Disability Resource Digest
Volume 6, Issue 5 May 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
Adaptech eLearning Study Seeks Survey Participants - (NEADS). "The Adaptech Research Network continues Canada's first study examining the accessibility of eLearning to college and university students with disabilities, including students with learning disabilities. If you completed our survey this past fall, we thank you very much. For the purposes of this study, eLearning refers to the range of information and communication technologies that professors use when teaching their courses entirely in the classroom, entirely online, or a combination of both. Examples include: PowerPoint in the classroom, online tests, CD-ROMs, and WebCT. Accessibility refers to the ability of a learner, regardless of their disability, to easily and independently use eLearning. For some learners, this may require the use of adaptive technology (e.g., software that reads what is on the screen)."
http://www.neads.ca/en/about/newsletter/article.php?id=95
AFB Announces Availability of New Online College Curriculum - "The future of education for students who are blind or have vision loss is dramatically changing. Today, at the American Association of Community Colleges annual conference in Long Beach, CA, the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) announced the availability of a new online college curriculum that directly impacts the futures of thousands of students who are blind or have vision loss. Through the pioneering efforts of Northwest Vista College in San Antonio, TX, the Braille Textbook Transcriber online curriculum will be available to students everywhere in the Fall of 2006. As new Braille Textbook Transcribers are trained and available for work, students who are blind or have vision loss will no longer wait months for textbooks to be transcribed, allowing them access to an education equal to that of their sighted peers."
http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=47
Case Study: Keyboard Training and Hotkey Macros Quadruple Productivity - by Alan Cantor (cantoraccess). "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. She was able to complete a task that had previously taken over an hour in 16 minutes."
http://www.cantoraccess.com/csun2006-casestudy.htm
Carnegie Mellon team develops disability-friendly devices - by Saravana Sivasankaran. "Sometimes tech projects that make the largest impact don't revolve around high-end, new technology. The key is the approach taken to finding a solution for the problem at hand, and being able to combine current technology with cutting-edge tech. Take Trinetra, for instance, a project that aims to develop cost-effective assistive technologies to provide blind people with a greater degree of independence in their daily activities. The Sanskrit word Trinetra refers to the powerful third eye of the Hindu god Shiva."
http://v1.dpi.org/lang-en/resources/details?page=543
Ontario Audio Library Service: Providing Alternate Format Material for Students with Print Disabilities - (NEADS). "The Ontario Audio Library Service (OALS) is a registered charitable organization based in Peterborough, Ontario. For over thirty years we have been providing recorded materials for students with print disabilities at colleges and universities throughout the province. As a major producer of alternate format academic materials for post-secondary students, OALS is committed to helping realize the right of all students to obtain the materials they require in the format that is most useful to them. We continue to seek improved ways to serve the needs of our student clients, both in terms of current technologies and those that will be available in the future."
http://www.neads.ca/en/about/newsletter/article.php?id=93
W3C Working Draft 27 April 2006 - "Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2.0) covers a wide range of issues and recommendations for making Web content more accessible. This document contains principles, guidelines, and success criteria that define and explain the requirements for making Web-based information and applications accessible. 'Accessible' means usable to a wide range of people with disabilities, including blindness and low vision, deafness and hearing loss, learning difficulties, cognitive limitations, limited movement, speech difficulties, photosensitivity and combinations of these. Following these guidelines will also make your Web content more accessible to the vast majority of users, including older users. It will also enable people to access Web content using many different devices - including a wide variety of assistive technologies. WCAG 2.0 success criteria are written as testable statements that are not technology-specific. Guidance about satisfying the success criteria in specific technologies as well as general information about interpreting the success criteria are provided in separate documents. An Overview of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Last Call Documents is also available. Until WCAG 2.0 advances to W3C Recommendation, the current and referenceable document is Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (WCAG 1.0), published as a W3C Recommendation May 1999."
http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/wcag20.php
ADVOCACY
Call It 'Murder' - by Susan Rudelitch DiFluri (Ragged Edge). "I knew a young man. His name was Benjamin. To know Ben was to love Ben. He was a great kid – always willing to help others no matter what the task or labor. He was known to literally give someone the shirt off his back. Ben was also extremely bright and talented. He practiced music constantly and was a gifted saxophonist. He understood the mathematics of music and could deliver the most ethereal and soulful sax sound. His smile, his creativity and his engaging conversation were aspects of his personality that made one look forward to seeing him, being with him. We -- his family, his friends, his acquaintances and those he touched through his music -- no longer look forward to Ben's physical presence, for it no longer exists."
http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/departments/reflections/000868.html
Lack of research and asset-building programs leaves many disabled persons in a financial and social limbo - by Jessica Martin (University of Washington). "The straightforward solution for many people living in poverty is building savings. For the 9 million disabled Americans living in poverty, the answer isn't as simple. 'The poverty rate among Americans with disabilities is nearly double that of persons without disabilities, and while there is a complex web of federal and state-based programs offering financial assistance to eligible persons with disabilities, policy rules often preclude the accumulation of assets, which are often key for exiting poverty,' says Michelle Putnam, Ph.D., assistant professor of social work at Washington University in St. Louis."
http://news-info.wustl.edu/tips/page/normal/6872.html
AGING
65+ in the United States: 2005 - "This U.S. Census Bureau report "[provides] a picture of the health and socioeconomic status of the aging population."It features data on population size and growth, changes in age composition, housing, income, poverty rates, life expectancy, diseases, states with the highest aging population, patterns of migration, and many other topics. Opens directly into a PDF file. Commissioned by the National Institute on Aging (NIA)." (Description provided by Librarians' Internet Index - LII.)
http://www.census.gov/prod/2006pubs/p23-209.pdf
Growing Stronger - Strength Training for Older Adults: Introduction - "Welcome to Growing Stronger: Strength Training for Older Adults! If you're interested in feeling stronger, healthier, and more vital, this program is for you. This strength-training program was developed by experts at Tufts University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)."
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/growing_stronger/
Portfolio on Health and Aging - "The following is a collection of recently released international resources on Health and Aging topics including prescription drug importation, health IT, and health care quality and affordability."
http://www.aarp.org/research/international/portfolio/health.html
EMPLOYMENT
John Stanton – Hacked Off - (Ability Now). "The development of technology is leading the way in helping visually impaired people progress in the workplace I am currently on a work placement at a national newspaper in London, which means, to an extent, entering into the unknown. For anyone with a visual impairment, a new environment can be a daunting prospect. Any new situation holds new worries and concerns. Luckily, my experiences so far have been fairly positive. The placement is at the newspaper where I would most like to work when qualified and, thankfully, its offices and systems appear to be generally accessible."
http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/search/z06_04_ApDNX/stanton.shtml
Manitoba WCB funds new research project - "Manitoba Workers' Compensation Board is funding a project that will evaluate the injury prevention and disability management practices in Manitoba workplaces that have experienced a history of a high number of workplace injuries and illnesses. The intent is to assist employers with the development and implementation of high-quality and effective return-to-work, disability management and injury prevention programs. The project assessing the injury prevention, disability management, and return-to-work program needs of high-risk employers will be led by Dr. Garry Corbett, CDMP, principal of National Disability & Resource Management, headquartered in Winnipeg."
http://www.nidmar.ca/news/news_articles/Bulletin%20Manitoba%20WCB%20funds%20new%20research%20project.pdf
Minority, aboriginal women, those with disabilities, among most jobless - "Canadian women from visible minority, immigrant and aboriginal communities, plus those with disabilities, face dual barriers in the workplace -- in addition to their gender. Women from these groups have the highest unemployment and lowest pay rates, according to Statistics Canada. . . . The 309-page report also looks specifically, however, at the economic status of two million Canadian women who belong to visible minority groups, a similar number who have a disability and about one-half million aboriginal females."
http://www.diversityworks.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=86&Itemid=55
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060307/d060307a.htm (StatsCan Report Summary)
National Council Of Federal Employees With Disabilities - Newsletter: Spring 2006 - Issue no. 3 - (Employment Equity and Diversity). "One of the questions often asked is how the work of the NCFPSD is of concrete benefit to the individual federal public servant who has a disability or multiple disabilities. In general terms, our mandate is to advance the broader interests of persons with disabilities with respect to employment equity issues across the federal public service. Our successes are measured in the actual enhancement of the Government of Canada's larger policies, frameworks and initiatives, and those of its departments and agencies, aimed at providing a work environment that is consistently inclusive of persons with disabilities."
http://www.hrma-agrh.gc.ca/ee/ncfpsd-cnehfpf/newsletter-bulletin/newsletter-bulletin3_e.asp
ETHICS
Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee - (The National Academies). "In 2005, the National Academies issued its Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research. These guidelines were prepared to enhance the integrity of human embryonic stem cell research by encouraging responsible practices in the conduct of that research. They address the many ethical, legal, scientific, and policy issues that are of concern to the public, and the scientific community. The guidelines report also called for the establishment of a national body to assess periodically the adequacy of the guidelines and to provide a forum for continuing discussion of human embryonic stem cell research."
http://dels.nas.edu/bls/stemcells/
GENERAL INTEREST
A World Awaits You Journal - "New online versions of the A World Awaits You journal full of firsthand accounts by U.S. and international teens, people with disabilities from predominantly Muslim countries, and Americans who have traveled in Islamic countries that went abroad with a purpose!"
http://www.miusa.org/ncde/away/index_html
Educators strive to retain science students with disabilities - by Paroma Basu (University of Wisconsin- Madison). "Although many students wrestle with complicated concepts in science, that struggle takes on a whole new meaning for students with disabilities who are trying to learn the same things. Imagine having a visual impairment and trying to identify a chemical that has no smell, or being in a wheelchair and trying to collect biological samples from the bottom of a lake. For many students with disabilities, such barriers simply outweigh any benefits they might associate with a future in science. Now, a consortium of educators, scientists and student service providers — the Midwest Alliance in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (MIDWEST) — is starting to tackle that problem. With $3 million during five years from the National Science Foundation (NSF), experts at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Northern Iowa hope to boost the numbers of students with disabilities entering and remaining in science fields. They say that as many as 400,000 Midwestern teenagers and young adults with disabilities could benefit from their efforts."
http://www.news.wisc.edu/12418.html
Confronting Reality - (Ability Magazine). "Post traumatic stress disorder was first recognized as an anxiety disorder in 1980, but has been known by different names to combat veterans throughout history. Vietnam War vets had more than their share of PTSD -- flashbacks, situational anxiety, alienation, substance abuse. Now Iraq War vets, like Eugene Simpson and Nicholas Orchowski . . . , are dealing with it. But PTSD is also known to rape victims and survivors of natural disasters and violent accidents. As many as one-third of spinal cord injury survivors have experienced PTSD."
http://newmobility.com/review_article.cfm?id=1137&action=browse
First Deaf RIT Student Government President - (DeafDC Blog). "This isn't even about Gallaudet. This particular gem of news takes place nearly 400 miles away in an upstate New York university named Rochester Institute of Technology. I'm talking about the RIT Student Government (SG) elections, which just concluded last week. RIT's students have just elected their first deaf SG president, Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Sorkin. It's truly a milestone for the deaf community at RIT."
http://www.deafdc.com/blog/adam-stone/2006-04-28/more-presidential-news/
Just In Case - Emergency Readiness for Older Adults and Caregivers - "Hurricanes Katrina and Rita reminded us that personal emergency readiness needs to be a priority for everyone, including older adults and caregivers. This supplement to Aging in Stride – Plan Ahead, Stay Connected, Keep Moving recommends a simple, three-step approach."
http://www.aoa.gov/PROF/aoaprog/caregiver/overview/Just_in_Case030706_links.pdf
Raising a reader - by Maureen Donnelly (seacoast.com). "Now what if you have a baby or a toddler who doesn't seem to want to read with you? Further, what if a child's disabilities make it difficult for him or her to do so? When a parent asks these questions, I share with them something I call The Disability Triangle. The triangle emphasizes three conditions that are important to all young children learning about literacy, but may be of particular importance to those with disabilities."
http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/exeter/04112006/currents/97175.htm
The Success of the Paralympic Winter Games on the Web Too - (Ability Magazine). "Torino 2006 dedicated a robust website to the Paralympic Winter Games and it is fully accessible. A popular choice with the audience, who has confirmed the online success of this event. Throughout the 10 days of the Games (from March 10 to 19) over 300,000 single users visited over 3 million pages. There was great curiosity for the Video Zone, the section that enabled a complete immersion in the Paralympic atmosphere."
http://www.abilitymagazine.com/news_Torino_06.html
Government
CANADA
Preliminary comments on proposed reforms to Ontario's human rights system - (OHRC). "On February 20th, 2006, Attorney General Michael Bryant announced proposals to reform the human rights system of Ontario. The proposals call for the Ontario Human Rights Commission (the 'Commission') to focus on proactive measures, such as public education, promotion and public advocacy, as well as research and monitoring to address systemic discrimination in Ontario. Under the proposed changes, the Commission would 'maintain the ability to bring a complaint on its own behalf before the tribunal or to intervene in other complaints', and would become home to a new racial diversity secretariat."
http://www.ohrc.on.ca/english/news/e_ohrc-comments.shtml
Accessibility For Ontarians With Disabilities Act Alliance: Human Rights Reform Action Kit - (AODA Alliance). "On February 20, 2006, the Ontario Government said it will introduce a law (likely late March or April) to change enforcement of the Ontario Human Rights Code. That system needs reform. It's too slow, frustrating, and hard for many to use. Yet, the Government's proposal will make things worse, not better. It will create new barriers that make it harder for people to get their human rights respected."
http://www.aodaalliance.org/media/reform-kit.asp
Government Reaches Out To People With Mental Illness - (BC Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance). "Government is investing $750,000 to reach more individuals with mental illness and connect them with income, housing and medical services that will make a real difference in their lives, Employment and Income Assistance Minister Claude Richmond announced today. 'We know that many people with mental health issues find it very difficult to access all the services they are eligible for on their own,' said Richmond. 'Working together with trained community agency staff, we will be able to help these individuals access the income, health and housing supports available to them.' This project is being led by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), which is currently working with local CMHA branch offices to identify the communities that will benefit. Outreach work will begin this September."
http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2006EIA0007-000521.htm
New AISH Act to provide more flexibility to respond to client needs - "The renewed Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) Act, introduced March 9 in the Legislature, will help government better respond to client needs by improving the current income reporting process and ensuring clients can access an appeal process in situations involving overpayments. 'This legislation has been rewritten and updated to continue our commitment to renew the AISH program,' says Yvonne Fritz, Minister of Alberta Seniors and Community Supports. 'These changes will make the program more responsive to AISH clients and give us more flexibility in administering benefits that support the unique needs of Albertans with disabilities'."
http://www.gov.ab.ca/acn/200603/19562E1032B59-E4ED-E2A8-EE357F151EA7D954.html
http://www.assembly.ab.ca/net/index.aspx?p=bills_status&selectbill=021
Province Commits $15 Million To Rick Hansen Foundation - (BC Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance). "The provincial government is making a $15-million contribution to the Rick Hansen Man In Motion Foundation to help improve the quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries, fulfilling a commitment made in this year's throne speech, Premier Gordon Campbell announced today. 'In large part due to the work of Rick Hansen and his foundation over the 20 years since his amazing journey around the globe, B.C. has become a true leader in advancing research and solutions to support those living with spinal cord injuries,' said Campbell. 'I challenge the other provinces and the federal government to join us in celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Man In Motion tour by matching B.C.'s donation and supporting the work and legacy of a true Canadian hero. Twenty years ago today, Hansen arrived at the Great Wall of China on his Man In Motion World Tour and a personal turning point in his resolve to raise funds and awareness of spinal cord disabilities. Since then, the Rick Hansen Man In Motion Foundation has raised $178 million to support people with spinal cord and related disabilities through education and skills development, assistive devices, sports, accessibility, integration programs and research."
http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2006OTP0069-000425.htm
Health
Balancing Two Public Goods: Privacy and Health Research – The View of Canadians - by Mary Pat MacKinnon, Nandini Saxena, Marilyn Swinton, Judy Watling, Don Willison (CPRN). "Almost 100 randomly selected citizens considered this question last year in a series of day-long deliberative dialogues. The dialogues were organized by CPRN in collaboration and under contract with a team of researchers from McMaster University, whose research project is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Health Canada."
http://www.cprn.org/en/doc.cfm?doc=1428
Evaluating Internet Health Information: A Tutorial from the National Library of Medicine - "This tutorial teaches you how to evaluate the health information that you find on the Web. It is about 16 minutes long." The Librarians' Internet Index (LII) states that it "walks consumers through the process of determining who is behind a website (such as a physician or a drug company), separating noncommercial and commercial content (such as advertising), checking to make sure the site is current, and more."
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/webeval/webeval.html
The NIH News in Health - "NIH plays a major role in finding better ways to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent diseases. The practical health information in The NIH News in Health is based on research conducted either by NIH's own scientists or by our grantees at universities and medical schools around the country." This issue of NIH News in Health includes an article on active participation in rehabilitation and speech and hearing problems.
http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/
The Ontario Health Quality Council Yearly Report - "The Ontario Health Quality Council has released its first yearly report to Ontarians on their public health care system. The report looks at access, information management, innovation & research, and health services delivery integration, as well as evidence on the current state of the health system and population health."
http://www.ohqc.ca/en/yearlyreport.asp
http://www.ohqc.ca/en/docs/OHQC_Summary_2006EN.pdf (Summary)
http://www.ohqc.ca/en/docs/OHQC_Report_2006EN.pdf
LEGAL
Supreme Court rules government tribunals must apply Human Rights Code - (Ontario Human Rights Commission). "The Supreme Court of Canada released a far-reaching decision declaring that the Ontario Social Benefits Tribunal has the authority to decide whether a section of the Ontario Disability Support Program Act, 1997 (the 'ODSPA') breaches the Ontario Human Rights Code (the 'Code'). The Supreme Court's decision in Tranchemontagne v. Ontario (Director, Disability Support Program), released Friday, involves two persons who were denied income support from the Ontario Disability Support Program (the 'ODSP')."
http://www.ohrc.on.ca/english/news/e_pr_scc-odspa.shtml
Wheelchair Athlete Can Compete Alongside Nondisabled Peers, Says Judge - (Ragged Edge). "A federal judge in Baltimore granted a preliminary injunction yesterday that will allow a Howard County athlete who uses a wheelchair to compete in track alongside nondisabled competitors,' reports The Baltimore Sun today. The Maryland Disability Law Center filed suit on behalf of Tatyana McFadden, 16, a sophomore at Atholton High School and winner of two medals at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, Greece. McFadden had been denied the chance to race alongside non-wheelchair users."
http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/departments/news/000913.html
MEDICAL
Alzheimer's patients to test diabetes drug - by Lauran Neergaard (C-Health). "A provocative new theory suggests that one root cause of Alzheimer's disease is linked to diabetes - a theory about to be tested in thousands of Alzheimer's patients given the diabetes drug Avandia in hopes of slowing brain decay. It's a scary scenario: Alzheimer's already is expected to skyrocket as the population greys, rising from 4.5 million sufferers today to a staggering 14 million by 2050 in the United States alone. If the new theory is correct, the country's current obesity-fuelled epidemic of Type 2 diabetes could worsen that toll."
http://chealth.canoe.ca/channel_health_news_details.asp?news_id=17562&news_channel_id=159&channel_id=159
BioMAP - (Northwestern University). "BioMAP is a neurophysiologic test used to quickly and objectively identify disordered processing of sound that has been associated with learning impairments in many children. This procedure was developed in the Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory at Northwestern University by Dr. Nina Kraus and her colleagues. Research has shown that about 30% of children who have a language-based learning disability, including dyslexia, SLI, ADHD, and auditory processing deficits, do not process speech sounds accurately. This test will enable a professional to determine whether your child displays this inaccurate 'interpretation' of speech sounds."
http://www.communication.northwestern.edu/audiology/Biomap/
Compound May Prevent Neural Cell Death - (Genetic Engineering News). "Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems, Inc. announced that the Journal of Neuroscience published two studies conducted by research teams at Purdue University's Center for Paralysis Research concerning technology licensed to Cyberkinetics. Together, the studies indicate that hydralazine, already approved for other uses by the FDA, and certain related compounds may prevent neural cell death by halting the toxic chemical process that normally occurs following an injury. Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems, Inc. holds an exclusive, worldwide license to this technology. The Center for Paralysis Research at Purdue University is a world-renowned research group in the field of spinal cord injury. Dr. Borgens is the inventor of Cyberkinetics' Andara OFS (Oscillating Field Stimulator) Device technology, which is currently under FDA review to be designated as a Humanitarian Device for the regeneration of neural tissue damaged in spinal cord injury."
http://www.genengnews.com/news/bnitem.aspx?name=538426
Exploring Phantom Limb Pain - by Steven A. King, MD, MS. (Psychiatric Times). "First described more than 500 years ago, phantom limb pain (PLP) is a common disorder today; as many as 50% to 80% of patients who undergo amputation report experiencing pain in the missing body part. Although it is easy to recognize and diagnose, its cause remains unclear and it can be difficult to manage successfully. Perhaps that's why health care professionals often do not address it. A survey by Hanley and associates,for example, found that 53% of patients with PLP and 38% with severe PLP had never been treated for the disorder."
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=185303203
Neuropsychiatric Aspects of Traumatic Brain Injury - by Edward Kim, MD, MBA. (Pschiatric Times). "Each year, more than 2 million individuals in the United States sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI), leading to more than 500,000 hospital admissions and 80,000 survivors with persistent neurologic disabilities. The population at highest risk for TBI is in the 15- to 24-year age range, with a male-to-female ratio of approximately 3:2. The most common causes of TBI include motor vehicle accidents, falls, assaults, and sporting accidents."
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=186700457
MEDIA ARTS
access = audience - "The contents of the following pages outlines a case study, which can be found using the links, introduction, Aims & Activity & Marketing plan. The case study is supported by guidance on how to market arts projects to disabled audiences. Our aim is to show that by considering and making adjustments for disabled people, a more accessible and inclusive experience for all audiences and visitors is created. Please use links Actions for Access and Resources as a reference tool, we advise when developing marketing plans that you consult disabled people and disabled led organisations."
http://www.wmdaf.org/accessfull/default.htm
BBC podcast takes on disability - "Ouch, the BBC's disability website, has launched a trial podcast, pushing the idea of what disability media should be about. Though it may sound like a niche area, producer Damon Rose challenges what mainstream means now and what it will mean in the future. The future of media is fascinating and scary but it holds some great possibilities for niche interests and minority groups. We have started an amazing new thing, a razor sharp, witty and ironic talk show presented by two disabled presenters, talking about disability in the way you might do down the pub."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4872764.stm
The Ouch Podcast - "Actor Mat Fraser and comedian Liz Carr host the first edition of our monthly disability talk show that you can listen to on your computer or download onto your iPod or MP3 player. The April 2006 podcast featured:
• Mat and Liz chatting about new movie The Ringer, and the good and bad things about disability sport.
• Our new quiz - Vegetable, Vegetable or Vegetable - in which Mat and Liz have to guess what's wrong wiv the disabled caller on the end of the phone.
• An interview with John Davidson, who you may know better as "that Tourette's guy from that famous BBC documentary in the '80s". Well, now there could be a Hollywood film about him.
• And more!"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/podcast/podcast1.shtml
CNN's Oscar®-Nominated Film 'Autism Is a World' Makes TV Debut - "'Autism Is a World,' a co-production of CNN Productions and State of the Art Inc., will make its television premiere as a CNN Presents documentary on Sunday, May 22, at 8 p.m. (ET) The film, nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Documentary Short Subject by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in February, is a candid and compelling look into the mind of Sue Rubin, a 26-year-old Los Angeles woman living with autism. 'Autism Is a World' combines Rubin's courageous writing with a sensitive, dramatic reading by actress Julianna Margulies. Brought to life through the powerful filmmaking of Gerardine Wurzburg, 'Autism Is a World' offers a view of autism as it has rarely been seen—from the inside out. The film was produced and directed by Wurzburg. Jennifer Hyde was the supervising producer for CNN Productions."
http://tash.org/tashpr/cnn.htm
"Emmanuel's Gift," an Oprah Narrated Film, Tells of Paraplegic's Life-Changing Bike Ride - (Ability Magazine). "If you are born with a disability in Ghana, West Africa you are likely to be poisoned, or left to die by your family; if you are not poisoned or left for dead, you're likely to be hidden away in a room; and if you're not hidden, you are destined to spend your lifetime begging on the streets. Of the twenty million who live in Ghana, two million are people with disabilities. This is the story of one such man whose mission—and purpose—is to change all that forever."
http://www.abilitymagazine.com/news_Emmanuels_Gift.html
New film highlights how faith communities can support people with learning disabilities - (You're Able). "On Thursday 8 June, the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities will premiere their new short film at the Globe Theatre in London. Religious leaders from major faiths, people with learning disabilities and their supporters have been invited to the screening of Faith in Practice, which highlights how faith communities can include people with learning disabilities."
http://www.youreable.com/TwoShare/getPage/01News/01Current/April2006/film%20highlights%20help
The Poems Go On and On - (Ragged Edge). "National Poetry Month is ending, but disability poetry goes on. You'll find lots of disability poetry on the Ragged Edge site -- both in our current Poetry Dept. and in our Poetry Archives (and don't forget our Ragged Edge anthology, with lots of the poetry we published during our first 15 years as The Disability Rag). The Advocado Press, our publisher, has also published two collections of poems by Kenny Fries -- Anesthesia (which includes The Healing Notebooks series, winner of the Gregory Kolovakos Award for AIDS writing) and Desert Walking."
http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/departments/poetry/000936.html
POLICY/RESEARCH
CCSD Stats & Facts - "Stats & Facts, a new on-line service of the Canadian Council on Social Development, provides accessible and accurate statistical information. This site is intended for anyone with an interest in timely data on social and economic indicators. We anticipate that Stats & Facts will be frequently used by policy analysts, community planners, activists, journalists, and students."
http://www.ccsd.ca/factsheets/
The Demographic Change – Impacts of New Technologies and Information Society - (European Commission: Employment and Social Affairs Dg). "Despite the fact that Internet usage among older age groups has gradually increased during recent years, only a minority of older people are actively engaging in the Information Society today and this age-divide should be a matter of real concern to policy. It means that older people are not gaining the benefits of online services and applications that have high potential utility for them and are also facing new risks because important services are increasingly only available online. The available evidence indicates that these age-divides will not go away without policy intervention - the majority of the current cohorts of older people aged 65 years and older are unlikely to go online on their own initiative within their lifetimes and, as technology continues to evolve, new age-divides will emerge for future cohorts of older people."
http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/social_situation/docs/lot7_ict_summary_en.pdf
Disability Data From the American Community Survey: A Brief Examination of the Effects of a Question Redesign in 2003 - by Sharon Stern and Matthew Brault (U.S. Census Bureau, Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division). "In 2003, the Census Bureau introduced a change to the disability items on the American Community Survey (ACS) mail-back paper questionnaire. The intent of the new layout and skip instructions was to reduce confusion among respondents and thereby reduce potential erroneous reporting. This report contains the initial results of an analysis describing the effects of the change. The evidence presented suggests that it is not possible to discern which portion, if any, of the difference between 2002 and 2003 disability estimates can be attributed to actual change in the number or percentage of people with disabilities. As a result, the Census Bureau will not present any time-series data showing estimates from 2002 and earlier with data from 2003 and later for the affected items. The objective of this short paper is to describe the changes in the questionnaire and the effect on the published disability data."
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www//disability/ACS_disability.pdf
Making the New Government Aware of Disability Issues - by April D'Aubin (NEADS). "On 23 January 2006, Canadians elected Stephen Harper's Conservatives to power. The Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), a cross disability organization addressing public policy issues affecting persons with disabilities, is working to keep disability on the federal agenda at a time when many other issues are jostling for position on the new Government's priority list. CCD uses a disability equality rights lens when analyzing public policy issues."
http://www.neads.ca/en/about/newsletter/article.php?id=101
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) - "Established in 1988, NIDCD is mandated to conduct and support biomedical and behavioral research and research training in the normal and disordered processes of hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, and language. The Institute also conducts and supports research and research training related to disease prevention and health promotion; addresses special biomedical and behavioral problems associated with people who have communication impairments or disorders; and supports efforts to create devices which substitute for lost and impaired sensory and communication function."
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/about/learn/mission.asp
Policy as a Tool for Revolution - by Judith Maxwell (CPRN). "One in five Canadian children is afflicted by a mental health issue. Funding for services was frozen 13 years ago. The average wait time for services is 5.5 months. In a presentation to the Framing our Children's Policy Conference, Children's Mental Health Ontario, in November 2005, Judith Maxwell, CPRN Research Fellow, asks how policy can help improve this state of affairs."
http://www.cprn.org/en/doc.cfm?doc=1396
United Nations Global Programme On Disability - "As of March 2006, the UN Programme on Disability has been consolidated into the Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It is the lead programme on disability within the United Nations System. It is housed in the Division for Social Policy and Development at the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the UN Secretariat."
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/unpgm.htm
REHABILITATION
A Handful of Hope - by Randy Wolfe (Rehab Management). "Individual evaluation of hand injuries and conditions is crucial when determining a suitable patient rehabilitation program. Randy Wolfe, OTR/L, CHT, supervises a patient performing one of the 100 exercises provided by the work simulator for wrist flexion and extension. People use them all day, every day. From waking hours until nighttime slumber, their hands play an essential role in getting through life. People begin the day with them, turning off the dreaded alarm clock with the push of a button, and beginning their day's journey. They brush their teeth, rub shampoo into their hair, dress themselves, tie their shoes, cook and eat breakfast, lock the doors to their house, step into their car, and off they go. Their hands have been through so much, and the sun has barely risen above the trees."
http://www.rehabpub.com/features/42006/1.asp
New Medicaid Home and Community-Based Programs Now Available - "Despite Congress' numerous reductions in the basic Medicaid law (recently enacted in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005) that will negatively affect low income persons, including persons with disabilities, there are a number of provisions that disability advocates can take advantage of to increase home and community-based services and to reduce unnecessary institutional services."
http://www.aapd.com/News/medicaid/newmedprog.htm
Strengthening the Core - by Eric G. Johnson, and Jerrold Petrofsky (Rehab Management). "The effects of core muscle conditioning benefits those with disabilities. Numerous studies in the last 100 years point to the advantage of exercise in providing positive benefits for general health.1-7 While cardiorespiratory conditioning is important for people with disabilities, the most immediate concern is simply accomplishing activities of daily living (ADLs). ADLs are markedly impaired by weakness in core muscles such as the transverse abdominal and oblique abdominal muscles.8 Core muscle weakness limits the distance a person can reach, particularly if they are in a wheelchair. Moving the trunk more than 5º or 10º from neutral can cause a loss of balance and falls from a wheelchair.9 For this reason, transfers, reach, and general balance are often poor and can result in serious injuries such as fractures.10 The most common fracture site in wheelchair users is the femoral head from falling out of the wheelchair and onto the knees."
http://www.rehabpub.com/features/42006/4.asp
Surviving 2006 Guidelines - by Rich Smith (Rehab Management). "Competitive bidding and changing rehab documentation rules make 2006 a challenging year of peril and opportunity. As Medicare inches closer to implementing new documentation guidelines for power wheelchairs (including seating and positioning), it grows clearer just how unclear everyone is about what to expect once the changes take effect."
http://www.rehabpub.com/features/42006/8.asp
The Stuff of Dreams - by Stephen Krcmar (Rehab Management). "Prosthetics are quickly evolving beyond functional into fantastic. The year 2005 was groundbreaking for the prosthetics arena. When the "bionic" arm was developed by physiatrist Todd Kuiken, MD, PhD, of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), it captured the eye of the popular media and offered a glimpse of the future. Mainstream interest was piqued because the 12-pound arm marked the entry of prosthetics into a realm that was formerly relegated to science fiction: The wearer only has to think about a particular motion, like picking up a paintbrush, before the artificial limb responds accordingly."
http://www.rehabpub.com/features/42006/7.asp
TECHNOLOGY
BCS backs open source project to boost software for disabled users - by Justin Richards (ComputerWeekly.com). "The BCS is backing an open source initiative to promote the development of assistive technology. . . . The Open Source Assistive Technology Software (Oats) project is a one-year pilot scheme. It was set up last year to provide a 'one-stop shop' for end-users, clinicians and open source developers to meet, exchange notes, promote new ideas, develop new software and download reliable open source assistive technology software. Given the emerging importance of assistive technology within the open source field, the BCS Open Source Specialist Group is supporting Oats as it comes to the end of its year-long evaluation. If successful, Oats aims to become a self-supporting, ongoing web-based service."
http://www.computerweekly.com/Feeds/RSS/Articles/2006/04/20/215458/BCSbacksopensourceprojecttoboostsoftwarefordisabledusers.htm
Five Assistive Technologies You Should Be Aware Of - by Léonie Watson. "Léonie leads the Accessibility Research Programme at Nomensa, pioneering accessible design technology for the Internet. Drawing upon her skills in accessibility research, trained expertise in IT computing, and personal experience as a blind user, Léonie plays a key role in making the Internet an environment open to everyone regardless of their ability."
http://www.webpronews.com/expertarticles/expertarticles/wpn-62-20060410FiveAssistiveTechnologiesYouShouldbeAwareof.html
Look, Ma -- No Hands! - by Ben Mattlin (New Mobility). "There are many wonderful new hands-free inventions out there -- and many of these seem too expensive to be practical. Sometimes a little creativity and common sense can go a long way toward fashioning reasonable solutions for those of us who cannot use our hands. Yet at other times, technology is invaluable, even miraculous."
http://newmobility.com/review_article.cfm?id=1135&action=browse
Redesign brings interface into the mainstream - (Electronicstalk). "Cambridge Consultants is providing key technology behind a novel brain-computer interface (BCI) device that translates brain waves into computer control commands - without the need for electrodes implanted in the brain. This represents a breakthrough in the way computers can assist patients in their daily activities. The BCI system is being developed by the Wadsworth Center, a public health laboratory for the New York State Department of Health, to help even individuals who are completely paralysed to communicate with the outside world."
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/cbr/cbr134.html
ScanTalker™ 2.0 Bar Code Solution Released - (Freedom Scientific). "Freedom Scientific announced today the release of ScanTalker version 2.0, a powerful bar code scanning application for the PAC Mate BX and QX series. Featuring an extensive product database and support for omni-directional scanning, ScanTalker enables users who are blind to independently access in speech and braille information about products they purchase. ScanTalker users can identify common items found on store shelves using the UPC bar code on the product labels. The Metrologic omni-directional, USB-powered handheld bar code reader included with ScanTalker is easy for a blind person to use. Simply point the reader at the product, and the bar code is scanned regardless of its orientation relative to the reader."
http://www.freedomsci.com/fs_news/PressRoom/en/2006/ScanTalker2-Announcement_3-30-2006.asp
Wake up - Text-To-Speech is getting emotional - by Peter Abrahams (IT-Director.com). "In the early days of text to speech (TTS) the requirement was just that the listener could understand. One of the best known examples is Professor Stephen Hawking, the author of 'A Brief History of Time', who has used a speech synthesiser for many years that sounds Dalek-like. The other well known example, although many fewer people have heard it, is a screen reader, such as Jaws or IBM Home Page reader, used by many people with vision impairments. These basic speech synthesisers provide a very valuable service to people with vision or speech impairments. However, advances in TTS are being driven by new mass-market applications such as mobile phones, in-car communications and sat-nav."
http://www.it-director.com/article.php?articleid=13253
'We can rebuild him. We have the technology.' Almost - (telegraph.co.uk). "Three decades after the hit television programme The Six Million Dollar Man described how the broken body of a former astronaut was rebuilt with mechanical parts, scientists are closer than ever to creating such cyborgs. The character Steve Austin, played by Lee Majors, became a 1970s pop culture icon after his legs, right arm and left eye were replaced in an operation that gave the world the catch phrase: 'Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology.' Yesterday, at the Experimental Biology 2006 meeting attended by around 12,000 delegates in San Francisco, leading scientists explained in a symposium on 'The $6 Billion (Hu) Man' how much of what was once fiction is becoming reality - including electronically powered legs, arms and eyes."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/connected/main.jhtml?xml=/connected/2006/04/04/ecncyborg04.xml&sSheet=/connected/2006/04/04/ixconn.html
SELF-HELP
A-Z to Deafblindness - "I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to A-Z to Deafblindness, and to thank you for visiting my modest and humble little Web Page. So come on in and make yourself at home, you will be made very welcome. My name is James Gallagher and I am deafblind myself. This site is here to try and offer some help to Blind or deaf people, and especially deafblind people, and those who provide specialised services for those who are deafblind. A-Z to Deafblindness is also here, to make people more aware about deafblindness. Within this website you will be able to learn the Deafblind Manual Alphabet and, the Two-Handed Manual Alphabet used by sighted Deaf people. Its up to you where you wish to go. If you wish to learn the Deafblind Manual Alphabet then there are pages on this website for you to do so."
http://www.deafblind.com/
WELLNESS
BC Receives 30 Million To Promote Active, Healthy Living - by Cameron Adamson (Active Living Alliance). 'The BC provincial government is working to ensure BC residents understand the importance of health, physical activity and "lifestyle choices.' BC will invest $30 million in the promotion of healthy, active living. This investment will be distributed through two programs, 'BC Healthy Living Alliance' and '2010 Legacies Now.' . . . Sport and recreation reduce strain on our health system by promoting well being and preventing disease. It is encouraging to see the government of BC take sport and recreation so seriously."
http://cms.nortia.org/Common/Group/conDisplayItem.asp?OrgID=23&ItemID=21427&LangID=1
Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health: Research - "Research reports on the health effects of religious beliefs and practices. Topics range from the effects of religious attendance and prayer, to religious coping and disease, religion in hospital patients, and religion and immune function. From the Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health, a program based in the Center for Aging at Duke University Medical Center." (Description provided by Librarians Index to the Internet (LII)).
http://www.dukespiritualityandhealth.org/research/
Profiled Activity Search - (Active Living Alliance). "'Want to get active? Don't know where to start? Use our interactive profile search to find a program near you." This nifty interactive search asks you first what you can do best ("hold on to things," "float in water," "wheel a manual wheelchair") and then what you like ("adventure," "clubs," "making things," "playing sports"). When you've answered those two questions it provides a list of activities; what they involve, the equipment needed and the cost.
http://www.ala.ca/Content/Learning%20and%20Resources/Activity%20Search.asp?langid=1
Spirituality and Medicine - (Ethics in Medicine). "This topic page inquires into the possibility that within the boundaries of medical ethics and empowered with sensitive listening skills, the physician may find ways to engage the spiritual beliefs of patients in the healing process, and come to a clearer understanding of ways in which the physician's own belief system can be accounted for in transactions with patients."
http://depts.washington.edu/bioethx/topics/spirit.html
CONFERENCES
(Conferences listed for the first time in DRD)
CANADIAN
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.shtml
2006 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#cdsaconfinfo2006
10th 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/
The 12th World Congress of the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics - Moving Beyond Disability - July 29 - August 3, 2007 | Vancouver, British Columbia. "Welcome to the web page for the ISPO 2007 World Congress. The ISPO World Congress is the premiere global event for multidisciplinary prosthetic and orthotic care. The ISPO Canada National Society is pleased to welcome you to Vancouver to enjoy the scientific sessions, workshops and symposia, expansive trade exhibits, and active social programs."
http://www.ispo.ca/congress/
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.htm
Festival 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/
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.
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.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
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.htm
2006 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 8-11, 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 11 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.html
ARATA 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