Volume 10 Issue 7 July/August 2010

 

20^th Anniversary of the ADA

 

20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act a Cause for Celebration and Rededication to Equal Educational Opportunity for Students with Disabilities – (U.S. Department of Education). "U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act’s (ADA) enactment by applauding the legislation and by rededicating the U.S. Department of Education to the ADA’s effective implementation. ‘The Americans with Disabilities Act is a landmark piece of civil rights legislation. It protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination and promotes their full inclusion into education and all other aspects of our society,’ Duncan said. ‘I want to celebrate the progress that we’ve made and highlight our commitment to continuing the work of providing equal access for all Americans. I acknowledge we still have work to do and renew my commitment to ensuring that individuals of all ages and abilities have an equal opportunity to realize their full potential.’"

http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/20th-anniversary-americans-disabilities-act-cause-celebration-and-rededication-e

 

2010 Great Lakes Region ADA Report Cards – (Americans with Disabilities Association). "To mark the 20th Anniversary of the ADA the DBTAC - Great Lakes ADA Center conducted a poll to learn more about the perception of people with disabilities, their family members and individuals who work with people with disabilities regarding the implementation of the ADA in their communities. We received an overwhelming response to the poll and want to thank everyone who shared their perspectives. Over 3500 individuals took the 'ADA In Your Community Poll' across all six states served by the Great Lakes ADA Center. Overall respondents indicated that while they saw progress over the past 20 years there is still a long way to go. Barriers to community participation and employment continue to persist across our region and while we celebrate the accomplishments to date we are reminded of where we still need to go. The results of the Poll provide a blueprint for our communities and the work that they have ahead of them to ensure that people with disabilities realize the full promise of the ADA. We hope that community leaders, advocates, government officials and others will utilize the information gathered through the poll in their planning for the future."

       http://www.adareportcard.org/ReportCard/

 

20 Years after the Passage of ADA: Championing Accessibility in the Digital Age – (Statement by Carl R. Augusto, President & CEO, American Foundation for the Blind). "July 26, 2010 marks the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the landmark civil rights legislation that expanded opportunities for those of us with disabilities, and opened a whole new world of possibility. We at the American Foundation for the Blind, the nearly 90-year-old organization to which Helen Keller dedicated her life, are proud to have been a key player in the passage of ADA."

        http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?DocumentID=5278

 

Dept. of Justice considers Web for ADA – by Cyndi Rowland (Web Aim). "Along with many of you, WebAIM celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). While we have much to be thankful for, many of us in the web accessibility movement have often wondered when the Federal Government would provide direct clarification on the applicability of the Internet to the ADA. We do have the 1996 letter to Senator Harkin by the Department of Justice to point to the plausibility that the Internet is a covered entity. We all anxiously await each time there is a high profile court case to see if case law might emerge to support web accessibility. But today, of all days, the federal government announced something that should give those of us in the web accessibility movement even greater reason to celebrate."

        http://webaim.org/blog/dept-of-justice-considers-web-for-ada/

 

The ADA and the Web: Concerns and Misconceptions - by Jared Smith (Web Aim). "WebAIM is often approached by individuals and organizations concerned about 'ADA compliance' of their web site. This is a bit of a misnomer. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 pre-dates and does not address web accessibility at all. That may soon be changing. This week the US Department of Justice announced that they are considering expanding the scope of the Americans with Disabilities Act to cover some web sites. This is simply a request for comments. The Dept. of Justice will consider your feedback in any formal proposal to expand the ADA. This announcement has brought much dialogue in the development community, particularly on this popular Slashdot story. It is clear that there are many concerns and misconceptions about what this would mean."

        http://webaim.org/blog/the-ada-and-the-web-concerns-and-misconceptions/

 

ADA @ 20 — Groundbreaking Law Celebrated by America’s Paralyzed Veterans – (PRNewswire). "The Americans with Disabilities Act, the single most important piece of legislation to improve the lives of people with disabilities, will turn twenty on July 26. The anniversary is particularly poignant for Paralyzed Veterans of America, an organization that helped lead the charge for the groundbreaking act back in 1990. ‘The ADA has changed millions of lives for the better, helping to empower people with disabilities with some of the basic freedoms we need to live full and productive lives. It’s helped to give us folks in chairs and other people with disabilities a shot at the American dream,’ said Paralyzed Veterans of America National President Gene Crayton. ‘Actually the ADA has helped to improve the quality of everyone’s life. For example, if you’ve ever used a curb cut, the ADA has helped you. It’s something that all Americans can feel proud of.’ Since its enactment, the ADA has had an enormous impact on fighting discrimination in the areas of employment, public services, public accommodations, transportation and telecommunications."

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ada--20--groundbreaking-law-celebrated-by-americas-paralyzed-veterans-99036674.html

 

ADA Signing Ceremony – (Americans with Disabilities Association). "This video documents the speech given by President George H. W. Bush when he signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law on July 26, 1990. In the video, President Bush speaks to a huge audience of activists, Congressional supporters, people with disabilities, and their families and friends gathered on the south lawn of the White House. The 22-minute film, provided to the Department by the George Bush Presidential Library, is being re-released on the Internet to increase awareness of the ADA."

        http://www.ada.gov/videogallery.htm#anchor%20ADAsigning990

 

Celebrating the ADA — Reflections From Tom Harkin – (Ability Magazine). "As we all know, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As chief sponsor of the ADA in the Senate, I will always remember the day it was signed into law—July 26, 1990—as one of the proudest in my legislative career. We have come a long way in the last 20 years. Before the ADA, life was very different for people with disabilities, and discrimination was both commonplace and accepted."

       http://abilitymagazine.com/20th-ADA.html

 

Justin Dart — Disability Pioneer Continues to "Lead On"; Celebrating the ADA with a Puppet – (Ability Magazine). "‘When a good dream comes true you want to shout it out to the world,’ said Matrix Theatre Company partner and volunteer Janice Fialka. After two years of planning, the Matrix Theatre Company and volunteers in its surrounding community of Southwest Detroit began construction of a giant puppet of Justin Dart, a man often called the ‘father’ of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Although the ADA was signed into law 20 years ago on July 26, few people know of Dart or of his role in its success. by spearheading a creative project to memorialize Dart and engage a community, the Matrix Theatre Company hopes to change that fact."

        http://abilitymagazine.com/justin-dart-puppet.html

 

Remarks by the President on 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act – (Whitehouse). "THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Good evening, everybody. (Applause.) Thank you so much. Well, we have a gorgeous day to celebrate an extraordinary event in the life of this nation. Welcome, all of you, to our White House. And thank you, Robert, for the wonderful introduction. It is a pleasure and honor to be with all of you on the 20th anniversary of one of the most comprehensive civil rights bills in the history of this country -- the Americans with Disabilities Act."

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-20th-anniversary-americans-with-disabilities-act

 

 

The ADA at 20: Half-Empty, Half-Full or Both? – by Douglas Lathrop (New Mobility). "I don’t remember where I was when the ADA was signed, but I do remember the first time I was congratulated about it. December 1990 — the office Christmas party at my first job out of college. The type of scene that the film Office Space would satirize a few years later: stale store-bought cookies, nonalcoholic punch served at room temperature in paper cups, and long-winded holiday greetings from the CEO and his various underlings. The economy sucked, we were on the brink of war with Iraq, and most people at the company were being kept awake by fears that they would be caught up in the next round of layoffs. Morale was low."

        http://www.newmobility.com/articleView.cfm?id=11668

 

Would the ADA pass today? – (The Guardian). "Today marks the 20th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. We don’t often group it among the great historic legislation of all time, and maybe it’s not quite up there with the civil rights bill. But it was certainly a civil rights bill on its own terms, without question. It was a bipartisan effort, and something of which president George H. W. Bush ought to be justifiably proud. Tom

Harkin, Democratic senator of Iowa, led the fight, and his name will live in history because of it."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2010/jul/26/congress-usdomesticpolicy-would-ada-pass-today

 

Accessibility

 

"Building Bridges" Now Available for Free Including Free U.S. Shipping Through September 30th! – (Mobility International USA). "‘Building Bridges: A Manual on Including People with Disabilities in International Exchange Programs’ is a comprehensive, 262-page manual featuring practical suggestions and creative ideas for including, recruiting and accommodating people with disabilities in international exchange programs. Building Bridges also addresses cross-cultural issues and international service projects. Includes an extensive resource section."

        http://www.miusa.org/news/bbnews

 

Can We Afford Not to Make Manitoba Fully Accessible? – "A new Canadian study, just released by the University of Toronto-based Martin Prosperity Institute, has concluded that 'releasing the constraints that limit full participation in the economy will create a significant force for economic growth.' And its findings are clear: 'the demand for accessible goods, services, buildings and employment is not just large but growing, and will overtake the demand for their conventional counterparts. Of further importance is our finding that the impact of increased employment accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities will increase the average incomes of all Ontarians.' Click here to download/view a pdf copy of the report or visit the study website at: http://www.martinprosperity.org/research-and-publications/publication/releasing-constraints. It has become obvious that ensuring accessibility in our province is both the right and the reasonable thing to do. This study now provides clear evidence that ensuring accessibility also makes excellent ‘business sense.’ Can we afford not to make Manitoba fully accessible?"

      http://www.barrierfreemb.com/home

 

DOJ’s 2010 ADA Accessibility Standards (Special Session) – (Webinar). September 2, 2010 1:30 - 4:00 (ET). "On July 26th, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released updated regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The new regulations update DOJ’s ADA Accessibility Standards which govern the construction and alteration of facilities covered by the ADA, including places of public accommodation, commercial facilities, and state and local government facilities. The new standards are based on revised minimum guidelines previously established by the Access Board. DOJ representatives will review the changes in the regulations, including effective dates for new construction and alterations, provisions for existing facilities, and other topics related to the implementation of the 2010 standards. Access Board staff will follow with an overview of the major changes in the scoping and technical provisions in the updated standards, highlighting 10 of the most common questions. An open question and answer session will provide an opportunity for session participants to interact with Access Board accessibility specialists."

       http://www.access-board.gov/webinars.htm

 

Expanding Access with Wireless Technology – (Federal Communications Commission). "Written statements delivered by Judy Harkins, Ph.D., Gallaudet University, Technology Access Program, RERC on Telecommunications Access and Paul W. Schroeder Vice President, American Foundation for the Blind, at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Expanding Access with Wireless Technology Disability Access Workshop. This information can be downloaded in PDF or Text format."

        http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/index.do?document=298730

 

Librarian of Congress Announces DMCA Section 1201 Rules for Exemptions Regarding Circumvention of Access-Control Technologies – (Library of Congress). "Librarian of Congress James H. Billington today released the following statement: Section 1201(a)(1) of the copyright law requires that every three years I am to determine whether there are any classes of works that will be subject to exemptions from the statute’s prohibition against circumvention of technology that effectively controls access to a copyrighted work. I make that determination at the conclusion of a rulemaking proceeding conducted by the Register of Copyrights, who makes a recommendation to me. Based on that proceeding and the Register’s recommendation, I am to determine whether the prohibition on circumvention of technological measures that control access to copyrighted works is causing or is likely to cause adverse effects on the ability of users of any particular classes of copyrighted works to make noninfringing uses of those works. . . . This is the fourth time that I have made such a determination. Today I have designated six classes of works. . . . (6) Literary works distributed in ebook format when all existing ebook editions of the work (including digital text editions made available by authorized entities) contain access controls that prevent the enabling either of the book’s read-aloud function or of screen readers that render the text into a specialized format."

        http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2010/10-169.html

 

Making the Right Basic Design Decision – BakerLaw recommends that Manitoba adopt a centralized approach to the development, monitoring and enforcement of accessibility standards under the proposed legislation. Based on basic design considerations and the recent experience in Ontario, this leading human and disability rights law firm concludes that a centralized approach is much more likely to provide for 'adequate coordination, consistency of standards, monitoring and enforcement, adequate breadth of coverage, supremacy of standards and public accountability.'.BakerLaw’s second report to Barrier-Free Manitoba presents a detailed comparison of a centralized vs. a dispersed approach. This second report is downloadable in regular (Word and pdf) or large print (Word and pdf) formats.

http://www.barrierfreemb.com/home

 

Millions of books get digitized for the disabled – by Stephanie Steinberg (USA Today). "For those who are blind, dyslexic or have diseases like multiple sclerosis and have difficulty turning book pages, reading the latest best seller just got easier. Brewster Kahle, a digital librarian and founder of a virtual library called the Internet Archive, has launched a worldwide campaign to double the number of books available for print-disabled people. The Internet Archive began scanning books in 2004 and now has more than 1 million available in DAISY format, or Digital Accessible Information System, a means of creating ‘talking’ books that can be downloaded to a handheld device. Unlike books on tape, the digital format makes it easier for print-disabled people to navigate books because they can speed up, slow down and skip around from chapter to chapter."

        http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-07-14-InternetArchive14_st_N.htm

 

New DOT Rule Extends Disability Protections to Passenger Ships and Boats – (U.S. Department of Transportation). "Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood today announced the first federal rule to specifically provide Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protections to people with disabilities who travel on boats and ships. The action comes as the 20th anniversary of the ADA approaches on July 26. ‘This Administration is committed to protecting the rights of passengers with disabilities in all modes of transportation,’ said Secretary LaHood. ‘This rule will ensure fair treatment for people with disabilities who travel by ship or boat.’ The rule applies to two categories of vessels: vessels operated by public entities, such as public ferry systems, and vessels operated by private entities primarily engaged in the business of transporting people, such as cruise ships."

        http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2010/dot11710.html

 

Seattle, Denver, Chicago Among Top 20 Most Livable U.S. Cities for Wheelchair Users – (PRNewswire). "Denver and Chicago are some of America’s Top 20 most livable cities for people living with paralysis, rated by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. The Reeve Foundation commissioned the list in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA was passed by Congress on July 26, 1990, to protect against discrimination based on disability. The Top 20 Most Livable Cities represent several regions of the country and highlight those communities that provide the best combination of health and livability-related factors, which enable a disabled person to live a fuller, longer life. Health factors include clean air, Medicaid eligibility and spending, access to physicians and rehabilitation facilities. Livability factors include access to fitness facilities and recreation, access to paratransit and the percentage of people living with disabilities who are employed. The city’s age and climate are also taken into account."

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/seattle-denver-chicago-among-top-20-most-livable-us-cities-for-wheelchair-users-99211314.html

 

Travel Trainers Help People With Disabilities Gain Independence – by Michelle Diament (Disability Scoop)." Public transit services are helping people with disabilities become more independent by deploying trainers to teach individuals how to use fixed route buses rather than rely on door-to-door service. While public transportation providers offer special bus service designed for people with disabilities and other special needs, rides often must be arranged at least a day in advance, limiting the number of trips a person can take and hindering flexibility. Now, under a federal grant program, special travel trainers are helping adults with disabilities in cities across the country to overcome this hurdle by teaching individuals how to use their local fixed route bus system. In Ohio, a travel trainer recently helped Mary Ricketti learn to navigate the bus system. After 20 years relying on door-to-door service the woman with an intellectual disability says being able to use the bus stop right outside her front door will be liberating."

        http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/06/28/bus-trainers/9210/

 

US Tries to Block Progress on Treaty for Blind and Other Disabilities – (The Huffington Post). "Today a UN body is trying to reach an agreement on work on copyright exceptions for persons who are blind or have other disabilities. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is aggressively trying to block adoption of a work program that would include the possibility of a treaty. Officially, the USPTO is proposing an alternative approach that could be a step toward a treaty. Privately, the USPTO and other federal agencies are putting enormous pressure on countries to abandon a binding treaty in favor of a very weak and even harmful resolution."

        http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-love/us-tries-to-block-progres_b_623712.html

 

Vehicle designed ‘from the ground up’ for people in wheelchairs – by Rick Vincent (CNN). "Two decades ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law, becoming a hallmark of American civil rights legislation. The act forbids discrimination against individuals with disabilities in a range of areas like employment, access to public facilities, transportation and telecommunications. Over the last 20 years, sidewalk ramps have been installed and accessibility to most public places has been improved. Yet, vehicles largely have been ignored. But that’s about to change. Vehicle Production Group, a Miami, Florida-based company plans to start production of the MV-1, which stands for first mobility vehicle, at a plant in Mishawaka, Indiana, late this year."

       http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/innovation/07/26/vehicles.disability/

 

Advocacy

 

At the end of South Africa’s rainbow – (Disability Now). "Most people’s memory of World Cup 2010 in South Africa is likely to be, not the football, but the rasping buzz of the vuvuzela. But disabled people are hoping for a more tangible legacy according to Muzi Nkosi, Chair of Disabled People South Africa. I got involved in disability politics as a youngster in 1981 when I became disabled. At that time, living in the township of Soweto, as young people we were fighting the apartheid government. But also, as disabled people, we came together and we decided, let’s form ourselves into a movement, an organisation which would fight for and champion the rights of disabled people. And that became what is now Disabled People South Africa (DPSA)."

       http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/latest-news2/world-view/at-the-end-of-south-africas-rainbow

 

Best Practices Award -- Morgan Stanley and Shell – (Ability Magazine). "In our continued effort to recognize corporations that share in the core philosophies that drive this publication, ABILITY Magazine is pleased to single out two businesses that show a high dedication to inclusion of people with disabilities as both clients and employees. With this issue, we bestow our Best Practices Award on two giants in their respective fields who demonstrate that big business need not overlook the ability of the individual."

       http://abilitymagazine.com/ability-awards-shell-morgan-stanley.html

 

The Martin Luther King for the disabled – by Kathleen Kenna (The Star). "A man in an iron lung, who fought to be educated and live independently here, was one of the early activists for disability rights. This month, the late Ed Roberts is being honoured for work that helped lead to the Americans With Disabilities Act, one U.S. law which has helped change the world for the better. Against much Republican opposition, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law July 26, 1990, by a Republican President, George H.W. Bush. The landmark law bans discrimination against people with disabilities, including in employment, and requires employers make 'reasonable accommodations' for disabled workers. It effectively ended America’s de-facto segregation of people with disabilities, and prompted similar laws in 52 countries, including Canada, as well as the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disability. . . .In Canada, the Americans With Disabilities Act helped spark the Accessibility for Ontarians With Disabilities Act —this is still the only province with specific legislation — and continues to be ‘a model for many other countries,’ says Penny Hartin, CEO of the World Blind Union. The union, whose headquarters are in Toronto, has members in 190 countries."

         http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/836986--the-martin-luther-king-for-the-disabled

 

Pelosi Heckled by Disability Advocates – by Michelle Diament (Disability Now). "House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, resorted to yelling parts of a speech Tuesday over the voices of protesters in wheelchairs calling for ‘our homes, not nursing homes.’ The scene played out at a Washington conference for the progressive group America’s Future Now. A group of protesters from the self-advocacy organization ADAPT relentlessly sought to disrupt Pelosi as she gave her 28-minute speech. Pelosi, however, remained determined to complete her remarks over the disruption, despite offers from her security detail to remove the protesters or to leave without giving the speech. ADAPT members have demonstrated at other Pelosi events in recent weeks as well. The actions are an attempt to draw attention to the Community Choice Act, a bill that has long languished in Congress which would mandate that states offer individuals with disabilities the option to use Medicaid funding to pay for care in the community rather than in facilities like nursing homes, reports The Washington Post."

           http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/06/08/pelosi-heckled/8949/

 

Taking Control of Severe Spasticity – (The National Spinal Cord Injury Association). "When the part of the brain that controls voluntary movement is damaged or injured, it can cause spasticity, a condition that affects more than 12 million people worldwide Spasticity can vary from mild muscle stiffness to uncontrollable leg movements. For some people, the condition is so severe that it is impossible to voluntarily relax muscles. For these individuals, everyday activities can be challenging. Read the full story to learn more about spasticity and new treatment options. National Spinal Cord Injury Association (NSCIA) is partnering with Medtronic and other patient advocacy groups including Brain Injury Association of America, MS World, National Stroke Association, and United Cerebral Palsy to develop a program called Release Your Potential, an educational campaign designed to raise awareness of spasticity and encourage patients to seek treatment."

         http://www.spinalcord.org/news.php?dep=1&page=0&list=2756

 

Education

 

ADHD meds help, but many parents still against them – by Linda Carroll (MSNBC). "Medication may be the most effective treatment for kids with ADHD but it’s not a cure-all, a new Consumer Reports survey shows. Parents surveyed by the magazine reported using a variety of strategies to improve their kids’ symptoms, such as hiring tutors, switching schools, modifying diets, and changing the way they spoke to their children. The results are good news, says Dr. Orly Avitzur, a neurologist and medical adviser to the magazine. Kids improve the most when medication is coupled with complementary approaches, such as behavioral therapy and strategies to help with academics. Consumer Reports interviewed 934 parents of children with ADHD, asking about a variety of topics, ranging from the impact of medications to the effect of complementary strategies, to which physicians provided the most help. Most families — 84 percent — tried medication at some point, with 67 percent reporting that the drugs helped 'a lot.' In general, kids who got a prescription for ADHD were older: The average age of children who had tried medication was 13."

         http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38315906/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/

 

Departments of Education and Justice Announce Continuing Commitment to Accessible Technology for All Students – (U.S. Department of Education). "Today, the Departments of Justice and Education announced the publication of a joint ‘Dear Colleague’ letter reaffirming the agencies’ commitment to ensuring students with disabilities have equal access to emerging technologies in institutions of higher education. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the two departments share responsibility for protecting the rights of college and university students with disabilities. These landmark laws bar institutions of higher education from requiring the use of technology that is inaccessible to individuals with disabilities, unless the institutions provide accommodations or modifications that would permit an individual with a disability to use the technology in an equally effective manner."

http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/departments-education-and-justice-announce-continuing-commitment-accessible-tech

 

Eight Reports on Multisensory Programs for Students with Learning Disabilities – (U.S. Department of Education). "The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) has released eight new reports that review the research on Orton-Gillingham-based programs for students with learning disabilities. Orton-Gillingham teaching sessions are action oriented with auditory, visual and kinesthetic elements reinforcing one another. The Clearinghouse’s review of the research on Project Read Phonology, a multisensory language arts curriculum designed for use in a classroom or group setting, found this intervention to have no discernible effects on general reading achievement for students with learning disabilities. WWC also reviewed studies on seven other programs."

           http://bit.ly/doWUz2

 

Seeking a new deal on dyslexia – by Elisabeth Tarica (The Age). "A nation as self-confident as Australia doesn’t expect to receive lessons in advanced education practices from such humble places as Irvinestown, a small village two hours west of Belfast in Northern Ireland. Yet that’s what Nola Firth found this year when she visited the 250 students at the village’s St Paul’s Primary School, where sophisticated and effective strategies were being used to deal with dyslexia. St Paul’s is one of many schools in the UK that have been awarded dyslexia friendly status by the British Dyslexia Association. Dr Firth, a research fellow at the Royal Children’s Hospital’s Centre for Adolescent Health and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, travelled to the UK, the US and Canada to visit dyslexia-friendly schools as part of a Churchill fellowship. She found that in these schools students spoke freely and

without stigma about having the learning difficulty, the hurdles they face and what support they need to help them cope."

http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/seeking-a-new-deal-on-dyslexia-20100528-wl5z.html

 

Student thrives after getting special plan – by Lindsay Fiori (The Journal Times). "Andrew Kittel expected seventh grade at Jerstad-Agerholm Middle School to be just as bad as sixth grade, or maybe even worse. For Andrew, who has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, sixth grade was filled with peers that bullied, staff that didn’t always understand and classes where he strayed off topic and off task, sometimes doing poorly. With those memories fresh in his mind, Andrew started seventh grade last fall with low expectations - and ended up pleasantly surprised. Seventh grade, which ended Wednesday for Andrew, brought new friends, better grades and more extra-curricular involvement. Andrew’s mom Mary Kittel said those changes came in part from the 13-year-old maturing, working with a new group of receptive teachers and having a Section 504 education plan."

http://www.journaltimes.com/news/local/article_2c5da3c0-77a5-11df-93fc-001cc4c002e0.html

 

Employment

 

Executive Order-- Increasing Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities – (Whitehouse). "Approximately 54 million Americans are living with a disability. The Federal Government has an important interest in reducing discrimination against Americans living with a disability, in eliminating the stigma associated with disability, and in encouraging Americans with disabilities to seek employment in the Federal workforce. Yet Americans with disabilities have an employment rate far lower than that of Americans without disabilities, and they are underrepresented in the Federal workforce. Individuals with disabilities currently represent just over 5 percent of the nearly 2.5 million people in the Federal workforce, and individuals with targeted disabilities (as defined below) currently represent less than 1 percent of that workforce."

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-increasing-federal-employment-individuals-with-disabilities

 

 

 

For Disabled, a Job Hunt Alternative – (Wall Street Journal). "David Shunkey is autistic and doesn’t speak. Around the start of the recession, he got laid off from two jobs. Now he’s trying to run his own business. More mentally and physically challenged adults are looking to entrepreneurship as they get closed out of an exceptionally competitive job market, according to several organizations that help the disabled, including Community Options Inc., a nonprofit based in Princeton, N.J. of which Mr. Shunkey is a member. But in an economic climate that’s been tough on entrepreneurs, the disabled are no exception, and many face extra challenges. ‘It’s more difficult for someone like David to obtain a normal job,’ says Heather Gooch, one of several Community Options workers helping Mr. Shunkey build a dog-treat business with an $850 state grant from New Mexico, where his enterprise is based. ‘He needs close supervision.’ The unemployment rate for disabled workers was 14.3% in June, up from 9.3% two years earlier, when the Labor Department first began tracking such data for this demographic. In June, the unemployment rate for the rest of the U.S. was 9.4%."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703792704575366822121389504.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

 

On-Campus Ice Cream Shop Serves Up Job Skills, Incentives – by Michelle Diament (Disability Scoop). "As heat waves roll across the country, an on-campus Baskin-Robbins is bringing students at one California school relief by serving up cool treats and job opportunities for students with disabilities. A non-profit Baskin-Robbins located at Tobinworld — a Glendale, Calif. school for students with autism and emotional disturbance — is the only one of its kind. Two dozen students staff the store, landing jobs scooping up the 31 flavors after filling out applications and going through an interview process. Everything about Tobinworld’s Baskin-Robbins is true to form, down to the paint color, chairs and tables, with one notable exception. Rather than posting monetary prices for sundaes and milkshakes, there is a token value for each item. That’s because the school’s 300 students in kindergarten through twelfth grade are able to purchase treats with tokens they’ve earned for good behavior and completing schoolwork."

            http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/07/20/baskin-robbins-school/9403/

 

General

 

Government website spawns hate – by Cathy Reay (Disability Now). "A Government website set up to allow the public to suggest ways of cutting public spending has drawn torrents of disablist abuse. Suggestions have been posted on the Spending Challenge website, which was set up last month by the Treasury to allow people to suggest ways to cut government spending. They include proposals for the sterilisation of benefits claimants, disallowing family members to claim carers’ allowance and stopping individuals with ‘drug and alcohol problems’ from receiving Disability Living Allowance. The Government has said that the idea behind the site is that the more popular the suggestion, determined by the number of user-generated votes and comments it has, the more seriously it will be regarded by the Treasury."

            http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/latest-news2/news-focus/government-website-spawns-hate

 

Right to Pride denied – (Disability Now). "After years of participating in London’s annual celebration of gay culture, Ju Gosling feels less proud of attitudes to disabled people at this year’s event. - I ‘came out’ in June 1997, after the end of a relationship that had lasted longer than it might have done because my partner was also my carer. Shortly afterwards I went to London Pride, where I was relieved to feel welcome and part of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) community. I was proud to be gay. I later discovered that Regard, the national LGBT disabled people’s organisation, had been working with Pride since the early 1990s to make the march a blueprint for accessibility. . . In the noughties, though, everything changed. Suddenly Pride had new organisers who didn’t want to take our calls. The access sub-committee was disbanded and some of the most critical access arrangements were cancelled, including the parking and the provision of wheelchairs. by

2007, when London hosted EuroPride, so few Regard members could access the event that we had to pull out altogether."

            http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/latest-news2/news-focus/right-to-pride-denied

 

Government

 

Canada

 

Province to roll out disability support program soon – (The Daily Gleaner). "The provincial government [New Brunswick] will roll out its disability support program province wide July 1, six months ahead of schedule, the premier announced recently. The program provides individualized and flexible support to adults who have long-term disabilities to address their physical, social or mental-health needs. The program could provide such services as home support, respite care, transportation support or assistive devices not covered under other programs. ‘I am pleased to announce that, because of the hard work by the disability sector and by staff at the Department of Social Development, the implementation of the disability support program has progressed more quickly than expected,’ Premier Shawn Graham said at a Disability Awareness Week breakfast in Fredericton last week."

            http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/cityregion/article/1083573

 

Soldiers squander disability payouts – by Althia Raj (The Toronto Sun). "Canada’s top soldier says he’s concerned some younger vets are blowing their disability awards on trucks and sports cars instead of saving money, and he hopes Veterans Affairs will offers soldiers different payments options if they are wounded. Gen. Walter Natynczyk, chief of the defence staff, told QMI Agency each soldier is different and the Department of National Defence is working with Veterans Affairs to see ‘what are the gaps’ so new veterans, those coming back from Kandahar, can be taken care of. Veterans’ groups are overwhelmingly opposed to a new policy by the Conservative government that eliminated monthly disability pensions in favour of lump-sum payments, up to a maximum of $276,080, if they are permanently disabled."

            http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/06/24/14504981.html

 

Unions unhappy government targeting surplus in disability plan to cut deficit – by Kathryn May (The Province). "The Harper government is targeting the surplus in its employees’ disability plan to help reduce the deficit, despite pleas from unions to use some savings to prevent and treat the growing number of disability claims that take public servants off the job. Treasury Board officials are proposing two options to reduce the surplus in the plan’s reserves. Both involve premium holidays, where both employees and the employer pay nothing for a few months, as well as reductions in premiums. The options were laid out at a recent meeting of the plan’s board of management. Union leaders have yet to formally meet to discuss the proposals."

http://www.theprovince.com/Unions+unhappy+government+targeting+surplus+disability+plan+deficit/3209014/story.html

 

US

 

Obama Signs Bill Ensuring Funding For Independent Living Centers – by Michelle Diament (Disability Scoop). "President Barack Obama signed legislation Thursday designed to close a funding loophole threatening the nation’s independent living centers, which offer a variety of services to individuals with disabilities. The law comes in response to a funding disparity which emerged as a result of last year’s stimulus package, leaving some independent living centers eligible for far more money in future years, while other centers would be underfunded. The legislation signed by Obama this week closes the gap, ensuring that stimulus dollars won’t compromise future funding of the centers. The viability of independent living centers is significant given that in many parts of the country the centers are the 'primary provider of services' for residents with disabilities, said the legislation’s sponsor Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., in a statement Friday."

            http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/07/30/funding-independent-living/9569/

 

Health and Wellness

 

Australia’s health 2010 – (Australian Policy Online). "This 12th biennial health report is the nation’s premier source of statistics and informed commentary on: determinants of health and keys to prevention; diseases and injury; how health varies across population groups; health across the life stages; health services, expenditure and workforce; the health sector’s performance."

            http://www.apo.org.au/research/australias-health-2010

 

Enabling Australia: Inquiry into the Migration Treatment of Disability – (Australian Policy Online). "Australia’s current health requirement for migration to this country is prejudiced against people with a disability and their families, according to this report. The Committee report makes 18 recommendations to Government to ensure migration assessment across the visa streams is fairer families where a member is a person with a disability."

            http://www.apo.org.au/research/enabling-australia-inquiry-migration-treatment-disability

 

HHS Launches New Consumer Focused Health Care Website www.HealthCare.gov – (U.S. Department of Health). "The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today unveiled an innovative new on-line tool that will help consumers take control of their health care by connecting them to new information and resources that will help them access quality, affordable health care coverage. Called for by the Affordable Care Act, HealthCare.gov is the first website to provide consumers with both public and private health coverage options tailored specifically for their needs in a single, easy-to-use tool. . . . Consumers can receive information about options specific to their life situation and local community."

            http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2010pres/07/20100701h.html

 

 

Legal

 

The Disability Law Lowdown Podcast – "Provides information on disability laws and other subjects available to download and listen to, as well as podcast transcripts to read. Information covered includes the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Air Carrier Access Act, the Ticket to Work program, the Fair Housing Act and other laws and programs that support the rights and independence of people with disabilities. This information is also available in Spanish. Disability Law Lowdown ASL videos are on YouTube."

            http://english.disabilitylawlowdown.com/showlist.php

 

EHRC to launch inquiry into disability hate crimes – by Randeep Ramesh (The Guardian). "The Equality and Human Rights Commission is to launch a probe into disability hate crimes and harassment after figures revealed that a person appears in court every working day charged with abusing the disabled – often violently. The formal inquiry, announced today and backed by ministers, will also investigate what public authorities – such as councils, schools, bus services and the police – are doing to protect the human rights of disabled people. It comes after a spate of high-profile cases that have seen people killed or kill themselves after suffering taunts, attacks and bullying."

            http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/jun/14/disability-hate-crime-inquiry-launched

 

National Federation of the Blind Successful Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Blockbuster Inc. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act – (U.S. Department of Justice). "The Justice Department today announced a settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with Blockbuster Inc. to ensure equal access to its stores nationwide for individuals with disabilities who use service animals. The settlement agreement, which resolves a complaint filed under title III of the ADA by an individual with a disability, requires, among other things, that Blockbuster provide comprehensive training to employees at more than 3,000 retail stores throughout the United States to ensure individuals with disabilities who use service animals have full and equal enjoyment of its goods, services and facilities."

            http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2010/July/10-ag-831.html

 

in Returning Infant to Her Parents – (National Federation of the Blind). "Independence, Missouri (July 22, 2010): The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and its Missouri affiliate announced today that they have succeeded in a legal fight to bring a two-month-old infant, Mikaela Sinnett, home to her parents, Blake Sinnett and Erika Johnson of Independence. The NFB of Missouri hired an attorney to assist the couple after Mikaela was taken from them at Centerpoint Hospital almost immediately after she was born. For fifty-seven days the couple, both of whom are blind, were allowed to visit their child in foster care but were not allowed to bring her home. The sole reason given by Missouri’s Department of Social Services was that the couple was blind and could not properly care for Mikaela without the assistance of a sighted person twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week. An evidentiary hearing was scheduled for July 20, but at the last minute the state of Missouri dismissed the case against the couple."

            http://www.nfb.org/nfb/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=621

 

 

Media/Arts

 

Art and the brain – by Kate Kellaway (The Guardian). "If you were to stumble on Brainboxes and Boundless Books at Hackney Museum in east London, the first thing that would strike you is the affinity between the artworks on display. For this dazzling, small-scale exhibition is the visual equivalent of a conversation. It has been curated by artist Shaun Caton, who runs art workshops for long-stay patients at Homerton hospital’s neurological rehabilitation unit. It at one and the same time explores brain damage and seeks to transcend it. You will find almost no information about the artists themselves (patient confidentiality) – and the sense is that the art has come out of nowhere. In describing the challenges his artists were battling against, Caton lists a range of neurological conditions: Guillain-Barré syndrome, Parkinson’s, strokes, brain trauma suffered in road accidents."

            http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/jul/25/art-brain-exhibition-damaged-minds

 

CNIB’s The i Factor Contest Draws Canadian Celebrity Line-up – (Canadian National Institute for the Blind). "Hosted on August 7 by comedian Mike Bullard, CNIB’s second-annual musical competition for people with vision loss – The i Factor – will feature three well-known judges: music promoter and popular Canadian Idol judge Farley Flex, singer and song-writer Shirley Eikhard, and musician Terry Kelly. The i Factor gives Canadians the chance of a lifetime to showcase their talents. After an online audition process, the top 10 finalists have been selected. Next week these finalists will stay at the fully accessible recreational CNIB Lake Joseph Centre (Lake Joe) in Muskoka where they will receive musical and performance training from Canada’s premiere music industry professionals."

http://www.cnib.ca/en/news/archive/20100730-ifactor.aspx

           

Dancing disability into new worlds – by Njabulo S Ndebele (Times Live). "On the night of the World Cup eliminator between Spain and Portugal on Tuesday in Cape Town, I took time off from watching the soccer on TV to indulge my artistic and human curiosities over an unusual production at the Baxter Theatre. Extra-Ordinary is a dance production performed by renowned disabled British actor David Toole, who has no legs. South African choreographer Lucy Hind would dance with him on stage. But how?"

            http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/article531275.ece/Dancing-disability-into-new-worlds

 

 

 

HBO’s ‘Temple Grandin’ Gets Emmy Nod - by Michelle Diament (Disability Scoop). "A television biopic about autism self-advocate Temple Grandin has been nominated for 15 Emmy awards. The movie, which premiered on HBO in February, is up for outstanding made for television movie. In addition, actress Claire Danes, who played Grandin, is also nominated for outstanding lead actress in a miniseries or movie. Grandin is well-known for writing and lecturing about her experiences as a person with autism. She is also acclaimed for her work designing humane animal-handling facilities and is a professor at Colorado State University. The film follows Grandin from her childhood diagnosis of autism into adulthood. Shot from her perspective, the movie vividly depicts how Grandin thinks in pictures and deals with overstimulation. In a conversation with Disability Scoop earlier this year, Grandin said the film portrays an accurate depiction of her experience."

            http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/07/12/grandin-emmy-noms/9293/

 

Neil Squire Society Unveils YouTube Nonprofit Channel – (Neil Squire Society). "The Neil Squire Society has unveiled its designated Nonprofit channel on YouTube, allowing them to deliver their message to the world’s largest online video community. The Nonprofit program offered by YouTube allows organizations to take advantage of premium branding capabilities, increased upload capacity, and the option to drive fundraising through the Google Checkout ‘Donate’ button as well as other benefits."

            http://www.neilsquire.ca/section.asp?catid=121&subid=130&pageid=643

 

Philip Kennicott on Michael Graves’s ‘Revealing Culture’ exhibit – by Philip Kennicott (The Washington Post). "In February 2003, architect Michael Graves came down with what he thought was a cold. After a long and frigid site visit to one of his projects, it got worse. A spinal infection was ravaging his body and left him paralyzed. He now uses a wheelchair. Graves visited Washington earlier this month to speak to a Smithsonian audience before the opening of an exhibition called ‘Revealing Culture,’ dedicated to the work of artists with disabilities. The show is in one of the Smithsonian’s least glamorous places, the International Gallery located in the underground S. Dillon Ripley Center, sandwiched between the Freer and Sackler galleries. It is a long room with an ugly ceiling and no natural light, and you can’t help but think that the exhibitions that get placed there have nowhere better to go."

            http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/17/AR2010061705483.html

 

Reclaiming Roles: Actors Play Beyond Disabilities – by Karen Grigsby Bates (The National Spinal Cord Injury Association). "Even after a canoeing accident left him largely paralyzed, all Zack Weinstein ever wanted to do was act. Now, with a guest role on Fox’s Glee, he’s part of a new wave of performers who are bucking the Hollywood trend of casting able-bodied actors to play characters with disabilities -- and challenging producers to think more broadly about those roles. Some people change their minds a half-dozen times before they decide on a career. Not Zack Weinstein. ‘I can’t remember ever wanting to do anything other than act,’ Weinstein says. He kept to it even after an accident left him paralyzed from the chest down. ‘I started performing around 4, and that was it for me. I never changed my mind.’ That single-mindedness paid off big-time: On Tuesday, May 11, Weinstein joins the cast of the popular Fox sitcom Glee in an episode that will have him acting and singing from a hospital bed as a patient with a spinal-cord injury."

            http://www.spinalcord.org/news.php?dep=1&page=6&list=2739

 

 

Medical

 

Cerebral Palsy Study Dispels Inflated Costs and Biases – (PRNewswire). "A new study on treating Cerebral Palsy with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is making waves in India and the U.S. The largest sample of children studied to assess neuro-developmental improvements focuses on a combination of standard rehabilitation therapies, such as Occupational, Physical, Speech Therapies and HBOT. HBOT raises the oxygen molecule content in the body through oxygen-carrying blood cells and all body fluids. A person enters a treatment chamber, and the air pressure is compressed with more molecules of air and oxygen. Lately, HBOT has garnered much attention in the media, with athletes using it to train and recover from injuries, diabetics literally saving limbs, patients able to kill resistant bacteria, and most recently, new applications in neurology—brain injuries, traumas and disorders. In fact, this new study out of India compares the use of various hyperbaric pressures with the use of (ambient) air alone or oxygen-enrichment in the treatment of children with Cerebral Palsy (CP). The study shows that low pressure ambient air hyperbaric therapy (1.3 atmospheres-ATA) is as or more effective than high pressure 100% oxygen (1.5 or 1.75 ATA) in the treatment of CP."

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cerebral-palsy-study-dispels-inflated-costs-and-biases-99319654.html

 

Hip hope from stem cell technique – by Pallab Ghosh (BBC). "US researchers have developed a promising new technique that might one day enable doctors to regrow broken or diseased joints in patients. Writing in the The Lancet, US researchers say they have regrown the forelimb thigh joint of rabbits using their own stem cells. It was the first time an entire joint surface had been regenerated with the return of functions, they said. The research could benefit patients with damaged hips, shoulders or knees. The team removed the limbs from 10 rabbits and replaced them with an artificial limb-shaped skeleton. This was soaked with chemicals which attract bone and cartilage stem cells. Four weeks later the rabbits had regrown their joints and were able to move normally."

            http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-10790259

 

New Autism Genes Discovered: Autism Speaks and The World’s Leading Autism Experts Announce Phase 2 Results of the Autism Genome Project – (Autism Speaks). "Autism Speaks, the world’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, and an international consortium of researchers, along with participating families, joined together to announce new autism genetic discoveries from the second phase of its collaborative study: the Autism Genome Project. The results were published today in the journal Nature, one of the world’s most respected peer-reviewed scientific publications. The Autism Genome Project (AGP) is an international autism genetics research consortium co-funded by Autism Speaks, the Medical Research Council, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Health Research Board (Ireland), Genome Canada, the Hilibrand Foundation and Autistica."

            http://www.autismspeaks.org/press/autism_genome_project_nature.php

 

Paying for a sibling to save Mark – by Professor Simon Fishel (BBC). "Treating a child with a genetic disorder is costly for the NHS and heartbreaking for families. In this week’s Scrubbing Up, Professor Simon Fishel, a leading fertility doctor and managing director of the CARE Fertility Group, argues it is right and cost effective for the NHS to pay for IVF to create ‘saviour siblings’."

            http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-10726926

 

UCLA Launches First West Coast Human Hand Transplantation Program – (Newswise). "The UCLA Health System has launched the new UCLA Hand Transplantation Program, the first of its kind on the West Coast and only the fourth such center in the United States. The program will help those who have suffered the traumatic loss of a hand or forearm and allow them to regain function and improve their quality of life. Qualified candidates are now being sought for a clinical study of the procedure. ‘Over the past decade, the exciting field of hand transplantation has resulted in excellent outcomes for patients, and we are excited to bring this program to UCLA,’ said Dr. Kodi Azari, surgical director of the hand transplantation

program and an associate professor in the UCLA Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and the UCLA Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery."

            http://bit.ly/cSJvhi

 

Policy/Research

 

Communications for all: the role of the national disability strategy – (Australian Policy Online). "The National Disability Strategy (NDS) is intended to be a whole of government initiative designed to provide economic participation and social inclusion for all Australians with disability. The aim of the NDS is to set a cohesive ten-year agenda for federal, state and territory governments to provide better care, support and services for people with disabilities. ACCAN has published a research report titled Communications for all: The Role of the National Disability Strategy. The report recommends that that NDS includes the following six key areas of action to ensure the communications needs of people with a disability are a key part of the Strategy, now and in the future."

            http://www.apo.org.au/research/communications-all-role-national-disability-strategy

 

Evaluation of the Integrated Services Project for Clients with Challenging Behaviour: Final report – by Karen R. Fisher, Shannon McDermott, Ryan Gleeson, Jasmine Bruce (Australian Policy Online). "The Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC) was commissioned by Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC), Department of Human Services NSW to conduct an evaluation of the Integrated Services Project for Clients with Challenging Behaviour (ISP). The final evaluation report is now available. The evaluation assessed the outcomes of the Project for clients, the effectiveness of the Project’s support processes and governance structures, and examines how the ISP might inform improvements to the broader service system."

http://www.apo.org.au/research/evaluation-integrated-services-project-clients-challenging-behaviour-final-report

 

Leaving care: young people with disability – by Robyn Edwards (Australian Policy Online). "The transition from adolescence to adulthood takes several years and may involve a number of setbacks for any young person. For some young people, leaving statutory out of home care once they turn 18 can mean a sudden move from childhood to independence and adulthood, with little community support. The Wood Inquiry into Child Protection (2008) found that young people leaving care are one of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in society, but do not always receive the support they need to settle their lives and find accommodation and employment. Problems may be compounded for young people with disability; however little is known about the experiences of this group while they are in, and when they leave, care."

            http://www.apo.org.au/research/leaving-care-young-people-disability

 

The prevalence of Fragile X - associated disorders in Australia – by Laurie Brown (Australian Policy Online). "Fragile X is a group of associated genetic disorders (FXDs) that include:

·         Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) - most common cause of inherited intellectual disability, behavioural disorders and speech and language delays that manifest in early childhood;

·         Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) - neurological disorder which sets in at age 50 years or over, causing tremors, balance and memory problems, and cognitive decline; and

·         Fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency (FXPOI) - causes irregular menstrual cycles, infertility and premature menopause in females.

FXS affects individuals across generations. It has been the subject of an increasing amount of medical research since the late 1960s but this work has not been complemented by research into the social and economic costs attached to individuals and families nor into the burden of the disorder at a national level."

http://www.apo.org.au/research/prevalence-fragile-x-associated-disorders-australia

 

The use of environmental assessment tools for the evaluation of Australian residential facilities for people with dementia – by Richard Fleming (Australian Policy Online). "There is an increasing body of evidence that suggests people with dementia can be assisted by the provision of special environments and technology aimed at improving their communication, mobility, manipulation, orientation, cognition and life style."

http://www.apo.org.au/research/use-environmental-assessment-tools-evaluation-australian-residential-facilities-people-deme

 

 

Rehabilitation

 

NRH Launches New Website on Secondary Conditions – (The National Spinal Cord Injury Association). "The National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington, DC, has established the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Spinal Cord Injury and launched a consumer web site at www.sci-health.org to provide information and resources related to the prevention and management of secondary conditions among individuals with SCI, with particular focus on pressure sores, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. The web site is part of a five-year project, funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) and on which NSCIA is a collaborative partner."

            http://www.spinalcord.org/news.php?dep=1&page=0&list=2721

 

Stroke Recovery in 3-D, With Canadian Video Game – (Rehab Management). "An innovative use of virtual reality is emerging as a major technique in brain recovery for stroke patients, Mindy Levin, PT, MSc, PhD, professor in the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy at McGill University, Montreal, recently told the Canadian Stroke Congress. ‘Our brains have an extraordinary plasticity which can limit the damage caused by some types of stroke,’ said Levin in a statement. ‘Together with Dr Heidi Sviestrup from the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa, our rehab program taps into the power of plasticity to gain the best recovery of movement of the arm by increasing a patients’ motivation to continue with the long repetitive training tasks needed to restructure their brains.’ Her team’s interactive virtual reality training program boosts patients’ confidence and increases the success of arm and hand rehabilitation by having them practice movements as part of a video game. This enriched environment stimulates the brain to make the fullest use of its ability to reorganize and restructure itself after a stroke."

            http://www.rehabpub.com/news/2010-06-18_02.asp

 

 

Technology

 

Accessible Android E-Mail and Barcode Reader Available – (The International Center for Disability Research on the Internet). "IDEAL Group Apps4Android, Inc. announced today the release of the first Android e-mail reader for the blind. The IDEAL K9 E-MailR reader is accessible using Google’s Talkback and other Android screenreaders. Also announced was the release of IDEAL Item IdentifierR, an Android-based barcode reader. The barcode reader makes it possible to quickly, easily, and accurately identify products by using Android smartphones to read barcodes on standard products. Both applications have been open-sourced in support of the Raising the Floor Initiative. http://raisingthefloor.net/"

            http://www.icdri.org/News/Android_barcode_reader.htm

 

Laser-Guided Robot for People with Disabilities – by Eric Levy (Disaboom). "Imagine having a robot at home that can help you pick up a household object, such as your cell phone, and deliver it to you. All you do is point a Star Wars-like green laser at the object. When the robot sees the beam of light, it says, ‘Detected laser pointer.’ Once it locates the object itself, it lets you know by saying, ‘Ding,’ and grasps the object with its laser-equipped hand. Once it’s delivered to you or elsewhere in the house, the robot returns to your side, awaiting the next command. Far-fetched? Science fiction? Neither. The technology is here, and the robot goes by the name Elevated-Engagement (El-E for short). It’s the first home-assistance robot guided by laser commands that can pick up objects of varying heights and navigate in a room it’s never been in before. Professor Charles Kemp, director of the Center for Healthcare Robotics at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, leads El-E’s creative team that includes students from his university lab and professors from other universities. The group has been working closely with Jonathan Glass, a neurology professor at Emory University in Atlanta and director of the Emory ALS Center."

http://www.disaboom.com/assistive-technology-general/laser-guided-robot-for-people-with-disabilities

 

The Power of Technology, The Power of Equality – Posted by Kareem Dale and Scott Deutchman (Whitehouse Blog)."Twenty years ago, a simple, standardized way to link together pages of text via the Internet was invented, and the World Wide Web was born. . . . we recognize that technology has the power not just to entertain but to enhance our work-life experience and connect us to our families and communities. This is particularly true for the approximately 54 million Americans with disabilities. In fact, technology has the ability to enable Americans with disabilities to participate fully both in their personal and professional lives. . . . In recognition of the powerful role that technology plays in all of our lives, the White House continued its celebration of the 20th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act with a Technology Showcase, in partnership with the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Commerce."

            http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/07/20/power-technology-power-equality

Voice Recorders Seem to Help Detect Autism – by Kathleen Doheny (Business Week)." An analysis of soundtracks from a recording system worn by young children might detect differences in vocalization and help researchers identify those children who may have autism or language delays, a new study suggests. ‘This automated application makes it possible to monitor development in a completely objective way,’ said lead researcher Dr. D. Kimbrough Oller, a professor at the University of Memphis. For the study, Oller and his team attached recorders in the chest pockets of children’s clothing. The device recorded the children in their natural environments during the course of a day. They analyzed nearly 1,500 soundtracks from the recordings of 232 children, aged 10 months to 4 years."

            http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/641242.html

 

 

Conferences

( New Conferences)

 

Canada

 

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

 

 "Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow" - 2010 national conference of the National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) – November 12-14, 2010 | Winnipeg, Manitoba. "The National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) is pleased to announce our 2010 national conference, ‘Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow.’ It will take place at the Delta Winnipeg Hotel from November 12-14, 2010. The conference will focus on solutions to drive change. This year’s event will be an exciting opportunity for students, consumer advocates, service providers, employers and all others interested in exploring key issues of equal access to post-secondary education and employment for students and graduates with disabilities. We welcome delegates from across Canada and around the world. The 2010 conference is being organized by a Conference Planning Committee, comprised of NEADS board members."

http://www.neads.ca/en/about/events/conference2010/

 

 

 21st Pacific Coast Brain Injury Conference – November 17-19, 2010 | Vancouver, British Columbia. "The 21st Pacific Coast Brain Injury Conference, Canada’s premier national conference on acquired brain injury, returns November 17-19, 2010, with the theme Real People with Real Lives: Practical Strategies for Living Well after Brain Injury. Join a diverse cross-section of the brain injury community, including survivors, family members, health-care professionals, researchers, and legal and insurance professionals to:

·         Increase your understanding of the problems faced by people living with brain injury

·         Develop new partnerships and strengthen existing relationships

·         Enhance awareness of education, services and programs, as well as advances in brain injury research

·         Learn about the Online Education & Social Network to be officially launched at the Conference

Sign up to receive the Conference E-Newsletter so that you are kept up to date on Conference developments."

http://www.pcbic.org/

 

2nd Conference on Positive Aging An Interdisciplinary Team Approach for Health Professionals – November 26-27, 2010 | Vancouver, British Columbia. "The aim of the 2nd national conference on positive aging is to bring together an interdisciplinary audience of health professionals and researchers to address some of the issues and challenges facing the aging population today. Hear about the most current research findings from leading experts, learn how research can be translated into practice, and discover useable resources to promote healthier, more positive living for Canada’s older adult population. The importance of purpose and meaning of the later life as well as lessons for health and longevity will be emphasized. The conference will provide informative lectures, discussions, workshops, poster sessions and ample networking opportunities. A highlight of this conference will be to hear from the Older Adults."

http://www.interprofessional.ubc.ca/Positive_Aging_2010.html

 

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.

 

      5th International Forum on Disability Management – September 13-16, 2010 | Los Angeles, California. "Disability management is capturing the attention of businesses and governments around the world because it provides proven solutions to reduce and minimize the impact of injury and illness. Hosted on September 20-22 in Los Angeles, IFDM 2010 provides a unique opportunity for the health, safety, workers’ compensation and disability management communities to advance knowledge and share insight. Over 500 delegates from around the world will attend to share experiences on how to create, implement, and evaluate comprehensive disability management initiatives."

http://www.ifdm2010.com/

 

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/

 

      SABE 2010 National Self Advocacy Conference -– September 23-26, 2010 | Kansas City, Missouri. "SABE KC 2010 will be held September 23-26, 2010 at the Westin-Crown Center in Kansas City, Missouri. This year’s conference is SABE’s 10th Annual Self Advocacy Conference. This year’s conference theme is 'Jazz It Up: Celebrating 20 Years of Self Advocates Being Empowered,' which marks the anniversary of the ADA and acknowledges the last twenty years of the self advocacy movement in the United States! For the last decade, this conference has been the largest gathering of self advocates in the United States. The conference is estimated to bring 1,000+ self advocates together to learn, collaborate, problem solve, and celebrate the past two decades of the self advocacy movement."

http://www.sabekc2010.org/?catid=203

 

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/

 

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/

 

      13th Annual Accessing Higher Ground - Accessible Media, Web and Technology Conference -–November 15-19, 2010 | Boulder, Colorado. "Disability Services at the University of Colorado at Boulder presents Accessing Higher Ground: Accessible Media, Web and Technology Conference for Education, for Businesses, for Web and Media Designers. Accessing Higher Ground focuses on the implementation and benefits of Assistive Technology in the university and college setting for people with sensory, physical and learning disabilities. Other topics include legal and policy issues, including ADA and 508 compliance, and making campus media and information resources - including Web pages and library resources - accessible."

http://www.colorado.edu/ATconference/

 

Overseas

 

 International Conference On The Efortt Project – September 13-14, 2010 | Casa de la Convalescencia, Barcelona. "Developments in telecare (the provision of health and social care at a distance) are rapidly evolving and information and communication technology (ICT) aims to cover an increasingly wide range of care practices and innovations. But these interventions are occurring, we argue, in an ethical and democratic vacuum, which makes it critical to explore and analyse the everyday ethical, social and gender implications of technological interventions for older citizens, caregivers and health-care systems. This conference provides an opportunity for practitioners, users, carers, policymakers and scholars involved or working on these issues to meet and talk. Over two days, we propose to exchange experiences and debate the actual and possible consequences of telecare developments, for all European stakeholders."

http://psicologiasocial.uab.es/efortt_conference/Efortt/Conference.html

 

 AAL Forum 2010 – September 15-17, 2010 | Odense, Denmark. "It is with the greatest of pleasure that we, as chairman and co-chair of the AAL Forum 2010 Programme Committee, can open the digital doors to the 2nd AAL Forum in Denmark on behalf of the Ambient Assisted Living Joint Programme, Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, ABT Foundation and the Hosts from the City of Odense and Region of Southern Denmark. The Programme Committee plans an exciting programme, with focus on presenting innovative smart solutions to tackle the challenges inherent to our ageing societies. It aims to provide a both digital and physcial platform for all stakeholders – investors, researchers, policy makers, industry providers and end-users – to discuss smart solutions for a improved quality of life in later years. We are planning exciting projects, like the worlds largest live experiment with ambient intelligence during the AAL Forum at the premises of Odense Congress Centre. You can also visit the Innovation world expo, or just contribute by using this advanced and highly interactive web site to promote your vision, worries, ideas, results from research or projects of the future of the ageing society. I will encourage everybody that is reading this page, and came to this part, to sign in (unless you already did) and start contributing to the content of AAL Forum 2.0."

http://www.aalforum.eu/page/welcome-from-the-chairmen

 

 World Mental Health Congress 2011 - "African Footprint in Global Mental Health" – October 17-21, 2011 | Cape Town, South Africa. "The Scientific Programme Committee now invites you to submit your abstract to be a presenter at this groundbreaking congress in Cape Town in October 2011. . . .The congress theme ‘African Footprint in Global Mental Health’ covers the full range of contemporary mental health issues while also introducing the many unique challenges and innovative approaches to be found in present-day Africa. Only a small proportion of African researchers and programme leaders get to showcase their work in the West. by participating in this congress you will be exposed to the full richness of the African experience. You will discover with what care and creativity Africa responds to its major mental health challenges. We invite you to add your voice to the many exciting deliberations of this landmark event. Leave your African footprint on the path towards integrated, equitable and recovery-oriented global mental health care!"

http://www.wmhc2011.com/content/abstract-submission

 

 Advances in New Technologies, Interactive Interfaces and Communicability (ADNTIIC 2010): Design, E-commerce, E-learning, E-health, E-tourism, Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 – October 20–22, 2010 | Córdoba, Argentina. "The user interface is the environment par excellence where the latest breakthroughs in the formal and factual sciences converge. In the design of the current and future interactive systems, the presentation of the content on the screen is the key to the success of the rest of the components which make up an avant-garde computer science structure. The year 2010 opens an interesting decade in which to consolidate communicability, especially with the constant (r)evolution of the interfaces of the interactive systems. Right now we are starting to see the first results of the intersection of scientific knowledge to increase the quality of telecommunications in the daily life of millions of users. However, the interactive systems will keep on programming from the point of view of design of the interfaces, using the last advances in the software and the constant progress of the hardware. A democratization of the future models in human-computer interaction will ease the interaction in the environments of immersive multimedia oriented towards education, health, work and leisure time."

http://www.alaipo.com/conference/conference_ADNTIIC.html

 

 

 

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

 

 49th Annual Scientific Meeting, International Spinal Cord Society – November 5-7, 2010 | New Delhi, India. "On behalf of the Government and people of Delhi, I extend a warm welcome to all of you to participate in the Conference. As the capital, New Delhi will not only give you an insight into our advanced technology and medical knowledge but also give you the opportunity to experience the much talked about Indian hospitality. My sincere and best wishes for success of the International Conference."

http://www.iscos2010.com/index.html

 

 International Disability Studies Conference: "Diversity in Quality of Life" – December 2-4, 2010 | Amsterdam, Netherlands. "Disability Studies in Nederland wants to celebrate its first anniversary and the start of its research program with an international conference in cooperation with VU University, which supports this event as part of the lustrum agenda Freedom and Responsibility, on occasion of its 130th birthday. To promote the disability studies approach in The Netherlands the conference will focus on a key concept in mainstream academic approaches to disability, namely ‘quality of life’. It raises the question of how this concept can be used in a disability studies perspective. We invite scholars to further develop the concept of quality of life from a disability studies perspective by focusing on diversity. It presupposes that persons with disabilities possess a quality of life that is defined foremost by the appropriation of their own life-story. This involves active contribution of persons with disabilities that reflects differences between cultural perspectives, including non-western ones."

          http://disabilitystudies.nl/conference-2010/conference