NTAC e.News — June 1, 2007

Asian/Pacific Islander Words of Wisdom

‘A‘ohe lokomaikai‘i nele i ke pāna‘i—Hawaiian Proverb
No kind deed has ever lacked its reward.

Announcements: Local

NEW! Call for Papers—come to Hawai‘i in 2008

Attention Network members and others—the call for papers for the 24th Annual Pacific Rim Conference on Disabilities is now open. You are invited to submit papers for the 2008 PacRim Conference to be held March 24 & 25 at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel and Resort in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. For more information about PacRim, please see http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/.

NEW! Online Course—Seventh Offering

The seventh online course facilitated by the National Technical Assistance Center for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (NTAC-AAPI) with Disabilities is slated to begin September 4, 2007. The course, “Introduction to Disability/Rehabilitation with Asian/Pacific Islander Americans” costs a mere $20 tuition and earns you 10 Continuing Education Units that may be applied to your CRC. The course is a wonderful opportunity to further your cultural competence and enhance your counseling abilities.

The seventh offering is again taught by Paul Leung, Professor and Director of the Department of Rehabilitation, Social Work, and Addictions 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.

For more information or to preview the required readings before the seventh offering begins, please go to the following Web site: http://www.ntac.hawaii.edu/AAPIcourse/. To receive reminders about the course, reserve your space, or to learn where to send your $20 tuition payment, please contact James D. Brightman, NTAC-AAPI Vocational Rehabilitation Coordinator/Teaching Assistant at jamesdb@hawaii.edu. Thank you, and see you online.

Announcements: National and International

2007 National Disability Employment Awareness Month Theme Announced

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today announced that “Workers with Disabilities: Talent for a Winning Team!” will be the official 2007 theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, which is observed in October nationwide.

Positions Available

Get Paid to End the War this Summer

The Americans Against Escalation in Iraq coalition (AAEI) are organizing an exciting campaign—it’s called Iraq Summer. It’s modeled after campaigns like “Mississippi Summer” which helped pass historic Civil Rights laws and “Vietnam Summer,” which helped end the Vietnam war. A group of folks will fan out around the country to key target states and work as full time organizers to help whip up a storm of opposition to the war.

AAEI plans to deploy 110 organizers to the districts of critical House and Senate Republicans who still support the president’s disastrous policy in Iraq. They’re looking for folks who’re tough and ready to work long hours to end this war. If you’re selected, you’ll receive a $400 per week stipend, expenses, housing with a host family and the best organizer training in the country. If you’re ready to make history this summer, please send a resume to iraqsummer@gmail.com.

Recent Products

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

Resources

ODEP Announces Solicitation for Grant Applications

The Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has announced the availability of up to $1.7 million to fund a cooperative agreement to establish the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition and Employment for Youth with Disabilities with a 24-month period of performance. In addition, this initiative may be funded for up to three (3) additional option years at approximately $1,000,000 per year, depending on performance, identified need and the availability of future funding. This Center will conduct research, disseminate information, and provide technical assistance to a wide range of stakeholders on topics relevant to improving post-school outcomes for youth with disabilities.

The May 11 FEDERAL REGISTER provides full background and outlines the eligible applicants, application requirements, and award information. The closing date for applications is June 25, 2007.

Negotiating the Curves Toward Employment: A Guide About Youth Involved in the Foster Care System

This guide provides statistics and information about youth in the foster care system in the transition years, identifies areas requiring further attention by policymakers and service providers and provides resources and tools on the topic. Read the Guide

2006 StatsRRTC State-of-the-Science Conference

Here are materials from the 2006 StatsRRTC State-of-the-Science Conference. Includes trends and statistics on the employment, health and socio-economic status of people with disabilities. http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/edi/p-srrtc-2006conference.cfm#1

2000 College Students are Ready, Willing and Available for Summer Jobs

Nearly 2,000 pre-interviewed, pre-screened college students with disabilities are available for summer jobs and permanent employment. Through the Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP), employers nationwide have access to a free database of job candidates in a wide variety of fields. For the first time, federal employers can tap into this pool of candidates online at www.wrp.gov. Private sector employers may request unlimited searches by contacting the Employer Assistance & Recruiting Network (EARN) at 1-866-327-6669 or at earn@earnworks.com.

Institutes / Conferences

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

SOLIDARITY 2007 Abilities in Motion Conference

Solidarity, Ohio’s oldest and largest educational, employment and leadership conference for and about people with disabilities will take place on May 30 – June 1, 2007, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio.

For registration or exhibitor information contact The Meeting Connection at 614-888-2568 in Columbus or outside of Columbus call toll free, 866-765-2007. Some scholarships are still available for registration cost. You can find out more information about the Solidarity conference on the Disability Network of Ohio—Solidarity Web site at www.dnos.org.

World Health Organization’s North American Collaborating Center for the ICF (the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health)

The Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange (CIRRIE) will be hosting the conference of the World Health Organization’s North American Collaborating Center for the ICF (the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health) in Niagara Falls, June 5-7, 2007.

The conference theme, Sharing Knowledge Through the ICF, points to the role of the ICF in making it possible for us to communicate about disability across countries, cultures, languages, and professions. The conference will be useful to persons who are new to the ICF as well as those who have long been involved in its development and application.

Complete information and the Call for Papers are at http://cirrie.buffalo.edu/icf/conference/index.html

Financial Literacy and Virtual Learning Conference Call

Thursday June 7th, 2007 2:00PM
The U.S. Department of Labor Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (CFBCI) is proud to present a conference call discussing financial literacy education. In conjunction with the Pittsburg Workforce Investment Board and Alison.com, this discussion will center on the crucial need to provide high quality and readily accessible financial literacy education to the increasing number of people suffering from financial stress. Speakers will discuss the American financial literacy crisis as well as the National Financial Literacy Action Plan instituted by the U.S. Treasury Department.

Dial 1-888-272-7337, the conference ID is 9374281. Follow the given prompts until you’re in. (Phone lines can only accommodate 125 people)

To join by the internet (view the PowerPoint presentation and listen to the discussion): Go to www.raindance.com, click in “Join A Call/Meeting” (on the top right side of the screen), scroll to “Reservationless Conferencing” and follow the prompts for “Join a Call” by entering your name, email address, and the Conference ID (9374281), click “Join Call” (Web participation is unlimited and you will be able to listen to the call on your computer).

RESNA 2007

Instructional Courses: June 15-16, 2007; Conference Workshop: June 17-19, 2007
RESNA’s Annual Conference will be held in Phoenix, June 15-19, 2007. RESNA 2007 will feature assistive technology’s leading researchers, renowned clinicians and policy experts creating a conference program with unmatched levels of knowledge and expertise. RESNA presenters and attendees will experience a surprisingly intimate conference environment. RESNA 2007 will offer an exciting Exhibit Hall featuring product demonstrations and training sessions, two days of Pre-Conference Instructional Courses, and 3 full-days of Workshops, Interactive Poster Sessions, Themed Paper Sessions and distinguished speakers.
For the latest information and details visit their Web site: http://www.resna.org/.

AARP’s Diversity and Aging in the 21st Century Conference

AARP’s Diversity and aging in the 21st Century Conference will be held on June 19-21 at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. For more information, visit the conference Web site, www.aarp.org/diversityandaging

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development/National Institutes of Health: Summer Institute in Applied Research in Child and Adolescent Development

June 24-29, 2007: Bolger Center, Potomac, Maryland
A goal of the Institute is to support investigators who are beginning careers as applied researchers by providing training that will build upon their existing content knowledge and research skills. To be eligible for this Institute, individuals must have completed a Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent terminal degree within their field. Individuals must also:

• Have at least 1 year of post-doctoral experience in academe, private industry, non-profit, or government
• Have not more than 5 years of subsequent research experience at the time of the Institute

Direct all inquiries to: summerinst@mail.nih.gov. Application Due Date: February 15, 2007. Notification of Acceptance: April 1, 2007

18th Annual National APSE Conference

The 18th Annual National APSE Conference will take place from July 16-18, 2007 in Kansas City, Missouri. This year’s conference challenges you to join in shaping the future of supported employment! Register Online for the APSE Conference

2007 Collaborative Conference on Autism with Low Incidence Disabilities

The Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI), Ohio School for the Deaf (OSD), the Ohio State School for the Blind (OSSB), and the Ohio Center for Deafblind Education (OCDBE) present the 2007 Collaborative Conference on Autism with Low Incidence Disabilities, July 30 – August 1, 2007, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Columbus North in Columbus, OH.

This first-of-its-kind conference will focus on students who are autistic and blind, autistic and deaf, autistic and deafblind, or students with other multiple disabilities.

Featured topics include overviews of the disabilities, assessments, interventions, methods and best practices, and the Ziggurat Model—a process model for team problem solving and interventions. National presenters include Teresa Pawletko, Jay and Marilyn Gense, Ruth Aspy, Barry Grossman, and Karen Ewing.

National Federation of the Blind Youth Slam 2007 A STEM Leadership Academy

July 30 - August 4, 2007: Baltimore, MD
Who:Two hundred blind high school students will be selected to participate in this program. Students who would like to be considered must complete the attached application and return it to the Jernigan Institute by April 1, 2007. Students will be selected based on their ability to participate actively in the activities.

What: This four-day academy will engage and inspire the next generation of blind youth to consider careers falsely believed to be impossible for the blind. While staying at Johns Hopkins University, students will be mentored by blind role models during fun and challenging activities meant to build confidence and increase science literacy.

Cost: There is no cost to apply for the program. Students who apply and are accepted to the Youth Slam will be expected to pay a $200 registration fee by May 31, 2007.

To send questions or comments via email, please write to youthslam@nfb.org

Research / Publications

Surveying Persons with Disabilities: A Source Guide

In an effort to provide the public with an up-to-date and easily accessible source of research on the methodological issues associated with surveying persons with disabilities, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. announces the development of a Source Guide of material related to this topic. The Source Guide contains 150 abstracts, summaries, and references, followed by a Subject Index, which cross references the sources from the Reference List under various subjects. The Source Guide is viewed as a “living document,” and will be periodically updated. http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/edicollect/1222/

NIH Outlines Plans for Study of Pediatric Seizures

The National Institutes of Health researchers outlined plans for a large-scale national study to determine which of two medications (diazepam and lorazepam) is the safest, most effective treatment for children with status epilepticus (continuous unrelenting seizures that can lead to brain damage or death). http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/may2007/nichd-23.htm