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March 31, 2007
Focus on Technology" a Job Accommodation Network Webcast
This Webcast will feature JAN's accommodation specialists and highlight their experiences with the most recent assistive technologies. The training will include a discussion about the use of low- and high-tech solutions to accommodate employees with motor, sensory, and cognitive impairments. Participants will receive information about how to choose assistive technology as an accommodation.
Trainers: JAN Consultants Beth Loy , Kendra Duckworth and Tracie Saab. Moderator: Linda Batiste.
Date: Tuesday, April 10, 2007.
Fee: for the Webcast is $30.00 per Internet connection.
Note: Registration and payment must be made by Wednesday, April 4, in order to participate in this event.
To register, visit: http://www.jan.wvu.edu/teleconf/Register/
For questions about registration, e-mail: training@jan.wvu.edu
The Job Accommodation Network is a service of the Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor.
Posted by Nancy at 06:48 PM | Comments (0)
Serotek announces expanded Microsoft Office support in System Access, including Excel support
Serotek Corporation, the leading provider of Internet and digital information accessibility software and services, has just released significantly expanded support for Microsoft Office in its System Access product, including the ability to create Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations as well as compatibility with Office 2007.
System Access makes it easier than ever to create, browse, and edit spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel. Users can easily query row and column titles or have them spoken automatically, jump to cells with data, follow hyperlinks, have System Access speak totals automatically when they change, set up monitor regions to speak automatically when they change, and even create and view Excel charts. For more complex spreadsheets, users can specify the rows and columns that contain titles with only a few keystrokes. When a user customizes the way System Access works with an Excel document, the document-specific settings travel with the user from one computer to another. The number of configuration options and keyboard commands is kept to a minimum, so users can get started quickly with little training. Read more about how System Access's new Excel support works.
Creating, editing, and delivering PowerPoint presentations is just as easy with System Access. System Access introduces very few new keystrokes to the process, so users can focus on the presentation rather than on driving a screen reader. While delivering the presentation, the user can listen to any notes that were entered while creating the slides, even though these notes are not visible to viewers. With a U3 smart drive, a blind presenter can walk up to any Windows XP or Vista PC with Office installed, insert the flash driver, and be ready to give the presentation in just a few minutes. System Access's PowerPoint support further levels the playing field for blind instructors, marketers, managers, and other communicators who wish to be competitive in today's highly visual world.
In addition to these new features, System Access now also works seamlessly with Office 2007. The Ribbon, which replaces the menu bar in Office 2007, is fully accessible. With System Access, blind consumers need not hesitate to switch to the newest version of Office, and blind professionals will not be left behind as organizations upgrade.
With our expanded Office support, we continue to provide screen-reader-like functionality without the drawbacks of a conventional screen reader. Our emphasis on automatic access cuts training costs, and all of these new features are available on the go with a U3 smart drive. It's truly accessibility anywhere.
For more information about Serotek and its products or to obtain a free 30-day trial, visit www.freedombox.info. If you have had a 30-day trial in the past, you may start a new free 30-day trial using the same account information as before. If you lost your original account information, please do not create a new account; instead, please call (866) 202-0520 or email support@freedombox.info.
Posted by Nancy at 02:18 PM | Comments (0)
Website Accessibility For People With Disabilities: NYC
Date: Thursday, May 3, 2007
Time: 6-8:00 PM
Location: New York City Bar Association, 42 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036
Phone Number: (212) 382-6000
Co-sponsored by: the Committee on Legal Issues Affecting People with Disabilities, the Information Technology Law Committee and the Civil Rights Committee.
"The power of the Web is its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is its essential aspect," says Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web. The Web is increasingly a prime marketplace of ideas, goods and services, and people with disabilities may not be excluded from it. Some courts and commentators, however, suggest that private sector Websites (Websites of entities designated "public accommodations" in Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act) need to be accessible only if they have a "bricks and mortar" connection.
This program brings to life a recent City Bar report demonstrating that accessibility is required regardless of “bricks and mortar”: "Website Accessibility for People with Disabilities," available at http://www.nycbar.org/pdf/report/Website_Accessibility.pdf.
The program will feature a real-time demonstration of Website accessibility and examples of good and not-so-good accessibility features on selected Websites. Contributors to the report will explain how the law requires accessibility in virtually all public and private sector Websites.
Who should attend?
The program will interest people who use Websites, people responsible for compliance with laws regarding Websites, lawyers and non-lawyers, people with and without disabilities, Website designers and the media.
PARTICIPANTS:
- American Foundation for the Blind
- Carl R. Augusto, President & CEO;
- Walter L. Decker, Executive Vice President;
- Crista Earl, Director, Web Operations; and
- Marc Grossman, Accessibility Consultant
- Carl R. Augusto, President & CEO;
- Contributors to "Website Accessibility for People with Disabilities"
- Kenneth M. Dreifach, Information Technology Law Committee;
- Peter Johnson, Committee on Legal Issues Affecting People with Disabilities; and
- Mark H. Leeds, Civil Rights Committee
- Kenneth M. Dreifach, Information Technology Law Committee;
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. The Association will seek to provide sign language and oral interpreters for people who wish to attend this program when a request is made to the Executive Director's Office (212-382-6660 or rnelson@nycbar.org) sufficiently in advance; persons making the request must confirm their attendance with this Office two business days before the program.
Posted by Nancy at 01:39 PM | Comments (0)
March 28, 2007
"It's About People Not Technology"
EASI's current Podcast: It's About People Not Technology is an interview with acclaimed columnist, John Williams.
John Williams has launched his own Web site to continue to post up-to-date content on the power of assistive technologies: http://www.atechnews.com/
For many years John had a column with Business Week focusing on the power of assistive technologies to open new worlds for people with a variety of disabilities.
You can subscribe to any of the 3 Podcast series provided by EASI: Equal Access to Software and Information at: http://easi.cc/podcasts
You can also read many of John's previous articles on the National Organization for Disabilities at its Web site: http://www.nod.org/
To get this and future People interview Podcasts be sure to subscribe from: http://easi.cc/podcasts
Posted by Nancy at 02:12 PM | Comments (0)
Job Training and Placement: Brooklyn, NY
Brooklyn Workforce Innovations (BWI) and Fifth Avenue Committee (FAC) are nonprofit organizations that can help you find work through our employment services and job training programs. All services are free to qualified New York City residents. Training programs include job readiness and job placement assistance. We have assisted hundreds of New Yorkers in obtaining employment. Why not see what we can do for you? Employment Services include:
- Red Hook on the Road (RHOR): 4 week full time training program for Commercial Driver's License (CDL). Course prepares participants for jobs as drivers of "Class B/BP/BPS" commercial vehicles such as trucks, school buses, coach or charter buses, airport shuttle buses and Access-A-Ride vehicles. Program requirements include: 21 years or older, a clean NYS driver's license for at least 2 years -- no more than 2 points, or one suspension, or one conviction showing on the driver record no combination of the above allowed. Driver record must be less than 30 days old. Contact 718-237-4846.
- Brooklyn Networks: intensive 6 week training program leading to a nationally recognized certification in low voltage cable installation (graduates work installing telephone and computer lines, broadcast cable systems, home theaters and security systems). Program requirements include: 21 years or older and a clean valid NYS driver's license, pass a reading and math test at the 8th grade level and the ability to lift and bend 70lbs. Contact number: 718-237-2017 x 149
- "Made in NY" Production Assistant Training Program: Free intensive 4 week training program for individuals who want to start a career in TV and film production. Leads to certification by the New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting and two years of job placement assistance. Program requirements include: 21 years old or older, NYC Resident, valid driver's license, unemployed or low income. Contact Mara Prater 718-237-2017 ext. 145.
- Brooklyn Woods: Eight Week training course for entry level custom woodworking techniques including the use of hand tools, power tools and woodworking machines. Graduates are prepared to build and install custom cabinets. Qualifications include proficient in reading and math - particularly in fraction and measurements and Physically fit/able to lift 70lbs. Contact: Kathy Figueroa 718 389-3636
- Building Works pre-Apprenticeship Program: Offered in the Fall only. Full-time four month program administered by the NYC District Council of Carpenters. Trainees receive licenses and certifications that lead to careers in lead abatement and asbestos removal, environmental remediation, and the building and construction trades. Application process begins in the summer (mid-July). Applicants must be at least 18 years of age, eligible to work in the US, physically able to do the work, have HSD or GED at the time of application and have the ability to read and do math at the 8th grade level. Contact: 718-237-2017 x 135
- Neighborhood Employment Services: Offers resume preparation, career assessment, job readiness, referrals to training, education and certification programs, and job placement services. Offices in both Park Slope and at the Red Hook Community Justice Center. In Park Slope, contact Jennifer Brown 718-237-2017 x 128. In Red Hook, contact Susan Vargas 718-923 8206.
- First Source Staffing: A full-service staffing company that places applicants in both temporary and permanent positions. FSS specializes in administrative, clerical, customer service, and accounting/bookkeeping placements.
Posted by Nancy at 12:34 PM | Comments (0)
"Experiences of Individuals with Disabilities Pursuing Careers in the Arts: Creating a National Portrait"
If you are an American with a disability pursuing a primary career in the arts, or if you have been deeply involved in supporting careers in the arts for people with disabilities: join a "virtual focus group" on this important topic!
What's This About?
The University of Illinois at Chicago, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts (PS 04-01) is gathering data bearing on two primary research questions:
- What are the barriers and facilitators mediating access to careers in the arts for Americans with disabilities?
- What are the social, personal, and economic outcomes of training and work in the arts for Americans with disabilities?
Next month, they will open a 6-week e-mail discussion forum focusing on one question per week regarding careers in the arts for Americans with disabilities.
Who Can Participate?
You are eligible to participate in our "virtual focus group" if you are age 18 or over AND you are at least ONE of the following: a disabled or non-disabled resident of the U.S. with intensive involvement or experience in arts careers and disability. a U.S. resident with a disability working in or pursuing careers involving the arts (e.g., arts training, administration, program development),or a career artist with a disability in the U.S.
How To Join
For more information about participating, contact: Terri Thrower Graduate Research Assistant as soon as possible because the enrollment deadline is April 6, and the virtual focus group begins on April 16.
Ms. Thrower as soon as possible because the enrollment deadline is April 6, and the virtual focus group begins on April 16.
If You Have Questions
The researchers conducting this study are Carol J. Gill, Ph.D. and Carrie Sandahl, Ph.D. If you have questions, you may contact the researchers at:
University of Illinois at Chicago (MC 626)
W. Roosevelt Road, Room 236
Chicago, IL 60608(312) 996-1233 TTY
(312) 355-0550 v1640
(312) 996-0885 fax
E-mail: cg16@uic.eduPosted by Nancy at 09:55 AM | Comments (0)
March 27, 2007
Family Center on Technology and Disability (FCTD) Online Discussion: Augmentative Communication & Vocabulary Selection
Starts April 2, 2007
There is much more to selecting vocabulary for augmentative communication devices than choosing words that seem essential.
In the FCTD April online discussion, Katya Hill from the University of Pittsburgh and Robin Hurd of the AAC Institute will explore the process of selecting vocabulary for effective augmentative communication.
Among the topics to be discussed are high frequency vocabulary for language development, strategies for expanding vocabulary choices, use of social stories, and methods for monitoring vocabulary growth.
Professionals and families are encouraged to participate. To join the discussion beginning April 2, go to: http://www.fctd.info/webboard/index.php
Contact Information
Family Center on Technology and Disability (FCTD)
1825 Connecticut Ave. NW Suite 700S
Washington, DC 20009email: fctd@aed.org
web: www.fctd.info
Posted by Nancy at 08:30 PM | Comments (0)
Call for Papers: WCD Expo
The WCD Expo has two open Call for Papers.
The deadline for the main conference Call for Papers is April 15th. Submit your presentation at www.wcdexpo.com/papers.
You are also invited to apply to participate in their Workplace conference, called "Disabilities and the Workplace: Accommodation, Advancement, Management." This will run from Tuesday through Thursday November 13-15th. Sessions will address employees with disabilities and people who manage them. The audience will be mainly government agencies and large corporations.
WCD Expo is seeking speakers on the following representative topics:
- Upward Mobility
- Leadership
- Mentoring
- Networking
- Your Rights As An Employee With Disabilities
- Workplace Accommodations
- Technology For Employees With Disabilities (Hearing Loss, Low Vision, Etc.)
- Accommodative Furniture, Flooring, Ramps, Doorways, Etc.
- Anger Management
- Job Advancement
- Sensitivity Training
- ADA and Rehab Act
- a managers’ panel – how to improve the work environment for employees with disabilities
- Diversity
- Work – Life Balance
- How to Manage Employees With Disabilities
- How to Speak With People With Disabilities
- Section 508
If you would like to be considered as a speaker on these or related topics, please submit your presentation at www.wcdexpo.com/papers.
Posted by Nancy at 01:51 PM | Comments (0)
Screening of Clips from "Through Deaf Eyes" at Mid-Manhattan Library
Date: Saturday, April 7, 2007 at 2:30 P.M.
Location: Mid-Manhattan Library, 455 5th Avenue
(southeast corner of E. 40 St.)It will be followed by a discussion including a Q&A session with the director/producer, Lawrence Hott, as well as the co-producer and film editor, Diane Garey.
A team of interpreters will be present for ASL/voice interpreting.
Posted by Nancy at 11:22 AM | Comments (0)
March 24, 2007
National Library Service Celebrates Talking-Book Program, Partners, and Patrons During National Library Week
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As we celebrate our nation's libraries during National Library Week (April 15-21), the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of Congress, is recognizing the many ways its network library partners engage people in reading and keep them connected to the world around them. For more than 75 years, NLS has provided blind and physically handicapped readers with free reading materials. Through its talking-book program, books on tape and special playback equipment are mailed directly to patrons at no cost to them. The program is a lifeline to many, enabling them to read independently.
"National Library Week is a wonderful time to honor and showcase the numerous ways libraries throughout the country promote reading," says NLS director Frank Kurt Cylke. "The National Library Service and its network of local and regional libraries play a special role in ensuring all people can access and be inspired by the written word."
The program does more than facilitate reading—it also brings people together. Talking-book clubs, offered through NLS regional and subregional libraries, provide patrons with the opportunity to discuss the books they have read and to share their love of reading with others. "My interest in books has developed," says talking-book club member, Michael Conrad, a patron of the Los Angeles regional library. "The meetings also get me out to socialize. I have great discussions and meet new people."
The clubs often create friendships and a sense of togetherness and community. "The meetings are a time when patrons can discuss their lives, feelings about going blind, and challenges they face daily," says Dawn Fuller, the talking-book club coordinator for Braille Institute Library Services, the NLS regional library in Los Angeles.
Talking-book clubs also expose patrons to new materials, broadening their appetites for literature, expanding their imaginations and encouraging them to pursue new pastimes. With a collection of more than 400,000 titles, including the latest bestsellers, classics, biographies, romances, mysteries, and westerns, NLS offers no shortage of inspiration. Recent book-club discussions have focused on top-sellers such as The Kite Runner, Marley and Me, Wicked, The Secret Life of Bees, and The Black Dahlia. "I've been introduced to things I wouldn't have thought of reading," says talking-book club participant Bea Thaxter of Los Angeles. "Now I am even writing—and I never knew I could."
Book club discussions often inspire NLS patrons to explore new ways to connect with the world around them. A number have taken on leadership roles in their local communities, starting their own book discussion groups. Others have used talking-book resources to participate in other book clubs not affiliated with their local libraries.
About NLS Talking-Book Clubs NLS regional and subregional libraries offer book groups to readers of all ages. Many of the 132 cooperating libraries host summer reading clubs for young patrons and participate in NLS's national 102 Talking-Book Club, which honors centenarian patrons for their lifelong devotion to reading. Those unable to attend NLS book-club meetings can often participate by telephone or computer. Online-only clubs are also available, allowing NLS patrons nationwide to connect with other sighted and visually impaired book lovers without leaving home.
About the National Library Service The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of Congress, administers the talking-book program, a free library service available to U.S. residents or American citizens living abroad whose low vision, blindness, or physical handicap makes reading a standard printed page difficult. Through its national network of regional libraries, NLS mails books and magazines in braille and on cassette and audio playback equipment directly to enrollees at no cost. Further information on talking-book clubs and eligibility requirements and enrollment procedures for the talking-book program are available through www.loc.gov/nls or 1-888-NLS-READ (1-888-657-7323).
Posted by Nancy at 01:51 PM | Comments (0)
March 21, 2007
The Disabilities Network of NYC’s disTHIS! Film Series gets all April Foolish
When: Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Time: 6:30 to 9pm. Screening starts promptly at 7pm.
Where: DCTV @ The Firehouse 3rd Floor Screening Room 87 Lafayette St (between Walker & White) Closest subway stops: N/Q/R/W, J/M/Z, or 6 to Canal Street. DCTV is located two blocks South of Canal Street in NYC.
Cost: $5 Suggested Donation
disTHIS! showcases cutting edge independent and international short, documentary and feature films with disability themes beyond clichés that audiences members are unlikely to see elsewhere.
Movies screened as a part of disTHIS! are always provocative; never quite what audiences expect. A magical, mystical place where plot pulverizes pity, character trumps charity and direction and dialogue beat out diagnosis. The disTHIS! Film Series: No handkerchief necessary, no heroism required. This is disability through a whole new lens.
A daring trio of movies that’ll "inspire" you to laugh at disability. In fact, they encourage it! You asked for humor, you've got it! April's disTHIS! selections are unafraid to traverse the sometimes treacherous terrain between disability and comedy. This triple threat unflinchingly and gloriously challenges the most taboo of subjects -- laughing at people with disabilities -- like you’ve never seen it done before on disabled people’s terms.
As we celebrate our 1st year of genre-breaking cinematic monthly shenannigans at the disTHIS! Film Series, we give you permission to, "Go ahead, laugh!"
We know you want to...
About the films:
A group of street smart wheelchair-using teens are asked to climb a mountain – literally – to realize a pretentious director's patronizing notion about their “life struggles” in Justin Edgar's hilarious Special People. The kids brilliantly foil his scheme, cracking funny bones and obliterating stereotypes along the way. (13 minutes)
Jamie O’Leary’s I’m Spazticus. Back by popular demand! Gloriously politically incorrect and wickedly funny, this hybrid of MTV’s "Punk'd" and “Candid Camera” features real live disabled people pranking an unsuspecting public on the streets of London. Utterly fresh and deliciously rude, "Spazticus" was an instant hit at the disTHIS! sneak preview party and at our previous screening with the Visible Theatre. We're tickled to give “Spazticus” it's proper, official disTHIS! premiere. (24 minutes)
Five performers with various disabilities (and a token able-bodied comic) take the stage at the renowned and unforgiving Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Abnormally Funny People. Features Liz Carr (from the OUCH! podcast) a wheelchair user, a deaf bloke named Steve Day, two short-statured people - Tanyalee Davis and Simon Minty, and Chris McCausland, a blind fellow. Oh, plus that able-bodied guy, Steve Best. All inspiring, heroic (and occasionally tragic) in their own right. See them before they get their own sitcoms, become mainstream, rich & lazy. (45 minutes)
Our ever-popular, occassionally raccous audience discussion will follow the screening. All disTHIS! movies, talkback sessions and related events are open to the public. $5 Suggested donation. There will be ASL interpretation provided at the post-screening discussion. Space is wheelchair accessible. Snacks are provided and there is a cash bar for drinks, but space is limited! Be sure to call 212.251.4092 or email: Lawrence@dnnyc.net to reserve YOUR seat.
About us: The disTHIS! Film Series is a project of the Disabilities Network of NYC and is hosted by ConnecTV. We are made possible by your donations and, in part, the generous support of The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.
For more information and to sign up for regular email updates, please visit: http://disthis.orgBe sure to friend us on MySpace at: http://www.myspace.com/disthisfilmseries
Posted by Nancy at 01:53 PM | Comments (0)
"Getting Youth Involved in Community Volunteerism"
"The Power of One," the latest campaign by Country Music Television’s (CMT) pro-social initiative, CMT One Country, urges CMT viewers to get involved in their community through civic participation and volunteerism.
CMT One Country is reaching out to CMT fans to let them know about the opportunity to get involved with National & Global Youth Service Day (April 20-22, 2007) events all over the country.
CMT One Country also rewards volunteers for making a difference in their communities by giving them the opportunity to win rewards from CMT. If you want to learn more about CMT One Country and how you can win rewards for the good work you already do, go to: http://www.cmt.com/one_country/rewards.jhtml
Posted by Nancy at 10:56 AM | Comments (0)
"Recognizing Exemplary Service to the Community"
The Yoshiyama Award for Exemplary Service to the Community is now accepting nominations. Sponsored by The Hitachi Foundation, the Award recognizes high school seniors from around the United States for their community service activities and social change efforts. Activities must foster longer term community change and be focused in socially and/or economically isolated areas.
The Award is accompanied by a gift of $5,000, dispensed over two years. Recipients may use the Award at their discretion. The Award is not a scholarship and is not based on financial need or academic achievement.
Deadline for submissions: April 2, 2007.
http://www.hitachifoundation.orgPosted by Nancy at 10:21 AM | Comments (0)
March 19, 2007
RFB&D extends scholarship deadline to May 1!
The Mary P. Oenslager Scholastic Achievement Awards are presented to RFB&D members who are college seniors and blind or visually impaired, in recognition of extraordinary leadership, scholarship, enterprise and service to others.
Offered since 1959, the awards are given to a total of nine students who are chosen by a selection committee. RFB&D gives three top winners $6,000 each; three special honors winners $3,000 each; and three honors winners $1,000 each.
Applicants must meet all of the following eligibility criteria:
- Be legally blind Have been registered as an RFB&D member for at least one year, up to and including the period of March 1, 2006;
- March 1, 2007, and have borrowed at least one RFB&D book during that time (individually or through a school);
- Have received, or will receive, a bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university in the United States or its territories between July 1, 2006, and June 30, 2007; and
- Have an overall grade point average for undergraduate years of 3.0 or more on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent if an alternative grading system is used)
For more information contact:
Julie Haggith
Strategic Communications Administrator
Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic
20 Roszel Road
Princeton, NJ 08540609-520-8044
Posted by Nancy at 03:57 PM | Comments (0)
Self-Employment Technical Assistance, Resources, & Training (START-UP / USA)
START-UP/USA provides technical assistance to support self-employment and small business ownership among people with disabilities. It includes a series of Webcasts on using SSA's Plan for Achieving Self Support (PASS) to support small business ownership, developing a business plan, as well as information for veterans with disabilities.
This information is now available at:
Additional self-employment/ entrepreneurship resources are available at: http://service.govdelivery.com/service/view.html?code=USODEP_41&format=Web
Posted by Nancy at 10:31 AM | Comments (0)
Emergency Preparedness
State reports from the Working Conference on Emergency Management and Individuals with Disabilities and the Elderly is now available. This information includes recommendations on ways to ensure that people with disabilities are included in the emergency preparedness planning process.
This information is now available at:
http://www.disabilitypreparedness.gov/
Posted by Nancy at 09:59 AM | Comments (0)
March 16, 2007
No More Stereotypes of People with Intellectual Disabilities
The Entertainment Industries Council (EIC) has asked AAPD to help ensure that depictions of persons with intellectual disabilities in TV shows and in movies are not stereotypical or patronizing. They have asked AAPD to collect any personal stories you may be able to share with EIC that relate to any of the numerous issues surrounding intellectual disabilities. For example, they want to know about family, health care, legal, diagnostic, developmental concerns, so that they can share actual stories (similar to case studies) with Hollywood writers and producers, with the hope that true-life stories will inspire fictional depictions.
If you would like to participate, please write up a "case study" and send it to AAPD. Just write up the details (the who-what-when-where-why) and send it to me at aapdjenifer@aol.com as soon as you can. Maybe your true story of some outrageous comment or event will change how the world thinks about intellectual disability. I know I'm going to write up a few stories about how my son with intellectual disabilities has been treated very badly a few times (and how we got even!)
Source: Jenifer Simpson, American Association of People with Disabilities, email: aapdjenifer@aol.com
Posted by Nancy at 05:15 PM | Comments (0)
PBS documentary explores 200 years of deaf life in America
"Through Deaf Eyes," a two-hour PBS documentary exploring nearly 200 years of Deaf life in America, will air 3/21/2007. The film was inspired by the exhibition, "History Through Deaf Eyes," curated by Jack R. Gannon of Gallaudet University.
The documentary will air nationally on PBS on Wednesday, March 21 at 9 p.m. ET (check local listings). www.pbs.org or www.nytimes.com, then click on Television... amazingly, you can get listings for any cable provider throughout the tri-State area!
The film presents the shared experiences of American history - family life, education, work, and community connections - from the perspective of deaf citizens. Interviews include community leaders, historians, and deaf Americans with diverse views on language use, technology and identity.
Bringing a Deaf cinematic lens to the film are six artistic works by Deaf media artists and filmmakers: Wayne Betts, Renee Visco, Tracey Salaway, Kimby Caplan, Arthur Luhn, and Adrean Mangiardi.
Poignant, sometimes humorous, these films draw on the media artists' own lives and are woven throughout the documentary. But the core of the film remains the larger story of Deaf life in America -- a story of conflicts, prejudice and affirmation that reaches the heart of what it means to be human.
Major funding for "Through Deaf Eyes" is provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, PBS, The Annenberg Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. Private individuals have also contributed to the funding of this project. The extensive outreach campaign is funded in part by Sign Language Associates. Outreach partners are the National Association for the Deaf, Gallaudet University, the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of
Technology, and California State University-Northridge. As part of the outreach campaign, numerous local organizations, some in association with their public television stations, will mount events and discussions exploring the issues raised in the film.A comprehensive Web site, found at www.pbs.org accompanies the film. The site includes interviews with the deaf filmmakers whose work is featured in the documentary, while also inviting viewers to submit their own stories, photographs, and films. These will become part of the archival collection of Gallaudet University. A companion book is being published by Gallaudet University Press.
Posted by Nancy at 04:35 PM | Comments (0)
March 12, 2007
Online Course in Disability and Visual Studies
The Friday Center for Continuing Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is please to announce an online course in disability and visual studies.
This course focuses on representation of disability in modern and contemporary art history and popular culture. We will investigate the consequences of visual representation on the personal and social lives of disabled people, as well as on the development of public policy. Visual materials we will study include film, commercial advertising, charity depictions, medical images, freak shows, and fine art in a variety of media. Drawing from the interdisciplinary field of disability studies, we will compare and contrast various forms of and contexts for visualizing disability in art and society.
Art 553: Visualizing Disability
Instructor: Ann Millett, PhD
millett@email.unc.edu
Art Department, UNC-Chapel Hill
Credit hours: 3For more information and to register for the course, see Carolina Courses Online at: fridaycenter.unc.edu/
Posted by Nancy at 12:02 PM | Comments (0)
Call For Contributors: Encyclopedia of American Disability History
Facts On File and the advisors for the Encyclopedia of American Disability History are looking for contributors.
This three-volume reference work will cover basic information on important events, issues, developments, laws, biographies, and related topics in American Disability History.
Entries on significant historical themes and concepts—including civil rights, war, public policy, citizenship, media, institutions, education, and technology— will examine both practical and theoretical factors, as well as demonstrate the deeper meaning of the lived experience of disability.
Each entry will illustrate the subject within an historical context, and show that while disability has existed throughout American History, disability is neither a fixed nor static concept but one whose definition and understanding have changed markedly from era to era.
Because accessibility is a major issue in Disability History, the entries in this reference will accommodate a broad, diverse audience, from high school students to general readers, to individuals who assist people with disabilities. Clear language, accessible prose, and coherent, balanced, jargon-free interpretations are essential for every article.
The editors of this encyclopedia are currently seeking contributors for a wide range of entries.
The following is a sample list of available entries: Access Board; Aesthetic; surgery; Anti-depressants; Bishop, Elizabeth; Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (legislation); Class; Curb cuts; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Faculty psychology (19c); Fox, Michael J.; Hysteria; Insanity; Japanese American Internment; Madness Network News; Mr. Magoo; Morquio Syndrome; National Paraplegia Foundation; Obsessive Compulsive Disorder; Occupational therapy; PGA Tour, Inc.; v. Martin; Radiation; Rusk, Howard; Schizophrenia; “special” Therapeutic interventions; Twitch & Shout; Voice Recognition Software; White, Ryan ...
Authors interested in contributing to this important project should contact Dr. Susan Burch for further information and details regarding the full list of entries: s.burch@abdn.ac.uk
Susan Burch, Ph.D., editor-in-chief
Advisors:
Grace Chang, Ph.D.
Kim Nielsen, Ph.D.
Katherine Ott, Ph.D.
Penny Richards, Ph.D.
Carrie Sandahl, Ph.D.
Richard Scotch, Ph.D.
Steve Taylor, Ph.D.
Graham Warder, Ph.D.
Dan Wilson, Ph.D.Posted by Nancy at 11:00 AM | Comments (0)
Vision Rehab Colloquium at NYU: 3/31/2007
Vision Rehab: It's More Than a Magnifier
Hosted by:
- The Computer Center for Visually Impaired
People at Baruch College; - Helen Keller Services for
the Blind - New York University's Department of
Occupational Therapy and Interactive
Telecommunications Program
Date: Saturday, March 31, 2007
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Location: Program Location Interactive Telecommunications Program New York University, 721 Broadway, 4th floor (corner of Waverly Place) New York, NY 10003
Presenters:
- Karen Gourgey, Director of the Computer Center
for Visually Impaired People; - Lynn Luxton, Vision Rehabilitation Therapist,
Helen Keller Services for the Blind; - Matthew P. Sapolin, Commissioner of the Mayor's
Office for People with Disabilities; - Gene Bourquin, Orientation & Mobility Instructor,
Helen Keller National Center for Deaf Blind Youth and
Adults; - Steven Landau, President and Director of Research,
Touch Graphics, Inc.; - Steve VanLew, Associate Director of Occupational
Therapy, NYU Medical Center/ Rusk Institute Mae Ramos,
Occupational Therapy Vision Rehabilitation Clinical
Specialist, NYU Medical Center/ Rusk Institute; and - Anita Perr, Clinical Assistant Professor,
Department of Occupational Therapy, New York
University Marianne Petit, Associate Arts Professor,
Interactive Telecommunications Program, New York
University.
This one day event will bring together occupational therapists, vision rehabilitation therapists, people with visual impairments, and assistive technology developers and providers in an exchange of ideas, experiences and expertise.
E-mail your RSVP to itp.rsvp@nyu.edu
Please be sure to include the words vision rehab in the subject of the email. Please include the following information in the body of the email: Your name (and the names of others for whom you are sending the RSVP) Number of people to attend and a request for any accommodations you require.
Deadline to RSVP: March 28th. Space is limited.
Agenda
9:00-9:30 Coffee & Registration
9:30-9:40 Welcome and Introduction Karen Gourgey Lynn Luxton
9:40-10:00 Partnering for Success: Benefits of Collaboration Matthew P. Sapolin
10:00-11:30 Rehabilitation Instruction and the Vision Rehabilitation System Lynne Luxton
Rehabilitation Instruction and Rehabilitation for People with Deaf/Blindness Gene Bourquin
11:30-11:45 Break
11:45-12:30 Development of Technology for People with Low Vision and Blindness Steven Landau
12:30-1:30 Lunch & Exhibit Hall Exhibit Hall Vendors include: Freedom Scientific, CTech, Touch Graphics, Bausch & Lomb
Lunch provided courtesy of the Nathan Cummings Foundation
1:40-2:30 Vision Rehabilitation in the Neurologically Impaired Population Steve VanLew and Mae Ramos
2:30-3:15 Breakout Sessions
OT and Vision Rehabilitation: Case Study Lynne Luxton and Anita Perr Designer and Developer Brainstorming Session Steven Landau and Marianne Petit Client with Neurological Impairment: Case Study Steve VanLew and Mae Ramos
3:20-3:30 Closing Remarks- Karen Gourgey
Please share this announcement with others who might be interested in attending.
This event is made possible through a grant from the Nathan Cummings Foundation.
Posted by Nancy at 09:41 AM | Comments (0)
March 09, 2007
Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, March 8, 2007
- Here is a blog post giving a clear review of five online sites where you can convert files from one format to another. http://franticindustries.com/blog/2007/03/04/5-online-file-format-converters-reviewed/
- Thanks to Pirilo's Picks is a potentially handy site, Tasklist.org, giving information about all the processes that run in the background on your computer. http://www.tasklist.org/
- One of the annoying ironies of adaptive technology of late has been that while Apple claimed to be making advances in making its systems accessible to the blind, its own iTunes program wasn't accessible to blind Mac users. the situation is now apparently largely resolved with the latest iTunes version. A Window-Eyes user reports that the latest windows version also works better with that screen reader.
- The March issue of Accessworld is out, including articles about the Jitterbug cell phone, accessible equipment for diabetes care, accessibility of distance learning, and several more articles. http://www.afb.org/accessworld
- Bus riders in Chicago, Boston, Seattle, Austin, Houston and Dallas can get bus schedules via text message. http://www.dadnab.com/
- EASI will hold a free workshop, When Is a Webinar Accessible for Users With Disabilities? on Tuesday, 13 March at 18:00 gmt. they are trying out a new web-conferencing service and hope people will register and give them feedback. they will offer two paid clinics on webinars (that's "web-based seminars) in April. http://easi.cc/forms/webinar.htm
- If you have a current BrailleNote or VoiceNote but no gps system to go with it, you can enter a drawing for a free gps system. For every 100 owners who enter the drawing, one gps unit will be given away. http://www.senderogroup.com/freegps.htm
- David Dailes has written a free guide for JAWS users trying to use the free multi-track audio editor Audacity. the guide can be found in the audio section of his web page, and he is open to feedback. http://vip.chowo.co.uk/jaws-guides/
- The Accessible World online trainings which occur Monday evenings in North America are scheduled based on North American time, so beginning next week, when most of North America switches to daylight saving time, the time for these programs will remain the same in North America but change elsewhere in the world; the programs begin at 00:00 Tuesday gmt. Next week's training is entitled Incorporating Mobilespeak Pocket into Day to Day Living. http://www.accessibleworld.org
- On the other hand, ACBRadio bases its schedule in GMT, so North Americans who want to listen live to Main Menu, or take part in Main Menu Live, will need to do so an hour earlierstarting next week. I know at least one North American with whom I am intimately acquainted who will be listening breathlessly to next week's program, Wednesday 14 March at 01:00 gmt, as Larry Skutchan from American Printing House for the blind discusses, among other things, the next version of the Book Port. And since said North American will be unavailable for the live broadcast, it is great to see that the ACBRadio archives are updated very quickly now and the podcasts come quickly too.
- The blind Handy Girl list is for women to discuss better ways of doing things around the home. the list has moved to Google Groups. to join, send a blank message to blindhandygirl-subscribe@googlegroups.com
- Window-Eyes 6.1 Beta 2 is now available http://www.gwmicro.com/beta.
- and you can now listen to the second part of the two-part feature on On the Move Radio concerning window-Eyes and windows Vista. http://www.gwmicro.com/onthemove
- Opportunities Unlimited for the blind will hold the 3rd Annual "World at Your Feet" GPS/Technology Event in Michigan from 16-19 August, 2007. this camp for blind and visually-impaired children will give them the chance to navigate a park and a nature trail using gps, and to attend a technology fair. http://www.campt.org
- Two new articles have been posted to the Gw Micro Knowledge Base: Disabling Smart Tags in Microsoft Word and Uninstalling window-Eyes Manually nder windows Vista. http://gwmicro.com/Support/Knowledge_Base/
- VIP Conduite is an audio chat site for the blind and sighted featuring weekly activities and classes, many free, some for supporting members. http://www.vipconduit.com
- Brian Buckley has a web page with lots of links to European radio stations with streaming audio. http://www.live-radio.net/european.shtml
An individually-mailed text version of Tidbits is available to those who want it or have difficulty receiving the usual html version. Write to me to request it.
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.
Feel free to forward intact copies of this newsletter, so others can subscribe. To subscribe, send a blank message to tttt-join@topdotenterprises.com and reply to the confirmatory message. Aspiring subscribers can also go to http://topdotenterprises.com/mailman/listinfo/tttt_topdotenterprises.com
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.
List archives are available to members at http://topdotenterprises.com/mailman/private/tttt_topdotenterprises.com/
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.
TTTT is a free service of Top Dot Enterprises, Copyright (c) 2004, 2005, Top Dot Enterprises.
Dean Martineau
Top Dot Enterprises
2219 Rucker Ave #204
Everett WA 98201
(425) 876-4406 dean@topdotenterprises.com
http://www.topdotenterprises.comPosted by Nancy at 10:20 AM | Comments (0)
March 08, 2007
Executive Diversity Career Fair: Thursday, April 19, in Chicago
CareerJournal is pleased to announce their next Executive Diversity Career Fair, to be held on Thursday, April 19, in Chicago. The fair, presented by CareerJournal, The Wall Street Journal and Lucas Group and sponsored by UBS, runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Embassy Suites Hotel Chicago Downtown.
The Executive Diversity Career Fair provides a unique setting for job seekers from diverse backgrounds to meet with top companies seeking senior-level talent.
Eligibility: Companies recruiting at the fair are strongly committed to seeking executive, managerial and professional women, disabled and minority candidates, including recent graduates from M.B.A. programs. However, all candidates are welcome.
Cost: The event is free to candidates, and all eligible attendees can register on-site at the event. Attendees should bring multiple copies of their resumes.
Environment: All interviews will be conducted in private suites with company representatives.
Career Assistance: Free seminars throughout the day will cover such topics as job-search success tips and career-advancement strategies. A free resume critique will also be available at the event.
Employers: Top employers in a range of industries will attend. Companies who have participated at past fairs include: Accenture, AMCORE Bank, AON, AT&T, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Boeing, Case New Holland, ConAgra Foods, Inc., Corning, Eli Lilly, Ernst & Young, Federal Express, First Banks, General Electric, Intel, International Truck and Engine Corporation, LaSalle Bank Corporation, Medtronic USA Inc., Oracle Corporation, Plante & Moran, PLLC, Publicis, Healthcare Communications Group, Russell Investment Group, Siemens Building Technologies, Inc., Smith Barney, Synch Solutions, SunTrust Bank, The National Security Agency, Vanguard and Wyeth.
For more information about the fair please visit CareerJournal.com.
Posted by Nancy at 11:11 AM | Comments (0)
When Is a Webinar Accessible for Users With Disabilities?
Free EASI Event Tue. Mar. 13 at 2 PM
Presenters: Dick Banks and Norm CoombsThere are at least 3 aspects to making participating in a Webinar or Web conference accessible to users with disabilities:
- The Web conferencing system;
- The way the presenter uses it to make the presentation; and
- The participant's adaptive software and the user's skill in using it.
*** If you are a screen reader user, please consider attending. We want your feedback! We also believe that a good system can be used in ways to greatly reduce its accessibility. Similarly an unfriendly interface can be used in ways to minimize those issues. How it is used is important.
Please register early at the link below so you can install the software in advance and look at the accessibility documentation. http://easi.cc/forms/webinar.htm
EASI will hold 2 fee-based Webinar series in April: http://easi.cc/clinic.htmEASI's April, month-long, instructor-led courses will be:
- Accessible Internet Multimedia: Podcasts, Vodcasts and Streaming
- Train the Trainer Read more at: http://easi.cc/workshop.htm
Posted by Nancy at 10:56 AM | Comments (0)
American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) Vacancy Announcement
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is a national membership organization founded in 1995 that works to increase the political and economic power of the more than 50 million children and adults living with disabilities in the U.S. AAPD is the country’s largest cross-disability membership organization, with over 100,000 members nationwide. AAPD promotes public policies that advance the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency.
AAPD operates programs in five core areas:
- Political Participation
- Leadership Development
- Mentoring and Career Exploration
- Membership and Member Benefits
- Advocacy
The Program Manager Of Mentoring And Leadership Programs will act as the:
National Coordinator for Disability Mentoring Day (DMD):
In this capacity he or she will be responsible for recruiting local and state coordinators; creating print materials; maintaining DMD website materials; supporting local, national and international mentoring programs through problem-solving and mentoring; creating curricular materials such as one-pagers, toolkits, and FAQs; promoting and representing DMD and AAPD at local and national mentoring conferences and committees; assisting the Development director with securing federal and private funding for DMD; acting as liaison between Local Coordinators and sponsors; evaluating the program on a national level and reporting to program funders. This is a highly visible position at AAPD and is requested at speaking engagements nationally.
DMD-Washington, DC Local Coordinator and Chairperson of the DMD-DC Advisory Board:
Responsibilities include: Designing and executing a plan for Disability Mentoring Day in Washington, DC; recruitment of individuals with disabilities (mentees) and employers (mentors); events management, including coordination with contractors, event sponsors, vendors, and representatives from participating schools, federal agencies, and area businesses; organizing and leading the DMD-DC Advisory Board meetings; DMD-DC budget implementation; and annual program evaluation.
Program Manager of the Summer Internship Programs (IT and Congressional):
Responsibilities include: developing and disseminating program materials; establishing and implementing application review processes; securing internship placements in congressional and federal agency offices for all interns; arranging all logistical considerations for the summer (travel, housing, stipends); ensuring housing and workplace accommodations are provided; coordinating with multiple vendors; developing professional development seminars with leading disability policy and I.T. professionals; budget implementation; annual program evaluation; grant reporting; and acting as liaison to the program participants and funders.
Program Manager of the Leadership Awards programs (Paul G. Hearne and Henry B. Betts Awards):Responsibilities include: developing and disseminating program materials; establishing and implementing application review processes; oversight of recipients’ compliance with award requirements in the ensuing 12-month period; on-going evaluation of the program objectives, implementation, and impact; and grant reporting.
Requirements: Candidates must have at least undergraduate degree and 3-5 years of program management experience. Candidates must be proficient in MS Office applications.
Ideal candidate: Strong Excel experience preferred; excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills; knowledge of and experience with the disability community; self-starter.
Salary: Commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits.
Start date: Immediate.
TO APPLY: Please submit cover letter, resume, and list of 3 professional references. Position open until filled.
ATTN: Search Committee – Mentoring & Leadership Programs
AAPD
1629 K Street NW, suite 503
Washington, DC 20006Submit by Fax or Email:
Fax: 202-457-0473
Email: aapd@aol.com
(subject heading: Program Manager, Mentoring & Leadership Programs)
Learn more about AAPD at www.aapd.com. AAPD is an equal opportunity employer. People with disabilities and people of color encouraged to apply.
Posted by Nancy at 10:44 AM | Comments (0)
Third Annual Tony Coelho Lecture in Disability: Monday, March 26, 2007 in NYC
The Third Annual Tony Coelho Lecture in Disability Employment Law and Policy will be presented by the New York Law School's Justice Action Center, Monday, March 26, 2007, Wellington Conference Center between 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. (breakfast at 8:30 a.m.).
Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., will deliver the Third Annual Tony Coelho Lecture in Disability Employment Law and Policy. His speech will focus on opportunities to improve the Americans with Disabilities Act. Congressman Tony Coelho will introduce Congressman Sensenbrenner.
Register for the lecture and learn about the live webcast at: http://www.nyls.edu/pages/5041.asp
Posted by Nancy at 10:40 AM | Comments (0)
FCC to Accept Law Student Application This Winter for the 2007 Attorney Honors Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS MEDIA CONTACT Meribeth McCarrick (202) 418-0654 Meribeth.McCarrick@fcc.gov
FCC to Accept Law Student Application This Winter for the 2007 Attorney Honors Program
Washington, D.C. - The Federal Communications Commission today announced that it is accepting applications from recent law graduates, graduating students, and judicial clerks for its 2007 Attorney Honors Program. This is the second and final application window for the 2007 Program.
Through the Attorney Honors Program, the FCC recruits new and recent law school graduates and judicial clerks to the FCC and the field of communications. The FCC encourages candidates with superior academic credentials and an interest in communications law to apply for the 2007 class. Applications must be received on or before March 22, 2007; incomplete applications will not be considered. All Attorney Honors Program participants will be located at the FCC's headquarters in Washington, DC.
Interested candidates with current bar memberships must respond to FCC Vacancy Announcement Number ATTY-OGC-2007-0001, available on the FCC's website at http://www.fcc.gov/jobs/. Candidates who are not members of a bar should submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, official and/or unofficial law school transcript, and list of three references to honorsprogram@fcc.gov, or by mail to the attention of Kim Mattos, Attorney Honors Program, Office of General Counsel, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street S.W., Washington, DC 20554. Eligibility criteria and other pertinent information are available on the FCC's Attorney Honors Program webpage at http://www.fcc.gov/attorneyhonorsprogram.
Selection for participation in the Attorney Honors Program is highly competitive. Selection criteria include: academic achievement, writing skills, law review and/or moot court experience, clinic or extracurricular activities, and demonstrated interest in government service and/or the communications industry.
Attorneys at the FCC work on cutting-edge issues in the communications and high-tech arenas, including those affecting the digital television transition, public safety, and homeland security. They also review mergers and acquisitions of Fortune 500 companies, promote the deployment of broadband technologies, promote access to communications services for Americans with disabilities, and protect the rights of consumers.
Source: Federal Communications Commission
Posted by Nancy at 10:38 AM | Comments (0)
Effective Communication Requirements Under Title II of the ADA and 911 and Emergency Communications Services
The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued new installments of a technical assistance document designed to assist state and local officials in improving compliance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in their programs, services, activities and facilities. These newly released documents address Effective Communication Requirements Under Title II of the ADA and 911 and Emergency Communications Services.
This new information is located in the
Posted by Nancy at 10:38 AM | Comments (0)
March 01, 2007
NAVH Networking Day: 3/31/07 in NYC
"Using Digital Technology for Freedom, Independence and Productivity"
When: Saturday, March 31st
Time: 1:30 – 3:30 PM
Where: National Association for Visually Handicapped Headquarters
22 West 21st Street, 6th Floor
New York, NYGuest Speakers
Leah W. Huntington and Chandrika Surajpal from the Computer Center for Visually Impaired People at Baruch College. Facilitated by Mindy Levine, CSW
Space is limited and reservations are required.
Please RSVP by calling:Mindy Levine, CSW or NAVH
(212) 245-9656 or
(212) 889-3141
mindygl@verizon.netPosted by Nancy at 04:43 PM | Comments (0)
- The Computer Center for Visually Impaired