Rolling Rains Report:

Pity this poor creature, manunkind, not!

"When the ax entered the forest, the trees said, 'Look, the handle is one of us!' " - Turkish saying

Jerry Lewis has made a comic dynasty out of being outlandish. His physical humor, facial dexterity, and non-stop tongue have won him adoring fans around the world and in multiple languages.

The limited exposure I have had to his work has been through my own choice. Some of his classic comic scenes evoke the same response in me as coming across a puppy being abused. I choose to find my entertainment elsewhere.

Ditto for his annual telethon which will, sadly, air again this weekend.

It would take no effort on my part to repeat the well-documented criticisms of Jerry's anachronistic attitudes toward disability. They will pass when he does - although they will continue to do damage in the meantime. It seems more worthwhile to present my reasons for wanting to redeem someone who publicly announced on CBS Sunday Morning, May 20, 2001, "Pity? You don't want to be pitied because you're a cripple in a wheelchair? Stay in your house!"

Jerry, with that you stepped out of your celebrity domain and into commentary on travel and disability.

It was not the first time that Jerry let the audacity so necessary in his craft launch him into conflict with the disability community. Documentation abounds. But what might account for this pattern of verbal abuse toward a community that he claims to care so deeply for? And how to explain his acceptance by some in the disability community except with reference to the Turkish saying, "When the ax entered the forest, the trees said, 'Look, the handle is one of us?' "

Jerry's personal dilemma is played out through his telethon -- that larger-than-life annual ritual exposing the logical limits of what the disability community calls the Medical Model of Disability. The model's claim to objective truth is a temptation that has overpowered others besides Lewis. The only comic relief is that the comedian so awkwardly wears the ill-fitting mantle of unassailable truthfulness when playing the role.

Pheroza Daruwalla and Simon Darcy offer insight into the gap between Lewis' stated public and apparent private attitudes toward disability with a study revealing that such inconsistency is common in the paper Personal and Societal Attitudes Toward Disability (Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 32, No. 3, pp. 549–570, 2005.) They also find that changing social attitudes is easier than changing personal ones.

Conceptualizations of ‘‘normalcy’’ are the basis of the medical model (Oliver 1990)... The construction of what is ‘‘normal’’ or ‘‘abnormal’’ contributes to... stigmatization and stereotyping and is a function of socialization processes. The move away from constructing disability through this medical model worldview to a social model perspective is an important refinement of perspective.

Disability, impairment and handicap are underlying
assumptions of an ‘‘objective scientific’’ construct of the normal.
As such, these concepts are supposed to be objectively measurable.
However, Barnes, Mercer and Shakespeare (1999), Chadwick (1994)
and Linton (1998) challenge these notions of scientific normalcy. In
contrast, the social model views disability as the product of social structures
and places it firmly on the social, economic, and political agendas.
The oppression, exclusion, and segregation of people with
impairments from participation in mainstream activities are not a result
of the person’s impairment but a function of the disabling social
environments and prevailing ‘‘hostile social attitudes’’ (Barnes
1996:43). These hostile social views represent it as a personal tragedy
of the individual and the impaired body (Oliver 1996; Shakespeare
1994). This medical model worldview in Western society also implies
a normative value structure that is challenged by the social model.

The social model views it not as ‘‘other’’ but as part of human diversity.
As Charlton (1998) argues, disability is part of the continuum of
humanity, as evidenced by the 500 million people with disabilities living
today. Statistical data collection of Western governments shows that
between 10 to 19% of their populations identify as having a disability.

In a medical model worldview "defectiveness" is what defines persons with disabilities, "cure" is the goal, and, extended to the extremes of its illogic, action to alleviate the "plight" of those "afflicted" is a highest good justifying means toward that end.

Such ends-justifies-the-means slippery slopes allow Lewis to say in Leslie Bennetts' September 1993 Vanity Fair article, "Jerry v. the Kids,"

"I've raised one billion three hundred million dollars. These 19 people [protesting his telethon as offensive to people with disabilities] don't want me to do that. They want me to stop now? Fuck them. Do it in caps. FUCK THEM."

The comedian, who made his mark playing the role of abused underdog at the hands of Dean Martin, strikes back with lines more appropriate to a "made man" in the film "Goodfellas." Fortunately such abused-turned-abuser tactics are transparent. The disability community excels in resiliency. What Lewis' remarks call into question is his ability to deal with the same social tools used to keep both artists and people with disabilities in line -- stigmatization, ostracism, pity, and disdain or their equally debilitating opposites of celebrity, false intimacy, worship, and envy.

Lewis's undeniable creativity has flourished because he learned to dwell close to an inner flame. It is the nature of that energy to push him beyond acceptable boundaries. He has been rewarded with celebrity for that.

People with disabilities have also learned to thrive on inner resources that those not disciplined by stigma and social ostracism often overlook in themselves. When the public response to that resiliency rises above pity it rarely registers as more than a ready-made false intimacy supplied by medical model stereotypes of super-crips overcoming their "challenges."

Robin Williams described the inner phenomenon of comic creativity in a remarkable way. He compares his genius to disability, "You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." In Leading Ideas: Embrace the Lunatic Inside You Doug Sundheim posts:

You've got to let yourself think crazy thoughts and dream crazy dreams to find them. Never lose that ability. If you do you'll find yourself hopelessly sane - which will drive you nuts.

My suggestion to Jerry Lewis - and to all who seek to make sense of the world with merely a medical model caricature of the proud, world-traveling, and productive community that is people with disabilities: Be careful. Such limited thinking will surely drive you hopelessly sane.

On His Way to Nicaragua

Craig Gimes, of Accessible Barcelona, is on his way for an extended stay in Nicaragua. You can follow his preparations and later his travelogue at Accessible Everything. Meanwhile, as he plans, packs, and double-checks he is looking for insight from seasoned travelers:

If anyone has traveled in this part of the world and has any useful information regarding tips for disabled people I would very much appreciate it.

He has already tapped the breadth of experience that Gordon Rattray has to offer at Accessible Adventure Travel. You can catch up with Craig at Planning for Nicaragua 1 and Planning for Nicaragua 2

Katrina +2: Leadership on Post-Disaster Reconstruction

One year after Katrina there is evidence that the lesson has been learned that post-disaster reconstruction must incorporate best practices in Universal Design and Livable Community planning. It is encouraging to hear the clear voice of leadership. Ironically it is not from any US official but from Wilson Michael Urtecho of Peru speaking of the reconstruction of Pisco, Ica, Cañete y Huancavelica after the August 15 earthquake.

"Es indispensable que las nuevas obras que se diseñen, planifiquen y construyan se realicen de manera accesible para discapacitados. Eso quiere decir que los planos y proyectos que se usen para la reconstrucción se adecuen a todas las normas técnicas de accesibilidad para favorecer a las personas con discapacidad."

"It is absolutely necessary that the new projects that they design, plan, and construct be implemented in a way that is accessible to people with disabilities. That is to say that the plans and projects used in reconstruction meet all accessible building codes for the benefit of people with disabilities."

Lima, ago. 28 (ANDINA).- El congresista de Renovación, Wilson Michael Urtecho, planteó hoy la necesidad de que el gobierno considere las normas técnicas de accesibilidad que están vigentes, al momento de reconstruir las viviendas de Pisco, Ica, Cañete y Huancavelica, que resultaron afectadas por el terremoto del pasado 15 de agosto.

"Es indispensable que las nuevas obras que se diseñen, planifiquen y construyan se realicen de manera accesible para discapacitados. Eso quiere decir que los planos y proyectos que se usen para la reconstrucción se adecuen a todas las normas técnicas de accesibilidad para favorecer a las personas con discapacidad", dijo.

Urtecho, quien preside la Subcomisión de Discapacidad del Parlamento, recomendó que la Presidencia del Consejo de Ministros, así como el Ministerio de Vivienda y Construcción, emitan una directiva o norma que haga este tema de cumplimiento obligatorio.

Asimismo, instó a ambos sectores del gobierno a ejercer más control en los proyectos generales de tal manera que éstos sean revisados por expertos en diseño accesible.

También pidió que se convoque a las propias personas con discapacidad y a sus Organizaciones a fin que puedan realizar tareas de supervisión. "Ya que en cuestiones de accesibilidad y seguridad se ha demostrado que la mirada del usuario con discapacidad siempre supera a la frialdad y la exactitud matemática de las normas", consideró.

Más adelante sostuvo que el Ministerio de Educación, en coordinación con la Oficina de Infraestructura Educativa debería emitir una directiva específica, de tal manera que el tema del diseño universal y accesible, sea de cumplimiento obligatorio para proyectistas, arquitectos y constructoras que operan en el campo de la infraestructura educativa. "Ello en el marco de la Década de la Educación

Inclusiva 2003-2012 dispuesta por el Decreto Supremo 026-2003-ED", enfatizó.

Urtecho indicó que sería una pena que los recursos que se destinen a la reconstrucción del sur sirvan para construir nuevas barreras arquitectónicas que solo excluyen a los educandos y profesores con discapacidad.

"Es indispensable reconocer, como lo ha manifestado el Banco Mundial en diversos estudios, que la diferencia entre construir barreras arquitectónicas y construir de manera accesible no cuesta adicionalmente más del 1% del costo original. Lo que sí cuesta bastante y a veces una fortuna, es modificar lo que fue construido como inaccesible y más por ignorancia, descuido o apresuramiento, cosas que deberíamos evitar", concluyó.

World Responsible Tourism Day - November 14, 2007

World Responsible Tourism Day supported by the UNWTO on Wednesday
14th November 2007, is the first opportunity for travel and tourism to
become one powerful and unifying force. A chance to make a real
difference that will keep our beaches clean, preserve our stunning
scenery, save wildlife and glory in our historic buildings and precious
heritage.

There is a responsibility too to help local people wherever they might
be, provide them with shelter, jobs, clean water, food and education.
Protect them from exploitation, corruption and deceit.

Making the difference personally and corporately is what WTM's World
Responsible Tourism Day (WTM WRTD) is all about.

New item thanks to Marcus Endicott, Green Travel

Patricia E. Bauer on Disability

Patricia E. Bauer has a long list of journalistic accomplishments. She has recently started a blog on disability-related news issues that looks like it will tackle a breadth of issues.

Here is a link to a story on trails access in Vermont. For a little spice try "I Hate Motivational Cripples" where she quotes BBC's Disability Bitch challenging a blind motivational speaker named Miles after he did aerial stunts in a fighter jet:

It wouldn’t bother me - if you want to do aerobatics, go ahead - but why do all these motivational cripples have to be doing things which are so outlandish. I have a new challenge for Miles: go to any major city in the UK during rush hour and get from one end to the other on public transport. Go on.

Read Patricia E. Bauer at:

http://www.patriciaebauer.com/

NYC Forums on Accessible Transportation

Rebecca Hinde of the Disabilities Network of New York City has asked for donations to launch a series of Forums on Accessible Transportation to reverse a situation where only 81 of the city's 13,000 cabs are wheelchair accessible.

The Disabilities Network needs your help to act on exciting
new opportunities to win equality for disabled New Yorkers.

And we're on a deadline! We need 400 people to donate $10 or more by this Friday,
Aug. 31st. Can you be one?

For years, the disability community has pressed for accessible taxis and liveries.
Of NYC's 13,000 yellow cabs, only 81 are wheelchair-accessible. Less than 1%! And
none have features like rate info. in Braille.

But this can change:

The Mayor got great press when he mandated an all-hybrid taxi fleet by 2012 but said
nothing about accessibility, even though....

There's a bill in City Council to make all taxis hybrid AND accessible. The
Council's done nothing. Press has been minimal.

Meanwhile, the City plans to allow wheelchair & scooter users to phone for (but not
hail) accessible cabs, despite controversy in the community over this proposal. Now
is the time for fair, achievable policies for integrated, accessible transportation.

You can make it happen! How? Support our Forums on Accessible Transportation - a
Five-Borough Series!

We'll hold unprecedented public forums on this issue in every borough. The
community, the taxi industry and lawmakers are coming together to develop real
solutions. All stakeholders will have their say. Media coverage expected.

But to make these landmark forums a reality, we need 400 people to give $10 by this
Friday, 8/31. The $4000 will cover sign language, captioning, Braille materials -
all essential to the disability community.

Be one of them! Just copy and paste this link into your browser,
https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=2592
Under "Donation Amount," select "Other." Enter $10 or the amount of your choice.
Every dollar counts!

I hope you'll consider supporting this important project. Thank you!

Sincerely yours,
Rebecca Hinde
Director of Development
Disabilities Network of New York City
212.251.4141
rebecca@dnnyc.net or rhinde@uwnyc.org

!~!~!~!~!~!

Photo from The Big Yellow Taxi at http://www.checkerhire.net/wedding-services.htm
Rent this taxi for a wedding or special event!

Hostels & Inclusive Travel

Some of the most innovative Inclusive Destination development that I have encountered in my travels, Devil's Playground in Tasmania, depends on the world-girdling nomadic "backpackers' economy." Grandparent of that niche is the hostels movement.

This September I plan to dip into that terrestrial jet stream of cultural diversity along the California coast. Take a look at Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel and Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel. They form end caps on the trek along California's spectacular Bug Sur Coast.

Further reading:

Hostelling International
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hostelling_International
http://www.hihostels.com/

Champion of Inclusive Tourism: Brazilian Senator Eduardo Azeredo (Portuguese)

Brazilian Senator Eduardo Azeredo exerts leadership for people with disabilities as president the Brazilian Senate's Subcommission on Social issues for People with Disabilities. This week he held hearings on Inclusive Tourism in Brazil giving further mindshare to Brazil as a destination of choice for travelers with disabilities.

SENADORES DEBATEM TURISMO PARA PESSOAS COM DEFICIÊNCIA

Para Eduardo Azeredo, setor ainda precisa de ações para promover tratamento de igualdade

A Subcomissão de Assuntos Sociais da Pessoa com Deficiência (Casdef) e a Comissão de Desenvolvimento Regional e Turismo (CDR) do Senado realizaram audiência pública, nesta terça-feira (28), para debater as propostas destinadas a desenvolver o turismo para cidadãos com necessidades especiais. "Já existem algumas ações muito importantes nesse sentido, mas precisamos discutir quais providências são necessárias para um tratamento de igualdade", disse o Senador Eduardo Azeredo (PSDB-MG), presidente da Casdef. Ele ressaltou como exemplo a exigência de instalações adaptadas como requisito para a liberação de financiamentos federais para a construção de hotéis.

Participaram da audiência a representante do Ministério do Turismo, Jurema Monteiro; do Ministério das Cidades, Carlos Morales; do Ministério dos Transportes, Marcos Cordeiro; da Coordenadoria da Pessoa com Deficiência (Corde), Isabel Maior; do Conselho Nacional dos Direitos da Pessoa com Deficiência (Conade), Maria Madalena Nobre; e da Associação Brasileira de Hotéis, Patrícia Ferraz.

ENTIDADES ESTUDAM AÇÕES DE INCLUSÃO

Na audiência pública desta terça-feira (28), Maria Madalena Nobre, membro do Conade, ressaltou que o turismo para pessoas com deficiência é uma questão em discussão no mundo todo. Segundo ela, algumas iniciativas no sentido da acessibilidade serão importantes nesse sentido. "Podemos adequar os equipamentos turísticos, como as redes hoteleiras, e também promover a qualificação profissional para atendimento às pessoas com deficiência", destacou. O representante do Ministério dos Transportes, Marcos Cordeiro, também defendeu o treinamento de funcionários para que possam entender as necessidades dos deficientes.
Jurema Monteiro afirmou que o Ministério do Turismo tem dado prioridade ao turismo social, sob a perspectiva da inclusão. Para Isabel Maior, da Corde, essas ações estão apenas começando e ainda serão necessários mais debates e providências. "Esperamos voltar várias vezes ao Senado para aprimorar essa discussão", concluiu. O Brasil tem 25 milhões de pessoas com deficiência

Disabled People's International World Assembly

The closer the opening of DPI's World Assembly the more I regret that I will be unable to attend.

Presenters have been writing in giving updates on what they will be presenting in Seoul, South Korea next month. With keynotes, workshops, poster sessions, a film festival and -- don't forget -- tours this promises to be a historic event for the disability community internationally.

Goal and Objectives of the DPI World Assembly

BACKGROUND:

In 2002, the UN began sponsoring Ad Hoc Committee (AHC) Sessions with the aim of developing an international treaty or convention that will uphold the human rights of persons with disabilities. Within five years, on March 30, 2007, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and accompanying Optional Protocol were “opened for signature” by all Member States of the UN.

Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI), as an international human rights organization, has been heavily involved in the treaty process, including initial drafting of the text, since the first meeting in August 2002 at UN Headquarters in New York.

NEED:

Looking ahead, DPI sees vast potential for this new Convention. We also recognize, however, that the challenges are many as we move forward. Most persons with disabilities live in poverty and were unable to play an active role during the treaty negotiations process. The majority of the 650,000 million persons with disabilities worldwide, of whom 80% live in developing countries, have little or no concept of the meaning of human rights or even see themselves as rights-bearing individuals. Women, children and indigenous persons with disabilities are particularly in need of support. Millions of women with disabilities, for example, continue to be among the poorest and most marginalized persons in the world. They have little, if any, education and/or training and employment opportunities. They are victims of violence and other abuses, unaware of their basic human rights, and have little access to sexual and reproductive health services.

A critical next step is to ensure that persons with disabilities, particularly women, youth and indigenous persons with disabilities, are cognizant of their human rights under the CRPD and involved in active partnerships with governments and other human rights organizations to ensure those rights. The adoption of the CRPD both serves to underscore the need for more knowledge and expertise in this area and at the same time creates a truly wonderful and historic opportunity to do so.

DPI's 7th WORLD ASSEMBLY: To carry out its strategic vision grounded in human rights, DPI seeks to engage persons with disabilities and their representative organizations in (1) discussion of their human rights under the Convention, and (2) laying the foundation for collaborative strategic partnerships with governments and other human rights organizations focusing on ratification and implementation of the Treaty. DPI’s 7th World Assembly will be the venue for this engagement.

The theme for the 2007 event, Our Rights, Our Convention, But For All, will set the stage for the work DPI is doing worldwide towards ratification and implementation of the CRPD. Organized by DPI and DPI-Korea, the 7th World Assembly will be the largest global meeting of persons with disabilities since the CRPD was adopted by the UN General Assembly. This gathering of persons with disabilities and their allies offers an essential opportunity to celebrate the adoption of this historic Treaty, become informed about the human rights elaborated in the Treaty, and commence serious deliberation on collaborative approaches for the ratification and implementation of the Treaty at the national and international levels. Not only will the 7th World Assembly provide the forum for persons with disabilities to discuss their rights under the CRPD and ensure they are upheld, it will also be used as a forum to highlight issues of those persons with disabilities who are most marginalized, women, youth and indigenous persons with disabilities.

Through its 7th World Assembly, DPI seeks to capitalize on the momentum developed during the treaty process to date. Working together, DPI members can be a true catalyst for advancing disability issues on the national human rights agenda of countries and institutions all over the world.

GOAL:

To ensure that the human rights of persons with disabilities, particularly women, indigenous persons and youth, as elaborated by the CRPD, are acknowledged, respected and upheld

OBJECTIVES:

1. To provide an opportunity for persons with disabilities to network, share information and become informed of their rights under the CRPD
2. To support development and implementation by persons with disabilities and their representative organizations of community-based strategies to influence signature, ratification and implementation of the CRPD at the country level
3. To lay the foundation for DPI National Assemblies to build collaborative relations with bi-lateral and multi-lateral development agencies working with client countries who are States Parties to the CRPD
4. To provide (a) a forum for women with disabilities and their networks to discuss their unique rights under the CRPD and (b) the opportunity for them to identify directions to pursue in order to ensure those rights are upheld
5. To provide a forum for indigenous persons and youth with disabilities to discuss their rights under the CRPD and provide DPI with direction on how to ensure those rights
6. To elicit direction of members on content of DPI’s Strategic Plan for 2007-2011
7. To provide a venue for persons with disabilities to hold regional meetings for discussion and strategy development around issues and activities that impact them, e.g. African, Asia-Pacific and Organization of American States Decades on Disability

Source:
http://dpiwa.net/eu/community/press_release.asp?db=press_eng&mode=viewcontents&idx=31&seq=5&page=1

Projeto Viaja Mais Melhor Idade Inicia Vendas de Pacotes

Hoje Projeto Viaja Mais Melhor Idade inicia vendas de pacotes. Veja www.viajamais.com.br

Os pacotes e o treinamento das agências participantes tomam conta da inclusão?

Na próxima segunda-feira (27/08) começam as vendas dos pacotes do Viaja Mais Melhor Idade, projeto do Ministério do Turismo (Mtur) para estimular e promover viagens de pessoas acima de 60 anos, aposentados e pensionistas. Para saber onde e como comprá-los, o público poderá acessar o site www.viajamais.com.br ou contatar a Central de Atendimento por meio do telefone 0800 77 07 202, que funciona todos os dias das 8 às 22 horas.

Pelo endereço, o visitante terá informações sobre as agências participantes e os pacotes disponíveis. Assim, poderá fazer sua consulta dentre os 14 destinos do projeto e encaminhar sua solicitação a uma agência, ou se preferir, ir pessoalmente aos estabelecimentos credenciados. As primeiras saídas estão programadas para 13 de setembro.

Pela central de atendimento telefônico, também serão fornecidas informações gerais sobre o projeto. O serviço contará com 120 atendentes, treinados por uma equipe técnica da Associação Brasileira das Operadoras de Turismo (Braztoa) e do Mtur. Serão aceitas apenas ligações de telefones fixos.

No início de agosto, mais de 600 pessoas, entre operadores e agentes de viagens, receberam treinamento especial para conhecer as características dos produtos e dos consumidores da melhor idade. Os profissionais foram orientados também para o processo de comercialização dos pacotes. Atualmente no endereço www.queremosviajar.com.br está disponível a versão online, que dará capacitação e credenciamento necessários para aqueles que não fizeram o treinamento presencial.

Fonte: Mercado e Eventos

Do sitio:

O VAI BRASIL é um projeto criado pelo MTur – Ministério do Turismo, em parceria com a Associação Brasileira das Operadoras de Turismo - BRAZTOA e a Associação Brasileira das Agências de Viagem – ABAV com o intuito de fomentar a comercialização de pacotes turísticos em períodos de baixa ocupação nos diversos destinos do Brasil. Os serviços turísticos do VAI BRASIL são disponibilizados ao público, com condições especiais de preços, por meio do website http://www.vaibrasil.com.br

OBJETIVOS ESPECÍFICOS

* aumentar a oferta e a procura para os períodos de baixa ocupação, a fim de minimizar os efeitos da sazonalidade
* aumentar a ocupação da oferta existente
* estimular a articulação entre as empresas do trade turístico e seu comprometimento com as ações do VAI BRASIL
* manter os empregos atuais, diminuir a rotatividade e ampliar a oferta de vagas
* fortalecer o papel do setor turístico como gerador de renda e de desenvolvimento social
* dar oportunidade a todos os integrantes da cadeia produtiva do turismo de divulgar seus produtos em escala nacional

FATORES DE SUCESSO

Pela primeira vez no Brasil um projeto conseguiu mobilizar toda a cadeia produtiva do turismo para dinamizar a produção e comercialização de produtos turísticos no país, por meio de uma estratégia que leva em consideração os interesses de todos os integrantes envolvidos no processo, sem alterar as relações de mercado. O VAI BRASIL privilegia o funcionamento da cadeia produtiva e, principalmente, gera novos clientes e cria oportunidades para a inserção de novos fornecedores e prestadores de serviços turísticos em escala nacional.
Ao reduzirem suas tarifas, os integrantes da cadeia produtiva do turismo ampliam suas oportunidades de negócios no período de baixa ocupação e permitem a uma maior parcela da população viajar pelo Brasil, aumentando assim seus lucros.
Outro fator de sucesso do VAI BRASIL é o apoio do Ministério do Turismo por meio do aporte financeiro para o desenvolvimento da ferramenta eletrônica – website – e sobretudo pela deflagração de uma campanha em todo o país que incentiva o acesso ao sites.

PARTICIPANTES DESTE PROJETO

Nesta fase do projeto podem participar as operadoras de turismo, agências de viagens, companhias aéreas, meios de hospedagem, empresas de receptivo, locadoras de veículos, parques de diversões e empresas de assistência de viagem. Para as fases seguintes, espera-se que outros parceiros, como instituições financeiras, administradoras de cartões de crédito, conventions & visitors bureau, empresas de transporte rodoviário, bares e restaurantes também venham a aderir ao projeto.

ATRIBUIÇÕES DO PARTICIPANTE NO VAI BRASIL

Os fornecedores e prestadores de serviços turísticos devem cadastrar e atualizar seus insumos no website VAI BRASIL, no ambiente B2B Agências de viagens devem fornecer aos clientes informações sobre as opções de pacotes recebidas pelo sistema e interagir com as operadoras para orçar o custo dos produtos e efetivar reservas e vendas Operadoras turísticas devem consultar as tarifas dos insumos cadastrados no ambiente B2B, formatar os pacotes turísticos, cadastrá-los para que sejam divulgados no website e atender às demandas geradas pelo projeto, por meio das agências de viagens

US Chamber of Commerce Opposes ADA Restoration

When you run into facile assurances that "things are better for people with disabilities than they used to be" ask if the speak knows that the world's largest business federation is now on record opposing the ADA Restoration Act of 2007.

Dear Advocates,

On Tuesday, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world's largest
business federation, in a letter addressed to the Members of the
U.S. House of Representatives, went on record as opposing the ADA
Restoration Act of 2007 (H.R. 3195) and urging Members not to co-
sponsor or show support of the bill. The Chamber's letter
mischaracterizes the ADA Restoration Act as an expansion of the
ADA, when in fact, it is, as its name suggests, a restoration of
the original intent of Congress when passing the ADA in 1990,
which was to create a level playing field for everyone who wants a
job to have an equal opportunity to work. Just like other civil
rights laws prohibit employers from basing decisions on
characteristics like race or sex, Congress wanted the ADA to stop
employers from making decisions based on disability.

However, that original, bipartisan, bicameral intent has since
been distorted by the Courts through extremely narrow
interpretations of the ADA. The employment rate of people with
disabilities has not improved and two-thirds of people with
disabilities who do not have a job indicate they would work if
they could only find employment. What's more, for those fortunate
enough to find jobs, Courts are deciding against people with
disabilities who challenge disability discrimination 97% of the
time, often before the person with a disability even has a chance
to show that the employer treated them unfairly!

The Chamber argues that they "strongly support equal opportunity
in employment" yet they adamantly oppose H.R. 3195 which seeks to
make equal opportunities for people with disabilities possible!

TAKE ACTION!!

React directly to the Chamber regarding their opposition to ADA
Restoration by writing or calling the Chamber of Commerce at:

U.S. Chamber of Commerce
1615 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20062-2000
Main Number: 202-659-6000
Customer Service: 1-800-638-6582

Send your complaints to the regional Chamber offices, too. To
determine contact information for the regional office nearest you,
go to:
http://www.uschamber.com/about/contact/regional.htm

To read the letter the Chamber of Commerce sent to the U.S. House
of Representatives, go to:
http://www.aapd.com/News/adainthe/070827uscc.htm

Public Hearing on Accessibility of Outdoor Developed Areas

The U.S. Access Board will sponsor a public hearing on
"Proposed Accessibility Guidelines for Outdoor Developed Areas":

September 6, 2007

2:00 to 5:00 pm
The Madison Hotel
1177 Fifteenth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005

On June 20, 2007, the Access Board published proposed
accessibility guidelines for outdoor developed areas. These
proposed guidelines address accessibility to trails, camping and
picnic areas, and beach access routes. Members of the public are
encouraged to provide comments on these proposed guidelines. In
particular, the Board is interested in hearing from persons with
disabilities who are active in the outdoors, landscape architects,
park administrators, and others.

If you are interested in providing testimony during the hearing,
you are strongly encouraged to contact Kathy Roy Johnson at
johnson@access-board.gov or (202) 272-0041 (voice); (800) 993-2822
(TTY).

SOURCE: The U.S. Access Board

Universal Design & Signage

Barbara Knecht has posted a few times at Planetizen I liked the lead to her latest post:

“I have always thought that design can be a form of social activism,” says Don Meeker, environmental graphic designer and co-creator of “Clearview” typeface. This small but radical quotation was buried in an article from the 8.12.07 NY Times Sunday magazine on the redesign of highway sign typeface. Meeker, James Montalbano, and a team of collaborators understood that it was the design of highway signage that was contributing to highway fatalities. They applied an understanding of human psychology and function to the solution of a “civic issue.”

Radical idea. It’s called Universal Design. Or social activism.

For the full article see: http://www.planetizen.com/node/26507

For a discussion on Clearview see: http://typographica.org/000931.php

Real Heros: Profiles in Designing the Future

Adaptive Environments is a world-class resource on inclusive design. Their online book, Building a World Fit for People: Designers with Disabilities at Work, is just one example of their work.

From the book:

Taide Buenfil Garza has evolved her work as an architect in several private and public agencies, with increasing focus and passion for accessible design. In December 2000, the newly elected president of Mexico, Vicente Fox, appointed her to be director of citizens' projects in the Office of Representation for the Social Promotion and Inclusion of Disabled Persons. Taide explains, "This is the first time that we have had an office especially for disabled persons. Before this there were specialized but disconnected programs in the health department or social security, but not everywhere where we needed to be."

"We have to explain accessibility to everyone, and how that must become the basis for universal design. This is the way to have the whole country working on the type of new society that we are trying to make, a society of inclusion."
- Taide Buenfil Garza

Maurizio Antoninetti is a designer whose passion is urban design, but until recently, he paid his bills working as an accessibility consultant. His interest in urban design began during his undergraduate years at Politecnico di Milano, Italy, where he earned a B. A. with honor in architecture with a major in urbanism in October 1991. The degree program emphasized urban design, social analysis, and geographic information systems (GIS). In the United States, Maurizio recently completed a master of city planning at San Diego State University, and he has just begun a Ph.D. program, also at San Diego State, where he will research human and urban geography.

"It can be frustrating when you are a consultant in a specialty that's not very well understood and where good design or universal design is condensed to mere accessibility and code compliance."
- Maurizio Antoninetti

Marcelo Guimaraes is an assistant professor at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and the director of ADAPTSE, the university's research lab on accessibility issues. He earned his bachelor's degree in architecture at this same university, in the School of Architecture and Urban Planning (EA-UFMG), in 1982, and a master's in architecture from the School of Architecture and Planning at the University at Buffalo, in 1991. He has recently begun his doctoral study at the College of Design, North Carolina State University (NCSU). The main focus of Marcelo's career is research and education. He aims at making Brazil a more inclusive society for people with disabilities.

"When I was younger, I accepted barriers almost as an inevitable part of the landscape. Now, even though I must cope with some steps and many attitudinal barriers, I challenge, politely, of course, any and all authorities that stand in the way of a barrier-free world."
- Marcelo Pinto Guimaraes

Rural Tourism in Brazil - Feiratur

Inclusive Tourism was well represented during the Feiratur conference on rural tourism. Here the speakers all gather at Marcelo de Arrechea's Decthird booth.

Marcelo addresses the gathering.

Dr. Frank Bowe: LongtimeProfessor And Renowned Champion of People with Disabilities

Dr. Frank Bowe passed away August 23, 2007. Dr. Bowe directed the first cross-disability consumer advocacy organization in the United States, the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities (ACCD). Through his visionary leadership te coalition was pivotal in gaining passage of Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act, the world's first civil-rights provision for persons with disabilities.

Aug 23, 2007

Hofstra University Mourns the Loss Of Dr. Frank Bowe, Longtime
Professor And Renowned Champion of People with Disabilities

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY - Frank Bowe, Ph.D, LL.D, a
professor of counseling, research, special education and
rehabilitation (CRSR) in Hofstra University's School of Education
and Allied Human Services, passed away on August 21, 2007. He was
60 years old. He had served on the faculty since 1989 and held the
Dr. Mervin Livingston Schloss Distinguished Professorship for the
Study of Disabilities. In 2005, 2006 and during the spring of
2007, he served as acting chair of Hofstra's CRSR Department.

Dr. Bowe was a nationally recognized champion for the rights of
people with disabilities and a highly regarded and prolific
researcher in this area. On the Hofstra campus he was celebrated
for his excellent teaching skills and for being a professor who
brought warmth, humor and unwavering dedication to the classroom.

"Dr. Bowe was a prominent scholar and advocate for Americans with
disabilities, as well as a caring and outstanding teacher," said
Hofstra President Stuart Rabinowitz. "There are many Hofstra
alumni and current students who credit Dr. Bowe with opening their
eyes to the rewards of teaching and of working with special needs
students. In 1996 he won the University's Distinguished Teaching
Award, an honor based on the recommendation of graduating seniors
who regarded the opportunity to study with Dr. Bowe as a
transforming experience."

"Frank Bowe will be missed very much by his students, our alumni
and his colleagues. He set an example of compassion and excellence
to which we should all aspire."

Dr. Bowe received a Ph.D. in 1976 from New York University; an
M.A. in 1971 from Gallaudet University; and a B.A. in 1969 from
Western Maryland College. Before joining the faculty at Hofstra,
Dr. Bowe served as a regional commissioner of the U.S. Department
of Education's Rehabilitation Services Administration. From 1984
to 1986 he was the chairman of the U.S. Congress Commission on
Education of the Deaf.

Dr. Bowe is perhaps best known for his leadership as executive
director of the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities
from 1976 to 1981. He was the organization's first executive
officer, and provided crucial direction during the nationwide sit-
in regarding Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act in 1977, the
world's first civil-rights provision for persons with
disabilities, which eventually led to the American Disabilities
Act, passed in 1990.

In 1980 Dr. Bowe, who was deaf, became the first person with a
disability to represent any nation in the planning of the United
Nations International Year of Disabled Persons. For more than two
decades Dr. Bowe had been a consultant to the U.S. Congress on a
variety of issues. In 1992 he received the Distinguished Service
Award from the President for his lifetime achievement. In 1994 he
was inducted into the National Hall of Fame for People with
Disabilities. He is also credited as one of the architects of
provisions in the 1996 Telecommunications Act that have greatly
enhanced the quality of life for Americans with disabilities.

Dr. Bowe's teaching at Hofstra focused on inclusion, technology in
education and meeting K-12 special needs students. Outside the
classroom, he tirelessly researched how all of society not just
schools can better accommodate people with disabilities.

His latest study, released in September 2006, revealed that
Americans with disabilities the nation's third largest minority
are the least likely of any population within the country to
achieve the American dream. Dr. Bowe reported that more than a
quarter of this demographic live in poverty (75% earn less than
$20,000 annually) and fewer than half have private health
insurance. His research found that many adults with disabilities
subsist on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and
Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and although the monthly funds
received from those programs provide barely livable wages, the
benefit of Medicare and/or Medicaid is something this population
cannot do without.

Dr. Bowe also examined education in this study and found that
despite measures to level the playing field, educational
opportunity for students with disabilities and those without is
not parallel. While the typical 9-year-old would be in the 4th
grade, a 9-year-old student with disabilities is more than half
likely (61%) to be in the third grade. Among high school students,
the vast majority of 15-year-old students with disabilities are
not with their same age peers in the 10th grade but in 9th or 8th
grades.

Dr. Bowe authored another paper that was released in 2005 by Rep.
Fred Upton (R, MI), chairman of the Subcommittee on
Telecommunications and the Internet, Energy and Commerce
Committee, U.S. House of Representatives. The paper, titled Two-
Way Technologies: A History of the Struggle to Communicate,
explored how people who are deaf, who are blind, who have cerebral
palsy, or who have mental retardation have communicated over the
past 40 years and how public policy (federal laws, orders of the
Federal Communication Commission, etc.) has alternately led and
lagged technology.

Dr. Bowe had a deep impact on his students and maintained close
ties with many of them after graduation. He was truly an
inspiration to students, fellow faculty and public officials. He
is survived by his wife, Phyllis, and daughters Doran and Whitney.

Media Contact:

Ginny Greenberg
University Relations
Room 202 Hofstra Hall
Phone: (516) 463-6819
Fax: (516) 463-5146
Email: prpgse@hofstra.edu

An Invitation from [with]TV

Dear Friends,

As a volunteer working with the folks at [with]tv I have recently been honored with the title “blog master”. In that capacity I am writing to disability bloggers I know and respect to ask for support. I (we) are hoping you would be willing to either write a post, submit a post you’ve already written, or even join us as a “columnist” and submit posts whenever the mood strikes.

Posts can be submitted to my attention at articles@with-tv.com. This blog is a work in progress and I (we) sure would appreciate your support. While you’re here, please sign the Guest Book and let us know what you think. We’re working hard to spread the word. Anything you can do to help would surely give us a boost!

Thank you,

Connie Kuusisto
Blog Master, [with]tv

P.S. A person need not be a blogger to submit articles to [with]tv or to sign the Guest Book. Anyone interested in the topic of disability is encouraged to participate.

São Paulo Eleva Gasto com Portadores de Deficiência

São Paulo vai aumentar em 7% o repasse destinado a entidades ligadas a pessoas com deficiência ou mobilidade reduzida. A informação é do governador José Serra que participou nesta quinta-feira, 23, no Jardim Paulista, zona Oeste da Capital, do fórum sobre Estatuto da Pessoa com Deficiência organizado pelo Instituto Social Democrata (ISD)...

Para o governador, a inclusão dos portares de deficiência tem ocorrido nos últimos anos de forma gradual. O avanço, observou Serra, deve ser atribuído a mobilização dos próprios interessados “e dos setores mais conscientes da sociedade”. Serra também lembrou que a tecnologia, sobretudo a informática, se tornou aliada nesse processo. “Enormes possibilidades estão sendo oferecidas com a tecnologia. Mas há muito que ser feito para promover a equidade”, completou o governador.

Dados da Secretaria Estadual de Assistência e Desenvolvimento Social indicam aplicação de R$ 65,5 milhões em 2007 – em 2006, foram R$ 60,4 milhões. “É um aumento significativo”, qualificou o governador.

No evento, Serra enumerou algumas ações do governo estadual no sentido de promover a inclusão dos portadores de deficiência. Entre elas, a norma que fixa que 7% das unidades habitacionais construídas pela CDHU (Companhia de Desenvolvimento Habitacional e Urbano) devem ser destinadas a portadores de deficiência.

Outra grande frente de atuação do Estado mencionada pelo governador está na área de transporte. Serra adiantou que, até 2012, o transporte sobre trilhos, Metrô e CPTM (Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos), aplicará mais de R$ 80 milhões para facilitar a acessibilidade dos usuários. “Estamos aplicando somente neste ano R$ 23 milhões”, afirmou Serra.

Para o governador, a inclusão dos portares de deficiência tem ocorrido nos últimos anos de forma gradual. O avanço, observou Serra, deve ser atribuído a mobilização dos próprios interessados “e dos setores mais conscientes da sociedade”. Serra também lembrou que a tecnologia, sobretudo a informática, se tornou aliada nesse processo. “Enormes possibilidades estão sendo oferecidas com a tecnologia. Mas há muito que ser feito para promover a equidade”, completou o governador.

Estatuto

As propostas apresentadas no decorrer do fórum pelos grupos de trabalho serão utilizadas como subsídio ao projeto de lei sobre a criação do Estatuto da Pessoa Portadora de Deficiência que tramita na Câmara Federal. “A aprovação pelo congresso de um Estatuto será um avanço. Daí a importância de plenários como esse que buscam trazer as nossas ruas o debate”, defendeu Serra.

Em São Paulo, o governador José Serra encaminhou em maio deste ano, projeto de lei que prevê a criação da Secretaria Estadual da Pessoa Portadora de Deficiência. Com a medida, o governador espera centralizar as atividades de planejamento, coordenação, supervisão, controle e execução das ações destinadas à tutela das pessoas portadoras de deficiência.

Caberá ainda à nova secretaria articular-se com entidades da sociedade civil vinculadas à causa da pessoa portadora de deficiência, propondo parcerias para a execução de metas, programas e projetos concebidos para o fim de melhorar a qualidade de vida desse segmento.

Além do governador Serra, participaram do fórum o ex-ministro da Educação e deputado federal Paulo Renato, a deputada estadual Célia Leão, o vereador Netinho, a presidente do ISD, Gilda Figueiredo Portugal Gouvêa, e representantes de entidades como Apae, AACD (Associação de Assistência à Criança Defeituosa), Associação dos Amigos dos Autistas (AMA), entre outras.

por
Cleber Mata

Update on Inclusive Travel from the BBC

Clive Gilbert writes, "Despite a new European law to prevent airlines from discriminating against disabled people, planning a holiday can be a fraught exercise for a wheelchair user." Read his observations at "Ticket, passport, wheelchair..."

Call for Participation in CWUAAT

The theme of CWUAAT 2008 from the 13-16 April, 2008 is "Designing Inclusive Futures: Creating a better balance of work, living and leisure, for disability and ageing.” A call for papers have been announced. See the 4th Cambridge Workshop on Universal Access (UA) and Assistive Technology (AT) site here.

The workshop theme “Designing Inclusive Futures” reflects the need to explore the issues and practicalities of design that is intended to extend our active future lives in a coherent way. This encompasses design for inclusion: in the workplace; for businesses; for the individual and of products in these contexts. The philosophy underlying inclusive design specifically extends the definition of product users to include people who are excluded by disability and rapidly changing technology, especially the elderly and ageing, and prioritises the role and value of impairment and disability in innovation and new product and service development. It also addresses the context of use, both physical and psychological, and the complexity of interactions between products, services and their interfaces in specific contexts of use, such as in the workplace and during independent living. Universal access and assistive technology are seen as key focussing domains for these issues. Accepted long papers will be published as a book by Springer-Verlag, UK. Short papers will be published in the proceedings. Selected long papers will appear in a special edition of the Universal Access in the Information Society (UAIS) journal published by Springer. See URL below for published CWUAAT 2006 papers:

http://commerce.metapress.com/content/l657322128g4/?sortorder=asc&v=expanded

The call for participation in CWUAAT is international and contributions are welcomed from all leading researchers in the fields of Universal Access and Assistive Technology. Past participants have included computer scientists, designers and artists, engineers, industrial representatives, ergonomists and sociologists.

China's New "Barrier-Free Day" -The 16th of Every Month

Here's a new policy "design statement" that I hope every country in the world adds to their wardrobe this Fall -- monthly Barrier-Free Days. Maybe we ought to coordinate it so that the wave of inclusion flows from China all the way around the world at a pace that allows for Barrier-Free World Travel.

Imagine, start in China on the 16th of the month. Swing through Southeast and into South Asia on the 17th through the 24th as various countries strut their national inclusivities. End the month on an upswing through Africa into Europe as Barrier-Free Days ripple across the calendar and across borders. Start the next month hopping from Barrier-Free Day to Barrier-Free Day on a path back to China. Create a new Barrier-Free Silk Road and go around the world in 30 days!

The Beijing government has decided to make every 16th of the month the “barrier-free” day from this August. A special theme will be set for every 16th of a month. August 16th is hotel barrier-free day, September 16th the hospital barrier-free day, October 16th the transportation barrier-free day, November 16th the scenic spots barrier-free day, December 16th the supermarket barrier-free day.

The themes and main activities of the barrier-free day in 2008 will be scheduled according to the working task and the preparation for the Olympic Games.

The programme of the barrier-free day targets barrier-free facilities in hotels, hospitals and the capital airport which have signed the contract with the committees of the Olympics and Paralympics; the barrier-free facilities of public serving like roads, banks, post offices and other facilities around the Olympic gyms; barrier-free facilities of the streets, subways, flyovers and other transportation equipments; barrier-free facilities of the scenic sites like the Forbidden City, the Great Wall; barrier-free facilities in the shopping malls and other supermarkets, libraries, museums, banks and so on.

Inclusive Design for Malaysia

Malaysia has an informed and articulate Universal Design and disability rights community. Unfortunately some of the conversation escapes English-only speakers around the world. That is one reason why the blog by Naziaty Yaacob (Nazy) Inclusive Design for Malaysia is so important.

The other reason is simply because it is a well-done and thoughtful blog!

One example - humor & advocacy in My Office is Not Accessible.

Another example - engaging the international dialog on Inclusive Heritage Tourism

Still another - a thoughtful essay on contextualizing disability simulation exercises to Malaysian reality:

With regards to Training on Disability, I would like to give my opinion on the use of “Simulation Exercises” as a tool or method, which is a disability awareness training module that requires the participant to experience a ‘temporary state of disability’ by having them simulate, ie using a wheelchair, blind-folded etc., which is meant for them to understand barriers.

Simulation exercises should be used in conjunction of a specific context. Let me explain a bit more. In countries such as Japan, USA and the UK, they already have (i) disability discrimination laws; (ii) the disabled people had started their campaign way back in the 70s and 80s, and also, (iii) the architects and professionals would find it unacceptable where there are legal recourse (extensive laws) if they do not plan, design and managed the built environment and public transportation according to the discrimination acts and so on. They would be deem to be unprofessional if they did not include disabled people’s needs.

Simulation exercises in Malaysia and in many other UNESCAP countries MUST be used in conjunction with an ‘activist approach’ to solving the problems at the same time.It must never be a stand-alone exercise. You need to design it with a LEARNING COMPONENT, where the participant would understand the difference between an ‘impairment’ and a ‘disabling environment’ (two different concepts) and the ‘disabling environment’ is created by society and the participants themselves. This works particularly well with engineers, architects, planners, building managers, facilities managers and the CEO of an establishment.

Continue reading her argument at http://inclusivedesign.wordpress.com/2007/08/19/debate-on-simulation-exercises/

Loren Worthington: Access Arizona

Loren Worthington has several new reviews up at his blog Access Arizona. Take a virtual trip and plan a vacation with:

Montezuma Castle
http://accessarizona.blogspot.com/2007/07/montezuma-castle.html

Mogollon Rim - Lakes Vista Trail # 622
http://accessarizona.blogspot.com/2007/06/mogollon-rim-lakes-vista-trail-622.html

Happy Jack Lodge & RV
http://accessarizona.blogspot.com/2007/08/happy-jack-lodge-rv.html

Pinetop-Lakeside Interpretive Trail
http://accessarizona.blogspot.com/2007/08/pinetop-lakeside-interpretive-trail.html

Tonto Natural Bridge
http://accessarizona.blogspot.com/2007/08/tonto-natural-bridge.html

Neuen Megatrend: Barrierefreies Leben (German)

It's official. It's a megatrend! Universal Design, Visitability, lifespan architecture have broken the generational delimiters and surmounted the stigmas of age an disability. But don't believe me that, "Barrierefreies Leben ist nicht nur für ältere Menschen wichtig - auch Jüngere bevorzugen den Komfort, den diese Wohnungen bieten." Read the opinion of Thomas Beyerle, chief researcher at Allianz-Immobilientochter Degi, in the Financial Times Deutchland article, "Ohne Treppen und Schwellen".

Ebenso würden auch jüngere Menschen Badezimmer bevorzugen, in denen sie zum Duschen nicht erst über den hohen Rand einer Badewanne steigen müssen. Zudem denkt manch 30-Jähriger beim Kauf einer Eigentumswohnung vielleicht auch schon an sein Leben im Alter. Dass sich der neue Trend auch in Deutschland durchsetzen werde, davon ist Degi-Experte Beyerle überzeugt. "Wohnungen und Eigenheime, die nicht barrierefrei sind, werden in wenigen Jahren nur noch mit deutlichen Preisabschlägen vermiet- und veräußerbar sein."

Wer heute ein Eigenheim oder eine Eigentumswohnung erwerben will, sollte deshalb unbedingt darauf achten, dass das Objekt entweder bereits barrierefrei ist oder leicht und kostengünstig umgebaut werden kann, rät der Degi-Chefresearcher. In Wohneigentumsanlagen sollte mit den Grundeigentümern schon heute darüber beraten werden, wie die Häuser entsprechend den Bedarfsanforderungen von morgen modernisiert werden können. "Wenn erst die Mieter ausziehen und die Leerstände steigen", sagt Beyerle, "kommen noch mehr Kosten auf die Eigentümer zu."

The Humor Treatment at "Chronic Holiday"

For a strong dose of reality therapy and the bracing slap of gimp humor sidle on over to "Chronic Holiday." It gives a new meaning to the concept of vacation (and outs everyone who thinks their effusions of good intention, malice, projection, or self-consumed pity are received equanimously.)

(Visual description of a black and white photo A nurse is pouring liquid into a spoon and looking outward at the viewer. A though bubble next to her contains the words, "You have a laissez-faire attitude toward healing." At the bottom of the photo are the words, "Get Well Soon.")

From author Donimo's profile on the site:

I have chronic pain-- it's the result of too many car accidents, fibromyalgia, degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis, thoracic outlet syndrome, and some other causes that have yet to be determined. I have pain from head-to-toe and a lot of fatigue. I can’t work. I am a perfect target for unsolicited advice! When you have chronic health problems, people love to comment on your life or offer advice. In fact, hardly a day goes by without someone--friend, family member, passerby, acquaintance, salesperson, hairdresser, friend of a friend, friend of a friend of a friend, whoever--offering words of wisdom. These are some of my favourites. I’ve got hundreds of them! I bet you’ve got quite a collection as well.

Read Chronic Holiday here:

http://chronicholiday.blogspot.com/

Able to Travel

United Spinal's travel service -- Able to Travel -- offers some useful tips on travel with a disability.

Combine that with their helpful brochure on air travel for UK citizens and Candy Harrington's classic reference, Barrier-Free Travel, and you will be well outfitted with information!

Services at Able to Travel include:

* Accessible ground transportation to and from the airport
* Stowage of mobility equipment on board an aircraft
* Accessible hotel accommodations
* Accessible cruise ships
* Renting medical equipment at your destination
* Accessible train travel
* Travel insurance
* Tour groups and package deals
* Adaptive van or car rentals

More information at http://www.abletotravel.org/index.php

India: “The disabled cannot be denied air passage”

Ananth Krishnan reports in The Hindu on the questionable air travel policy and policy development procedure that is currently being challenged throughout India. On the positive side the regulation, specifies:

According to the new requirements, “no airline shall refuse to carry physically challenged or incapacitated persons or persons with disabilities,” as long as they “do not pose a threat” to the safety of other passengers or the evacuation procedure for the aircraft.

Airlines will also not be permitted to limit the “number or types” of disabled passengers on a particular flight, except “where required for operational reasons.” The procedure for limiting disabled passengers will also be documented. Airlines will now also have to run “sensitisation and developing awareness” training programmes for staff.

Disability rights experts in transportation are providing their colleagues in India with curricula and resources to develop best-of-class trainings drawing from worldwide experience.

Those with training resources to share may send them to Mahesh Chandrasekar below.

On the negative side:

Dhanasekharan, a representative of Vidyasagar, told The Hindu that the August 15 deadline did not give disabled rights groups enough time to respond to the recommendations. “We were shocked to discover that the deadline was to day [August 15],” Mr. Dhanasekharan said. “By just putting it on the DGCA website, how can they expect all of us to be aware of it?” Vidyasagar has written to the DGCA asking it to extend the deadline for implementing the new requirements. “Before they put the requirements into effect, the DGCA has to have a consultation with disabled groups as after all we are the stake-holders,” Mr. Dhanasekharan said. “They clearly seem to not want any suggestions from us.”

Source:
http://www.hinduonnet.com/2007/08/16/stories/2007081660221000.htm

Send training materials to:

C. Mahesh
Advocacy Coordinator
CBR Forum
14, CK Garden
Wheeler Road Extension
Bangalore - 560 084
Tel - 080- 2549 7387 or 2549 7388

advocacy.cbrforum@gmail.com

Homebuilder Brings Accessibility to the Fore in New Homes

by Linda Crabtree

GRIMSBY - My husband loves that new car smell. I’ll take the heady aroma of a new house any day. That mixture of sweat, sweet wood, paint, glue, and heaven knows what else gets my blood stirring and I love it. And when that home is accessible, well, guess who’'s in seventh heaven.

A recent trip to Quality Homes in Grimsby had my mind swimming with possibilities. Don’t get me wrong, I love our 18-year-old fully accessible home, but there are so many new things to see and the folks at Quality know disability. They have anticipated, for the most part, what I need, and are open to anything else I might want to accommodate my disability.

Right now you might be shaking yourself -- a house builder who actually invites people with disabilities to take part in the design of their home? You bet.

While talking to Howard Sher, executive vice president and Sandra Thompson, accessibility co-ordinator, I asked them all the questions I’d stored up since I first met Sandra at the People in Motion Show in Toronto the end of May. Sandra, 39, has used a wheelchair for mobility since she contracted spinal meningitis as a child. She’s a natural at barrier-free design and has made sure that all the sales people at Quality can talk knowledgeably to someone who needs access.

Quality'’s totally barrier free Liberty Series model home is in Kenilworth on Highway 6, 10 minutes north of Arthur. The ones in Grimsby on 9 Windward Dr., north of the QEW, could show me the choices I’d have in house plans and the range of choices I’d have in house plans and the range of choices I’d have in everything from exterior finishes to everything interior from carpets to pot lights and mouldings. There was plenty to keep me interested. Howard explained that the customer benefits from having all decor selections in one place. I recall being asked by my builder to pick out something like 15 different light fixtures... by tomorrow. No need for that here.

My husband and I toured the three model homes and looked at everything. I was impressed. I had no idea when we began that these beautiful houses were made from modules. Up to six homes are built at one time in their plant and delivered anywhere in Ontario south of North Bay and Sudbury.

"We take good design and modularize it," Howard explained. All have raised electrical outlets and lowered light switches, single lock casement windows and wider hallways. You can easily ask for a roll-in shower with multi rain or massage heads, raised toilets, accessible bathroom sinks, a walk-in bathtub, decorator grab bars and in the kitchen, roll under sink, side opening wall oven with pull out shelf underneath, a roll under stove top, a Lazy-Susan that pulls out, multi-tiered countertop to give individuals a variety of working levels and cupboards that automatically go up and down.

Did you know that the height of the toe kick can determine the height of your kitchen drawers? If you have footrests that stick out on your wheelchair, a high toe kick can mean your chair fits under the drawers more easily and the drawers are higher and easier to use.

Rooms are designed to give you enough space to turn around in your wheelchair or scooter. Textured walls can be had for those with vision impairment and interior railings can be added anywhere needed. Tracks for Hoyer lifts to move people who cannot transfer can be installed. Recessed door frames mean easy roll over patio and exterior door lips. Pocket doors can be used anywhere interior walls allow.

And green -- I asked about the green factor and waste with everyone so interested in how things are built and where the leftovers go. "We use as many green products as feasible," Howard said. "We minimize lumber and insulation waste, recycle drywall and use water-based paints. It’s more about the process and how you do it so there isn'’t much waste."

So how does one go about buying one of these homes? First you have to have an idea of where you want to live and then actually buy a lot. You must also have your infrastructure in place such as where your power and water will come from and where your water sewage will go. Then, with sales personnel, you decide on what you want in a house and sign a contract.

House prices range from around $159,000 to $660,000 and up.

"Unfortunately," Sandy said, "the federal Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP) offered through the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation allows nothing for the homeowner who wants to build a new accessible home. Homes have to be five years old and under $158,000. to qualify."

Howard says that 10 per cent of the people looking to build go by Quality’s plans as they are, 50 per cent go with an existing plan and make changes and 40 per cent end up with a completely customized home.

I applaud Quality Homes for their initiative. Howard says they sort of fell into adapting plans for accessibility by accident - - they didn’'t realize what they were doing when the public asked for modifications and they obliged. No matter how it came about, it’s available now, and a step in recognizing our needs. These beautiful homes allow more people with disabilities to enjoy an excellent quality of living and more seniors will be able to age in place.

For more on Quality Homes go to www.qualityhomes.on.ca or call 1-800-265-2648.

linda@lindacrabtree.com

Comments to the Indian Office of the Director General of Civil Aviation

The government of India has invited comments on proposed Civil Aviation Requirements and amendments. Follow this link. Comments are due today! Yet this monumental policy, with international impact, is being promulgated without input from the Indian disability community.

Here are thoughts to consider when reviewing the draft policy:

1. The draft DGCA policy does not acknowledge that persons with disabilities has the same right to travel by air as any other passenger – instead the draft reads "Carriage of Physically Challenged Passengers"

2. The policy includes derogatory statements and apparently deputizes lay persons to pass medical judgements – Example - "obvious abnormal physical or mental conditions observed and reported by airline personnel or industry-associated persons" – what is the meaning of "abnormal"?

3. There is ambiguity in the use of terminology – Example – "Physically Challenged Passenger means a passenger with physical or mental disability or incapacitation; or with a medical condition which requires individual attention or assistance" – This definition is not in any way connected with the definition of 'Disability' that has been used in India's Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Act, 1995

4. The policy in its present form can be used to the airline to deny persons with disabilities from traveling by air independently. Section 4.3 of the policy says "that a person with severe mobility, hearing and vision impairment should be accompanied by an escort who will be responsible for enplaning and deplaning" This goes against the spirit of the PWD Act and is in violation of the rights of persons with disabilities to travel independently and make independent choices; a limitation of civil rights.

5. At present all passengers (disabled or not) who us the assistance at the airport are seated on a chair with wheels that makes it impossible for persons to propel independently – so all users are severely disabled by design. What are the basis/ criteria to judge persons with 'severe' disability – who decides?

Your comments should reach DGCA by 15th August 2007 by e-mail at mailto:rpsahi@dgca.nic.in or by post to
Shri R. P. Sahi, Joint Director General,
Office of the Director General of Civil Aviation,
Opp. Safdarjung Airport,
Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi
110 003

Inclusive Tourism Media Breakout

It is so encouraging to see the topic of Inclusive Travel breaking out beyond our specialized conferences , academic writing, and policy papers to broadcasting, narrowcasting, books, blog carnivals, and radio!

Jennifer Justice has a piece on Unsicht-Bar in Berlin over at the [with]TV blog. Curt & Chris's AttitudeTV interview with Bonnie Leukowicz is posted below as she works on a follow-up book to her "A Wheelchair Rider's Guide." Watch for Candy Harrington's upcoming book on inclusive travel destinations "101 Accessible Vacations" this October.
Connie Kuusisto, now Blog Master at the [with]tv blog, is taking leadership on a new Disability Blog Carnival on the heel's of Andrea's recent edition on travel.
Way off in the future I will appear on Atlanta AM radio 1620 with the Trip Chicks Wendy Swartzell and Ann Lombardi

Inclusive Rural Tourism in Brazil: FeiraTur

Earlier, in Portuguese, I announced the panel on Inclusive Tourism to be held at Brazil's Rural Tourism Conference in Sao Paulo, FeiraTur. Presenters, all speaking from their direct hands-on experience include:

• Marcelo de Arrechea of Argetina's Decthird inclusive travel agency
• Joedson Nunes and Ricardo Shimosakai of Brazil's Turismo Adaptado
• José Fernandes Franco owner of the Hotel Fazenda Campo dos Sonhos e Parque da Aventura in Socorro, SP

Traveling With Attendants

The older leadership of the disability rights movement has been reminding the gerontology profession and senior care industry that we are "beta testers for aging." Changes to policy, product, legislation, and lifestyle that we have achieved over the past 30+ years have become so mainstream that AARP could hold a conference on diversity touting Universal Design, lifespan homes, Visitability and never once mention the word disability or include a PwD as a presenter!

An article in Myrtle Beach Online talks about seniors bringing their attendants on vacation with them. Will we delay in order to reinvent the wheel or are lifestyles and strategies of resilience and self-efficacy developed by the Disability Community about to become legitimized?

At the core of Disability Culture is an affirmation that life is communitarian; that interdependence is more adaptive, sustainable, and resilient than popular images of independence. Does Disability Culture scale?

In the past, some vacationers with disabilities hired medical transport services to assist them with air travel, such as moving through airport security and getting on and off the plane. But now, "it has absolutely broadened," says Elinor Ginzler, who oversees projects on mobility and housing for AARP in Washington, D.C. Now nurses are not only helping travelers on plane trips; they also are staying in hotels or cruise ships with them - often in the same room.

For years, people with special needs have hired non-medical caregivers to travel with them - or they have simply stayed home. But increasingly, as the population ages and more people are living with chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease, patients are seeking specialized care when they travel. Unwilling to give up the active lifestyle that many retirees today enjoy, older trekkers are also taking advantage of advances in medical technology - from portable dialysis equipment to airplane-friendly oxygen tanks - to keep them on the go even after they become frail.

There are no statistics tracking the number of travelers who vacation with nurses, but health care experts say the demand is increasing. Nursing agencies, home-care specialists and nursing schools say more travelers are seeking nurses who will pack up and come along. And a number of companies have sprung up to provide skilled caregivers for travel - including Trip Nurse in Boulder, Colo., and Executive Care Service in Orlando, Fla. One firm, Accessible Journey[s] in Ridley Park, Pa., offers organized tours for frail or disabled travelers, with nursing care available.

At Partners in Care, the private-care unit of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, President Marki Flannery says more patients are asking for nurses to accompany them during leisure travel.

Source:
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/business/story/155810.html

Hotshot Wheelchairs on the Beach!

Inclusive Destination Development is the systematic use of Universal Design in the creation or modification of a tourist destination. The City of Imperial Beach has taken one of its foremost tourism assets and made it a place of inclusion through the purchase of two beach wheelchairs from Hotshot Products of Torrance, California. Field testing the single passenger model here was an experience in speed. These things are zippy!

The City of Imperial Beach and the San Diego Unified Port District, in conjunction with the State of California Coastal Conservancy, has developed a motorized beach wheelchair program for increasing accessibility and enjoyment for disabled citizens to enjoy truly independent access to the Imperial Beach beachfront.

The City provides in-kind services, storage facilities for the wheelchairs, and Lifeguard personnel to oversee the program. The Port District provides funding for long-term maintenance for the wheelchairs through an annual maintenance contract to be managed by the City. The Port District will assess the Imperial Beach project to determine the nature of additional access projects to enhance beach access for the mobility-impaired within its five (5)-city tidelands jurisdiction. One such project was dedicated in August 2001 in the City of San Diego.

The Power Beach Chairs, manufactured by Hotshot Products in Torrance, CA, improves access on the City’s beach for people with impaired mobility by making available motorized "balloon tire" wheelchairs that are designed to traverse uneven and unstable ground, such s a sandy beach. The City has purchased two (2) chairs initially through funding assistance by the Port District and Coastal Conservancy for a total of $22,000.00. The Port District, as the trustee of the City’s beachfront tidelands, matched the Conservancy’s $11,000 grant to the City, and will assist in maintaining the wheelchairs and publicizing the project. The program has been developed in response to disabled advocates for the mobility-impaired community who stress the importance of a self-propelled beach wheelchair program. In San Diego and Imperial Beach, Accessible San Diego (ASD), a local non-profit disabled resource organization, was instrumental in advocating the need to provide motorized wheelchairs because of the free access that they provide to disabled users. The City of Imperial Beach will publicize the availability of the beach chairs through the ASD’s Access Gold Program.

The power beach chairs are stored in a locker at the City of Imperial Beach Lifeguard Headquarters at Dempsey Holder Safety Center, convenient to the City’s beach front plaza, parking and pier. Lifeguards will check out chairs to users by reservation and at no charge to users.

In 1999, the Coastal Conservancy previously provided barrier-free access projects for the disabled in Los Angles County by providing nine (9) beachfront wheelchairs that required an assistant for the user in soft sand areas or considerable strength for independent use. Motorized wheelchairs are deigned to eliminate the dependence of self-propelled wheelchairs by the independence that they provide to the user.

Source:
City of Imperial Beach site

Andrea's Blogging About

Read this month's Disability Blog Carnival at Andrea's site "Andrea's Buzzing About" for stories on travel & disability here:

http://qw88nb88.wordpress.com/2007/08/08/on-holiday-disability-blog-carnival-20/

Willful Misconduct: Airline Liable for Death from Lost Baggage

eTurboNews reports:

The United States Court of Appeals upheld a lower Federal Court's ruling against American Airlines. The airline forced an elderly woman to check her bag along with necessary medical devices.

The airline lost her checked items.

The court found that American Airlines was responsible for her subsequent death after losing the bag.

The lower court has held that American Airlines should pay $226,238.81 to the relatives of the woman because she died soon after her bag was lost.

For the story see, Airline Liable for Death from Lost Baggage

Rafting the River Jacarepepira, Brazil

In this film clip by Aventura Especial we follow founder Dada Moreira as he accompanies a trip down the level 3-4 rapids of Jacarepepira River near Brotas in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The captioning track does not seem to be working. Roughly Dada explains that Brotas is a watersports haven offering a wide variety of eco-adventure possibilities for people with disabilities. In this clip we follow a rafting trip.

After a warmup exercise and seated in the Zodiak he comments on his sitting stance as an adaptation to his disability. The guide comments how fulfilling it was for himself and last week's group of blind rafters to make the adaptations necessary to enjoy this sport.

With a team building shout, "1-2-3 Aventura especial", they are off down the river.

At the end Dada interviews one rafter who enthusiastically plans to bring her deaf sister next time. He closes with a comment that disability should not deter anyone from enjoying the thrill of being out in the natural environment.

More Reading:

http://www.brotasbrasil.com.br/

Desenho Universal em Turismo e "Inteligência Competitiva" (Portuguese)

Respeitar as diferenças, dar importância à acessibilidade e promover a inclusão social, estas foram as principais bandeiras de lutas apresentadas ontem (08), às 20h, na abertura do Congresso Nacional de Hotéis (Conotel), "Inteligência Competitiva" .

O Brasil tem hoje, 24,5 milhões de pessoas com necessidades especiais, ou (14,5%) da população, segundo a Coordenadoria Nacional para a Integração da Pessoa Portadora de Deficiência (Corde), da Secretaria Especial dos Direitos Humanos da Presidência da República (SEDH).

Marta Suplicy, ministra do turismo ficou surpresa com a abertura do evento, que teve a execução do hino nacional ecoado por uma portadora de necessidade visual, mestre de cerimonial cadeirante, recepcionistas anões e apresentação de vídeos demonstrando o que foi ou poderá ser feito para proporcionar a acessibilidade aos portadores de necessidades especiais no cenário hoteleiro. "Estou impactada com o que estou vendo, irei propor ao Ministério que incorporem projetos dando mais relevância aos portadores de necessidades especiais" concluiu Marta.

Em seu discurso a ministra falou em diversos temas, entre eles o caos da crise aérea, que segundo a mesma não sabe avaliar a dimensão do impacto, a aprovação do Simples Nacional, a geração de 6 mil empregos proporcionados pelo setor de turismo e a criação do crédito consignado, onde as pessoas poderão adquirir um crédito de 500 a 8 mil reais para viajarem. "Faremos nos próximos dias uma divulgação maciça desse crédito que ajudará principalmente aos aposentados, hoje temos 16 milhões. Com esse benefício daremos à oportunidade dos mesmos viajarem pagando preços bem acessíveis", cita a ministra.

Encerrando suas considerações finais Marta desejou a todos um excelente congresso e afirmou que está tomando as devidas providências com a Embratur para reforçar as campanhas brasileiras no exterior.

A solenidade de abertura ainda contou com depoimentos dos principais representantes das entidades hoteleiras, ABIH Nacional - Associação Brasileira da Indústria de Hotéis, Eraldo Alves da Cruz; do FOHB - Fórum de Operadores Hoteleiras do Brasil, Rafael Guaspari; da FNHRBS - Federação Nacional de Hotéis, Restaurantes, Bares e Similares, Norton Lenhart; da FBC&VB - Federação Brasileira de Convention & Visitors Bureaux, João Luiz Moreira; e da Resorts Brasil - Associação Brasileira de Resorts, Alexandre Zubaran.

Maurício Bernardino, presidente da Associação Brasileira da Indústria de Hotéis (ABIH São Paulo) levantou a bandeira de luta em defesa das diferenças. "Tenho deficiência auditiva, porém uso duas próteses.Temos várias ações direcionadas aos portadores". Seguindo a mesma linha de raciocínio Eraldo Alvez da Cruz, da ABIH Nacional destacou a importância da responsabilidade social e inteligência competitiva. "Responsabilidade social, qualidade no atendimento e atingir as expectativas dos clientes, essa é a inteligência competitiva que buscamos", citou Eraldo.

O presidente da ABIH Nacional se comprometeu com dois Agentes Fifa (presentes no Conotel) a dar todo o suporte na realização da Copa do Mundo de 2014, em que o Brasil é um dos fortes candidatos.

No final da cerimônia de abertura foi apresentado ao público o livro "70 Anos da Hotelaria Nacional", seu lançamento está previsto para o mês de novembro deste ano.

O Conotel se estende aos dias 9 e 10 com uma intensa programação, entre rodadas de negócios, plenárias, ciclo de palestras, visitas guiadas e workshops.

Programação:

Dia 9 (quinta-feira)

Palestra A1

9h30 às 10h30

Políticas de Turismo - "Reflexos das Políticas Públicas de Turismo sob o Ponto de Vista das Lideranças Empresariais"

Mediador: Cláudio Magnavita (Abrajet / Jornal de Turismo)

Mesa Redonda: Representantes de Entidades de Classe e Jornalistas do Setor

Palestra A2

10h30 às 11h30

Investimento - "Por que Investir no Brasil"?

Palestrante: Delfim Netto (Economista / Ex-Ministro da Fazenda)

Participação Especial: Carlos Eduardo Castello Branco (BNDES)

Palestra A3

14h30 às 16h

Branding - "Posicionamento e Valor de Uma Marca"

Palestrante: José Roberto Martins (Global Brands)

Participações Especiais: Carlos Eduardo Hue (WTC Hotel), Alberto Moane (Accor Hotels) e Orlando de Souza (SPC&VB).

Palestra A4

17h às 18h

Segmentação e Tematização - "Competitividade Através da Segmentação e da Tematização de Seu Empreendimento"

Palestrante Leonardo Fontenele

Dia 10 (sexta-feira)

Palestra A5

9h30 às 10h30

Carga Tributária e Lei Geral - "Impactos da Carga Tributária na Hotelaria"

Palestrante: Ives Gandra Martins (advogado)

Participação Especial: André Spínola (Sebrae)

Palestra A6

11h30 às 13h

Novas Tecnologias - "Como diferenciar seu Hotel Implantando Novas Tecnologias"

Sérgio Bicca (i-Preview), Cleide Andrade (Central do Hoteleiro), Domenico Palma Neto (Instituto Marca Brasil), Julio Cosentino (Hoffmann) e Pilar Osório (Travel Click).

Palestra A7

14h30 às 16h

Hotel Sustentável - "Como Reduzir Custos atingindo o Status de Empresa com Responsabilidade Sócio-Ambiental"

Palestrantes: André Sá (Instituto de Hospitalidade), Marinez Scherer (Bandeira Azul) e Newton Figueiredo (Sustentax).

Palestra A8

17h às 18h

Inteligência Competitiva - "Vantagens Competitivas na Hotelaria"

Palestrante: Davi Portes (Palestrante motivacional).

Do Informativo 49º Conotel ABIH Nacional Edição: 26 / 2007

Tourism Expanding at Mount Geumgang in North Korea

When I visited South Korea in March I was surprised to learn that Hyundai has been running cruises into the archetypal center of the historic Korea -- which lies inside North Korea. The site, Mount Geumgang, has a bit of tourism infrastructure built up. Other plans for tourism include a much-delayed passenger train to leave from near where this photo was taken in South Korea and proceed into the North.

eTurbo News reports today:

Hyundai Asan, the South Korean operator of privatized tours in North Korea, has announced its plans to spend US$3 billion by 2025 to develop its tourism complexes in the North's east coast into a major tourist destination.

The company said it plans to develop the coastal area from North Korea's eastern port city of Wonsan to Haegeumgang, near Mount Geumgang, where it has built a mountain resort.

Mt. Geumgang, divided into three parts--Naegeumgang (inner, western part), Oegeumgang (outer, eastern part) and Haegeumgang (seashore), has long held a spiritual allure for Koreans and will now be accessible daily starting this summer season, instead of three times a week in the past.

Located just north of the border between the two Korea's east coast, the complex has attracted 1.5 million visitors since 1998, up to now mostly consisting of South Koreans. Official records show 8,000 other visitors came from 48 countries. "This year we are targeting 400,000 visitors," said Yoon Man-joon, CEO of Hyundai Asan.

Full story:
http://www.travelindustryreview.com/news/5942

Parapan Rio 2007

We will have some eyes and ears in Rio de Janeiro for the 2007 Parapan American Games in a few days. The only question is, will they they remember to submit their stories to the Rolling Rains Report or will they disappear onto the beaches, Kosta?

For the first time ever, in 2007 the Parapan American Games will take place immediately after and in the same city of the Pan American Games. Organized by CO-RIO in partnership with the Brazilian Paralympic Committee, and following the rules of the Americas Paralympic Committee (APC) and International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Parapan American Games Rio 2007 will be held between August 12 and 19, 2007.

http://www.rio2007.org.br/data/pages/8A488A8F12D856280112D88C1AA973E0.htm

"Oh, I never thought about that."

Education will be high on the agenda of the new Ms. Wheelchair America. Universal Design will be part of her curriculum.

According to the Voice of America report, "[Alana ] Wallace is the founder and artistic director of Dance Detour, Chicago's first professional physically integrated dance company. She is also a founding member of Bodies of Work, a disability arts and cultural festival."

Wallace is the founder and artistic director of Dance Detour, Chicago's first professional physically integrated dance company. She is also a founding member of Bodies of Work, a disability arts and cultural festival.

"I just want people to know that people with disabilities are productive, talented and capable citizens and that we have so much to offer," Wallace says.

During her yearlong reign, Wallace will tour the country, advocating for fully accessible housing for the disabled.

She says that means more than just widening doorways or eliminating steps. "Many times we purchase condos or move into new homes and we find that while there are maybe turning areas, we can't reach our cabinets. A lot of our appliances are not accessible," she notes. "I support the universal design, which means that the home is going to be useable by anyone."

Tom Chun on The San Francisco Bay Area

I’ have lived in the Bay Area for a couple decades now and there still are lots of places I have yet discovered. So when the opportunity arose to play a role as a local tour guide, I couldn'’t pass the opportunity.

With my beautiful and intelligent international guest, Mariana Coelho, I would discover and re-discover many things that I didn’'t know about my own local area.

First off was a visit to Point Lobos State Park, which I had never been to. Although many parts of the scenic park was non-accessible, there were a few trails that were relatively easy to push through, which allowed wheelchair users to view California’s' coastal magnificence.

Although I consider the USA as having better accessibility for those with physical limitations, I believe we still have our challenges. After visiting the usual tourist hot spots in San Francisco, I realized that things change as years go by and you have to return to appreciate them once again. It’s like revisiting a good novel or movie.

The newly constructed DeYoung Museum had an amazing 360 degree view of the Golden Gate Park and the surrounding area. I will have to return again to see the new mammoth Academy of Science when it re-opens. Newer, generally means better access to me.

Being a brief tour guide, reminded me that I have yet to see and do many of the attractions in my surrounding area. Having traveled to most major cities in the U.S., the San Francisco Bay Area is still the most beautiful in my opinion.

And just to think that I live here, I am blessed. Whether you use a wheelchair or not, you should take advantage of where you live!

Feiratur - 4ª Feira Nacional do Turismo Rural (Portuguese)

O Seminário de Turismo Rural e Acessibilidade conta com a coordenação do painel e palestra da Executiva Social Cristiane Ecker Fornazieri, da (AVAPE) Associação para Valorização e Promoção de Excepcionais que fala sobre “Acessibilidade no Turismo: tecnologia, leis, perfil do cliente”. Também estará presente neste painel inovador:

* Marcelo de Arrechea da Decthird agência de viagens especializada “Accesible sin Barreras -Accesible Tourism”, da Argentina, que vai abordar sobre as experiências positivas para o turismo acessível, desenvolvidas através de uma rede de agências no mundo.
* Joedson Nunes da Consultoria Turismo Adaptado abordará sobre o Turismo Rural Adaptado e Ricardo Shimosakai sobre a Deficiência X Turismo Rural: Vivências na adaptação.
* E ainda José Fernandes Franco, proprietário do Hotel Fazenda Campo dos Sonhos e Parque da Aventura em Socorro, abordará o Modelo de Acessibilidade em Turismo Rural e Turismo de Aventura.

Feiratur - 4ª Feira Nacional de Turismo Rural
Período de 17 a 19 de agosto, das 9 às 18 horas
Endereço: Parque da Água Branca - Avenida Francisco Matarazzo, 455, São Paulo, Capital, próximo ao Metrô Barra Funda. Entrada franqueada ao público.
Informações: www.feiratur.tur.br

New Research on Blind Travelers from Australia

Drs. Tanya Packer and Jennie Small continue to pioneer the field of disability and travel. Their latest study, reported on below, examines the travel behavior of blind travelers and will result in training modules for the industry.

A Clearer Vision to Accessible Travel

Tourism appears to be off the agenda for many of Australia's 480,000 vision-impaired, with research showing they travel even less than other disability groups.

Concern over this low uptake of travel prompted Sustainable Tourism CRC researchers to explore the issue by examining the positive and negative holiday experiences of vision impaired tourists.

Project leader Professor Tanya Packer, Curtin University and chief investigator Dr Jennie Small, University of Technology Sydney, say preliminary findings from studies conducted in Western Australia and New South Wales indicate the quality of the tourist experience is a complex interplay of factors.

"These factors include access to accurate information combined with inclusive attitudes and practices on the part of the tourism industry and personal skill, courage and trust on the part of the traveller," said Professor Packer.

Dr. Margaret Crowley, Chief Executive Officer of the Association for the Blind of Western Australia says that people with vision impairment are like all Australians - they love to travel and enjoy holidays at home and abroad.

"This project will help to turn possibilities into realities for people with blindness and vision impairment, said Dr Crowley.

An outcome of project is the production of a set of Fact Sheets specific to sectors of the industry to facilitate inclusive management and customer service practices.

For further information contact Professor Tanya Packer: t.packer@curtin.edu.au

Information provided by:

Julia Schonharl - Program Coordinator / Communications
ECOT - www.ecotonline.org
9/1 Ratanakosin Rd. T. Watget
A. Muang. Chiang Mai 50000. THAILAND

Tel/Fax +66 53 240 026
M: +66 8 9435 1804

In Writing Mode

This professional hiatus has been quite productive. It seems about time to hit the lecture circuit.

Recently you saw announcement of my new column at [with]tv on Travel & Disability. Today I provided Korea's Cowalk magazine with a piece entitled, "Get Out and Discover Korea – Then Tell the Global Disability Community." Yesterday I completed "Inclusive Destination Development: Tourism as a Tool in Peace Building” for the 25th anniversary edition of ECOT's Contours magazine.

Deborah Kaplan has passed along, for my embellishment, an article we are co-authoring for National Council on Aging about the natural affinities between the aging and disability movements - especially as our leadership ages. Work proceeds apace (meaning, in this case, with large doses of procrastination) on a piece for a special edition of Dr. Sunil Bhatia's emerging journal, Design for All. Up next, a proposal to the Abe fellowship to bring some academic closure to the inclusive Tourism work of Ichiro Kusanagi and Topong Kulkanchit hopefully in association with professor Takeo Ogawa's foundation in Fukuoka.

Disability Travel in the United States: Report by Laurel Van Horn

Laurel van Horn of the Open Doors Organization and co-author of "Toward a History of Inclusive Travel" presented the following paper at the 2007 TRANSED Conference. I share it here with gratitude for her permission to do so:

The purpose of this paper is to report and compare the salient findings of recent research on travel by Americans with disabilities. Until 2002, when Open Doors Organization (ODO) sponsored its first nationwide study on travel by adults with disabilities (ODO 2002), conducted by Harris Interactive, there had never been a major, statistically reliable survey on the US disability travel market. No one could say with any assurance what percentage of adults with disabilities were traveling, how frequently, what modes of public transportation they used or how much they spent. This meant that corporations in the travel industry had no data on which to base investment decisions and thus little incentive to do more than the minimum required under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

In 2002 the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) carried out its own Transportation Availability and Use Survey (BTS 2002 cited in BTS 2003) which explored not only travel by public transportation but also private vehicle. Its sample was divided evenly between disabled and non-disabled respondents of all ages. The motivation was the “critical lack of information...[on] transportation use by people with physical, mental or emotional disabilities,” but the goal in this case was “to create an information source for transportation planners and policy makers…” rather than the private sector (BTS 2003, p.3). While it focused primarily on local transportation, the BTS study also covered long distance travel. Findings from this survey have been released in several reports including Freedom to Travel (BTS 2003) and Travel Patterns of Older Americans with Disabilities (Sweeney 2004).

DISABILITY TRAVEL IN THE UNITED STATES:
RECENT RESEARCH AND FINDINGS

Van Horn, Laurel
Open Doors Organization, Chicago, IL, U.S.
laurel@opendoorsnfp.org

SUMMARY

Key Words: accessible travel, long distance, disability travel, air travel

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this paper is to report and compare the salient findings of recent research on travel by Americans with disabilities. Until 2002, when Open Doors Organization (ODO) sponsored its first nationwide study on travel by adults with disabilities (ODO 2002), conducted by Harris Interactive, there had never been a major, statistically reliable survey on the US disability travel market. No one could say with any assurance what percentage of adults with disabilities were traveling, how frequently, what modes of public transportation they used or how much they spent. This meant that corporations in the travel industry had no data on which to base investment decisions and thus little incentive to do more than the minimum required under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
In 2002 the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) carried out its own Transportation Availability and Use Survey (BTS 2002 cited in BTS 2003) which explored not only travel by public transportation but also private vehicle. Its sample was divided evenly between disabled and non-disabled respondents of all ages. The motivation was the “critical lack of information...[on] transportation use by people with physical, mental or emotional disabilities,” but the goal in this case was “to create an information source for transportation planners and policy makers…” rather than the private sector (BTS 2003, p.3). While it focused primarily on local transportation, the BTS study also covered long distance travel. Findings from this survey have been released in several reports including Freedom to Travel (BTS 2003) and Travel Patterns of Older Americans with Disabilities (Sweeney 2004).
In 2005, ODO sponsored a second nationwide study which explored in greater depth the barriers facing travelers with disabilities, in airports and airplanes as well as hotels and restaurants (ODO 2005). The 2005 study also examined how these travelers planned and booked trips and identified which destinations, domestic and foreign, are most popular.
Further evidence of the difficulties facing air travelers with disabilities was revealed in September 2005 by the first Annual Report on Disability-Related Air Travel Complaints, presented to the US Congress by the Secretary of Transportation (US DOT 2005). The second such report followed in October 2006 (US DOT 2006). These annual reports, mandated under a federal law known as AIR-21, list complaints by both the disability of the complainant and the nature of the service failure. Since the data is reported in the aggregate for 1) all airlines serving the U.S. market, 2) foreign airlines and 3) domestic airlines, as well as for individual carriers, one can use the reports either to assess the performance of the industry overall or to make an informed decision on which carriers to select or avoid.
Taken together, these studies and reports corroborate and complement each other to provide a detailed portrait of the disability travel market in the US today, including the barriers which may restrict the frequency and types of long distance travel which individuals with disabilities are willing to undertake. Indeed, Open Doors Organization projected that the market could easily double if these problems with service and facilities were resolved (ODO 2002, p.68).

METHODOLOGY AND OBJECTIVES

1. 2002 and 2005 ODO Travel Market Studies
Both studies by the Open Doors Organization were carried out by Harris Interactive using the same methodology for each so as to make trending possible. ODO plans to sponsor its next travel study using identical methodology in 2008, with preliminary qualitative research to be conducted in 2007.
For the 2002 ODO Study, the total sample included 1,037 interviews with adults with disabilities: 534 interviews conducted online, using The Harris Poll Online Database, and 503 interviews conducted by telephone, using a prescreened sample of adults with disabilities from The Harris Poll. Interviewing took place between September 23 and October 9, 2002. The interviews were an average of 21 minutes in length, both online and by telephone. To develop the questionnaire, ODO held focus groups within the disability community in Chicago and also conducted telephone interviews with business leaders from across the US (ODO 2002, p.5).
Disability was defined as “having blindness, deafness or a condition that substantially limits one or more basic physical activities such as walking, climbing stairs, reaching, lifting or carrying” (ODO 2002, p.5). Respondents were screened based on these criteria using a variation of the 2000 Census question. Fifteen percent of the general adult population (or more than 31 million adults aged 18 and older) defines themselves as having one or more of these characteristics. This data on the incidence of adults with disabilities was obtained through The Harris Poll (The Harris Poll November 2002 cited in ODO 2002) and based on the 209,128,094 people aged 18 years and older in the US population, according to the 2000 US Census. The data was weighted to represent the populations with these disabilities aged 18 and older.
In 2005, the methodology used was identical to that of the earlier study (ODO 2005). The total sample consisted of 1,373 interviews among adults with disabilities, 871 online and 502 by phone. Interviewing took place between February 8 and 28, 2005. Interviews were an average of 21 minutes in length on the telephone and 16 minutes online. The data was weighted as in 2002, with the data on the incidence of adults with disabilities obtained by The Harris Poll (The Harris Poll November 2005 cited in ODO 2005) and based again on the 2000 US Census.
For the 2002 ODO Study, the key objectives were to: 1) “measure general travel behaviors including how often adults with disabilities are traveling, with whom, how much they spend, and on which sources of information they rely to make decisions;”
2) “gauge experiences with airlines, cruise lines, restaurants, and hotels;” 3) “determine how well the needs of adults with disabilities are being met by airlines and hotels;” 4) “quantify the top services/products that would encourage adults with disabilities to fly and stay in hotels more often;” and 5) “estimate the current and potential economic impact of the disability community” (ODO 2002, p.4).
For the 2005 ODO Study, the key objectives were to 1) “measure general travel behaviors including how often adults with disabilities are traveling, how much money they spend, and which sources of information they rely on to make decisions;” 2) “gauge experiences with airlines, airports, car rental agencies, hotels, and restaurants;”
3) “determine the obstacles that adults with disabilities encounter with airlines, airports, hotels, and restaurants;” 4) “estimate the current and potential economic impact of the disability community;” and 5) “compare 2005 findings to the 2002 study to uncover possible trends and differences over time” (ODO 2005, p.4).

2. BTS 2002 National Transportation Availability and Use Survey
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics study involved 5,019 interviews, 2,321 with individuals who self-identified as having a disability and 2,698 with non-disabled individuals. By surveying equal numbers of persons with and without disabilities, the BTS study sought “to compare the two groups and identify common transportation uses and problems as well as uses and problems unique to each group” (BTS 2003, p.14). Persons of any age, including children, were eligible although proxy interviews were used for those under 16, 16-17 year-olds living with adults, and those unable to complete the interview due to their disability (BTS 2003, p.13). The interviews took place between July 12, 2002 and September 29, 2002 (BTS 2003, p.14).
Because the methodology, sampling and weighting techniques used in the BTS survey are complex, readers are referred to the Freedom to Travel report (BTS 2003, p.12-16) for a full description. In brief, a nationally representative set of telephone numbers was first selected through list-assisted random-digit dialing techniques. A two-stage process of computer-assisted telephone interviewing was then used to select and survey the respondents. During the first screener interview, households who had someone with a disability were identified. In the second extended interview, the selected respondent was asked to confirm his or her disability status before answering the survey questions. In order to ensure full access, interviews were also conducted via TTY or TDD and the questionnaire was available by mail and Internet.
Survey respondents were asked to “self-identify disability according to several definitions, specifically: the Census 2000 definition, the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) definition, which considers disability as a ‘physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities;’ and if a child in the household received ‘special education services’” (BTS 2003, p.3). However, disability data presented in Freedom to Travel (BTS, 2003) and Travel Patterns of Older Americans with Disabilities (Sweeney, 2004) are only from respondents who self-identified using the Census 2000 disability definition in order to provide comparability with the Census.
Topics covered in the survey included: 1) “frequency of travel outside the home, including trip purpose, mode of transportation, frequency of use of different modes, need for assistance, and satisfaction with transportation services;” 2) “availability of paratransit (curb-to-curb service) and respondent use of paratransit;” 3) “motor vehicle ownership, use and safety issues, including vehicles modified for use by people with disabilities;” and 4) “experiences when using various modes of travel, including difficulties with public and private transportation” (BTS 2003, p.3). This paper will focus just on topics related to long distance travel and transportation.

3. US DOT Annual Reports on Disability Related Air Travel Complaints
In July 8, 2003, the US Department of Transportation published a final rule to implement the requirements of the Wendell H. For Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (Public Law 106-181), known as AIR-21. The rule requires all air carriers operating to, from or within the United States and using at least one aircraft having a designated seating for more than 60 passengers to report complaints of discrimination or lack of accessibility by passengers with disabilities (US DOT 2005, p.1). The Secretary of Transportation, in turn, must issue an annual report to the US Congress summarizing these complaints. Prior to AIR-21, the DOT had access to only those complaints sent directly to them, a fraction of the whole, which made it hard to judge how well the airlines serving the US market were abiding by the Air Carrier Access Act of 1986, which prohibits discriminatory treatment of persons with disabilities in air transportation.
To make the reporting process manageable, the airlines must use the DOT’s standardized categories for the passenger’s type of disability and the nature of their complaint, each numbering 13 in all. The aggregate results are presented in the form of grids which allows one to match type of disability with nature of complaint (US DOT 2005, 2006).
The first required report to Congress covered disability-related complaints received by the carriers during the calendar year 2004 and due to the DOT by January 25, 2005. The second report covers the calendar year 2005, with airline data due by January 30, 2006. In each case, a number of air carriers did not report and are currently under investigation (US DOT 2006).

RESULTS

1. 2002 Open Doors Organization Travel Market Study
The 2002 ODO Study found that 71% of adults with disabilities, or more than 22 million people, travel at least once in a two-year period. This includes 5.6 million business travelers, 21 million pleasure/leisure travelers and 5 million travelers who combine business and pleasure. Overall, adults with disabilities take about 2 trips every 2 years, or approximately 63 million total trips, the majority of which are for pleasure (ODO 2002, p.7). Each trip generally lasts 5 days. There is also a subgroup of more frequent travelers: 20% of all adults with disabilities travel at least 6 times every 2 years (see figure 1). “While traveling, the typical adult with a disability spends $430, which means travel expenditures among the disability population top $27 billion over the course of 2 years (ODO 2002, p.8). On an annual basis, adults with disabilities spend approximately $13.6 billion on travel.

Figure 1

Total Trips Taken In Past Two Years
[Source: Open Doors Organization, 2005, p.21]]

When planning a trip, the Internet is a key resource for adults with disabilities. Almost half of those who travel (46%) say they consult the Internet for accessibility information. One-third (33%) of those who travel book their trips most frequently online, which appears to be somewhat higher than the general population. According to the Travel Industry Association (TIA), 27% of travelers in 2002 used the Internet for actually booking something related to their travel during the past year (TIA cited in ODO 2002, p.9). Word of mouth is also an extremely important source of information for adults with disabilities: “85% of those who travel say they share their travel experiences with others, indicating a powerful network among travelers with disabilities” (ODO 2002, p.9).
Almost one-third (30%) of adults with disabilities, or 9.4 million air travelers in total, traveled by air in the previous 2 years. Air travelers typically take 2 flights every 2 years and spend $349 per flight, which equates to $3.3 billion per year for the entire airline industry. “Air travelers say they would take 2 more flights per year if airlines were to accommodate their needs as a person with a disability. This translates into 18.8 million more flights and means that air spending by the disability community could more than double if airlines were to make necessary accommodations.” The top features or services that airlines would need to offer to encourage more frequent travel would be: “1) more accommodating staff, 2) guaranteed preferred seating, and 3) a designated employee at check-in and arrival” (ODO 2002, p.10).
Over a 5-year period, 12% of adults with disabilities took a cruise. This appears to be somewhat higher than the general population since, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), only 8% of the U.S. general population took a cruise during the same 5-year period (CLIA 2002 Market Profile Study cited in ODO 2002, p.14). Among adults with disabilities, the repeat business for cruises may be particularly high: 59% of those who took a cruise in the previous five years say they plan to take another cruise within the next five years (ODO 2002, p.14).
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2. 2005 Open Doors Organization Travel Market Study
In 2005, the percentage of adults with disabilities traveling and the number of trips taken remained roughly the same as in 2002. Sixty-nine percent of adults with disabilities, or more than 21 million people, traveled at least once in the prior two years. This includes 3.9 million business travelers, 20 million pleasure/leisure travelers and 4.4 million travelers who combine business and pleasure. They take 2 trips every two years, or approximately 63 million total trips, the majority of which are for pleasure (ODO 2005, p.7). As in 2002, there was a subgroup of more frequent travelers in the disability community—20% of all adults with disabilities travel at least 6 times every two years (see figure 1)
The Internet remains an important resource for adults with disabilities. Half of those who travel (51%) use the Internet to book their trips, which once again appears to exceed usage by the general population. “According to the Travel Industry Association, 40% of travelers in 2005 used the Internet for actually booking something related to their travel during the past year” (TIA cited in ODO 2005, p.9). Almost half (43%) of travelers in the ODO sample say they consult the Internet to support their disability-related travel needs. For these travelers, the top ways they use the Internet are: finding and/or booking accessible hotels (57%); finding accessibility information about airlines (47%); and finding accessible activities, tours, and attractions at their destination (47%) (ODO 2005, p.9).
Compared to 2002, the percentage of adults with disabilities traveling by air over the 2-year period stayed at approximately the same level: 31% or 9.6 million air travelers in total. Air travelers typically took 2 flights every two years, as they did in 2002, and they spent $302 on air travel per trip or $2.9 billion per year for the entire airline industry (ODO 2005,p.12).
However, the vast majority of air travelers (84%) stated that they “encounter obstacles when dealing with airlines” (ODO 2005, p.12). Topping the list were physical obstacles (67%), with cramped seating areas (52%) being the most common complaint. Problems with service/personnel were also prevalent (60%), with long lines (42%) and problems reserving their preferred seat (20%) predominating. Respondents also reported expense-related obstacles (37%) and difficulties with communication (28%) including difficulty hearing announcements (17%). Four out of five air travelers (82%) also experience obstacles when they are at the airport, the most common being long distances to or between gates (63%) and long lines (48%). More than one in four (27%) mentioned communication-related obstacles in the airports (ODO 2005, p.13).
Despite these obstacles, air travel was by far the most popular form of paid transportation. Only 11% of adults with disabilities had traveled by train or bus, making on average 1 such trip during the 2-year period. Twenty percent of adults with disabilities, or 6.2 million people in all, rented a car over the course of two years. Car renters typically rent a car on 1 trip every two years and spend about $40 per day (ODO 2005, p.14).
To encourage destinations, domestic and international, to improve access and marketing to travelers with disabilities, the 2005 ODO Study also asked online respondents to identify which cities and countries they had visited. Most popular in the continental US were New York City (47%), Washington, DC (45%), and Chicago (44%), edging out Orlando, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles (all tied at 42%). Other top ten destinations, in order, were San Francisco, Atlanta, Dallas, and San Diego (ODO 2005, p.8).
Three out of five adults with disabilities (62%) who are online have traveled outside the continental United States at least once in their lifetime, the vast majority (85%) to other North American destinations including Canada (56%) and Mexico (52%). More than two out of five (44%) of those who have traveled outside the continental United States have been to Europe, most to Germany (28%), England (26%), and France (25%). Almost one out of three (31%) who have traveled outside the continental United States have visited the Caribbean. In the previous two years, 16% of online adults with disabilities traveled outside the continental United States. “The typical international traveler spent almost $1,600 on this travel, which means current international travel expenditures among the disability population top $7 billion over the course of two years” (ODO 2005, p.8).
Finally, as noted above, the 2005 ODO Study identified a segment of adults with disabilities who may be described as frequent or heavy travelers. One in five (20%) are frequent travelers, making 6 or trips in a 2-year period; 11% are heavy airline users, taking 3 or more flights over two years; 21% are heavy hotel users, staying in hotels 4 or more times in two years; 10% are heavy car renters, renting 2 or more cars in two years; and 7% are heavy international spenders, typically spending more than $1,000 on a trip outside of the continental U.S. in a two-year period (ODO 2005, p.8,35).

3. BTS 2002 National Transportation Availability and Use Survey
According to the Freedom to Travel report, the 2002 BTS Survey found that over a one-year period 60% of people with disabilities travel long distance (more than 100 miles one way) versus 76% of those without disabilities (BTS, 2003, p.9). Among both groups, the two most frequently used modes of transportation for long-distance travel are personal motor vehicles and commercial airlines. Among long-distance travelers, 31.5% with disabilities had taken a commercial flight, compared to 40% of those without disabilities. Other types of transportation were used much less frequently: only 5% or fewer of both disabled and non-disabled respondents used an intercity bus, private/chartered bus or Amtrak/intercity rail (BTS, 2003, p.9).
A significantly higher percentage of air travelers with disabilities experience problems at airports than do their non-disabled counterparts, 55% versus 45%. The most frequently cited problems for both groups are schedules not being kept and restrictive security measures. However, these general issues were mentioned less often by travelers with disabilities than by the non-disabled. One in four travelers with disabilities (25.39%) complained of schedules not being kept compared to more than one in three (37.66%) travelers with no disability. Restrictive security measures bothered one in three (34.12%) travelers with disabilities versus almost one in two (49.13) travelers with no disability (BTS 2003, p.9). Instead, those with disabilities complained more often of staff assistance/poor sensitivity, inadequate seating, too much walking and unavailable wheelchairs. More travelers with disabilities also experienced problems on airplanes, 32.91% versus 23.61% of those without disabilities. In each case, the biggest grievance was inadequate seating—68.61% among complainants with disabilities, 52.44% among those without (BTS 2003, p.36-37).

4. DOT 2005 and 2006 Annual Reports on Disability-Related Air Travel Complaints
The Secretary of Transportation’s Annual Reports to Congress provide both summary and detailed information on actual complaints filed by travelers with disabilities with the air carriers with whom they traveled. The 2005 Report, which covered the calendar year 2004, included complaint data submitted by 54 U.S. carriers and 97 foreign carriers. In all there were 11,519 complaints, 10,193 to domestic carriers, 1,326 to foreign air carriers (US DOT 2005, p.3). In 2006, 56 U.S. carriers and 100 foreign carriers submitted data for the calendar year 2005. In all there were 13,584 complaints, 12,194 to domestic carriers and 1,390 to foreign carriers (US DOT 2006, p.4). This represents an overall increase of over 17% from the previous year. Both reports note that “approximately 17 million persons with disabilities in the United States travel by air each year and the vast majority of them do not file a disability-related air travel complaint” (US DOT 2005, p.3; 2006, p.4).
In both calendar years, “more than half the complaints reported concerned the failure to provide adequate assistance to persons using wheelchairs” (US DOT 2006, p.4). For all types of disability, failure to provide adequate assistance made up 66.6% of total complaints in 2004 and 65.6% in 2005. Seating accommodations was the second most common problem, making up 11% of total complaints in 2004 and 9.5% in 2005. Damage to assistive devices, mostly wheelchairs, ranked third in both years with complaints in this category rising from 4.7% in 2004 to 6.5% in 2005 (US DOT 2005, 2006). While foreign air carriers have a higher percentage of complaints about wheelchair damage, their level of complaints in this category remained stable at slightly over 15%, while complaints to US carriers rose from 3.3% in 2004 to 5.5% in 2005. In general both the disability of complainants and the problems reported were remarkably stable from year to year. In both 2004 and 2005, 68% of those filing complaints with airlines identified themselves as wheelchair users. Other disabilities (not specific) was the second largest category at roughly 19-20%. Complainants with hearing or vision loss or both made up 3% or less of the total (US DOT, 2005, 2006).

DISCUSSION

As both the ODO Studies and BTS Survey show, the travel market among Americans with disabilities is sizeable. Although one cannot strictly compare their results since ODO excluded children and persons with mental/cognitive disabilities from its samples, both reveal that the majority of Americans with disabilities are making long distance trips. In the BTS survey, 60% of respondents traveled within a one-year period, while 71% of the ODO respondents in 2002 and 69% in 2005 had traveled over a two-year period, making on average 2 trips. By referencing a two-year period in its surveys, ODO explicitly seeks to include that part of the market that travels less frequently but nonetheless does make long distance trips. Respondents taking 1 trip in a two-year period totaled 11% in 2002 and 12% in 2005 (see figure 1).
Among those traveling long distance, 31.49% in the BTS Survey used a commercial airplane (BTS 2003, Table 29, p.350), which equates to 10.2 million air travelers with disabilities per year [not 17 million, as the DOT erroneously reported to Congress. Their mistake was to multiply 31.49% by the total number of Americans with disabilities (54 million), not the 59.9% (32.3 million) who had actually made long distance trips (see US DOT 2005, Footnote 3, p.3)]. In ODO’s 2002 and 2005 Studies, 30% (or 9.4 million) and 31% (or 9.6 million) of long distance travelers, respectively, had flown over a two-year period, making on average 2 flights each. Thus, the ODO and BTS estimates on air travel by persons with disabilities are very similar. So are their figures for long distance travel by bus and train. While BTS reports usage of 3.49% for intercity bus, 4.02% for private or chartered bus and 5.15% for Amtrak/intercity train (figures that may overlap) over a one-year period (BTS 2003, Table 28, p.34), ODO in 2005 found bus and train usage together to be 11% over two years. Paid ground transport is clearly a much less favored option compared to both airplanes and personal motor vehicles.
While the BTS and ODO studies both explore the problems facing long distance travelers with disabilities, the overall percentages and specific complaints vary significantly. In the 2005 ODO Study, 84% of air travelers experienced problems with airlines and 82% with airports. By comparison, 33% of air travelers in the BTS Survey experienced problems with airplanes and 55% with airports. As noted above, these percentages were significantly higher than for their non-disabled counterparts. In both ODO and BTS studies, problems with onboard seating topped the list of complaints against airlines. One should note that in the BTS Survey, “schedule not kept” somehow wound up in the airport rather than airline tally. The issue of long lines, a major complaint among ODO respondents, was not a choice in the BTS Survey (BTS 2003, Tables 30-31, pp. 33-37).
By standardizing the list of disability related complaints along with types of disability, The Secretary of Transportation’s Annual Reports to Congress (US DOT 2005, 2006) make comparisons of this new data from year to year a much easier task. Although, as the reports note, most air travelers with disabilities do not formally complain about the problems they face, this does not mean that these negative experiences do not affect their future travel plans and lead to less frequent trips or the decision to drive instead of fly. By taking the time to complain to the airlines, these travelers signal the extreme seriousness of the event to them. In both years of data available, we see that individuals using wheelchairs are the predominant complainants, with failure to provide assistance the most common complaint. A recent study by the Office of the Inspector General of the US DOT may point to the main reason behind these service failures: lack of compliance with federal requirements for training employees by both airlines and their contractors (OIG 2006, pp. 27-39). The Inspector General accordingly calls for both stricter requirements and enforcement.

CONCLUSION

If nothing else, this paper should have demonstrated that, thanks to the studies referenced, we now know much more about the American disability travel than we did prior to 2002. Rather than just a problem to be faced—although the above certainly indicates that many problems remain—travelers with disabilities now represent a real economic opportunity for the businesses who serve and market to them. Although the old stereotype was that people with disabilities were too poor or incapable to travel, in actuality they represent a broad spectrum of wealth and ability. Yes, many individuals are not traveling long distance and may even be housebound because of their disabilities or poverty. At the other end of the spectrum are a significant number of frequent or heavy travelers making multiple trips per year and even spending heavily overseas. Internet use among travelers with disabilities, both to plan and book travel, may exceed that of the general traveling public. So may the percentage of Americans with disabilities taking cruise vacations. As Baby Boomers age and become more prone to disability over the next several decades, this market will continue to expand. That trend alone should guarantee many more research studies to come, as businesses and governmental authorities demand yet more insight into this complex and interesting market.

REFERENCES

Bureau of Transportation Statistics, US Department of Transportation, 2002. Transportation Availability and Use Survey. [internet]. Available from: www.bts.gov [cited 31 Jan. 2007].

Bureau of Transportation Statistics. US Department of Transportation, 2003. Freedom to Travel, BTS03-08. [internet]. Available from: www.bts.gov/publications/freedom_to_travel [cited 31 Jan. 2007].

Office of the Inspector General, US Department of Transportation. 2006. Follow-Up Review: Performance of U.S. Airlines in Implementing Selected Provisions of the Airline Customer Service Commitment. [internet] Available from: http://www.oig.dot.gov/
StreamFile?file=/data/pdfdocs/ACSfinal11-21signed.pdf [cited 31 Jan. 2007].

Open Doors Organization. 2002. Research Among Adults With Disabilities: Travel and Hospitality. Chicago: Open Doors Organization.

Open Doors Organization. 2005. Research Among Adults With Disabilities: Travel and Hospitality. Chicago: Open Doors Organization.

Sweeney, Margaret, 2004. Travel Patterns of Older Americans with Disabilities, 2004-001-OAS [internet]. Available from: www.bts.gov/programs/bts_working_papers/
2004/paper_o1/ [cited 31 Jan. 2007].

US Department of Transportation. 2005. Annual Report on Disability-Related Air Travel Complaints. [internet]. Available from: http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/publications/
gateway.htm [cited 31 Jan. 2007].

US Department of Transportation. 2006. Annual Report on Disability-Related Air Travel Complaints. [internet] Available from: http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/publications/
gateway.htm [cited 31 Jan. 2007].

The European Air Act

Press coverage continues on the new European Air Act.

New European Air rules to ensure fairer treatment for disabled passengers are welcome but need an enforcing body says the Disability Rights Commission (DRC).

The new Regulation, which comes into effect on 26 July, means that for the first time, disabled passengers flying within Europe cannot be refused a flight because of their disability.

But if a disabled person is discriminated against and wants redress, there is no enforcing body, such as the DRC or the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights, to help support their claim.

An additional gap in the new Regulation means that some disabled people aren’t protected by the new rules – such as someone with HIV or Tourettes – because they are not classed as disabled. Individuals can face discrimination because of the stigma of their condition – for example, the DRC heard from a man with Tourettes who was refused a flight because of his impairment.

Responding to the new Regulation, the Chairman of the DRC, Sir Bert Massie said:

"These are important new rules. For the first time, disabled people have the right to fair treatment when flying.

“But some disabled travellers - for example people like former Culture Secretary Lord (Chris) Smith or Big Brother winner Pete Bennett - could still be treated unfairly without redress.

“The Regulation does not permit a UK body to help represent a disabled person in court. Without this, disabled travellers who’ve faced unfair treatment are unlikely to take the gruelling path to the courtroom.

“These gaps in the Regulation can only be safely plugged if the current exemption of air transport from the Disability Discrimination Act was lifted.

“The new Commission for Equality and Human Rights must be given the power to support individuals who have faced discrimination when travelling by air. Without this, the Regulation won’t bite.”

Source:

http://www.drc.org.uk/newsroom/news_releases/2007/eu_regs_air.aspx

2º Workshop de Acessibilidade - Recife, PE (English & Portuguese)

Recife is a beautiful city. Of course, you could probably guess that if I told you that one of the peripheral cities it has absorbed is called "Olinda!" ("Oh, how pretty!")

For several years I have known of Recife's efforts in accessibility, corresponding with local and regional leaders about their initiatives. So it was with great interest in this latest escalation of their work that I received the following notice of the Second Workshop on Accessibility. They have left no stone unturned here exploring social inclusion and Universal Design!

Topics include tourism, public transit, education, design, media, architecture, and attitudes.

Captioning Videos @ Project readOn

As projects like [with]tv generate new online video content and user generated content continues to expand at places like YouTube and google Video the question of accessibility remains. Project readOn provides a very appealing free online resource for making video accessible through captioning.

On the readOn website Carl Wurtz of Hyperoptix Design says:

“I’m a developer and I’ve never seen the application of a simpler and more ingenious use of internet technology to solve a very real problem for a large community of people.”

Live since March 16th 2007, Project readOn has already garnered the interest of major internet video hosting companies, investors, and the deaf and hard of hearing community. They have developed a widget and are talking to several major video hosting companies, online TV networks, and content aggregators for ways to host the widget

Let's see the travel & hospitality industry pick up on captioning -- maybe sending sending a contract or two over to the good folks at Readon!

For more on video captioning:

Accessibility for the Deaf - Web Video Captioning Technologies
http://deafness.about.com/cs/accessibility/a/webvideocc.htm

Google Video Blog
http://googlevideo.blogspot.com/2006/09/finally-caption-playback.html

[with]tv - A New and Different Voice

The Travel section of the [with]tv blog has been launched -- after much procrastination on my part and good humored patience on the part of others.

Yesterday's post, "Welcome to Travel Programs at [with]tv" sets a theme of travel as transformation. Whether that is the intellectual transformation gained by such stellar programs as MIUSA's student exchanges, the personal transformation gained from a good vacation, or the systemic transformation of projects from disability & development organizations such as Rosangela Berman Bieler's Inter-American Institute on Disability & Inclusive Development (Instituto Interamericano sobre Discapacidad y Desarrollo Inclusivo) it is still true that travel transforms.

Today I am finishing an article for ECOT - the Ecumenical Coalition on Tourism on the topic "Tourism as a Tool in Peace Building" - a subject that will no doubt also find its way into the [with]tv blog. For someone with the skill, time, and interest there is a volunteer web master position open at [with]tv. It's not travel but being part of this new media outlet offers the promise of more than a little social transformation.

[with]tv, a start-up corporation devoted to providing television and Internet programming of, by, and for people with disabilities, is seeking a webmaster to maintain our on-line presence at www.with-tv.com.

The ideal candidate must be proficient in the use of HTML-based editing software and FTP protocol and will be responsible for:

• Editing the website on an ongoing basis as requested by [with]tv management
• The maintenance of our blog, including:
o Collecting articles from bi-weekly columnists
o Proofreading the articles and fixing grammatical and spelling errors
o Posting articles to the blog
o Posting messages and updates from [with]tv’s management to the blog
o Monitoring user comments for appropriateness and deleting any inappropriate entries that may appear
• Administering user e-mail accounts for [with]tv’s leadership on our server (setting up accounts, resetting passwords when asked, forwarding instructions to new users, etc.).
• Assisting with special projects related to the web site as they come up and time allows

Candidates may apply to:

Howard Renensland
CEO & Founder
[with]tv
P. O. Box 685
Wilton, CT06897
www.with-tv.com
hrenensland@with-tv.com