Disability Resource Digest
Volume 6, Issue 4 April 2006
The Disability Resource Digest (DRD) is a special project of SMD Alliance. SMD Alliance is based in Manitoba, Canada and provides strategic vision and policy direction to four SMD corporations: SMD Clearinghouse; SMD Foundation; SMD Ventures; and SMD Services.
The vision shared among the corporations is of a "community that supports the independence, participation, and empowerment of persons of all abilities." Each SMD corporation pursues a complementary mandate in working toward this vision.The DRD is prepared primarily as an informational resource for consumers, professionals and publics interested in remaining current in disability related issues. An archive of past editions of the DRD is maintained on SMD's web site (http://www.smd.mb.ca).
Published monthly (with a single summer edition for July and August), the DRD presents summaries of, and URL addresses for, notable disability-related content on the world-wide web (WWW). The DRD focuses on recently posted content but also includes coverage of other web pages of interest. The URL addresses cited in the DRD are current at the time of publication. But as those posting content on the web often revise URL addresses, the addresses in the DRD may not remain current.
The DRD is prepared for SMD Alliance by The Project Group (TPG) Consulting Cooperative Ltd., a Winnipeg-based consulting firm. Neither SMD nor TPG are responsible for the accuracy or reliability of the content cited in the DRD.
Readers interested in learning more about SMD Alliance are invited to visit: http://www.smd.mb.ca or to contact the agency by e-mail at info@smd.ca. Readers are also invited to send comments and suggestions regarding the DRD to this same e-mail address.
ACCESSIBILITY
Disabled users to test websites - (BBCNews). "Disabled people are being drafted in to help ensure websites are usable by all. The pool of disabled surfers has been brought together by the Usability Exchange, which aims to give instant feedback on website navigation. Website managers can use remote viewing software to watch how easily the surfers are able to move through a site as it is tested. The service launches as new guidance is issued calling on websites to involve disabled people in the user-testing."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4816118.stmHUD Grant Funds Free ICC/USA Fair Housing Workshops - "United Spinal Association and the International Code Council are offering free workshops to educate industry professionals and the public about Fair Housing requirements. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded the partnering organizations an Education and Outreach Initiatives Grant to help ensure that more apartments and condominiums are built accessible to people with disabilities. The two organizations are collaborating on the project with the endorsement of the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB). 'Access to housing is critical to access to jobs and living independently,' said United Spinal Associations Executive Director Gerard Kelly. 'Education about building codes is a key element in removing some of the unnecessary challenges faced daily by people with disabilities.' The program will educate homebuilders, contractors, realtors, design professionals and code enforcement officials, disability and fair housing advocates, and state and local governments of the regulations and requirements of the Fair Housing Act, the Fair Housing Act Accessibility Guidelines, and the ICC/ANSI A117.1 Standard on Accessible and Useable Buildings and Facilities."
http://www.unitedspinal.org/2006/03/16/hud-grant-funds-free-iccusa-fair-housing-workshops/New standards for website access - "New guidelines on how to make websites more user-friendly for disabled people have been developed by the British Standards Institution (BSI). The work was sponsored by the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) after an investigation in April 2004. The DRC's report into web accessibility found that more than 80% of sites posed barriers to disabled people."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4783686.stm
http://www.drc.org.uk/newsroom/newsdetails.asp?id=954§ion=1Statistics Canada provides the 2006 census questionnaire in a fully accessible online format to make it truly inclusive - "On May 16, 2006, Statistics Canada will be conducting a complete Census of Population, along with a Census of Agriculture. The Census will provide a detailed statistical picture of Canada and its population at a single point of time. The 2006 Census is the most changed census in 35 years. And one of the most significant changes is that, for the first time ever, the entire Canadian population will be able to go online to fill out their forms. The online questionnaire can be accessed by the visual impaired by using such technologies as Freedom Scientifics' JAWS Screen Reader Technology. This technology provides audible cues to the user as it scans and reads aloud each webpage of the questionnaire. Using a keyboard, the demonstration showed participants how accessible the online questionnaire is for individuals who are visually impaired."
http://www.canparaplegic.org/national/level2.tpl?var1=story&var2=20060228145156Stranded by paratransit, rolling home - by Ed Kemper (Ragged Edge). "On the last day they hire a tour bus to haul us out to see some examples of accessible hunting and fishing. It's a huge fancy bus. The chairlift carries riders about 6 feet up into the bus. We are supposed to check out before we leave, because we won't be back in time for late checkout. I get up early and pack everything up, check out, and am ready, as instructed, by 7 a.m. Although neither I nor my chair, a new Omega Trac powerchair from Teftec, is over the weight limit, the chairlift can't lift my chair onto the bus. The presenters are beside themselves. I tell them it isn't a big deal. I don't want to explode on anyone. But I'm already frustrated. Neither the hotel nor the seminar meeting rooms have been accessible."
http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/departments/reflections/000858.htmlWeb browsers comply with Section 508 - by Joab Jackson (Government Computer News). "Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998 requires government agencies to make the information technologies that they procure accessible to individuals with disabilities. Fortunately, when it comes to Web browsers, federal agencies have some choices. The software developers behind both the Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Internet Explorer browsers have been working diligently to meet Section 508 compliance and improve Web accessibility in general. To get a handle on these efforts, industry created a checklist called the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template. It is a voluntary statement of compliance that vendors can use to easily show agencies what aspects of Section 508 their products meet."
http://www.gcn.com/print/25_4/38255-1.html
ADVOCACY
Bill will hurt newly disabled veterans, group warns - (CBC News). "A group of veterans travelled to Parliament Hill on Tuesday to lobby against the government's plan to replace monthly disability pensions with one-time, lump-sum awards. 'I think many of the veterans who support this bill probably don't know the consequences of it,' said retired Sgt. Tom Hoppe, who served in Kosovo."
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/03/21/veterans-bill060321.htmlKmart Agrees To Record ADA Access Settlement - by Dave Reynolds (Inclusion Daily Express). "Shopping for "blue light specials" at Kmart will become a more enjoyable experience for shoppers with disabilities over the next 7 1/2 years, thanks to the efforts begun by three Colorado disability advocates. One of those advocates was Carrie Ann Lucas, a community organizer with the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition. Lucas, who used crutches because of a neuromuscular disease, filed a federal suit in 1999 after running into barriers to access at several Denver-area Kmarts, including inadequate parking, aisle access, fitting rooms and checkout lines. 'It was like they didn't want my money,' Lucas told the Denver Post. In May of 2000, plaintiffs Julie Reiskin and Debbie Lane were added to the suit, alleging a class action under the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. The suit was finally granted class action status last year."
http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/departments/news/000844.htmlParking Crusader Under Attack - by Dave Reynolds (Inclusion Daily Express). "Last August, Maryann Cottrell asked a police officer to issue a citation to a downtown Glassboro businessman that she claimed kept parking in a space reserved for people with disabilities. The man didn't seem to have a disability, and did not have a proper permit. The officer responded that she could do it herself. It turns out that New Jersey law allows citizens to report parking violators, and requires police and prosecutors to take the accused drivers to court. Since then, Cottrell has reported about 300 alleged violations, including cars parked by Philadelphia Eagles stars Donovan McNabb and Jeremiah Trotter."
http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/departments/closerlook/000829.htmlReal People-Real Voices - "People with disabilities who have been institutionalized in nursing facilities and similar institutions will share their personal experience of the Institutional Bias in the American Long Term Care System: What it was like living in an institution; How they managed to get out of the institution; and What it is like now, living in the community. You will listen as this testimony is presented before a panel consisting of representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services - Office on Disability; National Council on Disability; American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD); National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), ADAWatch and the National Council on Independent Living (NCll)."
http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/handouts/2006/03-19-ADAPT/overview.htmhttp://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/archive/2006/03-19-ADAPT.htmGo to Archived Web Cast
Score One for MS Patients - "The Food & Drug Administration has come under heavy fire from many quarters in recent years for approving drugs that later proved to have serious and sometimes deadly side effects. But every drug pulled from the market has a group of advocates more dedicated even than the company that makes it: the patients who want access to a treatment, whatever the danger. In their view, the benefits far outweigh the risks."
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/mar2006/tc20060310_937382.htm?campaign_id=search`Warren's World' wants a hearing in Ottawa - by Helen Henderson. "Here's a trip worth backing. Warren Rupnarain, intrepid ambassador for accessibility, creator of the interactive website 'Warren's World' and an emerging leader in the battle for inclusion, plans to travel to Ottawa later this month to deliver a message for Prime Minister Stephen Harper and other MPs. Rupnarain believes this country's first national disabilities legislation should be among the initiatives announced when the Speech from the Throne is read on the afternoon of April 4."
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1141253416715 EMPLOYMENT
Blind ambition - by Amy Mcfall Prince (Columbian staff writer). "Michael Hooks knows you can't teach ambition. And since he's passionate about helping people who have it, the former teacher made a career shift to put them in his path. He helps people reach their goals of becoming doctors, writers, and Web designers, to name a few. The difference is he works with people who are legally blind, and so is he."
http://www.columbian.com/lifeHome/lifeHomeNews/03242006news15356.cfmGood Jobs, Good Benefits (But Not for Disabled Workers) - by Harlan Hahn (Ragged Edge). "Phrases like 'moral hazard' and 'risk management' are seldom heard in everyday conversations about jobs. But they are part of a little-known language that is now being used to impose the latest forms of employment discrimination upon disabled adults, including highly qualified professionals. As employers increasingly try to hold down the costs of health insurance and retirement benefits, they are re-examining these concepts in the search for new methods of reducing expenses by removing disabled personnel from the labor force."
http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/departments/closerlook/000837.htmlTwo Turntables and a Mouthstick: DJ $hortness - by Tiffiny Carlson (NewMobility). "The DJing world -- a 'boyz club' full of young, sexy and usually nondisabled men -- is the last place you'd expect to find the redheaded, pierced and tattooed wheelchair-user phenomenon: her eminence DJ $hortness, Michigan's hottest female DJ and self-described amazing dancer. Sexuality, passion and unretreating fight are just some of the traits that make up the aura surrounding her. From her childhood in the 'system' to breaking free and discovering the rave scene of the late '90s, DJ $hortness (a.k.a. Rynita McGuire) is a 28-year-old woman determined to become one of the biggest DJ's in the country. She's been on a mission to prove to the world that no one, no matter how they look, is ever what you think."
http://www.newmobility.com/review_article.cfm?id=1124&action=browseETHICS
Impairment and disability: constructing an ethics of care which promotes human rights - by Jenny Morris. "The social model of disability gives us the tools not only to challenge the discrimination and prejudice we face, but also to articulate the personal experience of impairment. Recognition of difference is therefore a key part of the assertion of our common humanity and of an ethics of care which promotes our human rights."
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies/archiveuk/morris/constructing%20an%20ethics%20of%20care%20which%20promotes%20human%20rights.pdfPharma Buys a Conscience - by Carl Elliott (The American Prospect). "I was raised in a house filled with drug-industry trinkets. My father has been a family doctor for more than 40 years, and drug representatives bearing gifts have visited him throughout his career. My brothers and I grew up tossing Abbott Frisbees and Upjohn Nerf balls. We took down messages on Inderal notepads, wrote with Erythromycin pens, carried Progestin umbrellas. We constructed weird Halloween costumes from models of the human hand and brain supplied by Parke-Davis and Merck. My father was no great fan of "detail men," as drug reps were called then. (These days, if you're a male physician, your detail man is likely to be an attractive young woman.) Nor did he take part in the drug industry's more outrageous marketing efforts, such as frequent-flier miles in exchange for drug prescriptions. But he saw no great harm in accepting drug samples for his patients or toys for his children. Like virtually all doctors, he did not think that the gifts influenced him in any way."
http://www.prospect.org/print/V12/17/elliott-c.html
GENERAL INTEREST
A Healthy Player in Kidney Care - by Alex Halperin (Business Week). "Germany-based Fresenius is riding the global boom in demand for dialysis services. And its growth may accelerate. Call it the price of prosperity. Kidney failure tends to disproportionately affect the populations of rich countries, so it follows that treating this grave condition can be a lucrative business."
http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/mar2006/pi20060309_965175.htm?campaign_id=searchA Matter of Perception - by Audrey King (Independent Living). "Ask the man in the street what he knows or thinks about people who use ventilators. Chances are he'll tell you they're brain-damaged, vegetative, "ill" or dying, just bodies being kept alive at great expense to society. How wrong he is! What the man in the street doesn't know is that although the phrase "on a ventilator" does conjure up the hopeless images just described, we're really talking about a wide range of scenarios. We do indeed have ill or dying patients, those who are comatose, the seriously injured, all of whom require intensive hospitalization and skilled medical care. But, we also have ventilator users who are medically stable, mentally alert, ambitious and desperately eager to live life's goals with as much independence and control over their own lives as possible. Typically, they have lived with their disability for some time and are knowledgeable and competent with respect to their own needs and equipment."
http://www.independentliving.org/column/king20060314.htmlDisability matters more than it should - by Hélèna Katz (CBC News Viewpoint). "Adam Taylor was born with Down syndrome but attended a regular school on Montreal's South Shore alongside other non-disabled students. When Grade 10 rolled around, those other students at Chambly Academy High School began planning what they would do after graduation. A number of them were heading off to Champlain College St. Lambert and Taylor wanted to go with them. To make that happen, Taylor's mother began working with officials at the Riverside School Board and in August 2005, the Post-secondary Alternative Community-based Education (PACE) program was officially launched with six students."
http://www.cbc.ca/news/viewpoint/vp_disabilitymatters/katz_20060320.htmlIllustrator Backs Disability Campaign - By Ben Pindar (Community Newswire). "One of the nation's favourite illustrators has today thrown his weight behind a major new campaign which aims to ensure disabled children are represented equally in picture books. Quentin Blake, the much loved illustrator best celebrated for his work with Roald Dahl, has pledged to support disability charity Scope as they launch the new 'In the Picture' campaign. Charity chiefs behind the project argue disabled children are under-represented in young children's picture books and stories and face further alienation because of this. To redress the balance In The Picture, which is part of Scope's 'Time To Get Equal' campaign, aims to increase the visibility of young disabled children in picture books by working practically with publishers, illustrators and writers."
http://www.communitynewswire.press.net/article.jsp?id=199932Poynter.org Instructs Reporters How To Get Real About Disability - "Often the most compelling stories about disability have nothing to do with one's medical condition. Susan M LoTempio instructs the influentual journalism blog Poynter.org how to get it right. In an excellent piece entitled, 'From 'Special' To Substantial' LoTempio, an assistant managing editor at the Buffalo News, instructs journalists how to avoid annoying cliches in covering disability stories."
http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/departments/mediacircusblog/000841.htmlQuad for a Season - "When I emerged from quintuple bypass surgery in mid-December, my doctor ordered 'sternal precautions,' meaning I had a lifting, pulling and pushing limit of 5 to 10 pounds, orders not to twist or turn, reach across my body, lift my arms over my head, push myself in my chair or get too cold. I couldn't sit up in bed without help, couldn't transfer without a transfer board and helper, couldn't drive. In effect, when I was released to go home, I could no longer be a paraplegic. I had to agree to become a quad with a personal assistant for six to eight weeks."
http://www.newmobility.com/review_article.cfm?id=1125&action=browseTwo more medals in the pool - by Julie Scott (Canadian Press). "Brent Hayden has his second medal of the Commonwealth Games. The Mission, B.C., native raced to a bronze in the men's 200-metre freestyle event Friday at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. It was the second medal of the Games for Hayden, who led Canada to a bronze in the 4x100-metre relay Thursday. Hayden wasn't the only Canadian swimmer to reach the podium Friday. Anne Polinario of Montreal captured a silver in the 50-metre freestyle event for female athletes with a disability."
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/politics/story.html?id=0166ccd3-c099-439f-a184-84914e79a81eWheelchair Basketball Demo at Final Four's Hoop City Event - "United Spinal Association, a national disability rights organization, is proud to announce that members of the Association are playing for two of the top five wheelchair basketball teams in the country and will be demonstrating the popular adaptive sport at the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Final Four 'Hoop City' event at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis on Sunday, April 2, 2006 from 2:00pm-4:00pm. The Edinboro University Fighting Scouts and the University of Illinois Fighting Illini wheelchair basketball teams will be demonstrating the sport during the Hoop City event, the ultimate NCAA college hoops experience where fans of all ages and abilities can participate, and play until the final buzzer."
http://www.unitedspinal.org/2006/03/27/united-spinal-members-to-demonstrate-wheelchair-basketball-at-ncaa%e2%80%99s-final-four-%e2%80%9choop-city%e2%80%9d-event/
TORINO 2006: The Paralympic Flame Is Lit In Rome - "The Paralympic flame has been lit under the Arch of Constantine, in the Coliseum in Rome, Italy. The flame was ignited at the coming together of three symbolic figures: a winner at the Rome 1960 Paralympic Games, a current athlete with a disability and a young person with a disability."
http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/olympic_news/full_story_uk.asp?id=1746
Lucky 13: Canada Delivers Impressive Paralympic Performance! - "As the IX Paralympic Winter Games draws to a close in Torino, Canada is reveling in a harvest of medals of every colour. The Canadian Team has posted 13 Medals: 5 gold, 3 silver and 5 Bronze, putting us in 6th place overall in the final standings."
http://www.paralympic.ca/english/indexnews_details.asp?HomeID=313More recruitment, increased awareness needed in Canada for 2010 Paralympics - by Jim Morris (Canadian Press). "Of that money, about $200,000 a year will go into equipment research and development, said MacPherson. 'There is one mantra around here, and that is if you have the equipment, you get the medals,' he said. 'If you don't, you won't.' Much of the research done into developing better sit-skis for alpine and cross country can also be adapted for summer sports like wheelchair racing, MacPherson said. While happy with the increased federal spending, one area that needs an injection of cash is the money provincial government spend on disabled sports, said MacPherson."
http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/story.html?id=e1ec1b52-ba18-4e6a-be51-9ca3cb9f4f44&k=80770&p=2Government
CANADA
Province `to fix' disability backlog - by Kerry Gillespie (Toronto Star). "A backlog in approving disability allowances that is robbing Ontario families of months of payments is totally unacceptable, says Community and Social Services Minister Sandra Pupatello. 'Some of the rules that have been there historically are unfair, and we've got to ... make them fair and make them easier for people,' she said yesterday."
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1142463013089&call_pageid=968332188492
Health
Not just for Canada's elderly—one in five continuing care patients in hospital is younger than 65 - "Today, for the first time, the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) is releasing information on continuing care—a sector of the health care system about which very little is known. As Canada's population ages, the health system is focusing more on the care delivered to the elderly and to those with chronic health conditions. Facility-Based Continuing Care in Canada, 2004–2005 sheds light on this type of care, offering a snapshot of continuing care facilities and their patients. Interesting findings include the fact that one in five continuing care patients being cared for in Ontario hospitals is under the age of 65. . . In continuing care facilities, the goal of care may not be to cure, but to allow the patient to remain as healthy as possible, for as long as possible."
http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/dispPage.jsp?cw_page=media_22mar2006_eResearch: Omega-3 Oils Influence Mood - (ImmuneSupport.com). "People who have high intakes of omega-3 fatty acids are more agreeable and less impulsive, says a new study from Pittsburgh. Previous studies have linked low levels of omega-3 to several neurobehavioral disorders, while rowdy British kids supplemented with omega-3s showed improvements in behavior and learning after only five months. The new results show that people with low blood levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) docosahexaenioc acid (DHA) were more likely have mild-to-moderate depression (as scored by using the Beck Depression Inventory). High serum levels of DHA were related to more 'agreeableness' while people with low linolenic acid (LNA) levels were linked to being more 'impulsive'. Sarah Conklin from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine said: 'A number of previous studies have linked low levels of omega-3 to clinically significant conditions such as major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse and attention deficit disorder'."
http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm?id=7086LEGAL
Charges Dropped Against Mom Who Helped Son Die - by Dave Reynolds (Inclusion Daily Express). "A French court has dropped charges against a woman who had faced a possible five-year prison sentence for deliberately causing her son's death. According to Reuters news service, Marie Humbert expressed disappointment that she would not be able to use the case to campaign for a law allowing assisted suicide. Vincent Humbert, 21, did not have a terminal illness, but was deaf, paralyzed and could not talk following an automobile accident in 2000. The former firefighter later wrote a book about his wish to die. Mrs. Humbert said that she and her son worked out a way for him to die through an overdose of sedatives. The overdose did not kill her son, however, but left him in a coma and on an artificial respirator. He died on September 26, 2003, after Dr. Frederic Chaussoy removed the respirator."
http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/departments/news/000830.htmlLatimer hopes new government will give him clarity he seeks on his case - by Tim Cook (CP). "Robert Latimer hopes a new federal government and a new judge on the Supreme Court will give him the clarity he is seeking regarding his conviction for killing his severely disabled daughter. In a phone interview with The Canadian Press from a minimum-security prison in Victoria, the farmer from Wilkie, Sask., said he's baffled by how the high court could unanimously conclude he had other medical options for easing 12-year-old Tracy's pain. He said he's written to the court several times asking what those are, but has received nothing back."
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=c1559085-f172-4591-8838-50a1676097a0&k=32900Voters Sue To Block Diebold Touch Screens - by Dave Reynolds (Inclusion Daily Express). "A group of 25 California voters, some with disabilities, sued state and county election officials Tuesday to stop them from using electronic voting machines manufactured by Diebold Election Systems in this year's general election. Voter Action, the advocacy group that filed the suit, reportedly claimed that Diebold's new AccuVote TSx, which was certified by Secretary of State Bruce McPherson last month, is unreliable, untrustworthy, inaccessible to voters with disabilities, and does not provide a verifiable paper record. The action could affect as many as 18 counties that had planned to use the touch-screen system. San Diego County alone has ordered more than 10,000 units."
http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/departments/news/000854.htmlMEDICAL
MS vaccine testing to start in US - (BBCNews). "A US company is set to begin a trial of a vaccine which it claims halts the progress of multiple sclerosis. PharmaFrontiers is to test its tailor-made vaccine on 100 patients with MS, after a small-scale study showed promise, New Scientist reports. MS experts have welcomed the research but urged caution because other vaccines have not been successful."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4787430.stmNanotech helps blind hamsters see - (BBCNews). "Nanotechnology has restored the sight of blind rodents, a new study shows. Scientists mimicked the effect of a traumatic brain injury by severing the optical nerve tract in hamsters, causing the animals to lose vision. After injecting the hamsters with a solution containing nanoparticles, the nerves re-grew and sight returned."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4801728.stmRecent Fibromyalgia Findings - (ImmuneSupport.com). "Although there are some immunological aberrations in FM, including a decreased number of natural killer cells, most researchers now believe that the illness is not an immune system disorder. 'Essentially, there is nothing specifically immunological in fibromyalgia – and if there is, whatever little there is, I think it is secondary to the central nervous system problem that fibromyalgia patients have,' says Dr. Muhammad Yunas. 'It's a chronic, neurologic disease.' Numerous research studies have found biologic abnormalities in FM patients, and it's increasingly uncommon to hear physicians suggest the illness is all in your head."
http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm?id=7055Researchers: Epilepsy Cause Identified - (AP). "Researchers have identified a genetic cause for epilepsy, which could lead to the development of medicines to treat epilepsy and autism, the Translational Genomics Research Institute announced Thursday. 'This is the first step' in finding a cure for the childhood-onset diseases, said Dr. Dietrich Stephan, director of the neurogenomic division of TGen, the Phoenix-based research group that focuses on treatments and cures for genetically related illnesses."
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EPILEPSY_CAUSE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-03-30-20-05-47'Walk again' drugs to be tested on people - by Prashant Nair (NewScientist.com). "Two antibodies that enabled the severed spinal nerves of rats to be regenerated are to be tested in humans. The antibodies have helped rats with damaged spinal cords to walk again, by blocking the action of Nogo, a protein that stops nerve cells sprouting new connections. But there were concerns about whether blocking Nogo would lead to uncontrolled neuronal rewiring in the brain or spinal cord and it was also unclear how such a therapy could be given to humans."
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg18925384.000
MEDIA ARTS
2006 Sign Language Film Showcase Features ASL Films - "National Institute for Education through Visual Arts, a nonprofit organization, is proud to announce the first 2006 Sign Language Film Showcase to be held on April 23 at the Orpheum Theater in Foxboro, Mass. The showcase will feature six films in sign language, including award-winning short films from deaf filmmakers."
http://deafbase.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1145Braindamadj'd...Take II - "Ten years ago, Montrealer Paul Nadler was a creative maverick - snowboarding, rock-climbing and scuba diving, taking part in all-night play-writing sessions, attracting women, and winning awards as a hip television director. Then he was found alone on a road in Egypt, without clothes and I.D., comatose in the hot sun after a car accident. He had been left for dead. The doctors said he would never recover from TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). He was only 30. Braindamadj'd…Take II documents Nadler's gutsy, manic determination to regain his previous life."
http://www.cbc.ca/thelens/program_140306.htmlDocumentary lifts the veil - by Ann Marie Mcqueen (Ottawa Sun). "In the two-hour film documenting his 2001 'Round the World Challenge, Nepean native Mike Nemesvary includes some very personal footage of himself, naked and helpless. It might seem brave for a 44-year-old former pro athelete with a healthy ego, like Nemesvary, but he says those kind of stark images -- naked and limp, his health-care aide lifting him in and out of the bathtub -- are necessary to drive home his message. 'I think you have to pull back the veil and just show people how hard day-to-day life is,' he says. Christopher Reeve, the Superman actor who died weeks before he was to have narrated Nemesvary's two-hour documentary, rarely showed the public that side."
http://jam.canoe.ca/Video/2006/03/19/1494862.htmlPierre-Auguste Renoir: The Pope of Painting - by P.I. Maltbie (NewMobility). "It was a rare event in the long history of the Louvre. In August of 1909, one special guest and his entourage were being allowed to visit the museum during the hours it was closed to the public. Rendered virtually immobile by rheumatoid arthritis and looking older than his 78 years, Pierre-Auguste Renoir was as frail and gaunt as 'a monk from the Italian Renaissance.' Barely 105 pounds in weight, his fingers curled into his palms, and his dry, taut skin had the appearance of leather. But his eyes sparkled with joy and excitement at the prospect of seeing one of his paintings -- a portrait of Madame Georges Charpentier -- added to the museum's world-famous collection."
http://www.newmobility.com/review_article.cfm?id=1123&action=browseRow over Churchill statue - "Mental health charity Rethink has sparked a huge row after unveiling a statue of Winston Churchill in a straitjacket. The statue was designed to draw attention to the fact that Britain's wartime leader had manic depression. It was unveiled last month by Ian Gibson MP in Norwich's Forum centre, as part of an exhibition to illustrate Rethink's anti-stigma campaign in the city. But following complaints from the Churchill family and the public, the centre's tenants voted to order Rethink to remove the statue. Rethink admitted it had not described the statue to the Forum before it was unveiled."
http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/news/news_apr_2006_002.htm
POLICY/RESEARCH
Despite ongoing concerns, the UN Convention has come far - by Yannis Vardakastanis [President of the European Disability Forum]. "The seventh session of the committee drafting a new UN convention on human rights for disabled people is over. While further work is needed, I am most pleased about the progress made since negotiations started in 2003. The final document is likely to be finalised this year thanks to increased involvement from disabled people's organisations, including the European Disability Forum (EDF) as part of the International Disability Caucus. The Austrian presidency of the European Union has helped progress. Its delegation in New York, where the seventh session took place, has encouraged open talks and has a good understanding of disability rights. So, we have moved forward on a number of contentious issues, such as on the legal capacity of disabled people, the denial of reasonable accommodation and specific support for disabled women and children."
http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/search/z06_03_Ma/yannis.shtmlNew Specialization In Disability Studies—Preparing Students for Leadership Roles at the Intersections of their Disciplines and Disability - "The Ohio State University has announce that a Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization in Disability Studies received final approval and will open its doors during the Summer 2006. The graduate specialization joins two undergraduate programs, an interdisciplinary minor in disability studies (disabilitystudies.osu.edu) and a uniquely interdisciplinary American Sign Language program."
http://www.abilitymagazine.com/news_Disability_Studies.htmlOne eye on China: Mind the Gap - by Stephen Hallett (Ouch). "Stephen Hallett has spent much of his adult life in China, where he now works as the China Project Director for the BBC World Service Trust. In the third of six monthly features looking at disability in the People's Republic, Stephen examines the ruling Communist Party's policies towards disabled people, and in particular the treatment of those who are part of China's huge rural population."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/closeup/china/230306.shtmlSocial Responses to Disability & Poverty in Economically Weaker Countries: Research, Trends, Critique, and Lessons Usually Not Learnt. Annotated bibliography of modern and historical material - by Miles, M. (Independent Living). "The author introduces 250 articles and books showing social responses to disability and poverty in two-thirds of the world now and in history, with critical notes. He commends some intelligent approaches in the face of complexity and challenges simplistic slogans and official blah-blah."
http://www.independentliving.org/docs7/miles200603.htmlUN calls for inclusive education at all levels - by Elizabeth Choppin (Disability Now). "Education campaigners have declared that 'inclusionists have won the day' following the latest changes to the United Nations (UN) draft convention on disability. The convention, which aims to improve the rights of disabled people in the UN's 191 member states, calls for 'an inclusive education system at all levels' and has removed a clause allowing the choice of segregated special schools. Andy Lusk, director for education and early years for the disability charity Scope, said the amendment was a step in the right direction."
http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/search/z06_03_Ma/calls.shtmlUpdated Resource on Accessible Emergency Communication - "Extensive information from the recent State of the Science Conference on Accessible Emergency Notification and Communication is now available online. Links to webcasts, speaker slides, and summaries or transcripts from the conference are included. A resource containing over 30 reports from organizations and government agencies on this topic is also available."
http://trace.wisc.edu/news/archives/000223.htm
REHABILITATION
Providing a Lift - (Rehab Pub) "New lifting techniques are explored in an effort to prevent injuries of both patients and health care workers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the health care profession boasts one of the largest numbers of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving missed work days in the nation."
http://www.rehabpub.com/features/32006/4.aspTaking a Stand - by Diane Holland and Tom Holland (Rehab Pub). "The competitive arena of the rehabilitation industry encourages physical therapists to pursue new entrepreneurial options. Many health care clinicians and researchers are aware of the medical complications associated with an inability to stand. Cardiovascular, pulmonary, musculo-skeletal, integumentary, gastrointestinal, and renal function have been shown to be adversely effected by prolonged periods of not being able to achieve and maintain a standing posture.1-4 For those who can not volitionally stand or require some degree of assistance, there should be options to provide assisted standing."
http://www.rehabpub.com/features/32006/5.aspSunrise Medical Awarded New, Mobility Product Patent - (Market Wire). "Sunrise Medical has received a new, broad-based patent covering key design concepts for its Quickie IRIS and Zippie IRIS tilt-in-space manual wheelchairs, the company has announced. The introduction of the Quickie IRIS in 2003, took tilt-in-space technology to a new level of sophistication and performance. The IRIS utilizes a rotational tilt system in which the movement of the user's center-of-gravity is dramatically reduced or eliminated. As the desired tilt angle is achieved, the IRIS's design ensures that both the wheelbase and the tilt carriage remain in symmetrical balance. By eliminating significant movement during tilting, the user remains more stable and comfortable."
http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=114245
TECHNOLOGY
Berlin researchers' brain-controlled device could help the disabled - "Researchers in Berlin have come a step closer to developing a device that will enable people to write and manipulate objects by reading their mind. The so-called mental typewriter that translates thoughts into cursor movements on a computer screen will be on display at the computer technology fair CeBIT, which opens in the German city of Hanover on March 9. 'It'll be our first public presentation,' says Mirjam Kaplow, spokeswoman for the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Architecture and Software Technology, which is developing the project along with the Department of Neurology at the Charité hospital. The teams led by professors Klaus-Robert Mueller and Gabriel Curio have spent several years working on the Brain Computer Interface - a system which allows for a direct dialogue between man and machine. The long-term objective of the research is to create a brain-controlled device that could allow people with severe disabilities to communicate with the outside world."
http://v1.dpi.org/lang-en/resources/details?page=510Einstein's 'Albert': Zoom With a View; Hampshire College's Lemelson Center Sending Team to Annual Showcase of Nation's Top Student Inventors - (AScribe Newswire). "Hampshire College's Lemelson Center is sending two representatives of an innovative Five College team to the tenth annual 'March Madness for the Mind,' a showcase for the nation's top student inventors, which will be held in Portland, Oregon, on March 25. Hampshire student Ben Einstein and Mt. Holyoke student Laura Trutoiu will present a small prototype of a full-size automated vehicle that is being designed by a team of professors and students from across the Five Colleges as a potential way to enable long-distance transportation for the visually and physically disabled."
http://newswire.ascribe.org/cgi-bin/behold.pl?ascribeid=20060314.125033&time=13%2009%20PST&year=2006&public=0Nokia, Neil Squire Society Collaborate to Produce Hands-Free Adapter for Mobility-Impaired Wireless Phone Users - (PRNewswire). "Nokia and the Neil Squire Society, a Canadian research and development organization, are collaborating on the development of new technologies designed to make wireless communication accessible to people with severe mobility and dexterity impairments."
http://www.commsdesign.com/press_releases/prnewswire/showPressRelease.jhtml?&CompanyId=1&HeadlineId=X448773 WELLNESS
Health Assessment - (AGS Foundation for Health in Aging). "Health care for older adults focuses on function, which covers the physical, cognitive/mental (eg, thinking and remembering), psychological, and social aspects of a person's life. 'Quality of life' is a term that is often used as a single, general measurement of the combination of all these functional aspects of life. Each aspect of function should be evaluated routinely in all sites of care, such as the doctor's office, the hospital, an assisted-living facility, or the home. The goal of health assessment for older adults is to encourage and promote wellness and independent function."
http://www.healthinaging.org/agingintheknow/chapters_ch_trial.asp?ch=8Leading Health Indicators - "The Leading Health Indicators reflect the major public health concerns in the United States and were chosen based on their ability to motivate action, the availability of data to measure their progress, and their relevance as broad public health issues. The Leading Health Indicators illuminate individual behaviors, physical and social environmental factors, and important health system issues that greatly affect the health of individuals and communities. Underlying each of these indicators is the significant influence of income and education."
http://www.healthypeople.gov/Document/HTML/uih/uih_4.htmStay Healthy -- Practice Prevention - (AARP). "Working with your doctor to stay healthy is as important as getting the right treatment when you're sick. Preventive care, or care to prevent illness and disease, includes health tests/screenings, vaccines, and health counseling. Regular preventive care can help you stay healthy and live longer. Like exercise, eating right, and other things you do to keep healthy, preventive care is up to you. Talk to your doctor about which tests and vaccines you need and how often. Keep a record of all the tests you have and when, as well as the results. Mark the dates you need to get tested again on your calendar."
http://www.aarp.org/health/staying_healthy/prevention/a2003-03-14-prevent.htmlThe Wellness Letter - "The WELLNESS LETTER relies on the expertise of the School of Public Health and other researchers at UC Berkeley, as well as other top scientists from around the world. It translates this leading-edge research into practical advice for daily living—at home, at work, while exercising, and in the market or health-food store." March's focus is on homeopathic remedies.
http://www.wellnessletter.com/Using Meds Wisely - (AARP). "Ever had a cold? Headache? Heartburn? Suffer from allergies? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, chances are that you have reached for an over-the-counter, or OTC, medicine for relief. According to research from Roper Starch Worldwide, 77% of Americans take OTC products to treat common, everyday ailments like these. OTC medicines help people feel better, get back to work, and be more productive. They are staples in American medicine cabinets. In fact, there are more than 100,000 OTC products available today. While you can buy them without a doctor's prescription, it is important to remember that OTC medications are serious medicines and must be used with care. Consider this: less than 30 years ago, more than 700 of today's OTC medicines were available only with a doctor's prescription!"
http://www.aarp.org/health/usingmeds/otc_drug_fact_labels.htmlYour Disease Risk - (The Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention). "Welcome to Your Disease Risk, the source on prevention. Here, you can find out your risk of developing five of the most important diseases in the United States and get personalized tips for preventing them. Developed over the past ten years by the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention, Your Disease Risk collects the latest scientific evidence on disease risk factors into one easy-to-use tool." The five diseases are cancer, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, and stroke.
http://www.yourdiseaserisk.harvard.edu/
CONFERENCES
(Conferences listed for the first time in DRD)
CANADIAN
CHI 2006 - April 24-27, 2006 | Montreal, Quebec. "CHI [Computer-Human Interaction] 2006 CHI 2006 is the premier international conference for human-computer interaction. From April 22-27, 2006, we will gather in cosmopolitan Montréal, Canada at the Palais des Congrès (Convention Center) in order that researchers and practitioners from all segments of the CHI community - design, education, engineering, management, research, and usability - can interact, inform and inspire each other. Conference activities have been significantly enhanced this year to include a new set of courses which are integrated into the technical program and included in the base registration fee. The core days of the conference have been extended from three to four days (April 24-27). CHI 2006 is your chance to explore in depth the latest work by researchers and practitioners in your area, as well as experience the breadth of work that is going on elsewhere in the field."
http://www.chi2006.org/7th National Conference on Shared Mental Health Care - May 11-13, 2006 | Calgary, Alberta. "Our conference focus is on case studies and learning from our success as we plan for the future. This is a hands on conference and you will bring home practical tools and learnings that you can use in your daily work. Conference Highlight: The Canadian Collaborative Mental Health Initiative will be sharing results from two years of research on the current state of CMHC and presenting a series of interactive toolkits for providers, educators, consumers, family/caregivers and policy makers. CCMHI will also be unveiling an action plan to implement CMHC principles outlined in the Collaborative Mental Health Charter."
http://www.shared-care.ca/calgary_conf.shtml2006 Canadian Disability Studies Association - 3rd Annual Conference - May 27-28, 2006 | Toronto, Ontario. "The conference theme is: 'The City: A Festival of Knowledge'. Submissions are invited on the conference theme, as well as on other topics covering all aspects of disability. This can include community activism, arts, culture as well as studies from all academic disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. Individual abstracts as well as proposals for panel sessions, workshops and performances are welcome."
http://www.disabilitystudies.ca/ccdsnews.htm#cdsaconfinfo200610th International Child Neurology Congress - June 11-16, 2006 | Montreal, Quebec. "We are proud to announce that over 600 abstracts from more than 50 countries have been submitted for oral and poster presentations. Confirmation letters will be sent out at the end of January 2006. Abstract submission and the application process for travel awards is now closed."
http://www.icnc2006.com/9th World Down Syndrome Congress - August 22-26, 2006 | Vancouver, British Columbia. "Welcome to the home page of the 9th World Down Syndrome Congress, being held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, from August 22 - 26, 2006. At present, you will find details in regards to the City of Vancouver. Further information will be available shortly. Please visit the site often for updates and additional information."
http://www.venuewest.com/2006/wdsc/Alzheimer Society of Canada 28th National Conference - Alzheimer Research and Innovation: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow - Nov. 6-8, 2006 | Toronto, Ontario. "In 2006 it will be 100 years since Dr. Alois Alzheimer first described Alzheimer Disease. To mark this, we will showcase advances in research and innovation at the 28th Alzheimer Society of Canada National Conference. Alzheimer Research and Innovation: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow will be a special event in this 100th anniversary year and we're expecting up to 800 delegates to this exciting conference -- leading researchers and academics, health-care professionals, people with Alzheimer Disease, caregivers and policy makers."
http://www.alzheimer.ca/english/newsevents/conference-intro.htmFestival of International Conferences on Disability, Aging & Technology - June 16-19, 2007 | Toronto, Ontario. "Welcome to the site of the Festival of International Conferences onCaregiving, Disability, Aging and Technology. FICCDAT will include five important conferences running concurrently as well as many joint events."
http://www.ficdat.ca/ TRANSED 2007 - 11th International Conference on Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons - June 18-21, 2007 | Montreal, Quebec. "Canada is proud to host the 11th International Conference on Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons (TRANSED), to be held June 18-21, 2007, at the Palais des Congrès in Montréal under the theme 'Benchmarking, Evaluation and Vision for the Future'. The conference will review advances in research, evoke international break throughs and explore perspectives for technological innovations in order to respond to the mobility challenges of an aging population and of persons with disabilities, as part of an inclusive society."
http://www.tc.gc.ca/pol/en/Transed2007/home.htm U.S.
Power Up 2006 Conference and Expo - April 10-11, 2006 | Columbia, Missouri. "Power Up 2006 Conference and Expo is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, April 10 and 11, 2006. Power Up Conference and Expo has a mission of strengthening the capacity of people with disabilities, educators, independent living staff, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, physical therapists, information technology technicians, librarians and media specialists, and service providers. Power Up features a variety of sessions which provide up-to-date information on disability related policy, assistive technology services and devices, independent living issues, educational policy and practices, and information technology accessibility to enhance and promote independence of people with disabilities."
http://www.at.mo.gov/Powerup2006/powerup.shtmMultiple Perspectives on Access, Inclusion, & Disability. 6th Annual Conference - April 17-18, 2006 | Columbus, Ohio. "As a modern land grant university an important part of Ohio State University's mission is outreach and engagement, serving the community through a variety of activities. During the tenth anniversary year of the Americans With Disabilities Act the Multiple Perspectives On Access, Inclusion And Disability conference was created to help fulfill this mission."
http://ada.osu.edu/conferences/default.htm"Bringing It Into Focus for All - Assistive Technology for Children and Youth who are Deaf-Blind" - 2006 Topical Conference - April 26-27, 2006 | St. Louis-Clayton , Missouri. " This year's Topical Conference will focus on AT policy and practice as it relates to children and youth with deaf-blindness. The conference will include both large group general sessions and concurrent breakout sessions."
http://www.tr.wou.edu/ntac/?path=events/events_announcements.cfmThe 12th Annual Adult ADHD Conference - Science and the Human Spirit: Changing Lives of Adults with AD/HD - May 3-7, 2006 | Orlando, Florida. " ADDA is the world's largest organization dedicated to changing the lives of adults with AD/HD. ADDA's mission is to provide hope, empowerment, and connections worldwide by bringing together science and the human experience for both adults with AD/HD as well as the professionals who serve them. One of the ways ADDA realizes its mission is through our annual conference. The ADDA conference has helped thousands of adults with AD/HD improve the quality of their lives. Our annual conference is programmed especially for adults with AD/HD, their families, and the professionals who work with them."
http://www.add.org/conferences/2006_conference/index.html Society for Disability Studies 19th Annual Conference: Disability Goes Public: Re-Imagining Policy/Protest/Possibilities - June 14-17, 2006 | Hyatt Bethesda, Washington , D.C.
http://www.uic.edu/orgs/sds/annualmeetings.htmlRESNA 2006 - Thriving in Challenging Times: The Future of Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology - June 22-26, 2006 | Atlanta, Georgia. "Three Conference Tracks: Research, Practice and Policy. Each Track has 3 full days of programming across eight topic areas:
• Computer Applications & Communication
• Job & Environmental Accommodation, including Ergonomics
• Outcome & Quantitative Measurement
• Wheeled Mobility Technologies and Interventions
• Wheelchair Seating Technologies and Interventions
• Public Policy and Education
• Technology for Cognitive and Sensory Impairments
• Other, including: Technology Transfer, Rural Rehab, Robotics, Telerehab and more!"
http://www.resna.org/RESNA%202006%20Preliminary%20Program.pdf Autreat 2006 - June 30, 2006 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "Autism Network International's 10th annual conference is a retreat-style conference run by autistic people, for autistic people and friends. Autreat focuses on positive living with autism, NOT on causes, cures, or ways to make people with autism more normal."
http://ani.autistics.org/autreat.html Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD) 29th Annual Conference and Exhibit Hall - July 18-22, 2006 | San Diego, California. "The AHEAD 2006 Conference celebrates the 20 year anniversary since our last adventure together in San Diego! Transition and change mark the theme of our Conference; our program reflects the many lenses we use to bridge the transition gap."
http://www.ahead.org/training/conference/2006.htm2006 Call For Proposals - 28th International Conference on Learning Disabilities - Research in Context: A Capital Idea for 200 - October 20-22, 2006 | McLean, Virginia. "The Council for Learning Disabilities (CLD) invites proposals from the full range of professionals who serve individuals with learning disabilities, including classroom teachers, administrators, speech/language pathologists, diagnosticians, researchers, higher education teacher preparation faculty, consultants, and others."
http://www.cldinternational.org/Conference/conference.asp ASSETS 2006 Conference on Computers and Accessibility - October 23-25, 2006 | Portland, Oregon. "The ASSETS series of conferences is aimed at providing a technical forum for presenting and disseminating innovative research results that address the use of computing and information technologies to help persons with disabilities."
www.acm.org/sigaccess/assets06/2006 TASH Conference - Call for Presentations - November 8-11, 2006 | Baltimore, Maryland. "The TASH Board and 2006 Conference Committee invite you to submit proposals for presentations that support and contribute to valued outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Proposals are sought that address how policy, research and practice converge to produce the full inclusion and active participation of individuals with disabilities in school, community, and employment settings. For 31 years, TASH members have advocated for and implemented progressive policy, practices, and research to ensure that all people - regardless of their label or perceived level of disability - have the supports they need to lead valued lives. TASH is dedicated to disseminating information that reflects value-based and evidence-based strategies to pursue equitable access, participation and full inclusion in school, community, and work for people labeled with disabilities - particularly those who are at most risk of being excluded from community life."
http://www.tash.org/2006tash/index.htm
OVERSEAS
4th International Conference on Smart Homes and Health Telematics - ICOST2006 - June 26-28, 2006 | Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK. "After three successful editions held in France (2003), Singapore (2004), and Canada (2005), ICOST2006 aims to continue to develop an active research community dedicated to explore how Smart Homes and Health Telematics can foster independent living and offer an enhanced quality of life for ageing and disabled people. A Smart Home can be considered to be an augmented environment with the ability to consolidate embedded computers, information appliances, micro/nano systems, and multi-modal sensors to offer people unprecedented levels of access to information and assistance from information and communication technology. Health Telematics makes the most of networks and telecommunications to provide, within the home environment, health services, expertise and information and hence radically transform the way health-related services are conceived and delivered. We believe that in the future ageing and disabled people will use smart assistive technology to perform daily living activities, socialize, and enjoy entertainment and leisure activities."
http://www.icost2006.ulster.ac.uk/callforpapers.htm International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication - July 31-August 3, 2006 | Düsseldorf, Germany. "The German Speaking Chapter (ISAAC-GSC), consisting of members in Germany, Switzerland and Austria (ISAAC´s biggest chapter worldwide), would like to invite everybody interested in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to participate in the 12th Biennial Conference of ISAAC, International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication."
www.isaac2006.de
2006 International Conference on Disability, Virtual Reality and Associated Technologies - September 18-20, 2006 | Esbjerg, Denmark. "Welcome to the International Conference Series on Disability, Virtual Reality and Associated Technologies website. Here you will find all the information for the upcoming ICDVRAT 2006 conference, 18-20 September 2006, plus archive information from previous ICDVRAT conferences, including full conference proceedings of all past conferences."
http://www.icdvrat.reading.ac.uk/International Forum on Disability Management - October 8-10, 2006 | Brisbane, Australia. "The Centre of National Research on Disability and Rehabilitation Medicine (CONROD) at The University of Queensland and Griffith University have been invited to host the 3rd International Forum on Disability Management in Brisbane from 8 to 10 October, 2006. The forum will build on initiatives and progress following the first forum 'Work Retention Strategies in a Global Society' held in Vancouver 2002 and the second forum 'Disability Management works' held in Maastricht in 2004. The forum will be in the format of Plenary Sessions and Workshops."
http://www.ifdm.com.au/index.htmlARATA 2006 National Conference - Connecting People & Community Through Technology - October 17-20, 2006 | Perth, Australia. "On behalf of the conference organising committee, it is my pleasure to invite you to Fremantle, Perth for the ARATA 2006 National Conference 'Connecting People and Community Through Technology', to be held from Tuesday 17th until Friday 20th October, 2006. The 2006 conference aims to enable participants to understand how the application of technology can allow inclusion of all people into everyday activities, home, school, work and leisure by:
• Increasing awareness of the potential of technology
• Presenting new developments and research
• Sharing information and exchanging ideas
• Providing resources, product information and a trade."
http://www.e-bility.com/arata/conf.php Mobility for all - The use of Ambient Intelligence in addressing the mobility needs of people with impairments: the case of ASK-IT - October 26-27, 2006 | Nice, the French Riviera, France. "The ASK-IT International conference marks the two year point of this EU research funded project and the conference will provide the opportunity to take stock of the progress made in ASK-IT so far. It will also provide a unique occasion for different stakeholders, whether it be telecom providers, industry, user representatives, research institutes or local authorities, to gather together to discuss the role of Information Communication Technology in aiding and improving the everyday lives of mobility impaired people. It will include high level speakers and experts from around the world who will look at various issues, such as making content accessible, accessible tools and Ambient Intelligence. The conference will provide state-of-the-art information on accessibility initiatives in Europe and beyond."
www.ask-it.org/conference/ASKIT_Callforpapers.php DPI 7th World Assembly - "Asserting Our Rights, Celebrating Our Achievements and Building Our Future: Towards A Society For All" -, December 1-4, 2006 | Johannesburg, South Africa.http://www.dpi.org/en/events/events.htm