Disability Resource Digest
Volume 6, Issue 4 March 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
AccessComputing Alliance - (DO-IT). "The goal of the AccessComputing Alliance is to increase the participation of people with disabilities in computing careers. Alliance collaborators apply proven practices to:
• increase the number of students with disabilities successfully pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees and careers in computing fields.
• increase the capacity of postsecondary computing departments to fully include students with disabilities in computing courses and programs.
• create a nationwide resource to help students with disabilities pursue computing fields and computing educators and employers, professional organizations, and other stakeholders develop more inclusive programs and share effective practices."
http://www.washington.edu/doit/Newsflash/nf.03.03.06.html
Accessible Tesco from nightmare to nirvana - by Peter Abrahams (Bloor Research). "Tesco's journey is a case study that clearly illustrates the benefits of accessibility and the potential pitfalls along the way. Tesco's first entry into on-line shopping was with Wine and Flowers in 1995, this was followed the following year by the first Grocery store. The grocery grew dramatically to 270 stores by 1999. The drive behind this growth was the needs of the time poor, cash rich community. The requirement of this group was to spend as little time as possible grocery shopping. The website was designed to be as quick to use as possible whilst still being able to promote new products and special promotions. The design led to pages loaded, some might say overloaded, with information and function. However, a completely different customer group began to recognise the benefits of on-line shopping, the disabled.
http://www.it-director.com/article.php?articleid=13119
ADA Standards for Accessible Design - "ADA Standards for Accessible Design, [is] now in Acrobat PDF format with formatted text and graphics, and links to figures, graphics and cross-referenced sections."
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/stdspdf.htm
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adastd94.pdfSearch the ADA Website - "Use this link to search for Department of Justice ADA publications and information including ADA requirements (title II and title III regulations), ADA design standards for new construction and alterations, ADA Status Reports, featured ADA settlements and consent agreements, ADA Technical Assistance materials, and new or proposed regulations."
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/search.htm
Bloorview Kids Rehab New Facility is a Model of Accessibility - "The new six-floor, 353,000 sq. ft. home in Toronto's Leaside neighbourhood was designed to fit kids with disabilities and their families: it sets groundbreaking standards for accessibility and draws on the natural beauty and restorative nature of the neighbouring ravine. This will be a space where children can explore, interact and learn in an exhilarating environment – a place that recognizes the wholeness and promise of every child. The building sets the standard for universal accessibility. Not only does the design far surpass the requirements of the Ontario Building Code, many of its features exceed those of the American with Disabilities Act. The design incorporates such things as oversized elevators with two-sided access to wide hallways to floor finishes, textures, colours and lighting."
http://www.equalopportunity.on.ca/eng_g/subject/index.asp?action=search_7&file_id=26279
Computer lab helps special needs students - By Michele Steinbacher. "A new campus lab filled with 21st-century gadgets aims to better the campus experience for Heartland Community College students with special needs. The assistive technology lab, housed in two rooms of Heartland's library, creates a centralized location for the school's new $10,000 worth of advanced technological tools. 'One of the main issues was that we had all this technology, but it was scattered across campus,' said Anita Moore, disability support services director. The lab creates a more optimum situation for students to access the tools, she said."
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2006/02/13/news/doc43f0a9ba4d016735855113.txtEuropean Concept for Accessibility (ECA 2003) - "The fundamental basis of a European philosophy for accessibility is the recognition, acceptance and fostering - at all levels in society - of the rights of all human beings, including people with activity limitations ..... in an ensured context of high human health, safety, comfort and environmental protection. Accessibility is an essential attribute of a 'person-centred', sustainable built environment."
http://www.eca.lu/index.phpInformation Portals - "In 1998, the CNIB Library embarked on a bold new venture – to fully transform itself into a digital library. Central to the new digital library are the new Internet "portals," or electronic gateways. The Library portals will offer clients access to everything in the Library catalogue, including their favourite newspapers, magazines and websites. The Internet is not a welcoming place for anyone who's visually impaired. But it doesn't have to be that way. The world's first Information Portal specifically designed for people with print disabilities will be the central access point for all information available in accessible formats."
http://www.cnib.ca/Thatallmayread/facts/ip.htmInnovative designs tackle disability - by Geoff Adams-Spink (BBC News). "When six-year-old Tilly Griffiths from Staffordshire wanted to join her elder sister's ballet class, her parents turned for help to a little known charity that designs and manufactures one-off pieces of equipment for disabled people. The frame, in its final stages of testing before being handed over to a delighted Tilly, is just the latest in a long line of innovative and inclusive products to come from Demand - short for Design and Manufacture for Disability."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4690784.stmPractical Usability Testing - by Joshua Kaufman (Digital Web Magazine). "When I started this column, part of my motivation was to write about tools to empower Web designers—techniques they could take away and apply immediately. I've written an article on how information architecture can be a natural progression from Web design and two articles containing short lessons to help new information architects be more effective on the job. My next several articles will focus on core information architecture practices and how Web designers and new information architects can use them effectively. I'll focus on practical tips and keep the theory to a minimum. The first article in this series is on one of my favorite practices: usability testing. The most critical aspect of user-centered design, usability testing breaks down the wall between the designer and user, and allows us to see how real users do real tasks in the real world."
http://www.digital-web.com/articles/practical_usability_testing/CSS in Action: Invisible Content Just for Screen Reader Users - "Most of the techniques for making Web content accessible to screen readers are invisible to visual users. Alternative (alt) text, table header tags, table summaries, and form <label> tags are examples of techniques that make a big difference for screen reader users, but which have little or no impact on the visual appearance of the Web content. . . This paper examines a few circumstances in which hiding text from visual users can be beneficial, and proposes a solution which allows HTML to be hidden without compromising the accessibility or semantic integrity of the document, and which works across browsers and platforms. The essence of the technique proposed in this document is to hide the content above the viewable area of the browser and to also shrink the content to a height and width of 1 pixel. The combination of moving the content and shrinking it is what allows this technique to work across a wide range of browsers and platforms."
http://webaim.org/techniques/css/invisiblecontentSeven Accessibility Mistakes (Part 1) - by Christian Heilmann (Digital Web Magazine). "There are several reasons inaccessible Web products get published. One we discussed in my last article is that some clients just don't care about accessibility. Their reasons make a lot of sense if you put yourself in their shoes. Another reason is developer mistakes. Making mistakes is natural, and suffering the consequences and learning from them is what makes us better developers and better people. Here are some of the major mistakes I encountered during my years as a professional Web developer. If we keep an eye open for them in the future, we are a lot more likely to create accessible, beautiful Web products without much hassle—and make both clients and visitors happy."
http://www.digital-web.com/articles/seven_accessibility_mistakes_part_1/Seven Accessibility Mistakes (Part 2) - by Christian Heilmann (Digital Web Magazine). "This two part-article discusses reasons why some projects fail to result in properly accessible products . . . This week we'll wrap up with four more scenarios to avoid and how. If budgets or client relationships constrain you, these ideas might at least inspire you to nudge the client in the direction of user-centric development or provide ammunition in meetings."
http://www.digital-web.com/articles/seven_accessibility_mistakes_part_2/Bloor does it better than Google - by Peter Abrahams (Bloor Research). "Google, like many other sites, including the sites developed by Bloor, want to ensure that there is a real person filling in this form, sitting at a real terminal, and not some automated robot with some undesirable intentions. So the form includes an image . . . .with some letters included in it that can be read by anyone with reasonably good eyesight. A robot cannot see or read these so if the user can type them into an input field Google can be certain that there is a person typing them in and not a robot. This check is essential to Google otherwise they could be flooded with spurious and malevolent attacks. However the problem is that if the robot cannot read the image nor can a screen reader and therefore anyone with a visual impairment will not be able to complete the form. Google has recognised that this is a problem morally, financially and legally and have put a little wheelchair sign (not the most appropriate sign for a specifically visual impairment problem) by the side of it. Clicking on the wheelchair pops-up a new window without telling you that it is going to do that (also not good accessible design)."
http://www.it-director.com/article.php?articleid=13177ADVOCACY
Making Light work of it - "Richard Light¹s work on the UN draft convention on disability could safeguard the rights of millions worldwide. He talks to Elizabeth Choppin about apathy, arguments and global warming - When meeting disability rights activist Dr Richard Light for the first time, it is difficult to know whether he will snarl at you or give a friendly hello – he has a reputation of not suffering fools gladly. But this is good news for the many millions of people affected by his work – he is the UK's disabled representative for the United Nations (UN) draft convention on disability, which earned him RADAR's international human rights award in December. He admits to being kept awake at night worrying about whether he is up to the job, despite years of academic and campaigning experience. The convention, aimed at improving rights for disabled people around the world, is expected to be finalised and ratified by the UN's 191 member states in 2007. It should ensure that nations offer equal access to employment, independent living, transport, leisure facilities and so on."
http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/search/z06_02_Fe/light.shtmlNeeding a Revolutionary Breakthrough: Re-envisioning Disability - by Rob McInnes (DiversityWorld.com). "… where is the revolutionary breakthrough that we need to see real gains in the representation of people with disabilities in our workplaces? While we have continued to refine our job placement strategies, programs and policies, what we really need is a revolutionary breakthrough of some kind. Yes, we are making some progress, but 'business is usual' is getting us nowhere fast. The last real breakthrough that I remember was thirty years ago when the idea of 'Normalization' or 'Social Role Valorization' revolutionized the lives of folks with developmental disabilities – calling segregated employment into question and pointing the way to real work in their communities."
http://www.diversityworld.com/Disability/DN06/DN0602.htmEMPLOYMENT
Labor Department Hosts EU-US Information Exchange on Disability Employment Issues and Trends - (U.S. Newswire). "Innovations such as high technology vehicles for wheel chair users in Europe and new information technologies that level the playing field for working people with disabilities on both sides of the Atlantic were among many topics covered during a meeting here this week of government and private sector officials from the European Union and the United States. The Department of Labor's (DOL) Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) hosted the Information Exchange, Exploring Employment and Retention Strategies for People with Disabilities, in collaboration with the department's Bureau of International Labor Affairs as part of a trans-Atlantic agreement between DOL and the European Union. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the signing of the agreement between the two agencies and represents 10 years of collaboration and cooperation on employment and labor-related issues."
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=60792Most Employers Report No Cost or Low Cost for Accommodating Employees with Disabilities - (CPA). "Almost half of the accommodations needed by employees and job applicants with disabilities cost absolutely nothing. Of those accommodations that do cost, the typical expenditure by employers is around $600, according to a study conducted by the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), a service of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). 'This new information indicates that for a very small investment in accommodations, an employer can hire or retain a good employee for the business,' said Roy Grizzard, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy. 'This is a win for the employer and the worker.' The real cost of providing accommodations for job applicants and employees with disabilities is just one of the issues ODEP is studying as part of a follow-up survey with employers who use the Job Accommodation Network. JAN is a free consulting service offering employers workplace accommodation solutions; technical assistance regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other disability-related legislation; and education on self-employment options."
http://www.canparaplegic.org/national/level2.tpl?var1=story&var2=20060228112453Profiles of Teleworkers with Disabilities - by Michael D. West (Worksuppport.com). "Many people with disabilities have the desire and capabilities to work from their homes. These individuals constitute a hidden labor pool. For persons with significant disabilities, telework offers the possibility of an accessible, barrier-free workplace, flexible scheduling and the elimination of disability-related bias or discrimination."
http://www.worksupport.com/research/viewContent.cfm/389ETHICS
Disability rights and wrongs - by Mark Woods (Spero News). "To a casual thinker, if someone is blind, or has lost a limb, or has cerebral palsy, it's only humane to want to fix it, and if it can't be fixed it is a matter for regret. But according to Gregor Wolbring, a bioethics professor in Canada who is part of the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network (EDAN) which met over the weekend before the WCC Assembly - and who can speak from personal experience - it is not a simple matter of fixing the problem. There are, he believes, two different issues disabled people are facing. One relates to how their body functions or their 'impairment'. Another relates to the disability that person actually experiences - 'the social discrimination they face due to their impairment,' he says."
http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?idCategory=34&idsub=127&id=2597Conflicting laws hinder research - "Conflicting national policies in embryonic stem cell research hamper international collaboration, leading scientists and ethicists have said. They have called upon scientists, journals and funding bodies worldwide to set an international ethical standard for research in this area. The recommendations were made at a three-day international conference in Cambridgeshire, UK. The researchers hope the measures will enable international collaboration. About 60 leading researchers from 14 countries - including scientists, philosophers, bioethicists, lawyers, clinicians, journal editors and regulators - took part in the meeting."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4748884.stmGENERAL INTEREST
Canadian Paralympic Committee urges Canada to "Feel the Rush" - (CPA). "CPC announces the launch of its Paralympic Winter Sports Awareness Campaign. In support of Own the Podium – 2010, the campaign is aimed at involving people with physical disabilities in winter sports and making Canada a top three medal winner at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver. 'The Paralympic Movement uses sport to empower people with physical disabilities at all levels,' said Henry Wohler, President of the CPC. 'We aim to involve more people with physical disabilities in sport and that way we'll see as many Canadians as possible on the Paralympic Podium in 2010.' The CPC is issuing a call-to-action, to FEEL THE RUSH, to Canadians who live with a physical disability to take up sports and possibly be among the next generation of Paralympic athletes. About 3.6 million Canadians have physical disabilities, 700,000 between the ages of 5 and 45. About 20,000 are engaged in organized sport at present."
http://www.canparaplegic.org/national/level2.tpl?var1=story&var2=20060214111715Commonwealth concern - by Priya Kotecha (Disability Now). "Disabled sports stars have raised concerns about the limited number of disability events on offer at next month's Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia. The sporting programme for Elite Athletes with a Disability (EAD) offers just four sports – swimming, athletics, table tennis and weightlifting – compared with 12 individual and four team sports that will be contested by non-disabled athletes during the ten days of competition. There is also disappointment at the lack of races on offer in each sport and how they will be contested. Disabled swimmers will not be able to race against competitors with similar impairments. Instead, the winner of each event will be the swimmer who performs best against the world record for their class. This could mean the swimmer coming last winning gold. One swimmer, who asked not to be named, said this would confuse the crowd and not help to raise the profile of disability sport."
http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/search/z06_02_Fe/commonwealth.shtmlHome from home - "I have been staying at Park House with my wife Jill for many years and enjoy every visit, but initially it took some persuading to get me there. We first visited after I became a wheelchair user. Having spent a year in various hospitals I had become institutionalised and was not particularly happy. I was even less happy at the suggestion that Jill and I try a week's break at Park House, even though I needed something to get me back on track. I had never heard of the hotel and was not keen to go, having lost my feelings of control and self-worth during my hospital stays. They are two important aspects that mean so much to me and Park House gave them back during my first stay, simply by treating me as a guest – a normal person – while still providing the care I needed. All of the staff go out of their way to ensure that a guest's time is as enjoyable as possible; they do not patronise in any way."
http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/search/z06_02_Fe/homefromhome.shtmlHonoured - by John Pring (Disability Now). "Two disabled women who have battled for disability rights have been rewarded with OBEs in the New Year honours. Susan Daniels, chief executive of The National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS), was recognised for services to disabled children. Under Ms Daniels, who is deaf, the NDCS has become the world's largest childhood deafness charity. She said the award was a 'wonderful surprise'. An OBE was also awarded to Sally Witcher, the first chair of the Disability Employment Advisory Committee, which works with the government on employment issues."
http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/search/z06_02_Fe/honoured.shtmlIn the Funhouse: How We See Ourselves - "Body Image -- it's been a frequent topic in our 'Sex, Wheels & Relationships' issues, but this year we've added a new twist: a focus on men's fears. Disability can trigger in men the same insecurity that so many women struggle with in our female-body-obsessed culture, and it can be just as damaging to relationships and sexual expression. Cover model Jeff Hayne was brave enough to explore the theme in a funhouse mirror photo shoot -- and an equally revealing interview."
http://newmobility.com/review_article.cfm?id=1108&action=browseInside the Brain: An Interactive Tour - "What happens in the brain of a person with Alzheimer's disease? This tour explains how the brain works and how Alzheimer's affects it."
http://www.alz.org/brain/overview.aspJohn Belluso, Who Wrote Plays About Disability, Is Dead at 36 - by Jesse Mckinley. "John Belluso, a young playwright who translated his own experiences with physical disability into a prolific body of promising work, died on Friday at a hotel in Manhattan. He was 36 and lived in Los Angeles. A spokesman for the police department said an investigation was continuing but referred questions to the medical examiner's office. Ellen Borakov, a spokesman for the medical examiner, said an initial autopsy was inconclusive and results from additional tissue testing would not be available for two weeks. Mr. Belluso, who had Engleman-Camurdrie syndrome, a rare bone disorder that taxes the muscles, had used a wheelchair since he was 13. His work often featured characters suffering from physical maladies, and he used a mix of empathy and sharp-tongued humor to plumb their condition for deeper meaning."
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/15/theater/15BELLUSO.html?ex=1297659600&en=53654f06e09e95d4&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Just What is Coaching? - by Joel L. Young, MD and David Giwerc, MCC. "Although Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) is generally considered a disorder of childhood, at least half of the children who have AD/HD will continue to exhibit varying degrees of the disorder after they have become adults. (Weiss, 1993) Some sources claim an even greater prevalence. In fact, the exact number of adults who have AD/HD remains unknown."
http://www.add.org/articles/what_add_coaching.html
Meet "kinko" Paul Orfalea - "Paul Orfalea, founder of the most successful American copy store chain, is a maverick. For 30 years as the CEO of Kinko's, until his retirement in 2000, he ran his company in a manner much different from most traditional, MBA-gilded chief executives. His office boasted no volumes of statistical charts, no stacks of business reports, and no computers maxed out of memory. Orfalea had filing cabinets with no files inside. Much of the time, he didn't even have a pen; co-workers helped him with written correspondence. And as for the mechanical aspects of the operation, well, Orfalea says there isn't a machine at Kinko's he can operate. Orfalea had to do things differently—he has dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)."
http://www.abilitymagazine.com/current/Paul_Kinko.htmlProject Cleigh: Dare To Resist! - by Cal Montgomery (Ragged Edge). " Ettina tells a story in the comments section of the first Project Cleigh article -- in which her school dismissed her criticism of a teacher's question (and its presuppositions) by blaming it on her autism and then insisting that she change her autistic thought patterns -- and then asked, 'Is that the kind of thing you want to know about, or is it too minor?' Dee answers quickly: 'Ettina, nothing is too minor. It's the small things that hurt our souls. The big ones just make us mad'."
http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/departments/closerlook/000801.htmlRediscovered pleasure - "Sophie Morgan thought she would never enjoy sex again after the accident that left her paralysed. Rediscovering pleasure in the bedroom has been a long process, but with her new man she is finally beginning to enjoy the intimacy she once did. Two years ago I had a car accident that left me paralysed from the waist down. I was 18 and was in a relationship that had been going for three years. It didn't look like ending any time soon. We had a good sex life – I was your typical 18-year-old girl with the typical 18-year-old boyfriend. My accident was like all accidents; sudden, unjust and incredibly horrible. I woke up paralysed to find a broken family and a heartbroken boyfriend. He lived with me through the accident and rehab and the first months of my new disability. I know that he felt as lost as I did, and that he had lost as much as I had."
http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/search/z06_02_Fe/rediscovered.shtmlVancouver mayor faces an Olympian handoff - by Gary Mason (DPI). "His greatest fear is that a gust of wind will blow the Olympic flag across his face, leaving him feeling disoriented and helpless. And then, to the horror of the 70,000 people watching in the stadium and the hundreds of millions taking it in on television, Vancouver's mayor plunges off the stage in his wheelchair. 'That would not be good,' Sam Sullivan said in Turin yesterday. No, Sam, that would definitely not be good. Mr. Sullivan discussed his possible nightmare as he revealed to the international press how he plans to accept the Olympic flag from the mayor of Turin, Sergio Chiamparino, during the closing ceremony of the 20th Winter Games on Sunday. As most of Canada knows, Mr. Sullivan is a quadriplegic. Soon after he won the mayor's job last November, many wondered how he would fulfill one of the key obligations of the position -- travelling to Turin to accept the Olympic flag from its mayor. The handoff is an Olympic ritual dating back to the Winter Games in Oslo in 1952."
http://v1.dpi.org/lang-en/resources/details?page=500Watch your words: language and disability - "On the issue of language and disability, I'm somewhat torn. Even though I'm a nut, I don't mind when people say the traffic is insane, or what crazy weather we're having. As a writer I'm a tad hesitant to cull words from my vocabulary because I think they might offend someone – though I'm sure I do it all the time, subconsciously or when it suits me. But as a person with a mental health disability, I know words can offend, hurt and oppress me. Words that other people use to describe me and others with similar disabilities have always been the bars of the cage that keep people with mental illness in the zoo of the popular imagination – we're something to gawk at, to marvel over, to be afraid of, and to make movies about, but thank God we're behind those bars, separate from the good zoo-going public."
http://www.cbc.ca/news/viewpoint/vp_disabilitymatters/quon_20060214.htmlGovernment
CANADA
Canada Revenue Agency Offers New Alternate-Format Service for Users with Vision Loss - "Canadians with vision loss can now request all their correspondence from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) in the alternate format of their choice, including braille, large print, e-text (computer diskette and CD), audio MP3, and audio-cassette. This service addresses privacy concerns raised with the Canadian Human Rights Commission, and ensures that persons with vision loss can now access their information directly without having to involve a third party. CRA documents are divided into two types: personalized, such as Notices of Assessment and statements of account, and non-personalized, such as generic forms and publications. Users will be asked to specify whether they want to receive both types of correspondence in an alternate format, or just their personal documents. The CRA will make every effort to ensure that both the alternate and standard formats are mailed together, but some material will require separate mailings. If the two formats cannot be mailed together, the alternate-format version will be mailed within five (5) working days of the standard version."
http://www.cnib.ca/eng/media-centre/stories/cra-alternative-formats.htmUNITED STATES
NIDRR Long-Range Plan for Fiscal Years 2005 Through 2009 – "NIDRR's [National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research] latest Long-Range Plan, the guiding document for NIDRR-supported research, was published in the Federal Register on February 15, 2006. The plan reflects consideration of comments on the draft plan from members of the public, including people with disabilities, their families and advocates, and researchers and service providers. The final plan emphasizes five 'domains' as areas for expanded research efforts through 2009 in support of people with disabilities: employment; participation and community living; health and function; technology for access and function; and disability demographics. The NIDRR Long-Range Plan is also available in Adobe PDF format"
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/news.htmlThe Midterm Elections and Us - by Frank Bowe (Ragged Edge). "The 'midterm' elections are, in political terms, right around the corner. So called because they fall halfway through a presidential four-year term, these elections -- this year's is on November 7 -- will result in the election of all 435 US Representatives, 33 of the 100 US Senators, and 36 state Governors. Already, politicians are actively seeking support. . . . Our community is electorally diverse. We are not as monolithic as are union members, trial lawyers, religious-right conservatives, or other segments of the population. That is good, and not so good. The good news about it is that there is no 'right' vote for a citizen with a disability. Also, the party label doesn't define candidates for us. We have strong, long-term friends in both parties. The not-so-good news is that since we don't all vote the same, our millions of voters do not attract the same level of candidate attention, and fear, that you see with some other communities of voters."
http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/departments/closerlook/000813.htmlHealth
Health Quality Council (HQC) Launches the Saskatchewan Chronic Disease Management Collaborative - "Today marks a major milestone for Saskatchewan, as the largest quality improvement initiative in the province's history is officially underway. Close to 200 family physicians, medical staff, health care managers and other providers have gathered in Saskatoon for the Saskatchewan Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Collaborative. The CDM Collaborative is a project to improve the quality of care for people with diabetes and coronary artery disease, and improve access to physician practices."
http://www.hqc.sk.ca/portal.jsp?SVCiEF54vSMM6hSyY1CbJDBIzBf0QfLQkUwK4QBZaJuBzvEOCafHN4zOVcA+lmY4Medication Nation - by Roxanne Furlong (New Mobility). "Like many people with MS, Ann Serafin of Ferndale, Mich., takes a daily fistful of pills to stave off some of her symptoms and reduce exacerbations. In fact, as she spoke with New Mobility, she was receiving one of her monthly IVs -- this one Gammunex -- a treatment that she says when coupled with a physical workout with a personal trainer has helped increase her strength and energy. For those of us with MS, SCI, and other disabilities, fatigue, pain, muscle spasms and depression are at the top of the list of accompanying problems. To combat these secondary conditions -- sometimes caused by our necessary prescriptions -- many of us pile on the pills, following a nationwide trend of using prescription and over-the-counter medications to fix whatever ails us. But for some -- those who lack insurance, are unwilling to take injected medications, or are more afraid of the side effects than the original disability -- taking prescription medications is not an option."
http://newmobility.com/review_article.cfm?id=1107&action=browseLEGAL
Federal Judge Rules Asperger's Syndrome is a Disability - "A York County girl who suffers from Asperger's syndrome is entitled to special education services even though she completes her homework, behaves well in class and scores well on tests, a federal judge ruled. U.S District Judge D. Brock Hornby ordered School Administrative District 55 to assemble a team of teachers and specialists to design an appropriate learning program for the girl, identified in court documents only as 'L.I.' In his ruling, Hornby said the girl's parents demonstrated that the disability adversely affects her educational performance 'and is thus eligible for special education under (federal law) due to her Asperger syndrome and her depressive disorder.' Richard O'Meara, the family's lawyer, said the decision recognizes that social development is an important part of education, along with academic studies. 'Education is so much more than academic performance,' O'Meara said. 'Hopefully, this will put that debate to rest once and for all.'"
http://www.aapd.com/News/courtdecisions/aspergers.htmFibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Disability Evaluation - by Richard N. Podell M.D. "A Seminar For Disability Attorneys and for Persons with Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome who need to understand the process of disability litigation. Dr. Podell is clinical professor in the Department of Family Medicine, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He is a member of the International Myopain Society and of the American Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Association. He practices internal medicine with a special interest in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome in Springfield and Somerset, New Jersey. This essay adapts from Dr. Podell's address to the 9th National Conference on Litigating Disability Insurance sponsored by the American Conference Institute, February 23, Miami, Florida. The American Conference Institutes provides educational programs for attorneys who serve both claimants/plaintiffs and insurance companies/defense. Dr. Podell served as the medical expert on Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and related disorders."
http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm?id=7039Statement on the Supreme Court's Decision in Goodman v. Georgia - (AAPD). "The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law issued the following statement by its legal director, Ira Burnim, about the Supreme Court's unanimous ruling today in Goodman v. Georgia. "In a narrow decision that leaves many questions unanswered, the Supreme Court has ruled that Congress has the authority to apply the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to state prisons, at least insofar as it reaches conduct that could also be challenged under the Fourteenth Amendment."
http://www.aapd.com/News/courtdecisions/goodmanVSgeorgia.htmTarget Corporation Sued for Discrimination Against the Blind - "The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) has filed a class action suit in California's Alameda County Courthouse against Target Corporation, the nationwide discount retailer which operates more than 1,300 stores in 47 states. The suit—brought by NFB, the NFB of California, and a blind Californian, Bruce 'BJ' Sexton, on behalf of themselves and all blind people in California—charges that Target's website (www.target.com) is inaccessible to the blind, violating the California Unruh Civil Rights Act and the California Disabled Persons Act."
http://www.dralegal.org/cases/private_business/nfb_v_target.phpU-turn on Sativex - by Dn Reporters. "The Home Office has performed a dramatic U-turn, by signalling that disabled people with conditions other than multiple sclerosis (MS) could apply for permission to import the cannabis-based medicine Sativex. The Home Office had previously told DN that only people with MS would be able to apply, through their doctors, to import the drug from Canada - a decision that would have turned UK drugs policy on its head. But the Home Office has now signalled that people with conditions such as arthritis or cancer pain can also apply to obtain the drug through a licensed importer. This importer will probably be the drug's producer, GW Pharmaceuticals (GWP). GWP would still need permission from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to import Sativex for people with those conditions. If the MHRA had no objection, the Home Office would need to grant its own license to the importer. But it says it would only refuse a license if it had concerns about the doctor, the importer or the patient."
http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/search/z06_02_Fe/sativex.shtml
MEDICAL
One Family, Four Cochlear Implants - by Janet McKenna (Hearing Loss Magazine). "Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York, hit the jackpot when Douglas and Mary Karol Matchett and both their children, Kara and Scott, all received cochlear implants over one week in March 2004. Kara was nine and Scott 11 when they received their implants. The Matchetts consider themselves a Deaf family whose primary language is American Sign Language (ASL). Recently Mary Karol was inspired to establish a unique cochlear implant support group for Deaf implantees. The Rochester Chapter of SHHH invited the foursome as speakers a year post-implant. Afterward, chapter members compiled questions to be answered in more detail by Mary Karol and Doug."
http://www.deaftoday.com/v3/archives/2006/02/one_family_four.html U.S. approves sales of inhaled type of insulin - "Adult Americans with diabetes will soon be able to take an inhaled version of insulin to help manage their blood sugar levels. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the inhaled insulin, marketed as Exubera, on Friday. Exubera is a fast-acting form of insulin that is designed to be taken before meals. It is in powdered form and is inhaled into the lungs. Patients take it by using a specially designed inhaler. It will not replace the need to occasionally inject insulin, the U.S. regulator said. Diabetics would still need to prick themselves to test blood sugar levels."
http://www.cbc.ca/story/science/national/2006/01/27/insulin-inhale060127.htmlFDA Panel Calls for Strongest Warning on ADHD Drugs - (HealthDay News). "A U.S. advisory panel recommended on Thursday the strongest possible label warning for Ritalin and other stimulants used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder because of potential cardiac risks. The Food and Drug Administration advisory committee voted 8-7, with one abstention, to add a 'black box' warning to the drugs, which include methylphenidates such as Ritalin, Concerta, Methylin and Metadate. Amphetamines, including Adderall, are also commonly used for the disorder. In August 2004, the FDA added a warning to Adderall, telling patients with heart conditions not to use the drug. The recommendation came after reports of the deaths of 25 people, 19 of them children, among people using both types of medications. The FDA usually, but not always, follows the recommendations of its advisory committees. This instance was unusual, however, because the committee was originally charged only with discussing whether further studies were feasible and necessary."
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_29715.htmlMEDIA ARTS
Collaboration and Accessibility of Live Content - "Live cultural events present the greatest accessibility challenge. During live events there is no time for planning or design beyond the short briefing interpreters occasionally receive. All interpretation must be on an impromptu basis. By developing and evaluating a number of live Webcasts that include real-time captions, audio descriptions and sign translation, this project will address questions such as: what tools can assist the interpreter of live events, and how can the interpreter be better integrated as a member of the performance team? Tools that enable extended near-real-time captions and descriptions (developed through the Canadian Network for Inclusive Cultural Exchange) in online environments will also be enhanced. Accessibility in online collaboration environments presents similar challenges; the information to be interpreted is also live. By collaborating with research networks exploring online collaboration (NECTAR and the NMCSN), this project will explore how people with disabilities can participate fully in online collaborative environments. Tools to facilitate peer description and captioning (developed through CNICE) will be refined."
http://culturall.atrc.utoronto.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=12&id=18&Itemid=35New `colour commentary' has fashion debut - by Helen Henderson (Toronto Star). "A group of innovators at Ryerson University is about to bring new meaning to the term 'colour commentary.' When runway models strut their stuff at Ryerson's 'Mass Exodus 2006' fashion show in April, Natalya Ratner will treat the audience to a detailed scene-by-scene description of colours, textures and choreography. People who are blind or have low vision already can get wireless headphones offering verbal descriptions of what's happening on the big screen at many movie theatres. But live performances are another matter. The Ryerson fashion show will debut LiveDescribe, sophisticated new software, developed at the university that promises to help deliver vivid descriptions of sets, fabrics, models and the whole runway atmosphere through wireless FM receivers. It's billed as a North-American first."
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1140648612826Scot's Tourette's struggle to become film - by Laura Roberts (Scotsman.com). "A young Scot's struggle to come to terms with the distressing condition of Tourette's syndrome is set to feature in a Hollywood film. Some of Los Angeles' most successful film directors are keen to produce a script charting the story of the janitor from Galashiels as he battles to cope with his undiagnosed condition and the uncontrollable swearing it causes while growing up in the Borders. John Davidson's severe swearing outbursts made him a target at school and caused him to be beaten up in the street. He first came to public attention as a 16-year-old in 1989 when he featured in the BBC documentary John's Not Mad and he has now become the voice for Tourette's syndrome through his work with Tourette Scotland."
http://news.scotsman.com/movies.cfm?id=235122006 POLICY/RESEARCH
Canadian Disability Studies Association - "The Canadian Disability Studies Association/Association Canadienne des Études sur L'Incapacité is proud to announce that we have been making great strides in building the foundation for our organization based on the By-Laws adopted on June 1, 2005 at CDSA/ACEI's 2nd Annual Conference in London, Ontario at the 2005 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences. We want to invite you to be part of the CDSA/ACEI as we grow and expand as an organization dedicated to:
• Providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and scholarship regarding disability,
• Networking among individual members, community groups, and other academic organizations, and
• Maintaining and building a commitment to a scholarship that remains connected to, informed by, and in ongoing dialogue with community and consumer organizations and agencies."
http://www.ccrw.org/en/news/news_detail.asp?News_ID=72A Call to Action: A Guide for Managed Care Plans Serving Californians with Disabilities - "A Call to Action: A Guide for Managed Care Plans Serving Californians with Disabilities describes results from a survey of approximately 400 Californians with disabilities. The survey aims to provide a snapshot of Californians' experiences regarding a wide range of disability access needs in health care. This Report also describes promising health care practices and makes recommendations for managed care plans to improve the care provided to people with disabilities. The publication of the book was made possible by a generous grant from The California Endowment."
http://www.dralegal.org/publications/call_to_action.phphttp://www.dralegal.org/downloads/pubs/call_to_action.pdfMarijuana compound may help stop diabetic retinopathy - by Toni Baker (Medical College Georgia). " A compound found in marijuana won't make you high but it may help keep your eyes healthy if you're a diabetic, researchers say. Early studies indicate cannabidiol works as a consummate multi-tasker to protect the eye from growing a plethora of leaky blood vessels, the hallmark of diabetic retinopathy, says Dr. Gregory I. Liou, molecular biologist at the Medical College of Georgia. 'We are studying the role of cannabinoid receptors in our body and trying to modulate them so we can defend against diabetic retinopathy,' Dr. Liou says. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults and affects nearly 16 million Americans."
http://www.mcg.edu/news/2006NewsRel/Liou022706.html
REHABILITATION
Acupressure Beats Physiotherapy to Treat Back Pain, Study Shows - "Acupressure used in traditional Chinese medicine seems to be more effective than physiotherapy in reducing pain in the lower back, the most common job-related disability, a study in the British Medical Journal showed. People receiving one month of acupressure had less lower back pain, less interference with work, and they called in sick on fewer days than those on physical therapy, according to the study's authors from the Institute of Preventive Medicine at National Taiwan University in Taipei. Acupressure is an ancient healing art developed in Asia more than 5,000 years ago, using the fingers to press key points on the surface of the skin to stimulate the body's immune system and natural pain killers. While the method had shown promise as pain therapy in previous studies, its effects on pain in the lower back were unclear, the authors said."
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000082&sid=aNqFtPK4YWPU&refer=canadaAdaptive Seating Standards - by Sharon Grady (Rehab management). "Introducing the appropriate pediatric seating and positioning equipment early promotes more normal development. The parents' decision to purchase equipment for a child with physical disabilities can at times be very confusing. As a pediatric physical therapist who has been involved with adaptive seating for more than 35 years, I have seen the progress that has been made with equipment for seating, standing, and mobility for the young child. The standards are changing for intervention, as well as for approving durable medical equipment (DME) for pediatric patients. Internet access and the increased awareness of parents make it essential that therapists and DME providers are able to make a good evaluation of the appropriate equipment for a child with a disability. Children with neurological and developmental deficits are being diagnosed at an earlier age, which makes early intervention extremely important."
http://www.rehabpub.com/features/1022006/6.aspCase Study: Keyboard Training and Hotkey Macros Quadruple Productivity - "This case study describes how training on keyboard access to Windows and hotkey macros enabled an employee with cerebral palsy to perform a complex task four times faster by keyboard than when using a combination of a keyboard, a mouse, and MouseKeys. The four proprietary applications she needed to use were not designed with accessibility or usability in mind. Although the cost to accommodate this employee was significant, her improved productivity should result in cost recovery within four months."
http://www.cantoraccess.com/csun2006-casestudy.htm"Walking" therapies good for spinal cord injury - (Reuters Health). "Body weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) or conventional over ground mobility therapy seem to provide comparable improvements in walking for patients with mild to moderate impairment following an acute incomplete spinal cord injury, according to a new report. The findings were somewhat of a surprise to the researchers. 'We initially expected that BWSTT would be more effective to regain walking ability than the conventional over ground mobility therapy,' lead author Dr. Bruce H. Dobkin, from the University of California in Los Angeles, said in a statement."
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_30320.htmlTECHNOLOGY
2006: The Continued Emergence of Natural Language Speech Applications - by Bruce Pollock (West Interactive Corporation). "The speech recognition industry continues to grow and as we move into 2006, we will see more sophisticated deployments, across a wide range of vertical markets. New applications will be improvements on earlier versions, both in terms of functionality, caller-friendliness and level of personalization. Additionally, most new deployments will continue to be VoiceXML-based."
http://www.speechtechmag.com/issues/11_1/avios/12757-1.htmlBlind drivers and mobile phones - by Peter Abrahams (Bloor Research). "Question 1: What does a blind man have in common with a car driver? Answer: Neither of them can see the screen of their mobile phone. Question 2: What does a person suffering from RSI have in common with a car driver? Answer: Neither of them should use their hands to control their mobile phone. Automatic speech recognition (ASR) and text to speech (TTS) are technologies that have been developed over many years. They run on servers to support telephony and automated call centre applications. Installed on the PC they support dictation as a convenient input method and, importantly, make the PC accessible to people with disabilities."
http://www.it-director.com/article.php?articleid=13156Cambium Learning, Inc. Acquires IntelliTools, Inc. and Announces Formation of New Technology Group - (Business Wire). "Cambium Learning, Inc. today announced the acquisition of IntelliTools, Inc., an industry-leading technology provider for preK-8 students requiring differentiated instruction and alternative means of accessing the curriculum. . . . IntelliTools products and services further strengthen Cambium Learning's position as a leading education company focused on the challenges experienced by at-risk and struggling students, as well as those with special needs. Through this acquisition, Cambium Learning also announced the formation of Cambium Learning Technologies that will include IntelliTools, Inc., Kurzweil Educational Systems, Inc., and Acceleration Station(R). The focus of this new group will be to provide students struggling to achieve with effective learning solutions that are not currently available through traditional media."
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060215005972&newsLang=enCATCH: A Compendium of Assistive Technology Checklists for the Home - "Lack of knowledge, availability and understanding how to translate a person's need into a technological solution often result in the selection of inappropriate assitive technology that can help people with disabilities live independently. CATCH provides a number of key questions which can be asked about the user's relationship to the overall technology system as well as specific technology related questions.The intention and purpose of CATCH is to allow social care professionals (Occupational Therapists, Social Workers, Support Workers etc) to determine appropriate questions to determine what technology to recommend. By using the CATCH checklist correctly, the user should be provided with a set of clear questions that can be used in determining the appropriateness and dependability of any particular AT system they design or are considering using."
http://www.equalopportunity.on.ca/eng_g/subject/index.asp?action=search_7&file_id=26281Dasher - "Dasher is an information-efficient text-entry interface, driven by natural continuous pointing gestures. Dasher is a competitive text-entry system wherever a full-size keyboard cannot be used - for example,
• when operating a computer one-handed, by joystick, touchscreen, trackball, or mouse;
• when operating a computer with zero hands (i.e., by head-mouse or by eyetracker);
• on a palmtop computer;
• on a wearable computer.
The eyetracking version of Dasher allows an experienced user to write text as fast as normal handwriting - 29 words per minute; using a mouse, experienced users can write at 39 words per minute."
http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/dasher/DasherSummary.htmlITTATC's Funding Comes to an End - "ITTATC [The Information Technology Technical Assistance and Training Center] has reached the end of its 5-year grant, so we are finishing up final projects and transitioning our website into 'maintenance mode.' Printed versions of our training materials will be available as long as current inventories last; electronic copies of these same materials are available online from links on the product catalog page at
www.ittatc.org/training/materials.php. We anticipate that the ITTATC website and our online training and technical assistance materials will be available for at least another 2 – 3 years."
http://www.ittatc.org/news/displayArticle.php?articleID=1907&sid=0c726203d1e9aa1d9d2fe4fab6f85b88Technology Helps Disabled Kids Find Their Voice - "Laptop computers that combine features from popular toys with innovative technology have rapidly accelerated the learning and communication ability of disabled children, Penn State researchers say. The technology could in the future be adapted to victims of major accidents and the elderly as well. According to Janice Light, distinguished professor of communication sciences and disorders at Penn State, more than 2 million Americans are unable to use speech to communicate, and children are a major component of this population. 'Kids learn and communicate through speech by trying out new words and forming sentences,' says Light. 'If they can't do that due to problems such as autism, Down syndrome, and cerebral palsy, then it is going to be difficult to learn how to read and write, make friends, and communicate their needs.' Computer-based technology that provides speech output is increasingly being used to assist such children in communicating but Light feels it has not yet fully served its purpose."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/02/060220232437.htmCONFERENCES
(Conferences listed for the first time in DRD)
CANADIAN
CHI 2006 - April 24-27, 2006 | Montreal, Quebec. "CHI [Computer-Human Interaction] 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. The many plenary and social events provide opportunities to network with members of your community and others who impact your work. Not only will CHI 2006 offer you a broader perspective on the complete human-computer interaction landscape, but it will also assist you in bringing new ideas back to your own work and community."
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 on Caregiving, Disability, Aging and Technology. FICCDAT will include five important conferences running concurrently as well as many joint events."
http://www.ficdat.ca/en/festival.phpTRANSED 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.
Pac Rim Conference 2006 - March 13-15, 2006 | Honolulu, Hawaii. "With its beginnings dating back to 1985, the Pacific Rim Conference has evolved into one of the top rated international educational offerings for and from persons with disabilities, family members, researchers, service providers, policymakers and nationally recognized professionals in the various disciplines in the diverse field of disabilities. The 2006 Pacific Rim Conference on Disabilities
is tentatively scheduled for March 13, 14 & 15 2006. All other information regarding the 2006 conference is tentative, and may be subject to change."
http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/Accommodating Students With Disabilities on State Assessments: What Works? - March 19 - 21, 2006 | Savannah, Georgia. - "The No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act are examples of legislation that has had a profound impact on the assessment of students with disabilities in K-12 settings. Experts in the field of school testing have been caught between the need to ensure that test scores from assessments are valid and reliable and the need to provide accommodations that improve the accessibility of state assessments. ETS, the College Board, the Council for Exceptional Children, and the National Institute for Urban School Improvement are hosting a conference that will provide a forum for practitioners and leading researchers to discuss current issues associated with accommodating students with disabilities on state standards-based assessments."
http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.c988ba0e5dd572bada20bc47c3921509/?vgnextoid=d2c8175081707010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&vgnextchannel=19e5be3a864f4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD21st Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference - March 20-25, 2006 | Los Angeles, California. "This is a comprehensive, international conference, where technologies across all ages; disabilities; levels of education and training; employment; and independent living are addressed. It is the largest conference of its kind!"
http://www.csun.edu/cod/conf/index.htmRevolutions in Sign Language Studies Linguistics, Literature, Literacy - March 22-24, 2006 | Washington, D.C. "Gallaudet University Press Institute, the educational division of Gallaudet University Press, the Office of the Dean, Gallaudet University Graduate School and Professional Programs, and the Gallaudet Research Institute, will sponsor the international conference Revolutions in Sign Language Studies: Linguistics, Literature, Literacy. The Conference will feature an assembly of international scholars renowned for their research on linguistics, sociolinguistics, literature, literacy and Deaf people, and all other aspects of the study of sign languages."
http://gupress.gallaudet.edu/gupiconference/index.html26th Annual Anxiety Disorders Association of America Conference - March 23-26, 2006. | Miami, Florida. "The ADAA Annual Conference is the only conference devoted exclusively to anxiety disorders. It provides education for health care professionals, individuals with anxiety disorders and their families, and the media about the nature and management of anxiety disorders. The theme for the 26th Annual Conference is, Understanding Risk and Resilience in Anxiety Disorders: Implications for Research and Clinical Care. This year's theme will examine individuals at risk for the development of an anxiety disorder as a result of a variety of biological, psychological, or environmental factors as well as those already manifesting difficulties and in addition, explore factors that affect the response to treatment and chronicity of these disorders. Our invited keynote speaker will be Dennis Charney, M.D., Mount Sinai School of Medicine."
http://www.adaa.org/conference&events/AnnualConference.aspPower 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 and 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 RESNA 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 2006 Call For Proposals - 28th International Conference on Learning Disabilities - Research in Context: A Capital Idea for 200 - October 20-22, 2006 | McLean, (Northern) 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/articles/2006rfp.pdf 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.htmOVERSEAS
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.htm2006 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