Anti-poverty advocates pan Ontario budget – by Bill Johnston (No Excuse: The Poverty Project). "The early reviews of the Ontario budget's impact on people living on social assistance are strongly negative. Today's budget had two main provisions affecting Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program recipients.
· The adult basic-needs allowances and maximum shelter allowances for those on OW and ODSP will rise by 1 per cent starting this fall.
· The Special Diet Allowance will be scrapped, to be replaced by 'a new nutritional supplement program' over the next several months.
The increase is less than inflation."
http://poverty.thespec.com/2010/03/ontario-budget-panned-by-antipoverty-advocates.html
Budget puts food plan on diet – by Antonella Artuso (Toronto Sun). "As poverty activists feared, the Ontario government is yanking a $200 million special diet allowance for people on social assistance. The program will be replaced with a new 'nutritional supplement program' administered not by social services, but by the health ministry. Officials would provide no immediate information on this new program nor confirm how much money would be invested."
http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2010/03/25/13360186.html
Diabetic fears losing special diet allowance – by Laurie Monsebraaten (The Star). "Vose is afraid the government's plan to replace the Special Diet Allowance with a nutritional supplement will mean less money to buy food. Vose was disappointed there was nothing for affordable housing, and just a one per cent rate increase in social assistance. 'Eleven extra dollars a month isn't going to go very far,' he said."
http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/ontariobudget/article/785637--diabetic-fears-losing-special-diet-allowance
Families fight for maximum Ontario Child Benefit payments – by John Bonnar (Rabble.ca). "Concerned groups in the Hamilton area descended on Queen's Park Tuesday, demanding the Ontario government stop the 'claw back' of the Ontario Child Benefit from social assistance recipients. The Ontario Child Benefit (OCB) provides financial support for low income families, reaching more than one million children each month. In July 2009, maximum payments increased from $50 to almost $92 per month for each child. But most of the OCB is clawed back from families on social assistance by reducing the Basic Needs portion of the parents' benefits. Worst hit by the claw back are parents with one teenager, who now receive only $1 (one dollar) per month more than in 2008. 'What this means is a single parent like myself received what amounted to a $1 increase,' said Amy MacPherson, an Ontario Disability Support Plan recipient with a 13-year-old son. 'My son has done nothing wrong and I didn't choose to be disabled.' MacPherson said she was a fully functioning member of society until a drunk driver put her in a coma and shattered her body from the waist up."
http://www.rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/johnbon/2010/04/families-fight-maximum-ontario-child-benefit-payments
Government Has Decided to Eliminate the Special Diet Allowance Program – (The Income Security Advocacy Centre). "On March 25, as part of its 2010 budget, the provincial government announced that it will cancel the Special Diet Allowance Program and replace it with a new program. The government has said very little at this point about what the new program will be."
http://www.incomesecurity.org/specialdiet.htm
http://www.incomesecurity.org/specialdietwhathappened.htm (backgrounder)
http://www.incomesecurity.org/specialdietanalysis.htm (analysis)
What the 2010 Ontario Budget means for Ontario's social assistance programs – "The 2010 Provincial Budget announced on March 25, 2010, included changes that will affect both Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program:
· The elimination of the Special Diet Allowance
· The creation of a new nutritional supplement program, administered by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, for individuals on social assistance with severe medical needs, and
· A 1% social assistance rate increase."
http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/programs/social/budget_social.aspx
AccessibilityOnline – "AccessibilityOnline represents a collaborative training program between the ADA National Network (DBTACs) and the US Access Board. The program includes a series of free webinars and audio conferences on different topics of accessibility. Sessions are held on a monthly basis and cover a variety of topics concerning accessibility to the built environment, information and communication technologies, and transportation."
http://www.accessibilityonline.org/
Accessibility Scores High Marks At Twins' New Ballpark – by Shaun Heasley (Disability Scoop). "Accessibility is the word at the Minnesota Twins' new ballpark, as fans relying on wheelchairs bask in their unobstructed views of the field and extra touches like nearby plugs to recharge mobility devices. Planners for the new stadium known as Target Field, say they intentionally went above and beyond the accessibility requirements mandated by law. For example, all of the entrances are wheelchair accessible even though laws only require a portion to be. Beyond that, the stadium has a slew of little touches that disability advocates say make it the most accessible in the country. The counters at concession stands are designed to be 8 inches lower than normal. At the ticket windows, an agents' lips are fully visible to the customer so that those who lip read can complete a transaction. And all of the stadium's restaurants and elevators are also fully accessible."
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/04/20/ballpark-accessible/7750/
Access to Technology: An Online Tutorial – "This tutorial, created by DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology), describes how people with disabilities use computers, tells how technology can be made accessible, and lists resources for further study. To complete the tutorial, simply read the documents and freely view the video presentations online; you can also purchase the videos in DVD format from DO-IT."
http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Technology/aeit.html
Disability Rights Shocker: Paralympian Wheelchair Racer Richie Powell Barred from Plane – by Kerry Laird (Disaboom). "Disability rights recently took center stage in the news once again in a particularly demeaning way. As a Paralympian and wheelchair racing star, Richie Powell knows how to shred competitors on the track, but a recent run in with Eastern Airways left the 39-year-old British athlete stranded when he was told by an airline employee, 'You can only fly if you walk up the steps (to the plane).' Scheduled to fly from Bristol in southern England to Aberdeen, Scotland for a wheelchair race, Powell stated that he was 'angry and embarrassed' by the blatant refusal of the British airline to allow him to walk with his arms instead of his legs."
http://www.disaboom.com/disability-rights-and-advocacy-general/disability-rights-shocker-paralympian-wheelchair-racer-richie-powell-barred-from-plane
FCC Releases First-Ever Paper On Accessibility And Technology Issues – "Today, the Federal Communications Commission issued the agency's first ever working paper [links to pdf document] addressing accessibility and technology issues. Part of a series of working papers released in conjunction with the National Broadband Plan, the paper considers the numerous barriers to broadband usage faced by people with disabilities, including inaccessible hardware, software, services, and web content and expensive specialized assistive technologies."
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-297711A1.pdf
Autism May Not Affect Every Family, But Every Family Can Affect Autism – (PRWEB). "Ever feel compelled to help a cause you believe in, but just don't know how? By donating to Easter Seals Act for Autism, you can join the fight for families with autism so they can get the care, guidance and support they need. . . . Easter Seals believes every individual with autism should have access to effective services and support, and guidance at every life stage. That is how its Act for Autism campaign came about – to make sure these critical services become a reality for families living with autism and to help turn parents' dreams for their child's future from fearful to hopeful."
http://www.prweb.com/releases/Act_for_Autism/Easter_Seals/prweb3826434.htm
Greater awareness and understanding of autism needed, says UN chief – (UN.org). "Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon marked World Autism Awareness Day today by appealing for stepped-up understanding of the disability that affects millions worldwide. Autism, which affects people all around the globe, impedes the ability to communicate and develop social relationships, and is often accompanied by extreme behavioural challenges. Estimates vary, but it is believed that up to nearly 70 million worldwide are afflicted with the disability."
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=34272&Cr=health&Cr1=
Greene: Apathy adds insult to injury – by Susan Greene (Denver Post). "This is about a broken leg, a busted health care network and a state agency breaching its responsibilities. It's also about a family fed up with fighting the system. Andy Fox, 42, has had a brain injury since birth, is profoundly developmentally disabled and has trouble communicating. He loved to hike and bike. Moving was one of the things he could do best. Then he tripped and fell on a sidewalk last March. The staff at Littleton Adventist Hospital failed to diagnose the cause of the pain that Fox's family could see was overwhelming him. Still unable to walk weeks later, he returned to the ER and again was sent home undiagnosed. His pain persisted, but his family says the hospital refused their pleas to do a bone scan. Fox's primary care doctor also shrugged off his injury, his parents say, commenting that their son looked very comfortable in his wheelchair. The assumption was that pain was just another aspect of his disability and that the people advocating for him weren't credible enough to be listened to."
http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_14906754
Joey Pants — No Kidding... Him Too! – (Ability Magazine). "Although best known for his scene-stealing roles in The Matrix, The Fugitive, and the popular HBO series The Sopranos, Joe Pantoliano isn't just a celebrated character actor. His latest and perhaps most vital role is that of an activist. Called 'Joey Pants' by fans and friends alike, Pantoliano strives to raise social awareness and understanding of mental health through the work of his non-profit, No Kidding, Me Too! (NKM2). His efforts have spun the non-profit into a documentary of the same name, which addresses the challenges of mental health at both a global and at a very personal level. Pantoliano recently took some time from touring with the film to chat with ABILITY Magazine's Chet Cooper about what the film and mental illness mean in his own day-to-day life."
http://www.abilitymagazine.com/mental-health/joe-pantoliano-chet-cooper.html
Autism: Time for Civility – by Liane Kupferberg Carter (Huffington Post). "On April 2, we will celebrate the third annual World Autism Awareness Day. But there is a war raging within the autism community. Parents are still pitted against each other over the vaccine issue, despite the fact that numerous well designed scientific studies have failed to show any causal link. Autism parents still fracture along the biomedical divide. Some parents say they have "recovered" their children from autism, using treatments that are often expensive and/or haven't been rigorously and scientifically tested, while other families - mine included - have tried many of these same therapies and seen no results, or disappointing ones at best."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/liane-kupferberg-carter/autism-time-for-civility_b_521521.html
Deborah Kendrick commentary: Many have suffered over false belief that disability is payback – by Deborah Kendrick (Dispatch). "I love the Bible. But there are certain passages that always have made me squirm. Something about the references to curing people – 'the blind,' 'the lame' or the folks 'possessed by demons' always has made me want to disappear until the reading was over. It's not that I don't believe in miracles, because I do. No, I squirm because I've always sensed that among the ill-informed (albeit hidden) beliefs about disability is the concept that it is payback for sin."
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/editorials/stories/2010/04/25/many-have-suffered-over-false-belief-that-disability-is-payback.html?sid=101
Henderson: See Jane Fonda tout 'world' fitness, but only for the able bodied – (The Star). "'Like Woodstock without the drugs and the rain.' It's not exactly a new thought but it's one of the ways, Jane Fonda, 72, has chosen to represent what she is billing as 'the world's first World Fitness Day.' No surprise that the first World Fitness Day, scheduled for May 1 in Atlanta, is being launched by the former big-screen star. No surprise that its website, www.worldfitnessday.org, also touts her as the world's foremost small-screen star. (The original 1982 Jane Fonda's Workout is still 'the top-grossing home video of all time,' we are reminded.) But will it feel like an inclusive event recognizing that people in wheelchairs — gasp! — also work at, and benefit from, exercise? Not if the initial promotional material is anything to go by."
http://www.thestar.com/living/disabilities/article/797510--see-jane-tout-world-fitness-but-only-for-the-able-bodied
Parents of Adults with Developmental Disabilities: How to Cut the Apron Strings – by Michael McGrath (Disaboom). "'Adam, I am not helping you put your underwear on! You are nearly 20 years old. You should be able to do this yourself.' Adam, an adult with developmental disabilities, just sat there naked on the bench in the men's locker room, staring at the floor, sucking on the fingers of his right hand. He was born a twin, but he had a stroke in-utero. His brother didn't suffer the same fate. Adam's limitations are substantial, and yet, in spite of them, he is a pleasant young man to be around. He never has anything bad to say about anyone, has a pleasant smile, a contagious laugh and loves to receive positive feedback. Adam's one obstacle is that other people do everything for him. And I mean everything! At least they did until I showed up."
http://www.disaboom.com/children-with-disabilities/parents-of-adults-with-developmental-disabilities-how-to-cut-the-apron-strings
Walk'n Roll – by Tim Gilmer (New Mobility). "Recently I read an article in Parade magazine about a robot-like product that the author claims, for now, 'represents the best science has to offer paraplegics.' Yet another device designed by a well-meaning inventor who thinks all paras want is to stand and walk again, no matter how awkward, noisy and impractical the invention. Sorry, but I just don't buy it, and won't, not for $30,000-$40,000. Before you cast me as an embittered old cripple who curses fate daily for his unbearable loss, hear me out. What galls me is the way Parade packages the invention: 'Prescription Hope/Restoring the Power to Walk.' I've written before about the first article I ever saw like this, published in the L.A. Times in 1966, which introduced functional electrical stimulation — in those days called bioelectric engineering. That pioneering concept, now 44 years old, was more forward-thinking than this recent option, mainly because it had the ability to restore muscle tone and was a novel use of a mainframe computer — with potential to be miniaturized and refined many times over."
http://www.newmobility.com/articleView.cfm?id=11610
Workplace Accommodations and Home Modifications Certificate Program – "With Georgia Tech's exciting certificate program, Workplace Accommodations and Home Modifications, you will learn to create solutions that facilitate greater independence for people with disabilities and aging adults."
http://www.pe.gatech.edu/assistive-technology/assistive-technology-certificates/workplace-accommodations
City Pushes Shift for Special Education – by Jennifer Medina (NY Times). "The Bloomberg administration, struggling to address the needs of a growing number of students with learning disabilities, is overhauling special education by asking every principal to take in more of the students and giving them greater flexibility in deciding how to teach them. This fall, more than 250 schools will be asked to accept more students with disabilities rather than send them to schools that have specific programs for special education, as has been the case for decades."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/29/education/29schools.html
Tory leader tackled on schools bias – by Sunil Peck (Disability Now). "An exchange between a father who fought to get his disabled son into mainstream school and David Cameron exposes a myth that the education system would be fairer for disabled children under a Conservative government, campaigners have said. The Conservative manifesto pledges to increase choice for the parents of disabled children by ending what the party describes as the 'bias' towards including disabled children in mainstream schools and ending the 'ideologically-driven' closure of special schools. But Jonathan Bartley, who challenged David Cameron on his education policy after he battled for two years and spent thousands of pounds to get his son Samuel into a mainstream school, told the Conservative leader that there was a bias against rather than for inclusion and that his policy would lead to segregation."
http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/latest-news2/tory-leader-tackled-on-schools-bias
Virginia to launch standardized test for disabled students – by Michael Alison Chandler (Washington Post). "Virginia education leaders moved this week to introduce a standardized test for students with disabilities and phase out a widely used alternative that many officials say is undermining the state's accountability system. The modified multiple-choice test is expected to be more objective than the flexible, portfolio-style exam that thousands of students in Northern Virginia are assessed with now."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/23/AR2010042303285.html
Are people with disability at risk at work? A review of the evidence – by Su Mon Kyaw-Myin (Australian Policy Online). "This report shows that workers with a disability are not an increased occupational health and safety risk. The research findings suggest that workers with a disability have on average, a lower number of OHS incidents and have lower workers' compensation costs, in comparison to other employees. Contrary to common perceptions by employers that people with disability pose an increased OHS risk in their workplace, this research shows that the opposite is true."
http://www.apo.org.au/research/are-people-disability-risk-work-review-evidence
Disability in the Workplace National Poetry Contest Winners Announced – (PRNewswire). "Fedcap Rehabilitation Services, Inc. (Fedcap) is excited to announce the winners of its Words about Work! writing contest focusing on overcoming barriers and disabilities in the workplace. . . . Words about Work! is a national poetry contest that was open to adults and children and sponsored by Fedcap – a nonprofit dedicated to providing vocational training and employment opportunities for people with disabilities and other barriers. Contestants were asked to submit poems or essays on what work means to them and how they have overcome barriers to work. Entries were judged by an independent panel of poets and writers from the Yale Club Poetry Group. The winners, runners up, and honorable mentions can be found at www.wordsaboutwork.org."
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/disability-in-the-workplace-national-poetry-contest-winners-announced-91463024.html
A team motivated by love in 'Devoted: The Story of a Father's Love for His Son' – by Robert Trishman (Deseret News). "Rick Hoyt was a healthy baby five minutes before he was born, but a complication left him with cerebral palsy; he would have no use of his limbs and would be unable to speak. In 'Devoted,' Rick's father, Dick, recounts how his family worked together — especially Dick and Rick — and overcame barriers to provide hope for people with disabilities. Dick and then-wife Judy decided that they would raise Rick as they would any other child, rather than put him in an institution as doctors recommended. They wanted to give Rick a chance at what they felt was a normal life."
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700023345/A-team-motivated-by-love-in-Devoted-The-Story-of-a-Fathers-Love-for-His-Son.html
Easter Seals and Google SketchUp Want You to Sketch-A-Space for Autism Awareness – (PRNewswire). "Today, disability service providers from across the country and members of the autism community gathered to launch Easter Seals online contest Sketch-A-Space, supported by Google SketchUp. As one of the nation's largest providers of autism services, Easter Seals is calling for entrants to use the free Google SketchUp software to design a room of their dreams—for a chance to win $2,000 to make their space become a reality. . . . Entries can be submitted at www.easterseals.com/sketchaspace between April 26, 2010 and July 16, 2010. Winners will be announced in early Fall 2010."
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/easter-seals-and-google-sketchup-want-you-to-sketch-a-space-for-autism-awareness-92104154.html
Government
Canada
Province mulling fate of development centre - Protesters push for group home funding – by Mary Agnes Welch (Winnipeg Free Press). "The Selinger government is about to decide the fate of the Manitoba Developmental Centre -- a sprawling institution for the mentally disabled that protesters said Wednesday must be mothballed immediately. About 40 protesters gathered at the Legislative Building to pressure the NDP to shut down the Portage la Prairie facility and better fund group homes that allow people to live in the community. Since 2005, the province has fast-tracked the move toward community living and it's likely MDC will run out of residents in about a decade -- not fast enough for some who say the NDP must finally stop warehousing the mentally disabled in institutions. Advocates for the disabled consider it a human rights issue, and argue MDC's funding could be better spent on bolstering aid so that even the most severely disabled can live in the community."
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/province-mulling-fate-of-development-centre-89669477.html
US
A New Day: We're Listening Webcasts – (ODEP). "In early 2010, the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and its Federal partners held a series of six Listening Sessions across the country on disability employment. Each Listening Session was an opportunity for members of the public to provide input to senior Federal officials on their ideas for more effective ways to employ all people with disabilities, including women, Veterans and minorities with disabilities and what was currently working in their regions to increase employment of people with disabilities."
http://www.dol.gov/odep/disabilitylistening.htm
Against the Odds: Making a Difference in Global Health – "A revolution in global health is taking place in villages and towns around the world. Communities, in collaboration with scientists, advocates, governments, and international organizations, are taking up the challenge to prevent disease and improve quality of life. Recognizing all the factors that cause illness, they are working on a wide range of issues—from community health to conflict, disease to discrimination. The people who face these problems play an important role in their resolution, and each of us can participate in the search for solutions. As we learn more about the challenges of the past, we join a growing community of people committed to global health. As the stories here show, we can draw upon a legacy of success, often based on the simplest means. Collectively, we can make a world of difference."
http://apps.nlm.nih.gov/againsttheodds/exhibit/index.cfm
Health Care Reform Summary – by Julia Day, MSW (WID). "In late March of 2010, the U.S. Congress finished passing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590) and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (H.R. 4872). Soon after, President Obama signed these pieces of legislation into law, creating Public Law 111-148 (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) and Public Law 111-152 (the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010). . . . These new laws will result in significant reform of our nation’s health care system, including extending health care coverage to many more millions of Americans. . . Some of the changes brought about by these new laws are of particular significance to people with disabilities."
http://www.wid.org/health-care-reform-summary
The Fairy Tale of Spot Reduction: Can You Turn an Apple into a Prince? – (NCPAD). "Once upon a time, in a land far away, there was a genie who granted wishes, a frog who turned into a prince when kissed, and a daughter who could spin straw into gold. In our household, these stories are part of my children's bedtime routine, but when did fairy tales find their way into fitness? With billions of dollars spent annually on weight loss in America, it is no wonder that myths have been presented as truth when a fortune is at stake. . . . To lose fat, you must burn more calories than you consume. Energy expenditure can vary for individuals with disabilities. In a recent article released this month in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, Collins, et al, present a compendium of energy expenditure of 27 commonly performed activities in individuals with spinal cord injuries. A compendium of physical activity for non-disabled individuals was previously developed by Ainsworth, et al, in addition to the compendium of energy expenditure for children developed by Ridley and Olds."
http://www.ncpad.org/fitt/fact_sheet.php?sheet=800
Responding more effectively to chronic pain – by Maiy Azize (Australian Policy Online). "The National Pain Summit took up the challenge of improving the way the system deals with pain, writes Maiy Azize. Last week, over 130 representatives of the health sector came together at Parliament House to discuss the treatment and management of pain in Australia. The National Pain Summit brought together clinicians and health practitioners, consumers, carers and national stakeholders to contribute to building a National Pain Strategy. . . . Delegates learned about the economic impact of chronic pain, which amounts to several billion dollars a year in health care costs, lost income and lost productivity. Some figures put the costs at over $30 billion in Australia, with comparable costs recorded in countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom. Work is also being done in both Canada and the United Kingdom to develop strategies to address chronic pain, and, to alleviate the cost on health systems."
http://www.apo.org.au/commentary/responding-more-effectively-chronic-pain
Rx for Pot? – by Aaron Broverman (NewMobility). "Since his 1990 accident, Mark Braunstein, an incomplete para, has lived alone in a house in the woods in Connecticut — doing his own housekeeping and laundry, growing a garden and cooking — while remaining self-sufficient as a writer and college librarian. But his passion for growing vegetables is not the only horticultural activity that is important to him. Braunstein has smoked half a gram of homegrown pot — one joint's worth — every night after dinner since 1991. Without his nightly spliff, he says he wouldn't be able to use his crutches to walk the trails around his home because spasms would pop his legs from his braces. He also wouldn't be able to drive without hand controls because an errant leg spasm could send him careening off the road. 'I have remained productive not despite marijuana,' he says, 'but because of it'."
http://newmobility.com/articleView.cfm?id=11620
Legal
Defining learning disabilities – by Miriam Geronimus (Daily Princtonian). "Diane Metcalf-Leggette '13 is suing the University for refusing to grant her 100 percent extended time on exams, as The Daily Princetonian reported last week. Because she has dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Metcalf-Leggette argues that the University is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act. But this isn't just a legal matter. Whichever way the judge rules, it may be time to reexamine how learning disabilities are addressed at Princeton."
http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2010/04/06/25538/
Discrimination case makes history – (BBC). "A woman from Warrenpoint has made history in a landmark discrimination case in which the House of Lords clarified the UK's Disability Law. Elizabeth Boyle, who suffers from vocal nodules agreed the sum of £125,000 from her former employer, SCA Packaging Ltd. Ms Boyle brought the case after the company changed her working environment which would have threatened her voice."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8635900.stm
EI payment rules for the disabled unconstitutional, family argues – by Mary Agnes Welch (Winnipeg Free Press). "Sabrina Prokopiuk worked for nine years at The Gap in Polo Park manning the change room, folding clothes and tidying up. She loved her job and The Gap loved her. But when the store closed for four months during renovations, she was laid off with most of the other staff. Unlike many of her colleagues, though, Sabrina didn't qualify for employment insurance. Sabrina has Down syndrome, which made it hard for her to accumulate enough hours to meet EI's requirement."
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/ei-payment-rules-for-the-disabled-unconstitutional-family-argues-91892544.html
Legislation Introduced to Ensure Equal Health Insurance Coverage for Amputees – (Rehab Management). "The Amputee Coalition of America, Knoxville, Tenn, and the American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association (AOPA), Alexandria, Va, hail the introduction of the Prosthetics and Custom Orthotics Parity Act of 2010 in the United States Senate as a major step toward ensuring that Americans with disabilities have fair access to the mobility devices they need. Devices include artificial arms and legs for amputees and custom orthotic devices for people challenged by cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, spina bifida, and other diseases."
http://www.rehabpub.com/news/2010-04-20_02.asp
Resources for parents with disabilities – "Yesterday, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled that the parents of a woman who communicates largely by blinking have the legal right to fight on her behalf. She is trying to see her 3-year-old triplets. Abbie Dorn 34, was left unable to move or speak because of a series of medical complications while giving birth to the children in 2006. Dorn now lives in South Carolina with her parents. Abbie and her husband, Dan, eventually divorced in a proceeding that left decisions over custody, visitation, property and child support unsettled. A trial is set for May 13. Dan Dorn has refused to allow the children to visit their mother, arguing that it would be detrimental at their age."
http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2010/04/21/resources-for-parents-with-disabilities/
Media
Disability Theatre at Actual Lives Austin: Texas on Forefront of Disability Activism – by Kerry Laird (DIsaboom). "Since the summer of 2000, a small but hearty disability theatre group in central Texas has been offering 'crip theater with attitude.' Actual Lives Austin stages plays about disability culture with a Texas twang. This is a theatre group that produces plays by and about people with disabilities. They even offer a 'Good Cripples Discount' for Friday and Saturday performances. Voted 'Best Theatrical Activism' by The Austin Chronicle¸ Actual Lives Austin avoids inspiration while pile-driving discrimination. These are not grandma's stories about disability. The tales are drawn from workshops that 'focus on generating autobiographical writing through memory and open-ended interactive exercises'."
http://www.disaboom.com/arts/disability-theatre-at-actual-lives-austin-texas-on-forefront-of-disability-activism
Parents With Disabilities – by Lisa Belkin (NY Times Blog). "Sarah Kovac is a 26-year-old young mother of an infant son. In a video on the CNN Web site she is seen feeding the baby and changing a diaper — using only her feet. Kovac was born with a genetic condition that makes it nearly impossible for her to move her arms or hands, and she was one of a number of disabled parents who responded to CNN's request for viewer input for a story on the challenges of such parenting. 'He already has abilities that I never had or never will have,' she tells the camera. 'It's a weird feeling.' Most of the tales in the CNN report are of parents who find ways to work around their disabilities."
http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/22/parents-with-disabilities/
Documentary On Couple With Down Syndrome Tops At Tribeca – by Michelle Diament (Disability Scoop). "A documentary exploring the relationship of a couple with Down syndrome earned a top prize Thursday evening at the renowned Tribeca Film Festival. The film, Monica & David, follows a 30-something couple with Down syndrome as they get married and struggle to assert their independence. It won the festival's award for best documentary feature. 'Monica & David takes an incredibly intimate situation and beautifully translates it in a way that makes you think about your own life. It's a clear and observant look at a family and the purity of love, fueled by an organic sense of the sadness, joy and everyday humor that fill this epic journey that is life,' the jury said in making the award. The film is schedule to premiere on HBO in October."
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/04/30/monica-david/7878/
The Lobotomist – "It was hailed by the New York Times as 'surgery of the soul,' a groundbreaking medical procedure that promised hope to the most distressed mentally ill patients and their families. But what began as an operation of last resort was soon being performed at some fifty state asylums, often to devastating results. Little more than a decade after his rise to fame, Walter Freeman, the neurologist who championed the procedure, was decried as a moral monster, and lobotomy one of the most barbaric mistakes of modern medicine. American Experience presents The Lobotomist, the gripping and tragic story of an ambitious doctor, the desperate families who sought his help, and the medical establishment that embraced him. From award-winning producers Barak Goodman and John Maggio (The Boy in the Bubble, The Fight), this one-hour film features interviews with Dr. Freeman's former patients and their families, his students, and medical historians, and offers an unprecedented look at one of the darkest chapters in psychiatric history."
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/introduction/lobotomist-introduction/
Mark Goffeney — There's No Business Like Toe Business – (Ability Magazine). "More than a decade since the release of his debut album, the new year finds Mark Goffeney hard at work on a collection of infectious rock that blends the poeticism of Death Cab for Cutie with the heavy indie flavor of the Foo Fighters. 'It'll knock you over, ask you if you're okay, and pick you up again,' musician Goffeney said in an interview with ABILITY's Dana Nelson. . . Long before his emergence as Big Toe's frontman, Goffeney had become well acquainted with fame. Born without arms, he was discovered at age four by Variety Club and the March of Dimes and assisted in raising money for children's hospitals during telethons."
http://www.abilitymagazine.com/musician/mark-goffeney.html
Read Me Differently – (Film). "An estimated 15–20% of the current U.S. population has dyslexia, and 4.5 million children were diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in 2006. In Read Me Differently, first-time filmmaker Sarah Entine exposes unrecognized learning disabilities that bridge three generations in her family. Entine's discovery of her own dyslexia at the age of 29—and her subsequent search for answers—ultimately leads to surprising revelations between those closest to her, especially her mother and grandmother. While difficulties and misunderstandings are natural occurrences in all families, learning disabilities tend to intensify these damaging patterns, albeit somewhat invisibly."
http://www.readmedifferently.com/film/
Theatre groups aim to change attitudes about disability – by Kathleen Renne (Calgary Herald). "Mike Keir reflects back to his elementary school days when he was just beginning to understand how cerebral palsy would affect his life, including sometimes rendering his hands awkward. He recalls telling his teacher, 'I don't think my scissors are working.' She replied, 'I don't think there's something wrong with your scissors, I think there's something wrong with you.' Now 32, Keir can share that experience with the public in a skit he, along with a team of other actors, wrote. Keir belongs to The Association of the Inside Out Integrated Theatre Project (Inside Out Theatre, for short), a non-profit organization that offers theatre training and performance opportunities for people with disabilities."
http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/Theatre+groups+change+attitudes+about+disability/2908844/story.html
'You Turn Into a Person You Don't Know Anymore' – by Beate Lakotta (Der Spiegel). "Former psychology professor Richard Taylor was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 58. Since then he has written a book about his experiences and gone on to become a passionate advocate for humane care of those with Alzheimer's. He talks to SPIEGEL about how his life, his relationships and his perception of the world have changed. Richard Taylor, America's most famous Alzheimer's activist, lives in a typical middle-class, single-occupier suburb in Houston, Texas. Taylor, a psychology professor, was 58 years old when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's-type dementia in 2001. Soon after that, in order to better understand what was happening to him, he began writing on a daily basis. These documents became the book 'Alzheimer's from the Inside Out.'"
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,688049,00.html
Medical
Are Prozac and Other Psychiatric Drugs Causing the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America? – by Bruce E. Levine, PhD (AlterNet). "In 1987, prior to Prozac hitting the market and the current ubiquitous use of antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs, the U.S. mental illness disability rate was 1 in every 184 Americans, but by 2007 the mental illness disability rate had more than doubled to 1 in every 76 Americans. Robert Whitaker was curious as to what was causing this dramatic increase in mental illness disability. The answers are in his new book, Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America (Crown Publishers, April 2010). Whitaker's findings will create a problem for both Big Pharma and establishment psychiatry, but his credentials and his craftsmanship will make it difficult to marginalize him. Whitaker is the author of four books including Mad in America, about the mistreatment of the mentally ill. As a reporter for the Boston Globe, he won a George Polk Award for medical writing, a National Association of Science Writers Award for best magazine article, and was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize."
http://www.alternet.org/story/146659/are_prozac_and_other_psychiatric_drugs_causing_the_astonishing_rise_of_mental_illness_in_america
Biogen Races to Create Test for Brain Disease Linked to MS Drug – by Elizabeth Lopatto (Bloomberg). "Biogen Idec Inc. wants to take the fear out of prescribing its multiple sclerosis treatment Tysabri with a test that can tell patients their odds of getting a deadly brain illness from the drug. The screening tool could be marketed as early as 2011 if clinical trials involving 9,000 people, set to start this year, show a low rate of false findings, said Naomi Aoki, a spokeswoman for the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based biotechnology company. The test is designed to detect the JC virus that causes progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, or PML, a brain-cell destroyer that can lead to disability and death."
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-04-09/biogen-races-to-create-test-for-brain-disease-linked-to-ms-drug.html
DNA Swap Between Eggs May Curb Inherited Disorders, Study Finds – by Kristen Hallam (Bloomberg) – "Scientists discovered a way to transfer DNA from one fertilized human egg to another in a pioneering effort to avert the spread of a host of genetic disorders such as learning disabilities and diabetes. The researchers at Newcastle University in northern England extracted the genetic material contributed by the egg and sperm and implanted it into a donor egg, according to the study published today by the journal Nature. It's the first time DNA has been transferred between two fertilized human eggs. The approach discards almost all the defective DNA inherited from the mother that disrupts the tiny energy generators inside cells, and may prevent related disorders such as blindness and liver failure, the researchers said. They are planning further experiments to see whether the technique could help people who carry mutated genes to have healthy babies -- an end result that may still be a decade away."
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-04-14/dna-swap-between-eggs-may-curb-inherited-disorders-study-finds.html
Fragile X Drug Shows Promise, Could Aid Those With Autism – by Shaun Heasley (DisabilityScoop). "Positive results from a small drug trial suggest that medication to treat the core symptoms of fragile X, and potentially autism, could be on the way. In an interview with The New York Times, officials at the Swiss drug maker Novartis say they saw improvements in socialization, speech, hyperactivity and repetitive behaviors in adults with fragile X who took part in a study conducted by the company. Participants in the research, which wrapped up this year, received either the experimental drug or a placebo for a few weeks and then switched drugs, unaware of which was which. The study did not extend long enough to measure the drug's effects on intelligence, Novartis officials said."
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/04/30/fragile-x-drug-2/7896/
Pigs Yield Clues to Cystic Fibrosis-Related Lung Disease – (Health Day News). "Researchers say they have answered a long-standing question regarding lung disease caused by cystic fibrosis: Which comes first, infection or inflammation? 'Using our model, we are beginning to answer that question, and it looks like infection does precede inflammation,' study author Dr. David Stoltz, an assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Iowa, said in a news release from the school. 'The importance of that finding is that it could dictate what types of therapy we might use. Knowing that infection is first suggests that if we can prevent or fight infection, then that might delay or prevent the lung disease in people with CF.' Most of the deaths and disability in people with CF result from lung disease."
http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/638552.html
Policy/Research
BakerLaw Report on Strategic Legislative Options: Now Available – "With the recent [Government of Manitoba] Throne Speech pledge that legislation will be central to updating and improving Manitoba’s disability strategy, the government has set the agenda to honour the September 2009 commitment made by then candidate for the NDP leadership and now Premier Greg Selinger to introduce landmark accessibility-rights legislation based on the model already in place in Ontario.To support informed discussion on the proposed legislation, Barrier-Free Manitoba retained the services of BakerLaw to research and report on strategic options related to the proposed legislation. BakerLaw is a Toronto-based legal firm that is a nationally recognized leader in disability and human rights law. . . Barrier-Free Manitoba is pleased to release the report which downloadable in regular (Word and pdf) and large print (Word and pdf) formats."
http://www.barrierfreemb.com/home
FCC Broadband Plan Draws from Center's Comments – (Trace). "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."
http://trace.wisc.edu/news/archives/000265.php
Out of the maze: a better social security system for people of working age – (Australian Policy Online). "This report proposes major reform of the system of social security payments for people of working age (18 to 64 years), including Newstart Allowance, Disability Support Pension and Parenting Payment. Instead of applying more band aids to a broken system, the report proposes that we go back to first principles and rebuild it from the ground up. Payment levels would be based on need and rather than the likelihood of employment, so the distinction between pension and allowance payments would be removed."
http://www.apo.org.au/research/out-maze-better-social-security-system-people-working-age
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."
http://www.apo.org.au/research/people-non-english-speaking-background-disability-australia-what-does-data-say
Social Assistance Statistical Report: 2006 – (Statistics Canada). "In recognition of the growing public demand for comprehensive information on provincial and territorial social assistance programs and caseloads, the Social Assistance Statistical Report: 2006 is the third annual joint publication by federal, provincial and territorial governments. The report provides a general overview of social assistance in Canada, as well as a description of income support-related/social assistance programs in each jurisdiction. This report does not include social assistance rates as this information is currently available to the public on most provincial and territorial government Web sites."
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/publications_resources/social_policy/fpt/page02.shtml
United Cerebral Palsy Releases 2010 Case For Inclusion – (UCP). "The 2010 Case for Inclusion report (medicaid.ucp.org), ranks all 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC) for Medicaid services provided to intellectual and developmental disability (ID/DD) populations. The fifth annual rankings reveal:
1. Despite significant progress, all states have room to improve outcomes and services for individuals with ID/DD, particularly in the current economic climate.
2. Too many Americans with ID/DD still do not live in the community, although real and notable progress have been made since last year.
3. Certain states are making substantial progress.
4. Too much money is still spent isolating people in large institutions, with nominal change since 2009.
5. Waiting lists have increased dramatically, but performance is quite mixed by state; most are not serving everyone in need."
http://medicaid.ucp.org/
Robot-Aided Therapy Can Help Patients Years After Stroke – (Health Day News). "Robotic aids can help stroke patients make small but significant improvements in their ability to move their limbs, and gain a better outlook on life, new research finds. The study, by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and published online April 16 in the New England Journal of Medicine, offers the strongest evidence yet that stroke sufferers can regain limb movement long after an injury, through 'intensive therapy with specially trained personnel and newly created robotic aids,' the researchers said. The study included 127 veterans who had experienced a stroke that resulted in moderate to severe disability in an arm. The strokes had
occurred at least six months earlier and, on average, five years earlier, according to the report."
http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/638181.html
Sports & Recreation
A Paradigm Shift in Youth Sports and Recreation Is Needed to Include More Youths with Disabilities and Health Conditions Including Obesity into the Mainstream of Sports and Recreation in America – (National Center on Physical Activity and Disability). "Mrs. Obama is right on the money when it comes to addressing childhood obesity. We're in 'lock-down' mode with a problem that started more than 30 years ago and has no end in sight. With the introduction of computers and cable TV into millions of homes across America, the rising tide of obesity among children and adolescents has reached the red alert zone in the White House. Thanks to the President and First Lady, there is now a Taskforce on Childhood Obesity addressing this epidemic."
http://www.ncpad.org/director/fact_sheet.php?sheet=799
Flying With Needles and Meds Can Raise Security Flags – by Serena Gordon (HealthDay News). "Adjusting to the necessary, but seemingly ever-changing security rules when traveling can be tough for anyone, but for someone traveling with a bagful of needles and vials of insulin or someone who's had a hip or knee replaced, the journey can be fraught with extra worry. But Ann Davis, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the agency responsible for ensuring the safety of the U.S. skies, says that travelers with chronic conditions need not be concerned."
http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/637932.html
Into the Great Beyond – by Douglas Lathrop (New Mobility). "Among travel lovers, one school of thought holds that 'the journey is the destination' — that the true mind-broadening joy of travel lies not in arriving somewhere as planned, but in experiencing all the unplanned things that happen while you're getting there. Through these chance encounters and random events — be they delightful, aggravating or even dangerous — we break free of our ultra-organized lives and learn to embrace spontaneity and chaos. But is it even possible to experience that from a wheelchair? The options for accessible travel may be greater today than ever before, but that sort of travel leaves almost nothing to chance. We have to ask too many questions ahead of time: How high is the toilet seat in my 'accessible' hotel room? Can the transit system accommodate me? What if I get a flat tire in the middle of nowhere? By the time you're done planning, your trip's already had half the wanderlust sucked out of it. Don't you wish you could just pack a bag and go?"
http://www.newmobility.com/articleView.cfm?id=11619
Technology
AAPD Commends U.S. House for ADA Oversight Hearing on Technology Issues – (AAPD). "The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the largest cross-disability membership organization in the U.S., applauds the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties for holding a hearing, 'Achieving the Promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act in the Digital Age' on April 22. 'We are very pleased that Chairman Jerrold Nadler and Ranking Member Jim Sensenbrenner are looking at technology issues within the context of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),' said Andrew Imparato, President and CEO of AAPD. 'Technology accessibility is essential if all Americans are going to have equal opportunity in 2010 and beyond. In an economy that is more and more shifting to the Internet, the ADA applies, as it has always applied, to a range of entities who must not shut out people with disabilities virtually just as they may not do so physically,' Imparato said."
http://www.aapd.com/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=pvI1IkNWJqE&b=5818457&ct=8202961¬oc=1
Breakthrough Software Application Controls the Computer With the Power of Your Mind – (PRNewswire). "Jedi Mind, Inc. (www.jedimindinc.com), developers of thought-controlled software applications, announces the completion of the 'Jedi Mouse,' the revolutionary software application which allows the user to navigate the computer, click and double click to open programs, compose email and send with the power of their mind. The application can be used by anyone, but is especially beneficial to people with disabilities that have limited ability to operate computers and communicate via email. A professionally produced video demonstrating the technology can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJbp_HeG3BM"
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/breakthrough-software-application-controls-the-computer-with-the-power-of-your-mind-92406124.html
iPad versus 8.9" Windows/PC Netbook – (RJCooper). "Conclusion: (Yes, I'm starting with that first, since that is the part of most interest, I would imagine ;-) It's just almost impossible to get past the brilliant and larger screen of the iPad. No, it doesn't run 'standard' programs. And yes, there are far fewer special needs programs available for it. No, it doesn't have switch input, or *any* input for that matter! But gosh, it's lightweight, instant, and does have tens of thousands of apps, with special needs developers jumping on its bandwagon everyday!"
http://rjcooper.com/ipad-vs-netbook/index.html
Conferences
( New Conferences)
Canada
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/
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
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Festival of International Conferences on Caregiving, Disability, Aging and Technology - FICCDAT 2011 – June 5-8, 2011 | Toronto, Ontario. "FICCDAT could be thought of (modestly) as the olympiad of all conferences relating to aging, disability, caregiving and technology. This is the second FICCDAT and we intend to continue the tradition every four years. FICCDAT is an amazing opportunity for you to transfer knowledge from your experience and your research to an extraordinarily broad audience. You can submit abstracts to all six major conferences, and you can attend and present at several conferences for the cost of attending a single conference. What an efficient way to build your cv!"
http://www.ficcdat.ca/main.cfm?cid=1559
U.S.
2010 International VSA Festival – June 6–12, 2010 | Washington, D.C. "From June 6–12, 2010, VSA—the international organization on arts and disability—will bring together artists, educators, researchers, and policymakers with and without disabilities from around the world for a multicultural celebration of the arts and arts education. The Festival will feature visual, performing, literary, and media artists and a guest list that includes more than 2,000 participants from all corners of the globe. The 2010 International VSA Festival will be the largest arts event featuring artists with disabilities to take place in Washington, D.C., to date."
http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/festivals/09-10/vsa/
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
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3rd Workshop on Computer Vision Applications for the Visually Impaired (CVAVI 10) – June 14, 2010 | San Francisco, California. "A growing number of computer vision researchers are becoming interested in applications for persons with visual impairments (VI), including low vision and blindness. Recent advances in algorithms, sensors and embedded computing hold the promise to enable computer vision technology that can address the needs of this disadvantaged population. In particular, some popular smartphones now come equipped with screen readers for accessibility to VI users, high resolution cameras with focusing capabilities, and fairly powerful embedded computers, and thus may serve as an ideal platform for many computer vision-enabled VI tools."
http://italia.cse.ucsc.edu/~CVAVI10/
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.rebuilding.umb.edu/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/
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ASSETS 2010 - The 12th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility – October 25-27, 2010 | Orlando, Florida. "The ASSETS conference explores the use of computing and information technologies to help persons with disabilities and older adults. ASSETS is the premier forum for presenting innovative research on the design and use of both mainstream and specialized assistive technologies. This includes the use of technology by and in support of:
· individuals with hearing, sight and other sensory impairments
· individuals with motor impairments
· individuals with memory, learning and cognitive impairments
· individuals with multiple impairments
· older adults
· professionals who work with these populations
All contributions are peer-reviewed by an international Program Committee. Accepted papers, posters and demonstrations will be archived in the ACM digital library. Select authors will be invited to submit extended versions to a special issue of the ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing (TACCESS)."
http://www.sigaccess.org/assets10/
Overseas
12th International Conference on Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons (TRANSED 2010) – June 2-4, 2010 | Hong Kong. "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. "Over the last decades the advancements in Assistive Technologies (AT) and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have significantly influenced the life of 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. The more ICT and AT increases, people with disabilities are enabled to take part in almost any area of life, and eInclusion and eAccessibility become a common responsibility of mainstream ICT development. In 2008 ICCHP summarised this process in the equation 'equality =eQuality'. 'Equality', equal access and, therefore, equal chances in society are dependant on 'eQuality', the quality of systems and servicesin taking the needs of all users into account including those with disabilities. Interfacing the existing and emerging Human-Computer Interface is and will stay a key issue."
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