Rolling Rains Report:

Challenge Air Gives Hope On Ground

Take Flight for Kids gets off the ground on September 30th in Hayward, CA. Theron Wright ready:

"The magic is when you put them in that co-pilot seat, and you let them take the controls, and you challenge them to challenge themselves, say, ‘look, you're flying this airplane, what can’t you do?,’" Wright says.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/09/21/eveningnews/main2031612.shtml

See the videos:

Flight Gives Hope on the Ground
http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=2032166n

Challenge
http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=2032190n

How Buildings Make Us Happy

I have not read Alain de Botton's The Architecture of Happiness but Katherine Ashenburg's review at the Globe and Mail makes it seem like an interesting read. Interesting also to see if he deconstructs dominant assumptions about what physical and sensory functionalites are available to users of buildings.

She writes...

Alain de Botton only takes on the biggest subjects. Still in his 30s, the Swiss-born author has written eight books on such topics as love, romance, status, the consolations of philosophy and how literature (in his case, Proust) can change your life. Clearly a student of philosophy, but of the most appealing and accessible sort, de Botton always goes back to the basics. In his bestselling The Art of Travel (2002), he asked, why do we want to go to unfamiliar places? What does travel give us? How can we maximize our chances for more delightful voyaging? Now, in The Architecture of Happiness, he considers the connection between our feelings and the buildings in which we work, pray and live.

For more discussion on this book see Wheelchair Dancer's Spetmebr 23, 2006 post, Architecture & Happiness.

Adventure Travel

British retirees are increasingly seeking more adventure on their breaks, according to new research.

A fifth of so-called golden age packers intend to fly to far-flung countries such as China and Australia, says AA Travel Insurance.

Almost a quarter of retired people want to try risk-filled pursuits such as hot air ballooning, while another 18 per cent favour safaris.

In addition, six per cent say they already go adventure holidays, with one in ten keen on the idea of learning to fly a plane.

"Exotic destinations are much more accessible now and older people aren't letting age get in the way of having a good time and exploring the world," said Alison Crossley, manager of AA Travel Insurance.

However, some retirees may find that they pay more for their travel insurance than they did previously, with Moneysupermarket.com claiming that premiums increase by over 100 per cent once the policyholder hits the age of 66.

Source:
http://www.justtheflight.co.uk/news/17677754-retirees-planning-for-adventurous-holidays.html

Guatemala,Transmetro, y Diseño Universal

Desde el momento en que se anunció la construcción del Transmetro, las organizaciones de personas con discapacidad presentaron a la Municipalidad Capitalina propuestas concretas para que Guatemala se convierta en un país que toma en cuenta los derechos de personas con discapacidad y con movilidad limitada;

... sin embargo, se han topado con la falta de voluntad política del Concejo Municipal, la incapacidad de escuchar, de comprender y la falta de solidaridad humana del alcalde Arzú para atender sus peticiones y necesidades más urgentes en una ciudad donde el transporte, las calles, los mercados y diversas instituciones han sido construidas para la movilidad de unos y excluyente para la población que tiene serias dificultadas para hacerlo. La mayoría de las pasarelas ya construidas son ejemplo de ello y así serán las que construirán en pasos especiales del Transmetro.

El martes 19 de septiembre se realizó una Vista Pública en la Sala 3ra. de Apelaciones en la cual los afectados plantearon sus argumentos legales establecidos en la Constitución Política de la República, pues según ellos, la puesta en marcha del Transmetro, tal y como está diseñado en la actualidad, es una clara violación al derecho de libre locomoción, de igualdad de oportunidades, y un acto discriminatorio y excluyente en contra de este sector de la población y demandan que los servicios públicos sean incluyentes y diseñados bajo los principios del diseño universal.

Las personas con discapacidad no están pidiendo nada del otro mundo, sino ser tratados como seres humanos dignos y sujetos de derechos y merecen que los proyectos, planes y políticas les incluyan de manera integral. Ellos y ellas no quieren seguir siendo considerados como objetos de beneficencia y de un “tratamiento especial”. El transporte público es un derecho inherente al ser humano y debe ser garantizado y respetado.

Ojalá y las argumentaciones legales y justas planteadas por las organizaciones de personas con discapacidad, sean escuchadas por los honorables Magistrados de la Sala Tercera de Apelaciones, pues talvez eso permite al señor alcalde descender del pedestal y escuchar el clamor de un sector de la población que es marginado y excluido. Las grandes obras se reflejan en el beneficio a todos los sectores y no en el servicio al sector exclusivo al que pertenece el Alcalde o quienes tienen vehículos y hasta pilotos para movilizarse de un lado a otro.

Source

Lime Taxis -- Another Reason to Visit Sydney

Do Sydney in style! Lime Taxis says:

Australia has never before seen a taxi fleet to rival Lime.

Everything about Lime, from its fleet of luxurious Mercedes-Benz Vito vehicles, to its service quality, operating principles, back up and support systems, has been purposely built to exceed expectations. The business principle that underpins all this is as simple as it is effective: find out what passengers want and give it to them.

For the disabled community, this will mean a design previously undreamt of in standards of access and comfort. For the corporate world, it will mean delivering on all the touch points of customer service - on time, every time.

http://www.limetaxis.com.au/

http://www.limetaxis.com.au/passengers/passengers.htm#community_spirit

http://www.limetaxis.com.au/corporate/about_us.htm

Florida / Brasil: Turismo nos Estados Unidos

Este sitio nao tem muito para portador pois o que existe esta em Portugues!

Tudo que voce precisa saber sobre turismo na Florida. Dicas sobre as cidades turisticas mais quentes na Florida. Sem duvida, Orlando, Tampa, Miami e Key West sao cidades predominantes quando se trata de turismo na Florida, Estados Unidos.

SE ESTIVER COM DEFICIENTES
Sempre ha entradas especiais nas atracoes, inclusive informacoes e material audiovisual. Tambem ha cadeiras motorizadas para alugar na entrada.

Mais:

http://www.floridabrasil.com/turismo.html

Blog on Travel With a Disability at The Guardian

After a brief hiatus of four years The Guardian has resurrected its Travelling With Disabiities Blog.

Launching what we hope is to be a regular set of posts is John Horan with "The Wheels Come Off."

In one encounter he analyzes a particular bottleneck and recommends the venerable "teach a class about your disability" approach. Effective. Also tedious for those of us who have been traveling with disabilities for more then 30 years -- or more than 30 days if my memory serves me correctly:

In fact, the Deutsche Bahn train was a model of good disability practice. It had a wide door which could accommodate the widest of wheelchairs, a special disabled passenger cabin with wide corridors and a disabled toilet which was cavernous and well laid out.

So what had gone wrong? Quite simply, it was a new situation for all concerned. The German railway staff want to help, but they didn't know how. What they need, then, is for more disabled people to take a risk and use the German railways so that an unfamiliar situation becomes a common one.

After a quite ambitious an upbeat start I was sorry to read of the -- all too common -- disillusionment following episodes of "exclusion by design" where physical spaces, products, policies, and discrimination belie the fact that we live in a world with more than 30 years exposure to the principles of Universal Design:

Now I'm a happy-go-lucky kind of person and can take a few knocks, but after the evening's events, I was distraught. My distress lasted the entire train journey back. People like me have a right to go wherever able-bodied people do, and we have a right to be treated as courteously as able-bodied people.

In the end, the cumulative pressures of bad design, exclusionary policy, and personal discrimination (whether through ignorance or mailce) make day-to-day social participation with a disabiity an "extreme sport" that only rarely gets presented for the education of those still temporarily able-bodied except in momentary glimpses like John's blog.

Sources:
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/travelog/2006/09/the_wheels_come_off.html

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/travelog/2006/09/the_wrong_sort_of_lovely_time_1.html

Other posts by John Horan:

Disability: Just Comedy in a Serious World?
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/travelog/2006/09/disability_just_comedy_in_a_se.html

The Wrong Sort of a Lovely Time
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/travelog/2006/09/the_wrong_sort_of_lovely_time_1.html

Back to the Roots: Tourism for All - UK

The Belfast Telegraph recounts the history of Inclusive Travel in the UK. After an early lead in promotion the UK is still striving to achieve quantifiable data on the travel behavior and purchasing power of travelers with disabilities. Such data is essential to providnig travel and hospitality professionals with the tools they need to bring travelers with disabilties and seniors from the margins to the core of their market:

Government statistics estimate there are around 10 million people registered as disabled in the UK, of which Visit Britain estimates roughly 2.5 million are regular travellers. "In terms of spending power the figures we have are quite general," says Mr Seaman, "but as a market sector we're talking billions of pounds."

Source: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/travel/story.jsp?story=707009

Travellers with disabilities still face challenges, 30 years after the first attempt to meet their needs, says Mark MacKenzie 19 September 2006

This year sees the 30th anniversary of a report which, when published, represented arguably the first serious attempt in this country to address the needs of tourists with disabilities. When it first appeared in 1976, Tourism - the Social Need found an industry so poorly equipped for the task that four years later it led to the creation of the Holiday Care Service, a charity whose sole objective was to tackle the problem.

Two years ago that organisation changed it's name to Tourism for All, and today it is at the forefront of the long-running campaign to ensure Britain's tourist attractions are genuinely open to everybody.

"The idea [of the original report] was to plug an information gap," says Brian Seaman of Tourism for All. "Too often, people would travel to their accommodation and then not be able to get into the bathroom. In the days before the internet they had to rely on the information in a brochure being accurate." Invariably it wasn't.

Government statistics estimate there are around 10 million people registered as disabled in the UK, of which Visit Britain estimates roughly 2.5 million are regular travellers. "In terms of spending power the figures we have are quite general," says Mr Seaman, "but as a market sector we're talking billions of pounds."

With so much cash sloshing about, has anything changed in the three decades since the report? In England, more enlightened tourism providers have, since 1987, been able to sign up to the National Accessible Scheme, a voluntary accreditation system for establishments providing good access. Run by, among others, Visit Britain, with just 450 members in a marketplace of thousands the uptake is, says Mr Seaman, far from comprehensive. In April of this year those providers that are on board were published in a new guide, Britain's Accessible Places to Stay, yet Tourism for All's long-term goal remains for such guides to one day become redundant.

Significantly, says Mr Seaman, much progress has been made by the UK's larger hotel chains, Best Western being a notable example. While improvements are due in part to government legislation such as the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995, many chains have not only improved access but use mystery shoppers to test its effectiveness. Attracting tourists with disabilities is, of course, dependent on the co-operation of local authorities. "Brighton is an example of a city that includes a number of steep hills," says Mr Seaman, "and the local council there recently carried out an 'access audit' to determine how it might improve facilities."

Of the UK's 10 million registered disabled, Mr Seaman points to the fact that "only around 5 per cent actually use a wheelchair. The remainder comprise a range of disabilities, and improving access information for these groups represents a real challenge for the future."

One country setting something of a benchmark is Denmark. Its Accessibility Labelling Scheme not only ranks facilities by their disability provision, but also the range of impairments they cater for, from asthma to reading difficulties.

The scheme operates under the auspices of the Danish Accessibility Association, a non-profit organisation that was formed as recently as 2003. "While the scheme does run nationwide," says Alan Sorenson of Visit Denmark, "we do have a number of stand-out regions that are being particularly innovative in this area. West Jutland, for example, has undertaken major works on wooden footpaths to make sure all its beaches now have disabled access."

So are we likely to see a similarly comprehensive scheme in Britain any time soon? Brian Seaman is confident. "Thirty years ago this was an extremely marginal issue," he says. "We're realistic enough to know that some hotels will never be accessible to everyone but in terms of information on those that are, a new website appears almost every month."

Source:
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/travel/story.jsp?story=707009

Inclusive Travel Workshop

Tuesday, September 19, 2006 Stephanie Acosta, Corporate Travel Manager, United Spinal Association presents, "Accessible Travel Options: By Land, By Air, and By Sea."

The event is scheduled from 1:00-2:30 p.m. (90 minute sessions) Central Time Zone(CT). The program is available in three formats:

* Teleconference
* Streaming Audio via the Internet
* Real-time Captioning via the Internet

Sign up here.

From the audio conference description:

Access to hotels, air planes and cruise ships continue to be one of the biggest barriers for people with disabilities. This session will explore the requirements for accessibility as well as discuss resources available for identifying accessible travel options, whether it is a trip to Chicago or a oversees destination.

Resources:

http://www.ada-audio.org/Schedule/

ADA Audio Conference Series

The ADA Audio Conference Series provides in-depth information on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Accessible Information Technology and other related topics. This program is designed as a springboard to enhance an individual's existing knowledge base or facilitate continued learning regarding regulations and trends under the ADA.

The Audio Conference Series offers a monthly 90-minute, subject-specific session with an interactive opportunity for questions and answers. Each session is delivered via telephone, real-time streaming text and audio via the Internet. In addition to the live conference, individuals can access previous session's transcripts and audio recording in the archive section of the website.

Education credits/certificates are available for many of the sessions. A certificate of attendance is available upon request once actual attendance/participation is documented.

The ADA Audio Conference Series is a collaborative project of the ADA and IT Technical Assistance Centers (Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers). The ADA and IT Technical Assistance Centers are grant funded by the U.S. Department of Education through the auspices of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR).

Source:
http://www.ada-audio.org/

More on Mario Walenda's Skywalk

Update;

He made it:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/09/19/america/NA_GEN_US_Flying_Wallenda_Chicago.php

There are a few news stories accumulating in anticipation of Mario Wallenda's aerial "wheelchair" maneuvers today over the Chicago River:

WLUP (The Loop 97.9) Covers Skycycle Ride
http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=273717

ABC 7 Chicago
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=websites&id=4574490

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=4564603

Too Little, Too Late: Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport

Since December 2005 Disabled Peoples’ International Asia Pacific Region has been reporting deficits in the design and construction of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport. At no time during that period were the five safety hazards reported by DPI reacted to by the public or the authorities.

Perhaps coverage by the Bangkok post will lead to retrofit solutions to a poorly conceived project that can stand as an international warning to those who neglect Universal Design in airport constrcution.

The modern look and beautiful design of Suvarnabhumi airport are harbouring potential dangers for unaware passengers and the airport authority is doing its best to get rid of the problems. A survey by the Bangkok Post found at least five spots where danger loomed and could stop air passengers from boarding the planes in time.

The potential danger spots include the car park building and its walkway leading to the terminal's third floor, revolving doors, sharp-edged air-conditioners fixed on the floor, escalators, and the slippery marble floor at the departure area for out-bound passengers.

Airport director Somchai Sawasdipol admitted yesterday that a design flaw was to blame for threatening passenger safety.

At the car park building, there are no long cement walls around each floor to prevent cars from plummeting to the ground. The building was just fenced by an aluminium structure and lines of iron at its sides.

Although the lines are beautiful and make it look like a ''see-through'' building, the safety of drivers has been brought into question because if they reverse their cars carelessly they could plunge to the ground. Mr Somchai said there might be a need to build cement walls around each floor to prevent accidents.

An unusually ''large space'' was also seen at the corner of the walkway, which is again fenced by an aluminium structure and slings. It connects the car park building and the terminal's third floor. The space is too wide and would put the life of small children in danger if they were around as they could accidentally fall through it.

To solve the problem, Mr Somchai said a strong plastic fence would be built along the walkway.

The 10 revolving doors at the terminal may cause problems for passengers not familiar with this type of door. Mr Somchai said the drawback was the doors stop moving and get locked if too many people use them at the same time.

In the first two years, he said airport staff would be on hand to advise passengers on how to use the doors. Technicians are also needed to regularly adjust their sensors because a malfunction could easily cause the doors to stop working and trap people.

Inside the terminal, several modern air-conditioners on the floor could harm careless people and their children with their sharp corners. Mr Somchai said tree pots might be placed near them to prevent people from hitting against their corners.

Source:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/18Sep2006_news02.php

An Occupational Therapist as Tour Guide

This is no ordinary tour and you tour guide is tour guide is no ordinary OT. This is Ingrid ("SpookyOT") from the Rolling Rains Travel With a Disbility photo-sharing site at Flickr giving you the insider's view of universally designed playgrounds!

Take a tour of a playground in Hamilton, Ontario here

Find more at Center for Creative Play - www.cfcp.org

Ingrid writes:

I also have an amazing job helping communities create wonderful play environments that are designed for individuals of ALL ability to play in - I have spend the past four years working with this small non-profit organization in Pittsburgh, PA called the Center for Creative Play - www.cfcp.org and helping three Michigan communities create their own play spaces. It's wonderful to work somewhere that firstly is designed to be universally accessible and secondly where the staff understand how to empower each individual regardless of their "disability".

Further Resurces:

Able to Play
www.abletoplay.org

Access Board Holds Meetings on Vehicles

On July 25, 2006 the US Access Board held public meetings as an initial step in upcoming efforts to update its ADA guidelines for transportation vehicles and to develop supplementary guidelines on communication access. The meetings provided an opportunity for interested parties to advise the Board on key issues or subjects that should be addressed in these initiatives.

Meeting on the ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Transportation Vehicles

The Board’s guidelines for transportation vehicles covered by the ADA address buses, vans, various types of rail cars, and other modes of transportation. The Board plans to review these guidelines, which were published in 1991, and to propose any revisions or additions as necessary, including coverage of new or convergent technologies. Meeting participants included transportation providers, manufacturers, and representatives from disability groups and trade associations.

Many comments called attention to the advances made in the design of mobility aids over the past 15 years, which have led to a wider array of manual and mechanized devices of varying sizes and capabilities. A growing number of mobility aids are larger and heavier than the standard manual wheelchair upon which many access specifications are based. The Board was urged to revise criteria in the guidelines so that access is ensured for a broader range of mobility aids now in use. Some commenters cautioned the Board about the potential impacts of such changes to the design of vehicles, particularly boarding devices, such as lifts, and seating space. This discussion also touched on accommodation of new mobility technologies, such as Segways, that have been developed for general use but are beneficial for some people with walking impairments.

Recommendations also addressed securement devices and restraint systems, the reliability and quality of on-board announcements of stops and other passenger information, signage, level boarding at rail cars, minimum gaps between vehicles and boarding platforms, industry standards for wheelchairs and mobility aids, coverage of new transportation technologies, such as bus rapid transit, and accessible restrooms on buses. The Board will hold another meeting on this topic during its September meeting in Las Vegas.

The meeting will be held September 12th from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30, with a reception to follow. In addition, the Board will hold a public meeting, similar to the one in July, on the update of its guidelines for transportation vehicles and will explore newer modes of transportation available in the area, including a bus rapid transit system, double-decker buses, and the city’s monorail. For further information on the meetings, contact Kathy Johnson of the Board at (202) 272-0041 (voice), (202) 272-0082 (TTY), or johnson@access-board.gov (e-mail).

Source:

Access Currents
Volume 12, No.4 July/ August 2006

G-Mark in Japan Sets Excellence in Universal Design as a Goal

This review of Japan's "G-Mark" system revelas a hopeful future:

Japan's G-Mark program is the successor to the "Good Design Selection System" established in 1957 by the former Ministry of International Trade and Industry, and is Japan’s only comprehensive system for evaluating and awarding design. During its 50-year history, G-Mark has handed out Good Design Awards or G-Marks to 30,000 products....

To position Japan as leading the international standards, the G-Mark system held out as its next objective to set the global standards in terms of interactive design (design involving a dialogue with users); universal design (design that is non-discriminatory when used); and ecological design (sustainable design with green considerations).

Source:

Japan's Good Design Award (G-Mark) Celebrates 50th Anniversary
http://news.cens.com/php/getnews.php?file=/news/2006/09/07/20060907101.htm&daily=1

Mario Wallenda and "Travel With a Disability?"

As I recall, crossing the Chicago River near the Merchandise Mart can be diffiult -- traffic, gusts of wind, obstacles in the curb cuts. Even so, Mario Wallenda's approach never occurred to me.

In a sign that hope trumps experience, a high-wire performer paralyzed in a notorious fall plans to cross the Chicago River on a tightrope 100 feet in the air.

Mario Wallenda of the famous "Flying Wallendas" will try to cross the river Tuesday in a specially built electric "sky cycle." Wallenda, 64, will start in front of the Merchandise Mart and travel along a steel cable hoisted between two cranes on each side of the river.

Source:

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-wallenda15.html

Take Flight for Kids

This is a project that is close to my heart. The looks on the faces of young disabled pilots-for-a-day and the boost to their spirits given by Take Flight for Kids is unforgettable. You can see photos by organizer Dean McCully here.

Valley Medical Center Foundation ANNOUNCES “TAKE FLIGHT FOR KIDS”

Valley Medical Center Foundation, Santa Clara County, CA, is pleased to announce a partnership to produce the first annual "Take Flight for Kids" at the Hayward Executive Airport, Hayward, California, Saturday September 30, 2006, 9am-5:00pm.

Approximately 35 private airplane pilots will provide free, 30 minute airplane rides for up to 100+ young people with disabilities and special needs (plus 2 additional guest passengers each = 400-500 total flying passengers). The airplane rides will pass over points of local interest including the spectacular Coyote Hills, out over the Bay, then back over the magnificent fall East Bay countryside. During their flights, participants are encouraged to take the controls and experience the empowered exhilaration of flying an airplane.

The event is by invitation only. Invitations are distributed through partner nonprofit agencies.

Gates open at 9am thru 5pm. Flights depart from the Trajen FBO Network terminal of the Hayward Executive Airport at 19990 Skywest Drive Hayward, CA 94541. First flight is scheduled for 9:30am. Last flight is approximately 4:00 pm.

150 young persons with physically and developmentally challenges, and chronic illnesses are being pre-registered thru several partner organizations in Alameda County, Santa Clara County, and surrounding communities. Registering partner organizations include Valley Medical Center Foundation (VMC), AchieveKids, Axis Dance Company, Bridge School, Children's Hospital of Oakland, Clausen House, Disabled Student Resource Center, Environmental Traveling Companions (ETC), Friends of Children with Special Needs (FCSN), Hayward Area Recreation and Park District, Jewish Vocational and Career Counseling Service, JW House, Kaiser Permanente Medical Centers of Hayward, Morgan Center, Parents Helping Parents (PHP), Ronald McDonald House, San Jose Office of Therapeutic Services, Sensory Access Foundation, TransAccess, and numerous similar agencies. Each organization as been given a limited number of invitations and will be responsible for assigning invitations to appropriate participants.

A concurrent free assistive technologies festival is scheduled, complete with at least 3 dozen vendors of assistive technologies, visits from clowns and face painters, free food and refreshments for participants, and much more. The festival will also serve as an exciting "accessibility expo" with partners from dozens of accessible activities groups providing free samples and demonstrating their services & merchandise onsite.

Individual and corporate monetary and in-kind donations and sponsorships are needed and welcome.

Yuka: (Entrevista em Portugues)

Desde 9 de novembro de 2001, o músico e compositor Marcelo Yuka, 39 anos, vive numa cadeira de rodas. Baleado com 9 tiros durante um assalto na Tijuca, zona norte do Rio, ficou paralisado da cintura para baixo. A vida profissional também parou. Saiu de O Rappa, precisou recuperar a vida para só então retomar o trabalho. Uniu-se a três novos músicos – o cantor carioca Maurício Pacheco e dois percussionistas pernambucanos, Jam e Garnizé. Juntos, eles formaram a F.UR.T.O (Frente Urbana de Trabalhos Organizados) e lançam agora o primeiro CD, Sangue Audiência.

Entrevista completa:

‘‘Tenho uma vergonha enorme de mim’’

http://www.terra.com.br/istoegente/305/entrevista/index.htm

Megan Smith Makes Travel a Lifestyle

"Disabled Traveler" Megan Smith has traveled to India and to Costa Rica and Peru - and she has only just begun to see the world. She enjoyed her travel so much that she plans to establish a career that involves travel. As she travels she opens up new perspectives t the people she meets.

Further resources:

http://disabledtraveler.blogspot.com/2005/10/my-name-is-megan-smith-and-i-am-senior.html

Call for Papers: Geography & Disability

The Association of American Geographers, Disability Specialty Group (DSG) has issued a call for papers in their Student Paper Competition - 2007

Students working on topics concerned with the complex and multifaceted geographies of disability and chronic illness are encouraged to submit a paper to the 2007 AAG Disability Specialty Group Student Paper Competition. The goals of the award are to encourage student participation in the specialty group and to recognize outstanding emerging scholarship in geographic research on chronic illness and disability. The successful student will receive a cash prize of $100 and a year's membership to the DSG. Students do not have to be a current member of the DSG or AAG nor must they plan to attend the 2007 AAG conference to submit a paper. International submissions are also invited.

Eligibility criteria: Papers prepared for publication, conference presentation, and graduate or senior undergraduate courses, as well as entries written specifically for this competition, are eligible for submission. Each student may submit only one paper.

The paper should not exceed 25 double-spaced pages (including all notes, references, and figures). 12 point font is preferred along with standard margins.

A cover letter should accompany all entries and contain:

· Current title of the paper and a brief abstract (no more than 100 words).

· Academic affiliation

· Faculty advisor for the paper

· Names and affiliations of co-authors (if applicable)

· Information on where the paper was presented/submitted (or is to be presented/submitted)

· Mailing address

· E-mail address

· Phone number

All entries must be received by February 28th, 2007. Three hard copies of the paper should be mailed to:

Valorie Crooks

Chair, Disability Specialty Group

Department of Geography

Simon Fraser University

RCB 7123

8888 University Drive

Burnaby, British Columbia, CANADA

V5A 1S6

Students considering submitting are advised to contact Valorie by e-mail in advance at crooks@sfu.ca. She will also gladly address any questions or concerns regarding participation in this competition.

Reviewers will be secured and their recommendations will be sent to the DSG Board for the final award decision.

Award notification

The award recipient will be notified shortly after the 2007 AAG meeting in San Francisco. The cheque will be mailed to him/her shortly thereafter. Post-conference announcements will be found on the DSG website (http://isc.temple.edu/neighbor/service/disability&geography.html)

and the GEOGABLE listserv (http://isc.temple.edu/neighbor/service), as well as other appropriate venues.

Curso Turismo para Todo Desde la Argentina

Hay un curso virtual por Luis Alberto Grünewald y el Fundación Turismo Para Todos -- Como Mejorar la Competitividad de un Empresa Hotelera.

Módulo 1

Objetivo: Analizar y diagnosticar la oferta hotelera.
- Características del Hotel propuesto para el estudio.
- Diagnostico de la oferta hotelera
- Identificación y justificación del Mercado objetivo
- Principios de la Gestión de Negocios en un establecimiento Hotelero.

Módulo 2

Objetivo: Analizar e identificar las necesidades básicas del Huésped de Hotel y comprender necesidades, hábitos, costumbres y deseos del segmento en estudio.
- Perfil del huésped de Hotel - Identificación del segmento en estudio

Módulo 3

Objetivo: Identificación de Productos y Servicios.
- Principios del Desarrollo de Productos y Servicios Hoteleros
- Identificación de las variables de éxito de una empresa hotelera
- Creación de valor de la oferta hotelera
- Determinación, medición y mejora del valor. Estrategias para el segmento en estudio.

Módulo 4

Objetivo: Desarrollo de Programas de venta de productos y servicios
- Como organizar un Programa de Actividades
- Pautas de comercialización de Productos y servicio

Informaciones:

www.turismoparatodos.org.ar

http://www.turismomyn.com.ar/

info@turismoaccesible.com.ar

Campus Educativo:
www.turismoparatodos.org.ar/edu

TouriSME

The European initiative TouriSME, a community initiative of the Interreg IIIC Regional Operation Plan, reaches its conclusions this year. What will its lasting effect be?

The Community of Valencia, along with the Province of Limburg, Holland, the Sachsen-Anhalt region of Germany, and the region of North East England, is involved in the European project TouriSME, a community initiative of the Interreg IIIC Regional Operation Plan. For the Generalitat, the European Affairs Office of the President and the IMPIVA are also included. The aim of Interreg is to generate interregional exchanges of experience and knowledge, and to create a working network linking administrations, association and various public and private sector agents of the various regional members.

The Valencia Tourism Agency, which is part of the Tourism Consellería, is involved in four subprojects of the TouriSME programme: Natural Patrimony and Tourism, Accessible Tourism, New Markets, and Tourism Structures. On the occasion of the 4th Interregional Operation Plan Conference, held in Valencia, in October, 2005, the Valencian Agency of Tourism, organised a parallel visit for the English delegates participating as associate members of the Agency in the “Accessible Tourism” subproject.

The English associates, accompanied by a Tourist-Information Office representative, visited three tourism spots: the Fallero Museum and two hotels in the city of Valencia. As a result, the English members independently and of their own volition prepared a report on the accessibility standards of the places they had visited, which overall was quite favourable.

Prior to their visit, a meeting took place in the Tourism Centre CdT of Valencia, in which the heads of accessibility matters in the Valencian Agency of Tourism and the Social Well-being Consellería explained to the English delegation the legislation, plan of action and aid programmes that the Generalitat has undertaken in order to improve accessibility to tourism destinations and products in the Community of Valencia.

The British delegation was favourably impressed by the aid plan of the Valencian Tourism Agency for the adaptation of tourism establishments for the disabled, and they highlighted the high standard of accessibility to the beaches of the Community of Valencia.

The Interreg IIIC TouriSME programme will terminate in 2006. Till then, the Valencia Tourism Agency will continue working with its associates in the Accessible Tourism project, who attended the X International Tourism Forum of Benidorm, where 150 representatives discussed the infrastructure and service differentiations in destinations. Especially noteworthy was the round table discussion on the subject of accessible tourism and the adaptation of tourism infrastructures and services to the needs of new market segments.

Source:
Conselleria de Turisme
www.comunidad-valenciana.org

Boletín Polibea Turismo

El mejor recurso de turismo para todos en la Espana se llama Boletín Polibea Turismo

Proud to be Proven Wrong

Over at the Rolling Rains photo-sharing site, Travel With a Disability, I jokingly mentioned to photographer Brian, "End of Level Boss," that sightseeing the Great Wall of China was not likely to be a passtime for travelers with disabilities.

I am glad to have been proven wrong by Huang Jianming and this video:

From video caption:

A man who lost his legs in a train accident climbed the Great Wall of China. Huang Jianming had both legs amputated in 1994, after he fell out of a speeding train carriage.

He climbed the Great Wall for two hours by using the sheer strength of his arms, pushing himself up the cobble stoned steps in front of hundreds of bemused tourists. "I lost my legs 12 years ago and what I have been through in the past 12 years is strong proof that when you have confidence and a strong will, you can do wonders," said Huang

The accident totally changed Huang's life. Without legs, his wife deserted him when he lost his livelihood, but he remained determined to live a normal life. "I hope when these tourists see me, a half man, climbing the Great Wall and enjoying being a real man, they will th

ink about themselves. When they are facing difficulties in life in the future, they can be real people too," he said.

Source:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8051402628032399140&q=disability&hl=en

---

Two other ways to see the Great Wall of China:

Airborne at the end of the Jinshinling to Samatai walk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF43ctM3aCE

"Overview"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuRn7YC6Pzg

Avis Tries Harder in NYC

Avis Rent A Car System, LLC today announced it has received the Title III Public Accommodations Award from the Mayor's Office of New York City. The award is part of New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's second annual Mayoral Advocacy Awards, at which companies are recognized for doing exceptional work in supporting the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

From the press release:

Avis Wins the 2006 Title III Public Accommodations Award from the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060911/nym178.html?.v=48

Desafios y Compromisos del Turismo?

Como se puede humanizarse con una actvidade que se considera una clase de ser humano "menos valido?" Se humanizer la industria de turismo fue uno de los razones para nuestro congresso en el Río de Janeiro, Brasil despues del Diseñando para el Siglo XXI: Un Congreso Internacional de Diseño Universal”

En Español:
La Declaración de Río : Diseño Universal para un Desarrollo Inclusive y Sostenible
http://www.rollingrains.com/archives/000289.html

En Portugese:
Carta do Rio: Desenho Universal para um Desenvolvimento Inclusivo e Sustentavel
http://www.rollingrains.com/archives/000288.html

Mas Recursos:

La Comisión Internacional sobre Tecnología y Accesibilidad (ICTA)
http://www.designfor21st.org/pg.cfm?nid=304&l=en

Diseño Universal: Principios y Prácticas en América Latina
http://www.designfor21st.org/pg.cfm?nid=305&l=en

Toward a More Human Vision

The UNIJES Conference opens September 20 on the theme, “Challenges and Commitments of Tourism: Towards a More Human Vision”. What more basic place to start than "diseño universal" -- Universal Design.

For a summary of core Ignatian values see the list compiled by Georgetown University copied below:

The Office of Mission and Ministry has compiled a list of the values (with definitions) to help faculty, staff and students understand the distinctive nature of the educational community. It is the university’s hope that people embrace the community’s various faith traditions and appropriate the Jesuit values in their own distinct ways.

"Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam" (for the Greater Glory of God):
This motto of the Society of Jesus, appears over the entrance to Wolfington Hall (Jesuit Residence) and above the stage in Gaston Hall. The phrase identifies the religious purpose of all Jesuit endeavors. It is not simply doing good that Jesuits propose, but rather doing what will better or more effectively reveal God’s active presence in our work and in the world. Discerning what is better is always a principle of Jesuit decision-making.

Contemplation in Action:

St. Ignatius believed that prayer and reflectivity should so guide our choices and actions that our activity itself becomes a way of entering into union with and praising God. Contemplation is a critical dimension of the spiritual life and it is reflected in Georgetown’s commitment to prayer, worship and retreats. Analogously, in the academic life, a spirit of reflectivity is a critical aspect of intellectual inquiry.

Academic Excellence:

Academic excellence describes the great importance that Jesuits have placed on the life of the mind as a means for uncovering truth and discovering meaning. Georgetown’s emphasis on academic excellence is reflected in the careful selection of faculty and students, the quality of teaching and the importance of research.

Educating the Whole Person:

St. Ignatius believed that God could be discovered in every human endeavor, facet of learning and experience, and field of study. Consequently, he promoted the development of the spiritual, intellectual, artistic, social and physical aspects of each person. Georgetown's commitment to educating the whole person is evident in our strong core curriculum, our wide array of academic programs and our commitment to athletic, living-learning and religiously centered communities.

"Cura Personalis":

This Latin phrase translates as "Care of the Person," and originally was used to describe the responsibility of the Jesuit Superior to care for each man in the community with his unique gifts, challenges, needs and possibilities. This value now is applied more broadly to include the relationship between educators and students and professional relationships among all those who work in the university. “Cura Personalis” suggests individualized attention to the needs of the other, distinct respect for his or her unique circumstances and concerns, and an appropriate appreciation for his or her particular gifts and insights.

Faith and Justice:

In 1965, the Jesuits made a significant institutional commitment to "the service of faith and the promotion of justice." This commitment links the authentic following of the Gospel of Jesus with an obligation to address the social realities of poverty, oppression and injustice. While not all members of the Georgetown community would base their commitment to justice on these religious principles, our institutional commitment to promote justice in the world grounds our Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and Service, and inspires numerous university projects with the underserved.

Women and Men for Others:

The Rev. Pedro Arrupe, S.J., superior general of the Society of Jesus from 1965 to 1981, employed the phrase "Men for Others" in a notable 1973 presentation in Spain. He provocatively challenged the alumni of Jesuit schools and universities to be engaged in the struggle for justice to protect the needs of the most vulnerable. Today, this phrase has become more inclusive and its spirit is evidenced in Georgetown's promotion of service-learning; our local, national and international service projects; and the commitments of our graduates to serve in organizations such as the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, Teach for America and the Peace Corps.

Interreligious Understanding:

Reflecting themes from the Second Vatican Council, the 34th General Congregation of the Society of Jesus made a significant commitment to ecumenical and interreligious engagement and understanding. As the Georgetown University community comprises a wide variety of religious traditions, our Office of Campus Ministry supports Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Jewish and Muslim chaplaincies, a variety of affiliated ministries, and numerous interreligious events and services. In addition, the university sponsors the Prince Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding; the Program for Jewish Civilization; the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs; the Catholic Studies Program; and a partnership with the Woodstock Theological Center.

Community in Diversity:

Georgetown welcomes and sustains rich diversity among our students, faculty and staff. And it supports the community through a variety of resources that include the Diversity Action Council, the Center for Minority Educational Affairs, the Patrick F. Healy Fellows Program, the Coordinator for LBGTQ Community Resources and a wide array of student cultural and performance groups.

Source: Blue & Gray (August 21, 2006)

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Mi Alma Mater (M.A. Pastoral Ministry)
Seattle University

Mas Para "Desafios y Compromisos del Turismo"

El Congresso en me recuerda de lo que escribio el padre Jesuita James Spilane sobre la espiritualidade del trabajador en turismo -- otro aspecto del humanismo de turismo:

Spirituality of Work in the Hospitality Industry

Austrian Travel Resource: Informationsplattform Barrierefreier Tourismus

For travel planning to Austria, provided your German is polished up*, try Informationsplattform Barrierefreier Tourismus. For more on Austrian accessibility see Behindertenarbeit.

* OK, there's also an English version for folks like me:

http://www.ibft.at/en/start

Design, Technology and Their Roles in Social Changes

Christina Li publishes UI Garden. Her article, Design, Technology and Their Roles in Social Changes, is an interesting piece.

Farmington: Community Action for Livable Communities

Michael Shaw, executive director of New Horizonshas a vision for community-based Universal Design. Read Disabled Don't Want To Be Forgotten by Gregory Seat at the Hartford Courant.

Contact info:

New Horizons, Inc.
Michael Shaw, Executive Director
37 Bliss Memorial Road
Unionville, CT 06085
Phone: 203-675-4711
Fax: 203-675-4369

First Conference on Assistive Technologies: Expanding a Universe of Opportunities for People with Disabilities

I want to call your attention again to a conference on Assistive Technology in Hong Kong next month.

The conference itself promises to be outstanding but I have to admit that the double-amputee mountaineer in the photo panel above from the CTC Foundation inspires the adventurer in me! The conference is the First Conference on Assistive Technologies: Expanding a Universe of Opportunities for People with Disabilities, to be held in Hong Kong, October 10th to 12th, 2006.

From the web site:

The RehabAid Society of Hong Kong, The Polytechnic University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong are our local Supporting Organizations, while we are gratefully receiving similar international support from Rehabilitation International, Disabled Peoples International, and the International Paralympic Committee.

The Hong Kong Conference is the first of three focused on Assistive Technologies, with the subsequent two to occur in Beijing in 2007 and 2008. The last of the three conferences coincides between the World Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in Beijing in 2008. The conferences in 2006 and 2007 will promote the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing. With the world in attendance in 2008 in Beijing, a conference can be held before the Paralympic Games to show the attendees these products in action and how they can improve the mental and physical lives of people using them.

http://www.atn-ctcf.org/China/index.htm

The six topics being discussed are:

1. Assistive Technology and Aging
2. Assistive Technology and Education
3. Assistive Technology and Employment
4. Information and Communication Technology
5. Assistive Technology and Quality of Life
6. Assistive Technology and Web Accessibility.

For additional information, please visit http://www.atn-ctcf.org/China/ or call Howard McClintic at 202 312 2913 or email mcclinth@ctcgsc.org; China_Conferences@yahoo.com.

Further Reading:

Assistive technology News
http://www.lanecc.edu/disability/ATN.htm

The Camera Toting Wheelchair User

Julia Hollenbeck of Wheel Me On has written a piece called Lightweight Shutterbug Travel. Here is an excerpt:

Winter travel can certainly add the extra luggage, (depending on where you are heading) with a lap blanket, coat, sweaters, and boots for outdoors and of course all the comfy things for indoors. Soon your luggage adds up to three or more suitcases or one gigantic case with a tote you hope someone will help you load and unload.

Now summer travel is not as difficult, and can easily be accomplished, with just a couple of suitcases. Regardless of season, traveling is a real hoot and probably a strange sight wheelers might make, after adding a briefcase or laptop hanging over the handles on the wheelchair, squishing the backpack beneath, and camera equipment dangling from the side. Whatever you do, just do not get out of your wheelchair until someone starts unloading your "equipment," because the extra weight could tip the wheelchair over backwards once you leave your seat.

Source:
Ligtweight Shutterbug Travel

Seeing Rome by Wheelchair

There is a helpful discussion specifically about visiting Rome, Italy at SlowTravel,.com. Here is the link to a thread on the discussion board.

United Nations Recognizes Disability Rights: Africa Responds

The 2004 Rio Declaration on Sustainable Inclusive Development set a high standard in the ongoing dialogue on development and disability. Progress continues. The following is by Lina Lindblom, communications officer at the Secretariat of the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities. The aricle celebrates the August 25, 2006 approval of a UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF THE DISABLED
http://www.pambazuka.org/

by Lina Lindblom

Friday 25 August saw a UN General Assembly committee approve a UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Convention is the first human rights treaty of the 21st century and is designed to encourage governments to pass legislation protecting people with disabilities and to eliminate discriminatory laws and practices. Lina Lindblom from the Secretariat of the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities explores the implications for the 60 million people in Africa living with disabilities.

The first human rights treaty of the twenty-first century has just been finalised at the United Nations. It will serve to promote and protect the human rights of 650 million persons with disabilities around the world. In Africa, the decade between 1999 and 2009 has been proclaimed the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities by the African Union. The first-ever human rights convention for persons with disabilities will be an important tool for the Secretariat that facilitates the implementation of the African Decade’s plan of action.

Around 60 million persons with disabilities live in Africa. These individuals are barely visible in most African societies, and rarely appear to have voices or opinions about general issues that are brought to our attention by the media. The majority of them are excluded from schools, work opportunities and participation in development programs. The African disability movement’s struggle for human rights is essentially a fight against this exclusion and against the overwhelming poverty that it leads to.

The Secretariat of the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities advocates for the inclusion of disability into the existing development priorities of African Union member states, because the exclusion of disability from them perpetuates the poverty and despair of disabled Africans. The new convention constitutes a broad framework for disability, human rights and development. It will be increasingly important to associate any work on disability to the convention, including poverty reduction processes. The African Decade for Persons with Disabilities, 1999-2009, was proclaimed by the African Union to address the human rights and development needs of disabled Africans.

Representatives of DPOs and UN Agencies came up with a continental plan of action for the Decade. It was endorsed by the executive counsil of the AU in 2002. The government of the Republic of South Africa accepted to host the Secretariat of the African Decade in 2003, and the Secretariat was established in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2004. The Secretariat facilitates the implementation of the Continental Plan of Action through its African Decade Disability Programme (ADDP), a program primarily funded by the governments of Sweden and Denmark.

One of the working focuses of the disability movement has become to mainstream disability, i.e. to get disability and persons with disabilities included in the existing development community. It is about getting governments and development organisations to include disability into policies and programs, and to invite persons with disabilities to participate in the development of these policies and programs. The disability movement does not want separate, exclusionary processes, keeping them out of the mainstream societies.

If mainstreaming is a buzz word in the disability movement, how come they have designed a new and separate human rights convention just for persons with disabilities?, you may ask. Some within the movement are indeed wishing that disability had been inserted and mentioned in the existing human rights provisions instead, but most people are actively supporting the new convention. Petronella Linders, who works for the South African government and assisted the South African delegation to the convention deliberations in New York, explains that she believes that the convention will force countries to look at their own legislation from a disability point of view. In so doing, a separate convention can actually enhance and enforce mainstreaming of disability into national legislation. Before, the approach of many African governments has been to implement human rights provisions for persons with disabilities on an ad-hoc basis. Now there will be a legally binding document that governments must implement if they ratify it.

Thomas Ong’olo from Kenya, who works as a program manager at the Secretariat of the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities, agrees. He says that the convention will be a crucial instrument “to remind governments that we are here”. So many times before, Africans with disabilities have simply been left out of the equation. It has also been argued that persons with disabilities find themselves in a legal disadvantage in relation to other vulnerable groups such as refugees and women, because the latter have the protection of single bodies of binding norms in thematic human rights conventions. The convention on the Rights of the Child has been the only one of the conventions to explicitly mention persons with disabilities. In the other ones, individuals with disabilities are only covered as being part of “vulnerable or marginalized groups”. Governments that ratify the new convention will be legally bound to treat persons with disabilities not just as a vulnerable group or a minority, but as subjects to the law with clearly defined rights.

The process of developing the new convention has been said to be very participatory and well functioning. More than 400 delegates and disability advocates from around the world have attended the eight sessions since 2002 at the United Nations in New York. One of the few serious problems mentioned is that many persons with disabilities and Disabled Persons’ Organizations (DPOs) from developing countries have not been able to attend the meetings, meaning that their issues and voices have not been adequately captured in the draft convention. This, again, is down to the issue of poverty. Many African DPOs have simply not had the money to send representatives to the United Nations headquarters in New York.

According to Phitalis Were Masakhwe, an international advisor on disability within the United Nations, there appears to be a wide gap between the wishes, needs and aspirations of persons with disabilities from poor developing countries and those from the so called developed world. In Africa and parts of Asia people would have wanted a convention that emphasizes their main challenges; poverty, disability and conflicts, and invisibility of disability in international development and cooperation, he says. Thomas Ong’olo of the African Decade Secretariat agrees. The benchmark of the discussions in New York has been set by the rich, he argues: “Sometimes the discussions may be around issues that are simply not relevant to most Africans, such as choice of services. Choosing the type of accessible transport you want to use or the exact time of pickup by that transport of your choice, is not an issue in developing countries. The main African issue is around basic survival.”

Implementation is the main concern now. International monitoring of the convention and international cooperation in the implementation process have been two of the most difficult issues to agree on during the eighth session of the convention committee. This is possibly an even bigger concern in Africa than in other parts of the world, because of the lack of capacity and funds at the national level. Many Africans worry that the convention will be just another document not put into practice by their governments. The money issue is the predominant concern here too. Putting the provisions of the convention into practice will be costly. Concerns have been raised that lack of money will hinder states to meet even the most urgent obligations. All countries will face costs, but it will be hardest for developing countries.

International cooperation must play an important part in this, Ambassador Don MacKay, who chairs the Ad Hoc Committee on the convention at the United Nations, says, for example in incorporating into development cooperation programmes elements to assist with disability related matters.

A worry is also that the DPOs are expected to monitor the governments in the implementation process, but many of these organisations in many countries are simply too weak. Training programs are taking place, but the problem remains. Much more capacity building and better structures are needed. In the five pilot countries of the African Decade Disability Program, [1]Decade Steering Committees (DSCs) have been established, comprised of representatives of government ministries, DPOs, civil society, media, experts on disability and international organizations. The private sector in the countries has been invited to participate. A partnership between the public and the private sectors is crucial for job creation and effective resource mobilization.

The major functions of the National Decade Steering Committees include playing a key role in the preparation of a comprehensive national plan and in the development of national policy. The committees also monitor the implementation of policies and programmes for persons with disabilities in their countries. The African Decade Secretariat’s plan is to facilitate the establishment of new committees in at least 15 other African countries by the end of 2009. [2] The mission of the Secretariat is to empower governments, DSCs, DPOs and development organisations to work in partnership to include disability and persons with disabilities into policies and programs in all sectors of society in Africa. This means that the emphasis is on capacitating these actors to work together. One of the Secretariat’s strengths is that we are able to learn from initiatives in one country, and bring them to (or avoid them in) another.

We are also engaging large international organisations in the struggle for mainstreaming. Our experience is that it often only takes one meeting, a small effort that brings large results if we manage to get them on board. One current new initiative is collaboration between the Secretariat and UNESCO, to train African journalists in how to report on disability issues in a way that respects their human rights and does not reproduce common stereotypes. Another is to collaborate with UNICEF to ensure that children with disabilities are included in their programs.

Prejudice, exclusion, stigmas and a tendency to still view disability within a charity perspective or a medical model, rather than within the human rights discourse, are all very real barriers to participation for persons with disabilities in Africa today. Combined with a high level of poverty, the African disability movement is facing an uphill struggle. There are positive signs and opportunities, however. The topic of disability and development has been featured in the development discourse for a couple of decades now. Many global and regional discussions and pledges abound to ensure that policies, programs and resources are accessible to persons with disabilities and inclusive of everyone.

Some ten African countries, e.g. Ghana, Malawi, Kenya and South Africa, have developed White Papers on national disability strategies. These are model documents for the mainstreaming of disability. The African Union has taken important and promising initiatives in recent years, such as proclaiming the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities. However, Africans with disabilities are increasingly frustrated by the beautiful words, and want action. For this reason the establishment of the Secretariat of the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities is an important step from talk to implementation.

The Decade was proclaimed in 1999. We only started our work at the Secretariat in 2004. We can regret the delay, but we choose to focus now on our role as facilitators of the implementation of the Continental Plan of Action, capacity building, awareness raising, continued struggle for mainstreaming of disability and against the poverty and exclusion of disabled Africans. Now we will be enforced with a new and important tool, the first-ever human rights convention for persons with disabilities.

* Lina Lindblom, communications officer at the Secretariat of the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities.

* Please send comments to editor@pambazuka.org or comment online at www.pambazuka.org

Notes:

[1] The pilot countries are Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda and Senegal.
[2] Some African countries, e.g. Mali, Mauritania, Guinea Bissau and the DRC, have also set up their own Decade Steering Committees outside of the Secretariat’s programme.

For more information, see:
http://www.un.org/News/
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/rights/ahc8.htm

Chen Zhengwen Lives Universal Design from the Heart

taiwan was host to the 2005 International Conference on Accessible Tourism Chen Zhengwen keeps the hope kindled there burning brightly - for love of his daughter Mixi.

Chen Zhengwen is about to retire, and he has a dream: he hopes that one day he will be able to see his daughter, Mixi, travel independently around the island, without having to worry about stairways or barriers in her path. Chen is doing his bit with great tenacity, petitioning the government in hopes that bit by bit, he can create a totally accessible Taiwan.

Mixi is 20 years old this year. When she was born, it was a difficult delivery, and the lack of oxygen to her brain caused cerebral palsy. However, at the age of six, she was already moving around on a tricycle, and the Chens, who live in Fengshan,
always took their daughter to local parks and attractions. However, the obstacles she encountered everywhere often diminished the child's joy in riding her tricycle around. It was then that Chen's desire to eliminate them was born.

Source:
http://english.www.gov.tw/TaiwanHeadlines/index.jsp?categid=11&recordid=99035

New Resource Available on Rebuilding Accessible Communities

Tools for Inclusive Destination Development include the new Rebuilding Accessible Communities, a joint venture of the ADA Technical Assistance Centers and the Access Board:

A new initiative is underway to promote accessibility in the rebuilding of communities destroyed by last year’s hurricanes. Rebuilding Accessible Communities, a joint venture of the ADA Technical Assistance Centers and the Access Board, is focused on developing and distributing guidance on achieving accessibility in reconstruction projects. Under this program, an on-line resource has been launched to disseminate information prepared and collected to date which is available at www.adata.org/rac/index.aspx.

The Rebuilding Accessible Communities effort was conceived as an opportunity for community groups, advocates and the building industry to collectively reconstruct communities in a way to be accessible to all. The new website, an initial step of this program, currently provides answers to common questions that have arisen in work to rebuild devastated areas as well as links to existing sources of information. Additional resources, best practices and advisory information will be posted to this site as they become available.

Under this program, the ADA Technical Assistance Centers, which comprise a national network of federally funded resources serving different geographic areas, and the Board are providing technical assistance and training which is geared to the particular needs of communities. For more information, contact the ADA Technical Assistance Center serving your area by calling (800) 949-4232 (voice/TTY) or the Access Board at (800) 872-2253 (voice), (800) 993-2822 (TTY), or by email at ta@access-board.gov (for technical assistance) or training@access-board.gov (for training).

* * * * * *

Source; Volume 12, No.4 July/ August 2006
"Access Currents" is a free newsletter issued by the Access Board every other month by mail and e-mail. Send questions or comments to news@access-board.gov or call (800) 872-2253 ext. 0026 (voice) or (800) 993-2822 (TTY). Mailing address: 1331 F Street, N.W., Suite 1000; Washington, D.C. 20004-1111.

Monday Movies: The Wheelchair Backflip

Tipping over backwards in a wheelchair is a relatively common experience. Performing an aerial backflip in a wheelchair was only first done in July 2006. Not the usual mode of travel-with-a-disability presented here the following URL links to what the skateboard generation is doing to push the boundaries of mobility.

A word of caution, the first several tricks go awry and end with bone-jarring lack of grace. If you can make it through the fiascos you will see the backflip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0slMHXbUUI

Bob Coomber: California Mountain Man

From the Contra Costa Times:

Bob Coomber powered his wheelchair smoothly along a rugged dirt trail in the Mount Diablo foothills until he struck a hidden rock.

The man with arms of steel shuddered to a halt like a ship running aground.

He instantly popped his front wheels in the air like a kid on a bicycle and skimmed over just one more barrier to his quest to conquer rugged California hill and mountain trails where no one else has wheeled before.

For the full article see:

Willpower on wheels supplies strength

Recent News on Universal Design

Imagine 2106 in the Back to the Future Youth Contest sponsored by the Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres to celebrate its 20th anniversary. The contest is open to anyone — able, disabled, whatever — aged 16 to 29. See by Helen Henderson's Contest crafts future with no limits

As home bathrooms become spas, Universal Design moves onto center stage. Read this article in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette by Catherine Rdgers, Awash in Choices and come back next week for herpiece: Ways and means of implementing the principles of universal design.

David Fischer, writing in the Herald Today, reports on the use of Universal Design in public spaces in Group tries to make playgrounds accessible for the disabled. What is especially noteworthy here is the clear distinction made between ADA compliance and Universal Design.

The group mentioned, Boundless Playgrounds, " address not only barriers for children with physical disabilities, but also developmental, cognitive and sensory disabilities." That is the power of Universal Design -- and the weakness of unimaginative, up-to-standards-and nothing-more design.

For more see:

The National Center for Boundless Playgrounds: http://www.boundlessplaygrounds.org

Freedom Playground: http://www.freedomplayground.org/

Disabled Traveler Survey

Hard data from surveys such as this 2005 study done by Microtel allows hospitality industry professionals to reinforce their anecdotal evidence that Universal Design is good business. If you are in a professional position to advocate for such a study consider doing so.

More on Malaga - Universal Design Recognized by the Queen

Spain continues its push toward municipal Universal Design. Here Malaga celebrates its recognition by Queen Sofia.

http://www.malagaes.com/noticia.asp?id=1385

http://www.laopiniondemalaga.com/secciones/noticia.jsp?pIdNoticia=72074&pIdSeccion=2

Access to Digital Information

NetSquared is a project to facilitate adoption of new, Web 2.0, social web tools by non-profits. Their informal gatherings and conference in the San Francisco Bay Area are an engine of technology dissemination and best practice sharing.

One topic covered at the NetSquared multi-author blog is Accessibility. In the latest post Sharron Rush looks at Goggle's Accessible Search.