NTAC e.News — June 1, 2006

Asian Words of Wisdom

The Snow Goose need not bathe to make itself white.
Neither need you do anything but be yourself.

–Lao-Tse

Announcements: Local

NEW! More Professionals Earn Continuing Education from NTAC

The third ‘Introduction to Disability/Rehabilitation with Asian/Pacific Islander Americans’ online course is now over. NTAC facilitated this free course, conducted by Paul Leung, Professor and Director of the Rehabilitation, Social Work and Addictions department at the University of North Texas and Nan Zhang Hampton, Associate Professor of the Department of Administration, Rehabilitation, and Postsecondary Education at San Diego State University. Several students completed the assignments and each earned ten Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC). Planning for the fourth offering has already begun, with a tentative starting date of August 1st, 2006. Please see http://www.ntac.hawaii.edu/AAPIcourse/ to learn more about the course and then reserve your space by sending an email to james.brightman@cds.hawaii.edu.

NEW! Focus Group Meetings at APSE

Are you attending the national APSE (Association for Persons in Supported Employment) conference “Employment for All: Start a Revolution” at the Marriott Copley Place in Boston, Massachusetts from June 28-30, 2006? NTAC members and potential partners who will be in Boston are invited to attend two focus group meetings on June 30th and July 1st to be hosted by Dr. Kim-Rupnow at the National Technical Assistance Center (NTAC) for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with disabilities as post-conference events to the APSE conference. The topics to be discussed include best practices and policy recommendations to increase employment opportunities for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with disabilities. If you are interested in participation, please RSVP for more information by June 25th to Dr. Soon Kim-Rupnow at kimrupno@hawaii.edu.

NEW! Tools for Life Expo

James Brightman and David Baker will be exhibiting NTAC information at the Tools for Life Expo 2006 at the Hawaii Convention Center on June 8th and 9th. The expo is being held in conjunction with the 2006 Disability Access Conference and the 2006 HMSA’s Caring for the Family, Caring for Yourself: A Caregiver’s Conference. The expo will feature over 100 exhibits offering a wide selection of assistive technology, products and services involving the lives of people with disabilities and seniors. For more information about the conference, please visit www.ToolsForLifeHawaii.com or email tflinfo@ToolsForLifeHawaii.com.

Announcements: National and International

U.S. Department of Labor Announces $298,500 in Grants to Train Hurricane-Impacted Workers in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today announced $298,500 in grants to three Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the Gulf Coast region to train individuals in the hardest-hit hurricane areas in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Dillard University in New Orleans, La., Jackson State University in Jackson, Miss., and Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa, Ala., have established education and job training assistance programs to help displaced workers and unemployed individuals gain the skills necessary for re-employment. Learn more about these training programs.

Seeking Artwork from Young Artists with Disabilites—VSA arts and Volkswagen of America Call for Entries: "Destination Anywhere"—a national exhibit for young artists with disabilities.

Contact: Marcia Rhodes/VSA arts, (202) 628-2800 ext. 3883, marciar@vsarts.org
VSA arts and Volkswagen of America are seeking artwork from young artists with disabilities, ages 16-25, living within the U.S. “Destination Anywhere” challenges artists to consider the picture plan as a destination, a place where the viewer might take a trip they never expected. Fifteen finalists will be awarded a total of $60,000 during an awards ceremony on Capitol Hill and artwork will be displayed in a nation-wide touring exhibit that will debut at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

Artwork must be presented in two dimensions and should not exceed 60 inches in either direction. There is no fee to apply. Postmark deadline is July 14, 2006.

Visit http://www.vsarts.org/VWcall for additional information and entry Instructions, or contact Jennifer Colaguori, Visual Arts Coordinator, at jenniferc@vsarts.org, phone 800-933-8721 ext.

Positions Available

Internships at US Dept of Education

U.S. Department of Education (ED) Internship Opportunity Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), Title II Quality Teacher Preparation and Teaching National Data Collection

Students with an interest in teacher preparation and highly qualified teacher issues mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act for 2006 can have an experience with these topics in the federal government through an unpaid internship.

For more information contact: Stephanie Stoll Dalton, Ed.D., Strategic Planning Staff, Office of Postsecondary Education, USDOED, 1990 K Street, NW, Room 8044, Washington DC 20006, T: 202.502.7536, F: 202.502.7864, stephanie.dalton@ed.gov.

Instructor (Disabilities Support Services Counselor) Position at Kapiolani Community College

Instructor, CC, (Disabilities Support Services Counselor), position number 0074782, Kapiolani CC, (Student Services), tenure track, 11-month, general funded, to begin approximately 07/01/06. Learn more about this job opening

Recent Products

For a complete list of NTAC products, please visit the Products section of our Web site.

Resources

Cooperative Agreements for Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Projects; Program Announcement No. SSA–OESP–06–1

The Social Security Administration (SSA) announces its intention to competitively award cooperative agreements to establish community-based work incentives planning and assistance projects in every State, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. (Throughout this announcement, the term “State” will be used to refer to all U.S. States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.)

The purpose of these projects is to disseminate accurate information to beneficiaries with disabilities (including transition-to-work aged youth) about work incentives programs and issues related to such programs, to enable them to make informed choices about working and whether or when to assign their Ticket to Work, as well as how available work incentives can facilitate their transition into the workforce. The ultimate goal of the work incentives planning and assistance projects is to assist SSA beneficiaries with disabilities succeed in their return to work efforts.

For more information contact Jenny.Deboy@ssa.gov. When sending in a question, applicants should include the program announcement number SSA OESP-06-1. The telephone numbers are: Jenny Deboy, (410) 965–8658, or Regina Bowden, (410) 965–7145. The fax number is (410) 966–1278. Read about SSA-OESP-06-1 and find links to the Program Announcement in MS Word format.

Institutes / Conferences

For a complete list of conferences, please visit the Conferences section of our Web site.

ADA Workshops

Services for Independent Living, Inc. (SIL), is pleased to announce two (2) upcoming workshops for employers, human resource professionals, and advocates on the employment provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The first workshop, Rights and Responsibilities in Employment under Title I of the ADA, will be on Tuesday, June 6, 2006 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The second workshop, An In-Depth Look: Employer Responsibilities and Reasonable Accommodation, will be held on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Both workshops will be held at SIL at 25100 Euclid Avenue, Suite 105, Cleveland, 44117. Seating is limited; registration and payment are required by May 30, 2006

For more information, please contact Laura Gold at SIL at (216) 731-1529 email: lgold@sil-oh.org or Cynthia Stankiewicz at EEOC at (216) 522-7679, email: Cynthia.Stankiewicz@eeoc.gov. Visit the ADA-Ohio Web site.

EEOC to Hold Employer Roundtable on Emergency Preparedness and People with Disabilities

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to hold Roundtable with Employers on Emergency Preparedness and People with Disabilities on June 7, 2006 from 10:00 a.m. to noon in Washington D.C. Open to the public. Building security requires I.D. Learn more about this EEOC Roundtable.

White House Targeted Workshop on Faith-Based and Community Initiatives: Las Vegas, NV

When: Tuesday, June 6, 2006 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m
Where: Alexis Park Resort
375 East Harmon
Las Vegas, NV 89109
On Tuesday, June 6, 2006, the White House and others will host a targeted workshop in Las Vegas to help faith-based and community organizations learn more about President Bush’s Faith-Based and Community Initiative. The event is geared towards representatives from social service groups that have a track record of applying for government funding, especially those from groups that have not yet won grants. The conference is free, but pre-registration is required. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit http://www.fbci.gov/ to register online.

2006 Disability Access Conference

June 8 & 9, 2006: Hawaii Convention Center
The Conference will feature approximately 40 sessions on access to employment, programs and services, facilities, the justice system, and technology with mainland speakers text or pdf and local speakers. Learn more about the 2006 Disability Access Conference.

4th Annual Deaf Asia Festival in Los Angeles, CA

June 17, 2006: Los Angeles, CA
Celebrate “Asian Deaf Cultural Awareness”
Free Admission! Free Gifts!
When: Saturday, June 17, 2006
Where: Japanese American Cultural and Community Center JACCC Plaza, 244 South San Pedro Street (between 2nd and 3rd Streets)
Los Angeles, CA 90012 (Little Tokyo)
Time: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Web site: http://www.deafasia.org/

Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS)

June 29th to July 1st 2006: Honolulu, HI
The Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) will hold its 11th National Conference in Hawai‘i to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Filipino immigration to Hawai‘i. The theme, “Sakadas and Beyond: Connecting Our Past to Inspire the Future.” Call for Papers, Panels & Presentations (Deadline: February 1, 2006). For Conference Proposal Form and guidelines, go to: www.fanhs-national.org or contact (206) 322-0203 or (808) 956-9295.

Native American Training and Information Network

The NATIN 2006 NNAFT Parent Center is sponsoring the 5th Annual Native American Training and Information Network. NATIN is scheduled for July 10-11, 2006 at the Sheraton National Hotel in Arlington, VA.

NATIN has been established to bring people together from different tribes and agencies to address issues that affect our children with disabilities in our Sovereign Nations. NATIN conducts an annual meeting to: Share information across tribes and agencies, Provide opportunities for agencies to collaborate, and to Address disability issues with a united voice.

For More Information: NNAFT Parent Center 121 Sweet Ave., Ste. 123 Moscow, ID. 83843, Email: naft@moscow.com, Register online at www.nativefamilynetwork.com.

Universal Design & Visitability: From Accessibility to Zoning

July 13 & 14, 2006: Columbus, OH
Sponsored by The Ohio State University in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts, the John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy, the Kirwin Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, the two-day seminar will benefit planners, designers, planning commissioners, elected officials, disability professionals and the general public. The program encompasses a variety of areas (design, public policy, zoning and advocacy) and cuts across different places and scales (residential, institutional, city/regional). Featured speakers will be combined with practical break out sessions focused on policy and design.

Hosted by the City and Regional Planning program at the Knowlton School of Architecture and the university’s ADA Coordinator’s Office, the Conference will be held in Knowlton Hall, Columbus, Ohio the entire conference will also be available in a simultaneous on-line format. View the conference program and register at: http://knowlton.osu.edu/ped/universaldesign.htm.

Questions should be directed to Scott Lissner at Lissner.2@osu.edu.

29th Annual AHEAD Conference and Exhibit Hall

July 17-22, 2006: San Diego, California, USA
The AHEAD 2006 Conference celebrates the 20 year anniversary since our last adventure together in San Diego! Transition and change mark the theme of our Conference; our program reflects the many lenses we use to bridge the transition gap. AHEAD is the premiere professional association committed to full participation of persons with disabilities in postsecondary education. Learn more about the AHEAD 2006 Conference.

US Department of Labor 2006 National Equal Opportunity Conference

August 1-4, 2006: Marriott Crystal Gateway, Arlington, Virginia
Contact information: Vicky Best-Morris, best-morris.vicky@dol.gov, Conference Coordinator at 202-693-6512
This conference is intended as a means by which a recipient’s equal opportunity professionals can maintain and enhance their knowledge, skill, and abilities in order to effectively carry out this responsibilities. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Civil Rights Center in collaboration with the National Association of State Workforce Agencies Equal Opportunity Committee, this annual conference will showcase expert insight into the challenges faced as we recommit ourselves to the precepts of equal opportunity. Learn more about the 2006 National Equal Opportunity Conference

Kennedy Center Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD) Conference

August 3-6, 2006: Washington D.C.
The Kennedy Center Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD) Conference and Training is accepting proposals for pre-conference workshop intensives at the 2006 conference to be held August 3-6 in Washington D.C. Pre-conference sessions will be held on Thursday, August 3. Proposals must be submitted to the Kennedy Center Accessibility Program by January 30, 2006. Four to six proposals will be selected by committee, and notification of acceptance will be sent by February 10, 2006. To submit a proposal, please fill out the attached proposal and send it via email to access@kennedy-center.org. If you have any questions or would like to discuss your ideas for a proposal before submitting, call (202) 416-8727(voice) or (202) 416-8728 (TTY).

DigiGirlz High Tech Camp 2006

Microsoft will be hosting the 6th annual DigiGirlz High Tech Camp: August 14-18, 2006. Their mission is to introduce High School girls to the many career fields offered within the High Tech industry. This is an exciting five-day experience offered to high school girls. During the camp, DigiGirlz have the opportunity to participate in a number of different opportunities including Xbox game testing, Microsoft Studio broadcasting and Product development and marketing.

You must submit a recommendation from your teacher, employer or career counselor and at least a 300 word essay on your interest in becoming a DigiGirl in order to participate. Space is limited so apply early! Learn more about Microsoft’s DigiGirlz camp.

Aspire, Achieve, Empower: First Conference on Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities

September 13-15, 2006: Boston, MA
Partners for Youth with Disabilities (PYD) is planning Aspire, Achieve, Empower: The First Conference on Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities to be held from September 13-15, 2006 in Boston, MA. Partnering with state and national organizations, PYD will host a national conference which will focus on sharing best practices in the field of mentoring youth with disabilities. Learn more about Aspire, Achieve, Empower.

Disability Issues Caucus of National Communication Association

November 6, 2006: San Antonio, TX
Call for Papers and Panel Proposals. Disability Issues Caucus, National Communication. Association Annual Meeting: San Antonio, TX Nov 16-19, 2006 Deadline: February 15, 2006 The Disability Issues Caucus invites research papers and program proposals exploring any aspect of issues related to disability and communication, and it especially. Contact: klebesco@mmm.edu URL: www.natcom.org.

Research / Publications

Electronic Magazine of Multicultural Education (EMME)

As an open-access electronic journal for scholars, practitioners and students of multicultural education, “Electronic Magazine of Multicultural Education (EMME)” publishes a variety of writings: (1) original (and occasionally reprint) scholarly articles, (2) practitioner essays, (3) instructional ideas, and (4) reviews of visual arts, professional and juvenile books, and multimedia resources. Reviews are generally solicited. http://www.eastern.edu/publications/emme/about.html

Guidance and Career Counselors’ Toolkit: Advising High School Students With Disabilities on Postsecondary Options

Produced by: The George Washington University
This Toolkit is intended to help guidance and career counselors to better assist high school students with disabilities in accomplishing transitions into postsecondary education and employment. Professionals working in the area of transition can inspire and encourage students with disabilities to strive for high standards of living, learning, and working; goals that are applicable for ALL students. As professionals working with students with disabilities, we must work to reduce the persistent gap in opportunities that separates these students from their peers without disabilities. Download the Toolkit