Disability Resource Digest
Volume 7, Issue 8 September 2007
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
Disability Coalition Reports Problems in Digital Television Transition – (COAT). "The Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT) made a formal report to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) last week about some of the problems that the transition to digital television poses for people with disabilities. COAT responded to the FCC's solicitation this summer for comments in a routine review of rules and policies affecting the conversion to digital television. Analog television transmission will end on February 17, 2009, when digital transmission should be fully implemented."
http://coataccess.civicspaceondemand.org/node/46
For the blind the Web is one step forward, two steps back - by Dana Blankenhorn (zdnet.com). "Assistive technologies are helping more blind people access the Web, but the Web's latest technology continues to leave the blind behind. Odiogo, which converts blog posts into MP3 files, makes content accessible to blind users. As Brian Friedlander notes, blog owners still have to go through the process of creating the files for users."
http://healthcare.zdnet.com/?p=218
Georgia Tech's CATEA Improving Access - "Georgia Tech's Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access (CATEA) is giving the disability community and aging population a new tool that helps identify new products, research and services available to them. CATEA's Consumer Network (CCN) is an on-line community that shares information about new developments in disability and aging related-products and services. By joining CCN, members are among the first to preview new advances in disability and aging-related products and provide input to make them more usable and accessible."
http://www.gatech.edu/news-room/release.php?id=1445
http://www.catea.org/ (CATEA website)
Singapore innovating in assistive technology - by Dana Blankenhorn (zdnet.com). "It's the kind of innovation we used to associate with the U.S., but if you're blind and want to live independently it may be a godsend. Label your stuff once, and read it when you need it. It's the TellMate, from a company called Gaishan Technologies. . . On the surface it's an iPod knock-off, with an FM radio and talking clock. But it also has a scanner and digital recorder. All the buttons are voice-activated, telling you what they do when you press them. It comes with 20 RFID labels which you can program (and re-program) to describe, say, the medicine bottle in a cabinet."
http://healthcare.zdnet.com/?p=178
Too much accessibility: Good intentions, badly implemented - "HTML offers many features and attributes that can make your sites more accessible...but only if they're used wisely. Can there really be 'too much accessibility'?" An audio download, an Open Office, Power Point and a PDF version of the presentation are available on this site.
http://www.splintered.co.uk/documents/presentations/psf_accessibility_08.08.2007/
Wireless Industry Urged to Improve Disability Accessibility - "Consumers with disabilities are taking their concerns about lack of accessibility of cell phones to the US telecoms regulator, the FCC this month, with multiple complaints against numerous companies submitted by representatives of the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT). The FCC is the federal agency that enforces Section 255, an eleven-year-old law that requires phones designed to be accessible for people with disabilities. Complaints are being filed against both cell phone carriers and manufacturers."
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/25455.php
ADVOCACY
Push Is On to Limit Disabilities Act Changes - (CQ.com). "Almost from the moment it was signed into law by President George Bush in 1990, the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) has been a source of tension between activists for disability groups, who view it as the most important anti-discrimination measure in a generation, and business organizations, who characterize it as a thicket of details that impose huge costs in the name of equal opportunity. This isn't the sort of dispute a lame-duck president would typically wade into. But President Bush is preparing to take a position on this subject later this year, when the Justice Department issues the first comprehensive revision to rules that have governed the law's enforcement of public access since enactment. There is no looming deadline or particularly strong political pressure to revise existing regulations. Persons familiar with the administration's thinking say Bush views this as an opportunity to fortify a piece of his father's legacy. However, business groups fear that proposed new requirements for buildings and other structures will impose substantial costs. Industry lobbyists are mounting an aggressive campaign to stall the new design rules and give businesses less-expensive options for complying with them."
http://www.aapd.com/News/adainthe/070814cq.htm
Put politicians on the hot seat - by Helen Henderson (Toronto Star). " Will disability support payments go the distance as an election issue this fall? After years of being ignored, if not wilfully neglected, they are suddenly front and centre as Ontarians get set to go to the polls Oct. 10. That's both good and bad news for people with disabilities struggling to survive on what is literally starvation funding. The bad news is that the current interest stems not from long-overdue concern over the way in which the Ontario Disability Support Program operates. It relates to the burden imposed on cash-starved municipalities – an eminently worthy cause but a total red herring in terms of disability issues."
http://www.thestar.com/living/article/248440
Senator Tom Harkin Calls for Restoration of Americans with Disabilities Act on the 'Road to Freedom' National Bus Tour - "A family of four, a prominent documentary photographer, and other advocates are living and traveling aboard a bus during a yearlong, cross-country tour promoting civil rights protections for children and adults with physical, mental, cognitive, sensory and developmental disabilities. The 'Road To Freedom' bus and traveling exhibit left Washington, DC last on November 15 with Yoshiko Dart, widow of the 'Father of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),' Justin Dart, Jr. aboard. The bus tour, produced by ADA Watch and the National Coalition for Disability Rights (NCDR), has traveled more than 15,000 miles with 45 bus stop events in 32 states, gathering petition signatures, registering citizens to vote and attracting significant local media attention. It will return to Washington, DC this coming November."
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-16-2007/0004647020&EDATE=
Stop by Road to Freedom bus likens disability, civil rights - by Claire Engelken (The Capital-Journal). "A building that played a prominent role in abolition of racially segregated schools in the 1950s provided the backdrop Wednesday for a lesson on the rights of another group of people. The Road to Freedom bus stopped at the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site, 1515 S.E. Monroe, during its yearlong, 50-state tour to focus attention on the struggle to ensure the rights of disabled people. Jim Ward, president of Americans with Disabilities Act Watch, said the Brown v. Board site was an appropriate stop for the tour. 'Rights for the disabled is not a charity issue,' he said. 'It's a civil rights issue'."
http://www.cjonline.com/stories/080207/loc_188501326.shtml
EDUCATION
POSTSECONDARY
AHEAD to you! Audio-conference Series - "AHEAD is pleased to offer another informative and thought-provoking lineup of top- quality learning opportunities through its 2007-2008 AHEAD to you! Audio-conference series. You may register for as few or as many of the audio-conferences as you'd like, pay one low price, and invite as many of your colleagues to join you via speaker phone and/or online real-time captioning at no additional cost. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to submit questions to the presenters in advance, receive presentation handouts and support materials in e-text format in advance, and benefit from two-weeks of e-mail follow-up with each presenter."
http://www.heath.gwu.edu/node/321
Centre for Applied Disability Studies at Brock University receives Behavior Analysis Certification Board accreditation - "With the recent approval of its Applied Behaviour Analysis graduate course sequence by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB), the Centre for Applied Disability Studies at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont., is positioning itself to help meet the growing demand for qualified behaviour analysts in Ontario. Students obtaining a Master of Arts in Applied Disability Studies, Master of Applied Disability Studies or the Graduate Diploma and who specialize in the Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) field will now be eligible to apply to become a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst."
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/August2007/28/c2647.html
University initiative passes major hurdle - (NIDMAR). "On May 14, the Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences Bill, proposed and advocated by NIDMAR, passed third and final reading in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia with unanimous bi-partisan support. The university, slated to be a leading global educational and research centre, will use an interdisciplinary approach to the critical issues associated with the lifelong workplace health cycle – health and safety, return to work and disability management, as well as rehabilitation. This development follows the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the Government of British Columbia and NIDMAR in 2005."
http://www.nidmar.ca/news/news_articles/NIDMAR%20Bulletin%20University%20Initiative%20May%202007.pdf
EMPLOYMENT
IBM Summer Interns Face Fierce Competition - by Deborah Perelman (eWeek.com). "If there is one word that could be used to sum up summer internships at IBM, it would be 'competitive.' For some, this is a dream-come-true, for others it is just draining. . . . Yet, the competitive atmosphere at IBM had little effect on Bratland's enjoyment of his three internships. Aside from praising IBM for challenging him, he also appreciated that they were accommodating of his hearing deficit. 'I was thrilled to have the opportunity to work for a great company, with a good group of people, and be involved with cutting edge products and research. IBM was also very good about providing sign language interpreters and other assistive technology,' said Bratland."
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2166148,00.asp
Parkland achieves IDMSC certification - (NIDMAR). "Manitoba's Parkland Regional Health Authority is the first regional health authority in Canada – in fact, the first regional health authority in the world – to receive the International Disability Management Standards Council Certification. It's also the first organization in Manitoba to be IDMSC certified. The certification, which recognizes excellence in disability management and return to work programs, was awarded after Parkland achieved 80-plus percent in an audit assessing how workplaces treat injured and ill employees."
http://www.nidmar.ca/news/news_articles/IDMSC%20Newsletter%20Vol%201%20No.%201%20Parkland%20June%202007.pdf
ETHICS
New Initiative Has Shocking Effect: Thousands of Missourians with Abnormal Chromosome Structures Are Not Human - "Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures revealed today a consequence of the deceptive and far-reaching initiative petition filed last week by opponents of embryonic stem cell research: It is so poorly worded and scientifically unsound that it would exclude Missourians with common chromosomal abnormalities like Down, Klinefelter and Turner syndromes from its definition of 'human.' In their blind rush to put their personal ideology ahead of Missourians' need for lifesaving cures, opponents of stem cell research have trampled basic science. Said chief medical officer of St. Louis Children's Hospital Dr. F. Sessions Cole, 'It's impossible to know all the consequences of this vague and poorly written initiative, but there's one that's immediately clear. If you're one of the thousands of Missourians with a chromosome abnormality, this initiative declares you not to be human and enshrines that definition into our constitution. I find that deeply troubling, and I suspect most Missourians will as well'."
http://www.smartmoney.com/news/pr/index.cfm?story=PR-20070827-001924-1703
GENERAL INTEREST
2007 Edition of Toys 'R' Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids Debuts in Stores Nationwide and Online - "Today, Toys 'R' Us announced the release of the latest edition of the Toys 'R' Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids, a complimentary toy-selection guide for parents and friends of children with disabilities. The Guide is available in all Toys 'R' Us stores nationwide and online at http://www.Toysrus.com/DifferentlyAbled. This easy-to-use resource, released annually, features specially selected toys that promote the development of children with physical and cognitive disabilities. For more than a decade, parents, friends, caregivers and professionals have relied on the Toys 'R' Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids to help select toys that are suitable for a child's particular abilities."
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/09-05-2007/0004656450&EDATE=
The Columbine Syndrome - by Judith Warner (New York Times). "Have you followed the series of articles in The Times about Joshua Komisarjevsky, the Cheshire, Conn., 26-year-old who, on early parole for a long string of late-night home robberies, teamed up with an accomplice and broke into a nearby house, sexually assaulted a woman and at least one of her young daughters, beat the father with a baseball bat and left them all to die in a fire? (The father alone survived.) Buried in a report on Tuesday was a sinister detail that piled on a broad insult to all the gruesome injuries, victimizing a whole new set of people who should have had no link whatsoever with Komisarjevsky's crimes. It was that, while pleading for leniency for his client's earlier break-ins, Komisarjevsky's lawyer, William T. Gerace, had in 2002 told a judge that the young man suffered from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and the learning disabilities dyslexia and dysgraphia as a child. A.D.H.D., dyslexia and dysgraphia – invoked as logical potential causes for home invasions and theft? I don't know if you all find this as appalling, offensive and cruel as I do. Perhaps you shrug it off as the work of a defense lawyer doing his job. I just can't do that, because I know that Gerace isn't alone in supporting and promulgating the view that kids with problems like A.D.H.D. – and depression and perhaps soon, thanks to this case, learning disabilities – pose real dangers to society."
http://www.aapd.com/News/disability/070806nyt.htm
Fair Indigo Introduces Jewelry Made by Angels - "Meet Marlene. At age 50, she has only recently begun earning a regular paycheck and the sense of independence and self-worth that comes with it. An acute heart condition kept her from finding meaningful work in her native Peru where, like many countries in the developing world, disabled citizens are often considered 'unemployable' and struggle to make a living. Sadly, many are forced to resort to begging -- or to making crafts and selling them on street corners. Marlene dreamed of a life for her children that would be better than her own. Marlene is one of the Anonymous Angels, a San Luis, Peru-based cooperative of disabled artisans that is crafting jewelry for Fair Indigo's Fall 2007 Collection. Marlene's new found sense of independence and financial security is the direct result of the explosion in fair trade retailing that has expanded from coffee into apparel and accessories. She is also representative of the people whose lives are directly impacted by Fair Indigo's socially responsible approach to retailing, said Rob Behnke, a Fair Indigo co-founder and vice president of merchandising."
http://tinyurl.com/yuqhh3
National Advocate of the Year - "The Canadian Paraplegic Association is pleased to announce that the recipient of the National Advocate of the Year Award is Mr. Courtney Keenan. When presented with the award by Ned Shillington and Noel Brown . . . Courtney received a standing ovation from the CPA Board of Directors and Ned Shillington noted that in all his years working on the National Board, it was the first time he had seen a standing ovation given. A native of New Brunswick, he is a key ambassador for people with spinal cord injuries. He is an advocate, a fundraiser and a motivator."
http://www.canparaplegic.org/en/Member_Profiles_39/items/6.html
The son who didn't fit into plot of Arthur Miller's life - by James Bone (The Times). "Arthur Miller hid the existence of a son with Down's syndrome for decades, but then quietly included him in his will weeks before his death.The playwright committed the baby boy to an institution when he was a week old and cut him out of his life, failing even to mention him in his memoir, Timebends."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article2358307.ece
GOVERNMENT
CANADA
McGuinty Government Makes Good On Commitment To Provide Better Customer Service To People With Disabilities - (CNW). "The McGuinty government is implementing a new accessible customer service standard that will connect more customers to products, services and employment by requiring businesses to be accessible, Madeleine Meilleur, Minister of Community and Social Services, announced today. 'I am proud to launch the accessible customer service standard which will help people with disabilities get the same level of customer service as everyone else,' said Meilleur. 'Improved accessibility makes good business sense. It connects businesses with more potential customers and builds customer loyalty.' The new accessible customer service standard will require all organizations that have at least one employee to identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessible customer service. The standard, which will come into force on January 1, 2008, is based on the recommendations of the Customer Service Standards Development Committee whose membership includes individuals from the business sector, government and people with disabilities."
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/August2007/24/c2123.html
P.E.I. matches federal disability tax credit – (CBC News)."The province will increase the disability tax credit, P.E.I. Treasurer Wes Sheridan announced Wednesday, but an advocacy group says changes to the tax system won't help most Islanders with disabilities. The maximum provincial disability tax credit will increase from $5,400 to $6,800, matching the federal credit. 'These are just the first of many changes that we will be making in future budgets that will look at tax fairness for all Islanders,' said Sheridan."
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2007/08/16/disability-taxcredit.html
U.S.
Side-by-Side Comparison of Candidate Responses - (AAPD). "Responses to the ADAPT/AAPD/NCIL/SABE collaborative list of disability questions sent to all the presidential candidates."
http://www.aapd.com/News/election/070804comp.htm
Talking-Books Budget Cuts Unfair to Blind Americans - (NFB). "In the budget wars in Washington, where billions usually are at stake, an amount less than $7 million would almost never draw any notice. But this tiny sum - trimmed by Congress from a budget request by the Library of Congress for upgrading its talking-books program - has sent dismay rippling through the nation's blind community. Spokespeople for the 1.3 million blind Americans haven't been this upset since airlines banished blind passengers from the aisle seats. They have every right to be perturbed. The budget cutback, small as it may seem, will significantly slow down the Library of Congress' plan to transfer audio books from tape players to a digital format."
http://www.nfb.org/nfb/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=209
U.S. Labor Department awards nearly $1.9 million grant to establish National Technical Assistance Center on Transition and Employment for Youth with Disabilities - "The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) today awarded a 24-month cooperative agreement for $1,850,000 to the Institute for Educational Leadership's Center for Workforce Development in Washington, D.C., to establish a National Technical Assistance Center on Transition and Employment for Youth with Disabilities. 'It is essential that youth with disabilities receive the support they need to stay in school and succeed in the workplace, so that they can realize their dreams and ambitions for the future,' said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. 'This nearly $1.9 million grant is to help ensure that youth with disabilities graduate from high school and get the assistance they need to continue their studies or enter the workforce.' The purpose of the National Technical Assistance Center will be to build the capacity of workforce development, economic development and educational service delivery systems to ensure that youth with disabilities graduate from high school and either enter employment or continue their education."
http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/odep20071254.htm
HEALTH/WELLNESS
7th Annual National Report Card on Health Care - "This is the seventh annual CMA Report Card on the health care system in Canada. Since 2001, the Canadian Medical Association has asked Ipsos-Reid each year to measure public opinion with respect to the health of the Canadian health care system. In particular, Ipsos-Reid has asked Canadians to assign a letter grade to the health care system overall, and considering different aspects of the system. In this year's survey, Canadians were also asked to assess a number of environmental factors, their impacts on health, and their own efforts, as well as those of health professionals, organizations, and federal and provincial governments in mitigating these impacts."
The CMA 2007 Report Card can be found here (pdf) http://www.cma.ca/multimedia/cma/Content_images/Inside_cma/Annual_Meeting/2007/GC_page/Report_Card_e.pdf
(A number of other interesting documents on CMA and health can be found at http://www.cma.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/52043/la_id/1.htm.)
Canadians' satisfaction with health care declining: CMA - (CBC News). "Canadians reported a decline in the quality of health care they're receiving, finds a Canadian Medical Association survey released Monday, though regional pockets of satisfaction do exist. According to the CMA's seventh annual national report card on health care, which surveyed 1,001 Canadian adults on their views about Canada's health-care system, 62 per cent of Canadians grade the overall quality of health-care services available to them and their families as an A (21 per cent) or B (41 per cent), a decrease from 67 per cent in 2006."
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/08/20/cma-healthcare.html
Community Tool Box - "Thank you for visiting the Community Tool Box. Our goal is to support your work in promoting community health and development. The Tool Box provides over 7,000 pages of practical skill-building information on over 250 different topics. Topic sections include step-by-step instruction, examples, check-lists, and related resources."
http://ctb.ku.edu/index.jsp
Find the Joy of Movement in Nia - (NCPAD). "Are you tired of the traditional approach to fitness? Nia might be right for you. It is a soulful approach to fusion fitness that draws from the martial arts, the healing arts, and dance techniques. Nia encourages participants to create a mind-body-spirit connection and empowers individuals to focus on the pleasure of movement that is appropriate for each persons needs. Individuals with fibromyalgia, chronic pain, bipolar disorder and Friedreich's ataxia have reported great successes after incorporating Nia into their regular fitness programs. To find out more about Nia and how an ungraceful, fitness traditionalist such as myself, pushed my comfort zones to experience this unique approach to fitness, read this month's F.I.T.T. column. If I can do this…anyone can!"
http://www.ncpad.org/fitt/fact_sheet.php?sheet=552
Health Indicators 2007 - "Health Indicators 2007 is the eighth in a series of annual reports containing the most recently available health indicators data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information and Statistics Canada. As always, this report presents indicators measuring factors associated with the health of Canadians and the health system. This information is provided for Canada's health regions with a population over 75,000, encompassing approximately 95% of the population, as well as provinces and territories. This issue, Health Indicators 2007, includes an analytical section that highlights the impact of hip fractures on both patients and the overall health system, and features a new indicator on surgical wait times for hip fracture surgery."
http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/dispPage.jsp?cw_page=indicators_e
Improving Healthcare for Persons with Disabilities: What Is Needed? - (presented by Gloria Krahn, director of the Rehabilitation Research & Training Center on Health & Wellness for People with Disabilities). "This webcast will explore the barriers that people with disabilities face in accessing healthcare found in an online survey of people with disabilities and a review of relevant literature. Some promising practices in improving healthcare access on the clinic, provider and person level will also be discussed."
http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/archive/2007/08-08-GK.html
Life expectancy, ageing, disability and demand for disability services - by Xingyan Wen (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare). "Life expectancy has increased markedly over the last century in Australia. Has the number of years lived with a disability fallen or risen as overall life expectancy has lengthened? What is the impact of greater longevity on trends in disability? How much unmet demand is there currently for disability services? How are levels of demand expected to change over coming years? This paper starts by re-examining the trends in expected years of life lived with disability over a period of 15 years (from 1988 to 2003) using the latest available data. It then gives estimates of current levels of unmet demand for specialist disability services, and presents data and commentary relating to projected future demand and the key factors likely to influence levels of demand in coming years."
http://www.apo.org.au/linkboard/results.chtml?filename_num=170276
Secondary Condition Prevention: Building Your Own "Health Empowerment Zone" - (NCPAD). "Secondary condition development and severity can be linked to the availability of health-promoting resources such as physical activity programs and nutritious foods. People with disabilities often face numerous barriers to participating in the physical and nutritional activities they need to maintain health and wellness. These include inaccessible exercise facilities and equipment, lack of professional knowledge in understanding the person's disability, inappropriate professional behavior, lack of transportation to get to an exercise facility, and failure on the part of workers to understand the needs of persons with disabilities. The Healthy People 2010 chapter, Disability and Secondary Conditions, suggests that the significantly lower rate of participation among people with disabilities may be related to environmental barriers, including architectural barriers, organizational policies and practices, discrimination, and social attitudes, and recommends that public health agencies begin to evaluate which environmental factors enhance or impede participation."
http://www.ncpad.org/yourwrites/fact_sheet.php?sheet=551
LEGAL
Accommodating People With Disabilities In Disasters: A Reference Guide To Federal Law - (FEMA). "The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released a new reference guide that outlines existing legal requirements and standards relating to access for people with disabilities. A Reference Guide for Accommodating Individuals with Disabilities in the Provision of Disaster Mass Care, Housing and Human Services is the first of a series of disability-related guidelines to be produced by FEMA for disaster preparedness and response planners and service providers at all levels."
http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=38990
Discrimination Takes a Different Turn for Athletes with Disabilities - (NCPAD). "Oscar Pistorius was born without the small lower bones in his legs, which required him to have two lower-extremity prostheses at the age of 11 months. After becoming one of the top athletes in the 2004 Paralympics, he decided to take on the challenge of competing in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Pistorius is a world-class athlete who runs on carbon fiber curved blades – not an easy task for even the most adept athlete. He holds the Paralympic world record in the double amputee classification in the 100-, 200-, and 400-meter runs. With hard work and determination, Pistorius recently reached a new milestone in his career -- running in open competition with athletes without disabilities with a goal of making the Olympic qualifying time. This has created an international uproar because the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has decided to ban Pistorius from any further competition until a scientific analysis is performed of his running motion."
http://www.ncpad.org/director/fact_sheet.php?sheet=549
New European Union Law Guarantees People with Disabilities the Right to Fly - by Melissa Mitchell (miusa.org). "Beginning the end of July this year, European air carriers can no longer refuse to accept reservations or refuse to board passengers with disabilities thanks to a newly enacted European Union law protecting the rights of passengers with disabilities. In the wake of stories of people with disabilities facing discrimination by air carriers in Europe, The European Union passed Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006 prohibiting carriers from refusing to accept reservations or board passengers on the basis of disability.
The new regulation requires airlines to:
• Provide assistance, free of charge, to passengers with disabilities during departures, arrivals, on board aircraft, and in between flights
• Transport wheelchairs and guide dogs free of carriage charges
• Compensate passengers for any lost or damaged mobility equipment or assistive devices during the trip
• Notify persons concerned within five working days of refusing a reservation, embarkation or requiring a person with reduced mobility to be accompanied, of its reasons for so doing based on safety regulations."
http://miusa.org/newsitems/new-european-union-law-guarantees-people-with-disabilities-the-right-to-fly/
Oakland Sued For Failure To Include People With Disabilities In Disaster Planning - "DRA filed a lawsuit against the City of Oakland to address the City's failure to adequately plan to meet the mass care and shelter needs of people with disabilities in an emergency. The suit highlights a national problem, and one made especially evident during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, during which people with disabilities had their lives put at risk because of a lack of planning for this vulnerable population. The case is the first of its kind in the country. Plaintiffs – the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers ("CFILC") , Californians for Disability Rights, Inc. ("CDR")., and Marian Gray (an Oakland taxpayer) – charge that the City of Oakland has violated federal and state civil rights laws designed to provide people with disabilities equal access to emergency shelter services. Plaintiffs are seeking only injunctive relief."
http://www.dralegal.org/cases/public_entities/CFILC_v.Oakland.php
MEDIA
NCPAD Book Corner: Waking: A Memoir of Trauma and Transcendence - (NCPAD). "Waking is a memoir by Matthew Sanford, yoga enthusiast and instructor, and founder of the non-profit organization Mind Body Solutions. Matthew is also an individual living with paraplegia as a result of a spinal cord injury sustained at age 13. This memoir is a poignant and vivid depiction of the hardships and triumphs Matthew went through as he attempted to heal both his body and his life, experiencing numerous setbacks and surgeries along the way. The book breathes new understanding into the experiences of those who have been through physical trauma, lost loved ones, and have had to become re-acquainted with life after paralysis. Aside from compelling and often heart-wrenching recounting of his memories is a thought-provoking and insightful discussion of the mind-body disconnect that Matthew experienced from his traumatic injury as well as throughout his traditional rehabilitation, and the life-changing reintegration of body and mind that he found through exposure to Iyengar yoga. This memoir may be healing for both those who have and have not experienced similar life events, and may leave readers with the impulse to begin listening to the remarkable conversations we have with our bodies throughout every moment of the day."
http://www.ncpad.org/newsletter/newsletter.php?letter=67§ion=984
On Stage: Natasha Wood, Live! - by Jon Carpenter (NewMobility). "Seven years ago the character 'Stevie' on the show Malcolm in the Middle was one of the very first television characters who used a wheelchair and was actually part of the jokes. Then came 'Jimmy' on South Park, who has muscular dystrophy but still wants to be a stand-up comic. And of course, the irrepressible John Callahan, with his bold, politically incorrect cartoons, has been around for decades. England's Natasha Wood, however, may be the one to bring down the no-jokes-about disability barrier for all time. Wood, a 30-something Brit, co-wrote, produced, and stars in her own one-woman play – Rolling Laughter – that premiered in Los Angeles this spring, moved on to London and Edinburgh during the summer, and is bound for New York City in 2008. Using a power wheelchair, she glides across the stage, re-enacting scenes from her unusual personal life, which leaves the audience both laughing and crying. I had the good fortune to catch her show at the El Portal Theater in North Hollywood, and later had an opportunity to chat with her."
http://www.newmobility.com/articleView.cfm?id=10975
Searching for Silent Clues: Deaf Author Exposes Darkness of Demented Psychopath in New Novel - "In his premier novel, 'Deception's Full Circle' (published by AuthorHouse --http://www.authorhouse.com), J.G. Martinson immerses readers in the disturbing investigation of a demented psychopath as one detective feels her way through the realm of the deaf in search of leads. Mara McEdwards, a single mother and a third-generation detective, specializes in investigating insurance scams. An unprecedented crime case with possible political implications lands on her desk and affects the entire first precinct of Rockville, Md. Mara suddenly finds herself in charge of a unique case that challenges her instincts and places her life in danger. With a body that bears no marks and toxins in its system, the cause of the victim's mysterious death seems elusive. Leading to even more confusion, her only clue is the assistive device found on the dead woman. She hesitates to call it a clue at all."
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/09-04-2007/0004656072&EDATE=
Talking Hands - by Margalit Fox. "Talking Hands is a book unlike any other. For the first time, a book for a popular readership takes a look at the mysterious and beautiful world of the signed languages of the deaf--and explains what they reveal about how all language, signed and spoken, works inside our heads. Written by a New York Times journalist originally trained as a linguist, the book combines the exciting popular science of Oliver Sacks and Steven Pinker with the lyrical prose of Tracy Kidder and John McPhee. The narrative of Talking Hands takes readers to a place like nowhere else on earth: the village of Al-Sayyid (pronounced es-SAYY-id), a remote Bedouin community in Israel where everyone 'speaks' sign language. There, as the result of an unusually high incidence of hereditary deafness, an indigenous sign language has sprung up entirely on its own, used by deaf and hearing villagers alike. At every hour of the day, in nearly every house in the village, in the fields and in the mosque, there are people talking in sign. A veritable island of the deaf, Al-Sayyid is a place that few outsiders have ever seen, and that no journalist has ever before reported on."
http://www.talkinghandsbook.com/thebook.html
Ty Pennington – From ADHD To ABC - (AbilityMagazine). "Now going into his fifth season as host of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Ty Pennington's brand is expanding nearly as quickly as the Starbucks folks can throw up a new java joint on the next corner. The designer not only made the leap to a hit show, he recently opened his own L.A. design boutique called ADHD (Art Design Home Decor), with a wink to Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder—a condition that once made the successful life he leads today seem like an impossible dream. Today, Pennington publishes a quarterly, home-décor magazine that bears his name; presides over a line of home fashions for Sears, and even serves as a spokesperson for both an aspirin and an ADHD medication manufacturer. Our editor-in-chief, Chet Cooper, caught up with him during a brief break in the action. Pennnington could only sit still long enough to answer a few questions as he was preparing to get back on the road for the show."
http://www.abilitymagazine.com/Ty_Pennington.html
VSA arts and Volkswagen of America, Inc., Debut 'Driven' Exhibition at the S. Dillon Ripley Center - "VSA arts and Volkswagen of America, Inc., present 'Driven,' an art exhibition by 15 emerging artists with disabilities that debuts at the Smithsonian Institution's S. Dillon Ripley Center from Sept. 15 to Dec. 31. The exhibition illustrates the motivational force behind the artists' personal visions -- what moves them to create."
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-21-2007/0004649244&EDATE=
MEDICAL
Cochlear implants may restore auditory pathways - by David Douglas (Reuters Health). "Cochlear implants appear to prompt activity leading to revival or initialization of certain normal auditory pathways in the brain, according to French and UK researchers. 'The way cortical tonotopic maps get reorganized with the use of a cochlear implant seems to influence auditory rehabilitation,' lead investigator Dr. Jeanne Guiraud, of the University of Lyon, told Reuters Health. 'Developing training programs, which enhance this brain plasticity, would improve implant benefit.' In the July 18th issue of the Journal of Neuroscience, Dr. Guiraud and colleagues note that deprivation of normal sensory input has been shown to alter tonotopic organization of the human cortex."
http://www.rehabpub.com/reuters_article.asp?id=20070807clin003%2Ehtml
Gastric surgery could cure type 2 diabetes - by Ian Sample (The Guardian). "Patients with the most common type of diabetes could be offered abdominal surgery, after a clinical trial found it may permanently cure the condition. Gastric bypass surgery is performed as a last resort to help severely obese people lose weight, but doctors have noticed that up to 98% of patients who also had late-onset diabetes appeared to be cured within weeks of surgery. The operation involves bypassing part of the upper intestine known as the duodenum and re-plumbing the stomach to empty into the mid-small intestine. This makes it harder for the body to absorb calories from food, so people lose weight."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2007/aug/30/1
Patients Treated With Betaseron(R) After First MS Attack Experienced Significant Delay in MS Progression - "Patients treated with Betaseron (interferon beta-1b) shortly after their first clinical MS event or 'attack' showed a 40 percent lower risk of developing confirmed disability progression compared to patients in whom treatment was delayed. The results-which were fast-tracked and published in The Lancet this week-provide the first controlled evidence that delaying Betaseron treatment has an effect on later accumulation of disability, as observed over the three-year study period. No other MS therapy has demonstrated this effect in this early patient population."
http://sev.prnewswire.com/health-care-hospitals/20070803/NYF02703082007-1.html
POLICY/RESEARCH
CCDS Strategic Plan 2006 -2011: "From Research to Changes in Policies, Programs and Practices" - "Established in 1995, the Canadian Centre on Disability Studies (CCDS) has been a catalyst for change in disability research and disability studies both in Canada and abroad. The organization is unique in its structure and governance, in that it is a consumer-directed, university-affiliated centre with representation from all regions of Canada. Dedicated to participatory action research, CCDS has pioneered a model of research that ensures the active participation of disabled people in every aspect of the research process. Its partnership building and collaborative approach has resulted in the establishment of a knowledge base and a distribution network for the dissemination of information on disability issues."
http://www.disabilitystudies.ca/Documents/Stragic%20plan/Strategic%20Plan%20MAY%2007%20final.htm
Citizenship and Vulnerability: Disability and Issues of Social and Political Engagement - "Citizenship and social movements remain key areas of interest for a wide range of social scientists. Angharad Beckett reinterprets current understandings of citizenship and social movements, illuminating important strengths and weaknesses in a number of key theories through a focus on the nature of the disability movement in the UK. In offering this substantial empirical study, Citizenship and Vulnerability draws on the work of theorists such as Berlin, Habermas and Mouffe, Ellison's ideas about proactive and defensive engagement and Turner's 'sociology of the body', proposing a new model of 'active' citizenship that rests upon an understanding of 'vulnerable personhood'."
http://www.palgrave.com/products/title.aspx?is=1403992363
Disability services - efficient, standardised, impersonal - by Peter Gibilisco (Online Opinion). "The dominant ideas about economic policy owe much to the influence of the Public Choice school of thought, and to the general neoclassical belief that competitive market forces, driven by individual self-interest, are capable of running the most efficient and socially fair economy. Self-interest is thus altruistic! . . . American disability author and activist Marta Russell believes that neoclassical economists see the free market as an equaliser, in that when it expands the economy, all will share in its prosperity. Its rising inequality is indifferent; as a natural phase of the business cycle it is good for the market and society at large, promoting efficiency through standardisation. . . . My personal dealings with Disability Services and their stated goals under the State Disability Plan suggest that people with severe physical disabilities receive no more than social rhetoric, and a form of social dilemma."
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=6239
Funding of long-term care - "In June 2007, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) published a report (How can funding of long-term care adapt for an ageing population?) which suggests improvements to the current methods of funding long-term care, and demonstrates how some of these solutions can work in practice. The report says that the existing long-term funding model is unfair, not clear and unlikely to be sustainable in future because:
• As the population ages, demand for long-term care is growing. By 2050 there will be twice as many people aged over 85 and overall costs will increase fourfold.
• The rules determining who pays what in the present system of paying for care are inconsistent
• Older people with few assets and on low incomes often have no choice over their care or are deprived of their dignity."
http://www.policyhub.gov.uk/news_item/care_funding_jrf07.asp
http://www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/socialcare/2093.asp (six page summary report)
Listen hear!: The economic impact and cost of hearing loss in Australia - (Access Economics). "Hearing loss represents a real financial cost to Australia of $11.75 billion per annum or 1.4% of GDP according to a new research study by Access Economics. The report, officially delivered to Senator the Hon Santo Santoro, Minister for Ageing, at the opening of the Audiology Australia National Conference in Perth, identifies that 1 in 6 Australians is affected by hearing loss, and this number is projected to increase to 1 in every 4 Australians by 2050. Hearing loss is age-related, affecting 3 in every 4 people aged over 70 years. The Listen Hear! Report, commissioned by the Cooperative Research Centre for Cochlear Implant and Hearing Aid Innovation (CRC HEAR) in partnership with VicDeaf, identifies that productivity loss related directly to hearing impairment accounts for well over half (57%) of the total financial costs – or some $6.7 billion a year."
http://www.apo.org.au/linkboard/results.chtml?filename_num=172133
Listening to parents of children with disabilities and special educational needs - "The aim of this study was to consult with parents of disabled children living in London, on the following:
• use of childcare for their disabled children and the factors that influence this
• experiences and perceptions of childcare
• gaps and needs in childcare provision for disabled children
• the cost of childcare for disabled children
• working, studying and childcare for disabled children."
http://action.web.ca/home/crru/rsrcs_crru_full.shtml?x=106937
http://www.daycaretrust.org.uk/mod/fileman/files/LDA_Listening_to_parents_report.pdf (pdf report)
Trends in severe disability among elderly people - (OECD). "This paper assesses the most recent evidence on trends in disability among the population aged 65 and over in 12 OECD countries: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. The focus is on reviewing trends in severe disability (or dependency), defined where possible as one or more limitations in basic activities of daily living."
http://www.apo.org.au/linkboard/results.chtml?filename_num=152998
REHABILITATION
Motion Analysis Helps Teen With Cerebral Palsy Regain Ability to Walk - (Newswise). "At fourteen, cerebral palsy hampered Anthony's ability to walk. He and his mother feared that within the next few years, he would be confined to a wheelchair. As is the case with more than 500,000 Americans with this crippling disorder, Anthony was left with few options and his family turned to Hospital for Special Surgery with the hope of finding answers to effectively address his condition. They were introduced to David M. Scher, M.D., a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Special Surgery, who also serves as co-medical director of the Leon Root, M.D. Motion Analysis Laboratory at the hospital. Dr. Scher believed that motion analysis could be used as an additional imaging tool to figure out the best approach to surgery to prevent Anthony from losing his ability to walk."
http://www.newswise.com/p/articles/view/531197/
SELF-HELP
Ricability - "Ricability is the trading name of the Research Institute for Consumer Affairs (RICA). We are a national research charity dedicated to providing independent information of value to disabled and older consumers. . . Under our trading name of Ricability, we research and publish consumer reports. They are all based on rigorous research and provide practical information needed by disabled and older consumers. . . As the Research Institute for Consumer Affairs we also work with manufacturers, service providers, regulators and policy makers to improve products and services. Our aim is to increase their awareness of the needs of disabled and older consumers through specialist research."
http://www.ricability.org.uk/aboutus.htm
TECHNOLOGY
A New Robotic Hand - "An English company named 'Shadow Robot' created a robotic imitation of a human hand, the closest one ever to the real thing. . . . The robotic hand can operate in inaccessible areas where radiation, toxic chemicals or biological hazards are present, or in potentially dangerous situations such as bomb dismantling. The robotic hand technology can also be used in rehabilitation and assistive devices, where accurate movements and sensitivity are crucial to the patient."
http://www.tfot.info/pod/269/A-New-Robotic-Hand.html
Autodesk Announces Magic Wheels as Inventor of the Month for August 2007 - "Autodesk, Inc. today announced that Magic Wheels, Inc., a developer of multigear wheel systems for manual wheelchairs, has been named the Autodesk Inventor of the Month for August 2007. The Inventor of the Month program (http://www.autodesk.com/inventorofthemonth ) recognizes the most innovative design and engineering advancements made by the extensive community using Autodesk Inventor software. Magic Wheels' selection as Inventor of the Month for August bears particular significance, as August is National Inventors' Month in the United States to recognize invention and creativity."
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-09-2007/0004642549&EDATE=
Cyberkinetics to Participate in NIH Grant for Development of Implants for Restoring Neurological Function - "Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems, Inc., Brown University, and the Cleveland FES (Functional Electrical Stimulation) Center at the Case Western Reserve University announced that they will act as a consortium pursuant to a five-year, $6.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support the development of Cyberkinetics' BrainGate Neural Interface System (BrainGate System). The grant was awarded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, both constituents of the NIH. The goal of the BrainGate System is to provide a reliable, fully implantable and wireless neuroprosthesis that enables paralyzed people to use their own limbs to perform tasks such as eating, drinking, and controlled breathing, as well as to regain bowel and bladder function."
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070802005575&newsLang=en
Freedom Scientific Announces a New Classroom Solution to Its ONYX™ Camera Line - "Freedom Scientific today introduced the ONYX Deskset 17 featuring the powerful ONYX camera mounted on a rotating arm to a 17-inch flat panel monitor. The ONYX Deskset 17 provides low vision users with ultra-sharp auto-focused viewing in distance, intermediate, and up-close magnification, all in a portable package that is extremely easy to use. The ONYX Deskset 17 produces exactingly clear magnification of up to 85 times and offers three distinct viewing modes: distance views, document views, and self views. In the distance mode, even objects from across large rooms or auditoriums can be seen in sharp focus. The document mode gives users the ability to magnify items such as classroom assignments, reading materials, merchandise labels, or craft projects. With the self view, users get a magnified true mirror image close up."
http://www.freedomsci.com/fs_news/PressRoom/en/2007/ONYX-Deskset17-Announced.asp
Professor invents device to aid landmine-injured Cambodians - by Kaitlin Johnson (The Northern Light). "A UAA professor seeks funding to motorize paraplegics in Cambodia 30 years after he survived a snowmachine collision in the Brooks Range that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Jesse Owens, an associate professor in the WWAMI Biomedical Program and biological sciences department who graduated from Mat-Su College and UAA, said he is the first paraplegic to summit Mount Kilimanjaro in Japan. 'When you're disabled in a Third World country, you are the poorest of the poor,' he said. 'It would be as kind to get shot in the head.' Owens invented the Skeeter, a machine with a motorcycle-like engine that buzzes like a mosquito. It's designed for people with disabilities living in Third World countries, to enable them to get around without assistance from others."
http://media.www.thenorthernlight.org/media/storage/paper960/news/2007/07/31/Features/Professor.Invents.Device.To.Aid.LandmineInjured.Cambodians-2928546.shtml
CONFERENCES
(New Conferences)
CANADIAN
International Open Forum on "Supporting Human Diversity Through Inclusive Design" - September 17-21, 2007 | Toronto, Ontario. "This International Open Forum on 'Supporting Human Diversity Through Inclusive Design' is being held in conjunction with the September 2007 International Plenary Meeting of the IT Standardization for Learning, Education and Training, ISO/IEC JTC1/SC36, the international standards committee responsible for information technology standards in the fields of learning, education and training, i.e. 'e-learning'. This International Plenary Meeting will bring together delegates from over 22 countries as well as liaison organizations to Toronto from 17th to 21st of September 2007. This two-day Open Forum serves as an opportunity for a wider public debate on the challenges for international standards development for inclusion in elearning and to promote better awareness of the need for the same globally, across Canada and in Ontario."
http://openforum.elsacc.ca/
Disabilty, Health & Wellness Conference - September 24, 2007 | Winnipeg, Manitoba. "This conference will create awareness and kick-start the process of advancing the health and wellness of people living with a disability or chronic condition.
Major themes:
• Healthy Living
• Health Services and Healthcare
• Healthy Work
• Supports and Information"
http://smd.mb.ca/event/200/disabilty_health_wellness_conference.aspx
24th International Seating Symposium - March 5-8, 2008 | Vancouver, British Columbia. "This international symposium addresses current and future developments in the areas of seating, positioning and mobility. Topic areas include service delivery, product development, research and evaluation. The format for the symposium will include plenary, poster, instructional and paper sessions. Extensive opportunities are provided for networking with colleagues."
http://www.interprofessional.ubc.ca/24th_Seating.htm
CHHA - IFHOH, Congress 2008 - July 2-6, 2008 | Vancouver, British Columbia. "The Canadian Hard of Hearing Association and the International Federation of Hard of Hearing People invite you to attend the International Congress for persons with hearing loss to be held in Canada at the fabulous Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center in downtown Vancouver. Programs will be of interest to all persons with hearing loss, and to those who live, work and are part of the lives of persons with hearing loss. This Congress is a 'must' if hearing loss has touched your life."
http://www.chha-ifhohcongress2008.com/
U.S.
Midwest Regional Disability Lifestyle Conference & Expo - September 29-30, 2007 | Columbus, Ohio. "A new, two-day event spotlighting sports/recreation, the arts and lifestyles of people with disabilities will take place this fall at The Ohio State University. . . Keynote speakers will include Rosemarie Rossetti, PhD., an internationally known professional speaker, trainer, and writer, and William Bauer, PhD., a private practice certified rehabilitation counselor. The event is co-sponsored by OSU, VSA arts of Ohio, Buckeye Paralyzed Veterans of America, Ability Magazine, Columbus Recreation and Parks, and Blaze Sports of Columbus, and Ohio Wheelchair Sports Association."
http://www.paralinks.net/paralinksarchives/07207mortlandconference.html
http://ada.osu.edu/conferences/MobilityConf2007/SessionDescriptions.html
2007 Southwest Conference - October 3-5, 2007 | Albuquerque, New Mexico. "The 2007 Southwest Conference on Disability will be held October 3-5, 2007 at the Albuquerque Convention Center. Conference organizers are excited to announce that the 2007 conference will be held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the National Association on State Units on Aging."
http://cdd.unm.edu/swconf/main.htm
Ninth International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility - October 15-17, 2007 | Tempe, Arizona. "This year, the ASSETS conference will host the second annual SIGACCESS student research competition (sponsored by Microsoft Research). This is an exciting opportunity for students to participate in an ACM conference and get visibility for their research. Students wishing to participate submit abstracts of their work, and up to 25 entrants will be selected for the competition. Qualifying research must deal with issues related to computing and information technology to help persons with disabilities. Selected students will receive partial support from ACM to attend the conference. At the conference, entrants will display a poster and make a brief presentation to a panel of judges. A small number of semifinalists will be chosen by the judges to present their work in a conference session, and of those up to three undergraduate and three graduate students will be designated finalists by the judges, and entered in the Grand Finals of ACM's Student Research Competition."
http://www.acm.org/sigaccess/assets07/
Closing The Gap 25th Annual Conference - October 18-20, 2007 | Minneapolis, Minnesota. "Topics will cover a broad spectrum of technology as it is being applied to all disabilities and age groups in education, rehabilitation, vocation, and independent living. People with disabilities, special educators, rehabilitation professionals, administrators, service/care providers, personnel managers, government officials, and hardware/software developers will share their experiences and insights at what has become known as the most significant networking experience of the year -- the annual Closing The Gap Conference."
http://www.closingthegap.com/conf/index.lasso
10th Annual Accessing Higher Ground: Accessible Media, Web and Technology Conference for Education, for Businesses, for Web and Media Designers - November 6- 9, 2007 | Boulder, Colorado. "Accessing Higher Ground focuses on the implementation and benefits of Assistive Technology in the university and college setting for sensory, physical and learning disabilities. Other topics include legal and policy issues, including ADA and 508 compliance, and making campus media and information resources - including Web pages and library resources - accessible."
http://www.colorado.edu/ATconference/
8th annual Technology Innovators Conference: Bright Ideas. Real Solutions - November 15-16, 2007 | Washington, D.C. "This forum brings together thought leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs engaged in enhancing educational technology. Be a part of the search for real solutions for students with leaders from technology companies, industry, academia, public policymakers, government officials, and the media."
http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/index.php/events-main-page/annual-technology-conference2007/
World of Possibilities Expo Virginia 2007 - December 7-8, 2007 | Richmond, Virginia. "World Of Possibilities Expos focus on Abilities, Healthy Aging and Independent Living and are dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with disabilities, seniors, their families and caregivers, as well as health care and education professionals."
http://expo.caringcommunities.org/
23rd Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference - March 10-15, 2008 | Los Angeles, California. "The 23rd Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference invites submissions of papers for this conference to be held March 10-15, 2008 at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott and Renaissance Montura hotels. The 'CSUN' conference is the world's longest-running and largest conference of its kind on the topic of assistive technology and the positive impact on persons with disabilities. The conference draws more than 4,500 persons annually who attend sessions, visit the exhibit halls, and participate in affiliate meetings and informal gatherings."
http://www.csun.edu/cod/conf/index.html
5th Annual International Conference for Positive Behavior Support - March 27-29, 2008 | Chicago, Illinois. "The 5th International Conference on Positive Behavior Support is an international conference dedicated to promoting research-based strategies that combine applied behavior analysis and biomedical science with person-centered values and systems change to increase quality of life and decrease problem behaviors. The Association of Positive Behavior Support (APBS) is made up of professionals, family members, trainers, consumers, researchers, and administrators who are involved and interested in positive behavior support."
http://www.apbs.org/conference/chicago/default.html
2008 Mobility Planning Services Institute - April 21-24, 2008 | Washington, D.C. "The 2008 Mobility Planning Services (MPS) Institute will take place from April 21-24, 2008 in Washington, D.C. MPS brings together community teams of leaders from the disability world and transportation industry to share information and strategies to improve access to transportation services in their communities."
http://projectaction.easterseals.com/site/PageServer?pagename=ESPA_mobility_planning
Multiple Perspectives on Access, Inclusion, & Disability: Looking Back & Thinking Ahead - April 22-23, 2008 | Columbus, Ohio. "The Eighth Annual Multiple Perspectives conference continues the university's efforts to bring together a diverse audience to explore disability as both an individual experience and social reality that cuts across typical divisions of education & employment; scholarship & service; business & government; race, gender & ethnicity. This year's theme 'looking back and thinking ahead' is meant to encourage presenters and participants to consider topics, methods and programs from fresh perspectives."
http://ada.osu.edu/conferences/2008Conf/callforpapers2008.html#utmost
OVERSEAS
Virtual Rehabilitation 2007 - September 27-29, 2007 | Venice, Italy. "[I]t is with great pleasure that I welcome you in Venice for the event of 'Virtual Rehabilitation 2007', the 6th International Workshop on Virtual Rehabilitation. After the previous experiences in USA and Switzerland, the traditional sequence of meetings will continue in Venice with the purpose to overview the most recent advances in technology and their application to neurorehabilitation."
http://www.aristea.com/iwvr2007/
14th Deafblind International (Dbl) World Conference - September 25-30, 2007 | Perth, Australia. "The 14th Deafblind International World Conference will be held in Perth at the Burswood Entertainment Complex, from Tuesday 25th to Sunday 30th September 2007 inclusive. Exciting international and national speakers will form part of the Conference program based around the Conference theme. An estimated 1000 delegates will attend the Conference from the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom and Europe and from Asia and the countries of the Pacific. Registrants will be
• International, national and local health and disability professionals and service providers;
• World recognised experts in deafblindness;
• Representatives from the international blind and deafblind communities."
http://www.dbiconference2007.asn.au/
Techshare - October 4-5, 2007 | London, United Kingdom. "The Techshare conference highlights the role of technology in the everyday life of people with disabilities. Techshare 2007 will be held on 4-5 October at Novotel London West, London, UK. With Pre-conference workshops held at the same venue on 3 October. The conference is aimed at professionals who work in the disability field, or have an interest in technology. Packed with presentations and workshops, Techshare is a fantastic opportunity to meet with experts and other professionals in your field. Techshare has in the past been an event just for those interested in technology and sight loss, but for 2007 we are broadening out the event to cover all disabilities."
http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/PublicWebsite/public_abouttechshare.hcsp
RAATE 2007 - November 26-27, 2007 | Sheffield, United Kingdom. "RAATE 2007 is the only UK conference focused on the latest innovations in Assistive Technology. This conference will be of interest to everyone who uses, works with, develops or conducts research on Assistive Technology (AT). The conference program has, over the past years, regularly included new technological developments, service innovations, results of formal research projects, service based research and development and a wide range of other stimulating topics. Known as a friendly and productive conference, RAATE offers you a chance to meet and share knowledge and experience with other people working in AT."
http://www.raate.org.uk/about-raate/
Disability Studies Conference - September 2-4, 2008 | Lancaster University, United Kingdom. "The fourth international disability studies conference will take place at Lancaster University, UK. The purpose of the conference is to bring together researchers, practitioners, policy makers and activits to share and debate research, ideas and developments in disability studies. A call for papers and posters will be issued in January 2008. The closing date for abstracts will be 30th April. Submissions are particularly welcomed from students, activists and first time presenters, activists and first time presenters. We seek to provide a supportive environment for people making their first conference presentations and to be as accessible as possible to all delegates."
http://www.gladnet.org/ (listed in the 'Events' section)
19th IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics - July 5-9, 2009 | Paris, France. "Every four years, the World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics represents a unique and irreplaceable event attended by experts from around the world to discuss the latest findings in the field of ageing. The 19th congress, which is taking place in Paris in 2009, is particularly important, as it coincides with an ideological u-turn. Lifespan extension and the
growing number of elderly people, once considered as catastrophic, are now viewed as an indisputable progress."
http://www.gerontologyparis2009.com/site/view8.php