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December 31, 2007

Executive Chamber Internship Program: State of New York

Governor Spitzer’s Executive Chamber Internship Program offers an outstanding opportunity for motivated college juniors, seniors, new (or recent) graduates and graduate students to gain real world government experience working closely with the Governor’s staff.

Positions available in NYC and Albany.

Application Deadline: March 1, 2008

Internship Dates: May 19 – August 15

Positions available in NYC and Albany.

Interns work from 10 to 13 weeks, and may be placed in the Appointments Office, Intergovernmental Affairs, Legislative Affairs, Lieutenant Governor’s Office, Press Office, Scheduling Office, Office of the Secretary to the Governor, State Operations, Special Projects, as well as offices focusing on economic development, education, energy, the environment, health, and homeland security. The number of interns hired and the offices to which interns are assigned varies based on staff needs.

Intern responsibilities will range from administrative work to substantive research. All interns should be ready to work hard, learn quickly, and cooperate with a diverse team serving the people of New York State.

Posted by Nancy at 03:00 PM | Comments (0)

December 20, 2007

NYC Employment & Training Coalition 2008 Jobs & Labor Trends Forum

WHERE ARE THE JOBS?

Where is the most entry and mid-level job growth occurring in New York City?

What is the economic outlook for 2008 and are we headed toward a recession?

What are the emerging job trends in tourism, hospitality, retail, health care, and other "hot" NYC industries?

These questions will be answered and more topics will be discussed at NYCETC’s 2008 Jobs Outlook and Trends Forum.

Date: Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Time: 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Location: Con Edison Headquarters, 4 Irving Place, 19th Floor, Union Square in New York City.

NYCETC invites training providers, government officials, foundations, local development corporations and others to participate and get the latest jobs information from labor market experts, industry representatives, and business and economic development leaders.

The event will feature panels of labor market experts, industry representatives, business and economic development leaders, and others who will provide the latest jobs information to help you with program design and job development.

Space is limited, so we recommend registering early. If you sign up before January 18 you'll receive a discount.

For questions regarding registration, please contact Lisa Moore at or 212.253.6811 or lmoore_AT_nycetc.org
Please replace the word _AT_ in the address with the appropriate symbol.

Posted by Nancy at 01:33 PM | Comments (0)

December 19, 2007

Congressional Research Awards

The Dirksen Congressional Center invites applications for grants to fund research on congressional leadership and the U.S. Congress. A total of up to $30,000 will be available in 2008. Awards range from a few hundred dollars to $3,500.

All proposals must be received no later than February 1, 2008.

The competition is open to individuals with a serious interest in studying Congress. Political scientists, historians, biographers, scholars of public administration or American studies, and journalists are among those eligible. The Center encourages graduate students who have successfully defended their dissertation prospectus to apply and awards a significant portion of the funds for dissertation research.

The awards program does not fund undergraduate or pre-Ph.D. study. Organizations are not eligible. Research teams of two or more individuals are eligible. No institutional overhead or indirect costs may be claimed against a Congressional Research Award.


There is no standard application form. Applicants are responsible for showing the relationship between their work and the awards program guidelines. Applications are accepted at any time. Applications which exceed the page limit and incomplete applications will NOT be forwarded to the screening committee for consideration.

All application materials must be received on or before February 1, 2008. Awards will be announced in March 2008. Complete information about eligibility and application procedures may be found at The Center's Web site. Frank Mackaman is the program officer.

The Center, named for the late Senate Minority Leader Everett M. Dirksen, is a private, nonpartisan, nonprofit research and educational organization devoted to the study of Congress and its leaders. Since 1978, the Congressional Research Awards (formerly the Congressional Research Grants)program has paid out $680,000 to support 350 projects.

Posted by Nancy at 05:37 PM | Comments (0)

Don't know what to get someone for the Holidays?

Amazon.com gift certificates are always the perfect gift, redeemable for millions of items on the Amazon.com.

They can be sent via email, an e-card, or on paper through the mail. And eSight will receive a percentage of each gift certificate sale.

Please pass this on to friends and colleagues. The more people shop Amazon.com using our links the more support The Associated Blind will receive.

Posted by Nancy at 03:36 PM | Comments (0)

Can you HELP Glenda?

As you may recall, Glenda Watson Hyatt, The Left Thumb Blogger Author of I’ll Do It Myself: The Book is vying for the opportunity to be paid to blog for a year.

The winner is determined solely by the number of votes. Currently she is in third place and is 7,400 behind first place.

She is not ready to throw in the towel yet!

She's set up a Twitter account to remind people to vote. If you Twitter, she invites you to follow her.

Another way to support the campaign is to make http://blogforayear.com/profiles/glenda-watson-hyatt
your Internet browser's homepage for the next month. This way you can easily cast your daily vote until December 31, 2007.

It'd be awesome to have an eSight member win this.

Please vote now.


Happy holidays!

eSight Member Services Team

Posted by Nancy at 01:31 PM | Comments (0)

Save the Date: Conference on "Employment and Visual Impairment: Policy and Practice"

Sponsored by: Baruch College's Computer Center for Visually Impaired People (CCVIP), School of Public Affairs (SPA) and
Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (OSSD)

When: Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Where: Baruch College, City University of New York

Time: 9:30-4:00

Cost: Free admission including lunch and refreshments

Mark your calendar.

More information will follow soon.

Posted by Nancy at 01:29 PM | Comments (0)

NIB Fellowship - Applications are Now Being Accepted

The Fellowship for Leadership Development, sponsored by National Industries for the Blind (NIB), is a two-year, salaried program that combines business-focused, on-the-job experience with formal management training.

Legally blind individuals who have an undergraduate degree, work experience, desire to travel and passion to become a business leader are invited to apply.

Fellows are selected by a committee based on academic achievement, experience, motivation, references, personal interviews and other supporting data.

Applications will be accepted until February 15, 2008.

For more information, visit the NIB Web site.

Or, contact Karen Pal, Business Leaders Program Director, at 703-310-0515 or Steve Beres, Community Program Development manager at 703-310-0327.

Posted by Nancy at 01:21 PM | Comments (0)

Seminars@Hadley Presents: Successful Business Ownership

Are you interested in starting your own business? Are you a business owner or manager looking to stay competitive? Join Seminars@Hadley on January 5 at 12 PM CST and 18:00 GMT as we host Urban Miyares, a nationally recognized successful entrepreneur who is blind. Over the last 40 years, Urban has launched more than 20 business ventures and assisted thousands of individuals with disabilities in their own businesses. He is also the founder of the Disabled Businesspersons Association and the National Disabled Veterans Business Center.

This Seminars@Hadley will discuss a variety of topics, including:

The seminar will be co-hosted by Chuck Young, president of Hadley, and moderated by Dawn Turco, senior vice president of Hadley. Time for questions and answers will be provided.

Registration is required. You will receive instructions on how to log in to the seminar. Please note registration will only be taken online, and not by phone. Please read the technology requirements listed below prior to the seminar.

Technology requirements: The Hadley School for the Blind uses Talking Communities tcConference software for its popular Seminars@Hadley, interactive seminars on a variety of topics. If you wish to participate in Seminars@Hadley, you must install the appropriate plug-in prior to the first login. To install the plug-in, follow the "Download and install the new plug-in" link on the Seminar Login page.

This version is for Windows only and it is not compatible with Macintosh at this time.

System requirements: Windows98, ME, 2K, XP or 2003 (XP recommended) system, Pentium 3 500 MHz or better CPU, 512 MB RAM, Internet Explorer 6, 7 or FireFox, JavaScript and cookies enabled in the browser, 56K or faster Internet connection (broadband recommended), full duplex audio device, speakers, and microphone (optional).

The Hadley School for the Blind is the single largest worldwide distance educator of blind and visually impaired people. Since its founding by William Hadley and Dr. E.V.L. Brown in 1920, all of Hadley's distance education courses have been provided free of charge. Today, the school serves more than 10,000 students annually in all 50 states and 100 countries. Hadley relies on contributions from individuals, foundations and corporations to fund its programs. Visit them on the Web at www.hadley.edu.

Posted by Nancy at 12:57 PM | Comments (0)

December 18, 2007

Barrier-free Information Technology

Month-long online course beginning Jan 8.

All participants completing the course will receive an EASI Certificate of Completion. The course will also count towards the Certificate in Accessible Information Technology.

Barrier-free Information Technology has been revised in 2006 and enriched with several new multimedia modules. The course is designed to guide an institution in making both its computer and information technology systems fully accessible to its users with disabilities. digitized information is display independent meaning that it can be input and output in ways that make it available to all users regardless of their abilities. Schools are becoming more concerned about providing texts in alternative formats, and the course will describe several different format options and give tips on creating formats such as Word, PDF, PowerPoint, Web pages and DAISY. Libraries are increasingly using digitized information, and libraries can include the formerly "print disabled" as never before. New technologies are now available that significantly increase the participation of students with disabilities in the fields of science and math as the result of research and resources resulting from National Science Foundation grants.

The emphasis in this month-long course will be on creating structures that will lead to the institution-wide system change as required by recent disability-related legislation. The course will be useful for administrators, faculty, computer and instructional support staff, librarians and more.

Full syllabus and online registration is at
http://easi.cc/workshops/adaptit.htm


Course Lessons and Assignments

Week 1:

Lesson 1: Introduction and Reasons to Adapt Your Information Technology Systems
Lesson 2: What Is Adaptive Technology? (Computer Input/Output Problems and
Solutions

Week 2:
Lesson 3: Supportive Computer Applications for Users With Disabilities
Lesson 4: Accessibility of Electronic Devices, Computer Software and Online
Content
Lesson 5: Creating and Locating Alternative Media

Week 3:
Lesson 6: Providing Support for People with Hearing Impairments
Lesson 7: Access Issues of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
Lesson 8: Using Accessible IT to Enable the Library to Serve the Former
"print disabled"

Week 4:
lesson 9: Training Faculty and Staff
Lesson 10 policies and procedures

Posted by Nancy at 11:15 AM | Comments (0)

December 14, 2007

eSight's Top Ten List

The ten most read resources on eSight Careers Network during last week are:

  1. Original Wildlife Paintings

  2. 10 Steps to Build Strengths and Eliminate Weaknesses

  3. How to Build an Operating Budget for Your Small Business

  4. High Turnover Antidote: Hire Employees With Disabilities

  5. AT and T

  6. Wireless Keyboard Options for the Blind Computer User

  7. Professional Development Seminar Summary:
    Goldman, Sachs...

  8. FAQ: When and How to Guide a Blind Person

  9. eSight's NetWork News - What Employers Really Want To Know About Your...

  10. Characteristic of Leadership: Beginning With the End in Mind - Moral...

Posted by Nancy at 10:01 AM | Comments (0)

December 13, 2007

What's New In OpenBook 8.0

Presenter: Dusty Voorhees, Senior Product Manager, at Freedom Scientific

Date: Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Time: 6:00 p.m. Pacific, 7:00 p.m. Mountain, 8:00 p.m. Central 9:00 p.m. Eastern, and Wednesday GMT 02:00 elsewhere in the world.

Where: Friends of Bookshare Community Room

The presentation will feature an abundance of information about the upcoming release of OpenBook 8.0, including new features, changes in the functionality of features from previous OpenBook versions, and important interfaces with other Freedom Scientific products. This online Internet discussion will provide participants the opportunity to interact with one of Freedom Scientific's highly trained and respected technology leaders to learn first-hand about the changes in OpenBook and gain a better understanding of the benefits of the powerful tools available in OpenBook 8.0.

There are no membership requirements, no direct costs, no need to pre-register, and no passwords required. All you need is a PC running Windows 2000 or later, an Internet connection, a sound card, and speakers. Since this is an audio conference, a microphone will be needed to allow you to interact audibly with the presenter and each other. However, if you do not have a microphone, text chat is also available. (Limited access is also available for Macintosh users).

If you are a first-time user of the Accessible World online conferencing software, there is a small, safe software program that you need to download and then run. A link to the software is available on the entry screen of each room...

Note: Archives of events are available for download.

Posted by Nancy at 02:50 PM | Comments (0)

December 12, 2007

Ai Squared Releases ZoomText USB

Provides Universal Access for Vision Impaired Computer Users

Manchester, VT, December 5, 2007: Ai Squared, a worldwide leader in computer access solutions, is proud to announce the release of ZoomText® USB, the newest product in the ZoomText family. ZoomText USB lets vision impaired computer users carry the popular screen magnification/screen reading program anywhere they go, allowing for installation and use at any time. ZoomText makes computers accessible and friendly to low vision users by magnifying and speaking what appears on the screen, and the USB edition provides access to this valuable software on any computer.

ZoomText USB delivers ZoomText on a USB memory drive that conveniently fits in your pocket or around your neck on the included lanyard. With ZoomText USB, you can install and run ZoomText wherever and whenever you need to (with administrator's approval), without having to purchase additional licensing or worry about activating each installation.

Its design allows you to plug in the USB drive and, if ZoomText has already been installed on the system, immediately use the software. If ZoomText hasn't been installed, a low vision friendly setup program launches for a quick installation - you're up and running in minutes. Your settings are conveniently saved back to the USB drive and load automatically each time you plug in the USB drive.

"Computers have become increasingly ever-present in our lives, and so has our need to access and use them wherever we go", said Walter Elliott, President of Ai Squared. "This need for public computer access is no different for visually impaired ZoomText users. For those who are unable to use computers without ZoomText, ZoomText USB is the solution to universal access."
ZoomText USB supports Windows Vista, XP, and Windows 2000 and is available in 18 languages: Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, US English and UK English.
New copies of ZoomText USB are $495 for Magnifier and $695 for Magnifier/Reader. Low cost upgrades to the USB edition are available to all registered users of ZoomText. Upgrades from previous versions of ZoomText start at $100. For further information about ZoomText USB or information on multi-user pricing, contact the Ai Squared sales department at (800) 859-0270 or sales_at_aisquared.com


About Ai Squared
Headquartered in Manchester, Vermont, Ai Squared has been a worldwide leader in computer access solutions for the vision impaired since 1985. Ai Squared's screen magnification and screen reading products dramatically improve a computer's usability and friendliness for the low vision user, raising their level of productivity, satisfaction and independence. The family of Ai Squared products - ZoomText, ZoomText USB, the ZoomText Large-Print Keyboard, and BigShot - is distributed through an international network of dealers. For more information, please visit Ai Squared online at www.aisquared.com.

Contact: Mckenzie Brown
Ai Squared
Phone: (802) 362-3612
Fax: (802) 362-1670

AI SQUARED
PO Box 669
Manchester Center, VT 05255

Posted by Nancy at 06:29 PM | Comments (0)

December 04, 2007

Los Angeles, CA, Career Expo: 2/6/08

EOP logo Hosted by CAREERS & THE disABLED, the nation’s leading career magazine for people with disabilities.

DATE: Wednesday, February 6, 2008

TIME: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

LOCATION: L.A. Convention Center
1201 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015

Meet with Fortune 500 companies and government agencies looking to recruit new talent.

You must pre-register online in order to attend the event. By pre-registering and attaching your resume, you will be able to not only enter the career expo faster, but will have your resume included on a CD that will be distributed to all participating recruiters after the career expo.

For further info, email us at:
info@eop.com

SPONSORED BY:


Free Admission To Career Expo

Posted by Nancy at 07:07 PM | Comments (0)

ILO calls for more support for disabled people in work

GENEVA, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- The International Labor Organization (ILO) on Monday called for more international efforts to break down barriers that still prevent millions of people with disabilities from working.

"Decent work is the ILO's primary goal for everyone, including people with disabilities," said ILO Director-General Juan Somavia in a statement to mark the International Day of Disabled Persons on Dec. 3.

"When we promote the rights and dignity of people with disabilities, we are empowering individuals, enriching societies and strengthening economies," Somavia said.

According to a new ILO report, some 650 million people, or one out of every 10 people in the world, has a disability, and of these, approximately 470 million are of working age.

While many are successfully employed and fully integrated into society, people with disabilities as a group often face disproportionate levels of poverty and unemployment.

"There is a strong link between disability and poverty," said the report, entitled "The right to decent work of persons with disabilities."

It said an estimated 80 percent of all people with disabilities in the world live in developing countries. Of these, some 426 million live below the poverty line.

The report said significant and sustained efforts are vital not only to promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in employment, rural development and poverty reduction programs, but also in moving toward achieving the U.N. Millennium Development Goals for halving poverty by the year 2015.

Posted by Nancy at 06:40 PM | Comments (0)

Basic ADA Building Blocks

The DBTAC: Southeast ADA Center announces the "Basic ADA Building Blocks Webcourse", a Moderated Online Course, is an eight-week introductory webcourse on the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) that explores the legal requirements and the spirit of the ADA.

Date: January 8-March 3, 2008

Course Fee: $295 per person

Register for Basic ADA Building Blocks webcourse at: www.sedbtac.org/ada/training/register.php

What People Are Saying

Course Overview

The Basic ADA Building Blocks webcourse is an eight-week, moderated introductory online course about the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) that explores the legal requirements and the "spirit" of the ADA. The course emphasizes the thought process required to answer questions about the ADA. Interactive application exercises are provided throughout the course to help participants apply newly learned concepts.

Course Objectives

This course, moderated by a team of ADA experts, will provide you with the basic knowledge necessary to broaden your understanding of the ADA. Participants will learn how to:

1. Discuss the ADA using a civil rights framework.

2. Define the general non-discrimination requirements of the ADA.

3. Explain each non-discrimination requirement using 1-2 real life examples.

4. Identify the defenses or limitations of each non-discrimination requirement.

5. Locate and use a variety of resources to provide information and technical assistance on the ADA.

Content of Course

The course may be accessed at all times via an Internet connection. Course content is organized into ten structured topics that require completion in an assigned time frame. Each topic contains relevant information and examples followed by application exercises and self-tests to help you apply your knowledge to real-life situations. Where possible, relevant court cases are cited and links to additional resources on specific requirements are provided.

The course is designed to be studied in order and requires an eight-week commitment. Course participants should allow a minimum of two hours each week to complete the assigned topic(s). Each section must be completed within a designated timeframe; otherwise, you will not be allowed to progress through the course.

DBTAC: ADA Center staff moderate the course, Monday-Friday, except for holidays. Course moderators review responses to Practice Questions posed in each module and post follow-up comments within one (1) business day after you submit your answers. . A Discussion Forum is available at all times throughout the course, and course participants are encouraged to interact via an email discussion list.

Course Outline

Certificate of Completion, CEU, and CRCC Requirements

Certificate of Completion Requirements
All participants who meet the course requirements will receive a "Certificate of Completion" for the Basic ADA Building Blocks webcourse. You may also document your completion of this course by printing the results of your Post Test, which identifies your name, date course completed, and Post Test score.

To earn a "Certificate of Completion," you must:


  1. Post responses in the Discussion Forum to all "TA Practice" and any moderator feedback until marked "completed."

  2. Finish all 10 sections within the designated timeframe; a section is finished after all its pages are viewed, its "Apply Your Knowledge" is scored and its TA Practice are "completed".

  3. Score 90% or better on the Post Test.

Continuing Education Unit (CEU) Requirements

The Basic ADA Building Blocks webcourse has been approved by the University College at Syracuse University for 1.5 continuing education units (CEU), which equates to 15 contact hours.

To earn 1.5 CEUs, you must:

  1. Post responses in the Discussion Forum to all "TA Practice" and any moderator feedback until marked "completed."

  2. Finish all 10 sections within the designated timeframe; a section is finished after all its pages are viewed, its "Apply Your Knowledge" is scored and its TA Practice are "completed".

  3. Score 90% or better on the Post Test.

  4. Submit the University College CEU Form. Instructions will be provided upon successful completion of the course.

Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) Requirements
The Basic ADA Building Blocks webcourse has been approved by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) for 14 CRCC credit hours. You may apply for CRCC Credit if you meet the eligibility requirements established for rehabilitation counselors and wish to extend your certification status as a CRC, CCRC, CRC-MAC, CRC-CS or CRC-MAC-CS.

There is no fee for CRCC credit, but you are responsible for completing and mailing to CRCC a "Verification of Completion" form.

Posted by Nancy at 06:13 PM | Comments (0)

Pioneer in Accessible Teaching Technologies Wins WCET's Highest Award

Norm Coombs Boulder, Colorado - WCET announced today that Norman Coombs, a pioneer in the use of technologies that make e-learning courses accessible to those with disabilities, was named as the 2007 recipient of its Richard Jonsen Award for Service to the Educational Telecommunications Community. WCET, a cooperative that focuses on shaping e-learning's future in higher education, is one of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education's primary programs.

"I am honored to receive this award and am heartened that WCET understands the importance of accessibility issues," says Coombs, who is himself blind. The former professor learned the power of using educational technologies while teaching history at Rochester Institute of Technology. "Students with hearing or sight impairments often felt liberated in the freedom that the technologies afforded them," he says.

Since 1993 Coombs has led EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information), a nonprofit organization devoted to teaching educators about accessibility techniques for educational technologies. He is an outspoken advocate for adaptive technologies and the use of universal web design principles to meet the needs of disabled students, as well as a mentor to those coming up in the field. Though officially retired, Coombs continues to teach online seminars on adaptive technologies and policies.

"Norm inspires everyone to do what is necessary to ensure that all students have equal access to education," says Pat Shea, who directs WCET's efforts to help colleges improve their online student services. "Throughout his career, he has created tools to help people learn how to do so."

About WCET & WICHE WCET is a cooperative that's actively engaged in sharing cutting-edge research and best practices in the effective use of technology in higher education. Its nearly 300 members are colleges and universities, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and corporations located in 46 states and nine countries. Through WCET, members work together to shape e-learning's future in higher education and ensure its quality. WCET (formerly the Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications) is a unit of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. WCET's Richard Jonsen Award is named for the WICHE executive director responsible for founding WCET.

The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education and its 15 member states work collaboratively to expand educational access and excellence for all citizens of the West. By promoting innovation, cooperation, resource sharing, and sound public policy among states and institutions, WICHE strengthens higher education's contributions to the region's social, economic, and civic life. Our programs - Student Exchange, WCET, Policy Analysis and Research, and Mental Health - are working to find answers to some of the most critical questions facing higher education today. WICHE is the only organization in the West that focuses exclusively on higher education issues, from access and accountability to tuition and fees to distance learning and innovation. Public higher education is the primary backbone of the Western economy, and WICHE's policy research and collaborative programs support the West's citizens and its constantly evolving cultures. WICHE's 15 member states include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. For more information about WICHE, please visit www.wiche.edu.

Posted by Nancy at 05:36 PM | Comments (0)