In a move that increases the importance of the DAISY protocol for making information inclusive regardless of disability Amazon.com has retreated from non-discrimination:

Apparently, Amazon won't fight the publishing industry on the issue of whether the Kindle 2's text-to-speech function violates copyright. The retailer, which makes the popular Kindle electronic-book reader, announced late Friday that the company is modifying systems to allow authors and publishers to decide whether to enable Kindle's text-to-speech function on a per-title basis.

Information on the DAISY project:

http://www.tsbvi.edu/textbooks/afb/kit/tkit13.htm

Although I have just returned home from 30 days' comfortable travel throughout South Africa without incident I am always aware as I circle the globe that I am never more than a coin's toss away from the barbarism endured by travelers such as Australian Glen McDonnell:

A wheelchair-bound (sic) man felt humiliated at a foreign airport when Jetstar refused to let him on board because he couldn't walk.

Glen McDonnell, 36, had travelled with the budget carrier from Darwin to Thailand via Singapore.

But when he was boarding the plane at Bangkok for his return flight, Jetstar staff told him they were unable to take him home.

For the full story of discrimination in the air see: http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,28318,25108604-5014090,00.html

To bring the story closer to home, I encountered a wheelchair-using disabled veteran who was on his third day waiting in the Frankfurt, Germany airport "Special Services" services area.

Isolated from the care he need his colostomy was unchanged and completely filled (he showed me) this man had been refused a connecting flight twice because his daughter had epilepsy. Unfortunately, in the midst of 24 hours of flights myself I was unable to be much of an effective advocate for him at the time.

There but for the flip of a coin...

This article -- on Inclusive Travel in the USA -- was featured recently in Disability News Asia.

Interest is worldwide and instantaneous in this topic.

See Traveling With a Disability at  http://www.disabilitynewsasia.com/html/newsm5.html

Press release:

Scootaround Inc. recently signed two multi-year contracts to become the exclusive provider of accessible services at both the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) and Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. With the addition of these two facilities, Scootaround now directly supports the nation's five largest convention facilities.

"Enhancing the convention experience for all attendees is our goal," said Tim Scott, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "We service dozens of large events each month, many with 50 to 100,000 attendees each. It's rewarding that convention center managers have recognized the need to partner with us, the industry leader in mobility rental solutions."

Along with the LVCC and the Sands Expo, Scootaround also services Chicago's McCormick Place (the largest U.S. center), the Orange Country Convention Center (America's 2nd largest) and the Georgia World Congress Center. Scootaround's onsite services include customized rentals programs that provide scooters that reside at each facility on a permanent basis along with qualified staff to run rental programs at larger events.

Scootaround's Corporate Event Services division facilitates the on-ground service giving event planners full access to Scootaround's "Total Mobility Management" solution -- a comprehensive list of services that includes scooter and wheelchair rentals, assistive staffing and attendee shuttling for all types of events including conventions, meetings, seminars, and expositions.

"The convention industry continues to acknowledge and support the needs of the disabled and those with mobility issues," said Scootaround President and COO Kerry Renaud. "We are particularly proud to be their company of choice and we are continuing to work hard at providing a "one-stop" solution for these first-rate establishments."

With the results of the Travel Industry Association of America's (TIA) recent study showing that a potential 2.2 million convention attendees may have required mobility assistance at a convention last year, Scootaround is consistently developing programs and services to meet the growing needs of each facility.

************************

About Scootaround Inc. - www.scootaround.com:
Since 1997, Scootaround Inc. has been North America's only nationwide mobility equipment company, providing scooter and wheelchair rentals and sales to all customer types from individual travelers through to Fortune 500 companies. They also provide mobility enhancement services for conventions and tradeshows through fleet rentals and onsite-programs. Scootaround is a proud sponsor of the Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality (SATH) and an accredited member of both the ARA and CRA Rental Associations.

Scootaround special needs services include rentals for motorized scooter, wheel chair, ECV, and powerchair equipment types. Disability services are available for the elderly and those with mobility issues for convention, vacation, business, cruise, convention travel.

New Delhi, Mar 04: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) organised a two-day conference in campus to raise awareness on the latest technologies and facilities available for physically disabled people.

The seminar, titled "Disability and Disenchantment: New Challenges and Evolving" organised by the Equal Opportunities Office of JNU and the JNU-Visually Impaired Forum, had speakers elaborating on some of the hardware and software like JAWS, Magic, Kurzweil 1000 OCR, Prisma, that are available on campus to facilitate ease of learning and studying for the disabled.

The seminar provided a platform to various groups working for physically disabled people to discuss the technologies.

Dr Sam Taraporevala, Director of Xavier's Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged (XRCVC), Mumbai, in his presentation spoke of the efforts their organisation has put in for the amendment of the Copyright Act, 1957. "The Copyright Act of 1957 doesn't allow people to access printed material by converting it into any other format. The XRCVC has put before the government the need to amend this act in order to allow disabled people access available information and resources," he said.

Anna Varam, member of the Equal Opportunity Office (EOO) of JNU, said they were looking forward to new policies being implemented for disabled people by the government keeping in mind advice from academicians and the students concerned.

The EOO also highlighted their expectations from the government in terms of introducing transparency in social auditing processes and expenditure of funds allotted for physically disabled people.

The EOO of JNU had collaborated with the XRCVC two years ago and has been working towards making the campus JNU more disabled friendly

Source: http://www.expressindia.com

Board Advances Rulemaking on Outdoor Sites and Rights-of-Way

The Board continues to make progress on guidelines it is developing or updating in a variety of areas.  At its January meeting, the Board approved the text of final guidelines for Federal outdoor developed areas and the text of proposed guidelines for accessible public rights-of-ways.  The Board will proceed with the remaining steps that must be completed before these guidelines can be published, including adding figures and advisory notes, drafting companion discussions of the rules, and preparing cost impact assessments.  At the same time, work will proceed on several other rulemaking initiatives.

 

Final Guidelines for Federal Outdoor Developed Areas

The guidelines for outdoor developed areas will cover access to trails, beach access routes, and picnic and camping areas on sites managed by the Federal government.  They will address how, and to what extent, access can be achieved in light of challenges and constraints posed by terrain, the degree of development, construction practices and materials, and other factors.  The Board is finalizing the guidelines based on input received from the public on a proposed version published in 2007.  In response to the proposed guidelines, the Board received comments from Federal land management agencies, professional and trade groups, individuals with disabilities, disability groups, trail and park operators and designers, and state and local parks and recreation agencies.  The comments addressed all sections of the proposed guidelines, including provisions covering trails and outdoor recreation access routes, beach access routes, picnic areas, and camp sites, and called attention to compliance concerns and areas where further guidance is needed. 

 

Proposed Guidelines for Public Rights-of-Way

The Board's guidelines for public rights-of-way will cover access to sidewalks and streets, including street crossings, access for pedestrians with vision impairments, on-street parking, and constraints posed by terrain and space limitations, among other topics.  The Board previously released drafts of the guidelines for public input but must follow up with an official proposal and comment period before the guidelines can be finalized.  In addition to the feedback received on earlier drafts, the upcoming proposal will incorporate information gained through close coordination with counterpart agencies and research on rights-of-way issues the Board has sponsored or promoted.  The proposed guidelines also will be responsive to issues further identified through the Board's extensive outreach and training program on rights-of-way accessibility.  

 

Other Rulemaking Initiatives

Other Board rulemaking efforts include new guidelines for passenger vessels, updates to guidelines for transportation vehicles, and a joint refresh of the section 508 standards for electronic and information technology and guidelines for telecommunications products issued under the Telecommunications Act.  In addition, the Board plans to develop supplements to its facility guidelines that will incorporate provisions specific to emergency transportable housing.  Further information on these rulemakings is available on the Board's website at www.access-board.gov.

 

DOJ Postpones Review of Updated ADA Regulations

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has delayed publication of updated final regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) due to the presidential transition.  DOJ, which had submitted the new regulations to the Office of Management and Budget for review and clearance in early December, withdrew its submission in response to a memorandum from the Obama Administration directing Federal agencies to postpone publication of any new regulations until incoming administration officials have had an opportunity to review them.  According to a statement posted on DOJ's website at www.ada.gov/ADAregswithdraw09.htm, "No final action will be taken by the Department with respect to these rules until the incoming officials have had the opportunity to review the rulemaking record... Withdrawal of the draft final rules does not affect existing ADA regulations."

 

DOJ's rulemaking will update regulations for state and local governments under title II of the ADA and regulations for places of public accommodation and commercial facilities covered by title III.  Last June, DOJ published proposed changes to these regulations for public comment.  As part of this update, DOJ intends to adopt new accessibility standards based on guidelines issued by the Board.  DOJ also proposed updates to sections of the regulations covering existing facilities, service animals, policies and programs, maintenance of accessible features, auxiliary aids and services, effective communication, and other topics.  DOJ has not yet indicated a timeframe for resubmitting the final rules.  DOJ's existing ADA regulations, including the standards they contain or reference, remain in effect.

 

Updated ADA standards are in effect for transportation facilities subject to regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation.  Similar standards are also in place for most federally funded facilities under the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA), except housing which remains subject to earlier standards.  Further information on the status of ADA and ABA standards is available on the Board's website at www.access-board.gov/ada-aba/guide.htm.

 

Input Received on Draft Updates to Guidelines for Buses and Vans

Last November, the Board released draft updates to its ADA Accessibility Guidelines for buses and vans to gather feedback from the public.  By the close of the comment period on January 20th, the Board had received comments from trade associations, disability groups, consumers, transit operators and authorities, researchers, and manufacturers of buses and vehicle components, including lifts, seats, and wheelchair securement systems. 

 

Commenters addressed a range of provisions in the draft as well as questions posed by the Board, including those pertaining to boarding devices, level boarding, automated stop announcement systems, wheelchair spaces and securement, circulation routes, and bus stops.  In particular, comments focused on retaining a definition of the types of wheelchairs that must be accommodated by accessible vehicles, revisions to specifications for vehicle lifts and ramps, new requirements for bus stop announcements, criteria for wheelchair positioning and securement systems, including head rests, and onboard accessible routes. The comments and related information on this rulemaking can be viewed on the Board's website at www.access-board.gov/transit/.

 

The Board will use this input to refine a proposed set of updated guidelines. Updates to other sections of the vehicle guidelines, including those covering rail cars and other modes of public transportation, will be released at a later date.

 

Board Continues Outreach on Public Rights-of-Way Accessibility  

As work on new rights-of-way guidelines progresses, the Board remains committed to an active outreach program to provide interim guidance on achieving accessible streetscapes.   The Board regularly delivers training, technical assistance, and resources on the topic, often in partnership with various organizations, including professional associations, advocacy groups, and counterpart agencies.  Most recently, the Board conducted a series of trainings for the Michigan Department of Transportation as part of a course developed by the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals.  The Board also provides training programs of its own upon request at different locations across the country.  Training sessions, which range from hour-long workshops to full day programs, are targeted to the needs and interests of each audience.

 

Individualized guidance is available from the Board as well.  A number of state and local transportation departments have met with the Board for input on accessibility planning and programming.  The Board also routinely provides one-on-one technical assistance on specific projects or accessibility issues through its help line.   For technical assistance on rights-of-way accessibility, contact the Board at (800) 872-2253 (v), (800) 993-2822 (TTY), or row@access-board.gov.  Training requests should be directed to Peggy Greenwell, the Board's training coordinator at training@access-board.gov, (202) 272-0017 (v), or (202) 272-0082 (TTY).  In addition, various resources on rights-of-way accessibility are available free on the Board's website at www.access-board.gov/prowac/, including a guide on improvement projects, Accessible Public Rights-of-Way: Planning and Designing for Alterations, a video series demonstrating access issues, and bulletins developed through research on accessible pedestrian signals, roundabouts, and other topics.  

 

Workshop Explores Standards for Emergency Preparedness

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI), an organization that supports development of a wide range of consensus standards, is exploring coverage of emergency preparedness for people with disabilities.  This effort is being led by the ANSI Homeland Security Standards Panel (HSSP) which was organized several years ago to facilitate, coordinate, and promote development of voluntary standards that are responsive to homeland security needs.  In early February, the ANSI-HSSP held a workshop on the topic in Washington, D.C. at Gallaudet University.  Organized in collaboration with the National Organization on Disability and the National Fire Protection Association, the event focused on the need for standards covering accessible evacuation and relocation of people with disabilities in emergencies and disasters. Through panel discussions and breakout sessions, invited experts surveyed the current landscape to indentify gaps in coverage relating to the built environment and to evacuation equipment, planning, and procedures.

 

In opening remarks, ANSI President and CEO S. Joe Bhatia and Access Board Executive Director David Capozzi outlined the focus and goals of the workshop.  The workshop featured presentations and roundtable discussions on the population of people with disabilities, accessible evacuation procedures and needs, the results of case studies, and a survey of relevant standards.   Participants included representatives from the Board and other Federal agencies, the codes and life safety communities, disability groups, and other stakeholders.  Open forums provided an opportunity for input from the public.  The results of the workshop will be used by the ANSI-HSSP to advance the development of standards.  For further information, contact Jessica Carl, ANSI-HSSP program administrator, at jcarl@ansi.org or (212) 642.4903, or visit ANSI's website at www.ansi.org.

 

ADA Amendments Act Takes Effect

Amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) signed into law last fall became effective January 1st.  The "ADA Amendments Act of 2008" revises the definition of "disability" to more broadly encompass impairments that substantially limit a major life activity.  The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which regulates and enforces requirements of the ADA covering employment and hiring practices, will revise definitions in its ADA regulations under the new amendments.  For further information, visit EEOC's website at www.eeoc.gov.  In addition, the Office of Disability Employment Policy, through its Job Accommodation Network, has released additional information on the effect of the amendments that is available online at www.jan.wvu.edu/bulletins/adaaa1.htm.  A complete copy of the ADA as amended is posted on the Board's website at www.access-board.gov/about/laws/ADA.htm. 

 

Census Bureau Releases New Data on the Population of People with Disabilities

Newly released estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that the population of people with disabilities is increasing.  A total of 54.4 million Americans (19% of the population) is estimated as having some level of disability based on the Bureau's 2005 Survey of Income and Program Participation which is used to develop national-level estimates.  Of this total, 35 million were classified as having a severe disability.  These latest figures represent an increase from the results of a previous survey of 2002 data (51.2 million or 18%).  The study, "Americans with Disabilities: 2005," also found that among people 15 and older, 10.2 million use canes, crutches, or walkers, and 3.3 million use wheeled mobility aids.  An estimated 7.8 million are reported to have difficulty hearing a normal conversation, including 1 million without any hearing.  Another 7.8 million are estimated to have difficulty seeing ordinary newspaper print, including 1.8 million without any vision.  Other findings from the survey indicate that over 16 million people have a cognitive, mental, or emotional disability and that over 5.4 million children under age 15 have some type of disability.  For more information on the study, visit the Bureau's website at www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/013041.html.

 

The United States Department of Education has awarded a $4.7 million grant to a University of Buffalo professor and his son to aid their efforts in making public transportation more accessible for people with disabilities.

   Edward Steinfeld, professor and director of the School of Architecture and Planning's Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access (IDEA), and his son, Aaron Steinfeld, a systems scientist at the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Robotics Institute, will work together to form the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Accessible Public Transportation.

   According to Aaron, UB and CMU will take on different roles in the project. Researchers from UB will try to obtain a better understanding of the requirements for effectively boarding and moving within transit vehicles.

   "[This information] will be used to develop design tools and demonstrated on a concept transit bus," Aaron said.

   CMU is looking at ways to involve riders with disabilities in the process to get firsthand information about the problems they face when using public transportation.

   "This will empower riders, result in a greater understanding of the transportation system, and improve the feedback loop between rider and provider," Aaron said.

   Disabled individuals face numerous problems when using public transportation, according to Aaron. Two main concerns addressed by the center will include vehicle access and adherence to the Americans with Disabilities Act Best Practices.

   "The current state of accessible public transportation is a barrier to social participation and particularly employment among seniors and individuals with disabilities," said Jordana Maisel, director of outreach and policy studies for IDEA. "Poor transportation limits their ability to participate in the community and ultimately results in lower rates of life satisfaction."

   The 2000 National Organization of Disability/Harris Survey of Community Participation found that 46 percent of people with disabilities reported feeling isolated from their communities, compared to 23 percent of people without disabilities who also felt detached.

   "Difficulties in looking for work were encountered by more than half of non-working adults with disabilities," Maisel said.

   The study will examine all aspects of transportation including the ability of those with disabilities to efficiently acquire destination information, board and disembark vehicles, and use services and facilities on buses, trains and airplanes, according to Maisel.

   A Web site for professional and academic use for the general public will be created after the study.

   "[The Web site] will provide links to resources that range in scope from highly scientific data required by other researchers, to practical information requested by the public, to news requested by the media," Maisel said.

   The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) and United Spinal Association (USA) will both be involved in the project. The NFTA will provide information about planning, design and operation of transit vehicles, as well as providing researchers access to their buses to take tours with riders in an attempt to gain a better understanding of their experiences.

   "[The NFTA] will help recruit participants and collaborate in developing a demonstration bus to become part of their regular fleet," Maisel said. "USA will work with us to coordinate standards... and serve as the liaison to other advocacy organizations."

   The center will develop a list of features that could enhance the accessibility of transit vehicles, and a demonstration bus will be developed in partnership with Gillig Corp., a California-based company that builds transit buses.

   "Gillig Corp. is interested in exploring how they can advance universal design and improve the accessibility of their buses," Maisel said.

Source:

http://spectrum.buffalo.edu/article.php?id=38663

The special Inclusive Tourism issue of India's Success and Ability magazine features the article "What is Inclusive Tourism" by Scott Rains.

Read about the achievements and potential for Inclusive Tourism in India - and dream about making a trip there.

The full issue is available for download as .pdf here:

Success & Ability.pdf

The weight of social exclusion is made even more burdensome when attitude and design align to layer an apartheid-like system on top of disability.

Here, with a touch of defiance in the face of despair, author Sharon van Wyk illustrates how the failure to adopt Universal Design debilitates even those without a disability. In a previous article, "A Rainbow Nation No More" she recounts incidents at the popular Johannesburg family destination - Gold Reef City - and the underlying South African tension of a broader dream of racial inclusion delayed.

In my limited experience, I observe distinct differences between the narratives told by Blacks and Whites here around race and privilege. Heroes and villains, facts and their significance vary greatly depending on the speaker. Yet a desire for change is everywhere and entering into this still-contested space has been essential for finding a way to communicate the needs and aspirations of the disability community.

Accessible tourism - a pipe dream

Lynnridge Mall, Pretoria - It's 32 degrees outside and I've been waiting in the car park for a quarter of an hour, getting more and more frustrated with each passing minute. Next to me, my mother sits patiently, apologising for the inconvenience she is causing.


Mom, you see, had a stroke and is confined to a wheelchair for a while. She wants to go shopping and needs to go to the bank, but there are only four disabled bays in this car park. Four. Out of more than 2000 bays. And in each of them is a car belonging to an able bodied person.


In one is a delivery van. In the other a motorbike. The remaining two on the other side of the mall are occupied by a snazzy-looking two-seater sportscar, parked at a jaunty angle, and a cash-in-transit vehicle, presumably on a coffee break.


This is the sad, day to day reality of life as a disabled person in South Africa. And one which leading US disability expert Scott Rains will probably not see on his visit to South Africa.


Rains, currently visiting our shores to assess the issue of accessible tourism, has been confined to a wheelchair for 37 years. He's here to see what we can offer disabled and older travellers and to build awareness of the importance of good access to our tourism industry.


Well, my dear Mr Rains, let me share with you some of the pitfalls I have seen each and every in the year since my mom had her stroke.


First off, there is zero awareness of the disabled in this country. In the same way that women with a pram magically disappear in a crowd, so do people in wheelchairs. You are ignored by all but the most well-meaning of people.


I have been watched by security guards, strapping men in their prime, and fellow women as I have struggled for 15 minutes to get my mother's wheelchair out of the car and her in it. And that was on a rare occasion when I managed to find a disabled bay vacant.


The bays themselves offer no succour. They are invariably badly designed, not wide enough to allow full maneouvrability and rarely have a ramp up to the pavement or entrance to a mall.


In the case of a mall like dear old Lynnridge, the disabled bays are invariably in full sun, meaning I have to put dear old mum into an extremely hot and stuffy car, and on occasion she has burnt herself on the hot leather seats.


There is shade parking at Lynnridge. But not one disabled bay under cover.


The problem, I find, is that disabled facilities are usually designed by non-disabled people. Take, for example, tourism facilities at Mapungubwe National Park in northern Limpopo. Because it's a relatively new park, the facilities are largely pristine and, at viewpoints like the confluence of the Shashe and Limpopo rivers have been designed with less abled tourists in mind. But has anyone tried to push a wheelchair round the twisting, turning path which leads to the lookout points? Or accompany a frail, wobbly elderly person as they battle fatigue on the long, uphill section?

And yes, Mapungubwe offers disabled facilities in some of its chalets at Leokwe Camp. In two, to be precise. Out of 18. And while we were there they had been given to non-disabled tourists which actually defeats the object, n'est pas?

None of the shopping malls I have been to since my mom's stroke have provided adequate parking, assistance or facilities for disabled people. Toilets are a nightmare, shops are for the most part impossible to negotiate in a wheelchair without bumping into something and no one understands the huge problem of food shopping with a wheelchair-bound person. How do you push a wheelchair and a trolley at the same time?

We tried it with mom pushing the trolley while I pushed her. That didn't work. We tried mom pushing herself in the chair while I followed with the trolley, but she couldn't manage it with her stroke-weakened arms. So I invariably left mom at the check-out, took her list and did the shopping for her, and then went back to do my own.

There are so many simple things which could be done to aid disabled people, and disabled tourists. No one realises, for example, that deep, plush carpets are a pain in the backside for anyone either in a wheelchair or pushing one. As is sand. Or gravel.

A plush, spacious, super-equipped room in a larny, "wheelchair friendly" hotel is so often spoiled by how tired you get hiking across shag-pile carpets while pushing your dear old ma, which you have to do because the poor dear can't even get the wheels moving.

But facilities, or the lack of them, aside. The real problem is people's attitudes. There is a serious lack of consideration for disabled people, which is illustrated best by the way the able-bodied park with gay abandon in disabled parking bays.

I have lost count of the arguments I have had with men and women of all ages and hues in prime physical health who have told me where to get off for taking them to task for preventing me from parking in a bay designated for my mom, and people like her.

People don't care unless it directly affects them, you see.


So forgive me for being a mite disillusioned, Mr Rains, but I think it will take more than you visiting for a month for South Africa to wake up to the fact that its frail, elderly and disabled citizens are hard-done by, let alone potential tourists.

What you need to do is recommend that everyone in South Africa spends a week in a wheelchair. Because until they do, they will never understand.

 Source:  http://www.travelwires.com/wp/?p=3713

Reprinted with the author's permission. Thank you, Sharon.

http://www.mg.co.za/cartoons/02dec09.gif

A recem formada estudante da UFMG, Mariana Coelho tem publicado a monografia TURISMO INCLUSIVO: UM OLHAR SOBRE A UTILIZAÇÃO DA PRAÇA DA LIBERDADE COMO ESPAÇO DE LAZER, BELO HORIZONTE, MG.