Funded by: U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration


NTAC e.News — September 15, 2006

Hawaiian Words of Wisdom


He Manu Ke Aloha, ‘Aohe Lala Kau‘Ole.
Love is like a bird, there is no branch it does not perch upon.

Announcements: Local


New! Disability Mentoring day is Fast Approaching!

NTAC-AAPI is helping sponsor Disability Mentoring Day on October 18, 2006. Disability Mentoring Day is a local and national effort to promote employment of persons with disabilities through personal mentoring. This event enables participants to spend part of a day visiting a Hawai‘i business or agency that matches their interests and to spend time in one-on-one contact with volunteer mentors. Disability Mentoring Day also provides Hawai‘i’s employers an opportunity to promote employment of persons with disabilities, to demonstrate positive leadership in their communities, and to tap a pool of potential future employees.

In Honolulu, the U.S. Coast Guard and Red Lobster of Darden Restaurants have graciously offered to help. If you would like to participate by providing mentors, or if you or someone you know would like to participate as a mentee, please contact James D. Brightman at jamesdb@hawaii.edu.

New! ADA Educational Briefs in Asian Languages Available!

NTAC-AAPI has the following two documents available for distribution free of charge: The Americans with Disabilities Act, published by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission—this document is available in Cambodian, Chinese, Hmong, Hong, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. A Guide to Disability Rights Laws, which is available in Chinese, Hmong, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Laotian, and Tagalog. If you would like copies of these documents, please contact Joeun Ham at Joeun@hawaii.edu or leave a message at (808) 956-5048.

Provide Feedback and Make a Difference!

It’s time for us look at our electronic newsletter, NTAC e.News, and assess how well it is serving your needs. Therefore, we invite you to evaluate the usefulness of e.News by responding to our nine-question survey, which should take approximately 5 to 10 minutes to complete. By answering these questions, you will help us improve e.News! Your answers will be confidential, and we cannot match respondents with their responses.

To complete the survey, please go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=125972503087.

If you encounter technical difficulties, have any questions, or require an alternative format (e.g., phone, e-mail, print, large print, or Braille) to complete this survey, please call James Brightman at (808) 956-3648 or e-mail david.baker@hawaii.edu.

Thank you for taking the time to let us know how to make e-News a better resource for you!

Announcements: National and International


Uniformed Services Employment & Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA)

The U.S. Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Service issued proposed rules implementing USERRA. This document sets forth the Agency’s review of and response to comments on the proposal and any changes made in response to those comments. Learn more about the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994.

Positions Available


Entry Point!

The AAAS Entry Point! internship program, initiated in 1996, was developed to encourage science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students with disabilities to apply their skills in a real-world professional setting. Working with partners at IBM, NASA, NSF, JPMorgan Chase, and Texas Instruments, ENTRY POINT! places high-achieving undergraduate and graduate students in paid summer internships in private industry and government agencies. Since its inception, the program has made more than 400 placements, and many of the students have converted to regular employment when they graduate. Others go on to graduate studies. The internships are particularly valuable because they offer mentoring and assistive technology which allows the entry and advancement of individuals with all types and levels of disabilities into competitive employment and research.

Students interested in finding out more about ENTRY POINT! and the NASA program, ACCESS, can begin the application process on the Web site: www.entrypoint.org.

National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods Looking for New Members

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods is looking for new members. The committee has been tasked with undertaking extensive outreach activities to increase minority membership, especially by persons with disabilities. Resumes of perspective members must be received by September 22, 2006. Read this National Advisory Committee notice.

Recent Products


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

Resources


Fair Housing for HOME Participants Guide

This publication, a series of 5 guides, provides technical assistance to HOME participating jurisdictions (PJ) and their housing partners on the fair housing laws and regulations that apply to HOME Program participants. The series reviews the applicable Federal fair housing requirements, illustrates best practices in promoting fair housing, and highlights PJ responsibilities for ensuring compliance with fair housing requirements. http://www.hcbs.org/moreInfo.php/nb/doc/1616

Medicaid Spending and Enrollment Trends

A new fact sheet and report analysis Medicaid spending and enrollment trends for 2000-2004. Medicaid trends are related to the state of the nation’s economy; as the economy has strengthened, increases in enrollment and spending have slowed. Rising enrollment and health care inflation produced most of Medicaid's spending increases. Even with a stronger economy, however, Medicaid’s enrollment pressures remain due to demographic trends and continued declines in employer-sponsored insurance. http://www.hcbs.org/moreInfo.php/nb/doc/1613

Incident Reporting Forms and Policies: Connecticut

The Department of Mental Retardation (DMR) has established a system of reporting and monitoring incidents that occur with individuals served by the department in order to identify, manage and reduce overall risk for the individual. This procedure delineates a standardized process for reporting, documentation and follow-up of reportable incidents as defined, involving individuals served by the department. This reporting system helps implement individual plans and assists in quality oversight. http://www.hcbs.org/moreInfo.php/nb/doc/1600

Institutes / Conferences


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

Job Accommodation Network (JAN)—Conference 2006

Acquire knowledge and skills to accommodate employees with disabilities, comply with the ADA, and develop innovative employment practices. JAN’s 2006 conference will be held September 18th and 19th at the Hilton Boston Logan Airport. Learn more about the JAN Conference 2006.

Wounded & Injured Veterans’ Summit

A national dialogue will be held on September 20-21, 2006 to highlight the issues, programs, and best practices employed at federal, state and community levels to assure the recovery and return to success of transitioning wounded, injured and disabled service members and their families. Learn more about theWounded & Injured Veterans’ Summit.

Brain Injury: New Science, Best Practices, and Future Innovations

September 22-24, 2006: Jacksonville, FL
Organization: North American Brain Injury Society (NABIS); http://www.nabis.org/public/nabisconf.shtml; Email: conference@nabis.org

Learn Your ADA Rights And How To Enforce Them In the Workplace

Services for Independent Living, Inc. (SIL), is pleased to announce a workshop for employees, job seekers, self-advocates, and advocates on the employment provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The workshop will be on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at SIL at 25100 Euclid Avenue, Suite 105, Cleveland, 44117. The co-presenters will be Michelle Crew, Investigator, and Cynthia Stankiewicz, Outreach/ Technical Assistance Manager, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Cleveland Field Office. The fee is $10 per person. Because seating is limited, registration is required by September 19, 2006. Requests for accommodations should be made by September 19, 2006. For more information or for registration information, please contact Laura Gold at SIL at (216) 731-1529 (Voice/TTY) or lgold@sil-oh.org(e-mail) or Cynthia Stankiewicz at EEOC at (216) 522-7679 or Cynthia.Stankiewicz@eeoc.gov (e-mail).

Small Businesses: Creating Opportunities for Workers with Disabilities

Webcast addressing workplace flexibility and effective strategies for recruiting and retaining workers. The Small Businesses: Creating Opportunities for Workers with Disabilities webcast will take place September 26 at 2:00pm ET. Register for this Webcast.

Make plans now to attend the Youth with Disabilities Roundtable!

September 30 & October 1, 2006: Sacramento, CA (immediately prior to NCAI’s Annual Conference)
The National Indian Health Board has partnered with the Indian Health Service and the National Congress of American Indians to hold a roundtable on American Indian/Alaska Native Youth with Disabilities, which is part of the New Freedom Initiative. Through this conference they aim to bring together the four most important groups: the youth, the Tribal governments, the State governments, and the Federal government. Join us on your way to the NCAI 63rd Annual Convention! For more information go to http://www.nihb.org/staticpages/index.php?page=aianyouthdisabilities.

Web Conference 4-part Series: Learning Disabilities and Adaptive Technology

Part 1: Learning Disabilities—Adolescents and Adults
Presenter: Noel Gregg, Ph.D. Director & Distinguished Research Professor University of Georgia Regents Center for Learning Disorders. This first presentation in a series of four focusing on learning disabilities will present an overview of learning disabilities and the adolescent /adult population.

Part 2: K-12 through Transition: One Size Does Not Fit All
Presenter: Pene Chambers, Director, Information Systems Department of Special Education Kennedy Krieger Institute. Technology affords flexibility and can accommodate unique and diverse individual needs and interests without compromising goals and objectives. Use what you have better.

Part 3: LD and AT in Post-secondary Education
Presenter: Carolyn Phillips, Manager, Georgia Department of Labor/VR Tools for Life Program. Vocational Rehabilitation Program, and Customized Employment gives power back to individuals, families, employers and community stakeholders.

Part 4: The Matrix: Incorporating Universal Design for Learning in a Post-secondary setting for Student with Learning Disabilities
Presenter: Christopher M.Lee, Ph.D. Director, AMAC, University System of Georgia. This presentation will explore how disability services are evolving within the post-secondary environment.

The dates for the series will be October 5, 12, 19 and 26. Registration is $150: Register at: http://easi.cc/forms/ldconf.htm.

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.

2006 TASH Conference—Living the Vision Together: Today, Tomorrow, & Beyond

Organization: TASH: Equity, Opportunity, and Inclusion for People with Disabilities
Where: Baltimore, MD
Date: November 8-11, 2006
http://www.tash.org/2006tash/index.htm

Increasing the Success of Employees with Mental Health Disabilities in the Workplace

The Ohio State University Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator’s Office and the Division of Occupational Therapy are co-hosting a one-day seminar to address the issue of how to help employees with disabilities increase their success in the workplace. A primary focus will be accommodations for social, behavioral, and mental health issues.

When: Friday, November 17, 2006 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Deadline for registration is October 25, 2006

Where: The Ohio State University, The Fawcett Center, 2400 Olentangy River Rd, Columbus, OH 43210

The $75 Registration includes continental breakfast, lunch, and conference resources. Contact: Andrea Cooper, phone: (614) 292-1076; TDD/TTY: (614) 688-8605; cooper.437@osu.edu

Ticket to Work Advisory Panel Beneficiary Summit Announcement

The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Advisory Panel (the Panel) will be having a Beneficiary Summit in Atlanta, Georgia on February 6-7, 2007, for individuals who receive (or recently received) a Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit and/or their health insurance from Medicare or Medicaid (beneficiaries). Beneficiaries will be invited to the Summit to give us their thoughts and ideas on the way that Social Security disability and other programs operate now and how they can be made better for people who want to go to work. Also, beneficiaries attending the Summit will propose an ongoing process for beneficiary involvement in the work of the Social Security Administration (SSA).

The Summit will be a meeting of about 50 beneficiaries to discuss the disability programs as they are now and what could be changed to make them work better for people with disabilities. Recommendations will focus on work and what SSA and its partners can do to encourage work for more beneficiaries. It costs nothing to attend the Summit. The beneficiaries who are selected to attend will have their travel, meal, lodging, transportation, and incidental costs paid by the Panel. In addition, if a beneficiary requires a personal assistant or support person in order to participate, those costs will be paid by the Panel as well.

Applications can be sent via e-mail to Jenn Rigger with the Panel to TWWIIAPanel@ssa.gov or faxed to: 202-358-6440. They can also be mailed to the: Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Advisory Panel, 400 Virginia Avenue, SW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20024, Attn: BENEFICIARY SUMMIT.

If there are questions about the application, call Jenn Rigger at 202-358-6425. REMINDER: The deadline for applications is October 6, 2006.

23rd Annual Pacific Rim Conference on Disabilities

The Call for Papers for the 23rd Annual Pacific Rim Conference on Disabilities is now open. You can access the submission page by pointing your browser to http://www3.cds.hawaii.edu/callforpapers/. The format for the 23rd Annual Pac Rim Conference relies heavily on their Call for Papers. Topical areas are chosen each year based on suggestions from previous conferences, the latest industry trends and community need. Proposals are accepted from all over the world and address best practices and innovation within the specifically chosen topical areas.

Registration is also open for the conference so be sure to take advantage of the special Early Registration Rate offered. Be Sure to Mark Your Calendar! March 12-14, 2007, Sheraton Waikiki Hotel & Resort Honolulu, Hawaii. Visit http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/ for more details.

Research / Publications


Roadmaps and Rampways

Roadmaps and Rampways: Profiles of Students with Disabilities in Science, Engineering, and Technology chronicles the personal and educational journeys of three dozen ENTRY POINT! students, showing how they bridged the gap between society constraints and scientific pursuits. It also shows how the students were helped by assistive technologies, supportive mentors and families, and legislation that opened higher education to people with disabilities. The book, co-authored by Virginia Stern, director of the AAAS Project on Science, Technology and Disability, and science writer Michael Woods, focuses on useful strategies for translating educational skills into the workplace. It emphasizes that no “one-size-fits-all” approach accounts for successful transitions beyond the classroom.

To order a copy of Roadmaps and Rampways, please call 1-800-222-7809. The cover price of the book is $29.95; AAAS members can purchase it at the discounted price of $23.95. For further information on the Project on Science, Technology, and Disability, please contact Virginia Stern, vstern@aaas.org or 202-326-6630 (voice/tdd).

Building the Legacy: IDEA 2004

New web site from the U.S. Department of Education offers resources and information regarding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a law which ensures services to children with disabilities throughout the nation. Visit the new IDEA Web site.

Paving the Way to Work: A Guide to Career-Focused Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities

This Guide, created by the Office of Disability Employment Policy and the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth is intended for individuals designing mentoring programs for youth, including youth with disabilities, in the transition phase to adulthood. Learn more about this mentoring guide.

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: September 30, 2006), please contact the editor at david.baker@hawaii.edu. If you wish to stop receiving these messages, you may send an email to listserv@hawaii.edu with the subject line blank and signoff ntac-l@hawaii.edu in the body of your message.

Copyright 2006. National Technical Assistance Center (NTAC-AAPI).

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