Rolling Rains Report:

Get Around Guide

Darren Hillock produces a blog, Get Around Guide, that I read to stay up-to-date. A recent post covers the globalization of Universal Design in the backpackers travel niche.

You saw it in Kerry & Jane Winberg's revolutionary Tasmanian circuit of accessible backpacker accommomdations. Starting with their flagship venue in Launceston, Tasmania I had the pleasure of visiting their porperties two years ago. Fast forward to October 2006 and read about Northwest Portland International Hostel in Portland, Oregon.

Turismo Brasil: Postos de informações empregam portadores de necessidades especiais

A partir de quinta-feira (02/11), 22 jovens portadores de necessidades especiais começam a trabalhar nos postos de informações turísticas da Bahiatursa espalhados por Salvador. Eles fazem parte do Projeto Adolescente Aprendiz, apoiado pelo governo estadual, que está aproveitando-os no atendimento ao turista e em muitos outros serviços.

O projeto acompanha e insere adolescentes no mercado de trabalho com idade entre 14 e 24 anos, e auxilia, principalmente, jovens com renda familiar de até 50% do salário mínimo, portadores de algum tipo de deficiência, órfãos residentes em casas de assistência. A iniciativa possui 7 anos de existência e durante esse período inseriu cerca de 700 adolescentes no mercado de trabalho, dos quais 90% negros.

Coordenado pelo Padre Alfredo Dórea e a pedagoga Iraildes Andrade, o projeto prepara os jovens para o atendimento ao turista, além de despertar neles o interesse sobre assuntos como cidadania, consciência e habilidade em informática. Além da Bahiatursa, a iniciativa envolve mais 40 empresas de grande porte com atuação no Estado, a exemplo do Banco do Brasil e Coelba.

DECOM – Bahiatursa

Juliana Galindo
decom@bahiatursa.ba.gov.br
(71) 3117-3081
31/10/2006

VISITE O PORTAL
www.bahia.com.br

Blind Travelers and Valencia, Spain

Valencia, Spain initiated a project for travelers with visual impairments.

Pansonic Mashes Up Green & Universal Design

Panasonic's prototype of a green home, the Eco & UD model home (Eco stands for ecological; UD stands for universal design) sports a host of energy-conserving appliances and could be built by 2010. CNET News.com's Michael Kanellos took a look during a recent trip to Tokyo. Read the story here:

http://news.com.com/2300-1008_3-6129155-1.html

Big Bear Countree

The outdoors present some challenges for travelers with mobility impairments. Darrel Von has a vision for meeting the challenges -- and having a good time! The culmination of his dream is Big Bear Countree in Carlton, Oregon.

Browse his site for Darrel's history, stories, and links with a focus on outdoor adventure.

I have retired from the family logging business, married my beautiful, loving wife, Mary and have started my life-long dream of Big Bear Countree, Inc. This company and Website will help provide the means for many to get around in the great outdoors via four track, Argo, trackster, rafts, wave runners, boat, bike, flying and much more. It will allow me to teach and learn from others who strive to make a better and more enjoyable life in this challenging world. Tours, lessons, safety courses, and pooling resources from others will be our main goals for this venture. We look forward to meeting you!

Darrel & Mary

Telephone: 503.852.7926
Fax: 503.852.0152
Mailing Address: 17415 Panther Creek Rd.
Carlton, OR 97111

Source:

http://www.bigbearcountree.com/

Free Publicity for Hilton Hotels

When the Head Concierge himself asks me to post about an oversight in accessibility here at Rolling Rains I am ready to take a closer look at the values of his hotel.

It happened as I was checking into the Arlington Hilton last week for the SeniorNet 20th Anniversary Conference. Henry, the night concierge, was there to assist me from the moment the taxi pulled up. Showing me to my room (which, for some reason - perhaps a case of mistake identity - was on the exclusive Club Floor.) In the process of getting settled he pointed out to me that, in spite of his repreated requests to the management over the year, the bathroom counter in the accessible room 726 was too low and I would hit my knees on it.

Sure enough, I did. Several times!

Everything else about the hotel was superb. That prompted me to book with Hilton here in Anaheim where I will speak at AARP's Life@50+ Conference.

Service again is commendable.

This time the room - bathroom and all - is very comfortable and wheelchair accessible. There are low towel racks on the inside of the bathroom door. The handheld shower is installed properly so that it is reachable even when extended to its highest point. Grab bars are ubiquitous in the bathroom but at the same time blend with the color scheme. These are fine points often overlooked in a "compliance to ADA is sufficient" hotel - and they make all the difference in the world when I am decided who gets my business.
.

Someone at Hilton understands the difference between stylish and sterile! Since I seem to be in this area frequently for conferences I found a place that is almost as comfortable as home.

The Accessible City (A Resource in Spanish)

The site La Ciudad sin Barreras gathers online information to serve a Spanish audience with disabilities:

Este espacio pretende facilitar el acceso a la información existente en Internet en relación con las necesidades de los discapacitados españoles, así como facilitar su integración social y difundir aspectos relacionados con la prevención de las minusvalías.

More:

http://sinbarreras.aut.org/oferta.html

http://sinbarreras.aut.org/Plano?36,33

Segway Synergies

Alan Rice offers a unique mode of travel to tourists in Hawaii. He is " the only official Segway dealer in Hawaii, he's already sold units to the Honolulu Police Department and the U.S. military, and hopes that more people will consider purchasing the device.

"You can go outside, get on the city bus ... roll out and do your business, roll back in and go back home," he said. "So many physically challenged people are using these and getting out of wheelchairs, and it makes them feel alive."

Source:

http://starbulletin.com/2006/10/01/features/story01.html

Universal Design Competition at University of Tennessee Center for Universal Design

You learn something new every day:

Some examples of Universal Design are the football huddle, originally created for players with hearing impairments, and foil seals on modern coffee cans, which replaced tops that were hard for people with arthritis to open with can openers.

Source:

http://dailybeacon.utk.edu/showarticle.php?articleid=50705

As part of Disability Awareness Month, the Office of Disability Services [at the University of Tennessee] organized a competition to make students more aware of what Universal Design is and get students involved with designing objects, tools and practices for everyone. Any group of no more than four full-time undergraduate students was eligible to participate, provided they had a faculty sponsor. About 100 students entered the competition, bringing the number of projects entered to 27, Springer said.

http://dailybeacon.utk.edu/showarticle.php?articleid=50705

There Is Room at the Inn: Inns and B&Bs for Wheelers and Slow Walkers

The Chicago Tribune reviews Candy Harrington's latest book: There Is Room at the Inn: Inns and B&Bs for Wheelers and Slow Walkers

Source:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/travel/4219745.html

Singapore & Universal Design

Universal Design made inroads into the building policy of Singapore last month.

SINGAPORE : Barrier-free access in HDB estates and flat and precinct designs for residents of all ages are some of the features enshrined in the Housing and Development Board's Universal Design Guide, which was launched in Septmeber 2006.

A rapidly ageing population means the HDB must also change its public housing design to meet the needs of the elderly.

And the key word now is Barrier-Free Accessibility.

A recently-completed pilot project in Bukit Batok East has shown how HDB, the Land Transport Authority, NParks and the town council worked together for a barrier-free estate.

From now on, all new estates will incorporate these requirements of Universal Design - listed in the new HDB Guide.

Grace Fu, Minister of State for National Development, said, "Universal Design involves the integration of accessibility features for the elderly and those with physical disabilities, right at the start of the design process. This approach will result in a more holistic design of our HDB estates from the outset, and avoid the need to add or modify features later."

From a wider corridor, to low-height rocker switches, to wider toilet door widths for easy wheelchair access - these features are part of the concept of Universal Design, a design approach which the HDB says it is adopting for all its future housing projects.

Chong Chung Nee, Deputy Director, Design and Development, Housing and Development Board, said, "The guide will apply to flats announced from July this year, so we'll see them come on stream in a few years' time.

"Things such as wider corridors and wider toilet spaces are easy to do during construction and design. But we do not install grab bars and hand rails in all these places, because these can be installed by the residents themselves when the needs arise, so we leave it to the residents when the needs arise."

Meanwhile, HDB has also appointed architects from private practice and the academia to its newly set up Architectural Design Panel.

The panel is tasked with reviewing and contributing innovative ideas for special projects.

Chong Chung Nee explained, "The private sector architects will have a lot of ideas and concepts, different from what we're doing in public housing, so we hope by involving them, they'll be able to inject new ideas, new creative energy to bring our housing designs to the next level of excellence.

"This panel is useful because if the same architects and designers work on the same projects over a long period of time, we might end up in a groove, and will do the same things the same way. By having the Architectural Design Panel, we'll be able to tap on new ideas and new ways of looking at things....for example perhaps (in) the way public housing could look.

"One example would be The Pinnacle @ Duxton where through a competition, we get so many new ideas for public housing. Reviews will not cover all projects or sites - we will selectively select projects that are on prominent locations or of significance to tap on the expertise of our panels."

HDB houses 85 percent of the Singapore population.

Source:

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/233159/1/.html

Internet Librarian 2006

Usability, accessibility, and Universal Design are fairly predictable topics, or at least side conversations, at a techie event like the one here in Monterey, California -- Internet Librarian. I didn't expect to discover something relevant to the Rolling Rains Report in a workshop on Mashups but here it is: Travel & Tourism data sets at the US Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Crisscrossing the USA

Speaking at the SeniorNet 20th Anniversary Conference in Arlington, VA provided an unexpectedly rich opportunity to review travel accessibility. Jetting directly to Internet Librarian extended the adventure. On to speak at AARP's Life @ 50+ on Thursday.

After recent flights on Delta’s Canadair aircraft outfitted with rock-hard seat cushions it was a relief to fly United (with a Roho cushion under me!) In my experience, United was one of the slower airlines to catch on 20+ years ago to accommodating disabled passengers with dignity. They won my loyalty with their improvements over time. However on this trip, on both flights, I was ignored by the flight attendants on landing and left to establish social dominance on my own with the SWAT-like teams of passenger helpers that descend on disabled travelers who are still waiting onboard 20 to 30 minutes after the first passengers have deplaned.

Developing a rapport and communicating with the hired hands that the airlines use to schlep passengers in and out in the narrow airplane aisle wheelchairs can be an art. It reminds me of my childhood dream of bring an interpreter for the UN. I offended a Sudanese man when I guessed that he was Ethiopian, pleased a team of Somalis when I picked up some of their conversation and guessed correctly, and felt the familiar powerlessness on another flight as a Filipino man – with questionable management skills – explained to an Arabic speaking trainee how to strap in “that crippled man.” All are doing their best but clearly battling the handicaps of undertraining, overscheduling, and overcoming poor aircraft design such as armrests that do not lift out of the way and aisle widths with zero tolerance for error.

Other than having my wallet stolen by the United Airlines employee who carried my backpack into the cabin and the crew in Sydney that wanted to pass me across the gap between the jetway and the airplane – strapped to a narrow aisle chair – getting on and off a commercial flight has become about as routine and uneventful as loading any other piece of luggage.

Italian Study: Accessible Tourism

Below is a reproduction (without graphics) of the May 1999 Italian study on accessible tourism.

The data which this work is based on are taken from the survey carried out in the period between 31 May – 2 July 1999, by the Iter company commissioned by ENEA, as part of the STARe “Study of the Demand for Accessible hTourism”. This enquiry is part of the project “Italia per Tutti” promoted by the Ministry for the Industry (Department General for Tourism) and realised by ENEA as a tool for the promotion of holidays for “tourists with special needs”. The complete results of the survey can be found in the ENEA site at the following Internet address www.italiapertutti.it/i mprenditoria.htm .

Main results of the Iter survey on accessible tourism

* What is accessible tourism?
* Contents of the Survey
* Who are the tourists with special needs
* What are the needs and problems when travelling?
* Travelling after 65 years of age
* Travelling subject to what conditions: "potential tourist demand"

What is accessible tourism?

Accessible tourism is intended as the set of services and facilities capable of allowing persons with specific needs to enjoy a holiday and their leisure time with no particular barriers or problems. Individuals with specific needs could be elderly people, disabled individuals and people with particular diets or with allergy problems, who need particular comforts and facilitations during their travels. The definition of tourist covers a large category of people and takes into consideration all those individuals who declare they have taken at least one trip during the last year.
Information and data on this argument are quite rare and often missing in the main statistical sources on tourism, which mainly deal with qualitative assessments or, at most, with estimates relating to the actual size of the phenomenon.
The enquiry has been conducted on a sample of Italian households consisting in 9,041 units, not including all those individuals living in charitable organisations. The CATI (Computer Assisted Telephonic Interview) technique was adopted for the interviews, which were carried out by telephone.
The study represents a first attempt to fill in the current information gaps and, simultaneously, to build a methodological prototype capable of allowing surveys and analyses to be carried out on the real and potential demand for accessible tourism, even in other contexts.
In addition, there are several suggestions and requests coming from operators in this field, that contribute to increasing the importance of disseminating the statistical data on accessible tourism and that increase the motivation for the creation of homogeneous, comparable and continual data sources related to the subject. (up)

Contents of the survey

The data which this work is based on are taken from the survey carried out in the period between 31 May – 2 July 1999, by the Iter company commissioned by ENEA, as part of the STARe “Study of the Demand for Accessible Tourism”. This enquiry is part of the project “Italia per Tutti” promoted by the Ministry for the Industry (Department General for Tourism) and realised by ENEA as a tool for the promotion of holidays for “tourists with special needs”. The complete results of the survey can be found in the ENEA site at the following Internet address www.italiapertutti.it/i mprenditoria.htm .
The aims of the study are: to quantify the number of people with special needs in the Italian population and the percentage among them of those who contribute to the tourist demand; to gain a description of the various typologies of special requirements and of the relative problems encountered by the population that expresses a tourist demand; to define the conditions necessary for a potential demand of accessible tourism to emerge.

Following is a description of the demographic and social features of the tourists with special needs. It is worthwhile noting that tourists with special needs should not all be identified as disabled, since this category involves a larger amount of people than those with disabilities and, vice-versa, not all disabled. (up)
Who are the tourists with special needs?

In 1999 about 31 million people took at least one trip a year, amounting to 54.6% of all the Italian population. Among these, 2.9%, corresponding to 889,330 individuals, were people who expressed special needs. If one wishes to extend the analysis to tourists who, whilst not expressing any special needs, nevertheless belong to the higher age class (65 and over), for which it is assumed that in the majority of cases one chooses to make journeys with particular characteristics, then the analysis extends to another 2,140,785 tourists, corresponding to 6.9% of the tourists who do not express special needs.

There is also a considerable number of Italians who do not travel: in 1999 they amounted to 26 million people, equal to 45.4% of Italians. One may ask why it is that these people do not travel, if it is due to temporary or permanent causes and, under what conditions they would be willing to travel. We are interested in focusing on those who do not travel for health reasons or for old age (14.1% of the individuals who do not travel) and, in particular, on those among these who, notwithstanding the permanent character of their impairments, have declared that they are willing to travel if the causes hindering their desire to travel were removed (1.9% of those who do not travel).

Table 1 – Those who travel and those who do not travel in Italy (1999)

(Graphic at: http://www.disabilitaincifre.it/descrizioni/e_turismoaccessibile.asp)
Those who travel: Those who do not travel:
31,165,062 (54.6%) 25,910,265 (45.4%)
of whom with special needs: : of whom:
889,330 (2.9%) for health problems/old age 3,651,003 (14,1%) (would travel 1.9%)
taking care of disabled/child 1,215,868 (4.7%) (would travel 0.1%)

As tourists with special needs, women travel more than men, contrarily to what happens in the whole universe of tourists. In fact, among the people with special needs, women belonging to the older age classes tend to prevail and, from what emerges through the data, they do not give up travelling.

Graph 1 – Percentage distribution per gender of all tourists and of those with special needs (1999)

At what age does one travel most? The amount of tourists aged over 65 years, with special needs (22.8%) is three times more than those belonging to the same age group in the overall number of tourists (7.5%), while the amount of youngsters up to the age of 14 years who travel, both among those who express special needs and in the overall amount of tourists, is more or less the same (18.7% and 17.2% respectively). This typical distribution per age of the tourists with special needs is strongly influenced by the age structure of all the people who have special needs, namely featuring the elderly as being the group with most members.
The following table summarises the distribution per age group of tourists with special needs and that of the overall universe of tourists.

Table 2 – Percentage distribution per age of tourists and total number of tourists (1999)
Tbale at: http://www.disabilitaincifre.it/descrizioni/e_turismoaccessibile.asp)

Age group Tourists with special needs Tourists overall
Up to 14 years 18.7 17.2
15-24 12.1 18.1
25-44 22.6 36.7
45-64 23.8 20.4
Over 64 years 22.8 7.5
Total 100.0 100.0

Another characteristic that emerges, which is interesting to study, is the type of working activity carried out by tourists with special needs. A good 33.6% of them work as employees or teachers, while with respect to the overall number of tourists, the percentage is 28.1%. Only 5.9% are entrepreneurs, freelance professionals or managers, whereas in the overall number of tourists the percentage is double.
49% of the tourists with special needs resides in Northern Italy while in the overall number of tourists the percentage is 44.2%, 35.2% reside in the South compared to 30,8% in the overall number of tourists, 15.8% reside in Central Italy compared to 25% in the overall number.
Travellers with special needs seem more inclined to take trips within Italy rather than go abroad.

At this point one can outline the profile of the socio-demographic characteristics of the tourist with special needs, who is prevailingly a woman of medium-old age, working as an employee. One must nevertheless consider the fact that this profile is highly influenced by the socio-demographic features of the individuals with special needs in general, independently from the fact that they travel or not. (up)

What are the needs and problems when travelling?

One of the first comforting results of the research is the consideration that “not always the emergence of a need encounters a barrier”, that is to say that in most cases tourists with special needs turn to the facilities and services capable of providing for them in the best possible manner, according to their needs. Given that 84% of tourists with special needs express only one requirement, 10% express at least two and, a little more than 5% of them, at least three, a detailed analysis of the needs declared by tourists with special needs gives the following classification of expressed needs [1] :

*

the most recurrent needs are dietetic needs, which involved 379,688 tourists, 43% of tourists with special needs;
*

the need for ana/hypoallergic environments involved 332,396 tourists, 37% of tourists with special needs;
*

the need for visits and medical care regarded 258,622 tourists, 29% of tourists with special needs;
*

the number of tourists with special needs who expressed ambulating needs was 74,206, 8% of the tourists with special needs;
*

particular needs related to sensory impairments were expressed by 29,641 tourists, 3% of tourists with special needs;

Table 3 – Type of need for tourists with special needs (1999)
Type of need Yes No Total
Need for a special diet 379,688 509,642 889,330
Need for ana/hypoallergic environments 332,396 556,934 889,330
Need for visits and medical care 258,622 630,708 889,330
Ambulating needs 74,206 815,124 889,330
Needs related to sensory impairments 29,641 859,689 889,330

What emerges from the enquiry is that those who declare they have special needs have not necessarily encountered any barriers or problems. In fact, among those who have special diet needs, the most frequent among needs, only 19% complain that they had problems in being provided with “dietetic meals”, or among those who expressed the need for anallergic or hypoallergic environments, only 16% found it difficult to find “aseptic accommodation”. As a whole the most relevant problems that emerge are:

*

the availability of health facilities and personnel declared by 97 thousand tourists with special needs;
*

the accessibility to means of transport expressed by 54 thousand tourists with special needs;
*

the accessibility to services for 44 thousand tourists with special needs.

The comparison between persons who declare they have “special needs” and those who complain having had “problems and barriers while travelling” leads one to retain that the tourists who have had the biggest problems in travelling are mostly the tourists with disabilities. These are in fact the persons that mostly need health facilities and personnel, means of transport and accessible services. (up)

Travelling after 65 years of age

The ENEA-Iter survey is also a source of data regarding elderly tourists, who do not enter the category of those tourists who have declared they have special needs, yet, nevertheless, present peculiar features, which seem to call for a moment of reflection.

With reference to the year 1999, we are speaking of a set of 2 million and 140 thousand travellers, who are over 64 years of age and cover 6.9% of total number of travellers.

The information gathered helps build a profile of the tourist “over 64” according to certain social and economic characteristics. It is a category of tourists in which neither of the genders, male or female, prevail, in which the most frequent profession is that of the housewife, living mainly in Northern Italy. (up)
Travelling subject to what conditions: "the potential tourist demand"

Let us now speak of those who do not travel, but who would do so under specific conditions. We are speaking of 490 thousand individuals, 1.9% of the more than 25 million Italians who declared that they do not travel, in 1999. First of all it would be best to try to understand the reasons which determine a non propensity to travel. In fact the data show that 61.1% (298.709 people) declare they have “a serious health problem”, while the remaining 38.9% (189.890 people) do not travel due to a generic “impairment to moving/travelling”.
Even in this case it is possible to design a profile of the potential tourist:

* prevailingly a woman, who in 72% of the cases is over 64 years of age and for 29% is a housewife.

The survey has given a deeper insight of the phenomenon of the non-expressed demand for tourism, trying to decipher under what conditions the “potential tourists” would travel. Over 61% of potential tourists place as a minimum requisite in order to travel the “need to be accompanied”, 25% would ask for the “availability of medical assistance”, 7% would require “barrier-free architecture” in the facilities and services. This group of individuals expresses the highest number of needs necessary to make travelling possible and most probably represents that of disabled people.

Graph 2 – Specific conditions under which the “potential tourist” would travel (1999)

(Graph at: http://www.disabilitaincifre.it/descrizioni/e_turismoaccessibile.asp)

1. Being accompanied 61%
2. Medical assistance 25%
3. Elimination of architectural barriers 7%
4. Organised trips 4%
5. Special meals 3%

1. Every tourist was allowed to express more than one specific need.

http://www.disabilitaincifre.it/

Singapore Welcomes Universal Design

Singapore's Building and Construction Authority is poised to enact an important affirmation of Universal Design in March 2007.

SINGAPORE: Architects, building owners and property agents have welcomed the move to make the streets and buildings of Singapore more user-friendly.

They also believe the move, which they say is long overdue, will help establish Singapore as a gracious nation.

50-year-old architect Michael Ngu fully understands and endorses the need to make all buildings accessible to all - after all, he has to rely on crutches to get around.

" It's a milestone that we have reached today. Personally, I think it's a good thing that we're doing for society. Something that we need to buy into very quickly. As an architects, we need to respond to this very well. What is important is really the overriding policy to change mindset of people around us. If professionals like myself design buildings that comply with the Barrier Free Accessibility and the universal design, then it can be accepted upstream much more easier," said Mr Ngu.

The Building and Construction Authority had announced it is going to make it a must, from March 2007, for all new buildings to be user-friendly, especially to the elderly and physically handicapped, and all new residential developments should have bathrooms that wheelchairs can easily get into.

It is hoped the code on barrier-free accessibility in buildings, which is currently under review, will help sort things out.

"In a tight spaced development like Singapore, we are going to be very, very efficient in planning. The code (in time to come) which we may adopt, will start to impose quite a bit of rethinking and redesigning presumably and quite possibly use a lot of space than we would have otherwise in the current code," said Mr Ngu.

Industry players agree cost should not be the main factor when implementing these changes (especially when they have to address the concerns of the ageing society and the physically challenged),

"I don't think it will be a very big impact. I say this because developers today are already considering this. You see them putting wheelchair ramps in the lobby area, to access to the elevator and the elevator to the houses. But now more importantly they need to consider not just that building itself but building to building," said Chris Koh, Director, Dennis Wee Properties.

Responding, the Real Estate Developers' Association says it also supports the initiative.

Source:

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/233441/1/.html

From "Holiday Care" to "Tourism for All"

In 1979 the organization Holiday Care was formed in the UK to anticipate the growth of Inclusive Tourism. Changing its name in 2004 to the local monkier and movement designation for accessible tourism, "Tourism for All," it continues to grow its services and web presence adding robustness to the pan-European movement to integrate the seven principles of Universal Design into the leisure and travel industry.

The existence of industry-oiented online advice and additional consulting service such as this is essential to tourism far beyond the borders of the European Union. Thank you Tourism for All - UK!

For more information:

Advice for Tourism Businesses
http://www.tourismforall.org.uk/pages/advice.htm

IndividuALL
http://www.tourismforall.org.uk/pages/individuall.htm

Holiday Care - UK
http://www.holidaycare.org/

History
http://www.tourismforall.org.uk/pages/history.htm

ASID Promotes Universal Design

Recognizing that the majority of Americans want to remain in their homes as they age, the American Society of Interior Designers has established a volunteer council of noted experts to look at how design solutions can enhance and support residents throughout the life span. The Council will draw upon its vast experience and networks of professionals to provide the ASID Board of Directors with recommendations on information, research and education efforts that the Society should undertake to better prepare designers and consumers to meet the challenges that come with the normal process of aging.

“It is inevitable that we will all age,” says council member Leslie Shankman-Cohn, ASID, an award-winning designer from Memphis, Tenn. “Whether we do so gracefully or otherwise, we all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and to ‘age in style.’ We should not be isolated from the day to day activities that make our lives worthwhile. It is essential that designers continue to learn all they can about age-related changes and social and psychological needs to create better environments for older adults. It is equally as important to look beyond the immediate needs of one sector of the population and provide a smooth transition for living needs throughout one’s life and physical abilities.”

Improving Information on Accessible Tourism for Disabled People

When comparing international schemes for developing Inclusive Travel and strategizing on the integration of Universal Design in development the following EU document provides practical guidance:

This Guidance describes how tourist facilities, large and small, and destinations as a whole can improve the quality of the service that they offer to disabled people and others who will benefit from better accessibility...

This Guidance shows how to move beyond simple information provision
and provides further contacts to assist organisations in moving forward.
A key aim of this Guidance is to present a consistent and practical EU-wide
approach to providing access information, so that tourists can compare their options.
For this reason, all tourist facilities and destinations should consider this Guidance
as providing a complementary approach to existing actions.

Full article:

http://www.kzn.org.za/Disabled/EU.pdf

Poland Receives the Franklin Delano Roosevelt International Disability Award,

The Republic of Poland was at the United Nations with the presentation of Franklin Delano Roosevelt International Disability Award, an honour bestowed on a country that has promoted and protected the rights of their disabled population. The award was presented to Poland’s President Lech Kaczynski by Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, granddaughter of the late president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, at a ceremony held at United Nations Headquarters in New York, New York.

More here.

NEW YORK, September 18, 2006 - The Republic of Poland today was honoured at the United Nations with the presentation of Franklin Delano Roosevelt International Disability Award, an honour bestowed on a country that has promoted and protected the rights of their disabled population. The award was presented to Poland’s President Lech Kaczynski by Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, granddaughter of the late president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, at a ceremony held at the United Nations.

Poland has undergone dramatic political, social and economic changes in the past 17 years since the fall of the Iron Curtain. During this time, they have made phenomenal progress in disability inclusion. Their constitution, drawn in 1997, guarantees the full participation of people with disabilities in all facets of life, particularly in employment. This constitutional commitment has been translated into reality in the daily lives of people with disabilities.

The FDR Award consists of a bust of FDR, and a $50,000 cash prize which, this year, will be given to The Association for the Welfare of the Deaf and Blind, a Polish non-government organization that specializes in providing assistance to persons with hearing and vision impairments. Among the services are: rehabilitation and communication training; assistance with employment, purchase of rehabilitation aids, and organization of artistic workshops and events to help integrate deaf and blind persons into society.

“Poland is at the dawn of becoming an economic and social force in Eastern Europe. They are working diligently to ensure that their people with disabilities are included in the prosperity the country is now experiencing,” said The Hon. Michael R. Deland, chairman of the World Committee on Disability, a co-sponsor of the award.

The award was established in 1995 by the World Committee and the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute, and named after President Franklin Roosevelt who contracted polio at the age of 21, and was elected president of the United States four times.

Anna Roosevelt said, “My grandfather set an incredible example by showing a physical disability does not hinder the heights a person can achieve. I am sure my grandfather would be delighted to witness the accomplishments of the Republic of Poland in assisting their citizens with disabilities.” Poland is the ninth UN member nation to be honored with this award. Previous winners include: Jordan, Italy, Ecuador, Thailand, Hungary, Ireland, Canada, and the Republic of Korea.

Ambassador William vanden Heuvel said, "We are delighted that Poland is receiving this distinguished Award and it is wonderful to see how the FDR International Disability Award has inspired governments to bring people with disabilities into the mainstream of life."

For more information on the award, visit www.worldcommitteeondisability.org or www.feri.org. Information on The Association for the Welfare of the Deaf and Blind may be accessed at www.tpg.org.pl (Polish only).

The Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute is a nonprofit organization headquartered at the FDR Presidential Library in Hyde Park, New York. Its mission is to inform new generations of the ideals and achievements of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, to inspire the application of their spirit of optimism and innovation to the solution of current problems and to provide financial and program support to the FDR Library.

The World Committee on Disability is the international arm of the National Organization on Disability, a U.S. non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. N.O.D. founded the World Committee in 1985 to reinforce and strengthen the work of the United Nations in implementing worldwide the U.N. World Programme of Action Concerning Disabled Persons.

The Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt Institute and the World Committee on Disability thank the following sponsors for their generous support of the FDR International Disability Award program: American International Group, Inc., The Coca-Cola Company, and Frederick and Peggy Furth.

For more information, contact Mary Dolan at (202) 955-6313 or (202) 368-1083 on September 18. You can also contact Carolyn Myles at (703) 525-6017 (land) or (703) 505-6818 (mobile).

The web cast of the FDR International Award Ceremony can be viewed on the United Nations web site at www.un.org/webcast.

Save the Date in 2008 - ICCHP

The 1th International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs (ICCHP 2008) will be held July 9-11, 2008, at the University of Linz, Austria. The pre-Conference will run July 7-8, 2008. See: http://www.icchp.org/

For a review of tis years ICCHP Conference see http://www.icchp.org/content/view/87/121/

For information on the 22nd Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference at California State Northridge March 19-24, 2007 see: http://www.csun.edu/cod/conf/index.htm

Universal Design in Homes Comes of Age in Oregon State

The coming of age of Universal Design on a populist level is the thrust of the argument behind Randi Bjorns''s article Accessible Design Turns A Corner: Baby Boomers are Among Those Grasping the Keys to Independence.

Quoting George Braddock of Creative Housing Solutions we hear an astute summary of how we arrived at this point which continues to buoy Inclusive Destination Deveopment:

Braddock says people with disabilities have been "pioneers of a sort" in the development of universal design, a movement that focuses on building design that accommodates wide swaths of the overall population, from those still able-bodied to people temporarily or permanently disabled by illness or injury. advertisement

"The disability movement had an advantage because it was so 'cross-cultural,' " Braddock says. "Disabilities can affect anyone at any time and at any level, and as a result it has attracted a fair amount of resources."

That attention intensified after 1990, when Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act, to prohibit discrimination in employment and public accommodation against people with disabilities.

"The ADA deserves a huge amount of credit for forcing the disabilities issue, but it's just a stepping stone," between public policy and the broader accommodations that allow disabled people to remain in their own homes, Braddock says.

Editors note: For the record, the depth of George Braddock's "person-centered design" practice is grounded in keen observation of his clients and a thorough grasp of Universal Design in practice. For more information:

George Braddock, Braddock Construction and Creative Housing Solutions, LLC
George Braddock Construction, 910 Coburg Road,o Eugene, OR 97401,
(541) 342-3478
Mr. Braddock has extensive experience in design, development and construction of homes for persons with developmental disabilities. George and his company have completed over 1,400 projects for individuals with disabilities. Mr. Braddock provides consulting services nationwide to states and organizations developing housing for individuals with disabilities.

AWARDS RECOGNIZE OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Salem, Oregon (April 24, 2002)

SPECIAL HOUSING

George Braddock of Creative Housing Solutions

George Braddock has been a leader in the area of special needs housing in Oregon for many years. During his career, he has participated in the design and construction of numerous communities where persons with developmental disabilities are now able to live fulfilling lives. With the closure of the Fairview Training Center, Mr. Braddock was involved in all facets of the Community Integration Project that designed and constructed community housing for former residents of the Center. At this time, he is working with the state of California on a similar effort.

Utilizing his experience in developmental disabilities, Mr. Braddock led the development of Design for Safety: A Technical Assistance Manual, a project sponsored by Oregon OSHA and the Office of Developmental Disability Services. This publication catalogs and describes the design considerations for persons with developmental disabilities for every room of a house, as well as decks and ramps.

Recently, George and Creative Housing Solutions have experimented with designs or “soft” environments where persons with developmental disabilities at-risk for self-injury can live successfully. The wall materials are soft but cleanable and durable, all corners are rounded, window glass is tempered and thickened, electrical outlets are protected. He is currently designing bathrooms where autistic children can experience the calming effects of water play without risk of injury or damage to the environment.

The task of successfully addressing the housing needs of developmentally disabled persons within a community continues to be a challenge. Meeting these needs is not a simple task, and as a result, many nonprofit agencies seek the guidance of Creative Housing Solutions to solve housing problems. Creative Solutions provides leadership in addressing the needs and dreams of individuals who are developmentally disabled to live successfully in the community.

Nominated by: Gerald Stolp, Department of Human Services –Seniors and People with Disabilities

Parading Universal Design in Flint, Michigan

The Flint Michigan Parade of Homes include one using Universal Design principles this year.

Read more at

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/features-5/1159719631103270.xml&coll=5

Accessible America Awards: Call for Entries

N.O.D.is calling on America’s mayors and chief elected officials to enter their communities in the sixth annual Accessible America awards competition, open to all U.S. cities and towns. Entries must be postmarked no later than October 31, 2006.

Thanks to sponsors UPS and Wal-Mart, communities will compete for $35,000 in cash prizes. Entrants will showcase how their citizens with disabilities are participating in and contributing to local community life. Cambridge, MA, West Hollywood, CA and Austin, TX were the 2005 winners, surpassing dozens of outstanding entries from diverse communities nationwide.

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 21, 2006—The National Organization on Disability (N.O.D.) is calling on America’s mayors and chief elected officials to enter their communities in the sixth annual Accessible America awards competition, open to all U.S. cities and towns. Thanks to sponsors UPS (United Parcel Service) and Wal-Mart, communities will compete for $35,000 in cash prizes. Entrants will showcase how their citizens with disabilities are participating in and contributing to local community life. Cambridge, MA, West Hollywood, CA and Austin, TX were the 2005 winners, surpassing dozens of outstanding entries from diverse communities nationwide.

The winning cities or towns designated in the Accessible America 2006 competition will be places where citizens with disabilities have opportunities for full and equal participation in the life of their community, including access to education, jobs, voting, transportation, housing, religious worship, and a full range of social, recreational, cultural, and sports activities. Another area that N.O.D. is giving special focus to is emergency preparedness for people with disabilities. The competition highlights community-wide progress and inspires replication of best practices programs and ideas.

To enter the competition, communities will submit an official Accessible America application signed by their mayor or chief elected official describing how their city or town (or county representing unincorporated communities within its borders) provides opportunities for citizens with disabilities to participate fully in community life. Entries must be postmarked no later than October 31, 2006.

“People who have disabilities are part of every community, and deserve to feel not only welcomed but also safe in our cities and towns,” said N.O.D. president Michael R. Deland. “As the American dream becomes realistic for everyone, including those of us with disabilities, the country as a whole will benefit,” he continued.

“Accessible America communities are committed to opportunities that encourage people with disabilities to participate and contribute just like everyone else,” said Nancy Starnes, N.O.D. Vice President. “Best practices ideas from Accessible America winners are the result of a clear message sent by local leaders that people with disabilities are influential members of their city or town,” she added. Ms. Starnes is a wheelchair user and former mayor of Sparta, N.J.

The 2004 N.O.D./Harris Survey of Americans with Disabilities identified ten key gap areas where people with disabilities were documented to be at a significant disadvantage in comparison to other Americans. One of the gap areas is community involvement, and others, including employment, education, access to housing and transportation, and involvement in religious and political life, also directly reflect whether people are receiving the welcome and support they need in their communities.

To learn more about the Accessible America 2006 competition – as well as the numerous benefits N.O.D.’s Community Partnership Program offers to member communities – visit N.O.D.’s web site, www.nod.org, or call Ms. Starnes at 202/293-5960. Membership in the Community Partnership Program is not a prerequisite for entering the Accessible America competition.

The National Organization on Disability promotes the full and equal participation and contribution of America’s 54 million men, women and children with disabilities in all aspects of life. For more information about N.O.D.’s programs, visit www.nod.org.

More information here.

Five Inclusive US Cities

One good reaon to pick up this month's New Mobility magazine is the article Five Inclusive Cities by Roxanne Furlong

This year, the National Organization on Disability awarded its $25,000 Accessible America first place prize to Cambridge, Mass. West Hollywood, Calif., won second prize -- $20,000 -- and Austin, Texas, won the third prize of $10,000. What does it take for these cities to win these awards? With an eye towards inclusion, New Mobility tracked down the main reasons these communities were winners, plus we threw into the mix two larger cities that we felt stacked up to the top two winners.

Mobility Planning Services Institute from Easter Seals

Easter Seals Project ACTION's

Mobility Planning Services Institute
May 14-17, 2007
Bethesda, Md.

MPS brings together community teams of leaders from the disability world and transportation industry to share information and strategies to improve access to transportation services in their communities.

About the Institute

The MPS institute offers intensive training and planning activities that result in plans each team can take home to improve services in their communities. The training component of MPS is provided by industry experts serving as faculty for breakout sessions. Interspersed with the learning sessions are hands-on team working sessions. In a relaxed setting, Institute faculty facilitate an interactive learning environment where team members can openly discuss challenging issues and plan solutions.

Each team produces an action plan, with shared responsibilities to carry out throughout the next 12 months, reflecting specific local concerns and stages of development, and presents their plan to the full group of teams at the end of three days of intense work.

ESPA provides funding for travel and lodging ($4,250 per team for the 2007 Institute). MPS teams also receive additional follow-up technical assistance from ESPA staff within the first 12 months at no cost to the community.

How to participate in the next MPS Institute

MPS teams are selected through a competitive application process. Click here for the application form and detailed instructions. Applications are due by Dec. 15, 2006.

For more information

*
Read the full brochure in HTML or PDF format.

The Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed to view PDF files. If you do not have the reader, you may download it for free at: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.

*
Read the answers to MPS Institute Frequently Asked Questions.
*
View information about the 2006 MPS Institute, and meet the teams through a photo album.
*
Download examples of previous team plans, available in Word and PDF formats.
* For further information, contact Donna Smith by email or at 800-659-6428.

Camping Tent for Wheelchair Users

“The Freedom Tent is the first tent of its kind to offer, as its name implies, freedom and independence for campers with disabilities,” said Linda Grebe, product manager of Eureka! tents. “We are proud to have worked with Blue Sky Designs to help deliver this innovation to the market and pleased to be recognized by the NMSS for our efforts to provide safe, reliable and comfortable tents to the disabled community.”

The Eureka! Freedom tent sleeps two and features a pole, sleeve and grommet design which allows easier set up from one side of the tent or from a wheelchair. It has a combination side entry door/window in the sleeping area that provides extra ventilation and allows for a side transfer to a cot. Its roomy vestibule provides room for wheelchairs, gear, chairs, or sleeping space for the family dog. The patent-pending zipper-less vestibule fan door opens easily and is operated with minimal dexterity and reach. To learn more about the Freedom Tent visit www.eurekatent.com or www.blueskydesigns.us."

Source:

http://www.seakayakinstructor.com/

Susan Szenasy: "Making Waves: How the next generation is redefining design"

Metropolis magazine editor Susan Szenasy will be the featured presenter at La Roche College's 2006 Design Dialogue Series from 6:15-7:45 p.m. Oct. 25 at the Carnegie Science Center, on the North Side.

Szenasy has been editor-in-chief of Metropolis, the award-winning New York City-based magazine of architecture, culture and design, for 20 years.

Her topic, "Making Waves: How the next generation is redefining design," will focus on issues of sustainability, ethics in design, universal design and a thoroughly integrated approach to design that will affect our future.

The presentation is open to the public. Tickets are $30 for general admission, with $10 discounts for La Roche alumni and half-price tickets for students. Tickets can be purchased through the La Roche College Interior Design Department.

Details: 412-536-1024.

Valencia Tourism on the Rise

Not only is Valencia, Spain making progess on public accessibility it is enjoying increased tourism. Cause & effect? To soon to prove but I'd bet money on it anyway.

The Ministry of Tourism has presented the results of the study IMPACTUR (on the Economic Impact of Tourism) carried out in collaboration with Exceltur. One of the conclusions of the study is that the contribution of tourism to the GDP of the Community of Valencia has gone from 12.9% in 2003 to 13.8% in 2005, almost one point more in only two years.

Source: TravelTurisme

The Language of Landscape - A Path of Inclusion

Inclusion as a feature of the means of transportation and built environment of travel destinations figures prominently in articles here at the Rolling Rains Report. The seven principles of Universal Design are a recurring theme.

But what about the times when the destination is pristine and the purpose of a trip is to encounter unmodified natural surroundings? Is there a way to "be part of it" even when disability and geography seem to conspire to make that impossible?

Without attempting to answer that question directly author Barry Lopez and managing editor Debra Gwartny illustrate the power of language to capture and engage as they discuss their new dictionary-style book, "Home Ground: Language for an American Landscape." A fascinating consequence of their collaborative effort with 45 writers to produce this work was the creation of a community inspired to renew the language of public discourse through the recovery of tradtional American folksonomy of place.

Listen to an interview at KQED's Forum program.

Daily Travel

Greg Livadas profiles John Bateman-Ferry, Luticha Doucette, and Victor and Christopher Hilderbrant, on life post-disability in Rochester, NY.

Doucette recently visited a new car dealership in Henrietta. They displayed a wheelchair symbol at one entrance, but it didn't have automatic door openers (which aren't required by the ADA).

"Having that sign there is very misleading," she said. "When I see a newer building, there should be as much accommodation as possible. That frustrates me when they don't do that.

"People who have disabilities want to get around like everyone else."

See:
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061008/NEWS01/610080328/1002/NEWS

Wheelchair access: Many venues comply but problems remain

Greg Livadas
Staff writer

(October 8, 2006) — John Bateman-Ferry views the world from a different perspective than most adults: one often filled with curbs, stairs and high counters.

Since suffering a spinal cord injury in 1978, every door, cracked sidewalk and narrow parking spot makes him think about how he's going to get his wheelchair to where he wants to be, whether it's a restaurant, a theater or just across the street.

"I'm always looking ahead," he said. "Am I going to be able to go from one side of the street to the other?" A curb more than 2 inches high, for example, would be a problem for him to push his wheelchair over. Others using electric wheelchairs or scooters might have trouble crossing a barrier of one-quarter of an inch.

A Democrat and Chronicle reporter, investigating the challenges facing wheelchair users when they go out in public, followed Bateman-Ferry, 46, of Victor and Christopher Hilderbrant, 30, of Greece to a dozen local venues. They found problems ranging from the inconvenient to the dangerous — crumbling curbs, bathroom stalls too small to use and hot water pipes that could burn legs.

In our survey, even a simple visit to the zoo's new elephant exhibit was a chore. Returning to his car, Bateman-Ferry needed to be pushed uphill because the slope was too steep for him to maneuver it himself.

Merely using the sidewalk was hazardous: Potholes and broken glass could puncture wheelchair tires.

The trips illustrated what disabled people already know: Although nearly all of the venues complied with the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, many could be safer and more accessible.

Other findings:

# Restroom doors were at times difficult to open, faucets can be hard to turn on, paper towels can be out of reach and uninsulated pipes under sinks can burn legs.

# While the ADA requires bathroom stalls to be 60 inches wide, that remains too narrow to allow someone to pull alongside a toilet in a wheelchair, rendering the toilet useless to many wheelchair users.

# Ramps providing access to some buildings are steep.

# Some designated wheelchair spaces in theaters are on an incline, which would make wheelchairs roll and their users tip forward. Not every wheelchair has brakes.

Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy, who has heard complaints of poorly plowed sidewalks, vows to better understand the importance of accessible sidewalks this winter. He plans to get in a wheelchair after a snowfall to see how navigable city walkways are.

But, for those who use a wheelchair every day, snow isn't needed to make Rochester a tough place to navigate.

Luticha Doucette, 23, of Henrietta has used a wheelchair since being injured in a car accident when she was 22 months old. She's seen improvements in accessibility in the past few years, "but it's not where I'd like it to be."

Older buildings remain inaccessible for her. She'd like to visit more nightclubs in Rochester, but most have stairways with no ramps or elevators. Some wheelchair entrances are the service entrances or loading docks.

"Sometimes my friends will scout out a place ahead of time," she said.

Doucette recently visited a new car dealership in Henrietta. They displayed a wheelchair symbol at one entrance, but it didn't have automatic door openers (which aren't required by the ADA).

"Having that sign there is very misleading," she said. "When I see a newer building, there should be as much accommodation as possible. That frustrates me when they don't do that.

"People who have disabilities want to get around like everyone else."

Getting around

Driving his car with hand controls, Bateman-Ferry always looks for the blue handicapped logo designating automatic doors or elevators, ramps and accessible parking. After parking on Broad Street, he reached to his back seat and grabbed his wheelchair frame, then its seat cushion, and placed them on the ground outside his car door. Then he got the right wheel and snapped it on the frame, and did the same with the left wheel. He slid from behind the steering wheel to his wheelchair, then closed the car door and looked for a curb cut to get to the safety of a sidewalk.

At times, that safety is several car lengths down the street past oncoming traffic.

Bateman-Ferry endures this routine each time he drives somewhere, and it adds a few minutes to his commute.

The battle wasn't over once he reached the sidewalk, however. The sidewalks along Broad Street near South Avenue were crumbling, leaving loose pieces of concrete and holes.

"This is western New York. I understand we have weather issues," Bateman-Ferry said. "But that (chunk of loose concrete) is either going to break your ankle or stop my wheelchair."

The bumps were so severe that Bateman-Ferry had to alternate pushing his wheels and holding on to a bottle of water and notebook he carried on his lap.

"This is the bane of my existence, trying to carry stuff," he said. "This is as bad as not having a path of travel."

A need for access

Nearly one in five Americans — more than 51 million — suffers from some form of disability, with 12 percent having a severe disability, according to the U.S. census. Of those, 2.7 million people age 15 and older use a wheelchair, and it's a number that is expected to rise as medicines improve, allowing people to live longer with disabilities.

A 2004 American Community Survey by the Census Bureau showed more than 84,000 people, or 12.5 percent of Monroe County's population, living with a disability. That survey does not include people living in nursing homes or residential schools.

Locally, no census has ever been taken to determine how many wheelchair users there are. Some may not want to be identified, for fear of becoming targeted.

"There hasn't been any real effort," Hilderbrant said. "It took advocacy just to get us included in the 2000 general census."

And the needs of wheelchair users may put other disabled people at a disadvantage. A curb cut that helps a wheelchair user may pose a problem for a blind person walking with a cane.

Bateman-Ferry, who lobbied for the passage of the ADA, witnessed the law being signed by President George H.W. Bush in 1990. The ADA was intended to prohibit discrimination against the disabled in employment, access to local and state government agencies and their programs, and public access to businesses.

Bateman-Ferry says a major gap remains in terms of employment of the disabled, but he has seen many more buildings become accessible in recent years.

Hilderbrant, who is director of advocacy for the Center for Disability Rights, says new construction with aesthetic designs such as cobblestones may be viewed as improvements to some but make traveling in a wheelchair difficult.

Hilderbrant and others who are disabled have been consulted for major projects in advance, such as PAETEC Park. Any new construction needs to follow the ADA's accessibility guidelines, which often are copied for local building codes for minimum requirements.

"PAETEC was built better than code," Hilderbrant said. "We were asked to consult with the designers. Living the experience, we knew it could be better than code."

A family bathroom was installed, which would be easier for an attendant to take someone in a wheelchair to the bathroom, and handicapped parking spots were redistributed to provide accessible parking in useful areas, Hilderbrant said.

The law requires "reasonable accommodations" to provide equal access, but a small business that doesn't have access for a wheelchair would not be required to build a ramp or install an elevator if it proved to be a financial hardship.

A store, for example, doesn't have to have all merchandise where it can be reached from a wheelchair, as long as a store employee is available to get an item upon request.

When attending a sporting event or going to a theater or a restaurant, Bateman-Ferry wants to sit next to his family. Will they be able to sit together? Will he have to sit in an aisle? Those questions are always on his mind.

Emergency exits

Most able-bodied people figure there will be an easy exit from a theater or business in case of emergency. But if you're in a wheelchair, getting out isn't an option if you have to rely on an elevator during a fire. On Sept. 11, 2001, Bateman-Ferry was in Ronald Reagan National Washington Airport, preparing to fly home after a presentation he made in Washington when he saw the World Trade Center burning on a TV in an airport lounge.

"The airlines announced a ground stop and we should wait for more information. Then we were ordered to evacuate," he said. "As a wheelchair user, I got no specific information or direction as how to exit."

A police officer told him not to use an elevator, but he did. "It was a big risk, but my senses told me to get out," he said. "I was the last person I saw leaving the airport. It was an uneasy feeling."

Outside, he could see and smell the Pentagon burning. He took a train to where relatives picked him up hours later.

Locally, public buildings such as the Hall of Justice warn visitors to take the stairs in case of an emergency. For wheelchair users, they would have to wait in the stairwell for help, or crawl down the stairs if they were able to.

Some local theaters give wheelchair users an option of transferring into a stationary seat. Hilderbrant may opt to sit in a theater chair, but he won't let the ushers move his wheelchair away. It's almost a part of him, and if he needs to leave in a hurry, he wants to have it nearby.

Slow improvements

Sarah Gilmour, a Henrietta lawyer and CDR board member, recalls only two local lawsuits involving violations of the ADA on accessibility for wheelchairs. As a result, ramps were built at a Rochester restaurant and Irondequoit physical therapy office.

Gilmour, who has used a motorized scooter for 20 years, said she has seen more awareness about accessibility issues over the years.

"It used to irritate me you could go down the sidewalk and take a curb cut to get into the street and there may not be a curb cut on the other side of the street," she said. "Now it's more consistent."

Still, problems exist. Parking lots that aren't level make it difficult to unload wheelchairs. And parking spots aren't always wide enough to allow a door to fully swing open, especially if a wheelchair van and ramp are used.

But Gilmour said most businesses, if not accessible, will go out of their way to help customers if they know about special needs in advance.

"Most places are willing to do that," she said. "But you don't take anything for granted. Never assume something is accessible. You really have to call ahead to avoid being stuck and inconveniencing the people you're with."

strong>Source:
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061008/NEWS01/610080328/1002/NEWS

Spanish Committee of Representatives of People with Disabilities (CERMI)

Accessibility to cultural venues, tourism and leisure services for people with disabilities is still very limited, according to the Spanish Committee of Representatives of People with Disabilities (CERMI). CERMI states that “Guaranties of accessibility should not be considered as a matter of sensitivity or of an agent’s good faith, but more as a matter of fundamental rights which should be guaranteed by the Government through a binding and effective law”.

Their proposals to improve accessibility are very concise: they extend from establishing the necessary legal framework in order to regulate accessibility to audiovisual media (subtitling or broadcasting into Sign Language the program for deaf people, audiodescription of a specific program for blind people) to the elaboration of a National Plan for the development of an Accessible Tourism.

Although the main Spanish museums have already been modified for people with disabilities (the Reina Sofía Museum, the Museo del Prado, the Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao, the Dali Museum at Figueras, the Picasso Museum at Barcelona and the IVAM Valencia Institute of Modern Art, among others) the cultural heritage of Spain, in general, frequently presents difficult obstacles to overcome. Access to monuments, installations or cultural activities for people with disabilities is not always taken into consideration.

Even though some initiatives have been made to compile information on accessible hotels, beaches, rural tourism, trekking and tourism services for people with disabilities, the truth is that there is still little specific professional preparation, and more rarely do agencies and tour operators offer travels that don’t entail an obstacle course full of disappointments for the 3.5 million Spaniards who suffer from some kind of disability, and for their families, altogether, 10 million people. According to CERMI’s sources, there is a market with an important potential demand.

Source:
http://www.cermi.es/
http://www.canalsolidario.org/

Universal Design Unites Arch Rivals?

Well, maybe off the football field anyway!

Purdue and Ohio State Universities learn together about Universal Design.

Call for Presenters: Tennessee Disability Mega Conference

There appears to be space for a presenter on inclusive Travel at the Tennessee Disability Mega Conference.

2007 Conference May 31-June 2 Nashville Airport Marriott

What is the Mega Conference?

A coalition of more than 50 disability related organizations in Tennessee have come together to plan our 5th annual statewide disability MegaConference, to be held in Nashville from May 31- June 2, 2007. Our shared purpose in creating this conference is to strengthen our bonds and promote understanding as we move forward together, united in our desire for independence, choice and dignity for all people.

What topic areas will the conference address?

· Academics (e.g., early intervention, preschool, elementary, secondary, higher education, and adult skills training, inclusionary practices, etc)

· Access (e.g., to services, to programs, to buildings and to the physical environment, etc)

· Administrative/Management (e.g., supervision, administration, risk management, board development, fiscal responsibility, advisor role in self-advocacy movement, etc)

· Assistive Technology (e.g., augmentative/alternative communication, computers and software, environmental controls, adaptive equipment, seating and mobility, etc)

· Disability Specific (focuses on one or more aspects of a particular diagnosis)

· Employment (e.g., services, programs, strategies, self-employment, competitive and supportive, micro-enterprises, etc)

· Empowerment (e.g., person-centered thinking, self-directed supports, self-determination, self-advocacy and advocating for others, etc)

· Housing (e.g., home ownership options, rental options, affordability and accessibility, etc)

· Interactive (e.g. sessions that get participants involved in the presentation/activity)

· Quality Supports (e.g., facilitating independence, health and safety, nutrition, conflict resolution, respite care, quality of life issues, dignity and respect, etc)

· Recreation and Leisure (e.g., athletics, exercise, social activities and events, etc)

· Relationships/Sexuality (e.g., friendship, dating, and appropriate relationship behavior)

· Systems Change (e.g., grassroots organizing, legislative affairs, group advocacy, self-directed supports, inclusionary practices, etc)

Who can apply to be a presenter at the conference?

The conference will bring together a wide range of people. We encourage applications from all those with knowledge and expertise in any or all of the topic areas listed above. In addition we are seeking presentations that address new and innovative ideas for this year’s conference. Applications will be welcomed from individuals with and without disabilities and family members, volunteers, professionals and providers.

How will presenters be selected?

The Program Committee will accept call-for-presenter applications until the close of business on November 15, 2006. Presentations that reflect a collaborative effort between groups or individuals are especially encouraged. Applications will be selected according to a point scale. Points will be awarded according to the following criteria:

A. Special preference will be given to sessions that are interactive and/or geared toward people with disabilities as the target audience.

B. PEOPLE FIRST LANGUAGE MUST BE UTILIZED (see attached PFL guide)

C. All sections of the application must be completed.

D. Subject matter adequately addresses one of the topic areas.

E. Presentation description is clearly written.

D. Learning objectives are clearly stated.

E. Session structure and organization are clearly defined.

F. Presenters have sufficient experience and knowledge of the subject matter.

What resources will be available to presenters?

· The program committee will consider proposals for 75-minute sessions. The program committee will select a limited number of proposals, so please make sure that you are available to present May 31, June 1, and June 2, 2007 and that you do not have a scheduling conflict if your proposal is selected.

· Presentation rooms will hold between 55-72 people, depending on space configuration.

· Presenters who are chosen will be granted complimentary admission to the conference for the day of their presentation(s), but will be responsible for their own meals, travel and lodging costs.

· Special stipends may be available.

How will I know if I’ve been selected?

The Program Committee will contact chosen presenters by e-mail (or by phone if no e-mail address is available) by January 31, 2007. It is expressly understood that the presentation may be scheduled at any time on any of the conference dates at the discretion of the conference organizers.

Note: All copies of handouts and materials will be the responsibility of the presenter. Please be prepared to send your materials in electronic format to accommodate attendees who require alternative formats.
PROPOSAL DUE DATE: By the end of business day, November 15, 2006

Please send proposals (via e-mail, mail, or fax) and address all questions to:

Lori Israel
MegaConference Program Committee
c/o The Arc of Tennessee
151 Athens Way, Ste 100
Nashville Tennessee 37228
Phone: 615.248.5878 x18
Fax: 615.248.5879
E-mail: ratwood@tnco.org

Accommodation in Newburyport, Massachusetts

Jessica Reaves has found an accessible place to stay that has a bit of character in Newburyport, Masschusetts in Sunny Rooms in Scenic Massachusetts Port

Nestled on a leafy side street in one of the most scenic seaports and about 38 miles northeast of Boston, the Essex Street Inn fits right in with Newburyport's history. Settled in the 1630s, Newburyport quickly became one of New England's most profitable and important maritime trading ports. The town suffered an economic downswing in the early part of the 20th Century, but, thanks to community activists, has once again become a picturesque and popular residential and vacation hotspot.

The Essex Inn was built in 1880 in "Eclectic Victorian" style, its pale yellow clapboard exterior offset by black shutters. The 27 guest rooms, all recently renovated, are furnished with antique reproductions and freshly painted in a sunny color palette. Some of the pricier rooms boast gas fireplaces, canopy or four-poster beds and a Jacuzzi tub...

You can easily walk to any location in town--including bustling State Street where shops are alternately touristy and tasteful. The Newburyport waterfront is just a few blocks away, and area beaches are easily reachable by car or bicycle.

Source:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-0609230020sep24,1,3531728.story?coll=chi-travel-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true

Jimmy Goddard and Mount Kilimanjaro

Some people take sports to extremes! Meet Jimmy Goddard.

http://www.pushinghigher.com/

http://www.jimmygoddard.com/index.asp

Suvarnabhumi: The Airport That Crash Landed on Visitors to Thailand

Suvarnabhumi Airport is Thailand's public embrassment.

As in similar post-tsunami and post-Katrina rebuild debacles it was the disability community that raised an early warning signal. Citing the principles of Universal Design -- and predicting the damage to national prestige & local economics resulting from ignoring them -- advice went unheeded with the expected results:

Suvarnabhumi: A traveller's lament

by Pravit Rojanaphruk

Published on October 1, 2006

As flight TG 401 touched down at the futuristic-looking Suvarnabhumi Airport on Friday night, the inefficiency of this new Bt150-billion facility took me and other passengers by surprise.

The impressive view from the outside, of architectural structures bathed in blue light, gave way to appalling design flaws and apparent mismanagement by officials.

"It's a new airport, so why did we have to board a bus [after deplaning]?" asked a fellow THAI traveller from Singapore.

Less than two minutes later we were stuck in a bottleneck at the only escalator from the ground floor up to the first floor. We wondered why more planning wasn't put into such a crucial matter.

Then after a considerable hike past a few duty-free shops, I arrived at the hi-tech immigration desk. It was speedy and convenient. But as I got through the counter and proceeded to find out where to reclaim my luggage, my eyes were dazzled by four flashing TV monitors with letters so tiny that anyone over 40 or with reading difficulties would have a hard time deciphering the messages.

After a few minutes of eye-straining search, I discovered that I had to go to carousel 18. But wait! When I got there, the overhead display said the luggage coming through belonged to flights from Siem Reap and Seoul, not Singapore!

There weren't enough luggage carts and it took me 10 minutes to get one.

So which computerised monitors should I trust?

I hung around with other passengers whom I recognised from our flight until one Westerner finally got his luggage. "Amazing," he said to me, as I asked if he was on that THAI flight from Singapore, to make sure that this was where my suitcase would emerge.

Then there was a sign on a pillar next to the conveyor belt printed on A4 paper. "Temporary toilet". The lack of enough toilets appeared to be haunting the new airport on Day Two.

But there was more travail to go through. The arrival lobby is too small. People squeeze together forming a wall so you can't see if someone came to pick you up.

Then I couldn't figure out where to hail a metered taxi. There was no sign and I ended up having to ask for information at an AOT counter. The woman there was pushing a pricey limousine service, but eventually caved in and told me to head one level down.

"But the queue down there is very long," she warned me. The taxi queue was actually twice, if not thrice, longer than those at Don Muang.

Why? Partly bad coordination and partly because this is a single-terminal airport. The taxi pick-up points must actually be fewer than at Don Muang, which has one domestic and two international terminals. And there was no proper sign telling you this is where you should wait!

While in line, two THAI passengers complained to me. One, an elderly gentleman who flew in from Brisbane, said he waited an hour and a half for his luggage to arrive. When he inquired about it with THAI ground staff, they didn't have a clue as to how long he had to wait.

"It was a long walk," he said, referring to the mega-long terminal and hall.

Another Thai passenger said the exit gate at the arrival hall was simply "miniature", which didn't make any sense.

Nobody seems to want to explain why this new gateway is not laid out better and more conveniently than the 92-year-old complex at Don Muang. I couldn't help wonder why AOT has to force thousands of travellers to undergo such a trying experience.

In the first few days they may claim that many things are not functioning properly because it's still new. But the management's attitude was self-congratulatory even though they should be profusely apologetic and do their best to meet travellers' expectations.

I couldn't see or feel a sense of excellence and a service mindset from them. Suvarnabhumi may end up becoming just another expensive airport that's better to look at than to use.

Perhaps a new management team that is more concerned and attentive to travellers' needs and satisfaction, comforts and convenience might improve things. A few executives deserve - not only to be shifted or reassigned - but fired.

Brou v FEMA 06-0838

It was inevitable in hindsight. The stonewalling began simultaneously with the Katrina floodwaters.

Immediately following Katrina Rolling Rains readers worked with FEMA, manufactured home producers, and their trade association advising on housing & infrastructure accessibility. All that was necessary to make 100% of the manufactures homes produced for Katrina survivors accessible (and Visitable) was an adjustment to the fabrication template to widen doorways to 36 inches. Simple.

Instead we have a legacy of needless suffering ending in Brou v FEMA 06-0838 providing only 5% access more than one year after the hurricane damaged a region of the US with a pre-disaster 24% disability rate.

The following information was provided by the National
Disability Rights Network.

This is a press release about the approval of the settlement in
Brou v. FEMA, No. 06-0838 in the eastern district of Louisiana,
regarding FEMA's provision of accessible trailers to Katrina and
Rita evacuees with disabilities. The full text of the settlement
is online at
http://www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/specialplans.shtm#1,
and pleadings are available from NDRN. The press release contains
the phone numbers evacuees can call beginning Oct. 10 to obtain
accessible trailers or modifications to the trailers they have.
______________________________________________________________

September 26, 2006

For further information, contact:

* Nell Hahn, Advocacy Center, (337) 237-7380 x11
* Cary LaCheen, National Center for Law and Economic Justice
(212) 633-6967

Today, the federal district court in the Eastern District of
Louisiana approved a settlement in Brou v. FEMA, a class action
lawsuit that will ensure that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
evacuees with disabilities will receive accessible FEMA trailers.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of eleven Katrina and Rita
evacuees with disabilities who lived in Louisiana or Mississippi
before they were displaced. Five additional plaintiffs were
added later.

Defendants are the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),
the Department of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, the
Director of the Department of Homeland Security, and David
Paulison, the Director of FEMA. All of the named plaintiffs
needed accessible trailers from FEMA, but all were provided with
inaccessible trailers, no trailers, or were still waiting for
simple modifications to make their trailers accessible.
Plaintiffs' counsel estimates that thousands of other evacuees
with disabilities may have needed, but did not get, accessible
trailers from FEMA.

Plaintiffs are represented by the Advocacy Center, from
Louisiana; the National Center for Law and Economic Justice, from
New York; the Mississippi Justice Center; the Public Interest Law
Project, from Oakland, California; and the New York City offices
of Kirkland and Ellis LLP, a private law firm headquartered in
Chicago.

Approximately 25% of Katrina evacuees have disabilities, but at
the time the suit was filed, only 1 to 2% of evacuees from
Louisiana and Mississippi were provided with accessible trailers.
Depending upon their needs, individuals may be entitled to a
trailer with a ramp, wider doorways, more turn space for
wheelchairs, lower appliances, sinks, and cabinets; accessible
showers; shower chairs; grab bars near toilets, showers, and
tubs; and other accessibility features.

As a result of the settlement, FEMA has created special toll-free
numbers for evacuees who need accessible trailers from FEMA:

866-496-4297 (for evacuees from Louisiana)
888-294-2820 (for evacuees from Mississippi)

The phone number will be staffed from Monday to Saturday, 9:00am
to 6:00pm (excluding holidays), beginning October 10, 2006.

The settlement also provides that:
* FEMA will notify evacuees within 5 days after they call the
toll-free number of what FEMA intends to do to meet their
accessibility needs, and when it plans to do it.

* If FEMA decides that a person's FEMA trailer can be modified to
make it accessible, it must give an estimated time frame of up
to 30 to 60 days for making the modifications, depending upon
whether the modifications are standard (ramps, grab bars and
stair railings) or more complex.

* FEMA must give an estimated time frame of up to 90 days for
providing an accessible trailer, if FEMA decides to give the
evacuee an accessible trailer, or replace an inaccessible
trailer.

* If FEMA decides that an evacuee is not eligible for an
accessible trailer or modifications, it must inform the evacuee
in writing and give reasons.

* FEMA must handle complaints from evacuees with accessibility
issues. Evacuees can call the toll-free number to complain if
they disagree with what FEMA tells them it plans to do, or if
they are otherwise not satisfied. Further review is available
if hotline staff is unable to resolve the matter.

FEMA will send a letter to the last known address of evacuees who
are eligible for temporary housing and have requested or received
a FEMA trailer, informing them of the toll-free numbers, and will
send press releases and public service announcements to media
outlets in Louisiana, Mississippi, and other states where many
evacuees live.

Under the settlement, 5% of trailers at FEMA group trailer sites,
and common areas of FEMA trailer sites, must meet Uniform Federal
Accessibility Standards.

"We are pleased that FEMA has decided to meet its legal
obligation to give evacuees with disabilities accessible
temporary housing," said Cary LaCheen, a Senior Staff Attorney at
the National Center for Law and Economic Justice, one of the
attorneys for the plaintiffs. "FEMA trailers are still the only
housing available to thousands of people whose homes were damaged
or destroyed by the hurricanes." said Nell Hahn, Director of
Systems Advocacy and Litigation at the Advocacy Center, "Now,
finally, people with disabilities will have equal access to this
program."

Include 2007 - Call for Entires

The deadline for submissions for the Include 2007 conference is now
only a few days away. All submissions should be made by midnight on 5 October (GMT).

Overview:
http://www.hhrc.rca.ac.uk/programmes/include/index.html

CONFERENCE DETAILS
Include 2007: designing with people

Strategies, stories and systems for user participation in design

International conference on inclusive design
Royal College of Art, London, UK
2-4 April 2007 with a welcome reception on Sunday 1 April.

Include 2007 is the fourth Include conference and promises to be an
exciting forum that builds on previous conferences in two ways - by
making user participation in all its diversity central to the design
discourse and by broadening the constituency for inclusive design
among those professions and groups normally outside consideration.

The theme of this year is designing with people - strategies, stories
and systems for user participation in design. The conference aims to
engage those involved in all aspects of user-centred design practice,
research and advocacy - from consumers, user groups, designers,
design managers and clients to voluntary sector organisations,
researchers and policy makers.

Rama Gheerawo
Deputy Chairman
Include 2007 Scientific Committee

Gerontechnology Journal

Gerontechnology Journal is the Official Journal of the International Society for Gerontechnology (www.gerontechnology.info).

Sustainability of an ageing society depends upon our effectiveness in creating technological environments for innovative and independent living and social participation of older persons in good health, comfort, and safety. These objectives comprise the multidisciplinary field of Gerontechnology.

The aim of this journal is to provide a forum for reporting original research and review papers in the broad area of fitting technological environments to living, leisure and working of the ageing. These research outcomes form the basis for designers, builders, engineers, manufacturers and those in the health professions, to provide the proper environment for the greatest number of persons in society.

This is the first international scientific journal devoted to the domain of Gerontechnology. As such it has an international focus with interdisciplinary content. The papers in each issue reflect the broad categories of interest in this field: health, housing, mobility, communication, leisure and work.

A unique feature of Gerontechnology is the clear-cut commitment to highlight the central ideas of Gerontechnology. By tuning the balance between two milestones in current development - ageing and technology -, the journal points at clarifying their complex intertwinements.

Gerontechnology distinguishes itself from gerontology journals by explicit consideration of the technological environment as a domain for improving quality of life and enabling realisation of ambitions and goals of older persons.

In comparison with technological journals, Gerontechnology focuses on embedding innovations in the lives of older persons and in adaptations to ageing processes. It sheds light on the context of use - or lack of use - of appropriate technology by older persons.

Monday Movies: Wheelchair Softball

TSA & Disability Aversion

I have just returned from a business trip that did not allow time to write a travelogue while on the road. While away Wheelchair Dancer posted a troubling account of her recent travels at Too Gross to Touch.

Inclusive Travel Events in the EU: 2006 - 2007

Plan ahead for these European Union Inclusive Travel events:

• ENAT International Workshop on Accessible Tourism
  Athens, Greece. Monday 23rd October 2006
• Europe for All Stakeholder Conference on Accessible Tourism
  Brussels, Belgium. Thursday 18th and Friday 19th January 2007
• The Second International Congress of Tourism for All (2007).
  Venue is not yet fixed but it will be in Spain. Wednesday 21st - Friday 24th November 2007

Dear Colleague,

This email is being sent to you and a wide range of individuals and organisations that are interested in "Accessible Tourism".

We would like to inform you about three forthcoming events, organised by the ENAT and OSSATE partners.

1. ENAT International Workshop on Accessible Tourism.
Athens, Greece. Monday 23rd October 2006.

Further information and Registration details for this event are available on the ENAT Website at:
http://www.accessibletourism.org/pages/events_international_meeting.jsp
This event is open to ENAT Members and others who may be interested in making travel, tourism and hospitality accessible for all customers. Participants will have the opportunity to present their activities in workshop sessions and take part in discussions to shape the future activities of the network.
You may register now! Registration closes on 16th October 2007.

2. Europe for All Stakeholder Conference on Accessible Tourism.
Brussels, Belgium. Thursday 18th and Friday 19th January 2007.

This major event is being organised by OSSATE together with the European Commission DG Enterprise (Tourism Unit). Further information: http://www.ossate.org/events_conference.jsp
The stakeholder conference will be an open event, with high-profile speakers presenting their perspectives on accessible tourism, followed by workshop sessions on accessibility information systems, tourism marketing, and policies and actions for accessible tourism in Europe. Registration details and the Preliminary Programme will be available on the above-mentioned Web page in due course.

3. The Second International Congress of Tourism for All (2007).
Venue is not yet fixed but it will be in Spain. Wednesday 21st - Friday 24th November 2007.

This open event is being organised by Fundación ONCE, under the auspices of the European Network for Accessible Tourism. The Congress is supported by the European Commission Directorate General Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. The Congress Organising Committee will issue an Open Call for speakers and exhibitors before the end of 2006. Further information about this event will be posted on the ENAT website, Events page: http://www.accessibletourism.org/pages/events.jsp

Please make a note of the above dates. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact ENAT or OSSATE at the address shown below.

On behalf of the ENAT and OSSATE partners, let me welcome you to join us in one or more of these events!

With best regards,

Ivor Ambrose
Coordinator

--
European Network for Accessible Tourism and OSSATE
c/o EWORX S.A.,
Rodou St., 22
GR-15122 Marousi, Athens, Greece.
Tel. 0030 210 614 8380
Fax. 0030 210 614 8381
E-mail: enat@accessibletourism.org
Web: http://www.accessibletourism.org http://www.ossate.org
--

announcement provided by: DPI