allen stated that 'less than a dozen' New York State citizens received court-ordered electroshock without their consent last year at OMH facilities, and that the number of forced shocks is going down. He offered nothing to document this assertion. The fact that there were 15 court petitions for forced shock in just one judicial district in New York State during the first six months of 2007 raises questions about the accuracy of Allen's numbers."

http://www.mindfreedom.org/as/act/us/new-york/foil

Strengthening Their Bonds - by Don Aucoin (Boston Globe). "Gregory Walsh and Austin Lam sit facing each other in their wheelchairs, saying nothing. Outwardly, that is. But on a level beyond speech, the 28-year-old Walsh and the 13-year-old Austin are communicating plenty. The two have a special relationship: Walsh, who lives in Braintree, is Austin's mentor and role model. Through his own example, he teaches the Wellesley boy how to live day-to-day with the challenges posed by their shared disability: cerebral palsy. . . . It was just four years ago that Partners for Youth with Disabilities added an online component to its mentoring program, and discovered a pent-up demand. Up to that point, the organization had averaged 60 to 80 new mentorship matches a year between disabled adults and disabled youths. The organization continues to average 60 matches a year under the traditional mentoring program, but in the past four years has also added more than 600 matches under the online program."

http://www.aapd.com/News/tech/071126bg.htm

World Disability Day - (CNN). "Lizzie Cameron is in Musoma, Tanzania working with the Musoma Engineering Project. 'The students have been out and about in town all week collecting sponsorships and we've been really pleased with people's willingness to donate.' The Musoma Engineering Project is the only charity of its kind in the region and aims to provide teaching and support for local disabled children and teenagers. With the project Lizzie will be helping the teachers teach skills like woodworking, leatherwork and dressmaking. Follow her experiences in her blogs and video diaries."

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/11/27/btc.lizzie.blog.disability/

Education

Elementary & Secondary

Alberta launches post-secondary prep kit for students with disabilities - by Lisa Williams (Intergovworld). "The Government of Alberta's Ministry of Advanced Education and Technology is providing multimedia resources to students with disabilities to help ease their transition into post-secondary education. The resource kit was recently launched at the Learning Disabilities Association of Alberta conference in Calgary by the province's Minister of Education, Ron Liepert. There are approximately five multimedia resources available to students, according to Rose Prefontaine, project coordinator with the Ministry's learner services branch. The resources are designed for students from Grades 9 to 12 in the hopes of inspiring and motivating them to consider post-secondary education, said Prefontaine." [Note: to date there was no other information available online on this new service]

http://www.intergovworld.com/article/3583b0840a010408008b33e8720f5fc5/pg1.htm

Employment

Employment gap between working-age people with and without disabilities continues - (AccessibleSociety). "A dramatic 42 percent employment gap separates working-age people with and without disabilities in the workforce, Cornell University researchers reported today. The report states that 37.7 percent of people with disabilities are employed, compared with 79.7 percent of people without disabilities, making a gap of 42 percentage points. There are 22,382,000 people with disabilities of working age (21-64), 12.9 percent of the total working age population. The finding is part of an ongoing series of reports released by Cornell University in collaboration with the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)."

http://www.accessiblesociety.org/topics/economics-employment/empgap1107.html

Unemployment And Poverty Remain Dramatically High Among Workers With Disabilities - (ScienceDaily). "There is a dramatic employment and poverty gap between working-age people with disabilities and those without disabilities, according to a new Cornell report. The Third Annual Disability Status Report, the only report of its kind in the nation, reveals that almost 38 percent of people with disabilities are employed, compared with almost 80 percent of people without disabilities. There are 22.3 million people with disabilities of working age (21-64), which is 13 percent of the total working-age population."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071120111550.htm

http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/edi/disabilitystatistics/ (Disability Statistics)

International Day of Disabled Persons - "Decent work for persons with disabilities" - "December 3rd 2007 marks the International Day of Disabled Persons. The annual observance aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. The theme of the Day is based on the goal of full and equal enjoyment of human rights and participation in society by persons with disabilities, established by the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, adopted by General Assembly in 1982."

http://www.canparaplegic.org/en/Advocacy_34/items/20.html

Learning to manage with a disability - by Molly Selvin (Los Angeles Times). "UCLA's management school has for years hosted executive training sessions for African Americans, women, Latinos, lesbians, bisexuals, gays and transgender people. This week, the school convened its first-ever workshop for disabled executives, filling what experts say is a void. The five-day event closing today at the UCLA Anderson School of Management brought together disabled supervisors from a number of companies to hone their leadership skills, plot career goals and build support networks."

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-disable16nov16,1,3005470.story?coll=la-headlines-business&ctrack=1&cset=true

General Interest

20,000 vets' brain injuries not listed in Pentagon tally - by Gregg Zoroya (USAToday). "At least 20,000 U.S. troops who were not classified as wounded during combat in Iraq and Afghanistan have been found with signs of brain injuries, according to military and veterans records compiled by USA TODAY. The data, provided by the Army, Navy and Department of Veterans Affairs, show that about five times as many troops sustained brain trauma as the 4,471 officially listed by the Pentagon through Sept. 30. These cases also are not reflected in the Pentagon's official tally of wounded, which stands at 30,327."

http://www.aapd.com/News/veterans/071126usat.htm

Deaf and dumb hawkers of Nairobi - by Morton Saulo (DeafToday). "It is in the dead of the night and the streets of Nairobi are alive with all manner of businesses both legal and illegal. Entertainment lovers of all shades and sizes, and night hawkers take over the brightly lit streets. Men and women gyrate to the rhythm of the loud deafening sounds from the many entertainment joints as scantily dressed twilight girls shove one another for a prospective client's attention. If only to wile the night away. In a drunken stupor, the young and the young at heart stream out of the joints, some are heading home while others are just changing entertainment spots in search of the elusive ultimate pleasure. In the midst of all this and in a world of their own are the deaf and dumb hawkers of Nairobi fighting for a surviving chance. They are strategically positioned in all the city's main streets, where they display their wares hoping to catch the eyes of the night clientele."

http://www.deaftoday.com/v3/archives/2007/11/deaf_and_dumb_h.html

"Getting" Disability - by Josie Byzek (NewMobility). "Even though I have MS, I haven't seen a neurologist for years. First, even with insurance, it's expensive, and second, I hate how they make me feel. I show up for my appointment 15 minutes early like they ask and, maybe, an hour later I see the doc, who generally only gives me 15 minutes. Once in the doc's office I tend to feel like a child who's been hurt doing something naughty. I mustn't complain about the well-deserved pokes and prods. It goes something like this - 'Wiggle your fingers. Good! Good! Now, the other hand ... oh ... well. ...' At that moment I feel ashamed. OK, I have a guilt complex to begin with - I blame my Catholic roots - so maybe some of it comes from deep inside. Even so, there's something in the doc's tone of voice that seems to imply I somehow called MS down into my body and now I won't say or do what's necessary to kick it back out."

http://www.newmobility.com/articleView.cfm?id=11015

Lessons From the Fall - by Roxanne Furlong (NewMobility). "I've been asked to write my story, about a woman who used to compete in beauty pageants and dance and party every time the chance arose, and reconcile that younger woman with an emerging woman who uses a wheelchair, and, dare say, at 50 isn't pageant material anymore. Telling my own story may sound like an easy task, but I'm from Minnesota. We don't draw attention to ourselves, we are proud of our stoicism and we wear our modesty on our long flannel sleeves. I am a childless orphan. My father died of Parkinson's when I was 22 and my mother a year later of ovarian cancer. I had an operation at 24 to end my ability to bear children. I dreamed of adopting or fostering kids, but it never happened. Because I have facioscapularhumeral muscular dystrophy, nine years ago I began using a wheelchair and since then have gained 100 pounds. Right now I'm on my way to losing every one of them."

http://www.newmobility.com/articleView.cfm?id=11022

National Service Opens Door Wider for People with Disabilities - "The 50 million Americans who are living with disabilities will have an easier time learning about and participating in national service and volunteer programs thanks to new initiatives announced today by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Corporation is the latest partner in DisabilityInfo.gov, a collaborative effort among 22 federal government agencies dedicated to making it the leading, one-stop federal source for disability-related information. The site provides information on benefits, civil rights, community life, education, employment, housing, health, technology and other subjects. The Corporation will be providing content about service and volunteering opportunities, grants, special initiatives, and training resources geared to including people with disabilities in service."

http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/newsroom/releases_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=834

Promoting tourism for people with disabilities focus of UN forum in Bangkok - "Removing barriers and making tourism accessible to the 650 million persons with disabilities around the world who represent a huge untapped market for the travel industry will be the focus of a three-day United Nations gathering set to begin tomorrow in Bangkok. The meeting, organized by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in cooperation with Thai authorities and Disabled People International Asia-Pacific, brings together representatives of the travel industry, policymakers and people with disabilities to examine the growing market for accessible tourism in the region."

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=24749&Cr=disabilities&Cr1=

Stars Shined at the Spinal Cord Injury Hall of Fame Gala - (spinalcord.org). "Launched by the National Spinal Cord Injury Association (NSCIA) in 2005, the SCI Hall of Fame was created to recognize excellence and honor individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to quality of life and advancements toward a better future for all individuals with spinal cord injury or disease. Participation in this year's process was strong, with more than 160 nominees nationwide."

http://www.spinalcord.org/news.php?dep=1&page=0&list=1520

Berkeley puts up balance of funds for disability center - by Carolyn Jones (Chronicle). "Somewhere, Ed Roberts is smiling. A one-of-a-kind regional campus named in honor of the pioneering disability rights activist won its final round of funding Tuesday night when the Berkeley City Council voted unanimously to pay the remaining $2 million. The Ed Roberts Campus will be a Bay Area center for disability services, policy research and education. Ground will be broken in May or June, after 12 years of fundraising. 'Everyone's a little stunned,' said Dmitri Belser, president of the Ed Roberts Campus. 'People are feeling pretty happy right now. But they're also feeling a lot of incredible gratitude.' The $45 million campus, to be built on part of a parking lot at the Ashby BART station, will be a one-stop-shop for people with disabilities and their families. It will house about a dozen nonprofits, a cafe, fitness center, child care center, art gallery and other public amenities."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/11/29/BADATKMG2.DTL

Government

Canada

$225,000 Grant Buys New Wheels For Disabled Athletes - "The B.C. government has provided the BC Wheelchair Sports Association with a one-time grant worth $225,000 to help athletes with a disability participate in sporting activities, announced Claude Richmond, Minister of Employment and Income Assistance. 'The Province is strongly committed to building the best system of support in Canada for persons with disabilities, including supports to enter the work force, as they are able, and supports to participate in a wide range of leisure activities,' said Richmond. 'Supporting the BC Wheelchair Sports Association fosters a culture of participation, especially among our young people, in anticipation of the 2010 Paralympic Games.' The British Columbia Wheelchair Sports Association (BCWSA) is using a portion of the grant money to purchase a new, modified passenger van that will transport athletes and equipment to events throughout the province. The association will also purchase up to 50 new sport-specific wheelchairs and parts to repair existing equipment."

http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2007EIA0024-001525.htm

B.C. Will Exempt Federal Registered Disability Plan - "The Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance will fully exempt the federal government's Registered Disability Savings Plan when calculating clients' eligibility for disability assistance. British Columbians with disabilities who are eligible for the Government of Canada's Disability Tax Credit and their families or legal guardians will be able to contribute up to a lifetime maximum of $200,000 (after tax dollars) to a Registered Disability Savings Plan before they turn 60. The federal government has released details of proposed changes to legislation that would enable a national Registered Disability Savings Plan to be in place beginning in 2008."

http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2007EIA0025-001533.htm

Disability claims are soaring in the federal public service - (NUGPE). "Disability claims have soared to a 37-year high in the federal public service because of job stress and problems related to work-life balance, according to data compiled by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC). 'The federal government is a cesspool right now,' says James Infantino, a PSAC pensions and disability insurance officer. 'The stress levels are inconceivable, actually.' Infantino spoke with the Ottawa Citizen after making a presentation to PSAC local officers."

http://www.nupge.ca//news_2007/n06no07a.htm

Public servants disability claims soar - by Don Butler (The Ottawa Citizen). "The incidence of disability claims by federal public servants is at a 37-year-high, with women bearing a disproportionate share of the burden, according to federal government figures presented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada. In a presentation this week to a group of PSAC local officers, James Infantino, a PSAC pensions and disability insurance officer, singled out high job stress levels and problems with work-life balance as key reasons for the escalating claims."

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=8042707b-dbb1-4372-8706-111fca1e7298

New Horizons for Seniors – Capital Assistance Funding - (Human Resources and Social Development Canada). "Capital Assistance Funding helps non-profit organizations that need to upgrade their facilities or equipment used for existing seniors' programs and activities. This enables seniors to continue to participate and lead active lives through programs in their communities."

http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/community_partnerships/seniors/funding/capital_assistance/index.shtml

Research To Benefit Children With Special Needs - "The [B.C.] Province is providing $2.25 million for research that will lead to better treatments for children affected by disabilities such as Down syndrome, autism, and dyslexia and other illnesses, Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell announced today. World-renowned neuroscientist Dr. Urs Ribary has been appointed as the B.C. Leadership Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience in Early Childhood Health and Development at Simon Fraser University. Ribary is a leading researcher in magnetoencephalography (MEG) and its application for brain diagnosis and treatment. MEG uses a state-of-the-art brain imaging scanner that measures magnetic fields from the brain. Ribary will use the new SFU-Down Syndrome Research Foundation MEG Facility, the only one in Western Canada, to gather data that will lead to a better understanding of the normal and altered human brain."

http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2007AE0077-001499.htm

Shortage of qualified help big part of problem - by Brenda Branswell (The Gazette). "The Quebec government has promised to boost the number of professionals in schools to help special-needs students. But labour groups representing speech pathologists, psychologists and other professional staff in the education sector say the target set by Premier Jean Charest's government is nowhere near being reached. 'If we're talking about adding 1,000 professionals, which is what Premier Charest promised in the last election campaign ... we are very far from that promise today,' said Jean Falardeau, head of the Fédération des professionnelles et professionels de l'éducation du Québec, one of three labour groups to speak out on the issue yesterday."

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=e8535d71-0f03-4a69-868f-a01d1d7e060a

Health/Wellness

CNIB launches comprehensive new vision health guide - (CNIB). "Canadians who have questions and concerns about vision health now have the answers they need at their fingertips as CNIB launches a comprehensive new guide for older adults, their family members and friends, and health-care professionals. You and Your Vision Health: Yes! Something More Can Be Done is aimed at the growing number of people across Canada who have vision loss or are at risk of it because they are over 50. It was launched today by CNIB during the Canadian Association on Gerontology's annual meeting in Calgary."

http://www.cnib.ca/en/your-eyes/vision-health-guide/Default.aspx

Low Muscle Strength and Obesity May Lead to Troublesome Health Concerns in Later Life in Adults with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities - (ncpad). "Since the classic work of Rarick and Dobbins, who in the early 1960s reported that children with mental retardation had lower levels of physical fitness compared to their peers, we haven't had much good news regarding the overall physical health and function of youth and adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD). During the past four decades, several published studies have essentially said the same thing: As a group, individuals with I/DD have poor physical fitness that generally becomes progressively worse across the lifespan."

http://www.ncpad.org/director/fact_sheet.php?sheet=569

Physical Activity is Important for Adults Who Have Disabilities - (Podcast). "In the United States more than a fourth of the adults with disabilities are physically inactive. Regimens tailored to their needs provide many health benefits but barriers to participating in fitness activities such as inadequate space, facilities, and equipment still exist. CDC funds projects in 16 states to promote the health and well being of people with disabilities. Eliminating participation barriers to health promotion services is critical to helping them achieve their optimal health."

http://www2a.cdc.gov/podcasts/player.asp?f=6889#transcript

Report Finds U.S. Health Stagnating Or Declining, After Improvements in 1990s - (BNA). "The nation's health declined by a rate of 0.3 percent since 2006, following a decade of improvements that include mortality rates for cancer and heart disease, according to a national ranking report released Nov. 5. 'While this is a small annual change, it is part of a three year stagnation in health, which is notable as compared to the 1.5 percent per year improvements during the 1990s,' according to the report, America's Health Rankings(TM): A Call to Action for People & Their Communities. Overall, the United States still faces increasing rates of obesity, lack of health insurance coverage, and high levels of poverty--all problems identified as impediments to health improvements in the report."

http://www.aapd.com/News/health/071114bna.htm

DVD-Review: Fit For the Future - (ncpad). "Fit for the Future is collaboration between the Shiners Hospital for Children and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). This unique DVD integrates a complete stretching, strengthening and cardiovascular workout with segments in which FBI employees, both with and without disabilities, discuss the various ways in which people of all abilities can make a valuable contribution to the FBI workforce. However, in order to do so, one must be healthy and fit, and that is where this video comes into play."

http://www.ncpad.org/videos/fact_sheet.php?sheet=577

Legal

Disney Sued for Segway Ban - (AP). "Three disabled people have sued Walt Disney World for not allowing them to use their Segways to move around its theme parks. The plaintiffs are each able to stand but cannot walk far, and they have been denied permission to use their two-wheel vehicles at Disney World, according to the federal court lawsuit. The suit filed Friday says they're among an estimated 4,000 to 7,000 similarly disabled people who have turned to Segways as mobility tools. A group called Disability Rights Advocates for Technology, which raises money to donate Segways to disabled U.S. military veterans and pushes for their acceptance, previously asked theme parks to lift bans on the devices. Group co-founder Jerry Karr said Segways offer more mobility and dignity than wheelchairs."

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jr2ljrH2UJIEfg6mM0kt9lMrPrCAD8SQUB000

Kmart versus the ADA Cops - by Richard Holicky (New Mobility). "Carrie Ann Lucas wasn't looking to sue Kmart. She simply wanted to shop there but couldn't do so without running into accessibility hassles such as blocked aisles, tightly spaced clothing racks, seldom opened accessible checkout aisles, inaccessible restrooms, fitting rooms and parking lots. Lucas, a chair user due to congenital myopathy, spent years going to the store managers to point out the accessibility problems and how they violated the law. When she'd return to the same store a few weeks later, she'd find the same problems still there."

http://www.newmobility.com/articleView.cfm?id=11020

Media

Aardman ads challenge views of disability - by Mark Sweney (Guardian Unlimited). "Aardman Animations, the company behind Wallace & Gromit and Creature Comforts, has developed a range of new characters for a disability awareness campaign. The campaign, launched by the Leonard Cheshire Disability charity, is called 'Creature Discomforts' and features six animal characters, each of which is voiced by a disabled person. Characters include Flash the sausage dog, Spud the slug, Brian the bull terrier and Peg the hedgehog - all wheelchair users who have different disabilities - Slim the stick insect with a walking stick and Tim the tortoise on crutches."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/nov/12/advertising.disability

CNIB urges Canadian publishing industry to "hear the bigger picture" with first-ever collection of winners of the Governor General's Literary Awards in audio format - (CNIB). "The CNIB Library and Simply Audiobooks are unveiling the first-ever collection of winners of the Governor General's Literary Awards in audio format and hoping to draw the Canadian publishing industry's attention to a mushrooming demand for Canadian audiobooks in the larger worldwide market. CNIB, Canada's largest producer of audiobooks for consumers with a print disability, partnered with Audio Joe, Simply Audiobooks, Canadian Heritage, and publishers and authors of the winning GG titles in this unique 'proof of concept' project to produce, market and retail the 2006 GGs."

http://www.cnib.ca/en/services/library/news/listentoggs.aspx

DisJoint - A disability focused cartoon published via blog on the first of every month. The first cartoon is May, 2007.

http://www.newmobility.com/browsePosts_dis.cfm?postID=40&blogID=16

King Gimp, Academy Award Winner - "The short documentary King Gimp follows Dan Keplinger from age 13 until his graduation from college, documenting the struggle of an individual with a disability to enter the mainstream and the birth of an artist. King Gimp is exclusely distributed by Video Press, as well as two follow-up programs: The King's Miracle and The King of Arts. A school version of King Gimp is also available with adult rated language removed."

http://www.videopress.umaryland.edu/King_Gimp.html

Medical

'Brain chill prevented disability' - (UKPress). "A mother has thanked doctors for saving her newborn daughter by "chilling" the baby's brain for three days. Olivia Templar underwent the procedure after she was starved of oxygen for 10 minutes during a traumatic birth at St Michael's Hospital, in Bristol. She was fitted with a head cap attached to a cooling machine to prevent her suffering brain damage or cerebral palsy. Mother Nichola Templar, 31, from Bristol, has launched a campaign to raise money for the technology to be used nationwide."

http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hC3XtB3B0PXOFiHfI_sPPACAk71g

Caffeine helps reduce disability in very preterm babies - (CTV.ca). "Caffeine can do more that give adults a wake-up jolt early in the morning. Canadian researchers have found that it can also help very premature babies to regulate breathing and lower their chances they'll develop a disability. Infants born at less than 34 weeks gestation sometimes weigh as little as 500 grams (just over a pound) and are at risk of a myriad of complications as they struggle to survive in the outside world before their bodies are ready. One of those problems is underdeveloped lungs that sometimes causes their breathing to become interrupted due to immaturity. That can lead to the brain injuries that result when not enough oxygen reaches the brain."

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071107/caffeine_preemies_071107/20071107?hub=Health

Glia Stoke Morphine's Fires - by Jeanne Erdmann (ScienceNOW Daily News). "Opioid drugs such as morphine are the most powerful painkillers. Unfortunately, in some patients their narcotic effects lead to addiction and the need for ever-escalating doses to quell pain. New research with rats shows that blocking morphine's action on glia--a type of support cell in the nervous system--can reduce these downsides while heightening its potency against pain. Over the past decade, scientists have discovered that glial cells heighten nerve pain, such as sciatica, by exciting the neurons that transmit pain signals. Morphine deadens pain by acting at nerve synapses, but it also activates glial cells, possibly worsening the drug's side effects, such as drowsiness, tolerance, worsening of pain, and addiction."

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1923695/posts

Medical wait lists extend to psychiatric treatment; Canadians waited more than 18 weeks for care in 2007 - (Fraser Institute). "Canadians seeking psychiatric treatment faced the same lengthy wait times as patients waiting for surgical treatment in 2007, according to additional research on health care waiting times published by independent research organization The Fraser Institute. The overall national wait time for Canadians seeking psychiatric treatment stretched to 18.5 weeks in 2007 compared to 18.3 weeks for surgical treatment, which itself was an all time high."

http://www.fraserinstitute.org/commerce.web/newsrelease.aspx?nid=5066

Policy/Research

Participation and Activity Limitation Survey 2006 - (Statistics Canada). "An estimated 4.4 million Canadians—one out of every seven in the population—reported having a disability in 2006, an increase of over three-quarters of a million people in five years, according to a new report. The report was based on data from the Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS). Data showed that the number of people who reported a disability increased 21.2% from 3.6 million in 2001, the last time the survey was conducted. In 2001, 12.4% of the population reported a disability. By 2006, this rate had increased to 14.3%."

http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/071203/d071203a.htm

Disability and caring among families with children: Family employment and poverty characteristics - by Stephen McKay and Adele Atkinson (Department for Work and Pensions, UK). "This report looks at a cross-section of families in relation to disability, caring and employment. The main aims are to investigate the characteristics of families, including their employment propensities, where there is one or more:

• disabled adult; and/or

• disabled child or child with health problems, including families with both disabled adults and children; or

• member with caring responsibilities, inside or outside the household.

Families with children represent around 40 per cent of households that contain carers and a similar proportion of adults with health problems."

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2007-2008/rrep460.pdf

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/

Residential Care Facilities - (Statistics Canada). "The term 'residential care facilities' refers to facilities with four beds or more that are funded, licensed or approved by provincial/territorial departments of health and/or social services. This report focuses on homes for the aged, facilities for persons with mental disorders and other facilities which provide health or social care. Facilities for the aged include homes for the aged, nursing homes, lodges for senior citizens and rest homes. Certain facilities such as apartments or other homes for seniors not providing any level of care were not included. Facilities for persons with mental disorders include facilities for the psychiatrically disabled, developmentally delayed, emotionally-disturbed children and centres for those with drug/alcohol problems. Some psychiatric institutions are included here. Other residential care facilities include those for persons with physical disabilities, for delinquents, for transients and facilities that do not fit in any of the other categories."

http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/83-237-XIE/83-237-XIE2008001.htm (HTML)

http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/83-237-XIE/83-237-XIE2008001.pdf (PDF)

Risk of Disability Rises in States with Income Inequality - (Newswise). "A massive survey conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto reveals Americans living in states with high rates of income inequality are significantly more likely to have a disability that limits the completion of daily tasks such as dressing, bathing and mobility at home. 'We've always known personal income and education can affect one's health outcomes,' says Esme Fuller-Thomson, study co-author and assistant professor of social work at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at U of T. 'What we didn't know until now was the substantial strength of the relationship between state-level income inequality and disability. This research shows that individuals have a higher likelihood of physical disability when they live in states where wealth is distributed very unevenly'."

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/535334/

Spinal cord injury, Australia, 2005-06 - by Raymond A Cripps (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare). "Severe spinal cord injury (SCI) is a very debilitating injury. This report presents information from the Australian Spinal Cord Injury Register (ASCIR) on 374 newly incident cases from trauma and disease in the year 2005-06. During the year, 284 new cases of SCI from traumatic causes were registered in Australia, an age-adjusted incidence rate of 15.7 cases per million population. The most common clinical outcome of SCI was incomplete tetraplegia (93 cases). Transport related injuries (46%) and falls (33%) accounted for over three-quarters of the 284 cases of traumatic SCI. Cases also occurred during sport (n=35) and working for income, including travel to and from work (n=43). Falling was the most common type of event leading to traumatic SCI at older ages. The ASCIR is a collaborative activity of the AIHW National Injury Surveillance Unit and all of the specialist spinal units in Australia."

http://www.apo.org.au/linkboard/results.chtml?filename_num=182978

What is deaf equivalent to voice telephony? - (Australian Association of the Deaf). "This paper outlines the views of Australian Association of the Deaf (AAD) and its members in relation to accessibility in the telecommunications environment in Australia, with particular focus on what the Deaf community perceives to be equivalent to voice based telephony."

http://www.aad.org.au/info/paper_voctel.php

Technology

Accessibility Suite 8.0 Making Universal Design Affordable - "It's Premier Assistive Technology's goal to provide the most cost-effective solutions for the literacy marketplace. Premier Assistive's progressive enterprise licensing model makes it possible for schools to provide the entire suite of literacy tools to all students, including "at risk", ESL, and general and special education students. Unlike other companies that charge for each individual physical site, Premier Assistive Technology's unlimited site license includes every computer owned by an organization, regardless of the location of each."

http://www.pr-usa.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=42301&Itemid=9

Assistive technology industry unites to back DLF's plan - (Yourable). "Leading companies in the Assistive Technology (AT) industry have come together to support the Disabled Living Foundation's plan to develop a free, impartial web-based advice and information portal on AT. The DLF's initiative to release all its data onto the internet for public use began with the launch of 'Bathing made easy' (www.bathingmadeeasy.com), the personal care section of its database. ARJO, Mangar International Ltd, Kingkraft Ltd and Mountway Ltd have joined Nottingham Rehab Supplies as major sponsors of 'Bathing made easy'. In addition, the Tunstall Group has joined forces with the DLF to create a new section called 'Telecare made easy', which will be launched in 2008."

http://www.youreable.com/TwoShare/getPage/01News/01Current/November2007/assistive%20tech

Babies Driving Robots at University - (Newswise). "Babies driving robots. It sounds like the theme of a cartoon series but it is actually the focus of important and innovative research being conducted at the University of Delaware that could have significant repercussions for the cognitive development of infants with special needs. Two UD researchers – James C. (Cole) Galloway, associate professor of physical therapy, and Sunil Agrawal, professor of mechanical engineering – have outfitted kid-size robots to provide mobility to children who are unable to fully explore the world on their own."

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/535180/

GHN Technologies Introduces a Revolutionary Chair to Aid in the Sit-to-Stand Transition - "For many people, the seemingly easy task of moving from a sitting position to a standing position or vice versa is actually quite strenuous. GHN Technologies' Eleva-Chair solves this problem. The Eleva-Chair does so without placing strain on the body or body tissue or exuding a sense of instability. Accordingly, it is not a lift-chair recliner. Moreover, the Eleva-Chair™ can be customized to look more like a tasteful piece of furniture as opposed to a mechanical apparatus."

http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2007/11/emw566512.htm

IBM, Universities Collaborate on Technologies for the Aging Workforce - "IBM and the researchers at the University of Dundee School of Computing (UK) and the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine are collaborating to develop open source software technology tools to accommodate the needs of older workers to help them adapt to and remain productive in the changing workplace of the 21st century."

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/marketwire/0329721.htm

Innovations: Consumer Companies Catch On - by Mark E. Smith (NewMobility). "As a result of the rapidly aging population, the market for various assistive technologies used by those with disabilities will expand dramatically by the year 2020, not only in the United States, but also in the U.K., Europe, Italy and China. And mainstream manufacturers of consumer goods are taking note, designing innovative products to serve those with disabilities. Honda Motor Company - known for its automobiles, motorcycles and recreational vehicles - has entered the mobility market, launching its Monpal mobility scooter. As a mobility device, the Monpal is a bold move for Honda, reaching out to a consumer demographic that other mainstream transportation manufacturers haven't yet addressed: those of us with disabilities."

http://www.newmobility.com/articleView.cfm?id=11019

Microsoft & Novell Extend Hated Pact - "The infamous Microsoft-Novell interoperability/patent protection deal that FOSSers love to hate just passed its first birthday and, bragging that it's exceeded their original business targets, the pair has extended the arrangement. They're going to create a cross-platform accessibility model that links the existing Windows and Linux frameworks used to build assistive technology products that enable people with disabilities to interact with computers. At the same time they disclosed the names of 30 new customers, including Costco, Southwest Airlines, the City of Los Angeles and Zabka Polska, one of the largest retail chains in Poland, that will be getting Microsoft certificates for three-year priority support subscriptions for SUSE."

http://opensource.sys-con.com/read/458588.htm

Microsoft Users to 'Save As DAISY' - "Today Microsoft Corp. and the Digital Accessible Information SYstem (DAISY) Consortium announced a joint standards-based development project that will make it possible for computer users who are blind or print-disabled to make better use of assistive technology in their daily lives. A reference model for other Open XML solution providers, this open technical collaboration project on SourceForge.net will yield a free, downloadable plug-in for Microsoft Office Word that can translate Open XML-based documents into DAISY XML, the foundation of the globally accepted DAISY Standard for reading and publishing navigable multimedia content."

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/AQTU10013112007-1.htm

New Devices Open Communications for Deaf - by Seth Sutel (AP Business Writer). "Five years ago the staff at Ken Gan's auto repair shop told him they needed to find a better way of communicating with customers who were deaf. 'I said, let me go shopping _ I'll buy you whatever's out there,' said Gan, of Rochester, N.Y., which has a significant community of deaf people. For three months, Gan came up empty-handed. There wasn't anything in the market to facilitate face-to-face communication in a situation such as a shop or office. So Gan hired some electrical engineers and a patent attorney and came up with the Interpretype. The small device with a keyboard and display hooks up to another Interpretype or a PC, allowing a hearing person and a deaf person to type messages to each other. It turned out to be such an improvement over passing scribbled notes that Gan gets up to 30 deaf customers a month, up from two to three per month before."

http://www.aapd.com/News/telecomm/071106foxn.htm

Yahoo! Mail now also for visually impaired - "Yahoo! India Research & Development has announced the launch of a new product which will help the visually impaired people to use Yahoo! Mail service. The company said Yahoo! Mail Classic, which has support for accessibility, will help the visually impaired users to use Yahoo! Mail with similar ease as other users."

http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c_online.php?leftnm=11&bKeyFlag=IN&autono=30382

Conferences

( New Conferences)

Canadian

24th International Seating Symposium - March 5-8, 2008 | Vancouver, British Columbia. "This international symposium addresses current and future developments in the areas of seating, positioning and mobility. Topic areas include service delivery, product development, research and evaluation. The format for the symposium will include plenary, poster, instructional and paper sessions. Extensive opportunities are provided for networking with colleagues."

http://www.interprofessional.ubc.ca/24th_Seating.htm

Eighth International Conference on the Diversity in Organisations, Communities and Nations - June 17-20, 2008 | Montreal, Quebec. "Welcome to website of the Eighth International Conference on the Diversity in Organisations, Communities and Nations. This Conference is to be held in Montréal, Canada 17-20 June 2008. This conference will address a range of critically important themes in the study of diversity today. Main speakers will include some of the world's leading thinkers in the field, as well as numerous paper, workshop and colloquium presentations by researchers and practitioners."

http://d08.cgpublisher.com/

CHHA - IFHOH, Congress 2008 - July 2-6, 2008 | Vancouver, British Columbia. "The Canadian Hard of Hearing Association and the International Federation of Hard of Hearing People invite you to attend the International Congress for persons with hearing loss to be held in Canada at the fabulous Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center in downtown Vancouver. Programs will be of interest to all persons with hearing loss, and to those who live, work and are part of the lives of persons with hearing loss. This Congress is a 'must' if hearing loss has touched your life."

http://www.chha-ifhohcongress2008.com/

Vision 2008, the 9th International Conference on Low Vision - July 7-11, 2008 | Montreal, Quebec. "In 2008, the 9th International Conference on Low Vision will be held from July 7 to 11 in Montréal, one of Canada's major cities. The Institut Nazareth & Louis-Braille (A Rehabilitation Centre specialized in visual impairment) and the University of Montréal's School of Optometry will oversee the organization of this Conference in partnership with the CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) under the auspices of the International Society for Low Vision Research and Rehabilitation (ISLRR)."

www.vision2008.ca

21st RI World Congress - Disability Rights and Social Participation: Ensuring a Society for All - August 25-28, 2008 | Quebec City, Quebec. - "The international community is facing a unique opportunity to drastically improve the living conditions of hundreds of millions of people with disabilities by implementing the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This treaty provides the framework for the development of good policies, actions and projects which can have a positive impact on the lives of people with disabilities all over the world. People with disability, their family and friends, human rights advocates, experts, government representatives, service providers and civil society leaders from all over the world will gather in Quebec City, Canada from August 25-28, 2008, for the 21st RI World Congress to discuss key disability issues and build partnerships."

http://www.riquebec2008.org/

U.S.

Disability and Special Needs Technical Assistance Conference (Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery) - January 8-9, 2008 | Washington, D.C. "The Disability and Special Needs Technical Assistance Conference will provide technical assistance on aspects of emergency management planning and response for people with disabilities and special needs. Recent disasters have made us aware of plans and operational procedures related to response and recovery to these populations in any natural or non-natural disaster. This conference will bring together Federal, State, and local experts to discuss day-to-day challenges in planing for their vulnerable populations. You will learn new concepts currently used or being developed to address disability and special needs planning in their jurisdictions."

http://www.governmenthorizons.org/emergency-preparedness-and-response08.htm

Technology, Reading & Learning Diversity Conference 2008 - January 24-26, 2008 | San Francisco,California. - "For over 25 years, educators have been meeting at the TRLD Conference for team building, fostering networking opportunities and to acquire knowledge, skills and solutions to help their students succeed. Historically, TRLD draws 600 to 900 focused and dedicated educators from the US, Canada and internationally.TRLD is the only conference of its kind, integrating technology interventions with expert literacy strategies to help students of all ages (K-12 through adult) succeed. TRLD brings together educators, experienced literacy leaders, and technology experts to share, discuss, and work toward a solution to the nationwide concern of bringing literacy success to ALL students."

http://www.trld.com/about/index.html

23rd Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference - March 10-15, 2008 | Los Angeles, California. "The 23rd Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference invites submissions of papers for this conference to be held March 10-15, 2008 at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott and Renaissance Montura hotels. The 'CSUN' conference is the world's longest-running and largest conference of its kind on the topic of assistive technology and the positive impact on persons with disabilities. The conference draws more than 4,500 persons annually who attend sessions, visit the exhibit halls, and participate in affiliate meetings and informal gatherings."

http://www.csun.edu/cod/conf/index.html

5th Annual International Conference for Positive Behavior Support - March 27-29, 2008 | Chicago, Illinois. "The 5th International Conference on Positive Behavior Support is an international conference dedicated to promoting research-based strategies that combine applied behavior analysis and biomedical science with person-centered values and systems change to increase quality of life and decrease problem behaviors. The Association of Positive Behavior Support (APBS) is made up of professionals, family members, trainers, consumers, researchers, and administrators who are involved and interested in positive behavior support."

http://www.apbs.org/conference/chicago/default.html

A State of the Science Conference - April 14-15, 2008 | Cambridge, Massachusetts. "This state of the science conference brings together participants from the USA, Canada and an estimated 25 nations into an exciting learning community, integrating research, practice and innovations. Goal of Conference: To highlight efforts and practices directed at making recovery a real possibility for the broadest group of individuals with psychiatric disabilities and to promote the mainstreaming of those practices into 'everyday operations'."

http://www.bu.edu/cpr/conference/index.html

2008 Mobility Planning Services Institute - April 21-24, 2008 | Washington, D.C. "The 2008 Mobility Planning Services (MPS) Institute will take place from April 21-24, 2008 in Washington, D.C. MPS brings together community teams of leaders from the disability world and transportation industry to share information and strategies to improve access to transportation services in their communities."

http://projectaction.easterseals.com/site/PageServer?pagename=ESPA_mobility_planning

Multiple Perspectives on Access, Inclusion, & Disability: Looking Back & Thinking Ahead - April 22-23, 2008 | Columbus, Ohio. "The Eighth Annual Multiple Perspectives conference continues the university's efforts to bring together a diverse audience to explore disability as both an individual experience and social reality that cuts across typical divisions of education & employment; scholarship & service; business & government; race, gender & ethnicity. This year's theme 'looking back and thinking ahead' is meant to encourage presenters and participants to consider topics, methods and programs from fresh perspectives."

http://ada.osu.edu/conferences/2008Conf/callforpapers2008.html#utmost

Overseas

4th Cambridge Workshop on Universal Access and Assistive Technology – April 13-16, 2008 | Cambridge, United Kingdom. "'Creating a better balance of work, living and leisure, for disability and ageing' The workshop theme 'Designing Inclusive Futures' reflects the need to explore the issues and practicalities of design that is intended to extend our active future lives in a coherent way. This encompasses design for inclusion: in the workplace; for businesses; for the individual and of products in these contexts."

http://rehab-www.eng.cam.ac.uk/cwuaat/

Disability Studies Conference - September 2-4, 2008 | Lancaster University, United Kingdom. "The fourth international disability studies conference will take place at Lancaster University, UK. The purpose of the conference is to bring together researchers, practitioners, policy makers and activits to share and debate research, ideas and developments in disability studies. A call for papers and posters will be issued in January 2008. The closing date for abstracts will be 30th April. Submissions are particularly welcomed from students, activists and first time presenters, activists and first time presenters. We seek to provide a supportive environment for people making their first conference presentations and to be as accessible as possible to all delegates."

http://www.disabilitystudies.net/?content=3

19th IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics - July 5-9, 2009 | Paris, France. "Every four years, the World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics represents a unique and irreplaceable event attended by experts from around the world to discuss the latest findings in the field of ageing. The 19th congress, which is taking place in Paris in 2009, is particularly important, as it coincides with an ideological u-turn. Lifespan extension and the

growing number of elderly people, once considered as catastrophic, are now viewed as an indisputable progress."

http://www.gerontologyparis2009.com/site/view8.php