May 07, 2008
National Disability Statistics for Disability Advocacy Webinar: 3-4:30 ET on May 22
Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Demographics and Statistics (StatsRRTC) and Independent Living Research Utilization Web Conference
Date: Thursday, May 22, 2008
Time: 3:00 - 4:30 PM ET
Register online
The joint Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Demographics and Statistics (StatsRRTC) and Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) Web Conference provides a high-quality online overview of select national surveys used to generate key disability statistics. The presenters will discuss and illustrate the relevance, availability, and quality of existing data sources for centers for independent living and state disability public policy advocates. This course will additionally outline how participants can use these data to enhance grant and funding application preparation as well as target outreach to unserved and lesser-served communities in their states.
Technology Requirements:
Full participation in this web conference series requires access to email, a telephone line and a computer with internet access. A high speed internet connection is recommended but not required. The webinar will be captioned for the hearing impaired.
Presenters:
MELISSA J. BJELLAND, PhD, is a Research Associate at the Employment and Disability Institute at Cornell University in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations Extension Division. She is currently the Project Manager of an employment disability nondiscrimination study using the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commissions Integrated Mission System. Dr. Bjelland additionally serves as Co-Principal Investigator and Project Director in examining the impact of environmental factors on disability and the decision to work using the American Community Survey. In this capacity, she works with teams to plan and conduct analyses of cross-sectional and longitudinal research files using national survey and administrative datasets to evaluate the impact of changes in policies that advance the employment of people with disabilities.
RAYMOND CEBULA III, JD, is a member of the Extension Faculty of Cornell University’s Employment and Disability Institute. As a faculty member, he has provided technical assistance and training to Protection and Advocacy program attorneys and paralegals in 16 states and territories covered by Cornell’s Work Incentive Support Center and written extensively on matters of concern to disabled individuals who are attempting to return to work. He is the principal instructor of EDI Online; a series of Social Security related certificate courses offered by the Institute. As an experienced social security disability attorney Mr. Cebula practiced with the Disability Benefits Project as a Senior Staff Attorney with the Disability Law Center in Boston, Massachusetts. He has also served as a Managing Attorney of the Disability and Medicare projects at Southeastern Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation. He is a graduate of Franklin Pierce Law Center in Concord, NH and received a Reginald Heber Smith Community Lawyer Fellowship upon graduation. He is also a graduate of Merrimack College and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. His practice has concentrated in the area of social security practice and has brought several pieces of significant litigation on behalf of low income, disabled social security beneficiaries. While working with the Disability Law Center, Mr. Cebula taught at Harvard Law Schools Legal Aid Bureau for a period of three academic years. He is the co-author of the MCLE publication An Advocates Guide to Surviving the SSI System, several SSI practice manuals published by Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, and an extensive listing of Policy and Practice Briefs housed in the ILR School Library. He is a regular presenter of social security related programs at local and national conferences of social security practitioners.
BILL ERICKSON, MS, is a Research Specialist with the Employment and Disability Institute (EDI) at Cornell University and has been actively involved with disability research for the past seven years. Since 2003 he has been providing high quality Technical Assistance regarding a wide variety of disability statistics for the Cornell University Disability Demographics and Statistics RRTC. He was the project manager for the 2006 Disability Status Report series and developed all the estimates used in the 2005 and 2006 Status reports. He is the coauthor of A Guide to Disability Statistics from the 2000 Decennial Census and has worked extensively with the American Community Survey Public Use Microdata files. He has Census Bureau Special Sworn Status that allowed him to perform analysis on US Census Bureau restricted datasets of Census 2000 and the ACS 2000-2005 under a NIDDR funded FIR. He is intimately involved in design and content of DisabilityStatistics.org and developed the Census 2000 data available on that site. He is co-PI and Project Manager of a NIDDR funded Project regarding web accessibility and usability for persons with disabilities and has been responsible for the management and analysis of several disability related surveys of federal and private employers.
THOMAS P. GOLDEN, MS, CRC, is the Associate Director of the Employment and Disability Institute in the Industrial and Labor Relations School at Cornell University and has been on faculty since 1991. As a faculty member he has been a contributor to the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center for Economic Research on Employment Policy for Persons with Disabilities and the Disability STATS RRTC at Cornell sponsored by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). Partly in his capacity with the RRTC he has trained and disseminated relevant information and statistical data nationally and internationally co-authoring the foundation paper for a joint U.S.-U.K. symposium sponsored by the Department of Labor focusing on a comparative analysis of return to work best practices with an emphasis on evidence-based research and prevalence statistics and most recently a few book chapters building off this work. In addition, he has directed the Center for Educational Achievement and Training, the Work Incentives Support Center and several other state initiatives focusing on community participation and inclusion of people with disabilities.
Registration (deadline 5/14/08)
A confirmation letter will be sent via e-mail at least one week prior to the web conference giving you the directions on how to access the information needed to join the webinar.
Materials access directions will be sent under separate cover in a confirmation letter two weeks prior to the webinar.
Please Note: Materials for this program will be disseminated electronically. If alternative formats are requested, please provide your request to Cornell no later than four business days before the web conference.
For questions or assistance, please contact:
Melissa Burress, Cornell University
Employment and Disability Institute
201 ILR Ext. Bldg., Ithaca, NY 14853
Phone: 607-255-7727 Fax: 607-255-2763
Email: mb376@cornell.edu
Posted by Nancy at 09:56 AM | Comments (0)
May 06, 2008
DVS Home Video® Sales Effort Comes to a Close
Deep Discounts Offered for One Week on Remaining Inventory
Boston, MA. May 6. DVS Home Video, a project begun by Boston public broadcaster WGBH in the early 90's to make movies on video accessible to the nation's blind and visually impaired viewers, will end as of May 12. The Hollywood studios have ceased manufacturing VHS or tape versions of films for sale and rental. WGBH's work to make media accessible via description goes on, with efforts focused on television, feature films in theaters, DVDs and online video.
The DVS Home Video effort, started over a decade ago with funding from the U.S. Department of Education, resulted in more than 300 videos made accessible through narration of key visual elements inserted into natural pauses in dialogue. From the very first DVS Video's debut, the reaction of the community was immediate and actually profound. Films came alive in a whole new way, and the eagerness for new titles only grew. Many of the videos sold over the years were purchased by libraries and schools, which multiplied the number of individuals and families who took such enjoyment in described movies.
Films are now being distributed for sale and rental on DVD, BluRay DVD and through video on demand (either rental or download to own) services via the Internet. WGBH's Media Access Group, home to the Descriptive Video Service, has been working to transition the home video efforts to DVD and to these online movie delivery outlets. Lack of available memory space on DVDs has been stated as the reason why more description tracks, created for theatrical release in the over 300 movie theaters with WGBH's Motion Picture Access® (MoPix®) systems, are not making the migration onto DVDs. WGBH maintains a list of DVDs that have description tracks on them at the Web page listed with other description-related links at the bottom of this post.
Advocacy is needed from the community of description fans to make this transition happen. Please see the link below for a list of Hollywood studios' home video/home entertainment divisions. Help show the providers of video on these formats that there is a market and that you would be willing to purchase movies with a description track included as an optional feature.
For the next week (until May 12), DVS Home Video titles remaining in stock will be sold at a deep discount. Videos that previously were available for $15.01 and above will be sold for $10. Videos retailing for $15 and below will be now be available for $5.
To access a list of available titles, please visit the Web site .
To hear a list of titles, and/or to place an order, please call: 317 579-0439 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
All of us at the Media Access Group appreciate the unyielding support our efforts have generated over the years, and we are looking forward to the next chapter. Here is a list of links to information about ongoing description work from WGBH:
Link to Contact List for Hollywood Studios http://ncam.wgbh.org/mopix/studios.html (please include "Home Entertainment Division" in the address)
Contact:
Mary Watkins
Media Access Group at WGBH
617 300-3700
mary_watkins@wgbh.org
Posted by Nancy at 07:20 PM | Comments (0)
Employment Opportunities with the IRS
Lions World Services for the Blind Contact Collection Representative Course
Our next class for the Contact Collection Representative vocational course starts on June 30, 2008. Clients must report to us by June 2, 2008, for the required evaluation period. IRS offices for this program are located in the following cities: Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Brookhaven, NY; Buffalo, NY; Denver, CO; Detroit, MI; Fresno, CA; Jacksonville, FL; Kansas City, MO; Nashville, TN; Oakland, CA; Philadelphia, PA; and Seattle, WA. Not all offices may be hiring at this time.
This four-month course trains individuals who are blind and visually impaired to work for the Internal Revenue Service in tax collection. Each person selected for the course will be placed in employment with the IRS upon successful completion of the program. Entry level is GS 5 with promotion potential to GS 8. Once on the job, Contact Collection Representatives respond to incoming telephone and written inquiries regarding tax delinquent cases, adjustments to taxpayer accounts, and general service procedures. The individual will analyze and resolve tax processing problems, provide information and recommend enforcement action on all types of individual and/or business accounts. Extensive reading may be required on the job and while in training.
Training at LWSB involves learning the use of the personal computer with ZoomText, JAWS for Windows NT and Braillestar. Students also learn technical information about tax law, regulations, and IRS procedures.
Course qualifications include good independent living and orientation and mobility skills and the ability to read print at 100 wpm with 75 percent comprehension, or Braille at 60 wpm with 75 percent comprehension. Written communication, including keyboarding for business correspondence and filling out forms with a keyboarding speed of 30 wpm, is required. A 12th grade spelling level is required, as is the ability to pass a math test using a calculator with 90 percent accuracy. Clients must also be able to work well with people under pressure. A high school diploma or GED with four years of college or equivalent work experience is required.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens and are subject to FBI name and fingerprint check, employment checks, income tax verification for the past three years, and any other information relevant to selection for employment. Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with the Selective Services.
For referrals or more information contact:
Kristin Dow, Vice President for Recruitment and Admissions
(501) 664-7100
(800) 248-0734
www.jobs.irs.gov/dis_lionsworld.html
Posted by Nancy at 07:07 PM | Comments (0)
Statler Center Announces Career and Technology Expo
Renee DiFlavio, VP of Employment and Education, announces the upcoming Career and Technology Expo at the National Statler Center. The Expo will be held Thursday May 8, 2008 at the Elizabeth Pierce Olmsted Center, located at 1170 Main Street in Buffalo, New York. In addition to hosting adaptive technology vendors, the National Statler Center is also offering free workshops in job searching and networking; interviewing skills; an introduction to Statler Training; and an introduction to adaptive software.
Workshop attendees will be provided with tips and tricks that can be used in the job search process as well as the interviewing process, an overview of the hospitality industry training provided by the Statler Center, and a glimpse of the available adaptive software for individuals with visual impairments.
The National Statler Center is located in Buffalo, New York. It is partially funded by local and national foundations, and holds three classes per year at the Buffalo campus. Students accepted into the program must have a high school diploma or GED, type approximately 20 words per minute, and be ready to work. It is not necessary to know how to use a computer; however, it is important that students can utilize a note-taking device. The National Statler Center is looking for motivated folks who are excited about a career in the hospitality industry.
CONTACT:
Joseph Walters
Technology Specialist
716. 882.5690 ext 223
jwalters@statlercenter.org
Posted by Nancy at 07:00 PM | Comments (0)
May 05, 2008
The 1st Annual NY Disabilities Film Festival Sept 21-23, 2008
The JCC in Manhattan and UJA-Federation of New York, are presenting the 1st Annual NY Disabilities Film Festival, "Illuminating the lives, stories, and work of people with disabilities."
They are now now accepting submissions.
Posted by Nancy at 02:11 PM | Comments (0)
VSA arts Invites Entries From Young Artists With Disabilities for Green Light Awards
A National Juried Exhibition for Young Artists with Disabilities,
Ages 16 – 25
Deadline: Friday, July 11, 2008, midnight (MST)
Grand Prize: $20,000
First Award: $10,000
Second Award: $6,000
12 Awards of Excellence: $2,000
Sponsored by VSA arts with support from Volkswagen of America, Inc., the Green Light Awards program is open to young artists between the ages of 16 and 25 living in the United States who have a physical, cognitive, or mental disability. A disability is defined as an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity.
The program invites entries of both representational and abstract work. Artwork may illustrate actual aspects of what signals the artist's creative motivations such as the physical world or personal discoveries. Abstract work that relates to feelings or emotions is also encouraged. Work might also reflect the artist's experience of living with a disability and its role in shaping or transforming their work.
Art must be an original work that has been completed in the last three years. Eligible media include paintings and drawings (oil, watercolor, acrylic, pencil, or charcoal), fine art prints (lithographs, etching, intaglio, or woodcuts), photography, computer-generated prints, and two-dimensional mixed media. This year the program also welcomes entries of sculpture and time-based media (video, film, etc.).
Visit the VSA arts Web site for complete program information.
Posted by Nancy at 01:57 PM | Comments (0)
May 01, 2008
Career Exploration and Job Search: 5/8/08 to 5/29/08
Participants will look at the major elements of a career search: assessing themselves, identifying and accessing the market. Using CareerZone and other web sites, students will create an effective resume and cover letter, market themselves with a 30 second pitch, plan and prepare for an effective interview, and acquire a host of other job readiness skills.
Prerequisite: Keyboarding and Internet skills a must.
Date: Thursdays, May 8 - 29, 2008
Time: 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Code: CCV-2103
Sessions: 4
Cost: $480 (individuals NOT State-sponsored have a sliding scale)
Contact:
Judith Gerber
Manager, Educational & User Services
Computer Center for Visually Impaired People
(646) 312-1425
Posted by Nancy at 10:37 AM | Comments (0)
April 29, 2008
Access Programs at the Guggenheim
Join Guggenheim educators for a museum tour, discussion and private reception. Tours for the hard of hearing and deaf presented in American Sign Language; separate tours for the partially sighted and blind presented through verbal imaging and touch.
Mondays, 6-8 pm
May 5 Cai Guo-Qiang: I Want to Believe
June 9 Thannhauser Collection
July 7 Louise Bourgeois
FREE
Space is limited. Please RSVP:
212 360 4355 or access@guggenheim.org
Public programs are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.
Posted by Nancy at 06:14 PM | Comments (0)
April 26, 2008
Webinar: Mass Production of Scanned Books for Students with disabilities
Two part FREE Webinar series Describing Mass Production of E-text at Cal State Fullerton May 1 - 15 at 2PM EASTERN (New York) time.
Presenters: Jeff Senge and Marc Trinh, Cal State-Fullerton
CSU Fullerton has developed a detailed step-by-step process starting with the student's registration for class and resulting in the timely delivery of the class text in an alternate format usually ready for the beginning of each class.
This 2-part presentation will describe how it interfaces with the college registration process, with the professor's book selection and also interfaces with the bookstore. This highly effective process has been developed because it brings some benefits to all the players at each step along the way.
The presentation will also describe the details and the mechanics of scanning the book, proofing the text, adding images and the final delivery to the waiting student.
Save a seat for yourself at both presentations by registering now at: http://easi.cc/forms/e-text2.htm
Posted by Nancy at 06:07 PM | Comments (0)
April 25, 2008
Legacies of Intimidation and Violence: Hate Crimes Against People with Disabilities: 4/29/08
Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Time: 10am-12pm
Location: COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, Satow Room, Lerner Hall
Presented by: University Seminar on Disability Studies
Discussants:
Mark Sherry, Endowed Chair of Disability Studies and Assistant Professor of Sociology at The University of Toledo, is an internationally recognized disability researcher. He is completing a book on hate crimes perpetrated against individuals with disabilities.
John Kaye, Lawyer with Lomurro, Davison, Eastman & Muñoz, P.A, in Freehold, New Jersey. Mr. Kaye formerly the lead Monmouth County prosecutor, successfully tried the Erik Krochmaluk case. This was among the most notorious hate crimes against a person with a disability in the United States. Mr. Krochmaluk's 8 assailants each received between 15-20 years in prison.
- Seminar is free and open to the public.
Wheelchair accessible venue.
Sign Language Interpreters will be provided.
Lunch to follow the event in Room 569
Please RSVP to dsseminar@gmail.com
for the event and lunch by April 25, 2008.
With generous support from the Office of the Vice Provost for Diversity Initiatives and the Columbia University Office of Disability Services.
If making requests for parking or other accommodations, please reply to contact Colleen Lewis at (212) 854-2388 by April 25, 2008.
Posted by Nancy at 01:04 PM | Comments (0)
Webcast: ADA Paratransit - 4/30/08
Marilyn Golden of the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) will present the webcast on "ADA Paratransit" Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at 2:00pm Central.
About the Webcast
This webcast is the last in a series of five once-a-month webcasts on ADA Transportation featuring Marilyn Golden of the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF).
This webcast will focus on ADA paratransit, emphasizing aspects of this topic that have not already been covered in depth during this series. Topics will include making fixed route systems fully accessible and the impact on paratransit, the commuter bus exception, the ADA paratransit service criteria, and capacity constraints including trip denials, paratransit reservation telephone hold times, and subscription service issues.
About the Presenter
Marilyn Golden is a Policy Analyst at the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), our nation's foremost national law and policy center on disability civil rights, with offices in Berkeley, California and Washington, D.C. She has been closely involved with the Americans with Disabilities Act throughout all the stages of its proposal and passage and now during its implementation. A highly lauded ADA trainer, she has directed and led numerous in-depth programs on the ADA which have given thousands of people comprehensive knowledge on how to make this law a reality. She is the principal author of the DREDF publication The ADA, an Implementation Guide (the "Bluebook"), DREDF's highly-respected ADA curriculum.
Since the ADA's passage, Ms. Golden has continued to play a key role in policy development on a federal level in the areas of transportation and architectural barriers. She was appointed by the President to the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (also known as the Access Board) in 1996 and served on the Access Board until 2005 as a very strong and effective advocate for the interests of people with disabilities. She has also played a key role as a national transportation advocate, and has led the struggle for many of the policy victories during and since the ADA to provide better public transportation for people with disabilities. She has also authored or coordinated many ADA-related transportation papers and projects, and led numerous in-depth training programs on ADA transportation.
In 2005, the National Council on Disability published a major paper on current major disability transportation policy issues co-authored by Ms. Golden, "The Current State of Transportation For People with Disabilities in the U.S".
To link to this webcast and download accompanying materials visit: http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/calendar.html
For instructions on how to access a webcast 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 webcast.
For technical assistance, please check out the FAQs (frequently asked questions) or contact a webcast team member at webcast@ilru.org or 713.520.0232 (v/tty).
This webcast is supported through the DBTAC - Southwest ADA Center, a project of ILRU at Memorial Hermann|TIRR. The Southwest ADA Center 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 12:13 PM | Comments (0)
April 23, 2008
National Braille Press Names Brian A. MacDonald to Serve as President
Boston, MA - April 2008 - National Braille Press, a leading Braille publisher and advocate of literacy for the blind, is pleased to announce that its Board of Trustees has named Brian A. MacDonald to serve as the company's new President. Mr. MacDonald brings with him a solid track record of success in operations, sales, marketing and donor development within the non-for-profit world.
Mr. MacDonald holds an MBA in Marketing and Finance from Boston College and an undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Vermont and was most recently Chief Operating Officer of New Hampshire Audubon where he helped lead a major restructuring that included strategic planning, change management and improved revenue generation. He also has significant experience in planned giving, business development and building corporate partnerships. Prior to Audubon, he was the Senior Director of Sales and Revenue for over twenty years at New England Aquarium where he managed business development, operations, sales, marketing and international tourism for its business units. He formed and managed strategic alliances and partnerships to advance revenue and promote the Aquarium's mission.
His significant volunteer work has included four years as Essex County Director of the Massachusetts Special Olympics where he led operations, corporate development, training and regional/state competition involving 33 cities and towns with more than 750 athletes, 105 coaches and 1100 volunteers from corporate, civic and charitable organizations. He founded the Northeast Whale Watching Association; authored an economic impact study; and, testified before Congress on the reauthorization of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
"After 32 years, Bill Raeder has stepped down for a well deserved retirement from President of this venerable Boston based institution. Under Mr. Raeder, NBP recently inaugurated a major strategic initiative to expand our offerings and to accelerate our outreach and advocacy programs. We want to emphasize the 'national' in National Braille Press. Our historical success has always included a fiscally responsible budget and the solid leadership to carry it out. Brian MacDonald has the important skills and background to apply sound business practices and he brings advanced marketing skills and, most important, an authentic inner passion that soon will be felt within the blind community." said Paul V. McLaughlin, Chair of the Board of Trustees.
Mr. MacDonald added, "To be chosen to lead National Braille Press is a most welcome joy and privilege for me and my family. Because my grandmother reads braille, I have a strong personal interest in its advancement. I realize there are challenges, especially in succeeding such a great leader as Bill Raeder. It is hoped that my leadership of the Strategic Plan for the future will continue to complement Bill's vision of strengthening programs and building capacity while remembering NBP's wonderful past."
About National Braille Press (NBP)
National Braille Press is located at 88 St Stephen Street in Boston and for over eighty years has been promoting literacy through excellence in braille printing and publishing. Our founder, Francis B. Ierardi once said, "He who looks over his shoulder cannot see that which lies ahead." Ever since its first publication which was America's first newspaper for the blind, NBP has never looked back and has been a leader in introducing and authoring many self help publications that are particularly geared to independent living and career development for the blind.
Our children's braille publishing initiatives include America's first Children's Braille Book Club and our family outreach program, ReadBooks! Because Braille Matters. We support these and other initiatives through a major fundraising campaign that includes our annual gala event, Hand On! Books for Blind Children. In 2007, NBP made history and the national TV and press by publishing and delivering Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to blind children on the same day as their sighted counterparts.
Please visit www.nbp.org.
Contact:
Tanya Holton,
VP National Braille Press
Phone: (617) 266-6160, ext. 15
tholton@nbp.org
Web site: www.nbp.org
Sandra Goroff
Sandra Goroff-Mailly & Assoc.
Phone: (617) 375-9013
sgma@aol.com
Posted by Nancy at 10:57 AM | Comments (0)
Job Coaching Web Course
TRN, Inc. is offering its popular 2-week, 20-hour web training covering key principles and hands-on tools for effective job design, instructional and behavioral support strategies, and the development of natural and co-worker supports for workers with disabilities.
Registration is $149 US. Participants can log on at any time during the course period and participate in the training.
The course is taught by Tammara Geary. Tammara served as Executive Director of APSE: The Network on Employment for 10 years. She has trained and consulted extensively on supported employment, and as a job coach, received an award for Excellence in Direct Service. She is a lead associate for Griffin-Hammis Associates.
Registration is limited, and previous courses have filled to capacity.
Topics include:
- Principles of Job Design: Steps to take after getting the job, including analysis and task design.
- Job Training and Instructional Support: Setting up learning strategies using task analysis, systematic instruction, natural learning and reinforcement, and data collection.
- Natural Supports: Learn to develop supports using natural features of the work site, including co-workers.
- Social-Behavioral Support: Develop strategies to support workers to interact in socially expected ways to enhance job success.
To learn more about the training and to register, go to: http://www.trninc.com/entry/welcome2.asp
Posted by Nancy at 10:40 AM | Comments (0)
April 11, 2008
Aging and Vision Policy and Practice in New York City and New York State: A Panel Presentation
DATE: FRIDAY, MAY 9TH, 2008
TIME: 10 a.m. -12 NOON
Location: Auditorium of VISIONS at SELIS MANOR
135 WEST 23RD STREET (between 6th & 7th Avenues)
PRESENTERS:
Dr. Grace Ambrose-Zaken, Hunter College, Professor, Masters Degree Program/specialization in rehabilitation teaching and orientation and mobility for people who are blind; Board Member, NYS AER; Board Member, NYVRA;
Dr. Karen Gourgey, President, American Council of the Blind-NYC; Director of the Baruch College Computer Center for Visually Impaired People; Appointed member of the Executive Board to the NYS Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH);
Nancy D. Miller, LMSW Executive Director, VISIONS/Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired; President of NY Vision Rehabilitation Association (NYVRA);
Alberta L. Orr, MSW Executive Director, Disabilities Network of NYC; Coordinator of DFTA's NYC Coalition on Vision and Aging; and
Priscilla Wrobel, Director of Field Operations, NYS Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH)
DID YOU KNOW?
- NYS Governor David A. Paterson is legally blind.
- A new Executive Board to recommend policies and practice for New York State's legally blind residents was created in 2007.
- Two thirds of people with severe vision loss or blindness are over the age of 65.
- Hunter College offers a FREE Masters Degree in the specialized professions serving people who are blind.
- NYS licensure for the professions working with people who are blind is a hot topic in Albany.
- NYS Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH) contracts with nonprofit vision rehabilitation agencies in NYC to serve older people with legal blindness.
COME TO THE NEXT NCCOA PROGRAM MEETING AND LEARN WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE OLDER ADULTS WITH VISION LOSS.RSVP: 212-353-3950 or nyccoa@verizon.net
Posted by Nancy at 03:25 PM | Comments (0)
April 08, 2008
SAVE THE DATE : 5/18/08 for NAVH's 35th Annual SHOWCASE and COUNSELING CENTER
National Association for Visually Handicapped presents–for the 35th year–its popular annual SHOWCASE and COUNSELING CENTER on the needs of the partially seeing.
Date: SUNDAY, MAY 18, 2008
Time: 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Einhorn Auditorium of the Lenox Hill Hospital,
131 East 76th Street - New York CityIn addition to NAVH literature, large print materials, optical aids, special lamps, video magnifiers and other helpful devices will be available for your inspection. Representatives of various public agencies will answer your questions, and ophthalmologists will offer assistance through "mini-consultations".
Posted by Nancy at 06:23 PM | Comments (0)
April 01, 2008
Webcast on " Insurance Coverage: Issues, Strategies and Solutions, Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Join the DBTAC - Southwest ADA Center at ILRU for a webcast on "Insurance Coverage: Issues, Strategies and Solutions."
Beth Sufian, J.D., will present the webcast on Wednesday, April 9, 2008 at 2:00 pm Central.
About the Webcast
Beth's presentation will provide information on options for health insurance coverage or government benefits. The presentation will also provide information on COBRA, FMLA and address issues faced by parents of children with disabilities
About the Presenter
Beth Sufian is an attorney with Sufian & Passamano in Houston, Texas. She has a civil litigation practice focusing on health insurance appeals, long term disability appeals, Medicaid and Medicare appeals, employee benefits, and cases arising under the Social Security Act. She represents employers and healthcare entities with matters related to insurance and employee benefits.
Sufian received her law degree from the University of Texas - Austin and her Bachelor of Arts from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. She is the director of the Cystic Fibrosis Legal Information Hotline and Cystic Fibrosis Social Security Project and serves on the boards of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and United States Adult Cystic Fibrosis Association. She has been honored as one of the Top 40 Lawyer under 40 by Texas Monthly and was recognized as a Time Magazine Local Hero.
To link to this webcast and download accompanying materials visit our webcast calendar at http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/calendar.html
For instructions on how to access a webcast 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 webcast.
For technical assistance, please check out our FAQs (frequently asked questions) at: http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/FAQ.html
or contact a webcast team member at webcast@ilru.org or 713.520.0232 (v/tty).
This webcast is supported through the DBTAC - Southwest ADA Center, a project of ILRU. Southwest ADA Center 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 04:34 PM | Comments (0)
March 31, 2008
Summer Braille Music Institute for Blind College-bound Musicians
Dates: Sunday, July 13, to Saturday, July 19, 2008
Presented by: The National Resource Center for Blind Musicians
Dates: Sunday, July 13, to Saturday, July 19, 2008
Setting: The Overbrook School for the Blind, on a beautiful campus in Philadelphia, blends its Spanish Renaissance architecture from the 1890s with a design for today's needs. School drivers will meet students at the train or airport and provide transportation for any off-campus activities.
About the Program: The Summer Braille Music Institute instructs blind college-bound musicians in Braille music and the skills needed for full participation in music theory classes at the high school and college level.
Days will be comprised of individual and group classes in braille music, use of the computer to submit written assignments, and tutoring in theory and related skills. Outdoor events on the campus, cookouts, group music activities meant for fun, and outings to concerts and recreation in Philadelphia's cultural centers will make this a full and wholesome week.
For more information: http://www.blindmusicstudent.org/Summer_Institute.htm
Posted by Nancy at 03:28 PM | Comments (0)
National ADA Symposium, May 12-14, 2008, America's Center, St. Louis, MO
The National ADA Symposium is a three day conference on the Americans with Disabilities Act and related disability laws that has earned the reputation as the most comprehensive event available on the ADA.
The DBTAC-ADA Centers are proud to announce that Symposium attendees will have the unique opportunity to participate in a U.S. Access Board town meeting. The Access Board holds bi-annual town meetings in cities throughout the United States to receive feedback and recommendations on accessibility issues. This year, the Access Board will hold its town meeting in conjunction with the National ADA Symposium. The focus of the meeting will be airport access.
The 2008 National ADA Symposium also features:
- Extensive break-out session schedule that can be customized to individual needs and interests.
- Presentations from nationally recognized experts including representatives from the U.S. Access Board, U.S. Dept. of Justice, U.S. Dept. of Labor and the EEOC.
- Pre-Conference provides a choice of four sessions, three of which are introductory, the other advanced case law.
- Ample opportunity for networking and problem solving among participants.
- Social activities such as the Evening Reception and table-top discussion areas in the large EXPO Hall provide an atmosphere that encourages interaction.
- EXPO Hall filled with disability-related products and services, an Assistive Technology Fair, and wheelchair golf demonstrations.
Please visit the ADA Symposium website for more information, session schedule and descriptions, and on-line registration.
The National ADA Symposium is sponsored by the Network of DBTAC-ADA Centers.
Posted by Nancy at 02:08 PM | Comments (0)
ATC - Online Classes for April 2008
Assistive Technology Center LLC (ATC) is conducting the following on-line training seminars that will be available to those who are unable to take part in the trainings either as CD’s or downloadable files.
- On-Line Banking;
- Burn Baby Burn! (techniques for burning CD’s and DVD’s); and
- Internet Security
Thursday, April 3, 2007
2 to 4 PM PST
On-Line Banking
This seminar is designed to assist those not familiar with on-line banking to acquire an understanding of how financial institutions set up their web sites. Learn how to navigate these sites securely and with confidence. Determine for yourselves whether on-line bill pay will be for you. Check balances, transfer funds and much more. Through the use of on-line demonstration accounts, you will explore the possibilities. You won’t want to miss this event.
A $50. fee is required for participation.Thursday, April 17, 2008
2 to 4 PM PST
Burn Baby Burn!
This seminar will impart the techniques for burning CD’s and DVD’s. Review of software functionalities and becoming proficient with the process will be explored. Learning about various formats and developing an understanding of the steps to be taken for transference of videos, music, audeo books is the goal of this seminar.
A $50. fee is required for participation in this training seminar.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
2 to 4 PM PST
Internet Security
With identity theft being a major concern for many Americans, we have developed this training seminar to put some of these fears to rest. What precautions can you take and what indicators will assist individuals from avoiding a catastrophe? Explore this topic with us and you will acquire knowledge that is power that will allow you to be better prepared for ordering on-line, downloading files and more.
A $50. fee is required for participation in this seminar.To register, please call
888-723-5011 Ext. 3Those wishing to participate must register by contacting us and providing either a credit card or sending in a check prior to the seminar. Participants will be contacted via e-mail with information on classroom location and password for the training.
Posted by Nancy at 01:07 PM | Comments (0)
Mountbatter Workshop for Educators at The Carroll Center Technology Center
Mountbatten Learning Systems in the Classroom
Date: April 4, 2008
Time: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Location: Carroll Center Technology Center, 770 Centre St., Newton, MA 02459
Cost: FREEPresented by: Humanware & The Carroll Center.
Registration Required.This workshop will facilitate your understanding of how to introduce the MBLS into your classroom. You will learn how to edit and format documents, create files, emboss files, forward and back translate Braille, use the Mimic to translate Braille into print. Also, we will use the advance commands to access additional applications, such as a new feature for preschool students. The MBLS keyboard may be used to produce musical notes to teach the Braille Music Code.
To register go to http://www.carroll.org/technology/tech-news or call Dina Rosenbaum at 800-852-3131.
--
Dina Rosenbaum
Carroll Center for the Blind
770 Centre St
Newton, MA 02459
800-852-3131
www.carroll.org www.carrolltech.orgPosted by Nancy at 12:27 PM | Comments (0)
New Course Offered by Hadley: Business Communications
Hadley's new course, "Business Communications," teaches students how to develop effective speaking, listening and nonverbal techniques useful in a business setting. Open to students in the Adult Continuing Education and High School programs, this six-lesson course is available in large print, braille, cassette and online.
The first lesson is an introduction to principles of effective communication. Lesson 2 identifies basic communication skills. Lesson 3 delves into group dynamics and workplace diversity, while Lesson 4 explores working in team situations. Lesson 5 introduces managing conflict in workplace situations. The final lesson will help students apply advanced communication skills.
"Gaining effective communication skills requires practice," says instructor Amy Salmon. "This course does not simply tell you how to communicate effectively, you are also encouraged to practice the skills covered in the course through role-play with family and friends. In addition, students evaluate real-life business situations and improve the quality of the communication."
For enrollment information, visit www.hadley.edu, or call Student Services at 800-526-9909.
### Founded in 1920, The Hadley School for the Blind is the single largest, worldwide distance educator of persons who are visually impaired. Hadley offers over 100 tuition-free courses to eligible students. The school"s 10,000 annual enrollments are from all corners of the United States and more than 100 countries. Courses are available to students who are visually impaired, family members, and professionals. Visit us on the Web at www.hadley.edu.
Posted by Nancy at 10:24 AM | Comments (0)
March 27, 2008
Web 2.0 Accessibility (using the W3C ARIA Specifications)
This online course is designed for web developers to learn how to use the emerging W3C Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) recommendations to create accessible Web 2.0 applications. Participants will learn about the accessibility issues faced by people with disabilities in using the web, and how web resources can be designed to improve accessibility using the ARIA web standards.
Topics will include learning about the W3C "Roles for ARIA" and "States and Properties Module for ARIA" specifications for making Web 2.0 widgets compatible with assistive technologies through ARIA support in the Mozilla Firefox browser and assistive technologies like WindowEyes and JAWS screen readers. Participants will also build and test accessible Web 2.0 widgets using a best practices model, and learn about compatibility issues related to supporting ARIA widgets with Microsoft Internet Explorer and to creating valid HTML documents.
Instructor: Jon Gunderson, Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES) and CITES
Fee: $495 (special price of $295 for state and higher education employees)Deadline to Register: Friday, Apr. 11, 2008
Dates: Apr. 15 & 17, 22 & 24, 29 & May 1, May 6 & 8, 2008 (all TuTh)
Times: 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. CST (Central Standard Time)
Registration Code: ITA-024-C
Location: Online using ElluminateRegistration is easy! You can most easily register online or by telephone:
- Online: simply complete the Registration Form; or
- Telephone: call us at 217-333-6285 for rapid registration
(leave a message if the registrar is unavailable -- be sure to include all required information.)
Posted by Nancy at 05:26 PM | Comments (0)
March 26, 2008
Photography Workshop at The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Date: Sunday, April 13, 2008Time: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
In this day-long photography workshop individuals, of all ages who are blind or partially sighted, will learn about photography techniques, visit the special exhibition Lee Friedlander: A Ramble in Olmsted Parks, and create their own photographs.
The program is free, but reservations are required and places are limited. Please call (212) 879-5500, ext. 3561 or e-mail access@metmuseum.org to make a reservation or for more information.
Access programs at The Metropolitan Museum of Art are made possible by MetLife Foundation. Access programs are also made possible by the generous support of the Filomen M. D’Agostino Foundation.
Additional support has been provided by the Renate, Hans & Maria Hofmann Trust; The Ceil & Michael E. Pulitzer Foundation, Inc.; and the Allene Reuss Memorial Trust.
Lee Friedlander (American, born 1934), Central Park, New York City, 1992, Gelatin silver print, Lent by the artist and Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is located at 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10028.
Posted by Nancy at 06:49 PM | Comments (0)
March 23, 2008
Fourth Annual Tony Coelho Lecture with Guest Lecturer Senator Richard J. Durbin
Fourth Annual Tony Coelho Lecture in Disability Employment Law & Policy with Guest Lecturer Senator Richard J. Durbin
Date: Monday, April 14, 2008,
Time: 8:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m.,
Location: Stiefel Reading Room, New York Law School,
Presented by: New York Law School's Justice Action Center
Senator Dick Durbin is the Assistant Majority Leader of the United States Senate and the senior U.S. Senator from Illinois. Senator Durbin has a distinguished record of working to break down the barriers that exclude people with disabilities.
For information about this event in a text-only format, please visit www.nyls.edu/coelho. For further information, please call (212) 431-2314.
Posted by Nancy at 02:25 PM | Comments (0)
March 22, 2008
Database of more than 1,700 job candidates with disabilities to be made available to employers
WASHINGTON — On March 19, the U.S. Department of Labor will make available to employers nationwide a free database of 1,769 new job candidates with disabilities seeking work in a wide variety of fields. Federal employers can tap into this ongoing recruitment resource online, and private sector, other government and nonprofit employers can request unlimited searches by calling a toll-free telephone number.
"Finding and retaining qualified workers is vital to all employers," said Karen M. Czarnecki, acting assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy. "The Workforce Recruitment Program serves as a pipeline for organizations to hire workers in summer jobs, train and evaluate them, and then transition them into permanent positions when they graduate from college."
The Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities, co-sponsored by the Labor Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy and the U.S. Department of Defense, compiled the database by sending recruiters to nearly 200 college campuses across the country to interview eligible undergraduate and post-graduate students. Many of the students are seeking summer job opportunities, while others have graduated and are looking for permanent employment.
In using the database, an employer sets the criteria for each candidate search by specifying location, college/university, degree program, position type and length of appointment. Job seekers represent many high-demand fields of study, including accounting, administration, business, communications, computers, criminal justice, education, engineering, human resources/equal employment opportunity, health care, law, the social sciences and the sciences.
Hiring officials at federal agencies can access the Workforce Recruitment Program database and conduct independent searches on the Internet by obtaining a password at https://wrp.gov. Employers in the private sector, state and local government agencies, and nonprofit organizations should contact the Labor Department's Employer Assistance and Recruiting Network at 866-327-6669 to access the database.
The Workforce Recruitment Program has assisted employers in identifying job candidates with disabilities who meet their recruitment needs since 1995.
ODEP is leading a 21st century federal response to the historic underemployment of people with disabilities. In collaboration with other government agencies, public and private employers, and additional stakeholders, ODEP facilitates the development and implementation of innovative policies and practices necessary to achieve a fully inclusive workplace. ODEP's work primarily falls into three categories: employers and the workplace; workforce systems; and employment-related supports, which include education and training, health care, reliable transportation, affordable housing and assistive technology. For more information about the agency, visit www.dol.gov/odep.
Posted by Nancy at 07:48 PM | Comments (0)
March 19, 2008
DOE National Technical Advisory Council Nominations
National Technical Advisory Council; Notice of Establishment and
Call for NominationsAGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of Establishment of the National Technical Advisory
Council.SUMMARY: The Secretary announces her intention to establish the National Technical Advisory Council. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463 as amended; 5 U.S.C. Appendix 2) (FACA) will govern the Committee.
Purpose: In order to help ensure that the Department is making sound technical decisions related to the approval of State-designed standards, assessments, and accountability systems under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the National Technical Advisory Council (NTAC) shall advise the Secretary of Education and the Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education (Assistant Secretary) on the design and implementation of standards, assessments, and accountability systems consistent with Federal statutes and regulations.
The NTAC shall consist of no more than 15 members. The members shall be experts in assessment and accountability and shall consist of academicians, researchers, and national, state, and local policymakers. At least one-third of the members must have experience working in or with State educational agencies or local educational agencies. Members will be appointed by the Secretary to terms of no more than three (3) years, and initial terms shall be staggered.
The Secretary seeks nominations from the public for members to serve on the NTAC. A submission for a nomination for membership on the NTAC must include the nominee's contact information and information regarding the nominee's qualifications, such as a resume, current or recent positions, or research undertaken related to educational assessment and accountability. To submit a nomination, send an e-mail to oese@ed.gov with the subject "NTAC" or respond in writing to Patrick Rooney, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202. The period for nominations will close three weeks from the date of this notice.
The Assistant Secretary shall appoint a Designated Federal Officer for the Council. The DFO, in consultation with the NTAC Chair, will set the agenda for the NTAC and schedule meetings on an as-needed basis but at least twice a year. Meetings will be open to the public except as may be determined otherwise by the Secretary. At the request of the Chair, the DFO may create sub-councils consisting of at least three (3) members of the NTAC to provide guidance on an ad-hoc basis to the Assistant Secretary. The sub-councils' recommendations will be reviewed by the full Council before being submitted to the Assistant Secretary. In lieu of an annual report, following each meeting of the full NTAC or a sub-council of the NTAC, a summary of the proceedings will be prepared by the Department and then reviewed by the Council, and, upon approval of the Council, submitted to the Assistant Secretary. The reports will be made available to the public. The report shall, at a minimum, contain the topics discussed, a summary of the discussion, and recommendations for the Department, including research to be undertaken.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick Rooney, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC 20202, Telephone: (202) 401-0113. Dated: March 13, 2008. Margaret Spellings, Secretary of Education. [FR Doc. E8-5485 Filed 3-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
Posted by Nancy at 02:16 PM | Comments (0)
March 17, 2008
TV SPECIAL: Disabled Veterans In Business & The DBA...
March 17, 2008 (San Diego, California): "Choices: Veterans Returning To Work" is the recent production by San Diego's PACE-TV featuring the work of the Disabled Businesspersons Association (aka the "National Disabled Veterans Business Center") and its founder, Urban Miyares. The half-hour, public access broadcasted television special will first be aired on both Time Warner Cable and Cox cable during the month of April, 2008, and available for broadcast on public access television stations nationwide.
"The show 'Choices: Veterans Returning to Work' is the second show PACE-TV has produced with Urban Miyares and his charitable organization," says James Beck, PACE-TV past president. "As a producer of many community interest shows, I have never met a more inspirational and motivational figure than Urban Miyares. Urban's work in helping disabled veterans start their own business and in providing pride in who they are and what they can accomplish has been phenomenal. I felt I had to get the story of Urban Miyares' life history and all of the amazing accomplishments out to the public. 'Choices: Veterans Returning to Work' does the job."
Urban Miyares, a blinded Vietnam veteran and nationally-recognized entrepreneur of 40 years, founded the San Diego-based Disabled Businesspersons Association (DBA) in 1985 as a national pilot-program for disabled veterans interested in starting or already in business. A volunteer-driven public charity, the Disabled Businesspersons Association and Miyares are recognized as one of the nation's leading authorities on the transition (from combat or other traumatic experience) to vocational rehabilitation and eventual competitive entry into the workforce and self-employment, most especially by those with the most severe and catastrophic of physical and psychological challenges. Having served thousands of enterprising veterans and non-veterans with disabilities over the past 23 years, Urban continues to conduct educational programs and motivational presentations nationwide for the enterprising disabled, vocational rehabilitation specialists, healthcare professionals, educators and others in government agencies, organizations, and business.
The television schedule for the first showings of "Choices: Veterans Returning to Work;” about Urban Miyares and the Disabled Businesspersons Association, can be viewed on:
- Tuesday, April 1, 2008, 5:30 PM, Cox Cable, Channel 23 (Central and South County);
- Monday, April 7, 2008, 6:30 PM, Time Warner Cable (Carlsbad), Channel 19; and,
- Sunday, April 13, 2008, 5:30 PM, Time Warner Cable, Channel 19.
To promote the (no cost) airing of "Choices: Veterans Returning to Work" on your local public access television channel, anywhere in the nation, contact James Beck, PACE-TV at James@pacetv.org, call (760) 945-9793, write PACE-TV, PO Box 270634, San Diego, CA 92198, or visit www.pacetv.org. PACE-TV, a non-profit organization, is the longest-running public access production company in the United States. With more than 830 television productions in the past 25 years, PACE-TV shows are aired each week on San Diego's cable access networks -- Time Warner, Cox and Adelphia.
The Disabled Businesspersons Association is a 501(c)(3) public charity assisting veterans, kids and adults with disabilities in their rehabilitation towards workplace entry and successful mainstream outcomes. The DBA supports five programs: National Disabled Veterans Business Center, Self-Employment of People with Disabilities, Youth with Disabilities In Business, Vocational Rehabilitation Educational Programs, and Challenged America. Funding for the charity and all its programs comes from tax-deductible donations, contributions and gifts.
For additional information on the Disabled Businesspersons Association and how you can support disabled veterans in business and the work the DBA does, contact Urban Miyares at Disabled Businesspersons Association, San Diego State University - Interwork Institute, 3590 Camino del Rio North, San Diego, CA 92108, phone (619) 594-8805, or email Urban@DisabledBusiness.com
Contact:
James Beck, Productions/Past President
PACE - TV
P.O, Box 270634
San Diego, CA 92198Phone: (760) 945-9793
Email: James@pacetv.org
Web: www.pacetv.org
Posted by Nancy at 07:26 PM | Comments (0)
February 13, 2008
Disabilities Network Appoints Alberta Orr Executive Director
The Disabilities Network has hired a new executive director, Alberta L. Orr. Alberta brings with her nearly 30 years of experience in aging and disabilities, primarily in the vision rehabilitation field -- most recently 20 years at the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) where she worked with individuals with multiple disabilities. Prior to her work at AFB, Alberta served as the Executive Director of the East Bronx Council on Aging, where she doubled the agency budget in two years.
Alberta's career has focused on collaboration, creating partnerships and coalition building at the national level. She formed the National Aging and Vision Network and carried out a seven year project, the National Agenda on Vision and Aging involving 141 professionals and consumers from across the country. She is also an effective advocate and lobbyist for issues at the forefront of the disability arena.
Alberta is known nationally and internationally for her five books and nearly 30 articles and book chapters and presentations related to aging, vision loss and rehabilitation.
Alberta serves as adjunct faculty with Hunter College since 1994 and most recently is providing distance education courses in rehabilitation at Florida State University and the Pennsylvania College of Optometry.
She has served as a two-time delegate to the White House Conference on Aging. She represents North America on the Committee on the Elderly of the World Blind Union.
She will begin work on February 25th.
Posted by Nancy at 01:34 PM | Comments (0)
February 11, 2008
Verbal Imaging and Touch Tours at Rubin Museum of Art: NYC
The Rubin Museum of Art, a cultural and educational institution dedicated to the art of the Himalayas, is now offering Verbal Imaging and Touch tours for partially sighted and blind audiences. Free with museum admission, tours are one hour in length and take visitors on a journey that weaves the culture, history, religion, and arts of the Himalayas.
Group and individual tours offered. Please book two weeks in advance by calling Emilie Dufour for reservations at (212) 620-5000 ext. 345.
Contact: Rubin Museum of Art
150 West 17 Street, NY, NY
Phone: (212) 620-5000 ext. 344
http://www.rmanyc.org
Posted by Nancy at 04:12 PM | Comments (0)
February 05, 2008
Carroll Center Summer 2008 Youth Programs: Newton, MA
Information and applications are now available for the Carroll Center Summer 2008 Youth Programs:
- CarrollKids/Teens: July 7 - August 15
CarrollKids/CarrollTeens is an academic and social enrichment for visually impaired and blind students between the ages of 6 and 16 years. - Youth in Transition: July 21-August 22
This five-week residential programs for students ages 15 to 21, enables students to strengthen organizational skills, independent daily living skills and travel abilities through classroom activities and interaction with peers. - Real World Work Experience: July 7-Aug 8 or July 14-Aug 15
Let us find your "first summer job" and help you make it a rewarding experience. - Transition to College: July 7-August 3
You have the academics; now get the College Life Skills in this program that combines personal and vocational skill building. In the first two-weeks you will fine tune your independent skills in travel, information management, and personal care. The remaining two-weeks will be spent living and learning on a private college campus partaking in orientation type seminars. Eligible students must have a GPA of 2.5 or better, completed their junior or senior year and pass a computer on-line quiz (or partake in the two-week computer course). - Computing for College: In two- weeks, students advance their computer skills in internet access, email, and research, word processing tasks, and scanning with various formats.
June 11 to June 22 or July 9 to 20 or August 13 to August 24If you want an application packet sent to a student, please contact Dina Rosenbaum, Carroll Center for the Blind at 800-852-3131.
Posted by Nancy at 10:32 AM | Comments (0)
January 24, 2008
IC3 Certification Available Through Assistive Technology Instructor Training
Lions World Services for the Blind (LWSB) now accepting applications for Assistive Technology Instructor Program (ATI).
The ATI program prepares persons who are blind or visually impaired to work in a variety of positions within the assistive technology field. A graduate could be an instructor of assistive technology at a rehabilitation facility, a sales representative for an assistive technology vendor, or work in technical support, technical writing, or consulting.
The ATI program also offers IC3 Certification.. Through a hands-on training program, trainees will become certified in Computer Fundamentals, learning the major components of a computer; Key Applications including Microsoft Word and Excel; and Living Online, which includes Internet and Microsoft Outlook.
Individuals in the ATI course receive instruction in the use of adaptive equipment, installation of hardware and software, professional teaching skills, and trouble-shooting skills.
Qualifications
- Complete and pass the ATI proficiency test;
- Print reading speed of at least 100 wpm, with good comprehension;
- Ability to read Braille at 30 wpm (if Braille user) or 10 wpm (if non-Braille user);
- Ability to type 30 wpm;
- Good knowledge of business math;
- 12th grade spelling level;
- Good independent living skills and travel skills;
- Strong logical reasoning ability and emotional maturity;
- Ability to learn and retain information;
- Good interpersonal relationship qualities;
- Ability to work in a high-tech environment;
- High School Diploma or GED; and
- College degree (optional) depending upon desired employment
Clients must report to LWSB for the required one-month evaluation period prior to entering training in the vocational program.
For referrals or more information contact:
Kristin Dow, Vice President for Recruitment and Admissions
(501) 664-7100
(800) 248-0734
training_AT_lwsb.org
[Please replace the word _AT_ in the above e-mail address with the appropriate symbol.]Posted by Nancy at 04:17 PM | Comments (0)
January 23, 2008
Theater By The Blind to do Shakespeare
ROMEO AND JULIET by William Shakespeare
Directed by: Ike Schambelan
Date: MARCH 5 - APRIL 6, 2008
Performances:
- Wed-Thurs at 7pm,
- Fri-Sat at 8pm,
- Sat, and Sunday matinees at 3pm
Location: The Kirk at Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street, NYC.
The timeless, tragic tale of two young lovers whose untimely deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. The production is traditional, rigidly faithful to Shakespeare's rules and form, yet wonderfully fresh and modern. The story takes place on NYC's Upper East Side; the Capulets are the nouveau riche, the Montagues, old money. Shakespeare is incredibly precise about real time in Romeo and Juliet, tracing five days - Sunday dawn to Friday dawn in mid - July. In TBTB's production, the time progression will be perfectly clear, taking the audience through each day's dawn, bright noon, sunset, and night. And the "two hours traffic of our stage" will actually take two hours.
TBTB has achieved great success with Shakespearean plays presented during the past two seasons - A Midsummer Night's Dream and Hamlet. The New York Times said that A Midsummer Night's Dream was "an inspired choice for Theater By The Blind... fascinating... ingenious," and "the most intriguing thing is how the company stages the play with just six actors." The Times called Hamlet: "Playful, punchy, contemporary... An admirable, often intriguing production... with actors who show signs of having actually analyzed Shakespeare's language... the audience can understand the meaning of every word." Nytheatre.com said, "A well acted marvel of economy and energy... Fresh and accessible... As involving and engaging a production as I think it's possible to have."
Emboldened by these successes, TBTB tackles Romeo and Juliet with four actors playing all of the roles, without cutting a single scene, character or entrance. As Shakespeare's company made more money, the playwright wrote for larger casts, but Romeo and Juliet is an early play, created when he likely worked with a smaller company. It's designed as a quartet; key doubles are Juliet/Mercutio, Romeo/Lady Capulet, Nurse/Friar and Capulet/Benvolio. The doubling brings out the sense of fun in the play, joining its sad and joyous elements into an exuberant life - affirming whole.
Tickets can be purchased a www.ticketcentral.com
Use the code JULI for $20 tickets.
Posted by Nancy at 04:06 PM | Comments (0)
January 13, 2008
American Foundation for the Blind Calls for Accessible Medication Labels
The start of a new year is a great time to evaluate our lifestyles and make better, healthier decisions. The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) began its own push for a healthier life for people with vision loss with the launch of a public awareness and advocacy campaign, Rx Label Enable. In today's world, medications have become an important aspect of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Yet, for the nearly 20 million Americans currently experiencing vision loss, the lack of accessible prescription and over-the-counter medication label information poses a serious public health threat due to the potential misidentification and misuse of drugs.
AFB has embarked on the Rx Label Enable campaign to ensure that people with vision loss have ready access to the vital information available to all consumers via medication labeling and related documentation, ensuring that they can take medications safely, effectively, and independently. To achieve this goal, AFB is reaching out to all stakeholders, including consumers experiencing vision loss, policymakers, federal regulators, doctors, the pharmaceutical industry, retailers, assistive technology providers, and public and private insurers to promote solutions, build consensus, and take action. While there are strategies described on AFB Senior Site for enabling people with vision loss to identify medication, these methods do not fully address the problem and, perhaps more importantly, often require the intervention of sighted friends or family members. The hope is that through our campaign, policymakers will address this problem and develop standards to ensure that medication labels and information are accessible to individuals with vision loss.
AFB has been soliciting comments from consumers and their families about personal experiences with inaccessible drug labeling to build a case for a comprehensive, reliable national system for accessible medication information.
Read more about the Rx Label Enable campaign in the Public Policy
Issue Brief: Access to Prescription Drug Labeling
Subscribe to AFB's Rx Label Enable Campaign newsletter
If you, a family member, or friend has had trouble reading prescription or over-the-counter medication information, help us out by completing our short, informal survey, Tell Us Your Story.
Posted by Nancy at 02:13 PM | Comments (0)
January 11, 2008
Call for Student Posters
Proposals are due March 21, 2008.
The Eighth Annual Multiple Perspectives On Access, Inclusion & Disability, an interdisciplinary conference exploring disability as an individual experience and social reality that cuts across typical boundaries of discipline, theoretical &. applied, public & private, town & Gown. Hosted by the Ohio State University’s ADA Coordinators office in the Pfahl Executive Education and Conference of the Fisher College of Business This years conference on April 21-23, 2008 will feature a Student Poster Reception on April 22 along with over 30 concurrent sessions & two Pre-conference Sessions.
This year's theme ”Looking Back and Thinking Ahead" is meant to encourage presenters and participants to consider topics, methods and programs from fresh perspectives.
“Congress acknowledged that society's accumulated myths and fears about disability and disease are as handicapping as are the physical limitations that flow from actual impairment.” Justice William J. Brennan, Jr. 480 U.S. 284.
Two decades ago Congress investigated the status of individuals with disabilities in society. Their findings led to the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act in 1990. How relevant are those findings today? As we approach the second decade under the ADA Congress is taking stock with the ADA Restoration Act. What is the status of disability? Graduate and undergraduate posters addressing the themes of Access, Inclusion, and Disability are sought for the Eighth Annual Multiple Perspectives Conference.
Form more information contact L. Scott Lissner at lissner.2_AT_osu.edu
Please replace_AT_ with the appropriate symbol.Posted by Nancy at 09:30 AM | Comments (0)
December 19, 2007
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)
November 14, 2007
Temporary Employment Solutions NOW Available from Hire Disability Solutions
Hire Disability Solutions powered by Monster® is Proud to Announce New Service: "Temporary Employment Solutions"
Hire Disability Solutions LLC is a national leader in recruiting the best and brightest people for visionary companies.
- "Providing More Diverse Options Then Ever Before!"
The Hire Disability Solutions community consists of corporations who have a commitment to helping individuals with disabilities succeed, individuals with disabilities seeking employment, and others who believe in "Giving all that want to succeed, the opportunity to succeed"
Please send all questions about our new service
TEMPORARY EMPLOYMENT SOLUTIONS
to Debra Ludwig (Director)
dludwig@hireDS.comHire Disability Solutions
74 20th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11232
Attn: Debra Ludwig
REGISTER NOW!jobs@hireDS.com
Hire Disability Solutions, LCCHire Disability Solutions was founded in response to the increasing demand for services for individuals with disabilities that promote inclusion into the mainstream employment world. Since its inception in 2004, Hire Disability Solutions has established itself as a national leader in protecting and enhancing employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Through its educational campaigns surrounding employment law, education opportunities and assistive technology, the company facilitates the success of individuals with disabilities and employers alike.
Posted by Nancy at 05:21 PM | Comments (0)
October 30, 2007
2007 Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation Winners
Four years ago, when the Gibney Family Foundation stepped up to the plate to fund "Louis Braille: A Touch of Genius," Frank Gibney stipulated that support for the book was only half of the offering. The other half was support for a $20,000 prize which would be awarded by National Braille Press each year, to encourage and reward individual innovation, reflecting back on Louis Braille's accomplishments. This year, for the first time, National Braille Press, in partnership with The Gibney Family Foundation, is pleased to announce the winners of the 2007 Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation: Karen Gourgey and Steven Landau for the Talking Tactile Tablet. The Talking Tactile Tablet (TTT) is an inexpensive and simple computer peripheral device that acts as a viewer for tactile diagrams, maps, and illustrations. Users place one of many overlay sheets on the TTT device and explore a graphic using touch sense and/or vision. Dr. Gourgey and Mr. Landau have created a library of software programs for the Talking Tactile Table system, all promoting tactile literacy.
Dr. Karen Gourgey is Director of the Computer Center for Visually Impaired People (CCVIP) at Baruch College, City University, in New York City, and Steven Landau is Director of Research at Touch Graphics, Inc., also in New York City.
More information on the 2008 Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation, will be online in January.
Posted by Nancy at 01:44 PM | Comments (0)
John D. Kemp Esq.: Pursuing Progress through Knowledge, Experience, Vision, Personality and Persistence
On October 24, John D. Kemp Esq., a principal in the Washington, D.C., law firm of Powers, Pyles, Sutter & Verville P.C., was honored with one of six of the Secretary of Labor’s 2007 New Freedom Initiative Awards. With more than 45 years of direct experience in the disability movement, Kemp co-founded the American Association of People with Disabilities and has led, partnered, worked for and served on the boards of many other leading disability-oriented organizations. As a person who uses four prostheses, he inspires others to achieve their goals through knowledge, experience, vision, personality and persistence. In his law practice, Kemp serves as the chief executive officer for ACCSES, HalfthePlanet Foundation and The One Percent Coalition. He is also executive director and general counsel of the U.S. Business Leadership Network.Read John D. Kemp's New Freedom Initiative Award Profile
Posted by Nancy at 11:18 AM | Comments (0)
October 28, 2007
Eyes on Capitol Hill
Prevent Blindness Tri-State and Prevent Blindness America are hosting the third annual Eyes on Capitol Hill event February 13-14, 2008 in Washington, D.C. The event provides vision advocates an opportunity to meet and share their personal stories with Congressional leaders and policymakers who are often unaware of how much can be done for the many residents of Connecticut, New Jersey and New York who have, or are at risk for vision loss.
Half of all blindness is preventable, and increased resources for research and prevention can improve the vision health of our population. Greater federal investment is needed to increase the impact of the National Eye Institute and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Join Prevent Blindness Tri-State and Prevent Blindness America to advocate for vision loss prevention, research funding and greater access to care and treatment for vision problems and diseases.
Apply online for a 2008 Eyes on Capitol Hill scholarship.
Posted by Nancy at 07:54 PM | Comments (0)
October 24, 2007
Social Security wage base rises to $102,000 for 2008
THE Social Security Administration has announced that the wage base for computing the Social Security tax (OASDI) in 2008 rises to $102,000 from $97,500 in 2007, an increase of about 4.6%. The $4,500 increase is due to an increase in average total wages.
- RIA observation: The increase from 2007 to 2008 is larger than the increase from 2006 to 2007 (when the wage base increased by only $3,300). It also marks the first time the wage base has exceeded $100,000.
The Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) imposes two taxes on employers, employees, and self-employed workers--one for Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI; commonly known as the Social Security tax), and the other for Hospital Insurance (HI; commonly known as the Medicare tax).
The FICA tax rate for employees and employers is 7.65% each--6.2% for OASDI and 1.45% for HI. For self-employed workers, the FICA tax is 15.3%--12.4% for OASDI and 2.9% for HI. There is a maximum amount of compensation subject to the OASDI tax, but no maximum for HI.
- RIA illustration: On a salary of $102,000 (or more), an employee and his employer each will pay $279 more ($6,324 instead of $6,045) in Social Security tax in 2008 than in 2007.
RIA illustration: A self-employed person with at least $102,000 in net self-employment earnings will pay $558 more ($12,648 instead of $12,090) in the Social Security part of the self-employment tax in 2008 than in 2007.
RIA observation: Self-employed workers deduct half of their self-employment tax above-the-line in arriving at adjusted gross income. RIA observation: The FICA tax rates have remained unchanged since '90.
References: For FICA tax, see FTC 2d/FIN ¶ H-4545; United States Tax Reporter Income ¶ 31,114; Tax Desk ¶ 541,001; Tax Guide ¶ 9500.
Social Security News Release, 10/17/2007
Posted by Nancy at 11:41 AM | Comments (0)
October 11, 2007
New York To Bring News Service to Visually Impaired Consumers
Lieutenant Governor David A. Paterson and New York State Consumer Protection Board (CPB) Chairperson and Executive Director Mindy Bockstein announced today that the CPB is the first State Agency to work together with the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) of New York State to provide consumer alerts, notices and newsletters to individuals who are blind or visually impaired via the NFB's NEWSLINE(r) service.
NFB-NEWSLINE(r) enables adults and children who are blind or print-impaired to read newspapers, magazines, notices of public interest, government announcements and other materials of interest at any time and from anywhere. Text-to-speech technology developed by the National Federation of the Blind, has changed the way people with visual impairments can access reading material. The only technology required is a standard touch-tone telephone.
"I am pleased that the Consumer Protection Board has taken the initiative to make the critical information that they produce available to the blind and visually impaired," Lieutenant Governor Paterson said.
"Our goal is for this groundbreaking program to lead to even greater access to government for blind and print-impaired individuals."Mindy Bockstein, Chairperson and Executive Director of the CPB said: "This revolutionary technology is opening doors and providing reading materials to adults and children who could never before access them. The CPB is dedicated to protecting all New Yorkers. This population will now be able to have the information they need about important issues like identity and credit card theft, recalls, consumer credit issues and more. With this technology, visually impaired New Yorkers can do something as simple as access the newspaper or work independently on school projects. We are grateful to the NFP for providing this critical service."
Through the use of the telephone, a subscriber to NFBNEWSLINE(r) can access more than 250 daily newspapers, including the Albany Times Union, the Buffalo News, the Long Island Newsday and the New York Times, a growing number of magazines and now for the first time, timely and important notices from government agencies.
Carl Jacobsen, President of the National Federation of the Blind of New York State, said: "I am pleased that the Spitzer/Paterson Administration has reached out to the blind community to partner in this venture. For the first time, we can get the same notices as our neighbors and not have to wait for second-hand information. I applaud the Administration, especially the CPB, for yet another effort to make government more accessible and participatory by all of its citizens."
The NFB-NEWSLINE(r) service is totally free to anyone who is unable to access standard print. The estimate is that there are more than 310,000 persons in New York State who would be eligible for this free service. This includes people who have not been diagnosed as legally blind, but who have difficulty reading printed information. The NFB-NEWSLINE(r) system is simple and user friendly and there are tutorials and training available.
Persons interested in obtaining this service for their own use or for a family member should contact the National Federation of the Blind of New York State at 718-567-7821 or by e-mail at Newsline@nfbny.org
, or access the CPB website at www.nysconsumer.gov for information.CONTACT: Maritere Arce
Maritere.arce@chamber.state.ny.us
212.681.4640
518.894.3003Posted by Nancy at 11:24 AM | Comments (0)
October 01, 2007
National Disability Employment Awareness Month, 2007 A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America
"National Disability Employment Awareness Month is an opportunity to recognize the contributions and accomplishments of Americans with disabilities and to underscore our Nation's commitment to advancing employment opportunities for all our citizens."
Americans with disabilities strengthen our country's workforce, and their achievements help keep our Nation the world's economic leader. Landmark reforms such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 have helped to ensure that individuals with disabilities are better able to engage in productive work and participate fully in the life of our Nation. It is important that we continue to expand on these opportunities for Americans with disabilities by eliminating the barriers and false perceptions that hinder them from joining the workforce. By enhancing the workplace environment for people with disabilities, employers can help provide access to jobs that allow these individuals to demonstrate their potential and realize their dreams.
Since 2001, my New Freedom Initiative has helped promote the full participation of people with disabilities in all areas of society, including education, training, and employment. Programs such as "Ticket to Work" and services at One-Stop Career Centers have helped improve access to employment training and placement services for individuals who want to work. Throughout the Federal Government, we have worked to improve access to jobs for individuals with disabilities and to promote greater inclusiveness in the workforce. Individuals and employers can learn more about the Federal Government's disability-related programs by visiting DisabilityInfo.gov. We will continue to build on the progress that has been made for individuals with disabilities and will work to ensure that our Nation remains a place of opportunity for all Americans.
To recognize the contributions of Americans with disabilities and to encourage all citizens to ensure equal opportunity in the workforce, the Congress (36 U.S.C. 121) has designated October of each year as "National Disability Employment Awareness Month."
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim October 2007 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. I call upon Government officials, labor leaders, employers, and the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-second.
GEORGE W. BUSH
Posted by Nancy at 07:50 PM | Comments (0)
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
Throughout October, which is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the Office of Disability Employment Policy will profile on its Web site individuals who have personally benefited from agency-sponsored programs aimed at eliminating the chronic underemployment of people with disabilities, as well as employers and organizations that have successfully implemented strategies to hire, support, empower and otherwise value employees with disabilities.
Posted by Nancy at 07:46 PM | Comments (0)
September 05, 2007
Application Deadline Is Sept. 11 for eSight's Online Networking Course
This fall, take another step in building your career -- without leaving your keyboard. Learn how to use "Online Networking as a Job Search Tool" through the eSight® eLearning Center.
This hands-on, competency-based course is designed to help you develop your online branding and networking skills so you can find the meaningful internship or job that's right for you.
The application form for the "Online Networking as a Job Search Tool" course at http://www.esight.org/link.cfm?n=1116
All application materials must be submitted by September 11, 2007. The fall 2007 session of this course will run from September 26 through November 20, 2007.
During this eight-week course, you will learn how to work with others online, deal with your particular disability employment barriers, create your personal brand, develop your e-Portfolio, research your targeted employers, and cultivate your contacts.
You will also receive individualized coaching by Jim Hasse, eSight's senior content developer and facilitator for the course, who has more than 40 years of personal experience with disability employment issues. He created the curriculum for "Online Networking as a Job Search Tool" with this premise in mind:The more you interact online, make networking a habit, gain insight into practical employment job-seeking strategies from a disability perspective, establish a career focus and achieve visibility for your particular expertise the quicker you'll find meaningful work.
This interactive course requires five or more hours a week for eight weeks to complete the assignments. It offers one lesson a week, which you'll receive on Wednesdays.To be considered for this course, you must meet the following requirements: a college degree or equivalent, time availability, demonstration of initial work in developing your career and a track record that shows you will diligently attend to this class and complete its assignments.
Phone interviews of applicants will be held during the week of September 17 as part of the selection process. Those chosen to participate in the course will receive their first lesson on Wednesday, September 26, 2007.
For more details about this course, go to http://www.esight.org/view.cfm?x=1968
Note: Class size for this course is very limited due to the high amount individual coaching each eLearner receives. Apply now.Posted by Nancy at 03:11 PM | Comments (0)
August 21, 2007
Improvements to the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program--Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
The Ticket to Work program provides beneficiaries with disabilities expanded options for access to employment, vocational rehabilitation, and other support services. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is proposing revisions to its current Ticket to Work program rules to simplify and improve the definition of using a ticket and requirements for measuring timely progress toward self-supporting employment.
Deadline for comments is October 12, 2007.
Read http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/E7-15715.htm for more information.
Posted by Nancy at 11:39 AM | Comments (0)
Call For Nominations : The 2008 Henry B. Betts Award (due: Tuesday, October 9 , 2007)
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. Nominations are available from www.AAPD.com.
Nominations are due: Tuesday, October 9, 2007.
Questions and submissions for the Henry B. Betts Award program to: aapdbetts@aol.comPosted by Nancy at 09:08 AM | Comments (0)
Call For Applications: The 2008 Paul G. Hearne/Aapd Leadership Awards (due: Sept. 21, 2007)
The Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Awards program was established to identify and support emerging leaders with disabilities who will carry on the disability rights movement. Administered by AAPD and sponsored by the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation, the 2008 Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Awards identifies up to two emerging leaders with disabilities to each receive $10,000 to help them continue their progress as leaders. These individuals will also have an opportunity to meet and network with national disability leaders at the annual AAPD Leadership Gala in Washington, DC in the spring. Applications are available from www.AAPD.com.
Apply by: Friday, September 21, 2007.
Questions and submissions for the Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Awards program to: aapdhearne@aol.com
Posted by Nancy at 09:05 AM | Comments (0)
August 15, 2007
Mentoring Workshop: Opportunities in the Visual Arts: Staten Island, NY
The Verrazano Foundation in collaboration with Snug Harbor Cultural Center & The NYC Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities Invites You to a Mentoring Workshop: Opportunities in the Visual Arts
- Living with mental illness?
- Do you have a passion for art?
- Learn how artists support themselves and find audiences
Join us and featured speakers….. for an exploration, sharing, and peer support.When: Sunday, September 16, 2007
Time: 10:30 AM to Noon
Where: Snug Harbor Cultural Center Visitors Center - Bldg. C, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301
Pre-Registration Required: Register early-capacity is limited!
To register for the workshop, please contact Mkada Beach at (212) 788-2830 or by email to DMD@cityhall.nyc.gov
For travel directions, go to www.snug-harbor.org
For all other questions, please contact Ken Byalin at (718) 667-2832 or email to information@verrazanofoundation.org
Verrazano Careers is supported in part by a grant the Sara Chait Memorial Foundation, Inc. to The Verrazano Foundation.The Verrazano Foundation
777 Seaview Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10305
Phone: 718-667-2832 Fax: 718-667-2344 E-mail: information@verrazanofoundation.orgPosted by Nancy at 09:16 AM | Comments (0)
August 14, 2007
Sign-Up on September 14, 2007 for NYC's Disability Mentoring Day and Learn About The "Behind The Scenes" Business In The Entertainment & Media
The NYC Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities
invites you to learn about the "behind the scenes" business in the Entertainment & Media industry from key executives.This 2-hour presentation includes:
- Bert Padell, Senior Partner of Padell, Nadell, Fine, and Weinberger & Co.- Entertainment Business Manager;
- Peter Seitz, CEO of the American Talent Agency;
- And many other speakers.
- Learn more about Disability Mentoring Day 2007
- Sign-up for Disability Mentoring Day 2007
When: Friday, September 14, 2007
Time: 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Where: City Hall, City Council Chambers New York, N.Y. 10007 (Please use the Park Row entrance for the accessible entrance to City Hall)
Registration Is Required
To register for the workshop, and/or for more information please contact Mkada Beach at (212) 788-2830 or by e-mail at: DMD@cityhall.nyc.gov
- For security purposes, you must confirm your attendance and present a valid photo identification to be admitted.
Directions to City Hall:
- Subways: 4, 5, 6 trains to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall/ 2, 3 trains to Park Place/ R, W trains to City Hall;
Bus: M15 to City Hall/Park; and
Row Access-A-Ride Drop-off Point: Park Row entrance/gate entrance on Park Row opposite Brooklyn Bridge ramp.
Please contact Mkada Beach at (212) 788-2830 or by e-mail at: DMD@cityhall.nyc.gov in advance if you require a reasonable accommodation.
Posted by Nancy at 06:00 PM | Comments (0)
Come Sign Up on Thursday, August 30, 2007 for NYC's Disability Mentoring Day
The NYC Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities invites you to take part in a day of networking with a variety of Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) 2007 committee members. Learn more about DMD and how you can further your career opportunities. Representatives from the DMD committee will be there to answer all your questions, and assist with the application process.
This 2-hour presentation will help you:
- Learn more about Disability Mentoring Day 2007;
- Sign-up for Disability Mentoring Day 2007;
- Hear from past mentee(s) about their mentoring day experience; and
- Understand employers' expectations
When: Thursday, August 30, 2007
Time: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Where: City Hall, City Council Chambers New York, N.Y. 10007
(Please use the Park Row entrance for the accessible entrance to City Hall)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 to City Hall:
- Subways: 4, 5, 6 trains to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall/ 2, 3 trains to Park Place/ R, W trains to City Hall;
Bus: M15 to City Hall/Park Row; and
Access-A-Ride Drop-off Point: Park Row entrance/gate entrance on Park Row opposite Brooklyn Bridge ramp
Please contact Mkada Beach at (212) 788-2830 or by email: DMD@cityhall.nyc.gov in advance if you require a reasonable accommodation.Posted by Nancy at 05:38 PM | Comments (0)
Initiative For Women With Disabilities Launches New Program: NYC
The Initiative for Women with Disabilities Elly & Steve Hammerman Health & Wellness Center at NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases is adding a new program to its roster:The Empowerment Program for Women with Physical Disabilities, ages 21-32.
Classes and discussion groups specifically geared for the young women with physical disabilities ages 21-32, such as: Yoga, Cardio Blast, Dance & Movement Classes; Discussion Group topics to include: Setting Goals and Planning for the Future: Sexuality, relationships and dating; Developing a positive attitude; How to be successful in the "real" world.
This program will offer programming and activities specifically designed for young women with physical disabilities between the ages of 21-32. Along with the mission of the IWD, the goals of the Empowerment Program are to strengthen daily living skills through participation in discussion groups and wellness activities, to provide guidelines and enrichment activities, and to provide a relaxed atmosphere that emphasizes respect and trust.
All program participants will take part in the many programs and services offered my the IWD inclduing, Acupuncture, Nutrtiion Consultations, Reflexology, Massage Therapy, HairStyling, Gynecology and more.
The classes are 6 weeks long, and you have to register and pay for all 6 classes - $60 for the series.
You can register in person on the day of the first class and pay cash, or over the phone and mail in a check with time for it to clear.
For further information and to register call 212-598-6429
or e-mail iwd@nyumc.org .Posted by Nancy at 04:29 PM | Comments (0)
August 08, 2007
RRTC Web Cast on Pain and Spinal Cord Injury, Monday, August 13
The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Spinal Cord Injury (RRTC on SCI) for a Web cast on Pain and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). The RRTC on SCI is a program of the National Rehabilitation Hospital in collaboration with ILRU.
Dr. Martin Grabois with Baylor College of Medicine will present the web cast "Pain and Spinal Cord Injury" on Monday, August 13, 2007 at 2:00pm Central; 3:00pm Eastern; 1:00pm Mountain; 12:00pm Pacific.
Dr. Grabois is Professor and Chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. His sub-specialty is Pain Management with Clinical Interests in General Rehabilitation; Acute and Chronic Pain Syndrome.
As part of the continued focus on knowledge and prevention of secondary conditions associated with SCI, Dr. Grabois will give an overview of pain prevalence and prevention in people with SCI. The webcast will be moderated by ILRU Director and Professor of Baylor College of Medicine, Lex Frieden. Join us to learn more about the types of pain associated with SCI, the role of exercise in pain prevention, and other valuable means of reducing or eliminating pain.
To link to this Web cast and download accompanying materials please visit: http://www.ccitonline.org/ilru/links.htm
For instructions on how to access the Web cast please visit:
http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/instructions.htmlPlease visit these links ahead of time to test and ensure your computer is configured and updated to participate in the Web cast.
For technical assistance with ILRU captioned webcasts, please check out our FAQs (frequently asked questions) at: http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/FAQ.html
You may contact a Web cast team member via email at webcast@ilru.org or by calling 713.520.0232 (v/tty).
This Web cast is supported through the National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH) Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Spinal Cord Injury (RRTC on SCI) and ILRU. The RRTC on SCI is a five-year project federally funded/supported by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), a division of the United States 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 07:04 PM | Comments (0)
August 01, 2007
IL NET: Youth Transition & Leadership Programs for CILs
When: September 11 - 14, 2007
Where: Denver, CO
What: IL NET - Youth Transition & Leadership Programs for CILsThis September 11-14th, IL NET will present a National On-site Training on Youth Leadership and Transition. This two-training conference will allow attendees to choose training about transition programs, leadership programs, or both! Independent Living advocates will gain an understanding of the specific considerations when working with young people with disabilities. All new curricula on High School / High Tech and Guideposts for Success [youth transition] programs, tailored specifically for Centers for Independent Living, will be presented. Please join them in Denver to learn how to create the most effective youth-transition, leadership, and mentoring programs at your center!
This training will be held at the Adam's Mark Denver hotel. Training registrants will receive a reduced rate of $159 per night. Hotel reservations should be available by August 3rd. Details about arrangements, accommodations, and curricula specifics will be available on the NCIL website in the coming weeks (details will also be mailed and emailed to all CILs & SILCs).
Posted by Nancy at 11:08 AM | Comments (0)
Online Course: Cultural Competence
The IL NET is a partnership of ILRU and NCIL. On-line courses are offered with the on-line facilitation support of Utah State University.
Registration Deadline: August 27, 2007 COURSE Dates: September 10 - 28, 2007 ORIENTATION Teleconference For Students: September 6, 2007
Purpose: This course will provide a framework to help centers and SILCs ensure services fully meet the needs of people from a variety of backgrounds and that centers are fully welcoming to all. Participants will receive support in the creation of a strategic process to fully engage people from a variety of cultural and ethnic groups in center and SILC activities and to improve capacity to offer services that are consistent with and supportive of all cultures.
Target Audience: Center and SILC staff, managers, and executives, as well as board members. This is a beginning to intermediate level course.
Course Objectives: Upon completion, participants will be more aware of a variety of cultures and culturally related issues that can have an effect on service effectiveness. They will learn several strategies for fully involving and engaging people from different cultures in center leadership and community. With the support of the instructor and classmates, they will have begun development of a strategic plan for increasing the organization's cultural competence and effectiveness.
Format: Participants will read assignments in the online course manual, complete exercises assigned by the instructor, and interact daily with the instructor and other students in an online discussion forum. Students will have an opportunity to learn about and share best practices. Students can ask and receive responses to their questions related to cultural awareness and organizational cultural competence from the instructor and their peers.
The Instructors: Susan Miller and Juan Carlos Vazquez
A full course calendar is on the ILRU Web site at http://www.ilru.org/html/training/online/index.html
Registration: You may register online or by mail. The online registration form is located at: http://www.ilru.org/html/forms/online_registration.htm The mailing address for registration is ILRU/ONLINE LEARNING 2323 S Shepherd, Suite 1000 Houston, TX 77019
See ILRU policies for Multiple Participants from the Same Organization, Notification of Acceptance, and Refunds/Cancellations at: http://www.ilru.org/html/training/online/onlinefaq.html
Method Of Payment: Payment may be made by credit card through the Web site at the time of registration. Credit card orders are also accepted by phone at 713.520.0232 ext. 130. Do not send credit card information by e-mail, since such transactions are not secure. Checks or money orders are also accepted and should be mailed with a completed registration form. Return your completed registration form and payment to the address shown above.
Course Fees: The course fee is $65 per participant.
Online Courses From Ilru: This online course is presented by the IL NET, the national training and technical assistance project for centers for independent living and statewide independent living councils. The IL NET is operated by the Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) Program at Memorial Hermann | TIRR in partnership with the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL). Online course implementation is facilitated by the Interdisciplinary Training Division of the Center for Persons with Disabilities, Utah State University.
Other Questions: Contact Dawn Heinsohn at ILRU, (713) 520-0232 ext. 130 or heinsohn@ilru.org
Posted by Nancy at 11:05 AM | Comments (0)
Secretary Chao Recognizes 17th Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act
WASHINGTON, — Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao issued a statement to mark the 17th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act: "While much progress has been made in the last 17 years, still more needs to be done to help workers with disabilities be fully recognized as integral members of our workforce." Chao announced that the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy has available a video on the advantages of hiring workers with disabilities.
Posted by Nancy at 10:33 AM