Accessibility

 

Arthritis Simulation Gloves Aim to Aid in Design of User-Friendly Products – (RehabManagement). “As the US population ages, manufacturers of consumer goods are realizing that many customers may not be as nimble-fingered or sharp-sighted as they once were. To help product designers and engineers address those changing requirements, researchers at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), Atlanta, have been developing evaluation methods and design techniques to identify and address the needs of all consumers, including those with functional limitations. GTRI's latest product is a pair of arthritis simulation gloves, which reproduce the reduction in functional capacity experienced by people with arthritis. The gloves are designed to help those responsible for consumer products better understand how arthritis affects a person's ability to grasp, pinch, turn, lift, and twist objects.”

http://www.rehabpub.com/news/2010-02-09_02.asp

 

Expedia.com Launches New Accessibility Search Tools for Disabled Travelers – “Expedia.com®, the world's leading online travel agency, has launched a unique suite of search tools designed to help disabled travelers find and book accessible accommodations. Travelers in the U.S. can now visit Expedia.com to search for lodgings in the U.S. that offer accommodations including accessibility equipment for the deaf, accessible bathrooms, accessible paths of travel, Braille or raised signage, in-room accessibility, a roll-in shower and more. Once a traveler finds suitable accommodations, they can request one or more of the specific accessibility features on Expedia.com's online Reservation Page. The Expedia.com Customer Service team will review the request and contact the hotel to ensure that the specific traveler requests are met, and will contact the traveler directly to confirm the reservation or to offer to locate a similar room at an equivalent rate at another hotel.”

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/expediacom-launches-new-accessibility-search-tools-for-disabled-travelers-84479647.html

 

Living Arrangements - Universal Design Makes This Home, Sweet Home - by Veronica Leonard (Abilities). “Visitors to the home of Frank and Sharon Palermo are struck by the beauty of the house – open-concept design, hardwood floors, granite countertops and maple cabinetry in the kitchen, a deck off the dining room and another off the kitchen. The entryway is flooded with light from windows lining the four-storey stairwell that circles behind a central elevator. How decadent – an elevator! It is only after Sharon comes to greet you in her wheelchair that you realize it is also an accessible house with some of the best features of Universal Design. In 1996, Sharon was in a car accident that damaged her spine at the C6/7 level. She is now quadriplegic with limited use of her arms and hands. She received a sizeable settlement from her insurance company. This paid for renovations to make their house accessible. Frank, a talented architect, used his creativity and skill to make their home a joy to live in.”

http://www.abilities.ca/accessibility/2010/03/04/universal_design/

 

The United We Ride National Dialogue Final Report – “The United We Ride National Dialogue brought together key stakeholders using collaborative web-based technologies to discuss the following broad question: ‘What ideas can improve access to affordable and reliable transportation for people with disabilities, older adults, and people with limited incomes?’ The Dialogue platform included several analytical tools that provided tremendous opportunity to cross-reference ideas and comments submitted by participants in answering the central question.”

http://www.uwrdialogue.org/UWR.National%20Dialogue%20Final%20Report-1-.Feb.2010.pdf

 

Advocacy

 

AAPD’s Statement on VA Delegate Robert Marshall’s Remarks About People with Disabilities – “The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the country’s largest cross-disability membership organization, issued a statement Tuesday in response to Virginia Delegate Robert G. Marshall’s remarks last week suggesting that women who have had abortions are punished later with children with disabilities. ‘These outrageous comments not only attack us as people with disabilities, but our families as well. In all my years of public service, I have never heard anything so hurtful,’ said Tony Coelho, AAPD’s board chair, former House Majority Whip and the author of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).”

http://www.aapd.com/Communications/2010_Statement_Release.html

 

New Web Site Offers Voice for People with Paralysis – (Spinalcord.org). “Got something to say about public policy? Spinal cord advocates, or anyone living with paralysis can share their thoughts (and read what others have to say) at a new consumer website dedicated to grassroots advocacy on issues that affect people with spinal cord Injury and disorders. The site, www.spinalcordadvocates.org, is a product of the unique collaboration between two of the nation’s leading nonprofit membership organizations dedicated to improving the quality of life of all Americans with spinal cord injuries and disorders -- National Spinal Cord Injury Association (NSCIA) and United Spinal Association. NSCIA and United Spinal began collaborating in 2009 on a shared public policy agenda designed to advance the needs and rights of people with disabilities, with the goal of enhancing the positions of the respective organizations in the nation’s capital and to expand their reach into the community of people with disabilities.”

http://www.spinalcord.org/news.php?dep=1&page=0&list=2632

 

New WID Project in the Republic of Georgia Builds Wheelchairs and Removes Barriers - WID's International Program launched a 3-year project in the Republic of Georgia in partnership with Whirlwind Wheelchair International (WWI) and the Coalition for Independent Living in Georgia, along with their regional member organizations, the Association of Disabled Women and Mothers of Disabled Children in Zugdidi and the Association of Gori Disabled Club, to set up a sustainable wheelchair production and repair facility in Tbilisi in 2009. . . .The project will also conduct advocacy, public education, and community accessibility barrier removal activities in Tbilisi, Gori and Zugdidi. Most of the factory workers and advocacy team members are people with disabilities, and almost all are wheelchair users.”

http://www.wid.org/wid-launches-3-year-project-in-the-republic-of-georgia/

 

Opening Doors: A Discussion of Residential Options for Adults Living with Autism & Related Disorders – “This report focuses on the residential concerns of adults with autism and related disorders and is designed to advance the development of residential models that offer quality, affordable housing options. The study also looks at current and projected demand for life-long living options that support individuals with autism spectrum and related disorders who are unable to live on their own. This link opens a PDF document.”

http://www.autismcenter.org/documents/openingdoorsprint.pdf

 

Commentary

 

Barring Disabled Migrants Makes Australia the Loser – by Alecia Simmonds (National Times). “In 1914 a group of prominent eugenicists in America declared: 'The feeble-minded person is not desirable, he is a social encumbrance, a financial burden. In short, it were better for him and for society had he never been born.’ Early 20th-century eugenicists loved the term feeble-minded. It referred to those with intellectual or physical impairments and was flexible enough to cover the poor, blacks and prostitutes. The feeble-minded were a social encumbrance, a financial burden and a frightful deviation from physical and intellectual ideals. The term has since lost currency and the science of eugenics rose and fell with the Third Reich. But the ideas still thrive today. A Senate committee inquiry into the migration treatment of disability in Australia is revealing that Australia systematically discriminates against people with impairments. The committee, which has been holding public hearings in capital cities and will continue to do so throughout the month, is assessing the appropriateness of health tests for people wanting to migrate to Australia.”

http://www.nationaltimes.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/barring-disabled-migrants-makes-australia-the-loser-20100203-ndeb.html

 

Blogs of Entry – (Ragged Edge). “Was it less than two years ago when we looked around for disability blogs and could find only a handful? Today there are hundreds if not tho[u]sands of bloggers writing about disability. What's a person to do when there are only so many hours in the day, and hours and hours of good blog surfing to be done? What one does is make a very short list. Herewith, my list: I have to admit that as time passes I find myself starting my blog surfing most days with a visit to two blogs: Disability Studies, Temple U and The Gimp Parade. Between the two, I learn a lot about what's going on in the disability blogging world. There are many many very good blogs out there -- ones I try to visit often. Others, I'll admit, have only warranted a visit or two. Some focus too much on the medical aspects of disability to be of much interest to Ragged Edge. Others seem to change infrequently. But I know I'm almost sure of finding something new at Disability Studies, Temple U and The Gimp Parade. So I start with those.”

http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/blogs/edgecentric/media/002949.html

 

Disability-Free World May Not Be a Better Place - by Arthur Caplan, Ph.D.(MSNBC). “On a trip to Ireland a few years ago, I was struck by a number of faces among the crowds. They were children with the tell-tale look of Down syndrome. What struck me was the realization that I hardly ever see these young faces out on the street in the United States. A fascinating probe by the Associated Press suggests the reason. Gene testing of parental carriers is leading to the birth of fewer and fewer children with inherited diseases in the United States. Other conditions such as Down syndrome, which uses prenatal testing of the fetus, are also apparently being screened out in greater numbers.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35463644/ns/health-health_care/

 

The Education of Professir X - by Douglas Lathrop (New Mobility). “He lies in bed, bare-chested, quad belly and thin, paralyzed arms on full display. She straddles him, clad in a silk nightgown, face hidden, curvaceous body moving for both of them. There's no makeup, no camera trickery, just lips brushing breasts, fingers caressing soft amber skin, his gaze intertwined with hers in tenderness and passion. It's very romantic and very real — but also very jarring. You feel like a voyeur, watching this; it's too unfiltered, too true-to-life. And such a frank presentation of disabled sexuality makes part of you uncomfortable. You may know — both intellectually and from experience — that people with disabilities aren't asexual, you may have spent your entire adult life rebelling against the notion that sex is only for the physically perfect, but still, that programming runs deep.”

http://www.newmobility.com/articleView.cfm?id=11582

 

An Elegant Tribute - by Eve Kushner (The Monthly). “When Ed Roberts, a quadriplegic due to polio, applied to U.C. Berkeley in 1962, one of the deans said, ‘We’ve tried cripples before and it didn’t work.’ But Roberts persevered with the help of his mother and others at the university, eventually graduating from Cal and going on to earn a master’s degree there. As the first person with severe disabilities to attend U.C. Berkeley, he paved the way for many others. Roberts is known as the father of the Independent Living Movement and Berkeley is known as its birthplace, partly because of his efforts to help people with disabilities live with dignity and independence.”

http://www.themonthly.com/feature-03-09.html

 

Missing - Disabled Characters in Children's Fiction – by Cathy Reay (Disability Now). “Disney’s decision to re-imagine the wonderful Dickens classic A Christmas Carol in yet another movie remake to be released next month has highlighted the shameful fact that books, which are among the first building blocks in teaching children about society, are still getting disability wrong. Very, very wrong. From beloved timeless characters like Tiny Tim, Clara (in Heidi), the Seven Dwarfs and the Hunchback of Notre Dame, to present day fiction written by best-selling authors like Philip Pullman, Jacqueline Wilson and J K Rowling, disability is often grossly mistreated and underrepresented.”

http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/living/features/missing-disabled-characters-in-childrens-fiction

 

Numbers - by Tim Gilmer (New Mobility). “I've been stuck in 1977 lately. That was the year my dad died of a heart attack. On February 10 of this year, I will be the exact age — to the day — that Dad was when he died. But 1977 was a landmark year for other reasons — reasons that still affect our lives, whether we know it or not. On April 5, 1977, hundreds of people with disabilities occupied U.S. government buildings across the nation, protesting the failure of three presidents — Nixon, Ford and Carter — to sign Section 504 regulations into law. As part of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, the regulations were crucial to the future of all people with disabilities. Ed Roberts and Judy Heumann, among others, led the most effective protest, occupying the Health, Education and Welfare building in San Francisco for nearly four weeks until HEW Secretary Joseph Califano finally signed the Section 504 regulations into law.”

http://www.newmobility.com/articleView.cfm?id=11570

 

T4: Hitler's Holocaust Rehearsal – (Disability Now). “In 1939, Hitler authorised Aktion-T4, a programme of mass-murder targeting disabled people. T4, combined with unstructured so-called “wild euthanasia”, killed more than a quarter-of-a-million disabled people, yet this history is largely forgotten. Indeed, thanks to the light-entertainment phenomenon of the same name, the mention of T4 is more likely to evoke images of Miquita Oliver on the beach than disturbing scenes of grey ‘death buses’ transporting disabled people to killing centres. Of this ‘death bus’-shaped hole in history, Dr David Bolt of the Centre for Disability Research at Lancaster University says: ‘I wouldn’t say that little is known about T4, rather that the knowledge is too frequently ignored and too infrequently disseminated. Why? Disturbingly, because the lives of disabled people are sometimes deemed less valid, so the twisted logic is that the lack of representation makes perfect sense, as though there would be little interest in any such history.’”

http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/living/features/t4-hitlers-holocaust-rehearsal

 

 

Education

 

K-12

 

Alternative Testing Method For Students With Disabilities Falls Out Of Favor - by Shaun Heasley (DisabilityScoop). “Lawmakers in Virginia are calling for a relatively new testing method often used with special education students to be phased out amid concerns that it’s overused and produces inaccurate results. The so-called portfolio method is designed to replace traditional standardized testing with a more accurate assessment of achievement for students with disabilities. The alternative method is supposed to be used with students who are learning grade level material but have difficulty demonstrating their knowledge in an annual test. Rather than sit down with a Scantron once a year, students using this new method collect a portfolio of work throughout the academic year, which is then evaluated. Proponents of the portfolios say they better represent a student’s knowledge than a one-day test, especially for students with disabilities.”

http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/02/26/portfolio-test-2/7147/

 

Education Department Unveils Long-Awaited Restraint, Seclusion Policy Roundup - by Michelle Diament (Disability Scoop). “A summary of state policies on restraint and seclusion released Wednesday by the Department of Education reveals a patchwork system, whereby 16 states and territories report offering no rules, regulations or guidance whatsoever to schools regarding the controversial disciplinary practices. The release of the summary comes nine months after Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told Congress he wanted to have a ‘real clear plan’ in place in each state for handling restraint and seclusion in schools before the beginning of the school year. Pressure from Disability Scoop led Department of Education officials to say that they intended to release information about each state’s laws, regulations, policies and guidelines on restraint and seclusion practices by Feb. 12. But officials ultimately delayed the release for another week and a half after snow shut down federal offices in Washington for nearly a week.”

http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/02/24/doe-restraint-and-seclusion-summary/7119/

 

Feds Launch Probe Of School That Uses Electric Shock - by Shaun Heasley (DisabilityScoop). “The Justice Department is investigating a residential school that disability advocates have warned for years utilizes ‘dehumanizing’ methods including electric shock for even minor infractions. The federal investigation of the Judge Rotenberg Center in Canton, Mass. follows a September 2009 letter signed by more than two dozen advocacy groups which called out the facility’s unorthodox methods for treating behavior problems. The letter was addressed to a slew of federal agencies and Congressional committees.”

http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/02/25/electic-shock/7138/

 

 ‘IEP Checklist’ iPhone App Aims To Level Playing Field - by Shaun Heasley (Disability Scoop). “Forget the pen and paper at your next IEP [individualized education plan] meeting. A new iPhone app is designed to organize the process, providing legal tips and a place for notes all in the palm of your hand. The app for iPhone or iPod Touch organizes the individualized education plan, or IEP, meeting into categories such as ‘current performance’ and ‘annual goals.’ When a category is selected, there is a brief description of the legal requirements and an opportunity for the user to insert a goal or notes. The free app, known as IEP Checklist, was developed by the Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center, a Virginia center that’s part of a national network of special education parent information and training centers funded by the Department of Education.”

http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/02/12/iep-app/6989/

 

Opening the Inclusion Flood Gates – by Sunil Peck (DisabilityNow). “Tara Flood is best known for campaigning for equality for disabled pupils in the education system. But despite her reputation as a radical inclusionist, she scoffs at the suggestion that all special schools should be closed immediately. ‘The truth is that if you shut every special school tomorrow, would inclusion happen for every single young disabled person?’ she says. ‘It wouldn’t, because mainstream isn’t up to the job yet.’ In July, Flood was recognised for her campaigning with the Alliance for Inclusive Education (Allfie) with an award from the Sheila McKechnie Foundation, which specialises in helping campaigners hone their campaigning skills. Flood had never heard of the foundation until a friend emailed her about it the day before the closing date for nominations. But she insists that the award means a lot to her. For one thing, it shows that ‘big-wigs in the third sector’ recognise that the debate around inclusive education has moved on from being for or against special schools to ways in which disabled learners can be integrated into the mainstream system.”

http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/living/features/opening-the-inclusion-flood-gates

 

Restraint Policy in Public Schools Questioned - by Dan Lawton (Disaboom). “Current restraint policy in public education leaves many shaking their heads, or worse. When Phyllis Musumeci found out that her autistic son Christian had been restrained at his public school, she was devastated. Previously an outgoing and friendly child, Christian's behavior had deteriorated rapidly over the last year. He began to act out in school, showed signs of increasing anxiety and became socially withdrawn. Phyllis brought Christian to a psychiatrist and sought out a number of other behavior specialists before one of them recommended that she request her child's restraint logs. The logs, which recorded 89 incidents of restraint over a two-year period, left her feeling helpless.”

http://www.disaboom.com/disability-rights-and-advocacy-general/restraint-policy-in-public-schools-questioned

 

Post-Secondary

 

Welcome to Access to Learning Canada! – “ATLC [The Access to Learning Canada] online inventory is a resource that students with disabilities, parents and guidance counsellors can use when thinking about a school and its disability services. This resource is intended to assist in the research phase and provides additional tools for students to gather accessibility information specific to their needs.”

http://accesstolearning.ca/

Employment

 

“A World Awaits You” Journal on Volunteering Abroad with a Disability New Online - In this online issue of A World Awaits You (AWAY), published by Mobility International USA and the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange, people with disabilities embark on life-changing journeys to volunteer in communities around the world. They provided their time, skills and passion, and had the cultural experience of a lifetime. Volunteers share their stories as well as tips on everything from choosing a program to fundraising to foreign languages and reflect on the challenges and rewards of serving far from home. Special sections highlight the experiences of international volunteers in the United States, international work camps around the world and the experiences of wheelchair athletes who have participated in international exchanges.”

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

http://www.miusa.org/publications/books/volunteeraway.

 

Freedom Disability Calls Out to Disability Community - We Have Jobs – “In January, the national unemployment rate for Americans with disabilities reached a staggering 15.2 percent, up from 13.8 percent in December, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Freedom Disability wants to help lower that statistic by offering jobs to qualifying candidates who have disabilities. The national Social Security advocacy group announced in January that they will start hiring this spring to fill Advocate positions and customer-service and support-staff positions. Overall, Freedom Disability's hiring plan is good news at a time when the national unemployment rate hovers at 10 percent.”

http://www.prweb.com/releases/disability/social-security/prweb3608064.htm

 

What Can YOU Do? – “The What Can YOU Do? Web site is the centerpiece of the Campaign for Disability Employment, which seeks to promote positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities. Through outreach and public education, the Campaign aims to encourage employers and others to recognize the value and talent that people with disabilities bring to the workplace, as well as the dividend to be realized by fully including people with disabilities at work.”

http://www.whatcanyoudocampaign.org/blog/index.php/about/

 

When Winter Blues Become a Disability - by Megan Twohey (Baltimore Sun). “Since she was hired two years ago as a medical assistant in suburban Chicago, Jennifer Simonsis has come to an agreement with her employer: During the winter, she is given time off to see her doctor, frequent breaks, and help in setting up a light-therapy lamp at her desk. Joining a controversial trend, Simonsis sought workplace accommodations for seasonal affective disorder, or SAD - depression triggered by limited daylight in winter. Pointing to a federal law that prohibits employers from discriminating against the disabled, some SAD sufferers say they are entitled to schedule changes, access to windows and other modifications. Recent legal rulings are prompting human resources experts to warn about the need to take the depression seriously.”

http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bal-gl.hs.blues25feb25,0,1914258.story

 

General

 

Don't Overlook People With Disabilities in Haiti – by Dale Buscher (Huffington Post). “Even before the earthquake struck, some 800,000 persons in Haiti were living with disabilities, including 200,000 children. An estimated 194,000-250,000 people were injured in the earthquake, many of whom will suffer long-term disabilities. Handicap International estimates that there are at least 2,000 new amputees. People with disabilities are often overlooked, neglected and forgotten in disaster relief and humanitarian response.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dale-buscher/dont-overlook-people-with_b_455471.html

 

Unseen Beauty, Untold Possibilities: Blind European Couture Designer Debuts his Collection at Designing with a Vision – (AFB). “How does he do that? It's the first question asked when people see the work of award-winning Sergey Ermakov, 38, one of the biggest names in Ukrainian haute couture. While each evening gown, handbag and designer shoe is an exquisite work of art with intricate details of beading, feathers, lace and sequins, what makes his creations truly amazing is the fact that Ermakov is blind. Ermakov was diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy at age 11 and lost 95 percent of his vision. Despite his vision loss, Ermakov pursued his dream to be a tailor, followed by costume and theater design, and never lost his drive to follow his passion. He overcame the challenge of working in a very visual and competitive industry; and today is one of the most acclaimed and expensive haute couture designers in the Ukraine.”

http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?DocumentID=4935

Government

 

US

 

Congressional Leadership Join Justice For All Action Network in Commemorating the ADA and Announcing 20th Anniversary Agenda - by Sarah Peterson (AAPD). “At a press event at the Capitol Building on Tuesday, February 23, 2010, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (MD-5) and Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-5) joined the leadership of the Justice For All Action Network (JFAAN) in kicking off the celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA]. The legislators each reflected on the progress of the last 20 years while recognizing the tremendous amount of work we, as a nation, have yet to do in fulfilling the promise of the ADA—equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for all people with disabilities. Toward this end, the JFAAN steering committee announced its legislative agenda for the 2010 Congressional Session in the Spirit of the ADA Campaign.”

http://jfactivist.typepad.com/jfactivist/2010/02/congressional-leaders-and-jfaan-announce-20th-anniversary-ada-agenda.html

 

Presidential Commission Bodes Ill for People with Disabilities - by Mike Ervin (Progressive). “ President Obama’s decision to create a commission on how to cut so-called entitlement programs is ominous news for millions of people with disabilities. In January, the Senate rejected legislation endorsed by Obama that would have created such a commission. So in his State of the Union address, the president said he would create a similar ‘bipartisan fiscal commission’ by executive order. Obama stated that his commission will be ‘modeled’ on the one rejected by the Senate. If his commission is anything like the one that was in the Senate bill, it would pose a serious threat to people with disabilities, seniors and others who rely on programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.”

http://www.progressive.org/mp/ervin020810.html

 

Social Security Adds 38 New Compassionate Allowance Conditions Expansion Will Speed Benefits to Thousands of Americans with Disabilities – “Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, today announced that the agency is adding 38 more conditions to its list of Compassionate Allowances. This is the first expansion since the original list of 50 conditions - 25 rare diseases and 25 cancers - was announced in October 2008. The new conditions range from adult brain disorders to rare diseases that primarily affect children. . . Compassionate Allowances are a way of quickly identifying diseases and other medical conditions that clearly qualify for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income disability benefits.”

http://www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/pr/cal021110-pr.html

Health and Wellness

 

The British Columbia Atlas of Wellness – by Leslie T. Foster, C. Peter Keller (University of Victoria: Canadian Western Geographical Series). “In 2005, we completed the BC Mortality Atlas, a web-based update (www.geog.uvic.ca/mortality) to an earlier publication titled The Geography of Death: Mortality Atlas of British Columbia, 1985-1989 (Foster and Edgell, 1992). We were beginning work on a youth atlas and a seniors atlas for BC when Andrew Hazlewood, Assistant Deputy Minister of Population, Health and Wellness in the Ministry of Health, organized a brief meeting to discuss the concept of a wellness approach to mapping health in BC. Mapping health-related data in the province has a tradition over the past two decades, but mapping has tended to look at mortality, morbidity, or system use, not the actual “health” or wellness of British Columbians. To our knowledge, the concept of taking a wellness approach had not been tried before. Hence, the genesis of this Atlas.” [editor: pdf files are very large and take an inordinate amount of time to download]

http://www.geog.uvic.ca/wellness/wellness/index

 

Critical Synthesis of Wellness Literature – by Gord Miller and Leslie T. Foster (University of Victoria). “Many authors have made attempts to define wellness. An extensive review of the wellness literature was conducted, involving on-line database keyword searches, additional searches for other studies, screening of abstracts, assessing the relevance to the review and integrating the findings. Over two hundred journal articles, books and web sites were examined or accessed to determine how wellness was defined and to find research and wellness models to support the BC Wellness Atlas Project.”

http://www.geog.uvic.ca/wellness/Master_Wellness_Report.pdf

 

Different Paths to Mental Health - Alternatives to Medication for Mentally Ill Patients - by Kate Loftesness (Eugene Weekly). “The last few years have seen increased attention and emphasis placed on the rights of mental health patients. Changing ideas about the nature of mental illness have now led some health professionals to believe recovery is possible, even from acute mental illness, and more and more people are looking to nonpharmaceutical treatment alternatives to get there. ‘There is the hype out there that drugs correct biochemical imbalances,’ said Ron Unger, a Eugene therapist and clinical social worker. Unger emphasizes the importance of group therapy, a treatment option seen in many mental health practices. He leads specialized groups for people who hear voices and have paranoia and other issues.”

http://www.eugeneweekly.com/2010/02/11/coverstory3.html

Guidelines for the Implementation of Community-based Health Promotion Programs for People with Disabilities – by Charles Drum, JD, PhD. (Oregon Health and Science University). “Health and wellness are building blocks that help people to live a full and complete life. For the nearly 53 million Americans who identify themselves as having a disability, being healthy and reducing secondary conditions are especially important to good quality of life and full community participation. Yet, people with disabilities may be the largest group of Americans that experience a gap in health status referred to as health disparity.”

http://www.ohsu.edu/oidd/rrtc/conferences/SOS2008/briefs/promotion_drum_guidelines.cfm

 

NCPAD's 14-Week Plan to a Healthier You – (NCPAD). “NCPAD’s [National Center on Physical Activity and Disability] 14-Week Program is back! Yet again you will be able to sign up to receive weekly tips from NCPAD that will help keep you motivated to stay on track for your health and fitness goals for 2010, as well as gain exclusive access to our exercise and nutrition experts who can provide personalized guidance to you during the 14 weeks. Weekly tips will include video clips and written materials on topics such as exercises you can do in your home, innovative ways to increase your activity level, ideas for motivating yourself, ways to cook healthy recipes, and more. You will also receive tools that will allow you to log your progress as well as healthy ideas for rewarding yourself.”

http://www.ncpad.org/14weeks/

 

Wellness Policy Project – (Oregon Health and Science University). “Available data suggest a number of disparities in health status related to disability, resulting from problems that include a lack of access to quality medical care and health promotion programs (Krahn, Sherry, Drum, & Culley, 2002). This report is based on information, analysis, and opinions about policy options and opportunities for improving access to quality medical care and health promotion programs from a variety of expert sources, including persons with disabilities who are experiencing health and wellness problems, and other primary and secondary sources.”

http://www.ohsu.edu/oidd/rrtc/research/rtd3.cfm

 

Legal

 

Cat Allergy Declared a Disability – (CTV). “The Canadian Transportation Agency has ruled that three people, who are allergic to cats, are considered persons with disabilities when it comes to air travel. The decision has prompted the agency to review the pet policies of Canada's airlines. The passengers had filed complaints against Air Canada, its regional carrier Jazz Airline, and WestJet. They claimed the air carriers' policies allowing cats inside the cabins of airplanes impacted their ability to travel by air.”

http://edmonton.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100225/EDM_catallergy_20100225/20100225/?hub=EdmontonHome

 

Disabled Girl's Family Fights Order to Leave – (Globe and Mail). “The Barlagne family came from France wooed by Canada's promise of an entrepreneurial environment and the reassurance their handicapped toddler was welcome. Five years later, the business end of the family venture has worked out, but the Canadian government wants the disabled girl out of the country, for fear her cerebral palsy will be an ‘excessive burden’ on the state. A Federal Court judge must decide if Immigration officials have dealt fairly with the family, who are facing an order to leave Montreal and return to France with Rachel, now 7.”

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/disabled-girls-family-fights-order-to-leave/article1476637/

 

Federal Judge Issues Ruling Ordering The National Conference Of Bar Examiners (NCBE) To Provide Needed Testing Accommodations To Blind Law School Graduate – (ICDRI). “A federal court has ruled that the NCBE will cause a blind law school graduate irreparable harm unless it provides her the technology-based testing accommodations she needs to take two exams required to become a member of the California bar. The court issued its ruling in an order granting the law school graduate’s motion for preliminary injunction on Thursday. The court’s ruling allows the Plaintiff, Stephanie Enyart to take the February 2010 Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) and March 2010 Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) on a laptop computer equipped with the assistive technology software Ms. Enyart relies upon for screen reading (JAWS) and screen magnification (ZoomText).”

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

 

Judge Orders State Provider To Resume Autism Therapy - by Michelle Diament (Disability Scoop). “A judge is ordering a state-funded Los Angeles treatment center to resume offering an autism therapy some consider experimental. The Eastern Los Angeles Regional Center stopped offering a therapy known as ‘DIR’ or Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship-based treatment last year. The reason: a change in California law prohibited state-funded centers from using ‘experimental treatments.’ In response, a group of families sued the center in January alleging that no longer offering the therapy is a violation of a state law intended to prevent institutionalization. The families say DIR is the only treatment to work with their children.”

http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/02/25/dir-resume-order/7132/

 

Proposed Changes to Psychiatric Manual Raise Legal Hackles – by Tresa Baldas (Law.com). “Employment lawyers are shaking their heads over this one: The American Psychiatric Association wants binge eating and excess gambling to be considered psychiatric disorders. The group has proposed that the problems be listed in the manual that's used nationwide to diagnose and treat mental disorders. The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders won't be published until 2013. The draft of the document, which was released Feb. 10, will be displayed for public comment until April 20 at www.dsm5.org. Lawyers have plenty to say about the proposed disorders, which, some argue, could open up the door for yet more disability suits in the workplace.”

http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNLJ.jsp?id=1202443228608&Proposed_changes_to_psychiatric_manual_raise_legal_hackles&slreturn=1&hbxlogin=1

Media

 

Heather Mills Plans “Disability” Reality Show; Celebrities Will “Live with” a Disability for a Week – by Shelley Dillon (Examiner). “Heather Mills, former wife of Beatle Sir Paul McCartney is now planning a reality show that will showcase celebrities who will try to live with a disability for one week. She is hoping the show will change people's perspectives of disabilities. Mills lost her left leg below the knee in a motorcycle accident in 1993. According to an article at the Press Association, ‘We've got a TV project in the pipeline which is challenging people's perception of disability, so if you think 'Oh well, it's not that difficult living one leg, or living in a wheelchair, or being partially sighted, or deaf, dumb or blind', then try it for a week.’ said Mills.”

http://www.examiner.com/x-19093-Seattle-Special-Needs-Issues-Examiner~y2010m2d10-Heather-Mills-plans-reality-show-where-celebrities-will-live-with-a-disability-for-a-week

 

Mikey: I'm a National Hero – by Kelly Mullan (DisabilityNow). “Defying bullies with his spikey wit and blunt manner, Mikey Hughes became the bookies’ favourite to win Big Brother 9. The eccentric producer with the RNIB’s Insight Radio is unfazed by missing out on the £100,000 prize by just two per cent of the final vote, and is revelling in the novelty of his fame. ‘I’m a national hero!’ he says. ‘Fans want autographs and photos. Wee kids are just so chuffed; they can’t believe it’s me. I’m worshipped. Totally cult status. Even the producers were coming up to me. I’m absolutely worshipped by them.’ As a housemate, Mikey, from Kilwinning in Scotland, was determined not to ‘play the blind card’, insisting his appeal lay in his entertaining personality, but he is happy his TV presence has helped demystify blindness.”

http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/living/features/mikey-im-a-national-hero

 

Music Legend Stevie Wonder to Accept Award at AAPD Gala – (AAPD). “The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the country’s largest cross-disability membership organization, is honored to announce music legend Stevie Wonder will be the first recipient of the AAPD Image Award. Wonder will be presented with the award at the 2010 AAPD Leadership Gala on March 10 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC. This is the first time the organization has honored an entertainer whose personal example helps to improve the way people with disabilities are perceived by society. ‘Stevie Wonder is a global leader who has used his extraordinary talents to be an ambassador for civil rights and social justice,’ said Andrew J. Imparato, President and CEO of AAPD. ‘We’re thrilled to be able to recognize his achievements with this inaugural award.’ Wonder, who has been blind since infancy, has helped define the sound of R&B and Pop music.”

http://www.aapd.com/Communications/2010_StevieWonder_Release.html

 

 

Medical

 

Communication Breakdown: What Happens to Nerve Cells in Parkinson’s Disease – (McGill). “A new study from The Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital – The Neuro - at McGill University is the first to discover a molecular link between Parkinson’s disease and defects in the ability of nerve cells to communicate. The study, published in the prestigious journal Molecular Cell and selected as Editor’s Choice in the prominent journal Science, provides new insight into the mechanisms underlying Parkinson’s disease, and could lead to innovative new therapeutic strategies.”

http://www.mni.mcgill.ca/media/news/item/?item_id=114803

 

Pill to Treat Disorder that May Cause Some Forms of Autism – by Crystal Ladwig (Examiner). “The Associated Press reported Tuesday that a new pill is currently being studied to treat Fragile X Syndrome, a genetic disorder that may cause some forms of Autism. Autism is a developmentally disability. Children with Autism typically start showing symptoms before age 3. Autism impacts development primarily in the areas of social and communication skills. Children and adults with Autism typically have delays in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure and play activities.”

http://www.examiner.com/x-33837-Gainesville-Early-Childhood-Parenting-Examiner~y2010m2d2-Pill-to-treat-disorder-that-may-cause-some-forms-of-autism

 

Reading Remediation Seems to Rewire the Brain - by Jamie Talan (Health Day News). “Scientists studying the anatomy of children's brains during reading discovered something rather unexpected: Remedial training for poor readers results in a growth of white matter tracts in the brain, and the increase correlates with the level of improvement in sounding out words. . . The finding could have potential beyond enhancing reading ability. If a behavioral intervention can cause brain growth, benefits might be reflected in any number of brain conditions, including autism, stroke, multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injury, experts say.”

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/635659.html

 

Policy/Research

 

APA Announces Draft Diagnostic Criteria for DSM-5 - New Proposed Changes Posted for Leading Manual of Mental Disorders – “The American Psychiatric Association today released the proposed draft diagnostic criteria for the fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The draft criteria represent content changes under consideration for DSM, which is the standard classification of mental disorders used by mental health and other health professionals, and is used for diagnostic and research purposes.”

http://www.dsm5.org/Newsroom/Documents/Diag%20%20Criteria%20General%20FINAL%202.05.pdf

 

Barriers and Strategies Validation Study – (Oregon Health and Science University). “The purpose of this study is to create a brief listing of common and important barriers to routine health care access and potential strategies to overcome them for people with disabilities based on published reports. This list will then be reviewed by a group of adults with disabilities in order to validate its completeness. The results of this study will be used in our Health Care Access Intervention Study.” Included on this page are a fact sheet on the project, and checklists for clinicians and advocates.

http://www.ohsu.edu/oidd/rrtc/research/r1.cfm

 

The Challenge of Evidence in Disability and Rehabilitation Research and Practice – (NCDDR). “This paper states the position of the NCDDR Task Force on Standards of Evidence and Methods (TFSE) regarding the need for (a) the thoughtful determination of research evidence on the basis of both the rigor of the research and the relevance of the research to the lives of people with disabilities; and (b) systems that facilitate our ability, on a timely basis, to describe what the best available evidence is in response to specific topical questions in disability and rehabilitation.”

http://www.ncddr.org/kt/products/tfpapers/tfse_challenge/index.html

 

MindFreedom International Announces Launch of the MFI Academic Alliance. – “The Academic Alliance was born from an observation that while there are many academics doing great work in universities and many activists doing great work in communities, they too rarely work TOGETHER toward mental health human rights and choice. In late 2009 MindFreedom contacted a number of highly respected academics from around the world whose research is based on similar principles as MFI. We received a great response from these scholars and we are proud to list them on our website along with details concerning their research interests and expertise, including a brief biography and vitae for each.”

http://www.mindfreedom.org/campaign/development/academic-alliance-launch

 

Oregon Institute on Disability & Development – “The Oregon Institute on Disability & Development (OIDD) at the Child Development and Rehabilitation Center is one of 67 University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, located in major universities throughout the U.S. We have a more than 40-year history of working to improve quality of life for people with disabilities and their families. We embrace the right of the persons with disabilities to determine the course of their lives and to live as fully integrated, contributing members of their communities. Our research and projects are all developed with those missions in mind, and we welcome your feedback, participation and input.”

http://www.ohsu.edu/oidd/index.cfm\

 

The Role of Vocational Education and Training in the Labour Market Outcomes of People with Disabilities – by Kostas Mavromaras, Cain Polidano (Austalian Policy Online). “Low levels of education generally among people with a disability is one of the factors contributing to their lower rate of labour market participation. What role vocational education and training (VET) plays in ameliorating this is the focus of this report. Using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics of Australia surveys, the report finds that for people who are not working, completing a VET qualification does increase the chance of employment and more so for people with a disability.”

http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2215.html

 

What Would It Take? Employer Perspectives on Employing People with a Disability - by Peter Waterhouse, Helen Kimberley, Pam Jonas, John Glover (Australian Policy Online). “One focus of the Australian Government's social inclusion agenda is to help people with a disability into work. For this to succeed, employers must be willing and able to productively employ people with a disability. The purpose of this study was to answer the question 'what would it take' to enable employers to employ people with a disability. Based on focus groups with select employers from small-to-medium enterprises, the research found that, while employers were quite positive about employing a person with a disability, they lacked confidence in dealing with disability employment issues.”

http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2219.html

 

Women And Disability: An Annotated Bibliography – edited by Rachael Zubal-Ruggieri (Center on Human Policy Syracuse University). “This extensive annotated bibliography is intended for those who are interested in learning about the lives of women and disability and the many related issues in today's society. The Center on Human Policy has in the past produced an information package concerning women with disabilities, Women with Disabilities: Issues, Resources, Connections, edited by Rannveig Traustadottir and revised in 1997 by Perri Harris. Now many more books, research articles and other many other types of resources, both in print and online, are now available concerning women and girls with disabilities.” (2006)

http://disabilitystudies.syr.edu/resources/womenanddisability.aspx

 

Rehabilitation

 

Brain-Controlled Cursor Doubles As A Neural Workout – (Rehab Management). “Harnessing brain signals to control keyboards, robots, or prosthetic devices is an active area of medical research. Now a peek at a human brain hooked up to a computer shows that the two can adapt to each other quickly, and possibly to the brain's benefit. Researchers at the University of Washington, Seattle, looked at signals on the brain's surface while using imagined movements to control a cursor. The results, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, show that watching a cursor respond to one's thoughts prompts brain signals to become stronger than those generated in day-to-day life. . . The finding holds promise for rehabilitating patients after stroke or other neurological damage. It also suggests that a human brain could quickly become adept at manipulating an external device such as a computer interface or a prosthetic limb.”

http://www.rehabpub.com/news/2010-02-18_02.asp

 

Despite Questions, Parents Turn To Dolphins For Therapy - by Shaun Heasley (Disability Scoop). “Dolphin therapy programs are targeting people with everything from cerebral palsy to Down syndrome, autism and even knee injuries, but whether or not the expensive therapy is effective remains up for debate. Programs abound in Florida, Hawaii and far off locales like Australia and Ukraine, often costing thousands of dollars per week. The programs vary, but most offer short periods of time with dolphins to swim, pet and kiss the animals or watch them do tricks. Dolphin-assisted therapy rests on the idea that even brief interactions with the remarkably captivating sea animals can have therapeutic affects that linger, making people more responsive to traditional therapies later on. . . . Critics say the therapy is unproven and can be harmful to both dolphins and people. Some people have experienced bites and broken ribs from swimming with the large animals and experts say forcing a confined dolphin to constantly interact with new people causes stress to the animals.”

http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/02/23/dolphin-therapy/7107/

 

Nontraditional Therapy for Kids with Cerebral Palsy Shown Effective, Says Study – (Rehab Management). “On average, a child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy every hour of every day in the United States, according to Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio. It’s a disease that can affect everything from a child’s vision to their ability to walk, and therapy for these kids can be tough and frustrating, as this is a chronic health condition. A new approach to their standard course of therapy may help them make sizable strides in fighting the disease one step at a time, according to the hospital.”

http://www.rehabpub.com/news/2010-02-15_01.asp

 

Parkinson's Disease Research Uncovers Social Barrier – (Rehab Management). “People with Parkinson’s disease suffer social difficulties simply because of the way they talk, a researcher from McGill University, Montreal, has discovered. Marc Pell, at McGill’s School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, has learned that many people develop negative impressions about individuals with Parkinson’s disease, based solely on how they communicate. These perceptions limit opportunities for social interaction and full participation in society for those with the disease, reducing their quality of life. Pell’s research offers the public a better understanding of the difficulties these patients face and an opportunity to promote greater inclusiveness.”

http://www.rehabpub.com/news/2010-02-18_01.asp

 

Sports & Recreation

 

Always-smiling Brother with Cerebral Palsy is Inspiration for Gold Medallist - by Vicki Hall (Vancouver Sun). “It took all of 23.17 seconds for Alex Bilodeau to graduate from an ‘old freestyle guy’ to an Olympic icon. Funny how becoming the first Canadian to ever win Olympic gold on home soil can totally alter a man's world -- and that of his family. ‘The last 12 hours have been the fastest of my life,’ the sleep-deprived Olympic moguls champion told a packed news conference Monday afternoon. . . . Interview requests poured in from all corners of the world for Bilodeau and his older brother Frederic. Yes, there are two Olympic heroes in this story. One can rocket over a bumpy mogul course at warp speed. The other can barely walk across a room without crashing to the ground. Frederic Bilodeau has cerebral palsy. At age 28, his body is betraying him more and more by the day.”

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/2010wintergames/Always+smiling+brother+with+cerebral+palsy+inspiration+gold+medallist/2569649/story.html

 

Free to Ski - (Abilities). “Ten years ago, Rick Martellacci took his daughter to the Mount St. Louis Moonstone Ski Resort near Barrie, Ontario, so that she could spend the day snowboarding. Martellacci, then 38, hadn’t skied since he’d had his leg amputated above the knee (as a result of a bone tumour) at age 17. He brought a book to the hill to pass the time and was prepared to sit tight until his daughter was finished. But out on the chalet deck on that mild March day, with the sun shining down and the distinctive bouquet of a ski vacation – crisp winter air mingled with barbecue – wafting in his direction, Martellacci felt compelled to get in on the action. He headed straight inside and got himself on the list for the upcoming season’s Canadian Association for Disabled Skiing (CADS) adaptive ski lessons at nearby Horseshoe Valley. And he hasn’t looked back…except to remember the good times.”

http://www.abilities.ca/health_activity/2010/03/05/adaptive_skiing/

 

Music and Dance Can Pave the Road to Higher Levels of Physical Activity Among Youth with Disabilities – (NCPAD). “Over the holidays, I walked into my living room while the Ellen DeGeneres Show was on TV. A new dance group was doing a hip-hop routine to start off the show, and they had the audience members rocking. There wasn’t a body in the room that wasn’t moving! Everyone in the audience was swaying their hips and arms to the beat of the music – some standing and some sitting. The people who were sitting were doing as much ‘rocking’ as the people who were standing, which made me think about youths with spina bifida, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and other disabilities, who would likely be able to perform the same kinds of movements, perhaps with some slight modifications. And as I waited for the water to boil for my afternoon pot of green tea, I found myself moving to the beat of the music and in step with the audience. In fact, it felt kind of awkward to stand still when everyone else in the room was moving to the music and having a great time!”

http://www.ncpad.org/director/fact_sheet.php?sheet=789

 

Technology

 

COAT Affiliate CATEA Has Assistive Technology Wiki – “COAT [Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology] is pleased to let you know about an ATWiki set up by COAT affiliate Center for Assistive Technology & Environmental Access (CATEA), Atlanta, Georgia. The ATWiki is a non-profit website providing a place for individuals and companies to share widely their knowledge of assistive technology (AT) and related disabilities. This ATWiki includes a “This Day in History” calendar, showing various contributions to assistive technology. Found on Wikipedia, the place on the internet where lots of things are defined or explained, a wiki is a website that allows the easy creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a WYSIWYG --What You See Is What You Get -- text editor.”

http://www.coataccess.org/node/6634

 

Door-opening Device Could Win Gulliver Prep Students a National Prize - by Ana Veciana-Suarez (MiamiHerald). “Confined to a wheelchair by cerebral palsy, Scott Dorfman depended on others at the nonprofit where he teaches to open and close doors for him. ‘I had to ask anybody around me for help, so it can be pretty limiting,’ says Dorfman, 28. Then a team of engineering students from Gulliver Preparatory School designed the Operational Portable Entry Device, which uses a telescopic mechanical arm with a clamp at the end to open doors. When attached to a wheelchair, it pivots horizontally and is adjustable vertically. The device, dubbed O.P.EN, won the students Dorfman's gratitude and admiration. It also earned the Pinecrest school one of five finalist spots in the National Engineering Design Challenge, in which 250 high school teams vied to design the best technology to assist a disabled person in the workplace. The finals, before a panel of judges, are Thursday in Washington, D.C.”

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/19/1488534/within-their-grasp-a-door-opening.html

 

Oldies but Goodies: Classic WID Publications Now Available to Download for Free – “As WID [World Institute on Disability] prepares to move to the new Ed Roberts Campus, we are dusting off our older publications and making them available to download for free in both PDF and TXT on our website. Visit our Publications section to download the following WID classics on personal assistance services (PAS) and more for free.”

http://www.wid.org/oldies-but-goodies-classic-wid-publications-now-available-to-download-for-free/

 

Oratio for BlackBerry is Now Available – by Darren Burton (AFB). “On February 1, Humanware and Code Factory announced the release of Oratio for BlackBerry®, the first screen reader available for the popular Blackberry line of cell phone/PDAs manufactured by Research In Motion. Their release note reports that Oratio will first be released in North America in English, supporting the BlackBerry Curve 8520 smartphone from AT&T. The Oratio software will be available through online purchasing from www.oratio4bb.com for $449 for a single license. Support for additional BlackBerry smartphone models and languages will be available in subsequent versions of Oratio. You may have heard it referred to as Orator over the last year or so, but the name was changed to Oratio because a US telecommunications company has an existing product called Orator.”

http://www.afb.org/afbpress/Pub.asp?DocID=aw110101&Special=248

 

 

Conferences

( New Conferences)

 

Webinar: Successful Accommodations: AT and Accessibility Working Together - Wednesday, May 12, 2010 – “This webinar session is an overview of accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, specifically Assistive Technology. It will highlight how assistive and accessible technology work together to create a successful working environment for people with disabilities. Speaker: David Dikter, Executive Director of the Assistive Technology Industry Association.”

http://www.adacourse.org/events.php?eventid=452

 

Audioconference: Disability Statistics: What do they tell us? - Tuesday, June 15, 2010. “Where does the 54 million Americans living with a disability number come from? Where can I get more information about disability data sources? Why are there different numbers out there about the unemployment rate of people with disabilities? These are just a few of the questions that are frequently asked about disability statistics. Join this session as we explore the various sources of statistics related to disability, how to use them and interpret them and what can we expect to learn about disability from the 2010 US Census.”

http://www.adacourse.org/events.php?eventid=326

 

Canada

 

The First Annual Job Fair for People with Disabilities – April 6, 2010 | Regina, Saskatchewan. “The Neil Squire Society has partnered with various community organizations to create the First Annual Job Fair for People with Disabilities to take place on Tuesday, April 6, 2010 from 1:30-5:00pm at University of Regina in the Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport which is located at 3737 Wascana Parkway. This Job Fair is exclusively for work seekers living with a disability. It will feature company and organization booths with employees committed to a representative workforce. At each booth resumes can be collected and business cards can be exchanged between employers and people with disabilities as well as provide a convenient location to perform initial interviews. There will also be service providers with information on accommodations and funding.”

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=198614639854&ref=mf

 

      2010 Critical Disability Studies Graduate Student Conference - April 24th, 2010 | Toronto, ON. “York University’s Critical Disability Studies Student Association (CDSSA) will be holding its 6th annual graduate student conference on Saturday, April 24th, 2010. The conference is meant to showcase graduate students across Canada and their work relating to themes and issues within the scope of Critical Disability Studies.”

http://www.yorku.ca/cds_grad/call_for_paper.htm

 

DRN 2010 “Pathways To Success: The Power of Inquiry, Connections & Mentorship” – May 17-18, 2010 | Vancouver, British Columbia.” The Disability Resource Network (DRN) Conference Planning Committee is pleased to invite you to the 2010 annual conference, which will bring together once again, practitioners in both programs and services in post-secondary institutions from around the province, along with community based programs. This year, we are also looking forward to including representatives from lower mainland secondary schools with a view to strengthen the transition process for students. This year's theme aims to bring you new information through inquiry, expand and strengthen your efforts through connections among all stakeholders, and foster success through mentorship. Featuring international keynote speakers, such as David Harp: internationally- acclaimed writer and teacher of cognitive psychology and cognitive science, actor Geri Jewell and much, much more!”

http://www.drnbc.org/newsDetail.cfm?DNWS_NEWS_ID=760

 

College Committee on Disability Issues 22nd Annual Conference – May 17-20, 2010 | Huntsville, Ontario. “The College Committee on Disability Issues (CCDI) invites you to join us at Deerhurst Conference Centre for the 22nd Annual conference. Titled 'It All Starts Here - Transitioning from Secondary School to College or University' the conference program will provide a variety relevant tracks designed to provoke thought and discussion and will highlight transitioning from secondary school to College or University to employment. The conference is three days of skill building and partnerships to promote success for students with disabilities. For: Disability Specialists; Assistive Technologists; Learning Strategists; Counsellors; Elementary and Secondary School Teacher Assistants; parents; and students the conference is three days of learning and networking which will enlighten and energize each conference delegate.”

http://www.ccdiconference.org/

 

International Society for Gerontechnology 7th World Conference – May 27-30, 2010 | Vancouver, British Columbia. “Internationally recognized experts in gerontechology will share their knowledge and experience through lectures, symposia, workshops, papers and posters. Topics to be addressed will include rehabilitation engineering, robotics, telemonitoring, telecare, ICT, biomechanics and ergonomics, assistive technology, inclusive design and

usability, smart homes and smart fabrics, sensor technology, and cognitive aging and computer games.”

http://www.sfu.ca/isg2010/about/index.html

 

2010 CDSA-ACEI Conference – June 2-4, 2010 | Montreal, Quebec. “The Congress 2010 theme is 'Connected Understanding – Le savoir branché' and encapsulates the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of research and the importance of connecting the academic world with users of knowledge from all sectors. It also refers to the impact of the rise of digital technology on scholarly research.”

http://www.cdsa-acei.ca/conference.html

 

Aiming for Accessibility - Meeting Standards, Making Change – June 8-9, 2010 | Guelph, Ontario. “The requirements of the Customer Service Standard of the AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) have now come into effect and more standards will be enacted soon. Information and guidance on implementing the AODA standards is more important than ever. In an expanded, two-day format, the Aiming for Accessibility Conference is returning to offer a range of practical, theoretical and technical instruction on the AODA standards, especially where they relate to assistive, or information and communication technology. The Conference will also engage attendees to move beyond a simple focus on standards compliance and work towards the creation of a true culture of accessibility within their institutions.”

http://www.accessconf.open.uoguelph.ca/

 

Shine 2010 CACUSS Conference – June 20-23, 2010 | Edmonton, Alberta. “On June 20th 2010 we welcome you, our student services colleagues from across Canada and the world to Edmonton, Alberta. This year our theme is 'Shine: Light it Up in Edmonton'. During these trying times of economic recession our institutions are facing pressures from many sources that are testing our student service capabilities daily. And so, our simple theme is meant to celebrate what we do and to shine some light into the variety of challenges we deal with daily. In doing so we plan to celebrate solutions, share the difficulties, focus on the positives and embrace the possibilities.”

http://www.cacuss2010.ca/

 

21st International Congress on Education of the Deaf (ICED) – July 18-July 22, 2010 | Vancouver British Columbia. “On behalf of the Organizing Committee it is our pleasure to invite you to the 21st International Congress on Education of the Deaf (ICED). The Congress will take place at the Westin Bayshore in beautiful Vancouver B.C. over the dates of July 18 – July 22, 2010. This is the first time Canada has hosted the International Congress and we feel particularly privileged to show off our beautiful city of Vancouver and Canada's West Coast. Through the theme 'Partners In Education', we look to celebrate past achievements in education of the Deaf while also focusing on the latest research and established best practices to help us map out an exciting future.”

http://www.iced2010.com/

 

      Annual Conference Of The Brain Injury Association Of Canada And Brain Trust Of Saskatchewan Health - September 30, October 1, 2, 2010 | Regina, Saskatchewan. Call for Abstracts (pdf-583kb)

http://biac-aclc.ca/en/2009/12/02/2010-biac-conference-call-for-abstracts/

 

2010 ACRM-ASNR Joint Educational Conference – October 20-23, 2010 | Montreal, Quebec. “The 2010 Annual Conference reflects the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) and American Society of Neurorehabilitation (ASNR) 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

 

      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.”

http://www.ficcdat.ca/main.cfm?cid=1559

 

U.S.

 

2010 Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium Equality, Difference, and The Right to Live in the World – April 15-16, 2010 | Baltimore, Maryland. “To carry forward the work of Dr. Jacobus tenBroek in assuring that all citizens may have the opportunity for full participation in the society in which we live, the National Federation of the Blind is hosting the Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium. The 2010 symposium will consist of plenary sessions and workshops facilitated by distinguished law professors, practitioners, and advocates who will discuss the concepts of equality and difference as they relate to the disabled in employment, education, medical treatment, and access to technology.”

http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Law_Symposium.asp

 

The Third Pacific Rim International Forum on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – April 12-13, 2010 | Hawai'i. “The 2010 Pacific Rim International Forum will focus on the convention on rights of persons with disabilities with special attention to education and employment. With its beginnings dating back to 1985, the Pacific Rim International Conference on Disabilities has evolved into one of the top rated international educational offerings for and from persons with disabilities, family members, researchers, service providers, policymakers and nationally recognized professionals in the various disciplines in the diverse field of disabilities. Pac Rim continues to provide cutting-edge opportunities to learn from one another, share resources and ideas that support the quality of life, community inclusion, and self-determination for all persons with disabilities and their families and help shape our world community.”

http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/

 

7th International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility – April 26–27, 2010 | Raleigh, North Carolina. “A revolution in the information society is now starting, based on the use of mobile phones in developing countries. The hyper-growth of mobile phone penetration is deeply changing the lives of people in most of the world; their ways of communicating, working, learning, and structuring their societies. The promising next step is obviously to access the Web. The Web has already touched the lives of over a billion people and now is the time for the next billions. However, this expansion faces unprecedented accessibility challenges. Even the word 'accessibility' needs a new definition for people in the developing regions. How can someone who is illiterate or barely literate access the Web? In some cases, a language may not even have a written form. The affordability of the technology is also a challenge, while access is constrained by low computational power, limited bandwidth, compact keyboards, tiny screens, and even by the lack of electric power. All of these constraints compound the problems of access and inclusion.”

http://www.w4a.info/2010/

 

2010 International VSA Arts Festival – June 6-12, 2010 | Washington, D.C. “From June 6-12, 2010, VSA, the international organization on arts and disabilities, will bring together artists, educators, researchers, and policy makers with disabilities from around the world for a multicultural celebration of the arts and arts education. Featuring visual, performing, literary, media artists, and a guest list that includes over two thousand participants from all corners of the globe. . . A primary goal of the International Festival is to provide information and effective strategies that can be translated from theory to practice for use in the home, community, or classroom. With this goal in mind, the 2010 International VSA arts Festival will convene an International Education Conference at the downtown Grand Hyatt Washington, June 10–12, 2010. Focusing on three areas—21st -Century Learning, Inclusive Education, and Pathways to Employment—the conference features several notable keynotes including percussionist Evelyn Glennie, Kenneth Eklindh of UNESCO, and noted author and arts educator Sir Ken Robinson.”

http://www.vsarts.org/x5992.xml

 

The National ADA Symposium – June 20-23 | Denver, Colorado. “The National Americans with Disabilities Act (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.bcnar.ca/events/conference/rebuilding-sustainable-communities-elderly-and-disabled-people-after-disasters

 

      5th International Women's Institute on Leadership and Disability (WILD) – (MIUSA). August 7 - 29, 2010 in Eugene, Oregon, USA. – “Mobilitiy International USA’s Women's Institute on Leadership and Disability (WILD) will bring together approximately 25 women leaders with disabilities to strengthen leadership skills, create new visions and build international networks of support. During the 3-week program, participants will take part in workshops and discussions, conduct on-site visits, and participate in team-building activities, to explore challenges and exchange strategies for increasing leadership opportunities and employment of women and girls with disabilities internationally.”

http://www.miusa.org/exchange/wild/wild2010/index_html

 

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/

 

      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

 

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 services in 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