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February 7, 2003
NEWS
IT Works
Ability Awards – Nomination Deadline February 21
The Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), the
nation's leading IT industry association, in cooperation
with the University of Iowa Law, Health Policy & Disability
Center's 'IT Works' project, has established the IT Works Ability
Awards, a national awards program recognizing IT firms that have
developed effective strategies to promote the employment and
advancement of people with disabilities. 'Our research shows
demand for skilled and trained information technology (IT)
workers,' said ITAA President Harris N. Miller. 'Research also
shows the percentage of working individuals with disabilities in
high tech careers is substantially lower than the percentage of
working people without a disability. By placing a spotlight on
innovative hiring and advancement programs in this area, we hope
to increase the number of individuals with disabilities in
IT-related positions.'
http://www.itaa.org/workforce/gendoc.cfm?DocID=101
RESOURCES
Disability and
Workforce Development
Each state/district/territory is required to submit a Workforce
Investment Act report on an annual basis to the US Department of
Labor. Many reports include some discussion of disability issues.
The National Center on Workforce and Disability has
reviewed the Program Year 2000 reports and, state-by-state,
published any reference to disability in the narrative.
http://www.onestops.info/article.php?article_id=183
Employment
Barrier: Rural Transportation
Especially in Rural Areas,
transportation issues for people with disabilities are often a
major obstacle to employment. On June 16 & 17 the National Summit
on Transportation for People with Disabilities in Rural Settings
will be held in Indianapolis. There is a call for Best
Practice nominations – due March 1, 2003. Contact
pshankland@gpcpd.org.
Telework as a
Reasonable Accommodation
The US Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has released a fact sheet for
employers who are considering allowing an individual with a
disability to telework as a reasonable accommodation under the
Americans with Disabilities Act. For individuals with
disabilities, teleworking can expand the universe of potential and
accessible employment.
http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/telework.html
New Magazine -
Deaf Lifestyle
A new lifestyle-type
magazine for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing folks is about to be
launched.
http://www.deafsuccess.com/home1/home1.html
Accessible
Websites and Software
Making Educational Software and Web Sites Accessible: Design
Guidelines Including Math and Science Solutions. Although it is
geared to the education arena, this is a great reference guide for
all publishers, software programmers and Web site developers.
http://ncam.wgbh.org/cdrom/guideline/
Inclusion
Coalition
Disability activist Judith
Snow has announced her intention to develop a worldwide coalition
of citizens committed to inclusion. The International Association
for Inclusive Citizenship (IAIC) seeks membership (especially on
founding committees), ideas, volunteer fundraisers, and assistance
in getting the message out to other interested individuals. For
more information, e-mail Judith at
include_me2003@yahoo.ca
or call 416-538-9344.
Self Employment
Resources
* Small Business and Self-Employment
Service: provides information, counseling, and referrals about
self-employment and small business ownership opportunities for
people with disabilities.
http://janweb.icdi.wvu.edu/sbses/
* The Emerging Workforce of
Entrepreneurs with Disabilities: Preliminary Study of
Entrepreneurship in Iowa
http://www.its.uiowa.edu/law/lhpdc/publications/
moreinfo/entrepIA.html
*
No More Job Interviews! Self
Employment Strategies for People with Disabilities (Book)
http://www.diversityshop.com/store/interviews.html
* Online Discussion group on issues of
self-employment for people with disabilities.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pwd_self-employment/
(To join, just send email to
pwd_self-employment-subscribe@yahoogroups.com)
INTERESTING ON THE WEB
Winners on
Wheels
A really engaging website for young people who use wheelchairs.
www.wowusa.com
EVENTS
Career
Opportunities for Students with Disabilities
National Annual Meeting
May 13 – 15, Seattle, WA
http://www.cosdonline.org/conferences/index.shtml
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January 26, 2003
NEWS
Mediation, Disability, National Origin
Seminars for Small Business – Feb 4!!
The EEOC is sponsoring a nationwide
satellite technical assistance seminar on February 4, 2003-
especially targeted to small and mid-sized employers. The fee is
$50 per person and will include a three hour national satellite
program followed by a one hour local program providing the
opportunity for discussion and information with local area EEOC
staff. For details and locations see:
http://www.eeoc.gov/outreach/satellite.html
32,000 New Jobs For People With
Disabilities?!?!?
The US Department of Defense says they
are planning to hire 32,000 people with disabilities. See:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2002/
n12092002_200212093.html
By Default, Employer Held Responsible for
Accommodation
In a recent ADA Settlement an employer was held responsible for
purchasing needed equipment when a state agency reneged on their
promise to provide it for their client. See:
http://www.cabln.org/ada.htm#Settlements
Employer Incentives Not Effective?
The General Accounting Office (GAO) has
released a report on Business Tax Incentives. Titled: “Incentives
to Employ Workers with Disabilities Receive Limited Use and Have
an Uncertain Impact (GAO-03-39, December 11)”. It raises some
serious questions about the effectiveness of financial incentives
like the Work Opportunity Credit, the Disabled Access Credit, and
the Barrier Removal Deduction. Printed copies may be ordered from
the General Accounting Office: 202-512-6000 (voice), 202-512-2537
(TDD), 202-512-6061 (Fax). For details see:
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-03-39
AWARDS
Employment for People with Disabilities -
Award for Leadership
Bender Consulting Services, Inc., provides competitive employment
opportunities for Americans with disabilities in the technology,
human resources, finance/accounting, and engineering and general
business fields. Annually, they make their Tony Coelho Award to a
CEO, President, or government leader who has demonstrated a
significant commitment to employ people with disabilities in
competitive positions, and worked to influence other business
and/or government leaders. Available to nominees from both the US
and Canada, the 2002 award was presented to Diana Burke, of the
RBC Financial Group, in Toronto, Canada. To nominate someone for
the 2003 award, please contact Joyce A. Bender, CEO of Bender
Consulting Services of Canada, Inc. and Bender Consulting
Services, Inc. at
jbender@benderconsult.com.
GRANTS
Scholarships for Women with Disabilities
The Ethel Louise Armstrong Foundation,
Inc. (ELA) 2003 ELA Scholarship provides financial assistance to
women with physical disabilities who are enrolled in a college or
university graduate program in the United States. Application is
now available at
http://www.ela.org
$400 million in Grants for Computer Equipment
The Beaumont Foundation will be giving
out almost $400 million in computer equipment starting in 2003 –
to schools and community organizations. They are especially
interested in submissions for people who are “homebound” due to
disability or illness. Details at:
www.bmtfoundation.com/grants/
ARTICLES
High-Tech Tools Lower Barriers for Disabled
This informative article, published by the SHRM (Society for Human
Resources Management), explains how the latest generation of
assistive technology is helping even more people with disabilities
perform valuable work. See:
http://www.worksupport.com/topics/assist.asp
Attitudes and Technology Influence Employment
Opportunities
The National Organization on Disability (NOD) has reprinted an
informative article on the impact of technology and attitudes on
employment opportunities for people with disabilities. See:
Website
RESOURCES
Providing Services to Foreign-born People
with Disabilities
Some great new online resources to help
service providers better meet the needs of people with
disabilities that were born in China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El
Salvador, India, and other countries. From The Rehabilitation
Provider's Guide to Cultures of the Foreign-Born. See:
http://www.ncddr.org/du/products/focus/focus2
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs)
with Disabilities
National Technical Assistance Center (NTAC)
to Increase Employment Opportunities for Asian Americans and
Pacific Islanders with Disabilities seeks assistance in gathering
information to be published in a directory with the working title
of Promising Employment Practices for AAPIs with Disabilities.
More information from Lucy Wong-Hernandez at
lucywong@hawaii.edu or 808-956-5344 (voice) or 808-956-7878
(fax). Anyone who believes they are involved in a model program or
project is invited to respond to the questionnaire at:
http://www.ntac.hawaii.edu/products/pp.htm
Emergency Preparedness
The National Organization on Disability (NOD) has a new online
(text and pdf versions) Emergency Preparedness Initiative Guide on
the Special Needs of People with Disabilities. Here:
http://www.nod.org/cont/dsp_cont_item_view.cfm?viewType
=itemView&contentId=1267
Accommodating Deaf Attendees at Meetings
Straightforward guidelines for effectively conducting meetings
with sign language interpreters. Here:
http://www.cabln.org/deaf.htm#Meetings
How Can Blind People Access Information On
Your Printed Documents?
The American Council of the Blind, with support from AT&T, has
developed A Guide to Making Documents Accessible to People Who Are
Blind or Visually Impaired. Here:
http://www.acb.org/accessible-formats.html
Ticket to Hire: New Recruiting Resource for
Employers
Ticket to Hire is being promoted as a new national service to
connect employers with qualified job candidates with disabilities.
It represents job seekers who are part of the new Ticket to Work
program. For complete information, call 1-866-889-4473 or
Email See:
http://www.ssa.gov/work/Ticket/TicketHire.html
INTERESTING ON THE
WEB
Customer Service for Deaf, Deafened and Hard
of Hearing Persons
The Canadian Hearing Society has developed helpful online
resources for providing good customer service to people who are
Deaf:
Guide for Retail Businesses at:
http://www.chs.ca/info/access/busguide/retail.html
Guide for Restaurants at:
http://www.chs.ca/info/access/busguide/food.html
Guide for Medical Services at:
http://www.chs.ca/info/access/busguide/medical.html
US Disability Policy, Legislation, Programs
For anyone interested in a quick tutorial of federal disability
policy in the US, Cornell University's Independence project is a
good summary of basic programs and initiatives. Here:
http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/ped/il/Independence/pol_choice.htm
Statistics on Disability: Prevalence,
Employment Rates and Household Income
In an easy-to-use query format from Cornell University helps you
quickly find Employment rates, Prevalence, and Mean Income of for
working-age people with disabilities by state and/or by year
(1981-1999) Here:
http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/ped/dep/rrtc_stats.html
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October 28,
2002
NEWS
Web Accessibility Becoming Mandatory?
Recently, a suit has been launched against
American Airlines - alleging that as a “public accommodation”,
their website should be accessible to all members of the public.
See:
http://www.adaaccessnow.org/internet.htm
We have also heard that, in January 1, 2003, a North
Carolina law (SB 866 - amending North Carolina’s Persons with
Disabilities Protection Act) may come into effect that will make
web access mandatory for state and local governments as well as
private employers with 15 or more full-time employees. From those
kinds of developments, it seems likely that websites that are
non-accessible may soon become a thing of the past. In October
2002, in a suit against Southwest Airlines, however, the judge
ruled that the ADA “applies only to physical spaces, such as
restaurants and movie theaters, and not to the Internet.” More
Details:
http://www.cabln.org/IT_Access.htm#Judge
Batcanes?
The Batcane, developed by Sound Foresight
Limited, is to be launched in the second quarter of 2003.
Mirroring the navigational senses of bats, it uses ultrasonic
echoes: signals which bounce off objects present in the
environment, and feedback information to the cane. This covers the
areas in front, to either side, and, uniquely, to the head height
of the user. It also features tactile feedback designed to access
a specific part of the brain used in mapping the surroundings. The
Batcane gives users a more immediate awareness of their
surroundings than has previously been possible. Want to see it in
action? (You will need Real Player) Video Here:
http://www.soundforesight.co.uk/sf_bbctw
_real2%20352x288.ram
AWARDS
Private Sector Principles
2003 Nonprofit Funding Competition
Launched: Social Stimulus and the Keiretsu Forum Foundation have
launched a $100k Nonprofit funding competition open to all
US-based nonprofits. The grand prizewinner will receive at least
$50K. The competition seeks to foster the broadest possible impact
in the social sector using private sector principles. Entrants
will be evaluated on sustainability, innovation and social impact.
The deadline for nonprofit entrants is January 31, 2003 with the
final recipients selected at the end of April 2003.
http://www.pnnonline.org/article.php?sid=677
RESOURCES
Video on Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship, Self-Employment and
Disabilities, a new 30 minute, closed-captioned, video tape
contains 6 short vignettes featuring individuals who have
successfully started their own small businesses. A wide variety of
people with disabilities is represented. The tape illustrates how
systems such as DD, VR, Social Security and Workforce Investment
can work together to support innovation. Price: $59. Contact
Program Development Associates toll free at 1-800-543-2119 or
order online at www.pdassoc.com
Online Video Re: Hiring Blind Employees
A great new online video on employing
Blind/Visually Impaired people - “Hire Vision” Click Here:
http://www.industryview.com/frameset.asp?BID=3
(Then click on American Foundation for the Blind - in
the left-hand column.)
Psychiatric Disabilities and Employment
Accommodating Employees and Job Applicants
With Psychiatric Disabilities in the Workplace - a brand new video
that is an excellent introduction to people with common
psychiatric disabilities and how to best accommodate them in the
workplace. We liked it so much that we added it to our store!
Employers have found the ADA-related information to be very useful
- and job developers have found it to be a useful tool for
educating employers.
http://www.diversityshop.com/store/PD.html
Looking for Some Information to give to
Employers?
The Business Case for Accessibility: How
Accessibility-Awareness Strengthens Your Company’s Bottom Line -
is an interesting online summary of employment & disability
related issues/information from the Ontario Government’s Paths to
Equal Opportunity.
http://www.equalopportunity.on.ca/userfiles/item/
23549/BusAccess.pdf
Are You Working with Employers in
California?
Introduce them to a great Network for
information and resources – the California Business Leadership
Network (CABLN). By becoming a Member (free), they will get a
monthly Members-only Newsletter (See sample at:
http://www.cabln.org/update02q3c.htm
and they will be invited to attend Educational Forums and
network, on disability issues, with other employers. See:
http://www.cabln.org
INTERESTING ON
THE WEB
National Service Inclusion Project (NSIP)
A Training and Technical Assistance
Project to Increase the Participation of People with Disabilities
in National Service. NSIP builds connections between disability
organizations and state commissions, offices, and service
programs.
http://www.serviceandinclusion.org
New Federal Government Disability Site
The federal government has a new site for
people with disabilities, containing information on the wide range
of federal programs and services. It is intended to be a one-stop
access to government disability information and resources as well
as updates on the New Freedom Initiative.
http://www.disabilityinfo.gov
Workforce Development Focusing on Youth
with Disabilities
A new website has been launched by the
National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth).
The site contains useful information and resources for youth with
disabilities and their families, service providers and other front
line workers, administrators, policy makers, and employers.
http://www.ncwd-youth.info
Workforce Investment Act and Disability
The National Center on Workforce and
Disability is a USDOL funded training and technical assistance
center for One-Stops, Workforce Boards, and workforce development.
Their website is full of information on employment of people with
disabilities. On this site you can also sign up for NCWDs
bi-weekly e-newsletter, which is delivered short, sweet, and full
of useful information.
http://www.onestops.info
Here are some examples of the useful
information on their site:
Case studies of how disability (employment
and training) organizations in Kentucky, Minnesota and Maine are
adapting to WIA
http://www.onestops.info/subcategory.php?subcat_id=45
WIA: Opportunities WIA for the Disability
Community
http://www.onestops.info/article.php?article_id=119&subcat_id=45
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August 14, 2002
GRANTS
Customized Employment/Individual Choice
The U.S. Department of Labor Office of
Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) announces the availability of
$600,000 to award one cooperative agreement. The desired outcome
of this proposed technical assistance and training effort is to
work with providers using section 14(c) certificates to: (1)
evolve their programs to provide integrated employment outcomes
(i.e., non section 14(c) employment) in non-stereotypical jobs
based on customized employment strategies and individual choice;
and (2) to increase wages of people with disabilities who are
currently working at less than minimum wage through the use of
customized employment strategies and individual choice. Deadline:
September 4, 2002 Details:
www.diversityworld.com/grants_tap.htm
Telework
The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of
Disability Employment Policy, announces the availability of
$1,000,000 to award one competitive grant to support the
implementation and evaluation of three pilot demonstration
projects involving DOL and two other Federal agencies over a
period of 24 months designed to evaluate the extent to and the
manner in which various home-based telework/telecommuting
arrangements can enhance the employment of people with
disabilities. Deadline: September 4, 2002 Details:
www.diversityworld.com/grants_tele.htm
Faith-Based Initiatives
The Office of Disability Employment Policy
(ODEP) in collaboration with the Office of the 21st Century
Workforce (Office of 21CW), and the Center for Faith-Based
Community Initiatives (CFBCI or Center), announce the availability
of up to $300,000 to award approximately three to five grants,
ranging in amounts between $60,000 to $100,000 each, to community
and faith-based organizations to implement model employment
programs for people with significant disabilities for the purposes
of developing new or enhancing existing employment training and/or
services. Deadline: September 4, 2002 Details:
www.diversityworld.com/grants_faith.htm
AWARDS
Accessible America
N.O.D. is launching its second annual
Accessible America Competition, sponsored by the United Parcel
Service. The $25,000 contest, open to towns and cities nationwide,
highlights noteworthy progress in promoting the full and equal
participation of citizens with disabilities in community life.
Details at:
Here
Henry B. Betts Award
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. receives an unrestricted $50,000 cash award and a
commemorative crystal piece. Deadline October 4, 2002. Details:
http://www.aapd-dc.org/docs/Betts2002app.html
Contact: Tracey Murray, AAPD Leadership Coordinator
Phone: 770-232-9001 (voice only) or via E-mail:
the-murrays@mindspring.com
The Paul Hearne Leadership Awards
Up to five people with disabilities who
are emerging as leaders in their respective fields will each
receive $10,000 to help them continue their progress as leaders.
Deadline: November1, 2002. Details:
http://www.aapd-dc.org/docs/2002Hearneapp.html
Contact: Tracey Murray, AAPD Leadership Coordinator Phone:
770-232-9001 (voice only) or via E-mail:
the-murrays@mindspring.com
EVENTS
Free Seminars for Small Employers
The Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC) is conducting a series of free workshops for
small businesses on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
These workshops, which include information on tax incentives and
community resources, are aimed at encouraging businesses with 15
to 100 employees to hire individuals with disabilities. If one of
these events is taking place in your area, it may be in your best
interest to help promote it. Find more info at:
http://www.eeoc.gov/initiatives/nfi/index.html
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July 26, 2002
RESOURCES/NEWS
July 26, 2002 – 12th Anniversary of the
ADA and Justin Dart Jr. Memorial
Beginning this year, the Anniversary of
the ADA will be celebrated along with remembrances of one of its
greatest advocates, Justin Dart Jr. Justin, who died last month,
asked that his memorial be held in conjunction with the ADA’s
anniversary. This year, the press coverage of the ADA anniversary
will be heightened by coverage of Justin Dart’s Memorial (see end
of this email). (Our tribute to Justin is at
http://www.diversityworld.com/Justin%20Dart.htm
)
Self Employment for People With
Disabilities
If you are interested in this topic, we
wanted to alert you to two resources… we have an active email
discussion group, with over 130 participants, on this topic. To
subscribe, simply send an email to
pwd_self-employment-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
In our store, we also feature a terrific book: “No
More job Interviews: Self employment strategies for people with
disabilities”. See:
http://www.diversityshop.com/store/interviews.html
GRANTS
$6 Million in Employment Grants for
People With Disabilities
Two new Grant solicitations have been
announced by the Department of Labor for increasing and improving
employment opportunities that allow individuals with disabilities
to: (1) Move from nursing homes or other institutions and
residential facilities into the community; (2) continue living in
the community; (3) achieve economic self-sufficiency; and (4)
attain full access to, and participation in, their communities. Up
to $4 million for up to 27 Workforce Coordinating Grants
($100,000-150,000 per year up to five years). Up to $2 million for
2 to 4 Workforce Action Grants ($400,000 - $750,000 per year up to
five years). Deadline for both: August 21, 2002 Details:
http://www.diversityworld.com/grants_workFORCE.htm
INTERESTING ON
THE WEB
The Federal Office of Personnel Management
has a new section of their Website devoted to employment of people
with disabilities.
http://www.opm.gov/disability/index.asp
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July 1, 2002
RESOURCES/NEWS
Older Workers with Disabilities - ILO
Research
The international Labor Organization (ILO)
is preparing a paper on decent work for older workers with
disabilities: their position in sheltered work settings as well as
in the open labor market, policies and initiatives which ensure
that they keep their jobs or learn new skills to access new forms
of employment, economic traps that apply specifically to older
workers, retirement issues, older family career
issues.... The researchers are seeking grass roots input. If you
are interested, send an email with a brief description of your
experience to Nancy Breitenbach
nbreit@club-internet.fr
ADA Ruling - Health Risks are Grounds
for Denial of Employment
June 10, 2002, the Supreme Court ruled
that a business can deny a job to a person with a disability if
that job would pose health risks for the individual in question.
Advocacy Groups for people with disabilities assert that this
ruling as further erodes the provisions of the Americans With
Disabilities Act, undercuts worker rights and facilitates
discrimination by employers. Details:
http://www.cabln.org/ada.htm#health
New Freedom Awards
Nominations are now being accepted for
awards under President Bush's New Freedom Initiative. Deadline:
July 22, 2002. Details:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2002_register&docid=02-15744-filed
GRANTS
Customized Employment Services
The Department of Labor is awarding 7
grants from $3.5 million in funds build the capacity in local
One-Stop Centers to provide customized employment services to
those persons with disabilities who may not now be regularly
targeted for services by the One-Stop Center system. Grants can be
partnerships between One-Stops and community-based organizations.
Deadline: August 12. Details:
(Link not
working)
Demonstration Grants for Youth with
Disabilities
$2.5 million for up to 5 competitive
grants to fund model demonstration programs designed to enhance
the capacity of youth programs working in coordination with the
Workforce Investment Act (WIA). To be eligible, applicants must be
local WIA grant recipients, fiscal agents for such grant
recipients, Local Workforce Investment Boards (Local Boards),
and/or competitively selected eligible youth service providers
with formal agreements with such organizations. Deadline: August
12. Details: Here (Link not working)
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June 7, 2002
CANADA
New Canadian Email Newsletter
"The EnableLinker" is an E-zine (Email
Magazine) that is linked to EnableLink (
http://www.enablelink.org
), the website of the Canadian Abilities Foundation (CAF). They
have started this email newsletter to provide you with a quick and
easy way to keep up with issues and events within the disability
community in Canada. To SUBSCRIBE to the EnableLinker, send a
blank email to:
mailto:sub@enablelink.org
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June 7, 2002
GRANTS
Grants For Serving Minority Populations
"Capacity Building for Traditionally
Underserved Populations" - grants to fund projects that provide
training, technical assistance, or related activities to improve
services provided under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended
(Act), especially services provided to individuals from minority
backgrounds. Most of the funds will go to institutions of higher
education; but three grants, under Priority 4 can go to
community-based organizations. Application Deadline: June 24.
Details:
http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2002-2/050902b.html
RESOURCES
All Ways Welcome - Video
A very fun and informative video that is
great for disability awareness sessions. It was produced by the
Ontario Department of Tourism - to help businesses in the tourism
sector become more "disability friendly"; but it is general enough
to be used for almost any audience. Approx 20 min. (VHS) Free from
John Opiola 416-314-7353 or Peter Hitchcock 416-921-1021.
CALENDAR
Choose Work: Supporting Independence
and Workforce Diversity
2002 Conference of the Association for
Persons in Supported Employment (APSE) is July 24th-27th 2002 in
Minneapolis, MN. This conference will highlight best practices and
innovations in the field, focusing on improving quality of service
and making employment supports and technology available to all who
want and need it.
http://www.apse.org/mnconfernce/main.html
SPECIAL NOTICE
Job openings in DC - Deadline June 18!
The Office on Disability Employment
Policy's mission is to provide leadership to increase employment
opportunities for adults and youth with disabilities. It has a key
and critical role in influencing current and future employment
opportunities for people with disabilities. ODEP has recently
posted 16 job openings. It is important that these positions be
filled with competent and visionary folks. Details:
http://jobs2.quickhire.com/dol/show?view
=agency&family=0&page=5
INTERESTING ON
THE WEB
Calculate the Number of People with Disabilities
in Your City
Just follow these helpful instructions
from the National Organization on Disability (NOD)
Here
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May 18, 2002
NEWS
ADA is Limited by Seniority
Considerations
April 29, 2002: The Supreme Court ruled
that Seniority policies take precedence over ADA considerations -
they do not have to be overridden to accommodate employees with
disabilities. Details at:
http://www.cabln.org/ada.htm#Seniority
Overcoming Dyslexia
Great article profiling John Chambers of
Cisco Systems; Richard Branson of Virgin Records and Virgin
Atlantic Airways; Charles Schwab of Charles Schwab & Co., and
Kinko's founder, Paul Orfalea. See:
http://www.cabln.org/articles.htm#Overcoming
Blind Economics?
The new Canadian $5 as Braille-like
imprints to help visually impaired people identify different
denominations. The set of six raised dots can be seen or felt in
the upper-right-hand corner of the bill's face; the $10 bill,
which was introduced last year, has two sets of raised dots. This
is in sync with another recent development intended to assist the
blind: Las Vegas casinos unveiled a new Braille-slot machine!
CALENDAR
Disability & Employment 2002
This is the RSA National Employment
Conference. It is subtitled "Vocational Rehabilitation: where
Partners Create Careers". Details will be announced shortly, but
this conference is scheduled to be held at the JW Marriott Hotel
in Washington, DC, August 19 -21. Call fro papers deadline is July
14, 2002. For information:
jenn.rigger@ed.gov
Bridges to Employment: Exploring
Options for Latinos with Disabilities
August 21-24, 2002, Anaheim, California.
Sponsored by Proyecto Visión/Project Vision, the U.S. National
Technical Assistance Center for Latinos with Disabilities based at
the World Institute on Disability. For program information,
contact Kathy Martinez, phone 510-251-4326 or email
Kathy@wid.org
; for registration and logistics, contact Daniel
Gutierrez, phone 510-251-4327 or email
Daniel@wid.org
. Website:
http://www.proyectovision.net
National Disability Mentoring Day (NDMD),
October 16, 2002
Subtitled "Career Development for the 21st
Century", NDMD promotes the employment of students and job-seekers
with disabilities through one-on-one mentoring relationships with
members of the business community. Last year, over 1,600 students
and job seekers and hundreds of employers participated in more
than 70 communities representing 32 states. Don't miss out on the
opportunity to be part of this nation-wide initiative. For
details, see
www.aapd-dc.org/mentor.html
Rekindle the Flame, June 17, 2002,
Santa Cruz, CA
New seminar from Denise Bissonnette. These
are not easy times for folks in Human Service professions.
Amidst such pressures as cutbacks, demanding caseloads/workloads
and increased performance expectations, those in the helping
professions are all-too vulnerable to discouragement and
"burn-out". Designed to re-ignite the power, passion and purpose
which originally drew people to the helping professions, this one
day-intensive seminar intertwines poetry, parables, and practical
applications to put soul back into the everyday realities of life
on the job. http://www.diversityworld.com/pts/rekindlesc.htm
RESOURCES
Free Web Site Accessibility Evaluation
A-Prompt (Accessibility Prompt) is a free
software tool designed to improve the usability of HTML documents
by evaluating Web pages for accessibility barriers and then
providing developers with a fast and easy way to make the
necessary repairs.
http://aprompt.snow.utoronto.ca/index.html
Nationwide Phone Recycling Campaign to
Benefit People With Disabilities
Sprint's wireless division announces a
nationwide "call to action," asking consumers to donate previously
used wireless phones at Sprint Stores and participating Easter
Seals locations. Through Sprint Project Connect, donated wireless
phones will either be recycled or resold with a portion of the
proceeds benefiting Easter Seals and the National Organization on
Disability.
http://www.pnnonline.org/corporate_giving/sprint041102.asp
INTERESTING ON THE WEB
Free Web Accessibility Guide
Soaring Eagle Communications, in Canada,
produced the "Simplified Web Accessibility Guide". This
publication is available on the Web, in both .HTML and .PDF
formats. The Guide introduces and presents the Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
(the voluntary organization that develops and maintains the common
standards and protocols for the Internet) in an easy to
understand, easy to use question and answer format.
http://www.webaccessguides.org
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April 3, 2002
CALENDAR
Public Hearings on the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973
The Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitation Services (OSERS) is holding a series of public
meetings on the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Rehabilitation
Act Amendments of 1998. OSERS is also seeking written comments on
"how well the objectives of the Act are being accomplished and on
any barriers to the effective implementation of the Act." Three
more meetings are yet to be held: April 18 (Oakland, CA), May 9
(Dallas), June 19 (Washington, D.C.) See: Announcement:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2002_register&docid=02-6536-filed
Public input on the reauthorization of
the Workforce Investment Act
The Employment and Training Administration
is inviting public comment on two major workforce development
issues: (1) what changes should the Administration propose to
Titles I, III and V of the Workforce Investment Act, and (2) how
can linkages between Title I and WIA and the Temporary Assistance
for Needy Families Program be improved. This is a good opportunity
to advocate for changes that will improve the effectiveness of
services for people with disabilities. Public Forums are being
held throughout the Country. Details on locations:
http://usworkforce.org
Written submissions are also welcome. See:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2002_register&docid=02-4724-filed
RSA National Employment Conference
Details will be announced shortly, but
this conference is scheduled to be held at the JW Marriott Hotel
in Washington, DC, August 19 -21
GRANTS
4500 Free Computers
Gateway is donating up to 4,500
computers (that were used in the Winter Olympic Games) to
non-profit organizations. Applications will be online on April 2
at the following website; but you can register now for further
information at:
http://www.gateway.com/olympics/donations.shtml
New Technology Grants for Blind Persons
The Association of Blind Citizens has
established the Assistive Technology Fund. The Assistive
Technology Fund (ATF) will provide funds to cover 50% of the
retail price of adaptive devices or software. Technology must
retail for a minimum of $200 with a maximum retail price of
$6,000. Persons eligible to apply for assistance must have a
family income of less than $50,000 and cash assets of less than
$20,000.
http://www.assocofblindcitizens.org/assistive.html
RESOURCES
New Publication on Self-employment
No Lone Wolves: Partnering for
Self-Employment Success, is a small book that provides 11 brief
profiles of business owners with disabilities succeeding in
Montana. Featured enterprises range from Edelen's Glass business
(that grossed $750,000 last year!), to a retail store operated on
a Reservation, to a vending machine operation, and a new beef
Jerky company. This publication is a valuable resource for
people with disabilities contemplating business start-ups. Send
$15 to Nancy Maxson, Rural Institute, 634 Eddy St., University of
Montana, Missoula, MT 59812 More info:
cgriffin@selway.umt.edu
Nationwide Workshops for Small Business
on Employing People with Disabilities
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC) is launching a nationwide series of workshops
designed to share information on the employment of individuals
with disabilities with small businesses nationwide. Targeting
small business, the focus will be on the advantages of hiring
people with disabilities and the workshops will address such
topics as permissible questions during job interviews, reasonable
accommodations, recruitment resources, and tax incentives.
Seminars are currently scheduled for south Dakota, Wisconsin, West
Virginia, Arizona, and Nevada. These events could be a great
opportunity for local-area organizations to connect with new
employers. For more information, contact:
Joyce Walker-Jones or Michelle Zinman in the EEOC's Office
of Legal Counsel at (202) 663-4637.
INTERESTING ON THE WEB
EmployABILITY
Do you want to see what an excellent
Website on disability/employment looks like? Check out the
EmployABILITY Network in California
http://www.employ-ability.org/
Disability World
Interested in disability-related news from
around the globe? Check out Disability World (No relation to
Diversity World! LOL)
http://www.disabilityworld.org
NEW IN OUR STORE (www.diversityshop.com)
A Pilgrim's Plea: The Journey of Spirit
in Life and Work
New from Denise Bissonnette, this
collection of poems both affirm us in our current life's journey
and challenge us with new opportunities to live our lives with
greater conviction and passion. http://www.diversityshop.com/store/journeypoems.html
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March 19, 2002
CALENDAR
Webcast - March 20: The Definition of
Disability Under the ADA and §504
As you are aware, a recent Supreme Court
ruling limited the ADA's definition of disability - and restricted
the number of individuals who would be protected under that law.
This Webcast will explain and clarify this recent ruling.
Presented by Brian East, Senior Attorney with Advocacy Inc.
Date: Wednesday, March 20, 2002, 3:00 PM (Central Time) For info,
go to
http://www.ilru.org/online/index.html
and click on "Go to Current Web Cast and handouts".
Free Online Training on Web
Accessibility
WebAIM will host a series of online
training events that focus on accessibility during the month of
April 2002. The topics covered during each of the five weeks will
reflect an important area in web accessibility. This event will be
free of charge and open to anyone interested in Web accessibility.
For details, please see:
http://www.webaim.org/training2002/index.php
RESOURCES
Disability News and Issues
Want to keep up-to-date on current
disability-related news and issues? The Disability Grapevine is a
great online newsletter. For more info, see: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DisabilityGrapeVine/
To subscribe, just send an email to:
DisabilityGrapeVine-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Internships for People with
Disabilities
Entry Point facilitates internship
placements for students with disabilities who are in technical
fields. For more info, see:
http://www.entrypoint.org/
Software that Untangles Benefit
Programs
WorkWORLD© (WW) is decision support
software for personal computers designed to help people with
disabilities, advocates, benefit counselors, and others explore
and understand how to best use the work incentives associated with
the various Federal and State disability and poverty benefit
programs. It automates the computation of benefits, and takes into
account the complex interaction of income, benefit programs, and
work incentives. See: http://www.workworld.org/WWHome.html
. To download the software, go to:
http://www.workworld.org/DownloadMain.html
GRANTS
New Freedom Initiative Funding through
NIDRR
Under President Bush's New Freedom
Initiative, the National Institute on Disability and
Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) has proposed funding priorities
that include 5 new Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs).
This has been published in the Federal Register - requesting
both comments and Letters of Intent from prospective applicants .
Comments must be received on or before April 11, 2002. For
details, please see
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2002_register&docid=02-5920-filed
. In his FY 2002 budget, the President also requested
funding for the following NIDRR programs: $5 million for the
Assistive Technology Development Fund. (Congress approved
funding.) $3 million for the Interagency Committee on Disability
Research. (Congress approved funding) $40 million in grants to
states for micro-loans so that people with disabilities can
purchase assistive technology. (Congress approved $37
million.) For additional information, contact Bill Peterson
at NIDRR at
william.peterson@ed.gov
INTERESTING ON THE WEB
Electronic Books
A new Napster-like file sharing site for
electronic books already has 7500 titles -- including the "Lord
of the Rings" trilogy -- and volunteers are scanning hundreds more
each month. These electronic texts are particularly useful for
people with vision impairments because they can be easily fed into
text-to-speech software. Downloading is
free, BUT you have to prove you have a disability to do so; before
using the site, you must submit a form certifying your disability.
See: http://www.bookshare.org
IN OUR STORE
Access for All (Binder)
A terrific resource to help one-stop
centers deliver quality services to customers with disabilities.
One of the best compendiums of disability-related information that
we have seen! A bargain at these prices!
http://www.diversityshop.com/store/accessforall.html
New! A Pilgrim's Plea: Poems for the
Journey (CD)
Don't you deserve a little inspiration now
and then? This CD is a moving journey through 21 poems that are
delightfully woven around subtle yet profound truths of the human
experience in life and work.
http://www.diversityshop.com/store/journeypoems.html
(Return to Top)
March 19, 2002
CANADA
These item was added to the US Update:
30 Ways to Shine As A New Employee: May
6 & 7, Kenora, ON
Presented by Denise Bissonnette, 30 Ways
to Shine will give you tools to provide outstanding support and
guidance to new employees - to ease their transition into the
workplace and to enhance their ability to be productive and
effective from the start! Details:
http://www.diversityworld.com/pts/Kenora.htm
Home-based Employment for People with
Disabilities
A New Publication is available online from
the Canadian Centre on Disability Studies: "Best Practices in the
Home-Based Employment of People with Disabilities". See:
http://www.disabilitystudies.ca/teleworkbp.htm
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January 8, 2002
BREAKING NEWS!
January 8, 2002: Supreme Court Narrows
Reach of the ADA
(Reuters) In a ruling that may affect
millions of workers, a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday
narrowed the reach of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990,
a law that bans job discrimination against disabled workers and
requires employers to offer them reasonable accommodations. The
justices said a lower court used the wrong standard in determining
whether an impairment that prevents an employee from doing a
specific, job-related manual task qualifies as a disability under
the federal law. In the high court's opinion, Justice Sandra Day
O'Connor said the proper test instead involved whether the
impairments prevented or restricted an individual from performing
tasks ''that are of central importance to most people's daily
lives.'' More details at
http://www.cabln.org/ada.htm#Supreme
RESOURCES
Bank of America ADA Abilities
Scholarship Program
For high school senior, high school
graduate, or college students with a disability interested in
pursuing a degree in Finance, Business or Computer Systems AND
plan on a career with a banking institution. Additional
requirements and application online. Deadline: February 15, 2002.
http://www.scholarshipprograms.org/fsp_bankofamerica.html
CALENDAR
5 Live Webcasts from February to
November 2002
Worksupport.com is offering live web
broadcasts on the following topics: Self-Employment for
Individuals with Disabilities, Social Security and The Ticket to
Work, The Future Impact of Technology on Employment for People
with Disabilities, Self-Determination: The Most Natural Support,
and Supporting a Person with Difficult Behaviors. for details, see
http://www.worksupport.com/topics/webcast.asp
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December 23,
2001
Community- Based Alternatives/Promoting
Community Integration
As a part of his New Freedom Initiative,
the President issued Executive Order 13217, "Community-Based
Alternatives for Individuals with Disabilities," on June 18, 2001.
The Order calls upon the federal government to assist states and
localities to swiftly implement the decision of the United States
Supreme Court in Olmstead v. L.C., stating: "The United States is
committed to community-based alternatives for individuals with
disabilities and recognizes that such services advance the best
interests of the United States."
Ten federal agencies were formed the
Interagency Council on Community Living to work collaboratively in
this direction. On December 21, Health and Human Services
Secretary Tommy G. Thompson presented President Bush with a
preliminary collective report: Delivering on the Promise:
Preliminary Report of Federal Agencies' Actions to Eliminate
Barriers and Promote Community Integration. Individual reports of
the agencies carrying out the Executive Order will be presented to
the President in the near future.
The employment-related content of this
report is below. The full report is online at
http://www.hhs.gov/newfreedom/presidentrpt.html
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December 21,
2001
RESOURCES
Technical Assistance Center for Asian
Americans & Pacific Islanders The Center on Disability Studies,
University of Hawaii at Manoa has been
awarded a $2.5 million federal grant from the Rehabilitation
Services Administration, U.S. Department
of Education to establish the National
Technical Assistance Center for Asian Americans & Pacific
Islanders with Disabilities.
Contact: Dr. Robert A. Stodden at 808-956-9119
stodden@hawaii.edu
CALENDAR
Assistive Technology Industry
Association Annual Conference
January 16 -19, 2002, Orlando, FL This
conference serves as a leading forum for a wide variety of
professional presentations and discussion about new assistive
technology, practical applications, and services.
http://www.atia.org/conf_2002.html
More Events at:
http://www.diversityworld.com/events/
GRANTS
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)
Employment and Training Administration
(ETA), announces the availability of approximately $20 million to
award competitive grants designed to enhance the employability,
employment and career advancement of people with disabilities
through enhanced service delivery in the new One-Stop delivery
system established under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA).
Deadline: January 28, 2002 Contact: Ms. Yvonne Harrell, Grants
Management Specialist, Fax (202) 693-2879 . (All inquiries should
include the SGA number (DFA 02-101) and a contact name, fax and
phone numbers.) This announcement will also be published on the
Internet on the ETA's disAbility online Home Page at:
http://wdsc.dolet | 
