News of Interest09/25/2008 - Pres. Bush's Father Joins Him at ADA Amendments Act Signing
WASHINGTON (AP) — With his father looking on, President Bush on Thursday signed legislation expanding the protections afforded by the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act to those who can use medication or other devices to treat impairments. The original law was enacted in 1990, when former President George H.W. Bush, the current president's father, was in office. The act is widely regarded as one of the major features of civil rights legislation in the 20th century because it ensured that the disabled have access to public buildings and accommodations, thus giving them better access to the workforce. But since its passage, the Supreme Court has generally exempted from the law's anti-discrimination protections those with partial physical disabilities or impairments that can be treated with medication or devices such as hearing aids. The bill Bush signed on Thursday in the Oval Office directs the courts to a more generous application of the ADA's definition of disability, making it clear that Congress intended the law's coverage to be broad and to cover anyone facing discrimination because of a disability. It took months of difficult negotiations with the business community to arrive at a compromise. Bush signed the bill without public comment or fanfare. 09/11/2008 - Civil Rights, Disability, and Business Communities Applaud Senate Passage of the Americans With Disabilities Amendments Act WASHINGTON, DC — Today, the Senate expressed overwhelming bipartisan support for the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act by unanimously passing the bill by voice vote. The bill included over 77 bipartisan co-sponsors. The bill went to the Senate floor today after it was passed overwhelmingly by the House of Representatives in late June, and has enjoyed wide support on both sides of the aisle, as well as among employers, civil rights and disability advocates, who have formed an uncommon alliance around the legislation. The ADA Amendments Act will correct narrow court interpretations that have restricted ADA coverage in the workplace, and taken away coverage for individuals with diabetes, epilepsy, serious heart conditions, mental disabilities, and cancer. The act will also clarify responsibilities for employers... 09/09/2008 - U-M fans rave about new seats for disabled They have a new coach, a new team, and brand new seating for the disabled. Advertisement Well, at least one of those things at University of Michigan's renovated Michigan Stadium seems to be working out better than expected. "These are the best seats in the house," said Richard Bernstein, a lawyer who sued the university on behalf of the Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America... 09/04/2008 - Judge: Disabilities Act applies to airlines DETROIT -- The Americans with Disabilities Act applies to airports and to airlines such as Northwest, a federal judge in Detroit has ruled. U.S. District Judge George Caram Steeh on Tuesday denied a motion by Northwest Airlines to dismiss a lawsuit brought by five Detroit area residents with physical disabilities. That means the lawsuit, filed in April by Farmington Hills attorney Richard Bernstein, can continue. The plaintiffs allege Northwest fails to provide them adequate assistance in the airport and on the plane, causing problems such as missed flights and damaged wheelchairs. Northwest, in a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, argued the Americans with Disabilities Act does not apply to services at airports. But Steeh ruled otherwise and said in a 13-page opinion that to conclude the ADA did not apply to airports "would leave the door open for acts of discrimination that could not be remedied..." 09/01/2008 - Amazon to make web more open to blind Amazon, the world’s largest internet retailer, will be required to make some of its web software more accessible to blind people, under the terms of a $6m legal settlement agreed between Target, the discount retailer, and the National Federation of the Blind. The NFB took legal action two years ago against Target in California, arguing that its e-commerce website, one of the busiest in the US, was not sufficiently accessible to software programs used by blind people to read online text aloud. Under the terms of a settlement, Target has agreed to implement a new design code for its site, to fix a list of issues, and to work with the NFB to improve features on the site... 08/26/2008 - Sign language over cell phones in the U.S. Thanks to University of Washington (UW) computer scientists, hearing-impaired users might soon be able to use sign language over a mobile phone, like in Japan or Sweden. The research team received a grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation to start a 20-person field project next year in Seattle. Of course, deaf people were already able to use text messages for communication. But as said the lead researcher, ‘the point is you want to be able to communicate in your native language. For deaf people that’s American Sign Language (ASL).’ Now the researchers have to convince a commercial cell phone manufacturer to integrate their MobileASL software before this service becomes widely available. But read more… 08/18/2008 - Touch Sight: Camera for the blind may open a lot of eyes Concept devices are sometimes made stronger when the design is kept simple and the focus is a great new idea. The Touch Sight is just such a concept that would essentially revolutionize the world of the blind by giving the community the ability to take "photos." According to designer Chueh Lee of Samsung China, "Touch Sight does not have an LCD but instead has a lightweight, flexible Braille display sheet which displays a 3D image by embossing the surface, allowing the user to touch their photo." Visually impaired users would manage their photos by using the camera's file system that records sounds three seconds after pressing the shutter button. The idea is so brilliant that it won the 2008 International Design Excellence Award. Beyond the notion of taking Braille photos, such a device would almost certainly result in the emergence of a new field of visual art works by artists creatively using the technology to show the rest of us how the blind see the world in ways we could never imagine... 08/14/2008 - Long-term care issue requires attention (Commentary) By Mike Ervin Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain need to start addressing the issue of long-term care. Reforming long-term care delivery is an issue of vital importance for people with disabilities and our families and friends. But there has been little discussion of it during the presidential campaign. I am one of millions of Americans with disabilities who rely on the assistance of others to navigate through each day. I hire people to help me get out of bed and into my wheelchair and to perform activities of daily living. My workers are paid through a state program that is essentially funded by Medicaid. This program is central to my freedom and independence. Without it, I might be forced to surrender myself to a nursing home. But because federal long-term care policy still heavily favors institutionalization, countless people with disabilities are forced to give up their freedom in exchange for assistance. Those of us using community assistance programs like the one in my state are just a budget cut away from joining them... 08/13/2008 - Advocate breaks the silence on disability rights Do I seem like a dangerous person or just a frustrated person?" Richard McGann asked after explaining his flaps with bureaucracies that cannot or will not provide the accommodations his deaf-blindness requires. "I want people to understand that I am friendly. I get so tired of the negativity of people who do not understand deaf-blindness. Sometimes I do explode." Mr. McGann, 54, is a big man. His spoken words, though not always easy to understand, are sometimes louder than expected, his gestures sometimes intense. But he hardly seems dangerous... 08/12/2008 - Employees with disabilities allege bias at SSA Barbara Penny, a former supervisor at the Social Security Administration, says employees with disabilities at the agency are passed over for training and are viewed as a costly burden because they often require special accommodations, such as interpreters or electronic readers. As a result, they aren’t promoted as often as other employees. In at least one instance, Penny, who lives in Auburn, Wash., said she and other members of a panel charged with reviewing top candidates for a job opening at the agency were provided details on each candidate’s race, gender and disabilities — factors that shouldn’t be considered in personnel decisions. The list was shredded after the selection panel made its decision, she said. “There is no doubt in my mind that disability was a factor in decision-making because it was more convenient for SSA not to pick the disabled person who needed an expensive accommodation,” she said... 06/26/2008 - House Votes to Expand Civil Rights for Disabled WASHINGTON — The House passed a major civil rights bill on Wednesday that would expand protections for people with disabilities and overturn several Supreme Court decisions issued in the last decade. The bill, approved 402 to 17, would make it easier for workers to prove discrimination. It would explicitly relax some stringent standards set by the court and says that disability is to be “construed broadly,” to cover more physical and mental impairments. Supporters of the proposal said it would restore the broad protections that Congress meant to establish when it passed the Americans With Disabilities Act that President George Bush signed in 1990... 06/1/2008 - Senator Tom Harkin's Comments on ADA Restoration House Action WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the House Committees on Judiciary and Education and Labor acted simultaneously to move the Americans with Disabilities Restoration Act to the House floor. The legislation overturns several Supreme Court decisions interpreting the ADA in such a way that people with obvious disabilities from epilepsy to missing limbs have nonetheless been held to be not covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Senator Harkin, the Senate sponsor of the companion legislation, issued the following statement: “This is an important first step in making sure the Americans with Disabilities Act protections are restored to all Americans with disabilities. I look forward to floor action in the House and the opportunity to move forward in the Senate to once again make clear that Congress intends that every American with a disability has equality of opportunity and the chance to be economically self-sufficient.” 05/28/2008 - Blind New York governor embraces his disability ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — As a young man, David Paterson never looked for dropped change because he didn't want people to see a blind man crawling on the floor for nickels and dimes. He didn't use a white cane, either: it would make him a target in his New York City neighborhood. But now he's 54, and in a dizzying rush of events just two months ago, David Paterson became governor of New York. His blindness became national news. "The concentration that I have had to engage to make this adjustment sometimes feels overwhelming," Paterson told The Associated Press on Wednesday. In his first extensive comments about his disability, Paterson, who took the job March 17, also speaks with pride about how his unlikely ascension has taught him to embrace his disability and may help others be more comfortable with theirs. He rose from the lieutenant governor's office when Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned amid a prostitution scandal. Paterson lost sight in his left eye and much of the sight in his right because of an infection as an infant. He can see shapes, and usually recognizes people as they approach, but he can read for just a few minutes at a time and must hold text close to his face. Another New York governor, fellow Democrat Franklin Delano Roosevelt, once hid his polio by using secret doors and hallways in the Capitol. But Paterson is up front about being legally blind. When he was a state senator, it was almost imperceptible. He couldn't rely on teleprompters for speeches, so he memorized them... 05/08/2008 - Blind Bowler Scores Perfect Game DES MOINES, Iowa -- A blind Iowa man scored a perfect 300 game at the Century Lanes bowling alley on Saturday, The Storm Lake Times reported. The Times said Dale Davis, 78, of Alta, called the game "quite a thrill." He rolled 12 back-to-back strikes, the first-ever perfect game at the Century Lanes, The Times reported. Excitement throughout the building grew as the crowd watched Davis roll ball after ball down the lanes. "When I got to the tenth frame, I said ‘Lord, let me throw three more good balls,’ Davis told The Times... 05/07/2008 - Growing Our Culture of Voters Voting does more than elect politicians. Through the act of voting, people become dynamic players in the political arena where policy decisions are made and both their political and personal power grows. They become active citizens, connected with the community of voters. Unfortunately, according to US Census data, people with disabilities, including mental health disabilities, are 15% less likely to be registered to vote and 20% less likely to vote if registered. Consequently, our issues take a back seat to those associated with groups who have more political clout, groups more likely to turn out voters. The issue of mobilizing our community as a ‘culture of voters’ is multi-faceted and requires a comprehensive approach to remedy... 05/06/2008 - Successful House Hearing on Telephone and Television Accessibility On May 1, 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet held a lively hearing on “Enhancing Access to Broadband Technology and Services for Persons with Disabilities.” Consumer witnesses’ statements offered support for the legislative agenda of the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT), now numbering nearly 200 national, regional and local members. COAT's witnesses discussed the importance of requiring accessibility of communications that involve the Internet, addressing the need for legislation to ensure no one is left behind in the analog dust as 21st century communications expand digitally. One witness, Jamaal Anderson -- defensive end and 2007 first round draft pick of the NFL Atlanta Falcons and whose father is a leading deaf educator and former board member of Gallaudet University – testified from the point of view of family members. He emphasized how communicating with a person who is deaf via “real time text phone calls,” previously through TTYs (text telephones), should be a required “voice equivalent” now that so much text moves through the Internet. Mr. Anderson also spoke of the pressing need for Universal Service Funds to be set aside for deaf-blind people to have phone equipment. These specialized Braille phones are a costly barrier to making a phone call for the 70,000 Americans who are deaf-blind... 04/30/2008 - Robotic wheelchair docks like a spaceship A laser-guided robot wheelchair that automatically docks with the user's vehicle and loads itself into the back could give disabled drivers more freedom. Using the new system, the user opens the door of their van and presses a button to lower the front seat so they can climb in. A remote control is then used to drive the chair round to the back of the van. From here on, a computer inside the vehicle takes over. Using radio signals and laser guidance, it positions the chair onto the forks of a lift that hauls the wheelchair on board, and closes the door... 03/31/2008 - Now is the time to act to protect the disabled I've been told that in my former life, I was an effortless multitasker, a fast-talker and a quick thinker. I had speaking engagements across the country and composed my most powerful speeches in airplanes and taxis. In my former life, I was Rabbi Lynne Landsberg. And although I am still Rabbi Lynne Landsberg, the rest has changed. In 1999, I sustained a traumatic brain injury when my SUV skidded on a patch of black ice and wrapped around a tree... Before my brain injury, I belonged to one minority that was strong and articulate—the American Jewish community. Now, I belong to a second minority that is daily the victim of discrimination yet remains powerless and barely heard—people with disabilities... Feb-March/2008 - Raytheon seeks war vets with disabilities for technical roles The company is looking to fill engineering, IT and other technical and program management jobs, plus IT positions from systems integrations to physical security. War vets with disabilities who were techies in civilian life may wonder how they’ll fit into their former careers. One solution may be a new career with defense contractor Raytheon (Waltham, MA). Raytheon has stepped up its efforts to hire techie vets with disabilities, working through partnerships with government agencies and other veteran help centers. Raytheon is a technology leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. The company’s 73,000 employees are involved with state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and more... 03/13/2008 - Accessibility wasn't key for Pittsburgh disabled man Rusty Loudermilk's spirits dropped with each step he rose. Six men carried Loudermilk in his wheelchair up steps and into an Allegheny County Democratic Committee meeting last Thursday at a Downtown office building, because organizers failed to secure a key that operated a wheelchair lift in the lobby, he said. "It was embarrassing, and it was unsafe," said Loudermilk, 39, of Downtown, whom the committee considered nominating to County Council to fill Brenda Frazier's vacant seat. "I was trying to control my temper. I knew if I didn't, I didn't have a chance of getting that nomination." Because of Loudermilk's experience, changes are afoot at 225 Ross St., where the Democratic Committee and U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle have offices, to better comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act... 03/11/2008 - Michigan Stadium Will Expand Seating for Disabled Fans In a settlement that ended a civil lawsuit in federal court, the University of Michigan agreed to nearly quadruple the number of seats accessible to persons with wheelchairs in its football stadium in Ann Arbor. There were 88 such seats in Michigan Stadium last year; by 2010, the number will increase to 329 in the main seating bowl, along with an equal number of companion seats for fans accompanying disabled persons. The agreement, a consent decree, was announced jointly on Monday by the university and the Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America, a group that had sued the university in United States District Court... 03/06/2008 - Ga. girl helps link autism to childhood vaccines In a move autism family advocates call unprecedented, federal health officials have concluded that childhood vaccines contributed to symptoms of the disorder in a 9-year-old Georgia girl. While government officials continue to maintain that vaccines don't cause autism, advocates say the recent settlement of the girl's injury case in a secretive federal vaccine court shows otherwise. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has concluded the family of Hannah Poling of Athens is entitled to compensation from a federal vaccine injury fund, according to the text of a court document in the case. The amount of the family's award is still being determined. The language in the document does not establish a clear-cut vaccine-autism link. But it does say the government concluded that vaccines aggravated a rare underlying metabolic condition that resulted in a brain disorder "with features of autism spectrum disorder." 02/25/2008 - The Truth About Autism: Scientists Reconsider What They Think They Know The YouTube clip opens with a woman facing away from the camera, rocking back and forth, flapping her hands awkwardly, and emitting an eerie hum. She then performs strange repetitive behaviors: slapping a piece of paper against a window, running a hand lengthwise over a computer keyboard, twisting the knob of a drawer. She bats a necklace with her hand and nuzzles her face against the pages of a book. And you find yourself thinking: Who's shooting this footage of the handicapped lady, and why do I always get sucked into watching the latest viral video? But then the words "A Translation" appear on a black screen, and for the next five minutes, 27-year-old Amanda Baggs — who is autistic and doesn't speak — describes in vivid and articulate terms what's going on inside her head as she carries out these seemingly bizarre actions. In a synthesized voice generated by a software application, she explains that touching, tasting, and smelling allow her to have a "constant conversation" with her surroundings. These forms of nonverbal stimuli constitute her "native language," Baggs explains, and are no better or worse than spoken language. Yet her failure to speak is seen as a deficit, she says, while other people's failure to learn her language is seen as natural and acceptable... 02/24/2008 - Vancouver couple show autism, romance can coexist VANCOUVER, Wash. — Emilia Murry Ramey and Jody John Ramey met through a mutual friend. They soon discovered they had more in common than their friend. Both were students at Portland State University. And both have autism. The Vancouver couple are among the estimated 1.5 million Americans living with the effects of some degree of autism. Specifically, Emilia and Jody both have Asperger syndrome, marked by social awkwardness and a lack of understanding of conventional social rules. As if dating weren't hard enough... 02/14/2008 - National Organization on Disability Announces Top City in Friendliness, Outreach WASHINGTON, DC, February 14, 2008— Houston, Texas has been chosen as the winner in the seventh annual Accessible America Contest, the National Organization on Disability (NOD) announced today. The city is being heralded as a national model for its focus on disability issues and successful design of programs, services and facilities that are accessible for citizens and visitors who have disabilities. The Accessible America Contest, administered by NOD’s Community Partnership Program, is sponsored by generous grants from UPS, AARP and the Chrysler Foundation. Other 2007 contest finalists were: Alexandria, VA; Bloomington, IN; Columbus, GA; Hattiesburg, MS; Indianapolis, IN; Miami-Dade County, FL; New Haven, CT; and Sioux Falls, SD. Governor Tom Ridge, Chairman of the National Organization on Disability, and former Secretary of Homeland Security noted, "The work of the communities participating in the Accessible America Award competition serves as an important reminder that people with disabilities are not passive consumers of help, but can contribute meaningfully to America's communities. The City of Houston exemplifies a community that has enriched its civic life by the full participation of citizens with disabilities." 01/24/2008 - Cruelty less likely to those with visible disabilities Michael Rogers has given a lot of thought to living as a person with disabilities, the kind of disabilities you can see and the kind you can't. Rogers is a lifelong wheelchair user because of cerebral palsy. That's the part you can see. And until recently he has been unable to process printed words. That's the part you can't see. He can see print just fine, but, for most of his life, his eyes did not track. Rogers has dyslexia and an exacerbating muscle condition that left his eyes unable to hold steady when he reads. Without the ability to string the letters together, there are no words, no sentences, no paragraphs. From Rogers' perspective, it is not the visible physical disability that has created the biggest barrier to his full participation. Rather, it is the less-visible learning disability that has impeded the achievement of his key goals... 01/24/2008 - First of its kind MALAYSIA, By ANTHONY THANASAYAN - LAST week my friends and I were at the Kepong Botanical Gardens in the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM), Selangor, to witness the official launch of the first disabled-friendly forest trail in the country. The 400-metre specially-constructed walkway under the thick forest canopy is named the Razak Walk after FRIM’s Director-General Datuk Dr Abdul Razak Mohd Ali, who officiated the ceremony. The Razak trail is the only area in the 600-ha FRIM that is accessible to wheelchairs. A disabled-friendly loo is also situated about 10 minute's walk from the area. The trail is the brainchild of Elango Velautham, a researcher at FRIM. Elango was temporarily immobilised, following an operation in the late 1980s... 01/21/2008 - Western fund enables disabled Dan Bauer, who started a property management business three years ago, is just getting going. The resident of Osoyoos, B.C., and a paraplegic, plans to sell his company in a couple of years and put the money toward building a wheelchair-accessible wilderness retreat for the disabled and for seniors. "There's such a need for this," he says. "I'd have no trouble getting bookings. We're now looking for investors." Despite a crippling injury suffered in a motor-vehicle accident in Alberta in 1985, Mr. Bauer's positive attitude is typical of many disabled business people. According to Statistics Canada, people with disabilities have a much higher rate of self-employment and smallbusiness experience than people without disabilities and they start businesses at almost twice the rate of the general population... 01/16/2008 - Disabled driver seeks help pumping gas; stations stations say help is available The lack of full service gasoline pumps in Farmington is an obstacle for one disabled man. Convenience stores with gas pumps say that doesn't have to be. Since the last two full-service stations in town closed, Tim Koenig said he not only worries about how to pay for gas but worries about how to get gas in the car... 01/14/2007 - Judge Approves Class Action Lawsuit against VA re: PTSD From the San Jose Mercury Sun (1/11): "Class action lawsuit against VA approved By Josh Richman A federal judge in San Francisco has cleared the way for a national class-action lawsuit challenging how Department of Veterans Affairs treats Iraq and Afghanistan war casualties with post-traumatic stress disorder. The federal system for weighing individual veterans' claims "does not provide an adequate alternative remedy for Plaintiffs' claims for several reasons," U.S. District Judge Samuel Conti wrote in a 42-page order rejecting the government's motion to dismiss three of the lawsuit's four claims..." 01/08/2007 - Columnist's Daughter Writes About Her Disability Abigail Vance: “I was born with spina bifida. When I was growing inside my mother's womb some of the vertebrae in my lower back didn't form correctly. So the nerves in that area were damaged. I have paralysis below the knees, and have it in a few areas above the knees. “Throughout life, since the day I got my first wheelchair, I've noticed that people aren’t always comfortable around me. Sometimes they ask, 'Why are you in that?' Other people look uncomfortable around me and don't talk, and they seem as if they are trying to avoid me. I think some people avoid me because they think they can catch spina bifida and would have to use a wheelchair. But that isn't possible.” “Sometimes people talking to me look at my wheelchair rather than my face. I wish they would look me in the eyes. When you talk to people who don’t use wheelchairs, you look at their face, right? “Occasionally when I’m around a lot of people that don't know me, I see kids hiding behind their parents and asking, 'What happened to her?' I wish they wouldn't be so shy so I could tell them why I’m like this. Instead, I often hear the parent say something like, 'Be quiet, and don't stare.' But I like it when people ask about my disability, because to me that's a sign they think I'm okay to be around..." 01/04/2007 - VICTORY! "Ransom Notes" Ad Campaign Cancelled! The following note comes from Ari Ne'eman, President of The Autistic Self Advocacy Network: "Hello everyone, I am pleased to inform you that this afternoon the NYU Child Study Center announced that they will be ending the "Ransom Notes" ad campaign in response to widespread public pressure from the disability community. You can read that announcement here. The thousands of people with disabilities, family members, professionals and others who have written, called, e-mailed and signed our petition have been heard. Today is a historic day for the disability community. Furthermore, having spoken directly with Dr. Harold Koplewicz, Director of the NYU Child Study Center, I have obtained a commitment to pursue real dialogue in the creation of any further ad campaign depicting individuals with disabilities. We applaud the NYU Child Study Center for hearing the voice of the disability community and withdrawing the "Ransom Notes" ad campaign..." 12/14/2007 - Scientists seek to help 'locked-in' man speak NEW YORK (CNN) -- It's been described as the closest thing to being buried alive -- complete paralysis of the body, except for controlled movement of the eyes. That's how 24-year-old Erik Ramsey has spent the last eight years of his life. He suffered a brain stem stroke after a car accident when he was 16, leaving him with "locked-in" syndrome... ...But new research may give Erik Ramsey the miracle he has been waiting for. Dr. Phil Kennedy, chief scientist at Neural Signals Inc., a company he founded to conduct research on the brain and communication. He came up with a revolutionary idea that he believed could turn Ramsey's thoughts into speech... 12/4/2007 - Persons with disabilities a boon for their employers, says Secretary-General (U.N. Press Release) Marking the International Day of Disabled Persons, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today emphasized that people with disabilities not only make good employees, but that companies benefit greatly from employing them. "Persons with disabilities have the ability to make valuable contributions in the workforce as employees, entrepreneurs and employers," said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his message for the Day, whose theme this year is "Decent work for persons with disabilities." "Whenever the opportunity arises, persons with disabilities prove their worth as productive members of the workforce," Mr. Ban said. "That is why more and more employers are slowly coming to the realization that employing persons with disabilities makes good sense." "Changing workplace environments and advances in information and communications technology are also giving persons with disabilities new avenues for seeking decent work," the Secretary-General said... 12/4/2007 - Disability 101: Presume competence ...I have MS. I can’t walk worth beans. I usually use a wheelchair to go grocery shopping. But I’m an athlete. Not all people with disabilities are athletes. But some people you see in wheelchairs are athletes. Think about that possibility before you form your assumptions. A group called Disability is Natural, based in Woodland Park (www.disabilityisnatural.com), has long asserted, “When you see, meet or think about a person with a disability, presume competence.” So when you see me out in the community in my wheelchair, or walking with my cane, please don’t assume I can’t. Very often, I can. Presume competence... 11/17/2007 - Diversity ideal excludes disabled There's an ironic disconnect developing around the terms "diversity" and "inclusion." Somewhere along the way, we have shrunk the meaning of both words. Diversity should include all people who look and think and communicate and move in ways that distinguish them from the majority. These days the term is used almost exclusively to refer to skin colour and ethnicity. My diversity is not your diversity. Who knew a concept so inclusive could become so exclusive? When most people talk about visible minorities these days, they do not have in mind kids in wheelchairs. And herein lies the irony... 11/27/2007 - LEARNING DISABILITIES AND ENTREPRENEURS When we think of entrepreneurs and business leaders we typically think about people who are savvy and smart. They have everything going for them and probably have never faced any type of adversity, especially not brain disorders. Well, think again. I’ve interviewed many CEOs over the years for big and small firms and there were quite a few that had stories to tell about learning disabilities that plagued them since youth. So, I wasn’t surprised when a study came across my desk about how 35 percent of U.S. entrepreneurs have dyslexia... 11/20/2007 - Justice Department Intervenes in Lawsuit to Make the University of Michigan Football Stadium Accessible The United States today filed a motion to intervene in Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America v. University of Michigan, in the Eastern District of Michigan, a lawsuit challenging the accessibility of the University of Michigan football stadium for individuals with mobility disabilities. In its complaint in intervention, the United States alleges that the university and its Board of Regents violated and continue to violate Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act by illegally discriminating against persons with disabilities by failing to make its football stadium accessible. “Attending football games is a key element of campus life at the University of Michigan, both for students and alumni,” said Rena J. Comisac, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We seek to ensure that the university’s iconic football stadium, the largest stadium in the United States, has the accessible seating and amenities that federal law requires.” 11/19/2007 - New wheelchair uses solar power A research team at the Southern Taiwan University of Technology in Tainan County has invented a new type of solar powered wheelchair which integrates the functions of existing manual and electric wheelchairs and can be sold for a cheaper price, the university said yesterday. Both hand-powered and electric wheelchairs on the market have their own drawbacks, with the former prone to causing muscle ache and the latter lead to a decline in cardiopulmonary function due to a lack of exercise, the sources said. Against this backdrop, a research team in the university's Mechanical Engineering Department has tried to modify conventional wheelchairs to use solar energy... 11/2007 - Web Marketing to a Segment Too Big to Be a Niche Disaboom.com went live on October 1, 2007 The latest Abilities Buzz Newsletter, from the same folks who produce the annual Abilities Expos, has an article on a great new website, Disaboom.com: "...Disaboom is the brainchild of J. Glen House, who graduated from medical school after becoming a quadriplegic as a result of a skiing accident at 20. The site combines the social-networking features of Web sites like Facebook with information of interest to its constituency: medical news, career advice, dating resources and travel tips. Disaboom.com went live Oct. 1 and hopes to attract more than a million unique visitors each month by the end of February and to double that over the next year. Mr. House and his investors took the company public in May, listing it on the Over the Counter Bulletin Board securities market. “I don’t think mainstream advertisers realize the magnitude of the marketplace and how underserved it was,” said Howard Lieber, vice president for sales at Disaboom..." 11/25/2007 - Wheelchair no hindrance for Sergeant Bluff cheerleader School spirit makes wheeled debut in Sergeant Bluff SERGEANT BLUFF, Iowa -- Abby Menefee took her orange and black pleated skirt and placed it neatly on the desk in her bedroom two weeks ago. Atop it went the black shirt, the one with "Warriors" embroidered across the front. Abby kept it there until she dressed Monday morning. "She was that excited about today," her father, Chad, says as Abby, a Sergeant Bluff-Luton Middle School basketball cheerleader takes the floor Monday afternoon. "You can't believe how much she's been looking forward to this." Abby, 13, made some history Monday afternoon, becoming the first SB-L cheerleader with cerebral palsy to take the floor for a middle school game. Let the record show the seventh-grader's first cheer was the "Hello" cheer... 11/15/2007 - ACLU Commends Senate Committee for Support of ADA Restoration Act Washington, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union commends the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Chairman Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Ranking Member Michael Enzi (R-WY), for holding a hearing on S. 1881, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Restoration Act of 2007. The ACLU also acknowledges the leadership and vision of Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) for their co-sponsorship and support of this important legislation. "Today’s hearing is an excellent opportunity to examine a shortfall of the Americans with Disabilities Act – the fact that many people with disabilities remain excluded from employment discrimination protections," said Caroline Fredrickson, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. "People with epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, bipolar disorder and diabetes have been denied ADA protection because of a series of U.S. Supreme Court decisions restricting the definition of disability..." 11/13/2007 - A Disability In The Family When Dan Habib's toddler son, Samuel, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, he and his wife were devastated, afraid -- and worried about his future. "How could he run around on the playground and play kickball when he couldn't run?" asks Betsy McNamara, Samuel's mother. "How could he yak on the phone with his teenage friends when he has trouble talking? How could he get a full education and go to college when he can't hold a pencil?" Habib, a photojournalist based in Concord, N.H., got behind his camera to answer some of those questions. He shot video and still photos to create a documentary film, "Including Samuel," which premieres in Washington on Thursday night at the Avalon Theatre. In the film, we learn that in many ways, Samuel is much like any other 7-year-old. He likes hot dogs and tee ball, and is debating between careers as an astronaut or a race car driver. Like a good New Englander, Samuel roots for the Boston Red Sox, and he loves watching games with his big brother, Isaiah, 11... 11/12/2007 - New ad campaign challenges our Creature Discomforts A new campaign to challenge and change attitudes towards disability is being launched by Leonard Cheshire Disability this week and is previewed online today (12 November). The charity has teamed up with Aardman Animations to create a highly original campaign called Creature Discomforts. The awareness campaign is based on the much-loved Creature Comforts series but features the hallmark plasticine characters with disabilities, combined with the real voices and experiences of disabled people. The Aardman Animations team has created new characters for Leonard Cheshire Disability’s campaign including a bull terrier in a wheelchair, a stick insect with a walking stick and a tortoise on crutches... 11/07/2007 - Hidden disabilities call for as much empathy as those easily apparent There is something I notice every time my wife pulls into a disabled-parking space — an icon of a person in a wheelchair. While I understand the need to have universal signage for the illiterate and non-English speakers, this little icon does its part in contributing to the myth that people with disabilities have to "look disabled." The fact is that there are a number of people in the United States with hidden disabilities. A hidden disability is a condition that has chronic symptoms that cannot be seen by the naked eye... 11/07/2007 - U-M says stadium fulfills law The University of Michigan has rejected a federal claim that Michigan Stadium violates the law by not being adequately accessible to people with disabilities. In its response Monday to the findings issued Oct. 26 by the U.S. Department of Education's office of civil rights, U-M said the 80-year-old stadium satisfied federal accessibility standards for construction before the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the planned expansion will comply with the current standards... 11/03/2007 - PICTURES! Presidential Candidates Forum a HUGE Success! Check the link above for pictures from the first ever forum for Presidential Candidates to talk about disability policy. Those speaking at the event included Democratic candidates Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator Joe Biden, Senator Chris Dodd, Representative Dennis Kucinich and former Senator Mike Gravel. Former Senator John Edwards sent his campaign manager, former U.S. Representative David Bonior, to deliver a statement on his behalf. Republican Senator John McCain addressed the crowd by telephone phone... 11/01/2007 - Barbara McKee: A kitchen fit for a wheelchair-using chef is practical, safe Owning a food-service business is hard work. I recently received an e-mail from a wheelchair-using chef who is opening his first caf‚. He asked what the remodeling contractors should do to make the kitchen wheelchair-accessible and safe. As I was writing my response, I realized many of the tricks I used would be applicable to every chef - at home or in a professional setting... 11/01/2007 - Disability activist goes after area inns ...During a recent search for fine dining restaurants to celebrate her husband's 67th birthday, Phillips said, she requested information on the accessibility of several places in the Gettysburg/Hanover area, including the Sheppard Mansion. "I'm looking for places to go, and boy is it bad," she said of the Gettysburg/Hanover area. "It's unbelievable..." 11/01/2007 - Madison Square Garden Agrees to Settle Civil Rights Lawsuit Alleging Violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act Michael J. Garcia, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Rena J. Comisac, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, announced today that the United States has settled a civil lawsuit under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (the "ADA") against the owners and operators of Madison Square Garden (the "Garden"), the sports and entertainment arena. The lawsuit was filed by the Government and simultaneously settled through a Consent Decree, under the terms of which the Garden has agreed to take steps to make its Arena accessible to individuals with disabilities in compliance with the ADA. The case was assigned to United States District Judge Richard J. Holwell of Manhattan federal court, and the Consent Decree, which is subject to the Court's approval, has been submitted to him for review... 10/30/2007 - U-M told to alter stadium Feds fault it for violating wheelchair accessibility rules at stadium, threaten to cut funds; university denies findings. Millions of dollars in federal financial aid to needy students at the University of Michigan may be in jeopardy because the university continues to discriminate against wheelchair users at its football stadium, according to the federal government. U-M has 10 days to respond to a scathing report released by the U.S. Department of Education on Oct. 26, chastising the university for providing inadequate access to wheelchair users at its Michigan Stadium football games... 10/24/2007 - Activists Fight to Rewrite Disabilities Act Stephen Orr has a small insulin pump attached to his belt. It's in a leather case, about the size of a cell phone. The pump sends insulin through a plastic tube that's thinner than a piece of spaghetti and threaded under his skin. With insulin and devices like this, Orr has been able to control his diabetes and keep working at the job he loves — as a pharmacist. Until, that is, he got a new boss at the Wal-Mart in tiny Chadron, Neb... 10/23/2007 - Round Rock Mom Seeks Accessibility At Playground Meet Kenyon Barwick. He may be on four wheels, but he moves as fast as any other 5-year-old. When the Barwick family moved to Round Rock's Forest Creek subdivision earlier this year, it was a dream come true. Yet when they saw the park, pool and playground in their neighborhood's amenities center, the dream turned into a nightmare and has pushed Kenyon's mother to seek accessibility rights for her disabled son... 10/14/2007 - A powerful mind - A Hollins professor and polio survivor leads a global organization to help others with the disease. ...Being a poster child for the March of Dimes was painful enough the first time around; he didn't need to relive it. Disability wasn't germane to his academic pursuits, which included decades of teaching at Hollins University, an endowed professorship at the College of William and Mary and dozens of books, articles and fellowships. The fact that he wrote with his feet or traveled with the help of an aide merited not a single footnote in his body of work. But the big brain and the broken body are beginning, finally, to mesh. It's an uneasy alliance that has put Becker front and center of the very issue he sought for decades to distance himself from: disability rights... 10/2007 - A Day In the Life: Richard Devylder Richard Devylder is a California Department of Rehabilitation Deputy Director born without legs or arms and uses assistive technology to live independently. The video at http://www.dor.ca.gov/rd_video.htm is an excellent demonstration of how assistive technology can improve lives and create inclusion. 10/08/2007 - Generating 'oohs' and 'aahs': Vocal Joystick uses voice to surf the Web The Internet offers wide appeal to people with disabilities. But many of those same people find it frustrating or impossible to use a handheld mouse. Software developed at the University of Washington provides an alternative using one of the oldest and most versatile modes of communication: the human voice. "There are many people who have perfect use of their voice who don't have use of their hands and arms," said Jeffrey Bilmes, a UW associate professor of electrical engineering. "I think there are several reasons why Vocal Joystick might be a better approach, or at least a viable alternative, to brain-computer interfaces." The tool's latest developments will be presented this month in Tempe, Ariz. at the Assets Conference on Computers and Accessibility... 09/28/2007 - New house a model, dream for people with disabilities Like many people, Debra Atkinson started dreaming about owning a house after getting married. That dream, for Debra and Mike Atkinson, was more complicated because the Oshkosh housing market didn't offer a lot of choices when it came to homes that were built for a couple who were both in wheelchairs. They'd been dreaming of such a house for several years before they were linked through Marta Richardson at Winnebago County Department of Human Services with a project that could make their dream happen. In a week, the Atkinsons will move into their first house, one built and designed specifically to be handicap accessible and one that will first serve as a model to the community of how such a house can be built to fit into existing neighborhoods. It's just going to be tailor-made just for us," Debra Atkinson said. "Everything was measured for our needs..." |
About UsOur Vision & MissionOur Vision is to transform Bloomington-Normal into a model accessible community. Access Allies will endeavor to achieve this vision through involving our diverse constituencies in education, community outreach, interactive presentations, and public discourse.Goals & Guiding PrincipleGoals* Educate individuals on self advocacy * Educate businesses on accessibility laws and economic benefits * Educate government to our concerns * Educate public about people with disabilities in their lives Guiding Principle: Advocate on larger issues to the community as opposed to individual issues (visitability vs. one inaccessible store) MembershipThank You to our Member Companies/Agencies:
Membership has many benefits including the access to educational materials, the means to have a common voice, a central repository for good practices in accessibility, discussion groups, and much much more. The Word Version of our Membership form can be downloaded by clicking on this link. If you would like the form in a different format, or need assistance with filling it out, email us at accessallies@accessallies.org. Our Members include people in the following occupations:
Contact UsEmail: accessallies@accessallies.orgPhone: 309-451-4497, ask for Chris or Connie Kelly Postal Mail: AABN, 1709 Cook Drive, Normal, IL 61761 Chris Kelly - Chairperson Greg Troemel- Vice Chairperson Connie Kelly - Secretary Julie Romanowski- Treasurer Elizabeth Mayberry- Youth Advocate Tim Harshbarger - Charter and By-law Committee Chair Jill Doran - Meeting Coordinator and Municipal Government Liaison Mark Smith - Membership Committee Chair Students for an Accessible CommunityStudents for an Accessible Community is a group created within Access Allies of Bloomington-Normal for citizens age 10-18 to help turn Bloomington-Normal into a model accessible community. Check out their weblog by clicking here!AABN has 501(c)3 Status!AABN is now a federally registered 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. Click here for documentation.
Created on 04/27/2006 07:39 AM by admin | |
2008 Parenting and Disabilities Expo Co-Sponsors!Please, visit our generous co-sponsors of this year's Expo on October 23, 2008!
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Access Allies of Bloomington-Normal (AABN) is holding its Second Annual "Parenting and Disabilities Expo" on Thursday, October 23 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Town of Normal's Community Activity Center located at 1110 Douglas Street in One Normal Plaza. We have over 20 agencies and businesses exhibiting their services! The Expo also features a Kids Area with crafts and educational games for kids to enjoy while parents talk to the various exhibitors. 
The July 27, 2006 AABN Monthly Meeting featured a special treat! AABN presented its First Business Recognition Award to the Jewel-Osco store at Parkway Plaza! Ms. Juanita Juarez, Store Director attended to accept the award. (Photo at left is of Dr. Judith Ronan presenting the awars to Ms. Juarez.) Ms. Juarez and the store were nominated by Dr. Judith Ronan because of their exemplary work to provide accessible services and facilities to all customers. Congratulations, Ms. Juarez!
