Accessibility
Accessible Procurement Toolkit's New Look - (ADIO). "The look and feel of the Assistive Devices Industry Office's Accessible Procurement Toolkit (APT: www.apt.gc.ca) has been significantly improved after adopting the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's CLF 2.0 standards and design templates (www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/clf-nsi/). This upgrade offers substantial benefits to users of assistive technologies. As well it extends the application's functionality to a wider selection of mainstream Web browsers. We have also significantly improved the ability to search for and list content using our updated APT Search forms (www.apt.gc.ca/SearchE.asp)."
http://www.at-links.gc.ca/as/as013n32e.asp#b1
Amazon.com Accessibility to be Completed June 30, 2008 - (NFB). "The National Federation of the Blind and online retailer Amazon, Inc., have announced that work to make Amazon.com fully accessible to blind computer users is to be completed by June 30, 2008. In March of 2007, Amazon entered into a technology development agreement with the National Federation of the Blind pursuant to which Amazon was to attempt to make Amazon.com fully accessible by December 31, 2007. Because of the complexity of the task, it was recognized that this was an ambitious goal and that problems might be encountered; accordingly, the agreement provided that Amazon could have a six-month extension, if necessary, to complete work on making its Web site fully accessible to blind computer users. Amazon's Web site has improved; nonetheless, Amazon recognizes that it is not yet fully accessible. Amazon has indicated that it will complete the task within the extended period."
http://www.nfb.org/nfb/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=266
The Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program (DDTP) - "The Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program (DDTP) is a California State mandated program, administered by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). The DDTP has two components: The California Telephone Access Program (CTAP) which provides assistive telephone devices, and the California Relay Service (CRS). The programs are funded by a nominal surcharge on all telephone bills in the state."
http://www.ddtp.org/DDTP/
Flight closed: Report on the experiences of people with disabilities in domestic airline travel in Australia - by Brenda Bailey (Public Interest Advocacy Centre). "In 2006 and 2007, PIAC and the NSW Disability Discrimination Legal Centre worked with a number of key disability advocacy groups and individuals across Australia on the issue of barriers to access to airline travel for people with disabilities. This report uses the stories provided from people with disabilities, and their families, about their experiences of airline travel, to identify the key barriers and propose solutions. Those experiences make it very clear that people with disabilities do not enjoy equality of access to airline travel with others in Australia; and that, if anything, things have become worse rather than better in the last five years. The report has been submitted to the Federal Government's five-year Review of the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002."
http://www.apo.org.au/linkboard/results.chtml?filename_num=187724
Holiday Season Brings Promise of More Access to Disability Community - (PRNewswire-USNewswire). "The Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT) hails the recently issued draft legislative measure, the 'Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act' as a dramatic and comprehensive step forward for consumers with disabilities. Released December 21, the draft would amend the Communications Act – the statute that impacts the telephone and video programming industries – to add new consumer protections that will ensure people with disabilities do not get left out or left behind as telephones and television programming increasingly rely on digital and Internet Protocol (IP) technologies. The proposals will allow greater numbers of people with disabilities to become independent and productive members of society and enjoy the new electronic gadgets and devices that everyone else takes for granted."
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=ind_focus.story&STORY=/www/story/12-26-2007/0004727968&EDATE=WED+Dec+26+2007,+02:50+PM
ReadThisToMe - "ReadThisToMe is a free reading service for blind and low-vision people, powered by volunteers and Internet collaboration. ReadThisToMe allows blind and low-vision people (clients) to have printed documents read to them over the phone. All a person needs is a phone line and a fax machine (no computer is required.) The service is available throughout the U.S. and Canada and is absolutely free (though donations are gladly accepted)."
http://readthistome.org/
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 Last Call Working Draft Released - (Trace). "A second Last Call Working Draft of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2.0) and updated working drafts of Understanding WCAG 2.0 and Techniques for WCAG 2.0 have been released by the W3C for broad community review and comment. WCAG 2.0 addresses accessibility of web content for people with disabilities. It will apply to a wider range of web technologies than WCAG 1.0, and is intended to be understandable to a wider audience. Comments are requested on or before February 1, 2008."
http://trace.wisc.edu/news/archives/000248.php
Advocacy
Advocates Celebrate International Disabled Persons Day by Launching Treaty Ratification Campaign - (MindFreedom). "MindFreedom International had a team led by board president Celia Brown inside the United Nations for several years working with disability groups from all over the world. The result: A United Nations treaty on disability rights. But now that treaty needs to be ratified by nations all over the world. Disability activists have created a campaign to win that ratification."
http://www.mindfreedom.org/kb/mental-health-global/united-nations/disability
Disability rights advocates monitor Robert Latimer parole decision - (CNW Group). "The Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) and the BC Association for Community Living (BCACL) will be observers at the parole hearing for Robert Latimer tomorrow, Wednesday December 5. Latimer was convicted of second degree murder after he killed Tracy Latimer, his 12 year old daughter who had cerebral palsy. In 2001, across Canada, disability rights advocates applauded the Supreme Court's decision upholding Latimer's sentence of second degree murder with a mandatory minimum of 10 years. CACL, BCACL and other organizations work to defend the interests of people with disabilities and their families."
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/December2007/04/c7724.html
NZ scoops top disability award - (TVNZ). "New Zealand has been awarded a prestigious international award recognising our contribution to the rights of disabled people. The Franklin Delano Roosevelt International Disability Award was received for the work done by the government and NGOs in developing a national disability strategy. Cabinet Minister Lianne Dalziel says our leading role in negotiating a UN convention on the rights of disabled people was also a factor."
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411416/1480325
Spinal Cord Injury/Disorder Groups Unite to Advance National Policy Issues - (Spinalcord.org). "At a recent meeting in Washington, DC, 19 national organizations and institutions working to improve the lives of individuals with spinal cord injuries or disorders (SCI/D) joined together to establish the Spinal Cord Leaders Council. The purpose of the Leaders Council is to advance federal legislative and regulatory policies that would empower persons with SCI/D to lead more active and productive lives. Launched during a 2006 summit on spinal cord injury, hosted by the National Spinal Cord Injury Association (NSCIA), the Spinal Cord Leaders Council was formalized by the leaders of the 19 active organizations in November 2007."
http://www.spinalcord.org/news.php?dep=1&page=0&list=1566
United Nations Includes Disability Perspectives at Wireless Roundtable - (AAPD). "At the United Nations Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies (G3ICT) Digital Cities Convention in December, discussions focused on accessibility for people with disabilities. 'Since the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities includes provisions for inclusive technology, we must involve the perspectives of people with disabilities at each and every opportunity,' said Axel Leblois, executive director of the G3ICT initiative for inclusive information and communications technology and co-chair of the accessibility panel. The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the largest cross-disability membership organization in the U.S., praised G3ICT's discussion of issues important to the disabled community."
http://www.aapd.com/News/aapdinthe/071221gt.htm
UN chief calls for end to job discrimination against disabled people - (Associated Press). "U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for an end to the 'deplorable' job discrimination against millions of disabled people around the world. In a message Monday on the International Day of Disabled Persons, Ban said estimates show that at least half of all disabled people in developed nations, and the vast majority of those in developing countries are unemployed. Most others are under-employed, 'or will never have full access to the labor market,' he said."
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/12/04/news/UN-GEN-UN-Day-of-Disabled.php
Employment
AccessibleEmployment.org; National Job Site to Connect Employers with Disabled Workers - (Business Wire). "Today marks the launch of a new national job board dedicated to including disabled employees in today's workforce. AccessibleEmployment.org is designed to provide employers with one central place to post employment positions and search resumes of qualified disabled candidates. In addition, AccessibleEmployment.org also allows potential job candidates to post their resumes for review by prospective employers who have made a commitment to include people with disabilities in their workforce."
http://cdrlibraryblog.blogspot.com/2007_12_01_archive.html
CCRW 2006-2007 Annual Report - "Interested in reading about what has been keeping the CCRW [Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work] so busy? Download the CCRW 2006 – 2007 Annual Report and discover exciting highlights and successes of our programs and services from the past year. Read client testimonials!"
http://www.ccrw.org/en/
DB101 Launches Upgraded Benefits to Work Calculator - (World institute on Disability). "Disability Benefits 101 (www.db101.org) at the World Institute on Disability has upgraded and launched a new 2.0 version of its Benefits to Work Calculator. The Benefits to Work Calculator shows how your benefits might change when taking a job, changing jobs or starting a business. The improved online calculator tool allows workers and job seekers to plan ahead with new features for more personal and real-life planning. Users can now compare new job offers and their impact on benefits and health coverage."
http://www.wid.org/programs/california-work-incentives-initiative/equity-special-section
Disability Network Newsletter NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007 edition - (Diversity World). "Welcome to our November/December 2007 issue. As we enter a new year, with its invitation for a new start - for formulating and initiating new resolutions, may all of us who are engaged in the struggle for more equitable employment opportunities and workforce participation rates for people with disabilities be open to finding new and better ways to accomplish our goals. Happily, I waited for several months to share the feature article in this issue. Since we first met, over ten years ago, Ollie Cantos has continually impressed me with his sincerity, passion, intelligence, and insight on the barriers facing people with disabilities and with his belief and resolve in finding achievable solutions. In his article 'A Systemic Approach to Arming Students and Job Seekers with Disabilities and their Advocates in Securing Meaningful Employment', Ollie has outlined a multifaceted and thorough approach for the kinds of services, opportunities and experiences that serve people with disabilities well as they seek their places in the workforce and follow their individual career paths. I think it is good reading for all of us - good fodder for the for the kind of reflection that may lead us to reinvent our approaches and be more effective at achieving our goals in the coming year."
http://www.diversityworld.com/Disability/DN07/DN0712.htm
New Co-Chairs Appointed to NIDMAR Board - "Viateur Camiré [is] taking over as Employer Co-Chair, Viateur Camiré, Vice-President, Human Resources, AbitibiBowater Inc., welcomes the opportunity to add leadership to an organization and issues that he considers vitally important. He sees his new role as a process, one where he will be contributing with the Labour Co-Chair to positive and proactive conversations with the group on NIDMAR's key direction and priorities. . . .[And] [a]s National Director for Canada of the 280,000-member strong United Steelworkers (USW) in Canada, Ken Neumann has spent his career as a union advocate and is a passionate believer in the consensus-based approach to disability management. Active with NIDMAR since 1996 and now its newly appointed Labour Co-Chair, Neumann has a personal stake in improving the productive life of people with disabilities. His younger sister suffered brain damage from measles while still a child."
http://www.nidmar.ca/news/news_articles/NIDMAR%20Bulletin%20New%20Co-Chairs%20November%202007.pdf
Work Factors Are Still Better Indicators of Rheumatoid Arthritis Work Disability than Treatment of the Disease - "Work factors, such as working few hours and being self-employed, continue to be the most important predictors of work disability and loss among patients with rheumatoid arthritis, according to research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Boston, Mass."
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/534850/
Work stress leads to increased absenteeism, disability: StatsCan - "Work stress is seriously affecting employees' performances, leading to a decrease in productivity, more missed days from work and increased absenteeism, according to a new Statistics Canada report. The findings, taken from the 2002 Canadian Community Health Survey, were published Wednesday in Perspectives on Labour and Income, a StatsCan publication."
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/12/19/stress-report.html
Ethics
Ban proposed on disability abortions - "Pregnant women who find out that their baby has a serious disability would no longer be able to have an abortion under amendments to the law tabled in [U.K.] Parliament yesterday. The amendment, tabled by Baroness Masham of Ilton, would remove the right to abortion on grounds of foetal abnormality. The law currently allows for late abortion if tests suggest that the baby will be seriously disabled. The amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill is the first serious attempt to change the law for 17 years."
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article2980412.ece
Tighter controls over abortions for disability - (Telegraph). "New guidance will be drawn up to clamp down on late abortions of foetuses with a cleft lip and palette, it has emerged. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has been asked to define what constitutes a 'serious handicap' for which abortions after 24 weeks are allowed. Doctors can cite a serious handicap as a legal reason for carrying out an abortion of a foetus beyond the normal limit. But several claims have been investigated that the clause has been misused to terminate pregnancies where there is nothing seriously wrong with the foetus."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/11/30/ngates230.xml
Deaf demand right to designer deaf children - by Sarah-Kate Templeton (TimesOnline). "Deaf parents should be allowed to screen their embryos so they can pick a deaf child over one that has all its senses intact, according to the chief executive of the Royal National Institute for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People (RNID). Jackie Ballard, a former Liberal Democrat MP, says that although the vast majority of deaf parents would want a child who has normal hearing, a small minority of couples would prefer to create a child who is effectively disabled, to fit in better with the family lifestyle."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article3087367.ece
General Interest
Disability often undiagnosed - by Sarah Nunweiler (The StarPhoenix). "There's an invisible disability affecting the lives of adults in our community. The disability is so hidden it does not yet have the resources necessary for proper diagnosis and support. As a result, an individual may live his or her entire adult life without being diagnosed within the spectrum of this disorder.. . . This disability is known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), which is an umbrella term used to describe a range of disabilities resulting from a mother's alcohol consumption during the development of her fetus."
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/local/story.html?id=912c208b-50bc-4f17-bb7f-f5e1b7b0d65d
Jesuit founder of program for handicapped says 'disability is a gift' - by Beth Griffin (Catholic News). "The life of the imagination has no physical boundaries and people with physical disabilities can use their imagination to face life's difficulties. That is the enduring message of Jesuit Brother Rick Curry and the organization he founded 30 years ago, the National Theatre Workshop of the Handicapped in New York. The message is taught in classes and demonstrated by the example of Brother Curry and those who work with him. He said about 15,000 people have participated in the group's programs since its 1977 debut. The New York-based not-for-profit organization provides theatrical training and seeks to create a safe haven in which artists with physical disabilities qualify for and obtain work in the performing and baking arts. It integrates the able-bodied and the disabled in its programs."
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0707197.htm
Financial planning strategies for people with disabilities - (WID). "As this December 2007 EQUITY issue goes live, and we start to think about our new year's resolutions, the Access to Assets project wants to encourage people with disabilities to take more control of their financial futures. The time to strategize is now."
http://www.wid.org/programs/access-to-assets/equity/equity-e-newsletter-december-2007/equity-feature-article/
Forgotten families: raising children with disabilities in Tasmania - by Teresa Hinton (Anglicare Tasmania). "There are over 8,000 children with disabilities in Tasmania who are being cared for by their families yet their experiences are rarely heard. This report documents the daily lives of families with disabled children from across the state who are living on low incomes. It explores the additional disability-related costs they face, their experiences of accessing and using support services and what could be done to improve their situation."
http://www.apo.org.au/linkboard/results.chtml?filename_num=183797 (part 1)
http://www.apo.org.au/linkboard/results.chtml?filename_num=188555 (part 2)
Oscar's Olympic hopes dashed, report suggests - by Paul Carter (DisabilityNow). "Paralympian Oscar Pistorius' hopes of competing in the Olympic Games appear to have been dashed by scientific tests conducted in Germany. South African Pistorius, 21, underwent two days of comprehensive biomechanic testing at the German Sport University last month to determine whether his carbon-fibre blades give him an advantage over non-disabled runners and should therefore be classed as 'technical aids'."
http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/latest-news2/oscar2019s-olympic-hopes-dashed-report-suggests
Veteran tore through red tape for disability aid - by James Hohmann (The Dallas Morning News). "Robert Lee Aiken III is a smart man. He knows which benefits are due him as an Iraq war veteran. He knows how to fight bureaucracy. He's working on a new career so he can adequately support his family. . . .he dropped out to serve in the Marines – just like his dad had served in Vietnam. Four years later, he earned a Purple Heart when he was shot in the foot and buttocks during a firefight with insurgents in the Ramadi province of central Iraq. Recovery hasn't been easy. Nor has his new life as a war veteran. . . . The handoff from the military to Veterans Affairs has been part of the problem. Military and veterans caseworkers assign separate disability ratings, which causes confusion. And injured soldiers are often in no shape to sort it out."
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/nation/stories/111107dnnatvetsaiken.34a760d.html
Government
Canada
Minister's Council on Employment for Persons with Disabilities Annual Report, 2006 - 2007 - "On behalf of the Government of British Columbia, I am pleased to present the 2006-07 Annual Report of the Minister's Council on Employment for Persons with Disabilities. The Council's many positive achievements are made possible through the excellent partnerships we enjoy with business, community-based organizations and municipal government. This past year, together, we have made tremendous progress in our drive to increase the hiring of persons with disabilities."
http://www.eia.gov.bc.ca/epwd/annualreports/2006-07.htm
Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance 2006/07 Annual Service Plan Report - "The Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance 2006/07 Annual Service Plan Report compares the actual results to the expected results identified in the Ministry's 2006/07 –
2008/09 Service Plan. I am accountable for those results as reported."
http://www.bcbudget.gov.bc.ca/Annual_Reports/2006_2007/eia/eia.pdf
Health/Wellness
Canada must act on chronic health conditions, report warns - (CBC.ca). "Canadians with chronic health conditions generally wait longer to see doctors and end up in emergency rooms more often than their counterparts in five other countries in a survey released Thursday. The Health Council of Canada report compared Canada with the United States, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Australia, the United Kingdom and Germany. The report, Why health care renewal matters: Learning from Canadians with chronic health conditions, finds that nearly one-third of adults and young people in Canada — nine million people —have one or more chronic health problems. Among the chronic health conditions reported, the most common were arthritis (at 16 per cent) and high blood pressure (15 per cent), according to the report."
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/12/13/chronic-conditions.html
Global Health Reporting - (source: Internet Scout Project). "Information on global health conditions online is quite extensive, though it can be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. Created and operated by the Kaiser Family Foundation (with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), the Global Health Reporting site is designed for journalists and the general public. The site is a frequently-updated and high-quality resource on information about the global health situation regarding HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. The site provides country-level data on these conditions, along with a 'New & Noteworthy' area, which provides recent articles on these matters. Journalists will appreciate the 'Reporting Tools' section, as it features glossaries, reporting manuals, disease tutorials, and multimedia offerings. Additionally, visitors can sign up to receive email notifications and RSS feeds."
http://globalhealthreporting.org/
Non-Traditional Exercise as a Way of Preventing Secondary Conditions - Part I - (NCPAD). "The holidays are a time when many people reflect on the past year and pledge to improve their commitment to healthy living. When beginning to explore options for initiating an exercise program or maintaining current fitness level by using a variety of new activity strategies, consider non-traditional exercise programs that have been beneficial to some populations of people with disabilities. I first thought of writing about this topic when seeing an advertisement for Dance Detour (see this month's Community Voice, 'Everyone Can Dance' at http://www.ncpad.org/yourwrites/fact_sheet.php?sheet=580) and thought this could intrigue people who had not previously been active, but who may be looking for something to get them interested in and excited about exercise. I spoke recently with Alana Wallace, founder of Dance Detour, who has observed in herself and others that dance can decrease stress and increase muscle tone, physical endurance, and self-confidence. She explained that dance may also increase brain activity and stimulate memory through the use of choreography, and help prevent or lessen the effects of secondary conditions such as depression and social isolation."
http://www.ncpad.org/yourwrites/fact_sheet.php?sheet=583
Physical Activity and the Deaf Community - by Chris Hopper (NCPAD). "Regular physical activity and physical fitness are especially important in maintaining the health and well being of people of all ages. Research clearly indicates that virtually all individuals, including those with disabilities, can gain health benefits from regular physical activity. The health promotion and disease prevention needs of people with disabilities who have secondary health conditions may be complicated by specific medical aspects of disabilities. People with disabilities may be at greater risk of future problems; e.g., individuals with spinal cord injuries are more likely to have to address pressure sores. For Deaf individuals with no or minimal secondary health conditions, there is great potential for effective participation in physical activity programs."
http://www.ncpad.org/disability/fact_sheet.php?sheet=579&view=all
Why Health Care Renewal Matters: Learning from Canadians with Chronic Health Conditions - (Health Council Canada). "This report continues our focus on the urgent challenge of chronic health conditions, their impact on health care services and on quality of life. We present a case for action to close the gap between what we know and what we do to prevent chronic conditions and to care for people who have them. We learn from Canadians about their recent experiences with chronic illness care, and we report on activities underway across the country to improve prevention and reorient care."
http://www.healthcouncilcanada.ca/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=210&Itemid=10
OHPE's [Ontario Health Promotion E-Bulletin] 2007 Year in Review - "Today, in our annual Year in Review article, we present a brief look back at the IUHPE conference, behind-the-scenes information on OHPE, a guide to OHPE's 2007 feature articles, most wanted articles for OHPE in 2008, and a quick look at how the Editorial and Management Team will be spending their December vacation."
http://www.ohpe.ca/index.php
StatsCan needs to do better in measuring health care: study - (CBC.ca). "Canadians are likely getting more value from the health-care system than Statistics Canada's figures suggest, says an Ottawa-based think-tank in a report criticizing the agency for shoddy estimates. In the report released Thursday and obtained by the Canadian Press, the Centre for the Study of Living Standards says Statistics Canada 'may seriously underestimate' the health-care system's true economic effectiveness. It also says the agency should devote more effort to develop better estimates of output and productivity'."
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/12/27/statscan-study.html
Towards the Development of Canadian Health Promotion Competencies: Where we've been, where we are, and where we're going - "The emergence of health promotion as a distinct speciality within public health has given rise to debate about the imposition of formal parameters to better define the scope of health promotion practice. One key aspect of this debate concerns the development of health promotion competencies, a skills-based set of criteria that those working in the field of health promotion should, at least in part, be expected to meet."
http://www.ohpe.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9068&Itemid=78
Sign the Petition to Save CHN - "Friends of CHN is an ad hoc group whose objective is to focus attention on the closure and its impact, and to try to turn this decision around. We have created a petition addressed to Prime Minister, Stephen Harper and Minister of Health, Tony Clement with the following message:
We the undersigned support the Canadian Health Network. We demand that the funding cut required of the Public Health Agency of Canada be rescinded, that full, stable funding for the Canadian Health Network be restored immediately, and that this valuable Canadian health information resource continue to be developed to become the best of its kind in the world.
Please act today to preserve the Canadian Health Network. Sign this petition at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/saveCHN and add your voice to the many who are defending non-commercial, publicly funded health information for all Canadians. Send a letter (or make use of a sample letter we have provided) to your MP, the Minister of Health, and the Prime Minister."
http://www.ohpe.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9166&Itemid=62
Legal
Duty to Accommodate Mental Health Disability Upheld by Landmark Ontario Human Rights Decision - (CNW Group). "A recent Ontario Human Rights Tribunal decision in the case of Lane v. ADGA Group Consultants Inc. of Ottawa has upheld the right of persons with a mental health disability to be appropriately accommodated in the workplace under Ontario's Human Rights Code. The Ontario Human Rights Commission investigated and litigated the complaint filed by Mr. Lane regarding his dismissal from ADGA Group Consultants Inc., a company involved in contract government information technology services."
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/December2007/18/c4271.html
National Federation of the Blind Lawsuit Addressing Web Accessibility Will Proceed - (NFB). "The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has denied Target Corporation's petition for an interlocutory appeal of the District Court's order granting class action certification to a lawsuit filed against the retailer by the National Federation of the Blind for Target's failure and refusal to make its Web site fully accessible to blind shoppers. As a result, the suit will proceed against Target on behalf of all blind Americans, as well as for a subclass of all blind Californians."
http://www.nfb.org/nfb/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=264
Media
AFB Launches Online Access to Talking Book Archives and Celebrates 75 Years of Involvement with Talking Books - (AFB). "Today, the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) launched its web-based Talking Book Archives (www.afb.org/talkingbook), celebrating the birth of the Talking Book. Thanks to a generous grant from the Carnegie Foundation, who funded AFB's first efforts to use audio technology for blind readers in 1932, an electronic finding aid to this historic collection is now available online. The archival finding aid is accompanied by a multimedia exhibit, including audio clips from celebrated narrators, letters, press clippings, and photographs from the collection. This exhibit was funded by The New York Times Company Foundation."
http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?DocumentID=3754
Deaf Porn Gives Viewers an Eye-Opener - by Regina Lynn (Wired). "When was the last time you tuned in to the dialogue while watching porn? If you're deaf or hard of hearing, maybe never. While many a hearing person has muted a porn video, it's nice to have a choice about what you want to hear -- or see -- and what you don't. Deaf Bunny (NSFW), the first deaf-owned and deaf-staffed porn company, launched in August with the mission of making porn accessible to deafies and their hearing partners in as many forms as possible. Through subtitles, sign language, cartoonish thought bubbles, full audio and blatant use of technology, anyone can understand the complex plot and tangled relationships portrayed in the company's first DVD release, Naughty Deaf Roommates."
http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/commentary/sexdrive/2008/01/sexdrive_0104
House Releases 21st Century Communications And Video Accessibility Act For People With Disabilities - (ICDRI). "The Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology hails the recently issued draft legislative measure, the "Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act" as a dramatic and comprehensive step forward for consumers with disabilities. Released yesterday, the draft would amend the Communications Act – the statute that impacts the telephone and video programming industries – to add new consumer protections that will ensure people with disabilities do not get left out or left behind as telephones and television programming increasingly rely on digital and Internet Protocol (IP) technologies. The proposals will allow greater numbers of people with disabilities to become independent and productive members of society, as well as to enjoy all the new electronic gadgets and devices that everyone else takes for granted."
http://www.icdri.org/News/Video_Accessib_COAT_PR.htm
Review of Freedom Machines DVD - (ICDRI). "Freedom Machines is an award-winning PBS documentary. It is a bilingual (English-Spanish) DVD done the way it should be done with with talking menus, audio description, captions, additional chapters and web-enabled resources. Not only does it tell an number of terrific stories about how assistive technology and Universal Design can effect the lives of people with disabilities, but it can be used as a resource by those who need to show the big picture to help teach, design, make policy, or use assistive technology in facilitating issues in the lives of people with disabilities."
http://www.icdri.org/Reviews/FreedomMachines.htm
Medical
Bipolar Disorder More Likely in ADHD: Presented at APA - by Paula Moyer (DGDispatch). "Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are significantly more likely to go on to develop bipolar disorder (BP) in adulthood compared with children without ADHD, according to investigators who presented their findings here at the American Psychiatric Association 2007 Annual Meeting (APA). 'In this longitudinal study, approximately 6.5% of subjects with ADHD went on to develop bipolar disorder compared to 1% of controls' . . ."
http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/news/852571020057CCF6852572E5006BCA98
Canadian researchers break ground unlocking mysteries of glaucoma - (CNIB). "Canadian researchers break ground unlocking mysteries of glaucoma in one of world's largest studies of disease. The world community of glaucoma researchers and 67 million people with this devastating eye disease worldwide can expect to benefit from a groundbreaking CNIB-funded study released today. More than 15 years in the making, the Canadian Glaucoma Study positively identified, for the first time, several risk factors predicting the progression of this little understood disease."
http://www.cnib.ca/en/news/archive/06222007-glaucoma-research.aspx
Obesity leads to disability, kidney ills: studies - (Reuters) "An increasingly aging U.S. population is faced with growing obesity-related problems ranging from disabilities to chronic kidney disease, researchers said on Tuesday.'Obesity is more hazardous to the health of the elderly than we previously suspected,' said Dawn Alley of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, whose study appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association."
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN0637765420071106
Urologist Uses Botox to Treat Debilitating Condition - (Canadian Parapalegic). "Eight years ago, Lynette Kunz suffered a severe spinal cord injury that left her a quadriplegic and sufferer of involuntary bladder contractions. The condition constantly interfered with her daily life. . . . Now, thanks to a procedure performed at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Ms. Kunz has regained control of her bladder by receiving injections of botulinum toxin A, commonly known as Botox."
http://www.canparaplegic.org/en/Research_32/items/36.html
Policy/Research
Assessing Disability - "More than 40 million people in the United States have a physical or mental impairment that significantly affects life activities and work performance. The total annual costs of disability are currently estimated at $300 billion. Impairment is evaluated as a measured change in an individual's health status. Disability is an individual's inability to perform a task successfully. Disability is not necessarily related to any health impairment or medical condition, although a medical condition or impairment may cause or contribute to an ongoing disability. The November 7, 2007, issue of JAMA includes an article that identifies an association between obesity and disability. Obesity-associated disability may contribute to an increased burden in both quality of life and health care costs."
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/298/17/2096
Disabilities no longer hidden - by André Picard (The Globe and Mail). "More than 750,000 Canadians have joined the ranks of the disabled in the past five years, according to newly released data from Statistics Canada. There are now an estimated 4.4 million people - one in seven Canadians - reporting a physical, psychiatric or developmental disability, and every indication that those numbers will continue to grow. The increase is being attributed to three principal factors: the aging of the population, the willingness of people to disclose disabilities due to lessening stigma, and better data collection. 'What these numbers say to us is that disability is an issue for all Canadians,' Laurie Beachell, national co-ordinator of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, said in an interview."
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071204.wldisabled04/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/home
'Disaster Lights' & 'Disaster Heavies:' Relevant Emergency Preparedness Information for People with Disabilities - Part II - Presented by June Isaacson Kailes on November 16, 2007 for ILRU. Webcast, webcast transcript, and planning documents and PowerPoint of the presentation are available. "June Isaacson Kailes has a Disability Policy Consulting practice and is the Associate Director, Center for Disability Issues and the Health Professions Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California. June, since the early 1980s, is one of just a handful of people with disabilities who focuses a portion of her time on disability and aging related emergency. She works on emergency issues nationally and internationally, with community based organizations and with emergency professionals."
http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/archive/2007/11-16-JK.html
Engaging Disability 2007 A Disability Institute - (UVIC). "Engaging Disability 2007 (ED) is a disability institute gathering community members, community organizations, government employees, students and university faculty to think about, discuss, learn and re-vision the meaning of disability. Launched in March 2007 and lasting until December 2007, we are inviting individuals active in political, cultural, social, scholarly and artistic realms of disability to share their thoughts on issues of disability policy, the social construction of disability, contested illness, in/visibility of disability, unapparent disabilities, chronic disabling conditions, disease-based impairment, gendered aspects of disability, participatory methods in disability research, discourse and policy analysis." Included on this site are newsletters that list the Institute's activities, and a series of Institute podcasts.
http://web.uvic.ca/disinst/
Modernizing and Improving the Disability and Compensation Systems - "On November 9, the Department of Veterans Affairs intends to solicit outside bids to be able to award one contract to conduct two important technical studies that will assist decisions to be made regarding the updating of our military disability system. The studies are part of the recommendations of the President's Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors, co-chaired by former Sen. Bob Dole and former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala."
http://sev.prnewswire.com/health-care-hospitals/20071108/DC0699408112007-1.html
National Council on Disability Monthly Bulletin for December 2007 - "The Bulletin, which is free of charge and at NCD's award-winning Web site (www.ncd.gov), brings you the latest issues and news affecting people with disabilities."
http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/bulletins/2007/b1107.htm
Participation and Activity Limitation Survey 2006: Technical and methodological report - (StatsCanada). "The Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS) is Canada's national survey that gathers information about adults and children whose daily activities are limited by a physical, mental, or other health-related condition or problem. This report presents some basic information about the survey and an overview of the methodological and content changes between the 2001 and 2006 PALS. The major difference involves a change in coverage resulting from the inclusion of a number of aboriginal communities, the addition of the three territories, and the modification to the definition of collective dwellings."
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=89-628-XWE2007001
Research and Dissemination in Indian Country: Indianonish, Email, and Other Surprises - "Spirit Lake Consulting, Inc. has been conducting applied research on reservations in the Great Plains for 20 years. Recent projects include development and empirical validation of two computer-integrated training projects: Caring for Our People, a staff training on care for Native Americans with disabilities and chronic illness and Disability Access, a training for people with disabilities and their families. This three-part presentation focuses first on false assumptions and cultural differences that prevent effective research and dissemination on Indian reservations."
http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/archive/2007/12-14-SEDL.html
Request For Proposals: 13th Annual Conference Adult AD/HD "People, Purpose & Passion" - "The Attention Deficit Disorder Association's 13th Annual Adult AD/HD conference is dedicated to issues related to adult AD/HD. This year's conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis in Minneapolis, Minnesota, July 10-13, 2008. The conference brings together researchers, clinicians, therapists, educators, coaches, adults with AD/HD and their families. We are seeking proposals that are appropriate and interesting to a range of experience levels. Submissions will be peer reviewed and the Conference Program Planning Committee will have final approval."
http://www.add.org/conferences/index.html
The Scope of Reasonable Adjustment as a Discriminatory Dilemma: A Survey of British and Swedish Disability Discrimination Legislation in Comparative Perspective - "The purpose of the fellowship was to study the concept of 'reasonable adjustment' in UK disability law and policy, and to compare this with related concepts in Swedish law. This will contribute to a larger evaluation of the Swedish case to be published as a monograph (in Swedish). Both Sweden and Great Britain are legally obliged to implement the EU framework Directive which requires all member states to adapt national discrimination legislation so that equal employment opportunities will be improved for disabled people. The timing of the visit in 2007 coincided with implementation of new legal duties on public authorities introduced in Britain in December 2006. Also the development of the European Higher Education Area raises specific questions about equality and mobility for disabled students and academics from different European countries. For this reason the research focused on the concept of reasonable adjustment in public bodies (and specifically in Universities)."
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies/projects/sahlin2007/index.htm
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies/projects/sahlin2007/Sahlin%20-%20lecture%20text.pdf (pdf of presentation)
Rehabilitation
Clients Returning to Inpatient Rehabilitation - (CIHI). "Between 2003 and 2007, 11% of clients admitted to inpatient rehabilitation returned to rehabilitation after an initial discharge home. When clients returned for a second stay in rehabilitation for the same condition, they were often discharged at higher levels of function following the second stay. In contrast, if their second stay was related to a second or subsequent episode, they did not gain as much function following that second stay."
http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/en/downloads/NRS_Aib_Return%20to%20Rehab_07_e.pdf
Strategic Motion - by Dana Hinesly (Rehab Management). "Who would have thought it would be possible to make a living connecting the dots? Yet, that's exactly what Lauren Rosen, PT, MPT, ATP, Motion Analysis Center program coordinator at St Joseph's Children's Hospital, Tampa, Fla, has been able to do—well, sort of. 'The computer sees the dots, but at the beginning it does not know what each dot represents, so the first couple of times the patient is doing things, I play "connect the dots" and tell it what each of the dots is attached to,' Rosen says. These dots are markers that are part of a 3D graphic program using a number of infrared cameras to record the motion of strategically placed markers on a patient performing an activity such as walking. The result is a 3D image of the person—and a myriad of information for therapists."
http://www.rehabpub.com/issues/articles/2007-12_03.asp
Stroke Rehabilitation Evolves - by Jason Bomia, OTR, MS; Nick Helmkamp, PT, MS; and Sally Lyons, PT, MA (Rehab Management). "Stroke rehabilitation has experienced tremendous progress in recent years. The cause of a cerebral vascular accident is better understood, along with advancements in the treatment and prevention of stroke. In addition, risk factors and symptoms are better recognized, as is the importance of responding quickly to minimize brain damage. In recent years, stroke has sometimes been referred to as a 'brain attack' to help the public correlate the urgency of a brain attack with a heart attack."
http://www.rehabpub.com/issues/articles/2007-12_01.asp
Technology
The Electronic Curb-Cut Effect - Developed in support of the World Bank Conference: Disability and Development - by Steve Jacobs (ICDRI). "Unusual things happen when products are designed to be accessible by people with disabilities. It wasn't long after sidewalks were redesigned to accommodate wheelchair users that the benefits of curb cuts began to be realized by everyone. People pushing strollers, riding on skateboards, using roller-blades, riding bicycles and pushing shopping carts soon began to enjoy the benefits of curb cuts. These facts are good examples of why sidewalks with curb cuts are simply better sidewalks. These same types of benefits occur when developing information products with accessibility in mind. This phenomenon is often referred to as the 'Electronic Curb-Cut Effect (ECE)'."
http://www.icdri.org/technology/ecceff.htm
Fonix Speech Technology Utilized in Major Video Game Release in 2007 - (CNN.com). "Fonix Speech, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Fonix Corporation, announced this week that a top game in the hottest sector of the video gaming market utilizes a Fonix Speech software engine. This particular karaoke-style video game, which was released to the public November 20, 2007, experienced overwhelming initial success in a unique sector of the gaming market made popular over the last few years by the video game 'Guitar Hero.' Fonix Speech's 'VoiceIn' technology is the only software currently available to game developers that permits voice-activated interface across all major platforms, including Xbox, Playstation2, PC and Mac versions."
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/marketwire/0344842.htm
Jason Mogus: Keynote on Web 2.0 - (Canadian Council on Social Development). "On Friday October 26th, Jason Mogus, CEO of Communicopia, delivered the keynote speech at CCSD's AGM. Jason spoke about how the web is changing, and how non-profits can benefit from that change, providing they're willing to change with it. We've assembled the various pieces of Jason's presentation for you below, and hope they will help stimulate some creative thinking in the non-profit community around changing web dynamics and strategies."
http://www.ccsd.ca/events/2007/agm/mogus.htm
http://www.communicopia.net/ (Communicopia)
Microsoft is heading a group of technology companies that will collaborate on creating IT products for the disabled. - (eWeek). "Microsoft is looking to make it easier for disabled people to use technology. The software vendor is chartering an initiative called the Accessibility Interoperability Alliance. Announced Dec. 10, the AIA is an engineering collaboration between assistive technology vendors, IT companies and key nongovernmental organizations. The group's goal is to enable developers to more easily create accessible software, hardware and Web-based products that will reduce barriers to information and communication technologies for people with disabilities, Microsoft officials said."
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2230727,00.asp
SmartNav Hands-free Mouse Uses Your Head - by Christina Crouch (Slash Gear). "The SmartNav hands-free mouse seems, to me, to be a little over the top. You attach a device that looks like a helmet/robot hybrid to the top of your monitor and then stick a tiny reflective dot on your forehead and voila, your head is now your mouse. It comes in three versions: AT (Assistive Technology) allows you to click by hovering over the item, EG (Ergonomic) has a foot pedal for you to click with and the Standard version is geared for productivity."
http://www.slashgear.com/smartnav-hands-free-mouse-uses-your-head-279219.php
Visually Impaired Students Study Math Using Innovative Software - by Jeffrey Thomas (USInfo). "Until recently, blind and visually impaired students found it extremely difficult to study certain subjects and pursue careers in science and technology because they could not see graphs and other visual representations. But now, a team at NASA has created easy-to- use software that allows students to graph equations, interact with the data and understand it all through text, tones and spoken language."
http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2007&m=December&x=200712041642461CJsamohT0.8393061
Conferences
( New Conferences)
Canadian
24th International Seating Symposium - March 5-8, 2008 | Vancouver, British Columbia. "This international symposium addresses current and future developments in the areas of seating, positioning and mobility. Topic areas include service delivery, product development, research and evaluation. The format for the symposium will include plenary, poster, instructional and paper sessions. Extensive opportunities are provided for networking with colleagues."
http://www.interprofessional.ubc.ca/24th_Seating.htm
Eighth International Conference on the Diversity in Organisations, Communities and Nations - June 17-20, 2008 | Montreal, Quebec. "Welcome to website of the Eighth International Conference on the Diversity in Organisations, Communities and Nations. This Conference is to be held in Montréal, Canada 17-20 June 2008. This conference will address a range of critically important themes in the study of diversity today. Main speakers will include some of the world's leading thinkers in the field, as well as numerous paper, workshop and colloquium presentations by researchers and practitioners."
http://d08.cgpublisher.com/
CHHA - IFHOH, Congress 2008 - July 2-6, 2008 | Vancouver, British Columbia. "The Canadian Hard of Hearing Association and the International Federation of Hard of Hearing People invite you to attend the International Congress for persons with hearing loss to be held in Canada at the fabulous Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center in downtown Vancouver. Programs will be of interest to all persons with hearing loss, and to those who live, work and are part of the lives of persons with hearing loss. This Congress is a 'must' if hearing loss has touched your life."
http://www.chha-ifhohcongress2008.com/
Vision 2008, the 9th International Conference on Low Vision - July 7-11, 2008 | Montreal, Quebec. "In 2008, the 9th International Conference on Low Vision will be held from July 7 to 11 in Montréal, one of Canada's major cities. The Institut Nazareth & Louis-Braille (A Rehabilitation Centre specialized in visual impairment) and the University of Montréal's School of Optometry will oversee the organization of this Conference in partnership with the CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) under the auspices of the International Society for Low Vision Research and Rehabilitation (ISLRR)."
www.vision2008.ca
21st RI World Congress - Disability Rights and Social Participation: Ensuring a Society for All - August 25-28, 2008 | Quebec City, Quebec. "The international community is facing a unique opportunity to drastically improve the living conditions of hundreds of millions of people with disabilities by implementing the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This treaty provides the framework for the development of good policies, actions and projects which can have a positive impact on the lives of people with disabilities all over the world. People with disability, their family and friends, human rights advocates, experts, government representatives, service providers and civil society leaders from all over the world will gather in Quebec City, Canada from August 25-28, 2008, for the 21st RI World Congress to discuss key disability issues and build partnerships."
http://www.riquebec2008.org/
TThird ICOH Conference on Psychosocial Factors at Work - September 1-4, 2008. | Québec City, Quebec. "The Third ICOH-WOPS international conference "Psychosocial Factors at Work: From Knowledge to Action" will take place in Québec City, September 1-4, 2008. The two first International ICOH Conferences on Psychosocial Factors at Work were held in Copenhagen in 1998 and in Japan in 2005. Both conferences were highly successful attracting more than 300 international researchers in the field. The 2008 conference will address four major themes: Preventive interventions; Disability management and Return to work; Psychological harassment at work; and Public policies on mental health at work. Papers will include mental health, musculosqueletal and cardiovascular diseases; quantitative and qualitative methodology. We hope that you will attend the Conference and it will be a pleasure to welcome you."
http://www.icoh-wops2008.com/Afficher.aspx?langue=en
U.S.
Technology, Reading & Learning Diversity Conference 2008 - January 24-26, 2008 | San Francisco,California. "For over 25 years, educators have been meeting at the TRLD Conference for team building, fostering networking opportunities and to acquire knowledge, skills and solutions to help their students succeed. Historically, TRLD draws 600 to 900 focused and dedicated educators from the US, Canada and internationally.TRLD is the only conference of its kind, integrating technology interventions with expert literacy strategies to help students of all ages (K-12 through adult) succeed. TRLD brings together educators, experienced literacy leaders, and technology experts to share, discuss, and work toward a solution to the nationwide concern of bringing literacy success to ALL students."
http://www.trld.com/about/index.html
23rd Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference - March 10-15, 2008 | Los Angeles, California. "The 23rd Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference invites submissions of papers for this conference to be held March 10-15, 2008 at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott and Renaissance Montura hotels. The 'CSUN' conference is the world's longest-running and largest conference of its kind on the topic of assistive technology and the positive impact on persons with disabilities. The conference draws more than 4,500 persons annually who attend sessions, visit the exhibit halls, and participate in affiliate meetings and informal gatherings."
http://www.csun.edu/cod/conf/index.html
5th Annual International Conference for Positive Behavior Support - March 27-29, 2008 | Chicago, Illinois. "The 5th International Conference on Positive Behavior Support is an international conference dedicated to promoting research-based strategies that combine applied behavior analysis and biomedical science with person-centered values and systems change to increase quality of life and decrease problem behaviors. The Association of Positive Behavior Support (APBS) is made up of professionals, family members, trainers, consumers, researchers, and administrators who are involved and interested in positive behavior support."
http://www.apbs.org/conference/chicago/default.html
From Innovations to Practice - April 14-15, 2008 | Cambridge, Massachusetts. "This state of the science conference brings together participants from the USA, Canada and an estimated 25 nations into an exciting learning community, integrating research, practice and innovations. Goal of Conference: To highlight efforts and practices directed at making recovery a real possibility for the broadest group of individuals with psychiatric disabilities and to promote the mainstreaming of those practices into 'everyday operations'."
http://www.bu.edu/cpr/conference/index.html
2008 Mobility Planning Services Institute - April 21-24, 2008 | Washington, D.C. " The MPS institute offers intensive training and planning activities that result in plans each team can take home to improve services in their communities. The training component of MPS is provided by industry experts serving as faculty for breakout sessions. Interspersed with the learning sessions are hands-on team working sessions. In a relaxed setting, Institute faculty facilitate an interactive learning environment where team members can openly discuss challenging issues and plan solutions.."
http://projectaction.easterseals.com/site/PageServer?pagename=ESPA_mobility_planning
Multiple Perspectives on Access, Inclusion, & Disability: Looking Back & Thinking Ahead - April 22-23, 2008 | Columbus, Ohio. "The Eighth Annual Multiple Perspectives conference continues the university's efforts to bring together a diverse audience to explore disability as both an individual experience and social reality that cuts across typical divisions of education & employment; scholarship & service; business & government; race, gender & ethnicity. This year's theme 'looking back and thinking ahead' is meant to encourage presenters and participants to consider topics, methods and programs from fresh perspectives."
http://ada.osu.edu/conferences/2008Conf/callforpapers2008.html#utmost
TToward Culturally Responsive Disability Services: An International Conference - October 6 and 7, 2008 | Niagara Falls, New York. Conference themes are:
· Cultural competency education and training (pre service and in service)
· Best practices in providing culturally responsive services in the disability and health services
· Acquiring and strengthening cultural competence through international experience
· Research on cultural competency
http://cirrie.buffalo.edu/conference2008/index.html
IDA 59th Annual Conference - October 29-November 1, 2008 | Seattle, Washington. "The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) is a scientific and educational nonprofit organization concerned with dyslexia and related language and learning difficulties. The IDA Annual Conference focuses on the latest advances in these and related fields. IDA is interested in a broad spectrum of research and practical presentations along these lines. The objective of the conference is to bring up-to-date information to a diverse audience that includes educators, researchers, physicians, psychologists, social workers, speech-language pathologists, administrators, parents, persons with dyslexia, and others."
http://www.interdys.org/AnnualConference.htm
Overseas
4th Cambridge Workshop on Universal Access and Assistive Technology – April 14-16, 2008 | Cambridge, United Kingdom. "'Creating a better balance of work, living and leisure, for disability and ageing' The workshop theme 'Designing Inclusive Futures' reflects the need to explore the issues and practicalities of design that is intended to extend our active future lives in a coherent way. This encompasses design for inclusion: in the workplace; for businesses; for the individual and of products in these contexts."
http://rehab-www.eng.cam.ac.uk/cwuaat/
11th International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs - July 9-11, 2008 | University of Linz, Austria. - "Over the last decades the advancement 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."
http://www.icchp.org/overview
Disability Studies Conference - September 2-4, 2008 | Lancaster University, United Kingdom. "The fourth international disability studies conference will take place at Lancaster University, UK. The purpose of the conference is to bring together researchers, practitioners, policy makers and activits to share and debate research, ideas and developments in disability studies. A call for papers and posters will be issued in January 2008. The closing date for abstracts will be 30th April. Submissions are particularly welcomed from students, activists and first time presenters, activists and first time presenters. We seek to provide a supportive environment for people making their first conference presentations and to be as accessible as possible to all delegates."
http://www.disabilitystudies.net/?content=3
19th IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics - July 5-9, 2009 | Paris, France. "Every four years, the World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics represents a unique and irreplaceable event attended by experts from around the world to discuss the latest findings in the field of ageing. The 19th congress, which is taking place in Paris in 2009, is particularly important, as it coincides with an ideological u-turn. Lifespan extension and the
growing number of elderly people, once considered as catastrophic, are now viewed as an indisputable progress."
http://www.gerontologyparis2009.com/site/view8.php