National Technical Assistance Center (NTAC-AAPI)

“to increase employment opportunities for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities” - FUNDED BY: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, REHABILITATION SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

Semi-Monthly e.News – July 1, 2003
You can find this and previous issues of e.News online at http://www.ntac.hawaii.edu

~ Announcements

~ Resources

~ Institutes / Conferences

~ Research / Publications

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Transpacific Yacht Race – July1-10, 2003

San Diego, California to Honolulu, Hawaii

On July 1, 2003 the first sailboats (the Aloha and Division V racers) will begin the Transpac, followed three-days later by the larger racers having a start on July 4th, and then a couple days later by the largest of the sleek ocean-racing fleet.  Sixty sailboats from around the world (the largest fleet in eighteen years) are in this year's 42nd Transpacific Yacht Race http://www.transpacificyc.org. The Center on Disability Studies (CDS), University of Hawaii at Manoa, and Winners At Work (Honolulu) are the host committees for the Challenged America Transpac Team. To schedule an interview or for additional information contact Kelly Roberts (808/255-2101, robertsk@hawaii.edu) or Aletha Gomez (808/291-9545, alethagomez@aol.com), or visit http://www.ChallengedAmerica.org.

Workshop with Urban Miyares, Transpac Crew Member – July 17, 2003

Wist Annex 123A&B /COE; Thursday, 1:00 – 2:30 pm

The National Technical Assistance Center (NTAC-APPI) would like to invite you hear Urban Miyares, one of the Transpac crewmembers. He is a nationally recognized blinded Vietnam veteran with diabetes, entrepreneur, lecturer and educator, author/writer, inventor and patent holder, television/film personality, winner of numerous prestigious awards, world-class athlete, and president of Disabled Businessperson Association. Please RSVP: Diane Hino at dhino@hawaii.edu or call 956-3648 by July 10, 2003!

“LIVE IT UP, LIVE, HAWAI‘I” - August 15, 2003

Beethoven’s Nightmare and other Musicians, Hard Rock Café, Honolulu, HI

Hawaii’s musicians, singers and songwriters and chanters with disabilities will perform with Beethoven’s Nightmare, America's only All-Deaf Professional Rock and Roll Band. VSA arts of Hawaii-Pacific www.vsarts.hawaii.edu, a nationally linked organization launches its “Artists Unlimited” project promoting professional career opportunities in the arts for people with disabilities. Advanced tickets go on sale Tuesday, May 27 for $25 each (include dinner pupu and beverage) To reserve your tickets, call Hawaii Services on Deafness in Honolulu at 808-926-4763.

Youth Anthology Call for Submissions - October 15, 2003
Poetry and Artwork by Asian American Youth published by The Asian American Writers' Workshop. An editorial committee consisting of five Asian American teenagers and AAWW's Arts-in-Education Director will review your poetry and artwork. We are looking for unpublished original work. http://www.aaww.org/youth

CHALLENGING CAREER ALTERNATIVE

Leading to a Professional Degree, National Certification and State License Graduate Studies Leading to Master of Science Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling with specialization in Rehabilitation of Ethnic Minorities (REM) Vocational Evaluation and Work Adjustment. Funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration for enhancing the professional preparation and participation of students, especially those from minority backgrounds, women, and individuals with disabilities to address– Section 21 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998. Qualified Students will receive Scholarships of $14,875 per year (including Graduate Assistantship of $5,500) covering: tuition fees, stipend, and book allowance. For additional information and application materials, contact: Madan Kundu, Coordinator and Professor/Project Director– Rehabilitation Counseling, Phone: 225 771 2990, Fax: 225 771 2293, kundusubr@aol.com. http://www.subr.edu/academic/science/rehabcounsel

RESOURCES

DisabilityWorld – Leading Internet Magazine

Disability World is a new web-zine dedicated to advancing an exchange of information and research about the international independent living movement of people with disabilities; the web-zine is the heart of a larger project, IDEAS for the New Millennium, funded in 1999 by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research as a five-year project. http://www.disabilityworld.org

Sub-Committee on Employment, Safety and Training - Reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act

http://health.senate.gov/bills/014_bill.html

Federal Asian Pacific American Council

Established in 1985, FAPAC is an organization that promotes equal opportunity and cultural diversity for Asian Pacific Americans (APAs) with the Federal and District of Columbia governments. http://www.fapac.org/f1/index.html

INSTITUTES / CONFERENCES
National Veterans Wheelchair Games Come to California – July 5-9, 2003
Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Long beach, California
More than 500 disabled veterans will compete in the largest annual wheelchair sports event in the world, the 23^rd National Veterans Wheelchair Games in Long Beach, Calif., during July 5-9. For more information about the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, see url: http://www.wheelchairgames.org

AHEAD 2003 26th Annual Conference – July 8-12, 2003
Hyatt Regency, Dallas, TexasThe Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD) is an international, multicultural organization of professionals committed to full participation in higher education for persons with disabilities. The Association is a vital resource, promoting excellence through education, communication and training. http://www.ahead.org

CAST: Universal Design for Learning Institutes - July 21-23 or August 18-20, 2003

Training Opportunities: Universal Design, Access to the General Curriculum, and Technology, Mon-Tues-Wed, July 21-23 or August 18-20, 2003. Address the challenge of meeting the needs of diverse learners by making curriculum and course materials accessible for ALL! Professionals are invited to attend 3-day hands-on workshops that highlight Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an instructional approach to teaching through flexible applications of technology tools, networks, and digital content. Call Leslie O'Callaghan at 888-858-9994, ext. 273, pd@cast.org, or register online http://www.cast.org/udl/index.cfm?i=2377.

The Fourteenth Annual APSE Conference - July 20-23, 2003
San Diego, California
This conference and training event provides an opportunity to work on integrated employment opportunities and supports for people who most need the support on these issues and challenges. http://www.apse.org

World Congress & Exposition on Disabilities - September 18 - 20, 2003

Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida

The World Congress & Exposition on Disabilities (WCD), a precedent-setting annual international conference and trade event, is intended to educate, inform and provide a useful exchange of ideas for persons with disabilities and special healthcare needs and those involved in their care and development. http://www.wcdexpo.com

RESEARCH / PUBLICATIONS

The monetary benefits of and costs of hiring supported employees: A primer

Cimera (2002) examined the monetary benefits and costs that businesses experience when hiring supported employees. Cimera measured employer cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness using an economic methodology and cost-accounting formula. He also discusses the importance of cost-account research as well as implications to the field. In addition, Cimera reports on eight principle economic variables that affect the decision to hire supported employees. The eight variables include, wages, fringe benefits, supervision, worker’s compensation claims, employee turnover, tax credits, supervision, and public relations. http://www.iospress.nl

The Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR)

ICDR, authorized by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, is mandated “to promote coordination and cooperation among Federal departments and agencies conducting rehabilitation research programs.” The ICDR seeks comments from the public on research needs related to disability and rehabilitation. http://www.icdr.us

Supported Employment Outcomes Across a Decade: Is there Evidence of Improvement in the Quality of Implementation?

Mank, Cioffi, & Yovanoff (2003) examine features of natural supports and their relationship to outcomes. The purpose of the Mank et al. investigation “was to look for evidence that the outcomes of supported employment may be better in more recent years of performance as compared to supported employment outcomes during early years of implementation.  More specifically, our aim was to compare the outcomes of supported employment in the early 1990’s with the outcomes in the later 1990’s.”  Mank et al. (2003) collected data from supported employment programs considered to be “developing or using “natural supports” to improve the quality, stability, and integration of community employment for people with disabilities.”  http://www.aamr.org

NTAC-AAPI maintains an email list of persons in the disability-related fields that will

remain private. This information has been sent as a courtesy. If you would like to make news contributions to the next issue (deadline – July 8^th) of if you wish to stop receiving these messages, please contact M.E. Lake Conway at: melake.conway@cds.hawaii.edu