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July 28, 2006
Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, July 27, 2006
- This week's Accessible World free online training, Tuesday 1 August at 00:00 GMT, will be entitled Solving Digital Media Needs with Windows Media Player, presented by Gene Asner. Archives of all previous programs are available.
- Jamal Mazrui has released, version 1.2 of the JAW Script Exchange, a free open-source program intended to assist and promote the sharing of script files among users of JAWS.
- Wayne Merritt isn't the author of the Ranger Station blog as reported here last week, despite the appearance of the message from whence I garnered the information. The author of that informative blog is Ranger1138.
- Google has released a beta of a search engine that performs the usual Google search as requested, but ranks the results in order of the accessibility of the sites uncovered by the search.
"Google To Aid The Visually Impaired With Accessible Search" is one of many articles about this. Meanwhile, various people on mailing lists pointed out that for a real simple interface, they like this Google page: http://www.google.com/ie
- From the Desert Skies we learn that users of the gizmo Project in many countries can call each others' landline phones using the software free.
- The Thunder screen reader, free for individual use, has been released. It works with windows 2000 and xp.
- BlindSea is a site containing, among other things, information about third-party programs for use on Series 60 cell phones. the programs, many of which have free demos or are free, have been found to mainly work with the Talks program, and many would presumably work with Mobile Speak.
- From the Fred's Head Companion: Accessible News is a subscription-based news reader that makes reading blogs and news sites easy. You can try it free for ten days. Until August 14, a four-month subscription to the service costs $10. http://www.proaxsysreader.com/accessiblenews/
- From the same blog, we learn about I Speak It, a program for the Mac that allows you to convert documents into mp3 files using the Mac’s built-in synthetic speech.
- ILRU of Houston houses the Disability Law Resource Project, which has for some time produced twice-monthly video presentations on various disability law matters. Archives, with transcripts and related handouts, are here: http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/archive/index.html
- Read an interesting summary, from Access technologists Higher Education Network, of a discussion among members of the E-text Solutions Group of the Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) about the present and future of book availability for post-secondary students with disabilities. http://athenpro.blogspot.com/2006/07/q-with-e-text-solutions-group.html
- the Millionaire Game is free and accessible. http://www.audiogames.net/db.php?action=view&id=temp111 another source for accessible games, some of them free, is http://www.tafn.org.uk/games.htm
- A good source for customized local TV listings, with free registration required to build your own personal "TV guide" is titan TV www.titantv.com.
Visit the Tidbits page at www.topdotenterprises.com/tidbits.htm where you can subscribe to the rss feed and grab back issues. All that welcome information for future issues can come to me at dean@topdotenterprises.com.
That's the news for this week.
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If you have a news item, handy web page or piece of software you want to recommend, concerning adaptive technology, technology as it relates to the blind, or Internet audio, send it to me for inclusion next time.
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Inclusion of information in tttt does not imply any endorsement of products or services mentioned, or even that the content of the announcement is accurate. (Often, I do not verify the accuracy of the announcements.) Having said this, most are accurate and useful.
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Dean Martineau
Top Dot Enterprises
2219 Rucker Ave #204
Everett WA 98201
(425) 876-4406
dean@topdotenterprises.com
http://www.topdotenterprises.com
Posted by Nancy at 10:11 AM | Comments (0)
OPM Issues Final Regulation on the Appointment of Persons with Disabilities
Washington, DC -- The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued the final regulation concerning the excepted-service appointment of persons with mental retardation, severe physical disabilities, and psychiatric disabilities. In tandem with the release of the regulation, OPM provided a “Questions and Answers” fact sheet that gives additional guidance.
“These provisions represent a significant step toward removing possible barriers to the employment of people with disabilities,” said OPM Director Linda M. Springer. “This is especially important as we prepare for the pending retirement wave from the federal government.”
The regulatory changes are in support of the President’s “New Freedom Initiative,” and encourage federal agencies to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
In addition, the regulation expands the types of entities from which an agency can accept proof of disability and certification of an applicant’s job readiness, it consolidates three separate appointing authorities pertaining to persons with disabilities and it clarifies employment options.
For further information on the regulation, federal employees should contact their OPM Human Capital Officer or visit http://www.opm.gov/disability.
Posted by Nancy at 10:08 AM | Comments (0)
July 25, 2006
July 26 in NYC - Celebrate the 16th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and State Senator David A. Paterson Invite You To Celebrate the 16th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This community forum on the issues facing people with disabilities in New York State is being held in the offices of the Disabilities Network of NYC, and will take place:
- Date: Wednesday, July 26
- ARISE - Syracuse
Beata Karpinska-Prehn, 315-671-2929 - Catskill Center for Independence - Oneonta
Chris Zachmeyer, 607-432-8000 - Center for Disability Rights - Rochester
Chris Hilderbrant, 585-546-7510 - Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley - Troy
Denise Figueroa, 518-274-0701 - Independent Living Inc. - Newburgh
Michael Dunn, 845-565-1162 - North Country Center for Independence - Plattsburgh
Robert Poulin, 518-563-9058 - Northern Regional Center for Independent Living - Watertown
Elizabeth Patience, 315-785-8703 - Resource Center for Accessible Living - Kingston
Tom Siblo-Landsman, 845-331-0541 - Resource Center for Independent Living - Utica
Donna Gillette, 315-797-4642 - Self Advocacy Association - Schenectady
Steve Holmes, 518-382-1454 - Southern Tier Independence Center - Binghamton
Frank Pennisi, 607-724-2111 - Suffolk Independent Living Organization - Holtsville
Ed Ahern, 631-654-8007 - Western New York Independent Living Project - Buffalo
Todd Vaarwerk, 716-836-0822 - business leaders seeking to understand why disability is a business issue and to put together a compelling business case for investment in disability confidence;
- organisations and policy makers who need to understand the business perspective as they help disabled people to prepare for and find employment; and
- all those wanting to engage business leaders behind the economic and social inclusion of people with disabilities.
The website focuses on 'Disability Confidence' - It explains how business benefits from understanding how disability affects their business. It then outlines how meeting the needs of groups of disabled people with similar needs, and making adjustments to enable specific individuals to contribute, works to the mutual benefit of business and disabled people. It is designed to help individual business leaders tailor their particular rationale for positioning disability as a priority for their business.
The intention with this website is to move beyond the dated business case paradigm (generalisations about the cost-benefit of employing marginalised groups) to present a more sophisticated insight into how business leaders today realise the business potential of responding to everyone as individuals, be they employees and potential employees, customers, shareholders or valued stakeholders.
The new business case stands on six building blocks: the strategic, societal, commercial, legal, ethical and professional benefits of getting it right on disability. The website stresses the importance of developing a rounded business case which addresses strategic trends such as demographics, the aging population and individualisation, as well as the ethical importance of inclusion and rights. We have drawn from a wide range of sources, looking for data and insights which are relevant to - and will be used by - business.
www.realising-potential.org will also encourage those commissioning research to focus academic inquiry in a way which helps us to build a more nuanced understanding of how disability affects any business - and of the socio-technical dynamics which determine which building blocks are used by any business leader to justify investment in disability confidence by their particular organisation.
Rhiannon Suter, Research and Innovations Manager Employers' Forum on Disability stated, "We will continue to add case studies, evidence and statistics over time so if you have anything to add,or are aware of any research planned or underway which we should take into account, please do get in touch!"
Tel: 020 7089 2416Email: rhiannon.suter@employers-forum.co.uk
The Employers' Forum on Disability is the authoritative voice on disability as it affects business
Posted by Nancy at 05:50 PM | Comments (0)
July 21, 2006
Free Guidelines from WGBH - Create Accessible DigitalMaterials
Guidelines for Creating Accessible Digital Media Published by WGBH
Boston, MA (July 2006). The WGBH National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM), a division of public broadcaster and access technology pioneer WGBH Boston, announces publication of "Accessible Digital Media: Design Guidelines for Electronic Publications, Multimedia and the Web."
These guidelines, providing step-by-step solutions for making a variety of electronic media accessible to users with sensory disabilities, are now available free of charge at http://ncam.wgbh.org/publications/adm/ .
A free CD containing the guidelines is also available; e-mail access@wgbh.org to order single or multiple copies.
These guidelines are the culmination of the "Beyond the Text" project http://ncam.wgbh.org/ebooks, conducted by NCAM and funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) of the U.S. Department of Education . Project staff studied methods for integrating accessible multimedia into e-books and digital talking books (DTBs), and the results of this research have been incorporated into the guidelines. The document is a greatly expanded version of recommendations first published in 2000 and revised in 2003, under projects funded by the National Science Foundation.
"Accessible Digital Media: Design Guidelines for Electronic Publications, Multimedia and the Web" presents solutions to accessibility obstacles in a format designed to educate and assist digital publishers as well as Web and content developers. As with tools previously created by NCAM, including MAGpie (free, do-it-yourself captioning and audio description software) and CaptionKeeper (a tool for migrating captions created for analog video to digital formats), NCAM anticipates that the ready availability of these guidelines will help accelerate the creation of e-books, DTBs, software and Web sites with accessible images, multimedia, interactivity, data tables, graphs, and mathematical and scientific expressions.
Geoff Freed, project manager for "Beyond the Text," comments, "While the guidelines focus largely on content creation for educational materials, the solutions and recommendations are not restricted to academic settings. Lifelong learning is expected of every individual in the 21st century and advancement in the workplace is often tied to learning new skills and concepts. Corporate trainers and knowledge-management experts in all fields utilize interactive and Web-based content for professional development, and learning materials of all types now include multimedia- movies and audio clips and a variety of interactive elements."
Those interested in building accessibility into digital materials may also want to review the results of another NCAM initiative which promotes the design of accessible learning management systems, used by many schools, universities and workplaces. NCAM's Specifications for Accessible Learning Technologies (SALT) Partnership established an accessibility working group within the IMS Global Learning Consortium (IMS). This work, producing specifications for a universally designed infrastructure for adaptable learning systems, will result in an international standard from the International Organization on Standardization (ISO).
Please contact NCAM if you have comments about these guidelines or suggestions for future revisions. We also encourage you to visit NCAM's Web site http://ncam.wgbh.org to explore other ongoing access initiatives.
About NCAM NCAM is part of the Media Access Group at WGBH, which also includes: * The Caption Center, which first developed captioning for TV in the early '70s and, * Descriptive Video Service(r), a TV access service launched in 1990 to offer description of on-screen action, settings, costumes and character expressions to people who are blind and visually impaired.
Since its founding in 1993, the National Center for Accessible Media has been the R&D pioneer in the field of media access, advancing the accessibility of all forms of media in a wide range of venues, including movie theaters, the Internet, digital television and mobile media in the home, classroom, workplace and community.
For additional information about all of NCAM's activities and the projects, please visit http://ncam.wgbh.org.
CONTACT:
Mary Watkins
Media Access Group at WGBH
mary_watkins@wgbh.org
phone: 617 300-3700
voice 617 300-2489 TTYPosted by Nancy at 02:03 PM | Comments (0)
Google Accessible Search
Google has released a search engine that enables the blind to find information on the Web more easily. Accessible Search has been developed by T.V. Raman, a Google research scientist who is himself blind. The visually impaired have so far been able to surf and read internet pages with the help of screen readers. In the past few years, however, the sites have been added all kinds of graphics and video, which impedes the screen readers.
The challenge before Google was to develop an algorithm distinguishing accessible from inaccessible pages. The new engine is in fact not made to exclude inaccessible pages but to rank accessible ones higher.
According to Raman, who worked at IBM Research before joining Google about a year ago, by developing better ways of measuring accessibility, Google could eventually offer consumers with specific disabilities ways to do more customized searches.
Google Accessible Search is built using Google Co-op technology, which enables users to create specialized searches by topic. Raman hopes that the visually impaired people will take part in the tests and in this way help Google finish the tests and improve the engine.
Posted by Nancy at 11:58 AM | Comments (0)
Citizens Union Foundation Recruiting Poll Workers And Interpreters for Election Day
Citizens Union Foundation is once again recruiting poll workers and interpreters to serve on Election Day. In order to improve the administration of elections in New York City, they want to engage more civic-minded, competent and qualified individuals to become poll workers.
Interested applicants can apply online or find out more about their recruitment program at www.citizensunionfoundation.org/pollworker
New York City is protected under the federal Voting Rights Act which requires language assistance of Chinese, Korean and Spanish in parts of the city.Contact:
Amy Ngai
Program Associate
Citizens Union
Citizens Union Foundation
299 Broadway, Suite 700
New York, NY 10007
Phone: 212.227.0342 x22
Help Ensure that Our Votes Count! Apply to become a poll worker today! www.citizensunionfoundation.org/pollworkerPosted by Nancy at 10:19 AM | Comments (0)
July 20, 2006
2006 Social Security Administration (SSA) Red Book
The Red Book serves as a general reference source about the employment-related provisions of Social Security Disability Insurance and the Supplemental Security Income Programs for educators, advocates, rehabilitation professionals and counselors who serve people with disabilities.
The Red Book has recently been updated, and is now available at
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/redbook/eng/main.htmPosted by Nancy at 06:44 PM | Comments (0)
July 19, 2006
Federal Jobs for Experienced Professionals with Disabilities
EARN is assisting the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under a special hiring initiative to locate jobseekers with disabilities with 1+ years of experience in one or more of the following:
- grant management,
- accounting,
- budgeting,
- information technology with a specialization in security, disaster preparedness, and/or project management and evaluation.
- Have professional experience in one of the areas mentioned above;
- Are a U.S. Citizen;
- Can qualify as a person with a disability under Schedule A Hiring Authority or 10 Point Veteran's Preference (Visit http://www.opm.gov/disability/hrpro_3-02.asp for information on hiring authorities); and
- Can apply for and obtain security clearance.
These positions have not been posted yet and their locations will not be decided until sometime in August.
It is expected that jobs will be in Washington, DC, Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Colorado Springs or other cities with a number of federal offices. There are no physical requirements for any of these positions and salaries will range between $44, 856.00 (GS-9 level) $107,521.00 (GS-15 level). Relocation expenses will not be covered.
To apply, email your resume and documentation for eligibility under Schedule A or Veteran's Preference to: earn@earnworks.com. Please indicate whether you're willing to relocate. EARN will refer eligible candidates to DHS and will provide status updates to all candidates and providers.
We look forward to hearing from you!
The Staff at EARN
1-866-EARN-NOW (1-866-327-6669) (V/TTY)
earn@earnworks.comPosted by Nancy at 04:52 PM | Comments (0)
Announcing 2007 AFB Policy and Research Internship Program
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) Public Policy Center is inviting applications for the 2007 AFB Policy and Research Internship program. Located in our nation's capital, the AFB Public Policy Center strives to expand possibilities for people with vision loss by advocating the formulation and implementation of federal legislative, regulatory, legal, research, and funding priorities honoring the capabilities and unique needs of children, working-age adults, and seniors who are blind or visually impaired. The purpose of these internships is to provide highly motivated individuals with professional-level exposure to, and practice with, the public policy and policy research process and an opportunity to apply specialized knowledge and skills in a dynamic environment.
Qualified Applicants
Candidates for these exciting learning experiences will possess a bachelor's degree (or will attain the degree within the year) and be pursuing a graduate or professional course of study relating to special education, rehabilitation, law, public health, or related human services discipline. All successful candidates will also possess a demonstrable commitment to people with vision loss or other disabilities.
Structure
The AFB Policy and Research Internships are designed to provide maximum flexibility while affording participants with a serious opportunity to learn and work with clear goals and expectations. Each internship will run at least six weeks. Internships will be scheduled throughout the year. Although specific projects will vary depending on the interests and emerging expertise of each successful candidate, activities common to all internships are likely to include
- meeting with key congressional and federal agency staff;
- scheduling Hill and other appointments;
- preparation of correspondence and briefing materials;
- drafting short newsletter articles and fact sheets for distribution via AFB's website;
- participation in coalition meetings within and outside the field of vision loss; and
- experience with tools and methods for conducting policy research.
Preferred Internship Start Dates
Spring Term: February 5, 2007; March 5, 2007; April 2, 2007; April 30, 2007
Summer Term: May 29, 2007; June 25, 2007
Fall Term: September 4, 2007; October 1, 2007; October 29, 2007
Internship AwardsAll internship participants will be offered housing through one of the local universities or other resources convenient to public transportation to and from the AFB Public Policy Center. Housing costs will be covered for each full week of participation. Participants will need to make their own travel arrangements and carry all other incidental costs which they may otherwise voluntarily incur. Subject to available funds or other contingencies, participants may be sponsored to attend conferences which may be held during the internship period, either in whole or in part, as mutually agreed upon.
ApplicationsTo apply, send a resume or CV along with a letter of interest via e-mail to mrichert@afb.net. Your materials must include
- the academic program in which you are currently enrolled and/or which will commence within the year;
- any specific issues of particular interest to you which you would like to pursue during your internship;
- your preferred start date;
- at least one academic or professional reference; and
- an expression of your personal sense of how participation in the internship fits within your overall career objectives.
Successful applicants will be notified within one month of receipt of a complete application.
Mark Richert, Esq.
Director, Public Policy
American Foundation for the Blind
820 First Street, N.E., Suite 400
Washington, DC 20002202-408-8175
mrichert@afb.netExpanding possibilities for people with vision loss (TM)
Posted by Nancy at 04:16 PM | Comments (0)
July 18, 2006
AAPD is now accepting nominations for the 2007 HENRY B. BETTS AWARD.
The Henry B. Betts Award program, administered by AAPD, was created by the Prince Charitable Trusts and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago in 1989 to annually honor individuals who have, in the course of their work, helped to lead the societal transformation that is producing dramatically better outcomes and higher expectations for the diverse groups that make up the disability community in the United States and around the world. Typically, one outstanding living individual is selected each year to receive The Henry B. Betts Award with an unrestricted $50,000 cash award at AAPD’s annual Leadership Gala in Washington, D.C.
To nominate an individual: www.aapd.com.
Nominations due: Friday, October 7, 2006.Questions and submissions for the Henry B. Betts Award:
Call: 1-800-840-8844 (v/tty)
Email: aapdbetts@aol.comPosted by Nancy at 05:44 PM | Comments (0)
July 17, 2006
National Federation of the Blind Unveils World's First Handheld Electronic Reader
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS:
John G. Paré Jr.
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind
(410) 659-9314, extension 2371
jpare@nfb.orgReader Device Will Change Lives for Millions
Baltimore, Maryland: The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) unveils a groundbreaking new device, the Kurzweil- National Federation of the Blind Reader. The portable Reader, developed by the National Federation of the Blind and renowned inventor Ray Kurzweil, enables users to take pictures of and read most printed materials at the click of a button. Users merely hold "the camera that talks" over print-a letter, bills, a restaurant menu, an airline ticket, a business card, or an office memo-and in seconds they hear the contents of the printed document played back in clear synthetic speech. Combining a state-of-the-art digital camera with a powerful personal data assistant, the Reader puts the best available character-recognition software together with text-to-speech conversion technology-all in a single handheld device.
Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind, said: "The world of the printed word is about to be opened to the blind in a way it has never been before. No other device in the history of technology for the blind and visually impaired has provided quicker access to more information. The NFB promotes a positive attitude towards blindness, and this Reader will make blind and visually impaired people dramatically more independent. The result will be better performance at work, at school, at home, and everywhere else we go. This Reader substantially improves the quality of life for the growing number of blind and visually impaired people."
The Reader offers people quick access to information, is portable, and can store thousands of printed pages with easily obtainable extra memory. Also users can transfer files to their desktop and laptop computers or to their Braille notetakers in minutes. The Reader has a headphone jack as well, so users do not have to disturb others in close proximity.
The National Federation of the Blind helped fund the development and production of the Reader and helped plan and design its user interface. As many as 500 NFB Pioneers across the country have piloted the Reader during the beta-testing process and these users have been absolutely thrilled with the capabilities of the Reader.
Gary Wunder, a computer programmer analyst with the University of Missouri Hospitals and Clinics in Columbia, Missouri, said: "This little machine has completely changed my awareness about the print around me and has given me access that I never dreamed possible before. It is amazing to go to a public event and actually read the program, to go to a work meeting and be able to read the handout which someone has forgotten to send to me in advance. What a thrill it is to take a business card and get the information from it quickly enough to remember why I took the card in the first place. For the first time in my life I looked at the magazines in the seat pocket of a commercial airliner, and reading a restaurant menu is awesome."
The Reader is the result of a joint venture between the NFB and Ray Kurzweil, chief executive officer of K-NFB Reading Technology, Inc. Kurzweil, who has been dubbed the Thomas Edison of the 21st century, is an inventor, entrepreneur, author, and futurist. Kurzweil was the chief developer of the first omni-font optical character-recognition technology, the first print-to-speech reading machine for the blind, the first CCD flatbed scanner, the first text-to-speech synthesizer, the first music synthesizer capable of recreating the grand piano and other orchestral instruments, and the first commercially marketed, large-vocabulary speech recognition engine. In 1999, Kurzweil received the National Medal of Technology, the nation's highest honor in technology, from President Clinton in a White House ceremony.
The Kurzweil-National Federation of the Blind Reader costs about the same as many flat screen televisions today, with an expected retail price of $3,495, and yet has the power to revolutionize a person's life. Sales will be handled by Kurzweil Educational Systems, Inc., based in Bedford, Massachusetts, and its national distribution channel of dealers. The Reader's convenient size, simple design, and powerful technology deliver unprecedented access to printed matter. After several minutes of practice, users can begin accessing a wealth of print information in ways they never have before.
James Gashel, NFB's Executive Director for Strategic Initiatives, said: "Every year 75,000 more people will become blind or visually impaired in this country. As America's aging population soars over the next few decades, so too will the incidence of visual impairment and blindness. The Reader will help not only blind individuals, but older Americans who wish to stay independent and age with dignity."
Those interested in purchasing the Kurzweil-National Federation of the Blind Reader can call (877) 708-1724.
Editor's note: Additional information at http://www.knfbreader.com/ and http://www.nfb.org/fr/fr22/fr06sum07.htm.
Posted by Nancy at 02:48 PM | Comments (0)
Hire the Disabled Career Expo: November 6, 2006
Hire the Disabled Career Expo
Date: Monday, November 6, 2006
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC.Pre-register for the career expo at http://www.eop.com/exporegistration.html
Posted by Nancy at 12:36 PM | Comments (0)
July 13, 2006
CBVH "Open Forums"
The Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH) has scheduled "Open Forums" to obtain input from interested individuals regarding:
- programs and services for individuals who are blind
- the State Plan for Vocational Rehabilitation Services
- Poughkeepsie at the Taconic Resources for Independence,
82 Washington Street, Suite 214, Poughkeepsie, New York 12601
Phone: (845) 452 – 3913
Date: October 16, 2006;
- Syracuse at the Onondaga County Public Library,
447 S. Salina St., Syracuse, New York 13202
Phone: (315) 435 - 1800
Date: October 18, 2006; - New York City at the Andrew Heiskell Library for the Blind,
40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011-4211
Phone: (212) 206 - 5400
Date: November 2, 2006
Voice: (518) 473 - 3524
e-mail: Vincent.Anderson@ocfs.state.ny.us
Please help get the word out by including this information in your next newsletter or general mailing.
Posted by Nancy at 01:03 PM | Comments (0)
July 11, 2006
Competitive Scholarship Awards Available for The Washington Center's Academic Internship Program
The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars is pleased to announce it will continue to help increase employment for students with disabilities through an academic internship program.
Through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy, The Washington Center is working to help students develop leadership skills and gain valuable work experience in public service.
The Washington Center will complement students' professional experience with solid academic training for credit from highly qualified instructors. In addition, students will be exposed to community, national and international leaders through workshops, seminars, lectures, embassy visits and networking events held throughout the course of each semester.
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) will offer technical guidance and support to the program.
The Washington Center is able to provide a total of 50 competitive scholarship awards in the amount of $8,500 for each eligible student with disabilities interested in working in the executive, judicial or legislative branches of the federal government during the fall 2006 and spring 2007 semesters (scholarships are not available in the summer).
WHO SHOULD APPLY?
Applicants Must:
- Be enrolled full-time in an accredited college or university;
- Be at least a second semester sophomore at the time of the internship;
- Have at least a 2.75 GPA;
- Show proof that they will receive academic credit for the internship;
- Be a U.S. Citizen;
- Self-identify as a person with a disability as defined by the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). ADA defines a person with a disability as:
- a person with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, OR;
- a person that has a record of such impairment, OR;
- a person that is regarded as having such impairment.
- Official transcript;
- Two letters of recommendation;
- A letter from your campus disability services office, a vocational rehabilitation office OR a physician treating you for your disability confirming the fact that you have a disability;
- Resume;
- Two writing samples;
- Completed application form;
- Campus sponsorship agreement (students must receive academic credit for the experience);
- Application fee of $60.00.
IMPORTANT DATES Spring 2007 Internship Program
- Application due date: November 15, 2006
- Spring semester begins: January 18, 2007
- Spring semester ends: May 5, 2007
All students will be placed in the executive, legislative, or
judicial branches of government.Sample placements include:
* U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
* U.S. Department of Homeland Security
* U.S. Department of Treasury
* U.S. Department of Labor
* U.S. Department of Agriculture
* U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
* General Services Administration
* Office of Personal Management
* U.S. Department of Defense
* U.S. Department of Commerce
* U.S. Department of Justice
* U.S. Department of Education
* Small Business Administration
* Congressional Members Offices (House & Senate)ALL MAJORS SOUGHT
WHAT DOES THE SCHOLARSHIP COVER?
The total scholarship award is $8,500 that would go toward
covering TWC's total program and housing fees. This money can
be combined with state scholarship awards available through The
Washington Center, which range from $1,800 to $4,000 per
student. Eligible students would be able to combine these
awards and have a remaining amount to cover additional living
expenses. Please visit www.twc.edu/disability_services.shtml
for more information.ACCOMMODATIONS
Workplace
The Washington Center will work with the government agencies
hosting the interns to ensure reasonable accommodations are
provided to students who may need them to successfully complete
their job duties.Student Housing
The Washington Center provides all students accessible housing
during their participation in the program in Washington, D.C.
The Washington Center will work with students on a case-by-case
basis to ensure accommodations are met. Our housing facilities
offer shared facilities in apartment buildings in Northern
Virginia and Maryland. They are located in well-lit, high
traffic areas that provide secure and comfortable surroundings.
The apartments are fully furnished, and provide local telephone
and basic cable service, 24-hour front desk, and laundry
facilities.Academic Training
The Washington Center will work closely with students with
disabilities to assess and provide accommodations (physical and
programmatic) for students to complete the academic
requirements of the program.Local Transportation
The Washington Center housing facilities are within close
proximity to the subway system. The Washington Center will work
with each student on a case-by-case basis to provide an
orientation to and information on how to utilize public
transportation to arrive at their place of employment and all
Washington Center functions in a timely manner. The Washington
Center will provide mobility training when and if necessary. In
addition, The Washington Center will conduct an orientation to
answer questions about transportation, general accessibility
issues, accommodations and internship sites.PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
* Participation in the Washington Forum (Presidential Lecture
Series, Congressional Breakfast Series, Embassy Visit
Program, Small Group Activities)
* Enrollment in an academic course provided by The Washington
Center (there are over 20 courses to select from)
* Completion of a portfolio that documents student's internship
experience and reactions to the Washington Forum sessions
* Approval to receive academic credit for the program from
student's home institutionFor more information contact:
* Ms. Roshni D. Lal, The Washington Center for Internships &
Academic Seminars.* Phone: 202-336-7567, or email: roshniL@twc.edu.
* You can also visit us on the web at www.twc.edu.
Posted by Nancy at 12:49 PM | Comments (0)
July 10, 2006
Walgreens Recruits Employees With Disabilities Through Highly Accessible Website
Walgreens has launched an innovative initiative to hire people with disabilities at its distribution center in Anderson, S.C. and is recruiting through a specially-designed Website.
Walgreensoutreach.com describes jobs available at the Walgreens distribution center and is designed to be accessible by people with sensory, physical and cognitive disabilities. The center has begun pre-hire training and will open in 2007. Initially, Walgreens will hire more than 200 employees with plans to ramp up to more than 600 employees. Walgreens goal is to have at least one-third of the workforce consist of employees with a variety of disabilities working in a fully-integrated team. This "real work for real pay" environment will be competitive employment in which performance standards must be maintained. Job openings at the Anderson distribution center include a number of management positions.
Walgreensoutreach.com provides information to help potential employees understand what work will be like at the distribution center. The site incorporates audio messages, photos, video and a large-print text option to depict jobs and worklife at Anderson. The site also is designed to be accessible to blind and low vision individuals who use screen reader technology.
Additional information:
Posted by Nancy at 04:17 PM | Comments (0)
JAN Announces a New Employment Guide for Individuals with Disabilities
JAN consultants have developed an employment guide for job seekers as well as job candidates entering the workforce. The new on-line tool, "Finding a Job that is Right for You: A Practical Approach to Looking for a Job as a Person with Disability" includes:
Step 1: What kind of job is right for you?
Step 2: Who can help you to find the right job?
Step 3: Are you prepared for a job interview?
Step 4: You got the job. Now what?
Posted by Nancy at 03:43 PM | Comments (0)
Job Readiness Seminar & Sign up for NYC's Disability Mentoring Day 2006
The Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities invites you to learn more about Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) 2006 and how you can further your career opportunities.
- When: Thursday, July 27, 2006
Time: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Where: City Hall, City Council Chambers, New York, NY 10007
Park Row entrance is the accessible entrance to City HallThis 2-hour Job Readiness Seminar will help you:
- Prepare for a job interview;
- Learn how to develop appropriate resumes and cover letters;
- Learn how to prepare for the job search;
- Understand employers’ expectations;
- Learn more about Disability Mentoring Day 2006; and
- Sign up for Disability Mentoring Day 2006
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED
To register for the workshop, and/or for more information, please contact Mkada Beach at (212) 788-2830 or by email: DMD@cityhall.nyc.gov.
For security purposes, you must confirm your attendance and present a valid photo identification to be admitted.
Directions:
Subways: #4, #5, #6 trains to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall
#2, #3 trains to Park Place
N, R trains to City HallBus: M15 to City Hall/Park Row
Please let DMD@cityhall.nyc.gov know in advance if you require a reasonable accommodation.
Posted by Nancy at 12:24 PM | Comments (0)
July 09, 2006
The CareerBuilder.com New York City Career Fair
One Day Only
Date: Thursday, July 20th, 2006
Time: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Location:
- Metropolitan Pavilion
North and South Pavilions
125 W. 18th St.
New York, NY 10011
No Pre-RegistrationPrepare to meet these top employers:
- - AFLAC
- Allstate Insurance Co.
- Ameriprise Financial, Inc
- Anchor Financial Services LLC
- Bally Total Fitness
- CareerBuilder.com
- CNH Partners
- Enterprise Rent-A-Car
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Forex Capital Markets LLC
- H&R Block
- Headway Corporate Resources
- KBR
- MetLife Financial Services/ North Coast Financial Group
- Monitor Group
- New York Army National Guard
- New York Life
- Norwegian Cruise Line
- Primerica
- Starbucks Coffee Company
- WebMD Health
- WPIX-TV/ WB 11
Time: 10-11 AM
You can participate via conference call by going to one of the following satellite sites. Please call the satellite site that you wish attend to confirm and also request any special accommodations.
We hope to see you there!
Posted by Nancy at 11:46 AM | Comments (0)
"Filing Disability Rights Complaints: Why Should You, How Do You, and What Not to Do"
The Disability Law Resource Project (DLRP) at ILRU invites you to participate in a Web cast on Filing Complaints under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
DATE: Wednesday, July 26, 2006
TIME:
- 3:00pm Eastern;
2:00pm Central;
1:00pm Mountain;
12:00pm Pacific;
11:00am Alaska;
9:00am Hawaii.
resolution.
The Web cast is being presented by J. Aaron McCullough, a legal specialist for the Disability Law Resource Project (DLRP) at ILRU. He produces materials on disability law issues, provides training on all aspects of the ADA, and fields technical assistance requests.
Aaron earned his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center in December of 2000, and became a member of the State Bar of Texas in the spring of 2001. Aaron entered law school after working as a social worker for Central Plains MHMR in Plainview, Texas where he worked as an advocate for people with developmental disabilities. Previously, he worked at Burrell Mental Healthcare Center, and Lakes Country Rehabilitation Center, both in Springfield, Missouri. Aaron's recent research interests include: impact of "No Child Left Behind" policy on the treatment of students with disabilities, accessibility of the polling place and process, historical preservation and the ADA, and achieving accessibility through state and local legal means.
To link to this Web cast and download accompanying materials visit: http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/calendar.html
For instructions on how to access a Web cast visit: http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/instructions.html
Please visit this site ahead of time to test and ensure your
computer is configured and updated to participate in the Web cast.
For technical assistance, please check out our FAQs (frequently asked questions) at: http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/FAQ.html
or contact a Web cast team member at webcast@ilru.org
or 713.520.0232
(v/tty).
This Web cast is supported through the Disability Law Resource
Project (DLRP), a project of ILRU. DLRP is one of ten Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTACs) funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) to provide training, technical assistance and materials dissemination on the
ADA and other disability-related laws. NIDRR is part of
the U.S. Department of Education.
The opinions and views expressed are those of the presenters
and no endorsement by the funding agency should be inferred.
Posted by Nancy at 11:01 AM | Comments (0)
July 24, 2006
Realising Potential, Disability Confidence Builds Better Business
The Employers' Forum on Disability recently launched
www.realising-potential.org.
It is targetted at:
Posted by Nancy at 09:13 PM | Comments (0)
July 06, 2006
"Planet of the Blind"
Steve Kuusisto, poet and writer has launched a blog called "Planet of the Blind."
He hopes it will be of general interest to those who share his interest in literary nonfiction and disability.
You can visit the blog and add your posts at: http://www.kuusisto.typepad.com/
Posted by Nancy at 06:00 PM | Comments (0)
July 04, 2006
Distance Learning 2006, the 22nd Annual Conference on Distance Teaching & Learning.
The Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning is recognized internationally for the quality and integrity of its program. Each year the conference provides a forum for the exchange of information on distance education and training. The conference addresses the needs of educators, trainers, managers and designers from throughout the world who are involved in the application of technology to the teaching and learning process and in the planning, administration, and management of distance education programs.
The aim of this annual conference is to foster effective distance learning applications through the sharing of new knowledge, skills, and developments among education and training professionals. The conference program will offer more than 150 concurrent sessions, workshops, forums, keynotes, and course design showcases.
Resoures
Posted by Nancy at 07:46 PM | Comments (0)
National Federation of the Blind Hails Legislation to Help Fund Braille Literacy Campaign
WASHINGTON, June 30 -- The U.S. Senate last night passed legislation honoring Louis Braille, creator of the raised-dot system of reading and writing that bears his name. The Louis Braille Bicentennial -- Braille Literacy Commemorative Coin Act (S. 2321), which was passed by unanimous consent, calls for the Secretary of the Treasury to issue up to 400,000 silver-dollar coins commemorating the bicentennial anniversary of Louis Braille's birth.
The bill is part of a larger campaign initiated by the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) to encourage Braille literacy among blind youth.
Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) who jointly introduced the legislation with Senator Rick Santorum (R-Penn.), this past February, said: "Encouraging more blind youth to learn to read and write in Braille from an early age will only increase their opportunities as they grow older. We need to ensure that more people -- blind and sighted -- are educated and well aware of Braille's amazing system, and the vast benefits associated with it."
A definite correlation exists between Braille literacy and employment rates among the blind, proving that Braille literacy is a vital pathway to success.
Over 80% of employed blind or visually impaired adults report using Braille every day, but the number of blind or visually impaired students learning Braille has been decreasing. Today, only 10% of blind or visually impaired students learn to read and write Braille.
Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the NFB, said: "Louis Braille recognized long ago that the fact that a person is blind does not mean he or she must be limited in life. He understood that providing the blind with practical, innovative solutions was key to their independence. This positive attitude towards blindness reflects the Federation's philosophy as well. The NFB applauds this legislation, which will ultimately result in an increase in Braille literacy as a result of the programs funded by the surcharge proceeds."
Under the new legislation a $10 surcharge will be added to each coin. Money from coin sales goes to the NFB, which will then match the proceeds dollar for dollar through other fundraising activities. In addition to projects submitted by NFB affiliates, the NFB will invite other organizations serving the blind to submit Braille literacy projects to its planning committee for possible funding. For example, the money will support NFB- approved Braille literacy initiatives, such as the NFB's Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest.
By offering special recognition and cash prizes for the number of pages read, this national Braille-reading competition encourages students from kindergarten through twelfth grade to read books in their free time. Like Louis Braille, young people develop a deep fondness for reading and improve their reading skills. As a result blind youth are better equipped for future successes in all areas of their lives.
Hannah Weatherd, age 13, of Saratoga, Wyoming, who won this year's competition and can read Braille faster than most people can speak, says the program has dramatically improved her Braille-reading skills: "The more I read, the faster I get. I learn a lot about topics I didn't know much about before. The more I read, the more I learn. This will help me to become a teacher someday. Braille has definitely made a positive difference in my life."
The NFB fosters Braille literacy by offering mentoring programs in which experienced Braille readers teach and encourage beginners. NFB also offers education for children, research in effective methods of teaching and learning Braille, and formal instruction in its residential training centers. The Federation emphasizes Braille literacy throughout its programs and services.
Louis Braille, born in 1809 in France, was blinded as a young child during an accident in his father's workshop. His thirst for knowledge and love of reading fostered his determination to create an efficient reading system that could be inexpensively reproduced in book form. The resulting Braille reading method used different formations of six distinct raised dots to denote different letters. Because of Louis Braille's contributions, Braille readers today can read up to 400 words per minute, comparable to the reading rates of most sighted people.
Reps. Robert Ney (R-Ohio) and Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) introduced the House companion bill, which passed in February of this year. The coins, which go on sale in 2009, will emphasize Braille literacy by featuring Louis Braille's image and raised dots that spell out "Brl" -- the Braille contraction for the word "Braille." This will be the first coin ever minted by the United States Treasury with a Braille symbol. To learn more about the Louis Braille commemorative coin, Braille literacy campaigns, or for general information, contact the NFB at (410) 659-9314, or visit
http://www.nfb.org.
About the National Federation of the Blind
With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the United States. The NFB improves blind people's lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and self-confidence.
It is the leading force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in the United States for the blind led by the blind.
Posted by Nancy at 05:56 PM | Comments (0)