Disability Resource Digest
Volume 9 Issue 5 May 2009
Accessible Design Is Good Business - Graham Pullin on making simpler products – (BusinessWeek). "Companies such as Apple are focusing on how design for the disabled might inspire easy-to-use gadgets for people of all ages and abilities. Graham Pullin, author of Design Meets Disability, discusses how this approach makes sense for businesses." Listen to this episode (requires QuickTime 7 or iTunes). Subscribe to this series on iTunes. Grab this feed for a podcast reader other than iTunes.
http://www.businessweek.com/mediacenter/podcasts/innovation/innovation_04_21_09.htm
Asda 'breaking taboos' over disability aids – by Clare Dickinson (Independent). "A supermarket is to start selling disability aids for the first time this week. Asda will stock urine bottles, raised lavatory seats, and walking sticks from Saturday, in what it says is an attempt to 'break the taboos' surrounding their sale. Older people and those with long-term disabilities or short-term injuries will be able to use the items, which also include bath shelves and jar twisters. Asda is breaking into the multi-million pound industry at a time when the Government is trying to encourage commercial retailers to sell products traditionally supplied by the NHS and Social Services."
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/asda-breaking-taboos-over-disability-aids-1668652.html
COAT Thanks CDC for Captioning Swine Flu Video Clip – (COAT). "COAT recently sent a letter to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to thank them for captioning their recent Swine Flu videoclip. COAT also recommended creation of future videoclips also be made available in a Sign Language version."
http://www.coataccess.org/node/3483
Eight COAT Affiliates on New FCC Technical Group to Work on Captioning and Video Description Problems in Digital TV Transition – (COAT). "As a result of COAT advocacy efforts, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) set up a new working group to help resolve closed captioning and video description problems in the digital TV transition. COAT affiliates will attend the meetings with industry and federal representatives. COAT affiliates involved are American Council of the Blind, CaptionMax, Communication Service for the Deaf, Hearing Loss Association of America, National Captioning Institute, National Center for Accessible Media at WGBH, Northern Virginia Resource Council for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and VITAC. First meeting is Monday May 18 at the FCC in Washington, DC."
http://www.coataccess.org/node/3485
Staples Agrees to Web Access / Tactile Point of Sale Devices – (ICDRI). "Major advocacy groups for the visually impaired applaud Staples' new initiatives designed to improve service to its customers with visual impairments. Staples will be improving its payment service terminals at the in-store point-of-sale with tactile keypads to protect the privacy and security of shoppers with visual impairments. The company will also make improvements to Staples.com that will benefit customers with visual impairments and other disabilities. Today's announcement is the result of collaboration between Staples and major blindness organizations including the Bay State Council of the Blind (Massachusetts), the American Foundation for the Blind, the American Council of the Blind, and the California Council of the Blind. These organizations praised Staples' initiative and urged other retailers to follow the company's example."
http://www.icdri.org/legal/Staples.htm
Westminster Abbey to launch unique Braille-guided Touch Tour for blind and partially sighted people – (Youreable). "Westminster Abbey is to launch a self-guided Braille Touch Tour - believed to be the first guide in the UK that allows blind and partially sighted visitors complete independence within such an historic monument. Touch Tour participants will have the opportunity to touch and feel parts of the Abbey dating back nearly 1,000 years. The tour - which has been endorsed by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) - will go live today (April 21) and, for the first time, will allow blind and partially sighted people to use a Braille guide to guide themselves round one of the country's most famous and historic landmarks. A copy of the tour is also available in large print. For blind and partially sighted people, this represents a major step towards independence, as it allows them to take the tour alone and unguided if they wish, without the need for pre-booking or special requests."
http://www.youreable.com/TwoShare/getPage/01News/01Current/April2008/westminster
99 Arrested as ADAPT Blocks Independence and Constitution Avenues on the Hill, then Crawls Up the Capitol Steps – (JFActivist). "ADAPT, the nation's largest cross-disability, grassroots disability rights organization, took the fight to include long-term services in Health Care Reform up to Capitol Hill today. On Monday, Obama administration officials made it clear that the administration was not going to provide leadership on getting long-term services included in health care reform, saying it was up to Congress. 'I guess what happened at the White House kind of got us wondering who is leading the country, the President or Congress,' said Bob Kafka, ADAPT Organizer from Austin, Texas. 'Sad to say but President Obama gets a D on disability rights after his first hundred days. Throughout his campaign and currently on his website he promises to support independent, community-based living for Americans with disabilities by enforcing the Community Choice Act, which would allow Americans with significant disabilities the choice of living in their community rather than having to live in a nursing home or other institution. Many of us who voted for him feel angry and betrayed that he isn't keeping his promise'."
http://jfactivist.typepad.com/jfactivist/2009/05/adapt-on-capitol-hill-tuesday-and-wednesday.html
Collaborative Agreement with DPI signed – (GAATES). "GAATES is very pleased to announce the signing of a Collaborative Agreement between Disabled Peoples International (DPI) and GAATES Disabled Persons International (DPI) is THE voice of people with disabilities worldwide. They represent a network of national organizations or assemblies of disabled people, established to promote human rights of disabled people through full participation, equalization of opportunity and development. GAATES and DPI are both dedicated to ensuring the inclusion of people with disabilities, and the promotion of accessibility of the built, social and virtual environments, so that people with disabilities and older persons are able to fully participate and contribute to society. DPI and GAATES have signed a collaborative agreement to work together to support each other's objectives and mission to improve the social, economic and cultural participation of people with disabilities by building a society accessible for all."
http://www.gaates.org/004WhatsNew.shtml
People with Disabilities Call for Global Equality – by Mandy Clark (VOANews). "A host of famous personalities came to the Gulf state, Qatar, to highlight the obstacles faced by people with disabilities. Cherie Blair, the former British first lady, Olympian Carl Lewis and Hou Bin, China's paralympic high jumper, were on hand to challenge the belief that people with disabilities are not employable."
http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-04-23-voa21.cfm
Physically Disabled Can Be Abled Indeed - by Adam Phillips (VOANews). "Americans with disabilities are, in one sense, just like everybody else: They come from varied backgrounds and cope with the challenges life presents them in many different ways. But living a full, satisfying life with a physical or mental handicap is no ordinary struggle. Jan Garrett, who now directs the Center for Independent Living, an advocacy group for people with disabilities in Berkeley, California, had an especially difficult childhood. It wasn't just the usual problems with schoolyard bullies and awkward social relationships. Garrett was born with no limbs."
http://www.voanews.com/english/AmericanLife/2009-04-06-voa56.cfm
Support Access to e-books for People with Disabilities – "As part of its role in the Reading Rights Coalition, NSCIA is engaged in a campaign to obtain access for people with print disabilities to e-books available for Amazon's new Kindle 2 e-book reader. The new reader, which Amazon is working to make fully accessible, has the ability to use text-to-speech to read these e-books aloud; but under pressure from the Authors Guild, Amazon has announced that authors and publishers will be allowed to disable the text-to-speech function. Please read and sign the petition. 'Language is fundamental to being human, and access to information - whether for education, entertainment or communication - is an integral part of life. In fact, it's how many living with disabilities find access to the information and resources they need to achieve the highest possible quality of life. Restricting that for any reason is not acceptable. Like screen readers and other forms of text to speech, electronic book readers will provide greater access to information for all people' K. Eric Larson, executive director and CEO of NSCIA, said recently. More than 25 organizations have joined to form the Reading Rights Coalition, which has set up an on-line petition to urge the Authors Guild and Amazon to reverse course."
http://www.spinalcord.org/news.php?dep=1&page=0&list=2240
Google Lime Scholarship for Students with Disabilities – (AFB). "Access to knowledge is our thing. When it comes to higher education for promising scholars, we don't want anything to stand in the way. That's why we're proud to partner with Lime. Google is committed to helping the innovators of the future make the most of their talents by providing scholarships and networking retreats for computer science students with disabilities. Recipients of the Google Lime Scholarship will receive a scholarship for the 2009-2010 academic year. Selected students will also be invited to attend the all-expenses-paid retreat at the Googleplex in Mountain View, CA, in 2010. Scholarships will be awarded based on the strength of candidates' academic background and demonstrated passion—$10,000USD for those studying in the US and $5,000CAD for those studying in Canada (based on average tuition costs)."
http://www.afb.org/Community.asp?AnnouncementID=685
Integrating kids with disabilities – by Carol Nader and Farrah Tomazin (TheAge). "GRANT can tell that he is different from the other kids he goes to school with. The 13-year-old has moderate autism, interfering with his ability to learn. His language and communication skills are severely impaired and he finds it hard to make friends. But, says his mother, Meredith Ward, 'he would like to be like everyone else'. This year, Grant started high school at Templestowe College, a school with an inclusive policy on children with disabilities. 'The gap is widening between him and the other kids because the autism does impact on his ability to learn,' Ms Ward says. Despite the challenges, she chose to place Grant in a mainstream school because, she says, 'he has to live in the world around us'. She says a small school such as Templestowe can be a good environment for children with disabilities, if supported. In Victoria, thousands of children attend about 80 special schools. Although there is a push to integrate children with disabilities into the mainstream, there are many barriers."
http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/integrating-kids-with-disabilities-20090421-ae3i.html
Travel Training for Student Success: The Route to Achieving Post-Secondary Student Outcomes – "Educators play a key role in the success of young people with disabilities who are finishing high school and eagerly anticipating the next phase of life: happy, productive adulthood in the community. Thanks to educators, these students are navigating the transition by acquiring skills, planning for more education, and preparing for employment. There is, however, one more element essential to a student's successful transition: transportation. High school graduates need a way to get to the college, the work place, the shopping malls, and all the other destinations of community life. Young adults who do not own a car and do not drive are able to find the 'route to success' through the use of public transportation. Often, that means the need for travel training, which is intensive training that helps people with disabilities acquire the skills needed to travel safely and independently on fixed-route public transportation. 'Travel Training for Student Success: The Route to Achieving Post-Secondary Student Outcomes' is a primer for school administrators interested in learning how high schools across the country are connecting students to travel training services, developing and adapting goals, and supporting local implementation of travel training programs."
http://projectaction.easterseals.com/site/PageServer?pagename=ESPA_resources_supporting_young_adults_TravelTraining
ODEP Releases Roadmaps II – (ODEP). "Roadmaps II provides an overview of federally funded AT programs and information on the creation of the AT Collaborative; a compilation of some of the barriers impacting the use of AT by individuals with disabilities regarding employment; and recommendations to increase and enhance the employment of individuals with disabilities though AT (including a response to the Business Dialogue Roadmaps). The official launch date of Roadmaps II was April 21, 2009, at the 2009 Annual Conference of AT Act Programs in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania."
Roadmaps II PDF
Roadmaps II Word Doc
http://www.dol.gov/odep/categories/employment_supports/roadmaps.htm
General Interest
A New Number Everyone Should Know: Their PDQ – (FoxBusiness). "We've all heard those 'one in X people' stats countless times. But how many of us ever think we're the 'one' that something is going to happen to? Now there's a new online tool that makes the chances of being the one to face a disability far more personal -- by calculating each individual's own Personal Disability Quotient, or PDQ. This first-of-its-kind calculator, developed by the non-profit Council for Disability Awareness (CDA: undefined, undefined, undefined%), spotlights one of the biggest risks to any wage earner's financial security: the chance that a serious illness or injury may prevent you from earning an income for an extended period of time. It is accessible free-of-charge online at www.WhatsMyPDQ.org."
http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/new-number-know-pdq/
Autistic Boy Steals Car, Flies Cross-Country – by Lee Ferran and Anna Wild (ABCnews). "Kenton Weaver is 13 years old, has no photo I.D. that his father knows of and lives with autism. None of that stopped the Boca Raton boy from stealing his father's car in the middle of the night Tuesday, cruising more than 20 miles to a Florida airport and hopping a couple of connecting flights to San Jose, Calif. 'I really enjoyed it,' Kenton told 'Good Morning America' simply. 'I talked to a few people.' Kenton's mother, Kim Casey, lives just hours from the San Jose airport in Fresno, Calif., but the boy's father, Dean Weaver, suspects it wasn't the destination that lured the boy to the airport, but the journey. Kenton has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism often characterized by an unusual preoccupation with particular subjects. According to Dean, his son was fascinated by airplanes."
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=7464959&page=1
More with learning disabilities forced to wed – by Poonam Taneja (BBCnews). "People in the UK with learning disabilities are being forced into marriage by their own families. Every year the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Forced Marriage Unit deals with around 400 cases. And a significant number involve people with learning disabilities. The unit's head Sarah Russell said: 'We don't have any firm statistics, but anecdotally we are seeing more and more cases of victims with learning disabilities as awareness around the whole issue of forced marriage is rising.' Disability charities, meanwhile, warn that forced marriage is being used as a way to ensure that children with disabilities will be looked after."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/lancashire/7986821.stm
Woodhead: I'd rather die – by Paul Carter (DisabilityNow). "The former chief inspector of schools, Chris Woodhead, has said he would consider suicide rather than be debilitated by motor neurone disease (MND). Woodhead, 62, who was diagnosed with MND three years ago, said in an interview with The Sunday Times that 'the quality of one's life is more important than its quantity'. 'I am clear in my own mind that it is better to end it than continue a life that is extremely frustrating for me and onerous to others who are involved with me,' he said. However, the former Ofsted chief said he would not consider travelling to controversial Swiss clinic Dignitas, claiming he would rather 'drive myself in a wheelchair off a cliff in Cornwall than go to Dignitas and speak to a bearded social worker'."
http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/latest-news2/woodhead-id-rather-die
Government
Canada
A glimpse of life on disability support – by Carol Goar (TheStar). "Determined to kick off the discussion on a positive note, Christine Watts enumerated the good things about living on disability support. 'It's better than Ontario Works (welfare),' she said. There were grudging nods around the table. No one could dispute that $1,020 a month was better than $572. 'There's less stigma.' Her tablemates looked dubious. Watts added a hurried caveat: 'as long as your disability is visible.' Her third point was more tentative. 'I think we're a little more secure than other people in this recession. And most of us are incredibly resourceful.' Then her list – and her forced optimism – petered out. 'The truth is it affects every aspect of your life,' Watts said. 'You're always asking: What can I do without best right now?' She was one of 120 participants (half on disability support, half from legal aid clinics and social agencies) at a conference called Leading the Way last week. Its objective was to develop a poverty reduction strategy for people with disabilities."
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/615283
CNIB applauds recent provincial and territorial announcements about wet AMD treatment in Canada – (CNIB). "CNIB congratulates the governments of Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador and the Yukon, all of which have recently issued announcements regarding the provision of Lucentis, a groundbreaking treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), under their provincial/territorial health plans. Wet AMD is an eye disease that causes severe and rapid loss of central vision. It currently affects 100,000 people in Canada, and every week 60 more Canadians lose their sight because of the disease."
http://www.cnib.ca/en/news/archive/20090415-lucentis_coverage.aspx
Government of Canada Endorses World Autism Awareness Day – (NewsRelease). "On behalf of the Government of Canada, the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, today announced that April 2 will be recognized as World Autism Awareness Day in Canada."
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/nr-cp/_2009/2009_54-eng.php
U.S.
Critics say bill denies some sexual freedom – by S.I. Rosenbaum (Boston.com). "State Representative Kathi-Anne Reinstein thought she was sponsoring a bill to protect a vulnerable population from sexual predators. But the legislation has fueled a firestorm of protest, locally and nationally online, mostly from senior citizens and people with disabilities who said the bill could criminalize their right to sexual expression. The bill, an amendment to the state's laws prohibiting child pornography, was meant to protect people with mental disabilities, who cannot give consent and are often exploited sexually by caretakers or family members, said Reinstein, a Democrat from Revere. Reinstein said she was approached in January by Elizabeth Scheibel, the district attorney in Hampshire County, and the state Disabled Persons Protection Commission which described several disturbing cases."
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/04/26/critics_say_bill_denies_some_sexual_freedom/
Housing Bill, Inclusive Home Design Act, Requires Visitability Standards – AbilityMagazine). "'Universal standards for homes built with federal money are long past due,' said Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-IL. 'Implementing accessible features when homes are built is a simple matter of fairness, cost effectiveness, and common sense.' People with mobility impairments have limited access to most homes constructed with federal assistance because there are currently no federal standards for accessibility features that these homes must include. However, new legislation introduced by Rep. Schakowsky, the Inclusive Home Design Act (HR 1408) would greatly increase the number of homes that are accessible for people with disabilities."
http://www.abilitymagazine.com/news_home_Schakowsky.html
Ohio Senate votes to remove 'retardation' from names of state, county disability agencies – (AP). "The Ohio Senate has voted unanimously to remove the word 'retardation' from state and county developmental disability agency names. The bill approved Wednesday would mean the Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities would instead be known as the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities. The word 'retardation' would also be removed from county level agencies. Ohio is one of six states that use the word 'retardation' in state-funded agencies. Ten of Ohio's 88 county boards have already made similar name changes."
http://www.fox8.com/news/sns-ap-oh--agencies-mentalretardation,0,7612983.story
States Slashing Social Programs for Vulnerable – by Eric Eckholm (NY Times). "Battered by the recession and the deepest and most widespread budget deficits in several decades, a large majority of states are slicing into their social safety nets — often crippling preventive efforts that officials say would save money over time. President Obama's $787 billion stimulus package is helping to alleviate some of the pain, providing large amounts of money to pay for education and unemployment insurance, bolster food stamp programs and expand tax credits for low earners. But the money will offset only 40 percent of the losses in state revenues, and programs for vulnerable groups have been cut in at least 34 states, according to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, a private research group in Washington."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/12/us/12deficit.html?_r=1
U.S. Senators John Kerry and Arlen Specter Introduce Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act – (NFB). "Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) introduced a bill, S. 841, intended to protect the blind and other pedestrians from injury or death as a result of silent vehicle technology. The Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 requires the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a study on how to protect the blind and others from being injured or killed by vehicles using hybrid, electric, and other silent engine technologies."
http://www.nfb.org/nfb/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=437
White House Blog Details April 21 Meeting with Heads of Disability Organizations – "Unprecedented. That seemed to be the theme of Wednesday's White House meeting with over 60 presidents/CEOs of almost every major national disability organization in the United States. Valerie Jarrett, President Obama's Senior Advisor, kicked off the day by discussing the importance that the disability rights movement had to both her and the President personally. And even though she had a scheduled flight that she should have left for a good half-hour before the start of the event, Valerie decided to attend anyway. It was an honor to see Valarie make that time commitment as a reflection of this administration's commitment to the disability community."
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/04/21/Listening/
Health/Wellness
Nutrition for Healthy Aging – (NCPAD). "According to the American Dietetic Association, 70% of the physical decline among older adults with chronic disease is associated with modifiable risk factors such as poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and smoking. In addition, nearly 90% of older adults have diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, or a combination of all three, each of which has nutrition-related components. While healthy eating is essential in all stages of life, eating well is especially important for older adults. Wise food choices and a balanced diet are key elements to a healthy lifestyle and can both slow and improve the aging process."
http://www.ncpad.org/nutrition/fact_sheet.php?sheet=695
Obesity Rates in Youth with Disabilities – (NCPAD). "There is a troubling realization that overweight and obese youth will almost assuredly grow up to be overweight and obese adults. What lies behind excess body fat for the more than one-third of children who are overweight are a host of physical, psychological, and psychosocial health problems that will undoubtedly remain with the child for much, if not all, of his or her entire life. Obese youth are often bullied by other children and left out of critically important social networks that are so vital to adequate growth and development. This often leads to greater problems in adulthood, including discrimination in the workforce and poorer socioeconomic outcomes. In a British study measuring the quality of life in 126 obese 9-year-old children (55 boys and 71 girls), researchers reported that in all areas of quality of life, ranging from physical and psychosocial health to emotional, social, and school functioning, scores for the obese children were much worse compared to an age-matched control group who were not obese."
http://www.ncpad.org/director/fact_sheet.php?sheet=698
Legal
Judge won't reconsider 100-year prison term – by Howard Witt (LATimes). "For more than six hours Tuesday, as a parade of witnesses testified about the severity of Aaron Hart's mental retardation and his inability to understand his legal rights, the 18-year-old defendant with an IQ of 47 sat silent and shackled in a chair, alternately fidgeting, daydreaming and making faces. In the end, none of it was enough to persuade a judge in this small East Texas town to reconsider the 100-year prison sentence he gave Hart in February after the teenager pleaded guilty to sexually molesting a 6-year-old boy. Ruling in a case that critics of the local justice system say raises questions of proportionality and fairness for the mentally disabled, Judge Eric Clifford of the 6th District Court in Lamar County denied defense motions seeking either a new trial or a new sentencing hearing for Hart. A former special-education teacher for Hart testified that he functions below the level of a first-grader."
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-paris8-2009apr08,0,7734567.story?track=rss
Justice Department Sues Nobel Learning Communities Inc. for Discrimination Against Children with Disabilities – (USDOJ). "The Justice Department announced today it has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia against Nobel Learning Communities Inc. (Nobel) alleging the company violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act by excluding children with autism spectrum disorders and other disabilities from its schools and programs. The complaint identifies children with disabilities denied admission to or removed from Nobel schools in several states. Nobel is a network of more than 180 private preschools, elementary schools and secondary schools in fifteen states, operating under various names including Chesterbrook Academies, Evergreen Academies, Bethesda Country Day School and Merryhill Schools. Nobel also provides child care services and summer programs."
http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2009/April/09-crt-407.html
Sperm Banks Can Be Sued Under Product Liability Laws, Federal Judge Rules – by Shannon P. Duffy (Law.com). "In the first decision of its kind, a federal judge has ruled that a sperm bank may be sued under product liability laws for failing to detect that a sperm donor had a genetic defect. In his 23-page opinion in Donovan v. Idant Laboratories, Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas N. O'Neill Jr. cleared the way for a 13-year-old mentally retarded girl from Pennsylvania to sue a New York sperm bank under the theory that the sperm used to conceive her had a defect known as 'Fragile X,' a mutation known to cause a syndrome of maladies that include mental retardation and behavioral disorders. 'Under New York law, the sale of sperm is considered a product and is subject to strict liability,' O'Neill wrote. The ruling is a victory for plaintiffs attorney Daniel L. Thistle and clears the way for Brittany Donovan of Philadelphia to pursue both tort and contract claims against the New York sperm bank that sold sperm to her mother in 1995."
http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202429596840&rss=newswire
Media
2010 International VSA arts Festival – "The 2010 International VSA arts Festival is a multicultural eventt celebrating the accomplishments of people with disabilities in arts and arts education. The festival, which brings together artists, educators, and researchers from around the world, will be held in Washington, D.C., June 6–12. It will feature performances and exhibitions by prominent artists at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Smithsonian Institution's International Gallery, and other venues throughout Washington, D.C. Additionally, the 2010 International VSA arts Festival will once again serve as a convergence
of knowledge and practice in the arts, education, and disability through the VSA arts International Conference."
http://www.vsarts.org/PreBuilt/showcase/gallery/exhibits/Calls/Int_Conference/index.html
A New Look at Disability – (Abilities.ca). "Over the past two years, women living with disabilities and physical differences have taken part in 'Envisioning New Meanings of Disability and Difference,' a series of arts-based workshops across Ontario that use the power of image and story to transform the way people see difference. Workshop activities and discussions explored identity and the meaning we find in our experiences. Photography workshops put cameras in the hands of the participants, who used them as tools to create self-portraits – both literal and symbolic. These women also had the opportunity to make their own digital story to capture their perspective on life with a disability or difference. The artwork created formed a dynamic multimedia exhibit. The Envisioning Exhibit, shown in Toronto this past February, will tour the province throughout 2009."
http://www.abilities.ca/arts/2009/04/27/loranrenooy_issue78/
Accelerate: A National Juried Exhibition for Emerging Artist with Disabilities – (VSAarts). "VSA arts is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1974 by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith. For 35 years, we have been creating a society where people with disabilities learn through, participate in, and enjoy the arts. VSA arts provides educators, parents, and artists with resources and the tools to support arts programming in schools and communities. VSA arts showcases the accomplishments of artists with disabilities and promotes increased access to the arts for people with disabilities. Each year millions of people participate in VSA arts programs through a nationwide network of affiliates and in 55 countries around the world. VSA arts is an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts."
http://www.vsarts.org/PreBuilt/showcase/gallery/exhibits/vw/current/
Disability 101: Celebrate Diversity with Children's Books – by Sandy Lahmann (SummitDaily). "For too long people with disabilities have been seen as 'special,' as different, as a totally separate group. People with disabilities have been delegated to the special class, the little bus, to the separate program. Despite several decades of the inclusion movement, encouraging and demanding that people with disabilities be allowed to participate fully in society, we still turn first to our time honored tradition of creating yet another special program. Why can't we get past this desire to create special and separate programs? Why does our society still tend to see people with disabilities as so terribly different? Why can't we begin to recognize that those of us with disabilities are more like the able-bodied than different? Let's start at the beginning. Some of children's first impressions of their world come from reading picture books with parents and teachers. Yet how many children's books have characters who have a disability? Very few, I'm sad to say."
http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20090412/NEWS/904129979/1078&ParentProfile=1055
Disabled World Introduces Disability Community Blogs Section – (PRWEB). "Disabled World has introduced a new section aimed at more professional Writers who wish to contribute to Disabled World and the International Disability Community through independent, dedicated blogs. Disabled World, the premier online International Disability Website, came online in 2004 thanks to the efforts of Lynn and Ian Langtree, who perceived the need for an Internet community for persons with disabilities. Disabled World offers News, Health Information, a Community Area and many additional services to persons with disabilities, seniors, veterans, and persons with health issues. The new Disability Blogging area at Disabled World is open to skilled Writers who are dedicated to blogging at Disabled World, presenting information to the International Community that gathers there. Individual Blogs are established for Writers who wish to present information, as well as presentation of their writings through unique RSS feeds."
http://www.prweb.com/releases/disability/community/prweb2307944.htm
'Gimp' Explores Disability – by Antonia M.R. Peacocke (TheCrimson). "Dance is an art of the human body. It exposes emotions through physical manifestations, and choreography uses the rich lexicon of body language. It seems, then, that any choreographer looking to stretch the limits of corporeal expression would require performers with incredible versatility and training. But choreographers' avid searches for such rare ability inevitably overlook one fascinating factor in human movement: disability."
http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=527882
Henry Winkler tells kids how he copes with a learning disability: 'One ... word ... at ... a ... time' – by Ben Horowitz (The Star-Ledger). "In the world of special education, Henry Winkler is as big a hero today as he was on television's 'Happy Days' 30 years ago, when his role as the leather-jacket-wearing, motorcycle-riding "Fonz" made him one of the nation's most popular actors. Winkler had to overcome a case of severe, undiagnosed dyslexia to pursue his career."
http://www.nj.com/parenting/ben_horowitz/index.ssf/2009/04/henry_winkler_tells_kids_how_h.html
Let CBS Know We Support Hiring Actors with Disabilities! – (AAPD). "The April 30 episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Episode 22: The Train Gone Dead) featured a full storyline about coroner Dr. Al Robbins, portrayed by actor and disability rights advocate Robert David Hall, who co-emceed AAPD's 2009 Leadership Gala with AAPD Board Vice Chair The Honorable Tony Coelho, as well as participated in last summer's National Forum on Disability Issues. The disability community supports CBS's positive portrayal of people with disabilities, and urges CBS and other television networks to feature more actors with disabilities and increase their storylines, in addition to increasing the employment of people with disabilities in front of and behind the camera. Let CBS know we support their hiring of actors with disabilities, and that we want to see more actors with disabilities on television! Leave a comment on the CBS feedback form at http://www.cbs.com/info/user_services/fb_global_form.php"
http://www.aapd.com/Advocacy/LetCBSKnow.html
Mencap has The Edge – (Mencap). "U2 guitarist The Edge has become a Mencap ambassador. The Edge was invited to be a Mencap ambassador by his cousin Ciara Evans, who works for Mencap and has a learning disability. 'Not many people know what a learning disability is, or the challenges people with a learning disability face,' he said. 'I've seen how much work goes into Mencap and want to continue to see it flourish.' The Edge's role will involve raising funds and awareness and campaigning against discrimination. He has previously appeared at
Mencap's Little Noise Sessions, the annual series of fundraising gigs hosted by Radio 1 DJ Jo Whiley."
http://www.mencap.org.uk/news.asp?id=9672&pageno=2&year=&menuId=90
Quinn Bradlee: Suffering From A Learning Disability In Washington's Public Eye – Posted by Michelle Levi (CBSNews). "Twenty-six-year-old Quinn Bradlee, the son of journalist legends -- former Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee and author Sally Quinn -- recently wrote 'A Different Life' a book about growing up with a learning disability in a very public world. Bradlee, who suffers from Velo-Cardio-Facial Syndrome, compared the experience of writing the book to leaving a mother bird's nest – a coming into his own."
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/04/17/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4952549.shtml
Medical
CFS Federal Advisory Committee to Meet in May – (CFIDS). "The Department of Health and Human Services Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee (CFSAC) will meet next on May 27-28, 2009, in Washington, DC The official announcement of the meeting from the Federal Register is copied below. Please note that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will release its draft of the 5-year strategic plan for CFS research at this meeting. The draft will be posted at www.cdc.gov/cfs and public comment is invited until June 30, 2009. See more information at http://cdc.gov/cfs/meetings/2009_04.htm."
http://www.cfids.org/advocacy/2009/gac_042909.asp
Integrated electronic health records "no longer futuristic scenario": NEJM – by Pat Rich (CMA). "A commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine has voiced strong support for the integration of electronic patient health records (PHRs) with electronic medical records (EMRs) maintained by physicians - a move the CMA has been advocating via its Practice Solutions subsidiary. The NEJM commentary, Your Doctor's Office or the Internet? Two paths to Personal Health Records, evaluates the benefits of a stand-alone PHR versus one that, via integration, is an extension of the physician's own patient files. Citing the case of 'Mary,' an older patient with four chronic conditions, Drs. Paul Tang and Thomas Lee asked: 'What if Mary could view her test results within hours after her blood was drawn? What if she could upload her home glucometer and blood-pressure readings so she could graph them and see how changes in her behaviour affect them? What if her health care team received copies of her readings and could recommend dose adjustments for her medications? And what if it all happened without an office visit? This scenario is no longer futuristic'."
http://www.cma.ca/index.cfm?ci_id=10043232&la_id=1
Nine genes linked to learning disabilities – (UPI). "An international team of more than 70 researchers says it has found nine new genes on the X chromosome that, when knocked-out, lead to learning disabilities. The scientists said they studied nearly all X chromosome genes in 208 families with learning disabilities. The researchers said they also discovered approximately 1 percent of X chromosome genes, when knocked-out, have no apparent effect on an individual's ability to function in the ordinary world."
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/04/20/Nine-genes-linked-to-learning-disabilities/UPI-42141240254509/
Policy/Research
Access and equity report 2006–08 – (AustralianPolicyOnline). "Drawing on federal, state, territory and local government, this report provides a snapshot of access and equity issues and responses across Australian government agencies. An annual Access and Equity Report on federal government agencies' performance against an access and equity framework has been tabled in both houses of parliament since 1993. This report covers a two-year period from 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2008. While some of the examples provided are ongoing programs, the focus is on improvements implemented during these two years."
http://apo.org.au/research/access-and-equity-report-2006%E2%80%9308
Australians Gain Professional Certification – (NIDMAR). "The number of Certified Disability Management Professionals (CDMPs) in Australia is growing and, in tandem, many CDMPs are also training to become certified auditors qualified to administer the Consensus Based Disability Management Audit (CBDMA), a tool fast gaining ground 'down under.' More Information"
http://www.nidmar.ca/news/full_story.asp?fid=101
Canada's Aging Population: Seizing the Opportunity – by Special Senate Committee on Aging Final Report. "The Committee learned: Illogical care decisions are made because we don't provide the right services at the right time; The unequal rate of the aging of the population across the country creates challenges for provinces to provide a comparable range of services; Some seniors live in isolation or in inappropriate homes because of inadequate housing and transportation; Current income security measures for our poorest seniors are not meeting their basic needs; The current supports for caregivers are insufficient, and Canadians are forced to choose between keeping their jobs and caring for the ones they love; The voluntary sector, a critical component in supporting an aging population, is suffering as volunteers themselves are aging; Canada is facing challenges in health and social human resources as doctors, nurses and social workers are themselves aging; Technology is providing new opportunities to deliver care; The Canadian government is both a leader and a laggard in providing care to seniors under its jurisdictional responsibility."
http://www.parl.gc.ca/40/2/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/agei-e/rep-e/AgingFinalReport-e.pdf
Expert Group Meeting on Mainstreaming Disability in Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) policies, processes and mechanisms: Development for All – (UN.org). "The Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) organized the 'Expert Group Meeting on Mainstreaming Disability in MDG Policies, Processes and Mechanisms: Development for All'. The meeting was be held at WHO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland on 14-16 April 2009. Eleven experts with experience in MDG policies, programmes, monitoring and evaluation and disability, in their individual capacity, were invited by the Division for Social Policy and Development in close collaboration with the World Health Organization. Selected United Nations agencies and organizations, and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations participated as observers."
http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=1470
Gambia: National Validation of a Disability Study – (AllaAfrica). "Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) The Gambia Programme Office in collaboration with its partners on Disability commissioned a research on issues affecting People With Disabilities. This research is a key component of a series of activities being implemented under the project 'Empowering People with Disabilities in The Gambia' funded by the Big Lottery Fund (BLF) of UK. Disability is a global phenomenon and the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that 10% of any population has some form of disability. With this figure, it is estimated that there is at least 60 million PWDs in Africa. Apart from the 1998 National Disability Survey and the National Population Census of 2003, there is no recent data on disability in The Gambia."
http://allafrica.com/stories/200904010897.html
The geography of disability and economic disadvantage in Australian capital cities – (AustralianPolicyOnline). "This report presents data on the geographical distribution of severe disability among people aged less than 65 years living in Australian capital cities, based on analysis of the 2006 Census of Population and Housing. How is severe disability distributed within Australian capital cities? What is the relationship between the percentage of people with severe disability living in a local metropolitan area and the socioeconomic disadvantage of the area? This report presents data on the geographical distribution of severe disability among people aged less than 65 years living in Australian capital cities, based on analysis of the 2006 Census of Population and Housing."
http://apo.org.au/research/geography-disability-and-economic-disadvantage-australian-capital-cities
Paved with Good Intentions: The Failure of Passive Disability Policy in Canada – by Rick August (Caledon Institute of Social Policy). "This paper offers a critical analysis of a common instrument of current disability policy, the passive cash benefit. I will focus, in particular, on the effects of passive transfers on prospects for adults with disabilities to reach their full income potential through employment. I will attempt to establish that passive income support strategies – for adults with disabilities and for low-income people in general – force their intended beneficiaries to sacrifice employment prospects for help with short-term income needs, a trade-off that reinforces poverty and dependency over the longer term."
http://www.caledoninst.org/Publications/PDF/763ENG.pdf (PDF)
Report details disability horrors – by Jenna Hand (CanberraTimes). "A damning draft report on the ACT Government's disability equipment scheme says the service is inadequate and disjointed, with vast problems and archaic record-keeping. It recommends a complete overhaul of the system which currently subsidises the cost of wheelchairs, prostheses and other personal items and says they should be fully funded. ACT Health took a year to release the report after receiving it in May last year. Some disability organisations received copies of the draft report only last Tuesday, making it impossible to comment by the original Monday deadline."
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/report-details-disability-horrors/1508811.aspx
Self-Help
Chronic Illness or Disability? This New Book is a Must Read – (PRWEB). "This book is suitable for support groups to use for discussion topics and also for individual introspection. The author, Phyllis Porter Dolislager, is a polio survivor. This is her seventh book in print. Jean E. Holmes, Physical Therapist, says, 'Life always has its ups and downs, but for those who struggle with physical handicaps, the downside is often daunting. Struggling with post-polio syndrome, the author of this encouraging book openly shares the challenges she has been forced to confront--facing them head-on. This is a useful book for anyone living with a chronic illness or disability'."
http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2009/4/prweb2330364.htm
New Web Site Offers Answers and Assistance For Those Living With a Disability and Seeking Financial Support – (PRWEB). "SSC Disability (Social Service Coordinators) today launched a new web site (www.SSCdisability.com) to provide information and assistance to those individuals living with a disability and seeking financial support through Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). This new website is unique for its extensive information as well as the innovative features offered to learn about the increasingly complex world of Social Security Disability Insurance."
http://www.prweb.com/releases/disability/SSDI/prweb2280544.htm
Sports/Recreation
Disability not a factor for mixed martial artist – by Donathan Prater (OANOW). "He might make his opponent tap out. He may even make a little history along the way while doing it. But the one thing you'll never find Kyle Maynard making is an excuse. That was the point Maynard, 23, shared with third through 12th-grade students at Lee-Scott Academy Tuesday morning. Maynard, a native of Suwanee, Ga., was born with a rare condition called congenital amputation and as a result has no elbows or knees. Despite that fact, Maynard has gone on to enjoy an athletic career in high school participating in both football and wrestling, even competing in the 2004 Georgia High School Wrestling Championships and later receiving the ESPN Espy Award that same year. Life lessons about perseverance and determination were instilled in Maynard from the time he was 2 years-old."
http://www.oanow.com/oan/news/local/article/disability_not_a_factor_for_mixed_martial_artist/69341/
GlideCycle – (NCPAD). "This unique-looking bicycle, with its u-shaped frame rising above the cycler's head and its suspended bicycle seat, gives people with physical disabilities a new alternative to exercise and for play. The GlideCycle was specifically designed to eliminate any kind of bone or joint pressure for riders. Unlike a traditional bicycle, the GlideCycle supports the person's body weight in its patented ergonomic saddle seat that is custom adjusted to each individual and lifts him or her into its smooth-arch suspension, allowing individuals to run, walk, or glide along with ease. The GlideCycle is similar to a bicycle in that it has a handlebar, a seat, and two tires but since your feet are always touching the ground, they act as an added balance feature."
http://www.ncpad.org/newsletter/newsletter.php?letter=87§ion=1310
Niners not detered by QB Davis' learning disability – (NFLBlogs). "Reports that Nate Davis suffers from a learning disability might have scared away some teams on draft weekend. However, 49ers coach Mike Singletary (via the team's official Web site) said the Ball State QB's willingness to talk about what the coach referred to as dyslexia actually was one of the reasons San Francisco took a chance on Davis in the fifth round: 'I was very impressed with his openness,' Singletary said of Davis. 'He's the guy that brought it up. He said, 'Coach, I'm going to tell you up front. I have a learning disability. I'm dyslexic. That's one of the things I guess in the upcoming drafts some people have kind of knocked me down a little bit and kind of counting me out. I can learn, will learn, and I just have to get it my way.' In a conference call with local media, Davis admitted that he has been diagnosed with a learning disability since the seventh grade, but he denied being dyslexic."
http://blogs.nfl.com/2009/04/26/singletary-not-detered-by-qb-davis-learning-disablity/
Program Spotlight: Children and Youth Programs (The CAGE) – (NCPAD). "Synonyms for the word 'cage' include to confine, enclose, coop up, shut in, and impound. This doesn't sound all too appealing, right? Just the opposite is true when talking about The CAGE in Edmonton, Alberta. The CAGE is a program for children and youth with disabilities out of the University of Alberta with its goal being 'to provide opportunities for children and youth to participate in physical activity and fitness programs [and] to develop skills and knowledge towards health and wellness while asserting autonomy and independence in a fun and social environment'."
http://www.ncpad.org/yourwrites/fact_sheet.php?sheet=699
Technology
Autism invention: Chicago youths devise technology in effort to help people cope – by Carlos Sadovi (ChicagoTribune). "While most of their friends were playing basketball or video games after school and on weekends, four budding South Side inventors spent the time developing a way to help people cope with autism. For nearly six months, 10-year-olds Terry Smith, Ryan Turner and Jeremy Johnson, students at Burnside Academy, along with Derrick McAllister, 11, of Poe Classical School worked on ALBERT, the automatic location of the brain's electronic reception and transmission. For their effort, the boys who are in the 4th and 5th grades, were recently named regional winners of a science competition, earning them a spot in a national contest in May and a chance to win $10,000 each. For Derrick, the project
struck close to home. He has watched his stepbrother, Dominick, grapple with autism and seen how Dominick's inability to communicate can trigger violent outbursts."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-burnside-science-city-zoneapr10,0,3588827.story
Brain-Twitter project offers hope to paralyzed patients – (CNN.com). "Adam Wilson posted two messages on Twitter on April 15. The first one, 'GO BADGERS,' might have been sent by any University of Wisconsin-Madison student cheering for the school team. His second post, 20 minutes later, was a little more unusual: 'SPELLING WITH MY BRAIN.' Wilson, a doctoral student in biomedical engineering, was confirming an announcement he had made two weeks earlier -- his lab had developed a way to post messages on Twitter using electrical impulses generated by thought. That's right, no keyboards, just a red cap fitted with electrodes that monitor brain activity, hooked up to a computer flashing letters on a screen. Wilson sent the messages by concentrating on the letters he wanted to 'type,' then focusing on the word 'twit' at the bottom of the screen to post the message."
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/22/twitter.locked.in/index.html
Conferences
(New Conferences)
Canadian
Canadian Social Forum – May 19-22, 2009 | Calgary, Alberta. "We're bringing together community leaders from social development, public health, environment, community safety and recreation. The Forum targets poverty – both urban and rural. Workshops by aboriginal presenters doing innovative work across the country will play a critical role."
http://www.ccsd.ca/csf/2009/index.htm
2009 CHHA Conference & AGM - "Technology: The Gateway to Hearing Life" – May 21-24, 2009 | St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. "The theme for the 2009 Conference is 'Technology: The Gateway to Hearing Life' and reflects the impact technology has on persons with hearing loss and their families. A full line-up of educational workshops has been scheduled for May 22 and May 23, 2009. Some of the topics to be discussed could include cochlear implants, tinnitus, captioning issues & accessibility, hearing aids, speech recognition software, etc. Young adult sessions are also included."
http://chha.ca/index2.php?content=information
2009 CDSA-ACEI Conference – May 25-26, 2009 | Ottawa, Ontario. "The 2009 CDSA-ACEI Conference, held in conjunction with the Congress of the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, will be at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, Monday May 25 and Tuesday May 26, 2009. The theme of Congress 2009 is 'Capital Connections: nation, terroir, territoire.' This theme invites an exploration of identity as physical space; the space of a people, a nation, and their historic 'terroir.' It asks the question: Has globalization produced a
sea-change in our understanding of the relationship between place and who we are? Our conference will accordingly reflect that theme with regards to disability studies."
http://www.cdsa-acei.ca/conference.html
Creating an accessible community: Let's Plan for It! – June 10, 2009 | Sudbury, Ontario. "Ontario has an important new law called the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. The goal of the law is to create an accessible Ontario by 2025 Under this legislation, businesses and organizations that provide goods and services to people in Ontario will be required to meet certain accessibility standards that identify, remove, and prevent barriers for people with disabilities in key areas of daily living. These include customer service, transportation, information and communications, the built environment and employment. . . The Glenn Crombie Centre for disability services and The Enterprise Centre at Cambrian College is holding an important one-day conference that will provide you with information and tools that will help you to create and implement your accessibility plan."
http://www.theenterprisecentre.com/accessibility_conf.htm
26th International Seating Symposium – March 10-13, 2010 | 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. As this Seating Symposium follows the Olympics and precedes the Paralympics, we encourage you to book your accommodation today to avoid disappointment."
http://www.interprofessional.ubc.ca/26th_Seating.htm
U.S.
21st Annual Postsecondary Disability Training Institute (PTI) – June 2 -6, 2009 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "Come learn skills you'll use every day! The objective of this Training Institute is to assist concerned professionals to meet the unique needs of college students with disabilities. Participants can select from a variety of Strands and Single Sessions taught by experts in the field that provide participants with in-depth information and adequate time for questions and follow-up activities. Participants also have opportunities to share information and network with each other at various activities throughout the week."
http://www.cped.uconn.edu/09pti.html
The Second National Conference on the Employment of Lawyers with Disabilities – June 15-16, 2009 | Washington D.C. "The Conference will be hosted by the ABA Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law and 2008-2009 ABA President H. Thomas Wells Jr. It is co-sponsored by the Association of Corporate Counsel and the Minority Corporate Counsel Association. This groundbreaking program aims to: encourage large legal employers, particularly corporations and law firms, to sign pledges to promote diversity and inclusion within the workplace with an emphasis on hiring and retaining lawyers with disabilities; develop best practices for promoting disability diversity and inclusion; and identify legal employers and work settings that are models for the legal profession. The Conference is part of the ABA's commitment to open the legal profession to lawyers with disabilities."
http://www.abanet.org/disability/conferences/09conference.shtml
2009 Amputee Coalition of America Annual Conference – June 18-21, 2009 | Atlanta, Georgia. "The Amputee Coalition will bring together people with limb loss/limb difference, their families and healthcare professionals for 4 days of education, support and networking. We hope to see over 900 attendees in 2009! Don't miss this opportunity to join hundreds of people who share life experiences and learn from each other."
http://www.amputee-coalition.org/conference/
2009 Resna Conference – June 23-27, 2009 | New Orleans, Louisana. "Join us in New Orleans on June 23-27, 2009 for the Annual RESNA Conference at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel. For information about the hotel, click here http://www.sheratonneworleans.com/. For information about New Orleans, check out http://www.neworleansonline.com/ "
http://www.resna.org/conference/index.php
2009 National Disability Sports Conference – September 10-12 | Kennesaw, Georgia. "The 2009 National Disability Sports Conference will be held September 10-12 on the campus of Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia. Next year's Conference is expected to be the best ever, with more than 30 interactive sessions on topics ranging from coaching to recruitment and program development. These sessions will be lead by the nation's top sports professionals; elite coaches and Paralympic athletes will share their cutting edge training techniques with attendees. Wheelchairs and other sporting equipment will be on hand to ensure a hands-on learning experience. Additionally, Conference attendees will have access to one-on-one consulting on fundraising, risk management, public relations, grant writing, and more. Continuing education credits are available. This is an excellent chance to meet the best minds in disability sport from across the country!"
http://www.blazesports.org/
USBLN 2009 Annual Conference – September 15-18, 2009 | National Harbor, Maryland. "The 2009 Annual Conference, 'Connecting The Dots: Business Solutions' is the preeminent national event for business, community leaders and BLN affiliates that have an interest in hiring, retaining and marketing to people with disabilities. This year's event promises to provide informational and educational opportunities of the highest quality."
http://www.newworkforceconference.org/
Southwest Conference on Disability (call for presentations) – September 30-October 2, 2009 | Albuquerque, New Mexico. "Main Conference Theme: Disability in America: Inalienable Rights for All Co-Sponsored by the American Association on Health and Disability. For many years, stakeholders in the disability community have identified significant inequalities in many areas between people with and without disabilities. These disparities hinder many people with disabilities from fully enjoying the rights guaranteed to all Americans under the Constitution and prevent them from becoming actively contributing members of their communities. The 2009 Southwest Conference on Disability is soliciting presentations that
· document or explore disparities in a particular area, including education, independent living, economic status, employment, housing and access to services, or among people with particular disabilities or
· focus on solutions to overcoming inequality through innovative policies or programs that reduce or eliminate inequality based on disability and which contribute to creating a country in which disability is no longer a barrier to equal rights.
We welcome contributions from the policy, academic, healthcare and advocacy communities which address a general perspective, or which focus on particular types of disabilities or populations, including veterans, women, or ethnic minorities."
http://cdd.unm.edu/swconf/proposal.asp
The Second IASTED International Conference on Telehealth and Assistive Technology: TAT 2009 – November 4-6, 2009 | Cambridge, Massachusetts. "The healthcare industry is constantly changing to incorporate new advances in science and to address new needs within society. Recent developments in communication technology have greatly facilitated the exchange of information and expertise. Telehealth is an emerging field in which health services are transmitted over a long distance using technologies such as videoconferencing, the Internet, store-and-forward imaging, streaming media, satellites, and wireless communications. Telehealth promises to impact the ways that clinical healthcare, health-related education, public health, and health administration are approached."
http://www.iasted.org/conferences/cfp-663.html
60th Annual IDA Conference – November 11-14, 2009 | Orlando, Florida. "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/CallForPapersOrlandoTest1.htm
WFN XVIII World Congress on Parkinson's Disease and Related Disorders – December 13-16, 2009 | Miami Beach, Florida. "Celebrate 50 Years of Scientific Advancement in Parkinson's Disease. In 2009 the WFN XVIII World Congress on Parkinson's Disease and Related Disorders celebrates half a century as a leading international summit for clinicians, researchers, and allied healthcare professionals worldwide seeking real solutions to improve the long-term outcomes for Parkinson's patients. Over 3,000 participants are expected to attend this biennial Parkinson's Disease congress – the eighteenth organized by the World Federation of Neurology (WFN) 'Research Group on Parkinsonism and Related Disorders'."
http://www2.kenes.com/parkinson/Pages/Home.aspx
Overseas
DSAI 2009 Software Development for Enhancing Accessibility and Fighting Info-exclusion – June 3-5, 2009 | Lisboa, Portugal. "Welcome to DSAI 2009. After a successful start with DSAI 2006 and 2007 editions, the International Conference on Software Development for Enhancing Accessibility and Fighting Info-exclusion (DSAI 2009) will take place in June 2009, at the MSFT - Software para Microcomputadores, Lda. - TAGUSPARK - Lisboa - PORTUGAL. Nowadays, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) play a major role in our lives. However, ICT development which is indifferent to the concerns of social inclusion may raise barriers and increase the gap between the average user and those with special needs, instead of contributing to eliminating this gap and promoting equal rights and opportunities for all. Senior citizens and others with special needs are often faced with multiple minor disabilities that prevent them from enjoying the benefits of technology and higher quality of life standards. According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, technology design should take into account accessibility and usability features for the protection and promotion of the human rights of persons with disabilities, in all policies and programmes."
http://dsai2009.utad.pt/
2009 IEEE 11th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics - "Reaching Users & the Community" – June 23-26, 2009 | Kyoto, Japan. "ICORR2009 will take place at the Kyoto International Conference Center, Japan. Kyoto is the historical home to many of Japan's traditional cultures and it is impossible to know the real Japan without knowing Kyoto. ICORR will highlight the most recent advances in rehabilitation robotics and their relevance to end users."
http://www.icorr2009.org/
IASSID 2nd Asia Pacific Regional Congress - Creating Possibilities for an Inclusive Society – June 24-27, 2009 | Singapore. "All abstracts are now being reviewed by the Scientific Programme Committee. Authors will be notified of the outcome to the review process within the next few weeks."
http://www.iassid.org/iassid/index.php
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
AAATE 2009 Conference - Inclusion between past and future – August 3-September 2, 2009 | Florence, Italy. "As technology develops rapidly and an Information Society is approaching, the concept of Assistive Technology seems to be moving away from adopting the most appropriate device/s for each user in order to overcome the limitations to her/his activity to the design and set up of the total environment in which people live, supported by suitable functionalities (services) and, when necessary, by additional support devices integrated within the environment. At present, these two perspectives are deeply intertwined, from both a technological and a social point of view. The relationship, coexistence and transition between them currently represent the first challenges for the world of Assistive Technology. This is coherent with the WHO-ICF model, which describes disability as resulting not only from a person's intrinsic attributes but also from the context. Therefore, according to the emerging technological perspectives, inclusion of all citizens can be pursued by the creation of inclusive living environments in which the abilities to carry out necessary tasks are redefined, particularly with reference to the accessing of information, interpersonal communications, and environmental control. From this perspective, this approach is also coherent with the definition of eInclusion, as approved in the 2006 Riga Ministerial Declaration: 'e-Inclusion means both inclusive ICT and the use of ICT to achieve wider inclusion objectives'."
http://www.aaate2009.eu/
Techshare 2009 – September 16-18, 2009 | London England. "Techshare is a series of international events which highlight the importance of digital technology in the lives of people with disabilities. Join us in exploring how new innovations in assistive technology can enhance education, work, and play."
http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/code/public_rnib004057.hcsp
Global Conference on Inclusive Education - Confronting The Gap: Rights, Rhetoric, Reality? – October 21-23, 2009 | Salamanca, Spain. "Inclusion International and Inclusion Europe are organizing Confronting the Gap: Rights, Rhetoric and Reality? Return to Salamanca –A Global Conference on Inclusive Education, October 21-23, 2009, Salamanca, Spain. The conference will be co-sponsored by a number of organizations including the United Nation Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education; the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia de España; the Instituto Universitario de Integración en la Comunidad (INICO); and Confederación Española de Organizaciones en favor de las Personas con Discapacidad Intelectual (FEAPS). Fifteen Years have passed since The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education was adopted by the World Conference on Special Needs Education: Access and quality, (Salamanca, Spain, 10 June 1994). As the Convention on the Rights of Person's with Disabilities comes into effect, it is time to assess the progress made and set the agenda for renewed action in the years ahead."
http://inclusion-international.org/en/calendar/2009/10/21/details.html
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/content/index.php?content=welcome