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 – October 1, 2004
You can find this and previous issues of e.News online at http://www.ntac.hawaii.edu

~ Announcements

~ Positions Available

~ Resources

~ Institutes / Conferences

~ Research / Publications

ANNOUNCEMENTS

NTAC-AAPI Activities

Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation 2004 Fall Conference
The National Technical Assistance Center for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities (NTAC-AAPI) will be sponsoring a separate meeting on Tuesday, the 9th of November, 2004, between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. at the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation 2004 Fall Conference at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee.   The session agenda will focus on our Hire.US database, created to match employers with job-ready candidates.  Additional topics to be discussed will be self-employment models for AAPI’s with disabilities and collaboration strategies.  All NTAC-AAPI collaborators, potential collaborators, and conference participants are invited to attend.  Light refreshments will be served.  For more information and to RSVP by the 20th of October, 2004, please contact Amy Nawatani at amy.nawatani@cds.hawaii.edu or call 808-956-0947.

Mark your calendars for your professional development and retreat in sunny Hawaii!
Feb 24-25 (Th, F): Leadership Institute (co-sponsored by NTAC and Dahn Institute)
Feb 26-27(Sat, Sun): Meditation/Vision Tour (Brain Respiration wellness center in Honolulu)
Feb 28- Mar 1 (M, Tu): Pac Rim 2005 Conference on Disability (CDS & NTAC)
Mar 2-Mar3: Capacity Building Institute (NCSET & NTAC). More information will be available on our forthcoming e.News.

Disability Mentoring Day – October 20, 2004
There is still time to sign up for Disability Mentoring Day, which will be held on October 20, 2004. NTAC-AAPI is actively seeking both employers/mentors and job-seekers. Please call Amy Nawatani at 808-956-0947 (to participate as a mentee) or Christine Su at 808-956-2890 (to participate as a mentor). Please help us to make Disability Mentoring Day a success in Hawaii!

Congratulations to Dr. John Stone (NTAC advisory board member) who edited and published a book entitled, Culture and Disability: Providing Culturally Competent Services and Dr. Weol Soon Kim-Rupnow (NTAC Project Director) who has contributed a chapter in this book. "Culture and Disability is a groundbreaking work on persons with disabilities from diverse immigrant backgrounds. It is a pioneering and practical volume dealing with topics that have been too long ignored. Using a ‘cultural broker’ model and written by individuals who have emigrated to the U.S. from countries such as China, Korea, Jamaica, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic, Providing Cultural Competent Disability Services contains concrete examples, case studies, and recommendations that will help rehabilitation practitioners in their day-to-day activities. Providing Cultural Competent Disability Service also serves as an excellent supplemental text for undergraduate and graduate programs in rehabilitation and related disciplines." —Paul Leung, Ph.D., CRC, University of North Texas

NTAC-AAPIs Hire.Us Program
Congratulations to Azenith Asi, Jonathan Doucet, Natalie Obrey, Roland Pacudan, and Concepcion Silsby for registering and becoming a part of our Hire.Us Employee database! What is the Hire.Us program? In addition, congratulations to Hines Illinois VA for registering and becoming a part of our Hire.Us Employer database! What is the Hire.Us program? Fast, Effective, and Free! The National Technical Assistance Center’s HIRE.US program (Hire Interested and Ready Employees in the U.S.) is a time-saving personnel resource. HIRE.US offers college students, and recent graduates, with disabilities the opportunity to market their skills and abilities to employers across the United States free of charge. Your student profile information will be available to governments and businesses across America. Employers nationwide identify both temporary and permanent employees from qualified college students with disabilities in a wide variety of fields. http://hireus.cds.hawaii.edu

Vocational Rehabilitation agency can also take advantage of our database to increase employment opportunities of its job-ready clients! Send their resumes to be placed in the HIRE.US database! NTAC will actively recruit employers for those who entered into this HIRE.US database. In addition, NTAC will add your agency name to our list of collaborators. This will allow for free advertisement on our website and once via email in our periodic e-newsletter, with over 2,000 people on the distribution list.
For more information, please visit http://hireus.cds.hawaii.edu

NTAC-AAPIs Mini-Subcontract Proposals
AAPI is still in the process of accepting proposals for mini sub-contracts. Individuals and organizations interested in collaborating with NTAC are encouraged to complete and return the application form located at http://www.ntac.hawaii.edu/products/mini_subcontracts.htm

NTAC-AAPI Subcontractor Activities

U.S. Department of Labor National Disability Employment Awareness Month - October 2004
"You're Hired - Success knows no limitation." is the U.S. Department of Labor National Disability Employment Awareness campaign slogan. In Hawaii, the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities teamed up with the University of Hawaii Center on Disability Studies and VSA arts of Hawaii-Pacific to create an awareness campaign inside the Honolulu County public transit system.
Congratulation and Mahalo to Hawaii artist Monica Perreira, a person with developmental disabilities, who provided the original artwork and VSA arts of Hawaii-Pacific artist Fred Attard and Wendy Albios who designed the campaign poster displayed during the month of October. http://www.vsartshawaiipacific.org/

AAPI Artists Educators in Hawaii hired as Department of Education Teachers
Congratulation to Hawaii Artsplace, AAPI newly hired Department of Education part-time adult education teachers, Wendy Albios, Cavin Castaneda, Spencer Hamada, Joseph Auyuy, Michael Cheek, Isaac Lau, Matthew Kaopio, Morris Nakamura, Ed Chevy, Sophie Esah, and Merci Onno. They welcome some 40 students with and without developmental disabilities in the DOE-VSA arts of Hawaii-Pacific co-sponsored arts-infused workplace literacy and adult education program on the island of Oahu. They are part of the National Technical Assistance Center (NTAC) initiative to promote employment opportunities for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with disabilities. http://www.vsartshawaiipacific.org/

Workforce Literacy Skills Development Curriculum
Community School for Adults in partnership with VSA Arts of Hawaii-Pacific is offering a first-time workforce literacy skills development curriculum for people with developmental and severe disabilities. The modified three-month course, from Oct. 4-Dec. 10, will be offered at the Hawaii Artsplace, Hale C at 2201 Waimano Home Road in Pearl City. Honolulu Advertiser article is located at http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Sep/15/ln/ln30a.html

For more information, see url- http://www.vsartshawaiipacific.org/.

Visual Arts Exhibition, - September 27 - October 3, 2004

Kahala Mall, Oahu

Through the art exhibition, “Artists Mean Business,” the UH Manoa College of Education, the State of Hawaii Department of Health, and VSA arts of Hawaii-Pacific is striving to increase public awareness of the artistic and creative contributions of individuals with disabilities. These artists are part of a statewide career development initiative to promote opportunities in the arts for people with disabilities. Through this program, emerging artists with disabilities learn how to develop their artistic talents for business. All of the artwork displayed will be available for sale with 100% of the sale price going toward the artist. http://www.vsartshawaiipacific.org/

National & International

CALL FOR PAPERS - DEADLINE: October 25, 2004
The East-West Center invites graduate students to submit papers (abstracts with maximum of 500 words) for the 4th International Graduate Student Conference, taking place in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA on February 17-19, 2005. This conference is intended to appeal broadly to graduate student scholarship in the social sciences and humanities, and to policy-oriented intersections with applied sciences such as environmental science, health, and population studies. It welcomes historical, contemporary, and future-oriented papers from all disciplines. The unifying thread of the conference is a strong interest in the Asia Pacific, and a commitment among the participants to share their perspectives formally (through presenting their papers and attending other panel presentations) and informally in the warm and encouraging environment of the East-West Center and Hawaii.
http://www.eastwestcenter.org/studentconference

WEBCT Events

Join WebCT at EDUCAUSE 2004 in Denver, Colorado on October 19-22 for a global view of where the industry and WebCT are headed in the coming year. Be sure to stop by the WebCT Booth (#318) to see demonstrations of the latest releases of WebCT Vista and WebCT Campus Edition and a preview of what’s on the way in WebCT Campus Edition 6. http://webct.rsc02.net/servlet/cc5?OJlQYABQUVuLtHsLQJhgOHPxJKkQoHOHppQLKmV2VR

Hiptop2 Smartphone Honed for Deaf Market

Mobile device and applications vendor Danger unveiled several improvements on its hiptop2 wireless communications device that will make it more useful for the deaf and hard of hearing communities. Palo Alto, Calif.-based Danger amped up the vibration motor that signals when a message has arrived and added the ability to set notifications to repeat until acknowledged by the user. Both improvements are designed to ensure that deaf and hard of hearing users won't miss important messages. http://www.pdastreet.com/articles/2004/9/2004-9-17-Hiptop2-Smartphone-Honed.html

SAVE THE DATE! AAGEN Members Night/Book Signing - October 6, 2004

Come join us for a general meeting with buffet dinner, presentation, and

book signing by author Kay Iwata. PLACE: The George Washington University Club, 1918 F Street, NW, Washington, DC. Email: aagen@earthlink.net

GOVERNMENT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
Register by October 13th for the Advanced Learning Institute' (A.L.I.) newest training for homeland security initiatives and save your agency's budget $400...for all Federal, State & Local Government. http://www.aliconferences.com

Counselors, Physicians, Nurses: WE NEED YOUR HELP!

MDA Hawaii Summer Camp - June 22 - 29, 2005, YMCA Camp H.R. Erdman

The Muscular Dystrophy Association's Summer Camp is a week of fun and learning for children and adults on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island living with a neuromuscular disease. Activities are specially designed for those with limited mobility or use wheelchairs. Everyone attends camp each year free of charge. The success of Summer Camp depends on our volunteers to provide valuable emotional and physical assistance. If you're 16 or older, you're eligible to join the MDA team as a camp volunteer. Please let us know if you can help! Reply to: MDA Health Care Services Coordinator, hawaiiservices@mdausa.org

Financial Management for Independent Living Centers - Registration Deadline: October 15, 2004

This three-week distance learning course is designed to help center for independent living and statewide independent living council management staff and board members manage organization finances more effectively. Participants will have an opportunity to share best practices, questions and concerns regarding sound financial management. http://www.ilru.org/news/Training/ILNET/online2004.htm

Hawaii Demographic Analysis Workshop Announcement - October 28th & 29th, 2004

The Hawaii Demographic Analysis Workshop will teach you to extract, query, download, analyze, and map Census demographic data for Honolulu and surrounding communities/islands. (Note: Participants may substitute their own community in exercises-all techniques are directly transferable to other communities). http://www.sgtinfo.com/asp/index.asp

Call for Delegates: NEADS' Conference 2004

The National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) and their Lead Sponsor - BMO Financial Group are pleased to announce their tenth bi-annual conference: Right On! They will hold the conference at the Delta Ottawa Hotel and Suites from November 12th - 14th, 2004. This event will be an exciting opportunity for: students, consumers, advocates, service providers, employers and all others interested in exploring key issues concerning equal access to higher education. More information about the conference, including an online registration form and materials for those interested in becoming either a conference exhibitor or sponsor are located at http://www.neads.ca/conference2004. Contact: NEADS, Rm. 426 Unicentre, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada, by telephone (613) 526-8008, (Voice and TTY), by fax (613) 520-3704 (Attention Frank Smith, National Coordinator), and by e-mail conference2004@neads.ca.

POSITIONS AVAILABLE

Region IX office of RSA Program Assistant
The Regional Commissioner is particularly interested in receiving resumes and cover letters from Schedule A-eligible people with disabilities for the position. Interested applicants should send an e-mail with cover letter and resume to Noel Nightingale at noel.nightingale@ed.gov.  If e-mail is not available, please fax the documents to (206) 220-7842.  If you'd like additional information about the position, you may contact Noel Nightingale at (206) 220-7840 or at the above e-mail address.

Instructional Support Assistant I, Disability Resource Center

Provide responsible assistance in the routine preparation of materials for instructors in the Disability Resource Center including setting up demonstrations and materials for classroom lectures; provide assistance to and tutoring for students in an assigned academic computer laboratory. To apply, you must complete the required Palomar College application. To obtain the application, call 24-Hour Job Line at (760) 744-1150 ext. 4181, San Marcos, CA 92069

Assistant Director/Transition Program
The Assistant Director reports to the Director of Disability Support Services and will have full responsibility for the program, including fiscal officer duties and managing the program in its entirety (develop materials, recruit participants, hire and train staff, plan and deliver activities, ensure physical safety of participants, evaluate effectiveness by administration of assessments, and modify program as necessary). Send a letter of application, resume, and three letters of reference to: Chair, Screening Committee, c/o Disability Support Services, Woody Hall B150-MC 4705, Carbondale, IL 62901. Application deadline is October 4, 2004, or until filled.

Supervisor of Speech and Language Services
The Supervisor of Speech and Language Services, reporting to the Director of the Speech and Hearing Center, oversees all clinical and professional aspects of the Speech and Language Clinic, a division of the Speech and Hearing Center, Department of Speech Communication Arts and Sciences. Please send current resume, and names and addresses of three references to: Human Resource Services, Brooklyn College, 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210-2889, 718 951 5131, Fax: 718 951 4859, Email: bcjobs@brooklyn.cuny.edu

Assistant Director/Learning Disabilities
Responsible for working closely with faculty to provide appropriate accommodations for students & to answer questions regarding Learning Disabilities. Submit resume materials to CMU, Human Resources, 109-C Rowe, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859. CMU, an AA/EO institution, strongly & actively strives to increase diversity within its community see http://www.cmich.edu/aaeo.

RESOURCES

American Printing House for the Blind (APH)

The American Printing House for the Blind promotes independence of blind and visually impaired persons by providing specialized materials, products, and services needed for education and life. http://www.aph.org/index.htm

Premier CD/DVD Creator

While Premier CD/DVD creator appears to be like many other CD burning software, if you use screen reading software, you will be able to really HEAR the difference immediately!!.  This is the first CD/DVD burning software that is designed to work with a screen reader and is now the most Section 508-compliant CD burning software in the market. http://www.premier-programming.com/cdcreator/cd_creator.htm

AsianAvenue.com
AsianAvenue.com is an online media resource for one of the fastest-growing populations in the nation.  With the aid of personal publishing and communication tools, the 4 million members that comprise AsianAvenue.com can form deep and lasting personal and professional relationships in their communities. http://www.AsianAvenue.com

Project HEALTHY
The Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center (MITBC), part of the Alliance Library System, in partnership with the UIC Library of the Health Sciences-Peoria (LHS-Peoria), will be conducting twelve monthly sessions on timely consumer health topics of interest to Illinois seniors. MITBC provides library content and services to the print-impaired population--largely seniors--in central and northwest Illinois. http://www.projecthealthy.org

PDF Magic Pro 3.0

PDF Magic Pro is a utility designed to convert normally “inaccessible” PDF Files into one of 11 different accessible formats.  It can even support 155 languages. http://www.premier-programming.com/PDF/pdfmagic.htm

Workforce Success Stories
The Center for Workforce Preparation (CWP) and the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) partnered to collect "success stories" of businesses' involvement in and satisfaction with the publicly funded workforce development system. To accomplish this, CWP talked with local workforce investment boards (WIBs), one-stops, and their business champions across the country. http://www.uschamber.com/cwp/strategies/wia/wiasuccess.htm

Ultimate Talking Dictionary 3.0
The Ultimate Talking Dictionary (UTD), first and foremost, is a comprehensive dictionary.  However, this is not a regular dictionary; it has a few features that may surprise you.  The UTD will read the definition of a word to you and it will use the word in a sentence so that you will get a true understanding of the word. The total dictionary that comes with the UTD contains over 250,000 words, including slang, jargon, and historic figures such as George Washington.  The UTD also has a fully integrated thesaurus for referencing synonyms and antonyms of all words. http://www.premier-programming.com/UTD/utd.htm

INSTITUTES / CONFERENCES

ISAAC 2004 – October 4-12, 2004

Natal, Brazil

Communication is one of the most important gifts that a human being may receive. All people have the right to communicate, regardless of any difference that there may be among them. As a consequence of this fact, all people who care about communication improvements must collaborate to augment the power of this gift all over the world. http://www.isaac2004.unicamp.br/eb_index.php?lingua=en

Alternatives 2004 - October 13-17, 2004

Denver, CO

The National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse holds the only national conference organized by and for mental health consumers and survivors.

http://www.mhselfhelp.org/alt2004.html

2004 National Minority Supplier Development Council Conference and Business Opportunity Fair – October 17-20, 2004

Washington, DC    

Providing a direct link between corporate America and minority-owned businesses is the primary objective of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, one of the country's leading business membership organizations. http://www.nmsdcus.org/events/conference04.html

The Sixth International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility – October 18-20, 2004
Atlanta, GA

ASSETS 2004 focuses on computer-based system design and its application to the special needs of persons with disabilities. The conference's scope spans special needs associated with speech, motor, hearing, and vision impairments; cognitive limitations; emotional and learning disabilities; and aging. Researchers and developers, from both academia and industry, are invited to meet to exchange ideas and present reports on new hardware and/or software advances related to these areas. http://www.assets.acm.org

22nd Annual Closing The Gap Conference - October 19-23, 2004

Bloomington, Minnesota

Closing The Gap's Annual Conference has an international reputation as a leading source for information on innovative applications of computer technology for persons with disabilities. The 2004 Conference builds on a tradition of providing a comprehensive examination of the most current uses of technology by persons with disabilities and the professionals who work with them. http://www.closingthegap.com/index.lasso

22nd Annual Closing The Gap Conference - October 21-23, 2004

Closing The Gap highlights hardware and software products appropriate for people with special needs, and explains how this technology is being implemented in education, rehabilitation, and vocational settings around the world. The in-depth articles, product reviews, and extensive product guide offer a variety of resources that help solve your technology implementation problems today. http://www.closingthegap.com/index.lasso

Legal Issues in Autism: School Districts and Parents; Perspectives from Both Sides - October 24, 2004

"Autism and the Special Education System" (8:30-4:30)

Rutgers University, New Brunswick NJ

Nationally Well Known "Autism Attorney" Gary Mayerson ( parent of an autistic child) will meet head to head with Prominent "School Board Attorney" Viola S. Lordi in this first time ever "Legal Conference" of such magnitude. Mr. Mayerson has testified before congress on the federal IDEA statute and is the Author of "How to Try an Autism Case," published in the June 2003 edition of New Jersey Lawyer's Magazine. He also was a principal presenter at the 3rd National IDEA Hearing Officer Training. http://www.autism-resources.net/events.htm

Fall 2004 National Association of ADA Coordinators Conference: The ADA -- Making the Promise a Reality - October 25-28, 2004
Miami, Florida
The conference has four tracks: Accessibility, College/University, Employment and Transit. The conference covers new and updated issues. The Keynote Speaker is John Wodatch, Chief, Disability Rights Section, US Department of Justice. Please pre-register for the conference by calling (800) 722-4232. Registration must be complete by October 15, 2004.

Financial Management for Independent Living Centers - Oct. 25 - Nov. 12, 2004

Registration Deadline: October 15, 2004

This three-week distance learning course is designed to help center for independent living and statewide independent living council management staff and board members manage organization finances more effectively. Participants will have an opportunity to share best practices, questions and concerns regarding sound financial management. http://www.ilru.org/news/Training/ILNET/online2004.htm

International Career Development Conference – October 27-31, 2004

Sacramento, California

The conference has attracted participants from the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, South America, and the Pacific Rim. Today, the International Career Development Conference is the premier conference for career development professionals. http://www.careerccc.com/index.html

2004 Disability Research Conference – October 29-30, 2004

Cleveland, Ohio

The conference will highlight research that aimed at improving the care for individuals with severe disabilities. The conference will bring together professionals from the disability community, including physicians, nurses, dietitians, physical and occupational therapists, speech/language pathologists, biomedical engineers, rehabilitation engineers, social workers, psychologists, and teachers. Conference workshops and general sessions are designed to provide in-depth interaction on the challenging issues that people with disabilities face. http://www.hattielarlham.org/events/research_conf.html

7th Annual Accessing Higher Ground Conference: Assistive Technology and Accessible Media - November 9-10, 2004

Boulder, Colorado

The conference focuses on the implementation and benefits of assistive technology in university and college settings for sensory, physical and learning disabilities. Contact Kirk Behnke (kirk.behnke@csun.edu), (818) 677-2578 v/tty/msg, at the Center on Disabilities for registration and information.

7th Annual Accessing Higher Ground Conference: Assistive Technology and Accessible Media in Higher Education - November 9 - 12, 2004

University of Colorado - Boulder Campus

Accessing Higher Ground focuses on the implementation and benefits of Assistive Technology in the university and college setting for sensory, physical and learning disabilities. Other topics include legal and policy issues, including ADA and 508 compliance, and making campus media and information resources - including Web pages and library resources - accessible. http://www.colorado.edu/ATconference

NEADS Conference 2004: Right On! – November 13-14, 2004

Ontario, Canada

Speakers will include students, consumers, advocates, professionals and anyone else interested in the conference themes. Detailed information on themes, suggested topics and a web-based speaker submission form can be found on our Conference Site located at http://www.neads.ca/conference2004. Any questions can be directed to Jason Mitschele, Conference 2004 Chair at conference2004@neads.ca

"Beyond the Myths: Successful Collaboration for Technology Innovators"
A conference and networking event for researchers, vendors and developers - November 15-17, 2004

The National Center for Technology Innovation is pleased to announce the 7th Annual Technology Innovators Conference (formerly the Annual OSEP Technology Project Directors' Meeting) to be held on November 15-17, 2004, in Washington, DC. http://www.nationaltechcenter.org

National Workers' Compensation & Disability Conference and Expo - November 17 - 19, 2004

Lakeside Center, Chicago

More than 1,200 workers' comp and insurance professionals representing the 50 states — plus international destinations — make the journey to Chicago each year to attend this premier event. 2004 Program Tracks are: Claims Management, Cost Reduction & Loss Prevention, Integrated Disability Management, Key Injuries & Conditions, and Legal Issues. http://www.wcconference.com

2nd ICEVI (International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment) - DbI (Deafblind International) Joint Asian Conference – November 17-21, 2004

Lalitpur, Nepal

International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI) is a global association of individuals and organizations that promote equal access to appropriate education for all visually impaired children and youth so that they may achieve their full potential. Deafblind International (DbI) is the world association promoting services for deafblind people. It brings together professionals, researchers, families, Deafblind people and administrators to raise awareness of deafblindness and to campaign for the rights of deafblind people of all ages to have a good quality of life. http://www.sparsh-india.org/asianconference/index.htm

2004 ASHA Convention – November 18-20, 2004

Philadelphia, PA

This year's ASHA Convention—which combines the audiology and speech-language pathology Conventions and features profession-specific as well as crossover sessions—will offer the best you've come to expect from past years and much more. Under the able leadership of co-chairs Kenn Apel and Dennis Burrows, the program committee has worked exceptionally hard to present over 1,500 sessions of unrivaled breadth and quality. United in Science and Service, this year's program theme, highlights professional bonds and relationships-between research and clinical practice, as well as between speech-language pathologists and audiologists. http://www.asha.org/about/events/convention

International Conference on Education, Training and Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities - November 26 – 29

Longowal, India

The primary objective of the scheme is to promote services for people with disabilities through government and non-government organizations, so that they are encouraged to become functionally independent and productive members through opportunities in education., vocational. technical training, medical rehabilitation, and socioeconomic rehabilitation. http://www.pwdsliet.org

Perspectives of Employment of Persons with Disabilities Conference - December 08-10, 2004
Bethesda, MD
Perspectives on Employment of Persons with Disabilities is sponsored by the Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, Department of Labor, Environmental Protection Agency, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Drug Abuse. http://www.grad.usda.gov/perspectives

2004 ACTE Convention and Career Tech Expo - December 9-11, 2004
Las Vegas, Nevada

Connecting Education and Careers 2004 is a conference of innovation, new ideas, peer-to-peer networking and transformation in the career and technical education profession. Educators from middle schools through universities, from the U.S. and around the world, will come to demonstrate exemplary programs and practices, share and learn from one another, and explore how to improve the connection between education and today’s careers! http://www.acteonline.org/convention/index.cfm

Disability and Human Rights - December 13- 17, 2004

Oxford, United Kingdom
600 million people around the world live with disability, two thirds of them in developing countries. Disability is increasingly recognized as a rights-related issue rather than just a social or medical one: in June 2003 the UN decided to develop a new international convention on the rights of people with disabilities. This seminar will explore the human rights aspects of disability, and share the experiences of different constituencies concerned with rights and/or disability, to identify common lessons and solutions. A key theme throughout will be the need to involve people with disabilities themselves at the core of all discussions about their rights. Contact Information: British Council Seminars, Attn: Blue Team, Oxford, United Kingdom, Tel: +44 01865 302703, E-mail: blueteam.seminars@britishcouncil.org

21st International Seating Symposium - January 20 – 22, 2004

Orlando, Florida

Presentations will cover evaluation, provision, research, and quality assurance issues in seating and mobility for persons with disabilities. The symposium will include scientific and clinical papers, a research forum, in-depth workshops, panel sessions, and an extensive exhibit hall. http://www.iss.pitt.edu/ISS2005/ISS_2005.html

Pacific Rim 2005 - February 28 & March 1, 2005

Sheraton, Waikiki

Since the first Pacific Rim (Pac Rim) Conference in 1985, the scope and size of this premier event has grown to include participants from the U.S. Mainland, Alaska, Pacific Islands Nations, Japan, Australia, the Philippines and numerous other countries. Persons with disabilities, family members, researchers, and service providers join policy-makers and nationally recognized speakers in the field of disabilities to participate in the Pac Rim Conference to learn from each other and to share resources for communities to fully accept and support persons with disabilities. http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu

2nd European Congress “Physiotherapy and Prevention” – March 2–5, 2005

Vienna, Austria
The 2nd European Congress “Physiotherapy and Prevention” offers you the opportunity to acquaint yourself with the results of the latest research in the field of physiotherapy. The most important item on the agenda of the congress is a scientific examination of the correlation between physiotherapy and prevention. In addition, you will get the chance to keep yourself informed about new developments related to the medical practice and about tried-and-true therapy and treatment techniques. Workshops combined with scientific lectures and a presentation of posters is also scheduled. http://www.physioaustria.at/2005/congress

7th International Conference on Alzheimer`s and Parkinson`s Disease (AD/PD 2005) - March 9-13, 2005

Sorrento, Italy

The subject matter of all of these ADPD conferences is unique, in that it deals both with issues related individually to Alzheimer`s Disease and Parkinson`s Disease, as well as to the integration between these as well as other related diseases. To ensure the success of these conferences, we invite renowned professionals who present lectures on the most up-to-date techniques and research findings in Alzheimer`s and Parkinson`s and other related diseases. http://www.kenes.com/adpd/index.asp

Vision 2005 – April 4-7, 2005

London, UK.

The world’s largest conference on issues concerning people with sight problems – Themes: Clinical care and integrating rehabilitation, Epidemiology and world blindness, Visual function assessment and visual performance, Education across the lifespan, Advances in technology, designing and constructing for an inclusive environment, Employment. http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/code/public_rnib004044.hcsp

National Training Conference (NTC) – May 9-11, 2005

Washington, DC
National Training Conference (NTC), a 3-day conference, will focus on the employment, advancement, retention, and culture of Government employees who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing as well as hearing employees. The conference will also focus on ways to foster communication among hearing and Deaf individuals, regardless of communication modes such as sign language or spoken English. http://www.dhhig.org/ntc/2005/index.htm

2005 IRMA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE – May 15-18, 2005

San Diego, California

IRMA is an international professional organization dedicated to furthering the professionalism of its members. IRMA brings together researchers, practitioners, academicians, and policy makers in information technology management. http://www.irma-international.org/conferences/2005/index.asp

ICORR 2005: 9th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics

Frontiers of the Human-Machine Interface - June 28 - July 1, 2005

Chicago, Illinois

ICORR highlights the most recent advances in the basic sciences of rehabilitation robotics. This conference will focus on a number of topics, including the themes of:    Assistive Robotics, Therapeutic robotics, Brain-machine interfaces for rehabilitation, Robotics in Prosthetics and Orthotics, Hardware and control developments for rehabilitation, Evaluation Methods and Clinical Experience, Biorobotics and Biomimetics, Basic Science and Sensory/Motor Control Learning. http://www.smpp.northwestern.edu/ICORR2005/index.htm

HCI International 2005 – July 22-27, 2005

Las Vegas, NV
The conference objective is to provide an international forum for the dissemination and exchange of scientific information on theoretical, generic, and applied areas of HCI, usability, internationalization, virtual reality, universal access and cognitive ergonomics. http://www.hci-international.org/index.asp

RESEARCH / PUBLICATIONS

Customized Employment Q & A: Supporting Community Employment as an Employment Outcome

“Whose Job Is It Anyway?” On the surface, this seems to be a simple question, since all Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRPs) want to support individuals with disabilities in their job choices. Service providers must empower their “customers” with disabilities to make informed choices and promote active participation in the decision making process. This fact sheet will provide some answers on how to support individuals with disabilities when they decide if they want to go to work in a community business. http://www.t-tap.org/strategies/factsheet/supporting.html

A FOUR YEAR REPORT CARD ON AB-422: CALIFORNIA'S POSTSECONDARY ACCESSIBLE TEXTBOOK LEGISLATION

For the past 30 years, federal civil rights law has mandated private and public entities serving the general public provide equal access to their programs, services, and activities for persons with disabilities. Ensuring equally effective oral and written communications are specified as components of this responsibility. According to the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, equally effective communications includes timeliness of delivery and accuracy of translation. http://easi.cc/conference/csun2004/csuncast/Senge.htm

Culture and Disability: Providing Culturally Competent Services
One in ten persons living in the United States was born in another country, and in many areas this percentage is much higher. Minority groups are currently underrepresented in the rehabilitation professions; consequently many persons with disabilities are served by professionals from a culture that may be very different than their own. Culture and Disability provides information about views of disability in other cultures and ways in which rehabilitation professionals may improve services for persons from other cultures, especially recent immigrants. http://www.sagepub.com/book.aspx?pid=10239

Disabled Workers Rep Shows How to Work With Business

A marketing team, an assessment of business practices and a strategic marketing plan are some of the features of a model designed for vocational rehabilitation officials to work more effectively with the business community. http://www.worksupport.com/Topics/employment.asp

ELECTRONIC TEXTBOOKS: US ACCESSIBILITY LAWS & ISSUES

Although access to textbooks for students who are blind or who have other print disabilities is a civil right in the U.S., the availability of accessible electronic textbooks continues to be a challenge in both traditional learning environments and in long-distance learning. This paper provides a general overview of the current issues surrounding Federal and State laws and electronic textbooks as well as proposed federal legislation seeking to improve the situation as of the writing of this paper. http://easi.cc/conference/csun2004/csuncast/Waddell.htm

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