Rolling Rains Report:

The Taj Mahal Palace & towers in Mumbai

I susbscribe to the analysis that "stairs are a design error - a failure of imagination."

In spite of my ideological bias I must admit that th Grand Staircase of Mumbai's Taj Mahal Palace is extraordinarily compelling. See for yourself:

Mumbai - Royal Taj Mahal Palace Hotel

Turismo que Incluye a Todos

Los gobeirnos de las naciones de America Central han prodizido un curso ejectutivo sobre turismo para todos.

EN EL CASO DEL TRATO CON PERSONAS CON DISCAPACIDAD

* La falta de INFORMACION para el libre desplazamiento en un destino

Las personas afectadas por alguna forma de minusvalía (concepto que involucra entre otros segmentos de la demanda al grupo de la tercera edad, grupo familiar con niños pequeños, niños, discapacitados temporales -mujeres embarazadas, enyesadas, etc.- y permanentes -motrices, sensoriales y mentales-, etc.), en el uso de su tiempo libre destinado a actividades turísticas y/o recreativas generalmente encuentran distintas situaciones de conflicto en el espacio turístico, que podemos agrupar en :

* Los ESPACIOS VERDES (Plazas y parques), en la ESTRUCTURA URBANA (Obras de saneamiento, cruces peatonales y vehiculares, etc.), en el MOBILIARIO URBANO (laminarías, bebederos, bancos, etc.)

* Los EDIFICIOS, en los que podemos destacar los destinados a ALOJAMIENTO hotelero y extrahotelero, las instalaciones para GASTRONOMIA (Bares, confiterías y restaurantes), y las instalaciones para el desarrollo de ACTIVIDADES CULTURALES como museos y salas de espectáculos.

* Las instalaciones para ACTIVIDADES CIENTIFICAS (Congresos y convenciones) se suman a las instalaciones para el desarrollo de ACTIVIDADES RECREATIVAS- DEPORTIVAS como estadios y sus espacios complementarios (Vestuarios, gimnasios, etc.). Estos son los ejemplos mas significativos de este segmento.

* El desarrollo de ACTIVIDADES LUDICAS en áreas naturales (Montañas, playas y ríos) y en áreas urbanas (zoológicos, casinos y discotecas) impiden por su conformación el acceso a estos atractivos.
*El variable TRANSPORTE también presenta situaciones de conflicto en el caso de terminales, accesos y áreas de estacionamiento, junto con los medios específicos de transporte aéreo, marítimo, terrestre y fluvial.

Las personas con discapacidad particularmente requieren índices mayores de seguridad durante su desplazamiento durante su tiempo productivo y durante el tiempo libre, principalmente en la faz informativa de servicios al usuario. Es conveniente considerar las siguientes recomendaciones de la Comisión Nacional Asesora para la Integración de Personas con Discapacidad:

"...Una persona con discapacidad podrá integrarse más o menos adecuadamente, de acuerdo al ambiente en el que le toque vivir: empezando por la familia y continuando con el medio educativo, recreativo, laboral, cultural, etc.: dentro de un enfoque físico e histórico concreto.

Por ello es necesario combatir la ignorancia, el desconocimiento, el mito, el prejuicio, etc., en que suele enfrentarse en torno de estas personas.
En este sentido se surgieron algunas propuestas con el objetivo de contribuir a la concientización y motivación de la comunidad en relación a la integración de las personas con discapacidad.

La integración es un proceso mutuo en el que intervenimos todos y se basa en el respaldo por el otro. Estar discapacitado no es estar enfermo; evite referirse a estas personas como enfermas o tratarlos como tales.

Fuente: http://www.paph-oea-cct.com/publicaciones/st01/libro/indice.htm

Setting Standards: The EU Works to Take the Worldwide Lead

More than one in ten, that is, at least 50m citizens throughout the EU, must deal with a disability and are confronted daily with physical barriers. And, as populations are increasingly ageing and disabilities are often acquired with age, their number is set to increase. Although EU legislation has been in place since 2000 to implement the principle of equal treatment in employment, disabled people still remain among the most disadvantaged social groups throughout Europe. Indeed, 45% of Europeans recently surveyed think that discrimination amongst disabled people is particularly rife.

Multi-Sensory Mumbai

Mumbai is not a "free range" city where sacred cattle are left to "pasture" wherever they choose (often sitting in the roadway next to the center divide). Still, my first impression of Mumbai after debarkation from the Jet Air flight from New Delhi was olfactory. Somehow the fragrance reminded me of a T shirt a man was wearing at JFK a few days ago:

"Wisconsin: Smell the Dairy Air"

The sensory paradox of traveling through a city of 20 million while subtle undertones of feedlot waft through the air is confusing to the American palate.

Oddly, days and days of monsoon rain eliminated any trace of industrial or automobile pollution.

Imagine, India

The travel industry sells experiences.

India's Incredible India campaign has been remarkably successful at increasing tourism. It has "captured the imagination" with an unspoken command. "Imagine India. Imagine yourself in India."

I enjoy the verbal and mental jujitsu of inverting the familiar to extract new meanings so it was natural that I would wake up this morning realizing that my core message to attendees of our Inclusive Tourism workshop series in New Delhi, Mumbai, Cochin, and Chennai is not far from the Incredible India message. It is this:

Imagine me, India. Imagine us in India.

Handicapping barriers are at their root a failure of imagination. Universal Design is meant to tickle the imagination into full awareness; into enlightenment.

India is imagining itself anew in the world marketplace.

A market is an interaction between buyers and sellers. In it goods and services are exchanged. During the steps leading up to a sale information is exchanged in a mutual process of education and trust-building. Sales follows education.

The Incredible India campaign will only continue on it exponential success trajectory if it understands that it is engaged in only the earliest stages of information and trust exchange.

"Brand India" must differentiate itself as "incredible" at communication. It must communicate a message that assures potential guests that they have been "imagined in India."

India has a movingly genuine national culture of extraordinary hospitality - "The guest is god."

Set alongside a unique landscape and built environment it is an experience. India can move a visitor through nature and humanity at a depth of thousands of years - or at Bollywood and digital speeds.

Heritage temples, the Taj Mahal, wild mountain hill stations need to be made accessible. So do the transportation systems to get there and the lodging nearby. Everything from quiet strolls to adrenaline-pumping extreme sports are where you will find travelers with disabilities spending their time and money these days.

Imagine, India, the humanity of travelers with disabilities. Infuse every aspect of your current growth spurt in infrastructure, business, and policy with Universal Design:

What is Universal Design?

Universal Design is a framework for the design of places, things, information, communication and policy to be usable by the widest range of people operating in the widest range of situations without special or separate design. Most simply, Universal Design is human-centered design of everything with everyone in mind.

Universal Design is also called Inclusive Design, Design-for-All and Lifespan Design. It is not a design style but an orientation to any design process that starts with a responsibility to the experience of the user. It has a parallel in the green design movement that also offers a framework for design problem solving based on the core value of environmental responsibility. Universal Design and green design are comfortably two sides of the same coin but at different evolutionary stages. Green design focuses on environmental sustainability, Universal Design on social sustainability.

Source:
http://www.adaptenv.org/index.php?option=Content&Itemid=3

What might that look like in India?

The answer will evolve in dialogue between government, industry, the disability community of India, and international visitors. That is the process these workshops is meant to assist.

Whatever it looks like, judging from the reception I have experienced in my short stay here I am sure the result will be incredible.

Inclusive Travel and the Silicon Valley Independent Living Center (SVILC)

Press from back home in San Jose, California illustrates that the disability movement travels -- and hints at an Indians abroad connection to promoting Inclusive Tourism. The next phase of Inclusive Tourism marketing involves Center for Independent living such as the one reported by San Jose magazine.Arminda Santos is a member of the Silicon Valley Independent Living Center (SVILC) that was founded by a group of people with disabilities in 1976 - very early in the modern disability rights movement.:

“Before I came here, I had no computer training. So I took their computer classes. Now I am a lot better,” she says. “I’m currently doing Word and a little bit of Excel.”

Santos also took advantage of the travel opportunities organized by the SVILC, going to Disney World, Las Vegas, and Alaska. She kicked off her adventures with a trip to Hawaii, which was a big step because it was her first time flying.

“Six months after that, she went on her own on a trip to the Philippines to visit her parents,” SVILC’s Director of Development Shobha Srinivasan says. “She hadn’t been to the Philippines since she was a teenager. That’s what this center does for people. It gives them a ‘we can do it’ attitude.”.

The only independent living center in Santa Clara County, the SVILC was founded by a group of disabled persons in 1976. Today, more than 75 percent of SVILC’s staff and board members are disabled. “The consumers see people with disabilities as staff members and board members. It’s inyour- face empowerment,” Srinivasan says. “This diverse group has firsthand knowledge and a personal understanding of what independence means to people with disabilities and is thus the best service provider for the people we serve.”

This example of how disabled people's organizations (DPOs) have organized to assert the rights of our community in all aspects of society - even the parts covered by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in Article 30 on sports, leisure, culture, and travel.

For the entire rticle see:

http://www.sanjosemagazine.com/main/?p=898

Inclusive Tourism Workshop Series - India

New Delhi is famously congested –even with every square inch of road, meridian, and shoulder put to full use as a travel lane. Starting about an hour late due to rush hout traffic the first workshop in the Inclusive Travel series filled the auditorium at the Surya Crowne Plaza. It was about as full at the end of the day (sometime after 6 pm) as at the start – a good indicator of a match between message, audience, and delivery.

The workshop covers definitions of disability and Universal Design in a context of customer service in he travel and hospitality industry. Attendees represented both the front and back of the house in the hospitality industry, hotel sales and manageement staff, tour operators, travel agents, and industrial design students. Leadership from several disabled people’s organizations contributed as panelists on the history and future of the promotion of inclusion in travel in India. From my perspective as a presenter it is always most interesting to learn from presentations from such groups s AccessAbility, Samarthayam, and Svayam. Over time excerpts to their presentation and links to their presentations will be posted at Rolling Rains.

From ASTA India:

Over 100 travel industry professionals from the hospitality, tourism and avialtion turned up this morning at the "Cronwe Plaza" New Delhi to attend the full day seminar organised by ASTA India Chapter. Mr. S Banerjee- secretary tourism who attended the seminar before lunch was very impressed by the presentations made by the speakers- Dr. Scott Rains - Publisher Rolling Rains report- US , Jani Nayar from SATH- US and Craig Grimes from AccessibleBarcelona- UK. He stressed on upgrading the infrastructure in every tourism site not only for the disabled but also for people who are approaching old age. He asked the ASTA India Chapter to present recommendations to the Ministry of Tourism after the seminar series. He promised full support and help to the initiative.

A number of DPO's - Disabled Peoples Organisations like- Accessibility, Swayam and Samarthyam were also present at the seminar. Some of their presentations were eye opener. These DPO's are already doing a lot of good work to make the tourism sites disabled-friendly or accessible to everyone!

The ASTA India Chapter team was upbeat about the entire project and they announced to develop a core group to take this further. According to them it is not a one off programme, they plan to develop this project in to a new tourism segment.

For more information on the seminar sessions and presentations, please get in touch with the ASTA India Chapter Admin office:

The next seminar is being held on 30th July at the Mayfair Banquets-

Worli in Mumbai as per the below programme.

9:00 Registration
9:30 Disability Awareness
10:15 What to Say and How to Say It
11:00 Basic Disability Etiquette Skills
12:30 Exercise in Disability Awareness: Disability Lunch
13:45 Debriefing of experiences at lunch
14:00 Inclusive Tourism in India – The current situation
14:30 Inclusive Tourism 101
16:00 Inclusive Marketing 101
17:30 The Future of Inclusive Tourism in India
18:00 End of Seminar- Feedback and Questions from the day

We invite the travel industry colleagues to attend the seminar and take

advantage of this great learning opportunity.

For registration and participation details, please contact:

Ms. Deepika Chowdhry- Event Coordinator
Phone: +91-11-41652406/ +91-11-41652410
E-mail at: admin@astaindia.com

ASTA Office bearers and members working on the seminar series:

Mr. Rajeev Kohli- President, ASTA India Chapter- rajeevkohli@travel2india.com
Mr. Gajendra Singh Panwar- Vice-President, ASTA India Chapter- directorgs@indoasiatours.com
Mr. Vishwas Makhija- Secretary, ASTA India Chapter- vishwas@luxuryindiaholidays.com
Mr. P N Narayanaswamy (Mohan)- Treasurer, ASTA India Chapter- mohan@travelscopeindia.com
Mr. N S Rathor- Member, ASTA India Chapter- garhatwo@vsnl.net
Mr. Ranju Joseph- Member, ASTA India Chapter- ranju@pner.com
Mr. Sriram Keshavan- Member, ASTA India Chapter- sriram@bharattravels.com

Register today!

Seminar hosts

Delhi- Surya Crowne Plaza , Mumbai- Mayfair Banquets and Outdoors,

Cochin- The Casino Hotel, Chennai- The Park

Dancing in Hungary

A video from http://www.gordulotanc.hu

Taj Mahal

As a travel agent colleague here in New Delhi commented, "India is not a destination for beginners."

I agree. Infrastructure, attitude, language differences all combine to make this "adventure travel" even within your five-star hotel. Stories will follow but here is a photo of a visit to the iconic tourist destination - Taj Mahal

Para un turismo accesible a los minusválidos en los años 90 (Spanish)

La Oraganizacion Mundial de Turismo en su documento "Para un turismo accesible a los minusválidos en los años 90" considera con relación a este tema ciertas pautas de diseño:

"...A. Terminales, estaciones e instalaciones afines
1- Los pasajeros con deficiencias de movilidad en especial los que utilizan sillas de ruedas, deberían tener fácil acceso a servicios de transporte de ida y vuelta hacia y desde todas las terminales de los c/ Los prestadores de servicios deben contar con personal capacitado en la atención de PMR. medios de transporte.

2- Siempre que sea posible, las terminales deberían estar situadas a un mismo nivel o equipadas con rampas donde exista un cambio de altura.

3- Cuando sea necesario, deberían preverse rampas especiales o ascensores no utilizados para carga y otros fines, con destino a las personas con deficiencias de movilidad y a las que utilizan sillas de ruedas.

4- Los cruces de las vías de acceso deberían estar provistos de señales especiales y semáforos para las personas con deficiencias visuales o auditivas para que puedan atravesarlas con seguridad.

5- El acceso a los medios de transporte debería ser lo más sencillo posible y disponer de asistencia cuando sea requerida.

6- Las personas en silla de ruedas que tengan que trasladarse a sillas especiales de embarque, deberían poder hacerlo lo más cerca posible del medio de transporte, y las sillas de ruedas deberían ser almacenadas de modo que se les pueda devolver intactas inmediatamente a la llegada al destino o punto de tránsito

Fuente:

http://www.turismoparatodos.org.ar/tu

Ketna L Mehta: "Designing a Disabled Friendly Inclusive World Class City"

Designing a Disabled Friendly Inclusive World Class City
Imperatives and Issues for Mumbai

by Ketna L Mehta

KEYWORDS:
Disability, PwD (Person with Disability), World Class City.

INTRODUCTION:

This paper proposes a path breaking concept of a completely disabled friendly city, Mumbai. Generally, when one thinks world class cities, we conjure up images of 4 lane expressways, metro trains, skylines, speed trains, Airports, Malls with a art museum or a Zoo. Designing in this paper is considered in a holistic manner which is a synthesis of logic + knowledge + feeling; its being visionary, futuristic and humane.
When people of all socio economic strata are mainstreamed and all have equal access to world class infrastructure, that is indeed a world class city.
The disabled are at the bottom of the pyramid, so far as the government, BMC or the private enterprises are concerned both in thought and in action. PWD are living, feeling, active human beings contributing to the exchequer as an economic component. The author has conducted an empirical research over the span of 12 years and concludes that a World Class City is one where...

the differently abled are given dignity and equality by providing quality infrastructure like access, education, employment, health services and recreation . Just like the animals in the Zoo and the fishes in the aquarium merit a quality infrastructure, so does the 5 lac disabled in this city. According to census 2001, PWD in Mumbai are 5 lacs (3% of the total population, which according to the sector is a very conservative estimate). The paper benchmarks cities globally like Denver, Berkley, Netherlands and Sydney identifying the facilities and infrastructure and proposes a collaborative effort of the state government, NGOs, educational Institutions and the private sector to implement this basic Human Right that the disabled are entitled to as per the constitution.

Constitution and Statutory Provisions:

The parliament of India enacted THE PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (Equal Opportunities, protection of Rights and full Participation) ACT, 1995 which cast obligations on appropriate Governments and Local authorities for creating barrier free facilities.

The Law:

Section 30 stipulates that the governments shall by notification prepare a comprehensive education scheme, which shall make provision for:

 The removal of architectural barriers from school, colleges or other institutions, imparting vocational and professional training.

Similarly, section 38 stipulates the appropriate governments and local authorities shall by notification formulate schemes for ensuring employment of persons with disabilities, and such schemes may provide for:

 Health and Safety measures and creation of non handicapping environment in places where persons with disabilities are employed

To ensure right to employment for PwD’s section 45 calls upon the appropriate governments to provide for-

a) installation of auditory signals at red lights in the public roads for the benefit with visual handicap.
b) Causing kerb cuts and slopes to be made in pavement for the easy access of wheel chair users.
c) Engraving on the surfaces of the zebra crossing for the blind or for person with low vision.
d) Engraving on the edges of railway platforms for the blind or for with low vision; and
e) Devising appropriate symbols of disability.

In protection of the right to have access to public places, the Disability Act in section 46, enjoins upon the appropriate governments and the local authorities to provide for:

a) Ramps in Public Buildings
b) Braille symbols and authority signals in elevators and lifts; and
c) Ramps in Hospitals, primary health centers and other medical care and rehabilitation institutions.

The architects of the disability act were conscious of the fact that for the creation of barrier free environment in educational institution, vocational training centers, places of work and in other public places, special designs of buildings and special technologies would need to be developed. Section 48 of the act calls upon the appropriate governments and local authorities to promote and sponsor research, inter alias, in the on site modifications in offices and factories.

As a follow of the PwD act, the ministry of Urban Development, Government of India, in collaboration with UNESCAP, undertook demonstrative exercises in Delhi to create a barrier free built environment in a 2 sq.km area of Indraprashtha estate. This further led to a preparation “Guidelines and Space Standards for Barrier Free Environment for Disabled and Elderly Persons” by the central public works department, Ministry of Urban Affairs and Employment. Further a reference was made to all state governments to make suitable amendments in their building bye laws to respond to this act.

The bureau of the Indian standard had already brought out the minimum provision to be made in public buildings for providing access to PwDs, way back in 1983 in the National Building code. The planning commission report on the Tenth Five Year plan also stress on issues connected with accessibility for disabled persons.

Places of Recreation (Theaters, Auditorium, Parks, etc):

Wheelchair Seating

 Applies to wheelchair spaces in auditoria, assembly halls, theaters and similar facilities.
 Accessible seating space should be provided in a variety of locations to persons with physical disabilities.

Barrier Free Transportation:

Every individual including PwDs have an equal right to travel and use public transportation with dignity and independence. It should be regarded as a fundamental right of all citizens, since travel is usually a daily necessity for education, employment, medical attention, entertainment etc. Transport is important in facilitating human communication and face to face meetings. It plays a significant role in economic development of the nation. Constitution and Statutory Provisions:

The parliament of India, on many occasions, expressed its concern about persons with disabilities and enacted law to deal with matters connected with disability. The first reference to disability was brought in the seventh schedule of the constitution, which empowered the state government to make laws with respect to relief of the disabled and unemployable.
Subsequently , the seventy-third and seventy forth amendments to the constitution of India made “safeguarding the interest of weaker sections of the society, including handicapped and mentally retarded” a constitutional obligation as referred to in the Twelfth schedule.

The parliament of India enacted THE PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (Equal Opportunities, protection of Rights and full Participation) ACT, 1995 which cast obligations on appropriate Governments and Local authorities for creating barrier free facilities.

The Law:

Section 30 stipulates that the governments shall by notification prepare a comprehensive education scheme, which shall make provision for:

 The removal of architectural barriers from school, colleges or other institutions, imparting vocational and professional training.

Similarly, section 38 stipulates the appropriate governments and local authorities shall by notification formulate schemes for ensuring employment of persons with disabilities, and such schemes may provide for:

 Health and Safety measures and creation of non handicapping environment in places where persons with disabilities are employed

To ensure right to employment for PwD’s section 45 calls upon the appropriate governments to provide for-

f) installation of auditory signals at red lights in the public roads for the benefit with visual handicap.
g) Causing kerb cuts and slopes to be made in pavement for the easy access of wheel chair users.
h) Engraving on the surfaces of the zebra crossing for the blind or for person with low vision.
i) Engraving on the edges of railway platforms for the blind or for with low vision; and
j) Devising appropriate symbols of disability.

In protection of the right to have access to public places, the disability act in section 46, enjoins upon the appropriate governments and the local authorities to provide for:

d) Ramps in Public Buildings
e) Braille symbols and authority signals in elevators and lifts; and
f) Ramps in Hospitals, primary health centers and other medical care and rehabilitation institutions.

The architects of the disability act were conscious of the fact that for the creation of barrier free environment in educational institution, vocational training centers, places of work and in other public places, special designs of buildings and special technologies would need to be developed. Section 48 of the act calls upon the appropriate governments and local authorities to promote and sponsor research, inter alias, in the on site modifications in offices and factories.

As a follow of the PwD act, the ministry of Urban Development, Government of India, in collaboration with UNESCAP, undertook demonstrative exercises in Delhi to create a barrier free built environment in a 2 sq.km area of Indraprashtha estate. This further led to a preparation “Guidelines and Space Standards for Barrier Free Environment for Disabled and Elderly Persons” by the central public works department, Ministry of Urban Affairs and Employment. Further a reference was made to all state governments to make suitable amendments in their building bye laws to respond to this act.

The bureau of the Indian standard had already brought out the minimum provision to be made in public buildings for providing access to PwDs, way back in 1983 in the National Building code. The planning commission report on the Tenth Five Year plan also stress on issues connected with accessibility for disabled persons.

Places of Recreation (Theaters, Auditorium, Parks, etc):

Wheelchair Seating

 Applies to wheelchair spaces in auditoria, assembly halls, theaters and similar facilities.
 Accessible seating space should be provided in a variety of locations to persons with physical disabilities.

Barrier Free Transportation:

Every individual including PwDs have an equal right to travel and use public transportation with dignity and independence. It should be regarded as a fundamental right of all citizens, since travel is usually a daily necessity for education, employment, medical attention, entertainment etc. Transport is important in facilitating human communication and face to face meetings. It plays a significant role in economic development of the nation. People with diverse disabilities (sensory or physical) and reduced mobility (people with health problems for example respiratory, cardio – vascular, joint problems or temporary ailments; senior citizens; pregnant women; families with young children and people with heavy luggage, etc., constitute sizeable number of the population. Since majority of this segment belong to lower and middle income group, it is beyond their economic capacity to use private taxis / three wheeled auto rickshaws or purchase their own vehicle and are, therefore dependent on public transport.

THE GLOBAL BENCHMARK
New Mobility a Publication from USA conducted a comprehensive study of the cities in the USA and arrived at Denver as the most disabled friendly city.

Denver:
It has a population of . 468,000 plus with almost 1 million people living in adjacent counties is America's most wheelchair-friendly city. It offers a multitude of services and conveniences, a fully accessible mainline metro transportation system and exceptionally strong advocacy. Years ago, an NGO, ADAPT made accessible buses their business. The result of its efforts is inclusion. The paratransit door-to-door service runs about 23 hours a day, seven days a week, with no limit on number of rides. Personal assistance programs are available, medical facilities are plentiful, and Craig Hospital has terrific support services for people with head or spinal cord injuries. A wide range of recreational and cultural activities: peerless adaptive sports, both integrated and disability-specific arts programs, active ballet and theater, a symphony orchestra and two opera companies. Coors Stadium--home of the Rockies--is one of the most accessible in the country and, like the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, features universal seating.

Berkeley:
The bay area in general and Berkeley in particular are the cradle of independent living and equal rights for people with disabilities. Berkeley--home to more disability organizations per capita than anywhere else in the world, is number 2 benchmark

Netherlands:
A disabled community in a village close to Amsterdam is a model for disabled-friendly architecture, planning and systems. Accessible transportation system with sidewalks and the works is a dream for any disabled.

Sydney:
Cabs are accessible and a person with disability can independently travel, and even on a wheelchair go trekking or rock climbing. Most of the tourist areas are accessible and a person on a wheelchair can visit each and every site. In fact the prison here is also disabled friendly and the facilities offered make the life of inmates convenient with ramps and rest rooms too with zero barriers.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A DISABLED FRIENDLY CITY:

Access:
This means that everyone can, without assistance approach, enter pass to and from, and make use of an area and its facilities without undue difficulties. The level mobility of a person who is physically challenged is based on the physical infrastructure of a city. Is there an elevator in the building if not what are the options? Stair Lift, a ramp, a hoist lift or possibility of relocating to a house which is either at a ground level or with an elevator. How many times, one can seek support to be carried up and down. Next is transportation systems. Are the railway stations and trains, wheelchair accessible.? All the platforms level is much lower or higher then the train. So what is the point of having one or two Handicapped compartments, when one cannot get inside the same. Its completely apathy and insensitivity for this segment. Now, since lat year, BEST has launched star bus which is low floor with a locking facility for people on wheelchair. It does not cover all the routes, it only plays twice a day at fixed time and in a city which works 24 * 7 does not ply on Sundays. There is no fleet of special cabs with a ramp to freely more about. The Gold cab service started recently has modified only one Versa for a population of 5 Lacdisabled in the city. How many schools, colleges and higher education institutions have ramps, railings and elevators. Even our centre of excellence IIT at Powai is not world class, as it does not have accessibility . For a bright student qualified to get admission would be discouraged due to this daily drudgery of seeking support to gain physical entry. The students and faculty design world class technology and other products, what does it take to design and implement a barrier free campus? And so also offer to replicate their model to other institutions. Our Indian culture is ancient and very progressive. Apparently the forts which were built had a wide, gradual gradient like a ramp, alongside the innumerable steps – for elephants, who carried all the supplies on their backs (Uttam C Jain’s paper on Access, 2002) How considerate? In the modern age, why don’t our architects, builders and urban planners have holistic thinking and planning while designing our infrastructure. kerb Cuts, Sidewalks, Roads and footpaths all to be convenient for wheelchairs. Thus visibility of a disabled person on the streets is negligible. This designing would also assist the elderly to walk. Singapore, USA, Europe, Australia all have visible signages. Special parking zones for the disabled motorists. They self drive in a modified vehicle,park and independently go to their work place or shopping complex. Subways, Streets, recreation centres are all inclusive and its not uncommon to spot a wheel chair player amongst other able-bodied swimming or playing basket ball. Human rights is an issue which needs to be addressed on an urgent basis. BEST has started the Star buses recently and it’s a positive move.

The bureaucrats and officials need to have a paradigm shift from a charity model to a Humanistic Model. The recent BMC elections had a directive from the election commissioner, New Delhi for accessible polling booths, the compliance was missing. Almost 90% of the disabled had to return without exercising their franchise. This is the state of Mumbai.

Tourism
Domestic tourism plays a vital role in achieving the national objectives of promoting social and cultural cohesion and national integration.
The National Toursim policy 2002 attempts to position India as a global brand to take advantage of the increasing global travel and trade and vast untapped potential of India as a destination. However, none of the key areas take into consideration requirements of disabled traveler. Also there are no statistics / data available on tourists’ with disability (both domestic and foreign) visiting places of tourist interest. There is no database maintained by government agencies of the accessible tourist spots in the city. The efforts made by individuals / organizations are also scattered. There is growing demand, for the tourism industry to improve its services to PwDs: accessible transportation, accessibility within hotel facilities and travel operators to provide tailored packages to PwDs.

Universal Design:

Universal design is defined as “the design of products and environment to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design”

In a universal design approach, the user consideration is different as it refer to products and buildings that are accessible and usable by everyone, including PwDs. Rather than providing separate facilities; integral solutions accommodate PwDs as well as the rest of the population.

Universal design means products and buildings that are accessible and usable by everyone, including PwDs. Moreover, Universal Design means ‘design for all’, including people with short stature, tall, obese, frail, elderly as well as young, women as well as men, left handed persons as well as right handed persons. For example, the conventional round handle doorknob is difficult to grasp and turn by persons with hand and upper handle not only benefits those persons whose hands are full, they can open the door with an elbow, forearm or back of the hand.

A wheel chair accessible toilet is larger than a ‘normal’ toilet. But a toilet room, designed with universal design may have larger space clearances in mind particularly for wheelchair users but for with additional facilities: changing tables for babies, grab bars for pregnant woman etc. Besides providing accessible cubicles in a man and woman toilet room, there might be a unisex toilet (family toilet room). This kind of toilet avoids embarrassment when a man escorts his young daughter, a woman takes an older father or a wife takes her husband who is severely disabled. This washroom could meet the needs of people with a wide range of physical limitation.

Employment & Enterprise:
3rd of December is International Day of the disabled. ADAPT of Spastics Society of India organized a Job Fair, where there were 50 candidates with varying disabilities and only 17 companies offering to recruit. It was a good beginning, no doubt, for a city which boasts of being the financial capital and a vibrant city of entrepreneurs, where talent from all over the country and the world flock. This proves that it is still an uphill task. How many progressive HR departments publicly announce themselves as “An equal opportunity Employer”? NCPEDP (National Centre of Promotion of Employment for Disabled People) each year gives the Helen Keller Award to organisations which are ‘Best Employers and which employs maximum differently abled’ – till date, only 10 organisations have been awarded from Mumbai, out of the total 62 companies. A sad reflection, of our fast paced city. There is as per the persons with disabilities (Equal Opportunities, protection of rights and full participation) Act, 1995, 3% reservation of the differently abled. How many such posts are filled up and how many are given promotions periodically?

Health – Services:
There is marked apathy in the government run hospitals and centres which issue disability certificates. This in-human treatment has to be seen to be believed. There is rampant corruption and in order to avoid expenses in frequent visits at fixed days and time; the non affording PWD also falls in the trap. The system is not at all disabled centric. Information and awareness about various health issues is also woefully missing. There are no insurance policies catering to their needs and no guarantee for source of earnings as well as the higher cost of living. Insurance policies for the disabled covering modifications at home is very much needed for periodic purchase of aids and appliances, supplies, medicines, health checkups etc

Inclusive Playgrounds:
Inclusive Playgrounds are built by a company called National centre for Boundless playgrounds (USA) with sponsorships from the Rotary Clubs and Private Companies. Why should young children be discriminated and not enjoy an outdoor life of a playground. They learn so much in a playground while interacting with children of all abilities, so the design and playground environments reflect the development of children. In Mumbai too we need to increase public awareness of the tremendous need for barrier free playgrounds and how all children, regardless of ability or disability benefit from them.
The mantra in USA, where there are such playgrounds is:
“Accessible is good. Inclusive is better.

IMPLEMENTATION AGENDA:
There are several examples of successful human endeavors which were thought impossible. The Eiffel Tower, an engineering marvel or an arid desert converted into a green belt etc. For any initiative to take off and succeed requires the insight, initiative and a positive mindset. This paper has explained the various issues dogging our city for the disabled, now what is required is the full hearted support and cooperation from all the stakeholders. There is a BMC legislation which mandates all public buildings to be barrier – free. Though it’s a long way off. The strategy would be:
Each ward office has a mission plan for the year and by giving three months for the cost allocation and execution for making their ward accessible in physical form. It is achievable. Subsequently all markets, temples, gardens, schools, colleges, clubs etc in that ward have to be audited along with an NGO like ADAPT, ROTARY CLUBS etc. and after assessing the requirements appeal to each place to build the ramp, railing, access facility. Proper signages will create a sense of welcome to the various visitors. BMC has to declare kerb cuts on sidewalks as mandatory and execute phase wise within one year. All new projects whether metro railways, subways, new complexes have to have international standard accessibility features.

CONCLUSION:
Mumbai has given to India great minds like Mr. Nani Palkhiwala, acclaimed Lawyer and Advocate of Free Enterprise who has contributed immensely to the financial sector- the core of Mumbai city. Yet in his sunset years, bound to a wheel chair he had to be physically carried up at the landmark heritage Tata Headquarters – Bombay House, a reputed conglomerate with huge CSR budgets. Dignity to a disabled comes at a negligible cost, it’s more of a deeper understanding of making our built environment inclusive and granting a disabled the honour of independent mobility. It is more of an attitude and a mindset which can transform our city. A disabled friendly city offering a good quality of life to all its residents is truly a world class city.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Rehabilitation Council of India; “Access For All – Training Manual to promote ‘Barrier Free Environment” August 2005.

Mccoy Cindy; “10 Disability Friendly Cities – Where to Live and Why”; New Mobility

Dobs Jean; “The Ed Roberts Campus & the power of Nine”; May 2000

Nine Foundation – “One World – Voice of Paraplegics” various issues www.ninafoundation.org

http://www.censusindia.net/disability/disability_data_main.html

AUTHOR DETAILS:

Ms. Ketna L Mehta is a Life member of BMA. She is also associated in various committees of BMA since 1990. She is the chairperson of the editorial board of BMA Review for the past 8 years. She is currently editor & Associate Dean, Research with Welingkar Institute of Management, Development and Research. She is also the editor of NINA Foundation (www.ninafoundation.org) newsletter; ONE-WORLD- Voice of Paraplegics. She is pursuing her PhD from SNDT University, of which Welingkar Institute of Management, Development and Research is an extension centre. Her topic is “Market Potential Study for a World-Class Rehabilitation Centre for Spinal Cord Injury in Mumbai. She met with an accident in 1995 and has paraplegic due to spinal cord injury, a permanent disability. She has seen Mumbai before and after disability and thus understands the nuances of the travails faced by a physically challenged person.

Address: Ketna L Mehta
240/11, Shankar Sadan, Sion [E]
Mumbai 400022
Tel: 24071952
Email: ketna@vsnl.com

UK: Experiences and Expectations of Disabled People

A new research report commissioned by the Government shows that while progress is being made, disabled people in Britain are still more likely than non-disabled people to experience disadvantage in a variety of areas.

Experiences and Expectations of Disabled People, the first comprehensive study of disability issues in six years, looked at key policy areas including employment, education, transport, health and discrimination across Great Britain in 2007.

The research, which was commissioned by the Office for Disability Issues (ODI), provides a unique snapshot of the lives of nearly 2,000 disabled people. The study was ground-breaking in that it actively involved disabled people throughout the research process.

For downloading full report please visit: http://www.officefordisability.gov.uk/research/eedp.asp

India: Railway Accessibility

The Anand Vihar Railway Station in Delhi received an accessibility assessment during construction. The responsible team was a collaboration between Samarthya and Handicap International.
The May 2007 study is available here. A follow-up is underway.

To Our Students in India: "Extra Credit Homework"

One of the joys of opening up the real world of people with disabilities to others is sharing the moment when a light goes on and the seemingly vast distance between disabled and non-disabled disappears.

Sometimes we do that with a role-playing exercise, a discussion, an article or just in casual conversation.

For those who will attend the New Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, or Chennai workshops sponsored by ASTA - India I offer the following online videos to trigger that moment. Welcome to the art and images of disability culture from around the world.

From USA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hc1YdL_w1Hg

From Portugal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFUacatn0IM

From Germany:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDnNrBPh1KU

From England:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZfOVNwjFU0

In ASL:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBWaXGNUubA

From Brazil:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAknXbxPJg4

From USA:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYPQ5UbrK1I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFUacatn0IM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTxWoiefu3I&feature=related

Samarthyam on Inclusve Tourism

Samarthyam, National Centre for Accessible Environments New Delhi (India) has issued a statement on the need for Inclusive Tourism in India.

Inclusive Tourism

Ms. Anjlee Agarwal, Executive Director
Mr. Sanjeev Sachdeva, Project Director

Samarthyam, National Centre for Accessible Environments
New Delhi (India)

www.samarthyamm.org

2008

1.1 Introduction

Tourism is a means of broadening horizons and developing friendship for a social group, which is less willing to remain, segregated from mainstream society. Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) have an equal right to travel with dignity and independence; access to all tourism infrastructures; products & services including employment opportunities and benefits that the tourism industry provides. PwDs, senior citizens and families with young children, are not considered potential customers by the Government and the service providers and are still an untapped market. Their travel experiences are characterised by transportation constraints, inaccessible accommodation to tourism sites and inadequate customer services.

1.2 Tourism in India- Some Facts

India is a country of continental dimensions with a fascinating kaleidoscope of diverse races, languages, religions, customs and traditions. The tourist attractions of India include historical monuments, places of religious importance, mountain and beach resorts, wild life, and interesting eco-systems, etc.

Tourism in India has grown substantially over the last three decades. Foreign tourist arrival during 2005 were 3.92 million and foreign exchange earnings were US $ 5730.86 million in 2005 to US$ 6569.34 million in 2006- an increase of 14.6%.

Domestic tourism plays a vital role in achieving the national objectives of promoting social and cultural cohesion and national integration. Its contribution to generation of employment is very high. An investment of Rs. 1 crore creates 470 direct jobs, which surpasses the employment potential from Agriculture and Industrial sector. With the increase in income level and emergence of a powerful middle class, the potential for domestic tourism has gone up considerably in the last few years. Every year 382 million domestic tourist’s visits are made.

The National Tourism Policy 2002 attempts to position India as a global brand to take advantage of the increasing global travel and trade and vast untapped potential of India as a destination.

1.3 Seven key areas identified are:

Swagat (welcome)
Soochna (information)
Suvidha (facilitation)
Suraksha (safety)
Sahyog (co-operation)
Samrachana (infrastructure development)
Safai (cleanliness)

However, none of the above key areas take into considerations requirements of disabled traveller. Also there are no statistics/data available on tourists’ with disability (both domestic and foreign) visiting places of tourist interest. There is no database maintained by Government agencies of the accessible tourist spots in the country. The efforts made by individuals/organizations are also scattered. There is a growing demand, for the tourism industry to improve its services to PwDs: accessible transportation, accessibility within hotel facilities and travel operators to provide tailoring packages to PwDs.

1.4 Access provisions for Barrier Free Tourism

1. Advocacy and negotiation with the Tourism industry and service providers.
2. Accessibility as criteria in ranking of hotels;
3. To make mandatory for petrol pumps on highways to have an accessible toilet.
4. Dissemination and sharing of information on Barrier Free Tourism.
5. Information material to be accessible to all.
6. Compiling database on accessible Tourists places (including accommodation).
7. Information and networking with disabled people and NGOs.
8. Highlighting the issue through electronic and print media.
9. Conduct Access Surveys.
10. Initiate one pilot project.

Case study of Dilli Haat- Access Audit & Strategic Implementation

1.1 Introduction

Samarthyam selected Dilli Haat, a famous tourist spot, a joint venture of Delhi Tourism, Union Tourism Ministry, Development Commissioner (DC) Handlooms & Handicrafts and the Ministry of Textiles, as its pilot project. It is spread out over six acres, set amidst idyllic environs that attempt to mimic the rural ambience of a traditional Indian little "Haat" or a weekly village market. It has high visibility value and ample scope of expansion, replicability and sustainability. On the basis of ticket sales for three months it was found that 180,000 domestic as well as foreign tourists visit Dilli Haat every month. Making Dilli Haat ‘Accessible to All’ would mean spreading the message to other parts of the country.

An access audit in ‘coordination’ with the architect of Dilli Haat was conducted in January 2001. The audit team examined the existing architectural plan of the complex, identified the problem areas and suggested possible solutions. The proposed changes included designated parking, uneven flooring in the front plaza, ticket counter height, access to office and handloom & handicrafts stalls, drinking water facility, toilets and other amenities.

1.2 Process

Samarthyam Access Resource Group worked with Mr. Pradeep Sachdeva, Architect, Delhi Tourism by providing standards, guidelines and accessible design layouts. The partnership between Delhi Tourism and Samarthyam culminated in the inauguration of “Barrier Free Dilli Haat” (first phase), on 28th March 2003. The changes include levelling of front plaza flooring, demarcated pathway, lowering of ticket counter, merging of level differences, around 17 small and big ramps with handrails are constructed which now provide access to Dilli Haat office, exhibition halls, stalls, STD/ISD booth, drinking water facility, approach to toilets, eatable stalls etc. The second phase would include designated parking, guiding and warning blocks and toilets.

Media highlighted the constructive work being done by Delhi Tourism and Samarthyam in making Dilli Haat, the first ever disability friendly tourist spot in the nation. The news items generated public awareness and discussion of accessibility issues in the tourism sector. The tourism department has committed to make all upcoming projects barrier free. “Garden of Five Senses” spread over 20 acres, reflects the same.

Dill Haat was awarded National Award by the Hon’ble President of India for the Barrier Free Environment category on 3rd December 2005.

Incedible India: An Incredible Opportunity to Adopt Universal Design

At ETurboNews:

The Incredible India campaign has taken off for the country making the tourism sector witness huge buoyancy in recent times. The marketing strategy has helped India achieve unprecedented growth in terms of both volume and value.

Foreign tourists arrivals to the country have grown at a cumulative annual growth rate of 15.86 percent touching almost 4.2 million in 2007, an increase of 12.4 percent compared to 2006. Foreign exchange earnings from tourism registered a cumulative annual growth rate of 30.97 percent in the same period with figures for 2007 closing at $ 11.956 billion – an impressive spike of 33.8 percent over 2006. Domestic tourism continues to surge, showing more than encouraging trends with tourist visits over 461 million in 2006. By 2010, with the Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi, India expects to hosts 10 M tourists.

Everything seems perfect. The problem: lack of rooms.

But all rooms are not created equal. Some discriminate by design.

Will these rooms be accessible by national standards? Not if they are 1 and 2 star venues. And maybe not even if they are 3, 4, or 5 star class unless enforcement drastically improves.

At the same time the Minimum Hotel Accessibility Recommendations prepared by Rollon Travel can offer simple solutions for all hotel rooms if followed. Download file

For the full story: http://www.eturbonews.com/3813/incredible-india

Samarthya: A World-Class Example of Inclusive Tourism Promotion

One organization in India has distinguished itself on the national and international stage for innovation and expertise in Inclusive Tourism - Samarthya. It follows the path of "Promotion of a Barrier Free, Rights-Based Inclusive Society."

At the center of this remarkable organization are Ms. Anjlee Agarwal and Mr. Sanjeev Sachdeva. They have been trained in the Promotion of Accessible Tourism at Bali (Indonesia), 2000; Non-Handicapping Environment for Disabled People by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), 2002 & Asia Pacific Development Centre on Disability (APCD), Bangkok (Thailand) 2004. They have in turn taken this training and put it to continuous use for the benefit of their nation and the region.

* Sanjeev and Anjlee have represented India at various International forums such as: International Conference on Transport & Mobility for Elderly and the Disabled (TRANSED), Hamamatsu (Japan), 2004;
* Panelist at the 2nd International Conference for Universal Design, Kyoto;
* Guest Lecturer at Osaka Municipal Lifelong Learning Centre, Osaka, (Japan) October 2006
* Resource Persons at International Workshop on Implementing Accessibility Regulations in Sri Lanka, Colombo (Sri Lanka) December 2006

So far Samarthya has conducted Access Audits (facilities checks) of more than 80 public utility buildings in various States, most of them with implementation results.

In addition, Samarthya has organized more than 60 Awareness & Capacity Building Excursion Tours for persons with severe disabilities to Indian places of historical, cultural, religious and tourist interests’ promoting the concept of Barrier-Free Tourism. Some of the places visited include Agra, Mathura, Bharatpur, Jaipur, Udaipur, Mt. Abu, Ahmedabad, Vadodra, Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, Dalhousie, Chamba, Amritsar, Shimla, Kurushetra, Rishikesh, Mussoorie, Nainital, Lucknow, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mysore, Chennai, Tirupati, Goa, Port Blair, Bangalore, Gauhauti and Shillong.

Publications include:

* Access for All- Technical Brochure on Internal & External Design Considerations prepared in consonance with internationally accepted standards and building bylaws fourth edition in English, Hindi and Braille for Professionals, Administrators and Planners.

* Authored first Training Manual to promote Barrier Free Environment- Guidelines for Training of Trainers, 2005 published by Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI). The contents as far as practicable, developed in Indian perspective with simple line illustrations, easy to understand format and result oriented case studies with photographs. Second Edition of the Manual is underway.

* Authored chapter in Handbook of Inclusive Education for Educators, Administrators and Planners, 2005 published by SAGE Publications; New Delhi/Thousand Oaks/London

* Authored chapters in Work Book for In-service Teachers, 2006 on Barrier Free Environment in Inclusive School published by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)

* Currently reviewing of first edition of Guidelines and Space Standards for Barrier Free Environment for Disabled and Elderly Persons, 1998 by Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Ministry of Urban Affairs and Employment, Government of India, is underway.

Other reports on Samarthya at RollingRains.com dating back to 2004 are available here.

Turismo Inclusivo na Argentina e Sergipe (Portuguese)

A Secretaria de Turismo da Argentina deu um passo importante ao definir as diretrizes para a acessibilidade nos alojamentos turísticos do país.

A consolidação dos esforços para convocar os empresários do setor hoteleiro argentino a aderirem o processo de implementação é a reta final para viabilizar as normas que entram em vigor em setembro próximo.

O evento, que teve lugar em San Martín de Los Andes, em meados deste mês, teve como objetivo familiarizar o setor de hospedagem com a questão da acessibilidade e do conjunto de práticas para viabilizar a sua aplicação. Em linhas gerais as autoridades do turismo argentino visam otimizar a prestação de serviços, assegurar a satisfação dos usuários e promover a inclusão sem discriminação.

Informações: www.turismo.gov.ar

Fonte: http://www.bj.inf.br/conteudo_visualiza.php?contcod=15787
__._,_.___

A Promotora de Justiça Especializada nos Direitos dos Idosos e das
Pessoas Portadores de Necessidades Especiais, Dra. Berenice Andrade,
reuniu representantes da Universidade Tiradentes (UNIT), do Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico
e Artístico Nacional (IPHAN), da Secretaria de Estado da Cultura, da
Empresa Municipal de Urbanização (EMURB) e da Secretaria de Estado do Planejamento
(SEPLAN), a fim de definir as ações de execução do projeto de acessibilidade à Câmara
Municipal de Aracaju.

Aberta a Audiência, o representante do IPHAN informou que, após a
reunião com a equipe da UNIT, foram efetuadas as modificações
solicitadas conforme o documento
apresentado, então o projeto foi entregue conforme as observações e
análise dos técnicos.

o projeto deverá ser analisado pela equipe da Secretaria de Cultura de
Sergipe, que emitirá o parecer conclusivo. Para isso, a representante
requereu o
prazo de sete dias. Já a SEPLAN e EMURB afirmaram que dentro do
encaminhamento tomado durante as audiências, o projeto atende à
acessibilidade.

Todo processo de plotagem do projeto arquitetônico de adequação será
feito pela equipe da UNIT, e em seguida, encaminhado à Promotoria de
Justiça.

Fonte: http://www.faxaju.com.br/viz_conteudo.asp?codigo=25720081391839750

Free2Wheel - India Promotoes Its Accesssibility Travel 2.0 Style!

Sometimes it is some hard to not tell you all about excitng new developments for travelers with disabilities when they are still in "Top Secret" phase.

Today I am pleased to be able to announce -- Free2Wheel:

Free2Wheel, a first of its kind information service in India, endeavours to encourage people using wheelchairs in getting out and about. This web site has over 1600 listings of places of interest in Delhi and NCR like budget and star hotels, shopping malls, historical monuments, restaurants/bars/pubs/nightclubs, cafe, currency exchange counters, and tourist information centres etc. Each listing is accompanied with an accessibility overview of the site.

This portal provides an interactive zone, and we invite you publish your travel-logs, upload pics of your latest escapades, rate and comment on the enlisted places so that most people can benefit from your experiences. Most importantly, we will be grateful for any feedback that can assist us in improving this website and the soon to be released travel guide.

Free Your Wheels & Enjoy Delhi !!

Log onto www.Free2Wheel.co.in

Ação no Brasil (Portuguese)

Aventurero e pionero de turismo adaptado em Brasil, Dadá Moreira de Aventura Especial, tem ataxia. Aqui tem varias entrevistas com ele.

Disability Body Blasts EU Anti-Discrimination Draft

A draft anti-discrimination directive from the European Commission has been criticised by a major disability lobby group for failing to cover technology accessibility standards.

The commission’s proposal, ‘Non-discrimination and equal opportunities: a renewed commitment’, deals with discrimination against people on the basis of disability, race, religion, gender or sexual orientation and covers non-employment areas such as education, social security and health care (see http://fastlink.headstar.com/eur8).

In a statement European disability Forum (EDF) President Yannis Vardakastanis said the draft directive omits “important issues for persons with disabilities as the concept of universal design, the necessity of European and national accessibility standards and the right to services ensuring inclusion.”

In addition the document “leaves room for interpretation and will create legal uncertainties”, Vardakastanis said (see http://fastlink.headstar.com/edf2).

The EDF was created in 1996 to give a voice in the European Union to Europe’s 50 million disabled people (http://www.edf-feph.org).

Source:
http://www.headstar.com/eablive/?p=199

European Blind Union on Air Travel in the EU

As I prepare to fly to India to deliver a series of workshops on disability to the travel industry the following bulletin came in from the European Blind Union. With such common sense affirmations of the right to travel by people of all abilities it become all the more important that all tourist destination nations abandon discriminatory practices if they wish to participate in the profits of the growing seniors and disabled traveler market:

Over the past ten years the European Blind Union has been working to improve travel by air for blind and partially sighted, deaf blind and blind people with additional disabilities. As a result of our work, we are pleased to inform you that from 26 July 2008, the new Air Regulations come into operation at all airports throughout Europe.

To ensure these regulations work, we need your help in monitoring them at your local airport, to find out if they have in place, their staff with disability awareness training.

This must include the special requirements of training staff in the needs of blind and partially sighted people, which should include guiding a blind person, making sure that a wheelchair is not offered as an automatic help but only offered if the blind person has difficulty in walking.

Following are the parts of the regulations that you need to be aware of, and which we would like you to monitor for us. If you require a full set of the regulations they will be available from the Federation's office, address as above.

This summary is based on Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 concerning the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air.

Disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility have the same right as all other citizens to free movement, freedom of choice and non-discrimination. This applies to air travel as to other areas of life.

Disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility should therefore be accepted for carriage and not refused transport on the grounds of their disability or lack of mobility, except for reasons which are justified on the grounds of safety and prescribed by law. Before accepting reservations from disabled persons or persons with reduced mobility, air carriers, their agents and tour operators should make all reasonable efforts to verify whether there is a reason which is justified on the grounds of safety and which would prevent such persons being accommodated on the flights concerned.

In order to give disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility opportunities for air travel comparable to those of other citizens, assistance to meet their particular needs should be provided at the airport as well as on board aircraft, by employing the necessary staff and equipment. In the interests of social inclusion, the persons concerned should receive this assistance without additional charge.

Assistance given at airports situated in the territory of a Member State to which the Treaty applies should, among other things, enable disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility to proceed from a designated point of arrival at an airport to an aircraft and from the aircraft to a designated point of departure from the airport, including embarking and disembarking. These points should be designated at least at the main entrances to terminal buildings, in areas with check-in counters, in train, light rail, metro and bus stations, at taxi ranks and other drop-off points, and in airport car parks. The assistance should be organised so as to avoid interruption and delay, while ensuring high and equivalent standards throughout the Community and making best use of resources, whatever airport or air carrier is involved.

To achieve these aims, ensuring high quality assistance at airports should be the responsibility of a central body. As managing bodies of airports play a central role in providing services throughout their airports, they should be given this overall responsibility.

Managing bodies of airports may provide the assistance to disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility themselves. Alternatively, in view of the positive role played in the past by certain operators and air carriers, managing bodies may contract with third parties for the supply of this assistance.

In deciding on the design of new airports and terminals, and as part of major refurbishments, managing bodies of airports should, where possible, take into account the needs of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility. Similarly, air carriers should, where possible, take such needs into account when deciding on the design of new and newly refurbished aircraft.

All essential information provided to air passengers should be provided in alternative formats accessible to disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility, and should be in at least the same languages as the information made available to other passengers.

Where wheelchairs or other mobility equipment or assistive devices are lost or damaged during handling at the airport or during transport on board aircraft, the passenger to whom the equipment belongs should be compensated, in accordance with rules of International, Community and National Law.

Complaints concerning assistance given at an airport should be addressed to the body or bodies designated for the enforcement of this Regulation.

Member States should lay down penalties applicable to infringements of this Regulation and ensure that those penalties are applied. The penalties, which could include ordering the payment of compensation to the person concerned, should be effective, proportionate and dissuasive.

An air carrier or its agent or a tour operator shall not refuse, on the grounds of disability or of reduced mobility, to accept a reservation for a flight departing from or arriving at an airport to which this Regulation applies.

An air carrier or its agent shall make publicly available, in accessible formats and in at least the same languages as the information made available to other passengers, the safety rules that it applies to the carriage of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility, as well as any restrictions on their carriage or on that of mobility equipment due to the size of aircraft.

A tour operator shall make such safety rules and restrictions available for flights included in package travel, package holidays and package tours which it organises, sells or offers for sale.

The managing body of an airport shall, taking account of local conditions, designate points of arrival and departure within the airport boundary or at a point under the direct control of the managing body, both inside and outside terminal buildings, at which disabled persons or persons with reduced mobility can, with ease, announce their arrival at the airport and request assistance.

The points of arrival and departure shall be clearly signed and shall offer basic information about the airport, in accessible formats.

Air carriers, their agents and tour operators shall take all measures necessary for the receipt, at all their points of sale in the territory of the Member States to which the Treaty applies, including sale by telephone and via the Internet, of notifications of the need for assistance made by disabled persons or persons with reduced mobility.

When an air carrier or its agent or a tour operator receives a notification of the need for assistance at least 48 hours before the published departure time for the flight, it shall transmit the information concerned at least 36 hours before the published departure time for the flight: (a) to the managing bodies of the airports of departure, arrival and transit, and (b) to the operating air carrier, if a reservation was not made with that carrier, unless the identity of the operating air carrier is not known at the time of notification, in which case the information shall be transmitted as soon as practicable.

As soon as possible after the departure of the flight, an operating air carrier shall inform the managing body of the airport of destination, if situated in the territory of a Member State to which the Treaty applies, of the number of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility on that flight requiring assistance and of the nature of that assistance.

When a disabled person or person with reduced mobility arrives at an airport for travel by air, the managing body of the airport shall be responsible for ensuring the provision of the assistance in such a way that the person is able to take the flight for which he or she holds a reservation, provided that the notification of the person's particular needs for such assistance has been made to the air carrier or its agent or the tour operator concerned at least 48 hours before the published time of departure of the flight. This notification shall also cover a return flight, if the outward flight and the return flight have been contracted with the same air carrier.

Where use of a recognised assistance dog is required, this shall be accommodated provided that notification of the same is made to the air carrier or its agent or the tour operator in accordance with applicable national rules covering the carriage of assistance dogs on board aircraft, where such rules exist.

If no notification is made, the managing body shall make all reasonable efforts to provide the assistance in such a way that the person concerned is able to take the flight for which he or she holds a reservation.

The assistance provided shall, as far as possible, be appropriate to the particular needs of the individual passenger.

Air carriers and airport managing bodies shall ensure that all their personnel, including those employed by any sub-contractor, providing direct assistance to disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility have knowledge of how to meet the needs of persons having various disabilities or mobility impairments. They should also provide disability-equality and disability-awareness training to all their personnel working at the airport who deal directly with the travelling public, including that upon recruitment, all new employees attend disability-related training and that personnel receive refresher training courses when appropriate.

National Federation of the Blind of the UK
http://www.nfbuk.org

Why Disability Affects Everyone

Steve Kuusisto will speak Thursday July 24 at Diversity Focus' Brown Bag Lunch Series, from noon to 1 p.m. at the Iowa City Chamber of Commerce, 325 E. Washington St. No. 100, Iowa City, Iowa.

The event is free and open to the public. Kuusisto will present "Universal Design and the Town Square: Why Disability Affects Everyone." He will discuss disability history and the development of new models of accessibility.

Kuusisto is an author and holds a dual appointment at the University of Iowa, where he teaches courses in creative nonfiction and serves as a public humanities scholar in the University of Iowa College of Medicine. He speaks widely on diversity, disability, education and public policy. For more information, call 363-3707.

Comportamiento en sociedad: Personas con discapacidad (Spanish)

Una experta en protocolo y etiqueta escribió sobre el tema de personas con discapacidad y las normas de etiqueta para tener en cuentaen El Tiempo diario de Colombia.

Todo ser humano tiene derecho a las mismas oportunidades, de manera que depende de cada persona los éxitos que llegue logre en su vida y en su mundo profesional.

En el ámbito laboral es una máxima el permitir a quienes poseen algún impedimento acceder a puestos y desempeñar cargos de responsabilidad.

Sin embargo hace falta ponernos en el lugar de estas personas para saber actuar con prudencia y sensibilidad.

Me refiero además del comportamiento adecuado que se debe seguir, a la responsabilidad que deben sentir quienes construyen y diseñan espacios para que los tengan en cuenta en su labor.

Al respecto, me llega la siguiente consulta:

"Soy una profesional en mi área y como tal, participé en un concurso internacional para un cargo.

"Salí elegida, viajé y al llegar al destino previsto, tuve la primera entrevista con quien sería mi jefe. Él al verme en silla de ruedas, me dijo: "¡Uy! yo no sabía que usted era así, perdóneme", y se fue dejándome atónita.

"Sobra decir que hasta ahí llegó todo. Me vi obligada a regresar aterrada. Me gustaría conocer su opinión sobre esta situación.

Manuela

Discapacitados hay de varios tipos, los que padecen de un problema físico, como son los ciegos, los sordomudos y los que poseen discapacidad intelectual.

En algunos casos una misma persona puede sufrir de dos limitaciones al mismo tiempo y como tal requiere de mayor comprensión, respeto y consideración.

Siempre tienen prioridad, lo que significa que además de permitirles ingresar y salir en primer lugar de cualquier sitio, también se les debe ayudar en el caso de que no tengan quien los acompañe.

En cuanto a la adecuación física, es necesario prever situaciones para facilitarles el desplazamiento y su ubicación en toda ocasión, tanto en lugares públicos como en empresas y sitios de trabajo.

Por ejemplo, a los ciegos se les debe permitir ingresar con sus perros que hacen de lazarillos, y al respecto es preciso informar a las personas a cargo de las recepciones de los establecimientos para que lo sepan y lo permitan.

Al ubicarlos es aconsejable que sea cerca a los baños, puertas, ascensores, y en fin, que todo les quede lo más cómodo posible, y en especial, que sientan que se les ha tenido en cuenta con respeto.

Así se contribuido a que ellos pasen desapercibidas o por lo menos a que no llamen la atención. Se trata de evitarles las incomodidades.

Me ha sorprendido ver en las universidades a profesores ciegos que se desplazan con gran dificultad por falta de adecuación de los pasillos y salones de clase.

También, a alumnos llevando en brazos a un compañero discapacitado, debido a que las instalaciones no poseen la adecuación respectiva.

Se entiende que es costoso adecuar estos espacios para que se desplace una silla de ruedas, colocar las chapas de las puertas y demás muebles a la altura requerida.

Sin embargo, ya es hora de que nos pongamos a la altura de esta realidad para permitir que su incorporación a la vida cotidiana, se lleve a cabo de la manera más natural y exitosa posible tanto para ellos como para los demás

Es una simple norma de etiqueta ambiental el que las aceras, las calles, los hoteles, los restaurantes, los cines, los supermercados y cualquier auditorio tengan la adecuación requerida para los limitados.

Ojalá esa sea una realidad que pronto empiece a vivirse en nuestras ciudades.

Diana Neira Consultora de Imagen

susombra@gmail.com

Contenido publicado en El Tiempo punto com

http://www.eltiempo.com/vidadehoy/cronicasocial/2008-07-17/los-discapacitados-y-las-normas-de-etiqueta-para-tener-en-cuenta_4381298-1

Intergenerational Girls-Only Travel - Where's the Accessibility?

This article, "Women's getaways becoming bonding affairs across the generations," by Steve Stephens of the Coulmbus Dispatch takes a look at intergenerational travel He notes:

Annie Roegner, her two sisters and a friend recently took Roegner's mother, Evelyn Roegner, on a 15-day cruise of Hawaii. The trip was a present for Evelyn Roegner's 80th birthday.

The trip was a success, although the group had trouble finding accessible shore trips for Evelyn, who uses a walker, Annie Roegner said. That's an issue that anyone traveling with an older family member should investigate before a trip, she said.

"The ship is accessible, but who wants to stay on the ship all that time?" she said. "The excursions she could go on were very limited."

Day on the Beach 2008

Yesterday's Day on the Beach in Santa Cruz California was another demonstration of community support for making the beach town a destination of choice for people with disabilities.

Find more photos like this on Tour Watch

Inscrição aberta para curso de atendimento a turista com deficiência (Portguese)

As inscrições para o Curso de Atendimento a Turista com Deficiência, com disponibilidade de 30 vagas, a iniciar-se no dia 11, estão abertas até o dia 7 de agosto. Os interessados podem fazê-la pelo site www.rio.rj.gov.br/pessoascomdeficiencia

A iniciativa é das secretarias municipais da Pessoa com deficiência e Especial de Turismo. O objetivo é beneficiar profissionais dos setores público e privado que trabalham no atendimento a turistas.

Conforme comunicado no Diário Oficial desta sexta-feira, as aulas-gratuitas, com total de 50 horas, serão ministradas às segundas-feiras, entre 9h e 12h, no Ciad - Centro Integrado de Ateção à Pessoa com Deficiência - Mestre Candeira, que fica na Avenida Presidente Vargas, 1.997.

Fonte:
http://jbonline.terra.com.br/extra/2008/07/18/e180717430.html

Remodelling, Aging-in-Place, and Unversal Design

Chris Farrell of Business Week takes a look at the trend toward aging in place. Predictably the conversation turns to that contribution of the US Disability Rights Movement to global society: Universal Design:

Overall, remodeling activity is falling at an annual rate of 4.8% in 2008, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University. But the fastest-growing segment of the remodeling industry is overhauling homes for the 50-plus crowd.

Making your home a place where you can grow old comfortably doesn't mean littering it with sterile-looking devices reminiscent of nursing homes. The trend is to "universal design," which calls for safe, easy-to-use appliances that blend in with their environment. Doorknobs are replaced with handles (easier to open), lights made brighter (for aging eyes), door frames widened (for wheelchair access), and grab bars installed in the shower. "It's no one thing," says George Cundy, architect with the firm Cundy, Santine & Associates in Shoreview, Minn. "It's a combination of things that makes the difference so you can stay there."

Source:

http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/Story.asp?S=8691441
The article would have been stronger with an adequate definition of the concept:

Principles of Universal Design

1. Equitable Use: The design does not disadvantage or stigmatize any group of users.
2. Flexibility in Use: The design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities.
3. Simple, Intuitive Use: Use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the user's experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level.
4. Perceptible Information: The design communicates necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user's sensory abilities.
5. Tolerance for Error: The design minimizes hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions.
6. Low Physical Effort: The design can be used efficiently and comfortably, and with a minimum of fatigue.
7. Size and Space for Approach & Use: Appropriate size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use, regardless of the user's body size, posture, or mobility.

Compiled by advocates of Universal Design in 1997. Participants are listed in alphabetical order: Bettye Rose Connell, Mike Jones, Ron Mace, Jim Mueller, Abir Mullick, Elaine Ostroff, Jon Sanford, Ed Steinfeld, Molly Story, Gregg Vanderheiden. The Principles are copyrighted to the Center for Universal Design, School of Design, State University of North Carolina at Raleigh [USA].

The Principles established a valuable language for explaining the characteristics of Universal Design. They are in common use around the world, sometimes with slight modifications, primarily one or two principles grouped together. It is expected that the principles will be reconsidered on the occasion of their tenth anniversary in 2007 and are likely to evolve in response to experience with implementation and in order to incorporate insights and perspectives from the engagement of more diverse cultures.

Source:
http://www.adaptenv.org/index.php?option=Content&Itemid=25

China: personas con discapacidad como voluntarios en Beijing (Spanish)

Personas con discapacidad actuarán como voluntarios durante los Juegos Olimpicos y Paralimpicos de Beijing 2008. Puestos como centros de llamadas para atención a usuarios y kioskos de información serán ocupados por voluntarios con discapacidad seleccionados en el proceso de formación del cuerpo de voluntarios integrado por 87 mil personas, la mayor de todos de 87 años, que representan la diversidad de culturas en la cumbre del alto rendimiento deportivo mundial. Concursaron 600 mil aspirantes al cuerpo de voluntariado, muchos de ellos con discapacidad.

Advances at Avis

Although originally nudged along by litigation Avis Rent A Car continues to show commitment to the disability community as travelers with further improvements in service announced yesteerday.

Press release:

PARSIPPANY, NJ, Jul 17, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) --

Avis Rent A Car today announced the nationwide rollout of mobility
devices and the addition of new mobility devices including heavy duty
scooters, power chairs and manual wheelchairs, to its Avis Access(R)
program, the Company's suite of products for travelers with
disabilities. The national rollout of these lightweight,
battery-operated portable mobility scooters follows a successful test
in Orlando and Las Vegas.

Mobility devices are popular with older travelers in addition to
people with disabilities, especially when traveling for special
purposes such as vacations, graduations or weddings. They are also
used by general consumers for special purposes, including:

-- Navigating large conventions or resorts with long walkways;
-- Overcoming the inconvenience of a temporary ailment such as a sprained
ankle or fracture;
-- Making sightseeing in large cities easier and more enjoyable,
especially during the hot summer months.

"Customer response to mobility scooters in Orlando and Las Vegas was
strong," said Michael Caron, vice president of product and program
development for Avis Budget Group, Inc., parent company of Avis.
"Offering these rental products in additional cities as demand
increases shows how 'We Try Harder' at Avis to bring customers
products and services that make travel more accessible for all."

"My son had broken his leg and the scooter made it possible for him
to go everywhere with the family," said Ted Fardoe, an Avis customer
who rented a mobility device in Orlando. "The scooter rental made a
huge difference in the entire family's ability to enjoy our
vacation."

In 2004, Avis introduced Avis Access, the most comprehensive suite of
products in the car rental industry aimed at making travel more
accessible for travelers with disabilities. Available free of charge
with all Avis car rentals, Avis Access products include transfer
boards, swivel seats, spinner knobs, hand-controls and panoramic
mirrors. Last year, Avis also introduced a national training program
to educate employees on how to recognize different types of
disabilities and how best to assist these customers. Avis employees
are also trained in the correct usage of terminology and language
when dealing with persons that are sight or hearing impaired,
speech-impaired or use wheelchairs.
devices that can be reserved directly through
Scootaround, the industry leader in mobility equipment rentals, and
are available for rent for a minimum of three days. For more
information or to make a reservation, visit www.avis.com/access or
call 1-888-TRY-HARDER.

About Avis

Avis Rent A Car System, LLC and its subsidiaries operate one of the
world's leading car rental brands, providing business and leisure
customers with a wide range of services at more than 2,100 locations
in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Latin
American/Caribbean region. Avis is one of the world's top brands for
customer loyalty, as ranked in the 2008 Brand Keys(R) Customer
Loyalty Engagement Index. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of
Avis Budget Group, Inc.

Rolling Rains and ENAT

Scott Rains, publisher of RollingRains.com, was recently honored as Lifetime Honorary Associate member of the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT). Download file

The ENAT site is a rich source of current information and quality literature on inclusion in tourism. See the site at:

http://www.accessibletourism.org/

Manual de Convivência (Portuguese)

Está disponível para download em PDF o Manual de Convivência, um guia prático de como se relacionar com as pessoas com deficiência.

Manual de Convivência: Pessoas com deficiência e mobilidade reduzida
http://www.vereadoramaragabrilli.com.br/manualc/manual_web.pdf

Hacer accesible el turismo beneficiaría al 35% de los ciudadanos europeos (Spanish)

Desde El Cisne:

El coordinador de Investigación y Desarrollo de la Oficina de Accesibilidad de Bélgica, Steven Vos, afirmó durante su intervención en el 'II Congreso de Turismo para Todos ENAT' que, teniendo en cuenta a las personas con discapacidad, a los mayores, a las mujeres embarazadas, a las familias con niños pequeños y a quienes tienen otras limitaciones, 'alrededor del 35% de todos los europeos pueden beneficiarse de las mejoras de la accesibilidad en el turismo', como las instalaciones y los servicios accesibles.

"No obstante, sólo un porcentaje muy pequeño del mercado se ocupa de las necesidades en materia de turismo accesible", agregó Vos. Este experto belga comentó que hay una gran cantidad de hoteles, servicios de transporte y lugares turísticos que "no son físicamente accesibles" para muchas personas con discapacidad y personas mayores. "Falta información precisa y accesible, los empleados no están capacitados para proporcionar servicios adaptados a las personas con discapacidad, y el personal de los servicios de turismo a menudo carece de formación sobre los medios para satisfacer las necesidades de accesibilidad de los turistas con discapacidad", agregó Vos.

Por su parte, la directora de Ocio y Bienestar del Reino Unido, Susan Thomas, hizo un llamado a los estados miembros de la UE para que compartan "las buenas prácticas", armonicen los criterios de accesibilidad y fomenten y permitan que todos los servicios relacionados con el turismo "elaboren y apliquen planes de acción sobre accesibilidad para mejorar la experiencia de los viajes y el turismo del cliente".

Por su parte, Ercan Tutal, representante de la Asociación Turca de Agencias de Viajes, habló sobre el turismo accesible en Turquía y comentó que en los últimos años se han producido muchos avances con el objetivo de convertir a Turquía en un lugar más accesible, con "más habitaciones para personas con discapacidad en los servicios de alojamiento, nuevos hoteles sin barreras y nuevos reglamentos en la accesibilidad del transporte". Asimismo, recordó que la normativa de la UE en materia de accesibilidad turística se basa no sólo en la "rehabilitación" de las personas con discapacidad, sino también en la "integración" de este colectivo en la sociedad, lo que se considera "una cuestión de derechos humanos". Tutal explicó que la asociación a la que pertenece creó una "Comisión de turismo sin barreras para todos", que, entre otras iniciativas, ayuda en la creación de una guía turística titulada "Estambul sin barreras para todos", dirigida a personas mayores y personas con discapacidad.

En representación de Noruega, Aina Olsen, consultora de la Dirección de Sanidad y Asuntos Sociales, destacó el hecho de que en el 2004 se estableciera una comisión en su país con el objetivo de crear un "sistema de etiquetado" para los destinos turísticos accesibles. Ello supone, en su opinión, un gran reto para "ver cómo un sistema nacional de etiquetado puede abarcar las necesidades de todos los grupos de discapacitados". En cuanto a las medidas que se pueden tomar para convencer al sector turístico de la necesidad de adoptar el sistema de etiqueado, Olsen destacó que hay que "apelar a la conciencia social", porque el bienestar de las personas con discapacidad "no es sólo responsabilidad del sector sanitario, sino también del turístico", sin obviar que "la gran proporción de personas con discapacidad y mayores suponen un área de mercado muy importante".

En este sentido, la secretaria delegada de la Asociación de Turismo y Discapacidad de Francia, Emmanuelle Tulliez, comentó que desde su institución se ha creado la etiqueta "Turismo y Discapacidad", que comprende los cuatro tipos de discapacidad (motora, visual, auditiva y mental) y todos los alojamientos turísticos, hostelería, sitios turísticos, lugares de ocio, etc. Dicho sello distintivo, explicó, "sirve para potenciar los esfuerzos de las personas que trabajan en la industria del turismo y hace una invitación a todos los que quieran abrir sus lugares a la mayor variedad de clientes".

Marriott Courtyard in Columbia, SC

Watchdog ( Tony Bartelme ) at the Charleston Post and Carrier reports on abuse of disabled parking spaces and ignorance of the law by staff at a local hotel. While this abuse is common the Post and carrier is to be commended for taking notice of such a "small" infraction and protecting the safety of the disability community as we travel for work and pleasure -- and probably stay at a competitor's hotel:

Last April, Laura Kirkham was a guest at Marriott Courtyard in Columbia and noticed these materials stored on a disabled parking space. [photo in original article here ]

Kirkham said she uses crutches and that this was the only covered handicap parking spot at the hotel. She it would have been helpful to have this space available because it rained several inches during her stay. "Rain and crutches are a treacherous combination," she noted...

Michael Wells, a manager, told Watchdog that the hotel has 189 spaces total, five of which are for disabled motorists, including the one covered up. He said the hotel was only required to have four. He declined additional comment.

In fact, the hotel is required to have 6 spots available at all times.

Total Parking in Lot -- Required Minimum Number of Accessible Spaces

1 to 25 -- 1

26 to 50 -- 2

51 to 75 -- 3

76 to 100 -- 4

101 to 150 -- 5

151 to 200 -- 6

201 to 300 -- 7

301 to 400 -- 8

401 to 500 -- 9

501 to 1000 -- 2 percent of total

1001 and over -- 20 plus 1 for each 100 over 1000

Source: access-board.gov/adaag/html/adaag.htm

Route 66 -- and Accessibility -- the Jason Angel Story

Route 66 once had a mythical attraction to Americans as the ultimate "road Trip." Jason Angel relives the magic as a traveler with a disability.

Angel delivers: 'Accessing the Mother Road'
http://www.wickedlocal.com/amesbury/archive/x170777075

Salem State student travels the long road to accessibility
http://www.wickedlocal.com/northshoresunday/news/x273547792/Salem-State-student-travels-the-long-road-to-accessibility

Promoting Inclusive Tourism in India

On July 28 I will begin a four city workshop tour for travel professionals in India with Jani Nayar of SATH and Craig Grimes of Accessible Everything.

The first workshop will be in New Delhi, followed by Mumbai, Kochi, and finally Chennai. As Internet connectivity permits I will post travelogue entries along this tour sponsored by ASTA India.

India Rising in Popularity with American Tourists

This article appeared in the San Jose Mercury News. Timely as we prepare to do a nationwide tour for the Indian tour industry on Inclusive Tourism:

NEW DELHI—Keith Lotman went to New Delhi on a two-week business trip. But a quick day of sightseeing in India's capital city left him enthralled and ready to see more of the country. "I have about a hundred different places that I'd like to visit," said Lotman, 31, a business executive from Philadelphia, as he checked out the world's largest Bahai temple in New Delhi. "A hundred different kinds of experiences." He added: "It's very different from any place I've traveled to before. Culturally very different. I'd definitely like to go to Agra to see the Taj Mahal next...."

New tourists like Lotman have helped feed a boom in travel to India, and the country is now nearly as popular a destination for Americans as Spain. Travel to India from the United States increased 10 percent between 2006 and 2007, on top of an 8 percent rise the year before. More Americans visited India last year than went to Ireland or Thailand, according to the most recent data from U.S. Department of Commerce.

The upsurge in Americans visiting India is part of broader boom in India's tourism industry. In 2007, some 5 million travelers headed to India, nearly double from 2000, according to the Tourism Ministry. Visitors from the U.S. accounted for 15.7 percent of the total.

These include a large number of business travelers, wealthy retirees out to explore India from the comfortable confines of an air-conditioned luxury bus or train, and people of Indian origin eager to see their parents'—or grandparents'—homeland.

For the full article: Americans are part of boom in tourism to India

Even better, watch Rolling Rains for a travelogue as we go.

"NicAbility": A New Column on Accessibility for Expats in Nicaragua

Craig Grimes writes a column on accessibility for the Nicaraguan English language paper the NicaTimes

He paints a memorable picture with lines like:

I" have four wheel on my wheelchair but I seem to spend most of my tme on just two, popping wheelies overt the cracks and crevices in the street."

For the full article:

http://www.craiggrimes.com/2008/07/01/nicability/z

Turismo Multi-Sensorial: “Lisboa Sensorial”

Em Lisboa o grupo Cabracega aumenta a cidade como destino predelito para turista com deficiencias:

Imagine o que é redescobrir o bairro de Alfama de olhos vendados: são as ruas apertadas, o cheiro das sardinhas a assar, o som de um fado que se ouve ao longe e tantas outras aventuras sensoriais…

São passeios a pé, no bairro de Alfama, em que os participantes têm os olhos vendados e são conduzidos por um guia invisual da ACAPO que partilha as suas referências sensoriais. Estão também presentes um guia Lisbon Walker, que faz a contextualização histórica do percurso, e 4 elementos da Associação do Património e da População de Alfama (APPA), que ajudam os participantes a percorrer o espaço.

O projecto tem dois grandes objectivos:

- proporcionar uma experiência sensorial, que visa a construção de um novo conhecimento do espaço através do estímulo dos sentidos do cheiro, tacto, gosto e audição pela ausência da visão.

- sensibilizar para o universo invisual, não num sentido incapacitante, mas num sentido positivo e estimulante, em que o próprio invisual nos convida a entrar no seu mundo de códigos e referências.

US National Parks Web Site on Disability Access

From the web site:

The National Park Service has developed and made available a web site to aid visitors with disabilities and special needs to find accessible trails, programs, activities, and other features at national park units nationwide. It is hoped that we can assist visitors and their families and friends in travel planning to the NPS site of their choice. Visit the “National Parks: Accessible to Everyone” website at http://www.nps.gov/pub_aff/access/index.htm to learn about what opportunities are available in parks for visitors with disabilities and special needs.

From the Family Center on Technology and Disability

I have enjoyed my correspondence with the Family Center on Technology and Disability recently as they interviewed me for their current newsletter. The article begins:

For families of children with disabilities going away for a summer trip is easier said then done. There may or may not always be traveling music involved, but there is hard planning and thorough preparation. Fortunately, families engaged in travel planning are not doing so in an information vacuum. Thanks to pioneers such as this month’s interviewee Dr. Scott Rains, inclusive tourism is a field of interest that is fast emerging from the shadows into the daylight of the information age.

As defined by Dr. Rains, who invented the term, inclusive tourism is “the comprehensive application of Universal Design by the travel and hospitality industry at all stages of product lifecycle.” A related term, inclusive destination development, “similarly starts with Universal Design in looking at the creation, management and marketing of tourism destinations, Dr. Rains notes.

The full article is here:

http://www.fctd.info/resources/newsletters/displayNewsletter.php?newsletterID=10060

Don't miss the list of resources the Family Center on Technology and Disability has gathered at the end of the article!

Will You Be Traveling to Ohio?

The following video was produced by Day al-Mohammed to support discussion of disability issues by the US presidential candidates.

Are the Olympics Bad for Tourism?

ETurboNews reports on a finding that hosting the Olympics seems to damage future tourism statistics.

This is a fact worth pondering within our community since the construction of accessible infrastructure for the Olympics and Paralympics is one of the arguments we have used to support the games as contributors to Inclusive Destination Development.

Perhaps there would be less of a falloff in tourism if a city's Olympic Planning Committee was truly committed to Universal Design (Inclusive Destination Development) and began a campaign presenting their post-Olympic messaging before and during the games. The message would highlight accessible "easy travel" by people of all abilities.

Tom Jenkins, executive director of the ETOA [European Tour Operators Association] , argued that the tourism benefit of staging the Olympics was something of a myth, saying that the effect of staging a large sports event is to scare regular visitors away from host cities, not just during the events themselves but in the months leading up to them.

“The principal problem is the impression that everything will be overcrowded and overpriced and this blights a region,” Mr Jenkins said.

As visitors become deterred, the effect on subsequent demand becomes detrimental, losing the momentum of sales and suppressing marketing, he added.

Source:
http://www.eturbonews.com/3530/hosting-olympics-can-damage-tourism

Dubuque Aims to be 'Proudly Accessible'

Katrina Wilberding is executive director of Proudly Accessible Dubuque. If you have time to look at only one page on their site take a look at this survey and description for at your businesses on how to identify and remove accessibility barriers: http://www.proudlyaccessibledubuque.com/tools/survey.cfm

In an interview with TH Online she makes the inclusion argument using the Open Doors Organization survey results on the travel behavior of people with disabilities - another sign that Inclusive Tourism is simply becoming the 'common sense' approach in heartland America.

Besides needing to abide by the law [ADA], accessibility is good business, Wilberding said.

A travel industry survey shows that four out of 10 travelers are either disabled or traveling with a disabled companion. And according to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than seven out of every 10 Americans will acquire some sort of disability by the time they reach the age of 75.

"Most don't realize the business they are losing because they're not accessible," Wilberding said.

For the full article:
http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=207388

Transforming / Re-Forming Tourism. Perspectives on Justice and Humanity in Tourism’: Perspectives from 25 years of civil society

The Ecumenical Council on Tourism has published, "Transforming / Re-Forming Tourism. Perspectives on Justice and Humanity in Tourism," edited by Ceasar D'Mello

A review by Dr. T T Sreekumar entitled, "Practicing the Rage: Perspectives from 25 years of civil society engagement in Tourism", begins:

Tourism has eclipsed traditional industries and livelihood options in many parts of the world and has emerged as the single most important industry in several countries. However, studies that seek to understand its impacts on economy, environment, and culture are constrained by methodological and theoretical limitations. One of the reasons for the ambiguities and inadequacies in the area of tourism research has been its inability to properly appreciate the importance of the ethical dimensions of human development.

The review continues:

Review of TRANSFORMING, RE-FORMING TOURISM: PERSPECTIVES ON JUSTICE
AND HUMANITY IN TOURISM-A Publication marking the twenty fifth
anniversary of the Ecumenical Coalition on Tourism. Editor: Ceasar
D’Mello by Dr. T T Sreekumar

A focus on the distributional and socio-cultural effects of tourism within the framework of ecological approaches to development would help understand the complex and diverse impacts of tourism on nations, regions and local communities. Tourism certainly engenders a framework for redistribution as it opens avenues for consumption and production. Nonetheless, redistribution that disregards the political and ethical imperatives that would mould its shape and directions would reinforce structures of unequal exchange.

Regarded as a third world phenomenon, tourism is indeed a post
colonial challenge. Its discourses encompass some of the major debates
in justice, development, deprivation and freedom in the era of
decolonization. Institutional critique of tourism began to take shape
in the post colonial period responding to the growing concerns about
combating poverty and other development maladies in the poor
countries. Janus-faced character of tourism in contemporary
discourses, (as a universally replicable model of development and as
an instrument of oppression, dispossession and cultural
disintegration), emanates from the contestations that generated the
new debates on the impacts of post colonial tourism.

The book under review, “Transforming, Re-Forming Tourism”, published
on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of The Ecumenical Coalition of
Tourism (ECOT) is subtitled “perspectives on justice and humanity in
Tourism”. It is a bold attempt to address this challenge reexamining
facts and perceptions, rhetoric and reality, ironies and paradoxes
while exploring spaces for initiating changes in the unequal economic
and social power equations that tourism has engendered. It is now
clearly known that one of the most important international agendas of
global tourism industry is to silence the civil society.
Contextualized in the dilemmas of contemporary civil society
interventions for claiming its rightful place in current debates, a
book that looks at the processes and patterns in global tourism from
perspectives that provide models and paradigms for alternatives is
deeply political and challenging.

Enriched by a reflexive reassessment of the role of ECOT in shaping
the current debates the introduction by Ceasar D’Mello sets the
underlying tone and tenor of the book with his reflections, inter
alia, on how post colonial tourism has disadvantaged local
communities. He says that “from the very beginning, ECOT’s
‘preferential option’ has been with the communities marginalized and
made vulnerable by tourism” (P.12). The substantial work that ECOT has
carried out in defining, positioning, sustaining and redefining
alternative policies and practices in Tourism in the last two and a
half decades forms the subject matter of Peter Holden’s informative
essay “Maintaining the Rage: Roots of ECOT”. Transforming a post
colonial rage against global iniquities of modern tourism into
concrete action has been a particularly challenging task given the
multitude of institutional and organizational barriers in mobilizing
resources for developing an alternative platform. Holden brings to our
attention the fact that a post colonial dimension has been deeply
built into the programme of alternative tourism from the very
beginning. Holden makes several insightful observations in his essay.
Reciting ECOT’s history, he says “tourism in the context of Third
World people have had effects which are qualitatively different from
the impacts which it has outside Third World. Consequently it is third
worldness and not simply tourism where the rage needs to be
maintained” (P. 26). This is a broader view that must help shape
future civil society interventions and guard activists from cynical
retrogressions.

The book is usefully divided into several sections of uniting themes
and concerns. The first substantive thematic section explores the
contestations of Tourism as a tool for building a world community. The
articles by Tricia Barnett, Rosemary Viswanath, Annette Groth and
Judith Almeida look at the ethical, economic, environmental and gender
dimensions of global tourism. Barnett’s article reassesses the
possibilities of transcending cultural and economic barriers through a
transformed tourism informed by ethical guidelines. Recognizing the
place of tourism within formidable economic project of neo-liberal
policies thrust upon third world by global financial institutions,
Viswanath provides an illuminating narrative of the processes that
keeps the quest for justice and humanity in tourism disappointingly
elusive. Taking the argument a step further, Groth discusses the
intensifying corporatization of tourism industry and its disempowering
effect on local communities. She concludes that increased
concentration in the tourism industry in the recent decades is a cause
for serious concern. Quite insightfully, she also argues that the
tweezers-grip of corporatization will affect the nature and quality of
critical research and action in tourism. Nothing could be closer to
truth than her observation that “it is increasingly difficult to find
political analysts and academics, generally, and in the field of
tourism who have the background as well as financial means to conduct
neutral and objective research. Academics and scholars are
increasingly dependent on consultancies paid by multinational
organizations and/or companies and therefore ot independent” (P.60).
Irrespective of one’s reservations on the notion of what constitutes
“neutral and objective research" her argument on the constraints of
freedom of research remains valid. Almeida’s paper focuses on the Goan
(India) experience of gender representation and women’s participation
in tourism industry. The essay seeks to challenge the economic
conservatism of the UNWTO that tourism offers “enormous opportunities”
for women’s advancement.

The section on Tourism and Development consists of three
contributions. The essay by Jeff Wild argues for the necessity of
engaging the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by religious and
civil society organizations. This, for him would be a more strategic
approach than either ignoring or too heavily criticizing the project.
Heinz Fuchs’s note reflects on the joint journey by ECOT and Church
Development Service, Germany. The essay by Julia Schornhall and
Shirley Susan explores in some detail the nexus between tourism,
poverty and AIDS. They argue that tourism industry must discard its
inhibition to recognize the relationship between tourism and AIDS and
join the campaigns that fearlessly address the issue.

The section on “Tourism and Faith Perspectives” addresses the
spiritual dimensions of tourism and approaches of world religions to
the question of just tourism. Archbishop Agostino Marchetto and
Anthony Rogers in separate notes provide different aspects of pastoral
approaches to the awareness and critiquing of tourism. Buddhism’s
perspectives on tourism are sketched in the contribution by Sukthawee
Suwannachairop. Muhammad Abdus Sabur provides a brief introduction to
the contours of Islamic approach to the question of accountability in
tourism. The need for including tourism and human rights perspectives
in theological education is convincingly brought out in the paper by
Margit Leuthold and Christian Baumgartner.

In the section on Tourism and Environment, two short essays and an
interview with Oliver Hillel are included. The essay by Marco Vinicio
Garcia critically reviews the concept of eco tourism while ECOT’s
interview with Hillel brings out some dilemmas faced by international
organizations like UNEP in addressing ecological questions related to
mass tourism practices. Rungrot Tangsurakit and Sabine Minninger
shares some experiences from the post Tsunami field work and draws
lessons for future policy making and disaster prevention interventions
in Coastal tourism destinations. The two subsequent sections on
“Regional perspectives” and “Case studies” provide glimpses and
snapshots of the diverse impacts of modern tourism on Nations and
local communities. The insights and caveats in the essays by Rami
Kassis and Regula Kauffman, Peter Rezel, Nic Maclellan, Ernest Canada
and Jordi Gascon help readers to appreciate better the similarities
and dissimilarities in the effects of tourism in different regions.
The illuminative case studies by Alison Johnston, Maureen Seneviratne,
Frederick Noronha and Nicole Haeusler adds immensely to the to value
of the book and its authenticity as a volume that seeks to balance
theory and practice. Ron O’Grady’s post script “The end and the
beginning” consolidates the book’s message for readers and for ECOT.

The most surprising aspect of the book, perhaps, is the poetry of
Cecil Rajendra appended below each section. He narrates a deepening
sense of alienation and an intensified experience of loss in the hyper-
real consumerist world. The drastic scaling down of expectations and
aspirations of fishers, farmers and folks at large caused by the
disempowering imperatives of global tourism is innovatively captured
in the deep and dark poetic imageries of emerging realities:

“The bulldozers, tractors
And tourists have moved
in with a vengeance;
hotels duty-free
shops, cafes and chalets
have sprung like fungi.

As the bewildered villagers
are pushed off their land
to make way for another
billion-dollar condominium
they begin to question
which was the greater burden:
Mashuri’s or our Century’s
Curse of dust and development?”

(Cecil Rajendra, “Lankawi, Mashuri and the 21st Century”)

DisabilityPhoto.com Launches!

Received from the new site DisabilityPhoto.com

A new stock photo agency‚ Disabilityphoto.com, is aggressively seeking photos and illustrations of‚ by‚ and for the disability community.
The site’s goal is to offer a unique place for royalty–free and rights–managed photography and illustrations.

Art from prominent photographers in the disability community has already been lined up. For instance‚ buyers on the site will be able to obtain the works of Christopher Voelker, Chris Hamilton, Eric Stampfli and
and many others. However, Creative Director Jennifer Ruf wants to get the word out that there’s no limit to DisabilityPhoto’s quest for talent.

“We’re creating something that’s never been done before…a place where a
huge amount of disability artwork will be available at a buyer’s fingertips.
We’re calling on all artists‚ from amateurs to professionals‚ to contact us.
It’s a great opportunity.”

Disabilityphoto.com will be a well–organized site so that finding the right works for any project will be a snap. “This site is intended to offer high end photography and illustrations in an easy–to–use format‚” says Ruf, “The site
has a great layout to make it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for.

“With the goal of stocking the site with thousands of photos and art, Disabilityphoto.com promises to be the premier source for anyone seeking disability–related images.

To submit artwork or learn more about the site, please go to:

www.disabilityphoto.com

You can also find disability and travel photos at Travel with a Disability on Flickr

Peace through Tourism Course Launched

While I have not reviewed the final curriculum I did contribute in the research phase of this promising new course:

At the 4th IIPT African Conference, May 20th – 25th 2007, Kampala, Uganda, a course on Peace through Tourism was launched, discussed and enthusiastically received by the international community. WICE – World Leisure International Centre of Excellence at Wageningen University, The Netherlands – developed this course; course director is Drs Jan te Kloeze.

The course is an initiative aiming to consolidate the concept of Peace through Tourism. It is open to external participants, members of institutions interested in the subject, and tourism and peace policy makers.

The course – duration 4 weeks – is divided in four thematic units:

1. Sustainable tourism and the world today;
2. Theory of peace making and peace keeping in a national and international context;
3. The role of tourism in promoting international understanding; and
4. Tourism and community development: tourism as an agent for poverty reduction.

Peace through Tourism Course Launched

A trans-interdisciplinary approach is used to outline the potential of tourism as a peace tool. Lecturers from WICE together with international academics, carefully selected from the WICE world wide network of renowned experts are giving the lectures.

The classes will take place at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. When certain conditions are met, the course can be given in other guest countries too.

Costs and fees: € 3,770.—[including living costs, travel costs, and fee; fee only: € 1,750.–].

About World Leisure International Centres of Excellence (WICE)
In 1988 the Association began exploring the concept of a truly international post-graduate programme in leisure studies. Ultimately this led to the creation of a framework for the World Leisure International Centres of Excellence (WICE). The purpose was to provide an unique opportunity whereby postgraduate students from countries around the world and international leisure specialists come together in one location for a two-year program leading to a graduate degree.

The first such program was established in The Netherlands in 1992, with substantial support from the Dutch government. Today, through a contract with Wageningen University, a leading international institution in Holland, the WICE program gives students access to the resources of the University and at the same time provides instruction and consultation through a visiting faculty of 40 professors in any given year. Up to 25 students are admitted each year. Students completing the program receive a M.Sc. degree in Leisure and Environments. Many of the graduates have gone on to occupy senior leadership positions in their home countries.

A WICE Advisory Panel, responsible to the World Leisure Board, reviews and advises on existing programmes and new initiatives. For more information, visit www.worldleisure.org.

US: The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2008 [H.R. 6320]

Wireless RERC reports on proposed legislation affecting accessibility of communications and video technology in Technology and Disability Policy Highlights 8.06.

Proposed Legislation Advances Access Requirements for IP-Enabled Video & Communications

06.19.2008 – The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2008 [H.R. 6320] was introduced in the house and referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. The proposed legislation seeks to ensure that IP-enabled communication and video programming is accessible by people with disabilities. H.R. 6320 outlines requirements for access to services and equipment, as well as administrative obligations for service providers and the FCC. Stipulations include:

• Hearing aid compatibility requirement for IP-enabled telecommunications equipment
• Manufacturers of IP-enabled technologies and software must design and develop products that are accessible
• IP-enabled communications service providers must ensure interoperability of real-time text communications in data formats between provider networks
• Video programming devices must have built-in decoder circuitry
• Emergency information and alerts must be accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired through the use of video description
• Broadens the FCC’s closed captioning rules to include video-programming distributed over the Internet
• Closed captioning options must be easy to access via remote control
• Television menus for program selection and other uses must be accessible to people who are blind or have low vision
• Provides for universal service support for the distribution of equipment to individuals who are deaf-blind
• IP-enabled communications service providers must contribute to the Telecommunications Relay Service Fund
• Obliges the FCC to prescribe regulations to implement and enforce the provisions of the bill, including issuing an inquiry on closed captioning decoder and video description capabilities, user interfaces and video programming guides and menus
[Source: Library of Congress]

Additional Information:
H.R. 6320
[http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.6320:]

Deaf Tour Guides for Deaf People? - by Craig Grimes

[Editor's note: This week Craig Grimes and Seek Geo launch a unique program in Nicaragua to prepare the Central American tourism industry to serve tourists whose native language is American Sign language (ASL). Watch for daily reports at Grimes' and Geo's sites. They are available to give the training at other locations on request.]

Ever since I started working in inclusive tourism for people with disabilities I have always wanted to provide tours to deaf people in sign language. This is relatively easy if the tours that you are providing are to people from the country where the tours are based as the language is the same. The problems begin to arise when you are covering incoming tourism at the destination and the deaf people that want the tours are from various different countries. The problem being that the sign language in every country around the world is different, and even within the same country, there are wide regional dialects.

There is probably really only one real way around this issue for deaf people, bring your own translator from home. However, this solution is very expensive, the problem of deaf people isn’t seen as a disability by many, it’s a communication issue, they use a different language, one which isn’t spoken but is signed.

So where is the compromise?

One solution that I have thought about whilst being in Nicaragua is to supply tours in American Sign Language (ASL) as the Americans are a stones throw from Nicaragua and probably the most likely to use the service. But who exactly do you teach ASL to in order to be able to give the tours? Your average tour guide is going to struggle for years to learn ASL to a good enough standard, so what’s the alternative? In Nicaragua there are many unemployed or poorly paid deaf people that use Nicaraguan Sign Language (ISN), which is different to ASL, but close enough so that with basic training they would be able to use ASL easily. This is the theory anyway!

Therefore, thanks to the very generous funding of Mr. Jeremy Rowe a client and friend of AccessibleBarcelona, I am very proud to announce that on Monday 7th July the “First ASL - ISN Deaf Guide Training Course” begins here in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. I’ve been organising the course for the last couple of months with Seek Geo and Green Tours, Matagalpa. The end result is that Geo, and his hearing partner Jes, are flying down from the USA to help teach a total of 6 deaf people from Matagalpa, San Ramón and Jinotega basic ASL. We also have a local hearing translator attending the course to learn ASL with us and help out with ISN where required and Norlan Alberquerque of Green Tours has been helping us set up some basic routes to practise in Matagalpa.

With the combination of basic ASL, the knowledge of how to establish a tour and the use of an English - Spanish dictionary the newly fledged Deaf Tour Guides will be able to begin ASL guiding in mid-July. Here is the program for the “First ASL - ISN Deaf Guide Training Course”

Related stories by Seek Geo:

http://www.seekgeo.com/?p=978

Flyer on training:

Download file

Usability Review: The SPOT Personal Safety Device

Ever find yourself asking, "Who designed this thing anyway?" I do. I also found someone who figured out what to do next. Her story might someday impact us all.

Julie Jones is founder and CEO of Engineered Travel. Engineered Travel, LLC (www.engineeredtravel.com ) works with manufacturers of existing products and shows them how to apply Universal Design thinking. The result can be anything from product improvements involving simple engineering changes to the development of entirely new products to meet the needs of the disability market. The company is busy at both.

Julie has teamed up with Bob Davis of the GEOS Travel Safety Group www.geosalliance.com. GEOS provides integrated security, safety and resilient communications services for corporations as well as domestic and international travelers. With former police, military, and government security professionals in-house and having extensive knowledge of search and rescue (SAR) practice GEOS partnered with the manufacturers of the SPOT Satellite Messenger to provide a new type of personal safety device.

I have been field testing it.

I like it!

Let me reiterate that the purpose of Engineered Travel LLC is to take products that were not designed with our community in mind and make them accessible. That said, even with opportunities for design improvements I have had fun playing with SPOT as I traveled from Brazil to Alaska. It evoked a satisfying round of "tech envy" as I took it out of my briefcase during a meeting of technology innovators in San Francisco recently. I am getting quite a few requests to be added to the list that receives a SPOT "Check In" email pinpointing me on a Google map as I globe trot with SPOT.

There is always inconvenience, even risk involved in travel. For someone with a disability what may be inconvenience for some can be a risk - a vehicle that goes dead somewhere out of cell phone range for example. This is where a personal location device like SPOT literally becomes a life saver.

The orange and black ruggedized waterproof unit has several functions. These include 9-1-1 mode, a less urgent Help mode, and a simple Check-in mode.

From the SPOT website here is how 9-1-1 mode works:

Once activated, SPOT will acquire its exact coordinates from the GPS network, and send that location along with a distress message to a GEOS International Emergency Response Center every five minutes until canceled. The Emergency Response Center notifies the appropriate emergency responders based on your location and personal information - which may include local police, highway patrol, the Coast Guard, our country's embassy or consulate, or other emergency response or search and rescue teams - as well as notifying your emergency contact person(s) about the receipt of a distress signal.

In Help or Check-in mode SPOT contacts those who you have designated to receive an SMS message or an email. The email also includes a link to a Google map showing your location within 15 feet. At your SPOT account online you compose the email and select who you want to receive the message before you travel.

Something that seems ingenious is the SPOT Tracking feature. It is the second function to the OK button used for Check-in mode. This “Optional feature” ($49.99/yr) is very useful so in the event you need to be located but also need to move. Tracking leaves a breadcrumb trail of where you have been. Once activated this feature plots your location every 10 minutes for 24 hours, without having to re-push a button.

SPOT distinguishes itself from existing products in a number of ways. It uses satellite technology and the GEOS Emergency Response Center that is not dependent on cell phone reception, Electronic Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) or the PSAP (Public Service Access Points) network. This adds a layer of human contact which, in one case described to me by Bob Davis of GEOS, led to additional lives being saved.

I was told one story about a rescue using SPOT. In an avalanche situation a SPOT owner's distress call was verified by GEOS. (Note: SPOT is not designed to function under snow.) GEOS’ call to the owner's emergency contact revealed that the owner's party included eight people. That information allowed the Search and Rescue team to be prepared and make a successful rescue.

SPOT is waterproof although it is not designed to signal effectively when submerged in water.

This feature, that SPOT is waterproof for up to 30 minutes even when submerged at 1 meter, was quite a reassurance as I kayaked through an ice floe in Alaska last month with the unit in my pocket. Doubly reassuring as one iceberg chose to imitate a rotary saw blade by flipping top for bottom just after we passed it.
More often I suspect that the waterproofing feature will come in handy when I am juggling coffee cups or at the pool.

In my analysis of the product, and the team behind it, my opinion is that the three part team involving SPOT, GEOS, and Engineered Travel LLC is what makes this product/service bundle such a potential benefit to the disability community. Team members express genuine interest in achieving usability for, to quote the classic definition of Universal Design, "the widest range of people operating in the widest range of situations without special or separate design."

For some of us the current SPOT form factor will work just fine. If it works for you as is you can pick one up online here: https://www.geosalliance.net/geoslogin/orderspot.aspx (Although I do recommend that you read to the end of this review to find the discount code.* )

For others of us Engineered Travel LLC needs to work its magic. In its present form SPOT controls lack sensory redundancy for those of varying abilities.

I found the buttons took effort to push under warm conditions and required me to use a pen or other implement to activate when my fingers became weaker in the cold. The size and non-slip material along the edges were a benefit in gripping the unit but the protruding belt clip on the back makes the unit unstable when laid on a flat surface in order to work the buttons. The easy release fasteners made opening the case for battery insertion possible. The color makes it easy to locate.

Whether you need a safety device for when you are in a cell phone dead zone, a monsoon downpour, or just want to accurately geo-tag your photos on Google maps this is a handy unit to have. Thinking ahead to travel, emergency, or disaster situations where normal communication channels are unavailable I am reminded of yesterday’s post and the Bonn Declaration that “Disasters are Always Inclusive.” This unit could also be a lifesaver.

SPOT is useful in its current version for those with good to fair visual acuity and fine motor skills. Given my conversations with representatives of the GEOS Travel Safety Group and Engineered Travel LLC I suspect that we will see modifications. These in turn will show concretely how the consumer power of the disability community is coming of age and once again demonstrate the “Curb Cut Effect” of Universal Design to the benefit of us all.

* Engineered Travel LLC provides a promotional/discount code for purchasing SPOT but only here (https://www.geosalliance.net/geoslogin/orderspot.aspx ) through their direct relationship with the GEOS Travel Safety Group: etllc4d (a seven character alpha/numeric code)

(Full Disclosure Statement: As a result of meeting Julie Jones I have joined Engineered Travel's Disabled Advisors Board. In that role I field test products on loan to me such as SPOT but receive no financial compensation or free product and provide design, usability, and market analysis to Engineered Travel LLC- as well as early product reviews for readers of the Rolling Rains Report.)

O direito de ir e vir de todos (Portuguese)

Portadores de deficiências participam de debate no DF

A adaptação das calçadas, ruas, bares, hotéis, pontos turísticos, entre outros espaços, foi o principal tema debatido, esta semana, durante o I Seminário de Acessibilidade no Turismo do Distrito Federal, promovido pela BrasíliaTur com a finalidade de transformar Brasília na capital brasileira da acessibilidade. De acordo com a representante da Coordenadoria Nacional para a Integração da Pessoa Portadora de Deficiência (Corde), Isabel Maior, o fato de a cidade ser tombada é uma grande barreira que dificulta a realização dessas adaptações.

“Brasília é uma cidade cheia de meios-fios e calçadas. Isso dificulta a nossa circulação do deficientes, que não consegue sair do carro e circular pela cidade. Até cidades medievais que também são tombadas pelo patrimônio fizeram essas adaptações, já Brasília não, pois sempre esbarra neste problema” diz Isabel Maior.

O vice-governador e secretário de Turismo, Paulo Octávio, enfatizou a necessidade dessa mudanças para democratizar o livre acesso e a circulação dessas pessoas. “Este 1º seminário já é uma prova de que demos o primeiro passo. Ainda temos muito o que aprender sobre acessibilidade. Este não é só um compromisso do governo. Toda a sociedade deve se conscientizar de que também é seu papel ajudar. Se cada um fizer sua parte, seja na sua rua, no seu trabalho, na sua associação, será possível melhorar este problema”, declarou.

Turismo Domestico para cegos em Belo Horizonte (Portuguese)

Belotur lançou nesta semana um guia turístico de Belo Horizonte em Braille. É a primeira cidade do Brasil a ter essa iniciativa. Ele vem sendo preparado há sete meses e custou R$ 11.800,00, um valor considerado muito baixo pelo órgão de turismo.

Apesar de ter recebido o nome de guia de turismo, a intenção principal do material não é atrair visitantes cegos. "O importante para nós é que os nossos deficientes visuais conheçam a cidade. É mais um processo de inclusão social do que de turismo propriamente dito", diz Fernando Lana, presidente da Belotur.

Segundo Fernando, o guia faz parte de um processo de democratização da cidade. "Estamos dando ao deficiente visual acesso aos atrativos e belezas que a cidade tem. A única condição que ele tinha antes do guia para ter informações sobre a cidade era através de alguém que falasse com ele. Agora não. Ele lê em Braille e tem a idéia do que a cidade com informações precisas e corretas".

O guia será distribuído para hotéis, postos da Belotur e escolas, principalmente as voltadas para os deficientes visuais. Serão impressos mil livros em
português e cem em inglês. Em setembro devem ser publicadas edições em francês e espanhol.

Fonte: http://www.odebate.com.br/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9086&Itemid=51

Raphael Torralba: My Story

My Story - by Raphael Torralba

I want to share my story to you. My life was indeed a struggle for me since I was a kid. I was not born deaf. That’s why I was raised in the hearing world, learned and adopted their culture. I consider myself a normal person. One day, I was 2 years old; an unexpected accident happened that changed my life forever. I accidentally fell from the stairs and the hard impact damaged my hearing. Since then, I didn’t notice it. I just continue my life. But, my parents discovered that I’m beginning to hear a little. For example they are calling me but I’m ignoring them. When they bought me to the EENT clinic that was the time they realize that I have a hearing impairment.

But my parents never gave up. They continued to support me. Even sometimes, they hurt me with their words because they shouted at me when I didn’t hear them. I just ignored it because I think they still don’t know my life as a hearing impaired person and how I cope with it. As I grew up, I continue to live in the hearing world and embrace their culture. Even I have this condition, I continue to live a normal person with a normal life. I even study in a normal school where I’m the only hard of hearing student. That was the start of my life’s painful happenings. I was discriminated by my classmates. They laughed me, make embarrassing things about me, shouted at my face, shouting “bingi!!” (Deaf!!), hated me and refused to make friends with me.

Even some of my teachers hated me too. There was this incident that I have never forgotten. My teacher told the class to read the story in the book silently. I was seated in front. While I was reading, my teacher stands in front of me and looking madly at me. She suddenly grabs my book and threw it away up to the door. She then told me to get the book. I was hurt and sad, and afraid because of my teacher’s ferocious looks. I have no choice but to follow her. I stand up, go to the door, get my back and proceed back to my chair. The class was silent and were all looking at me while I was walking with heads bowed. The teacher never gave the reason. Upon learning about this incident, my mom reported it to the principal. She was crying. The teacher was apologetic. But the principal dismissed her from the school. I felt I'm the victor but it wasn’t. the discrimination continued.

I was so sad and hurt when people discriminates me but I just ignored them. Their discrimination is the reason why I’m a shy and quiet person because I have a fear that if they learned my condition, they will hate me. That’s why, I’m a quiet person. I only acted as a normal person living a normal life. But my condition remains a secret for I don’t want them to hate and discriminate me. I only tell them about my condition if they understand and accept me as I am. That is the reason why I have only few true friends, true friends who understand and accept me for what I am. In communicating with other people, I managed to master the craft of lip reading. Up to this day, I still use this kind of communication to make me understand what the people say and to make me act as a normal person.

I continue my studies in the same school from elementary up to college. I got some few true friends, those who understand me. My school life was a very challenging one. Because of my condition, I always seat in front of the class just hear what my teachers says and also, to watch their lips since lip reading helped me since I was a kid. Discrimination still continued up to college. In high school, I almost gave up and I want to end my life. But, I didn’t do it. There was a time I was in the roof deck of my school and I was thinking if I should end my life. I was crying and asking God to help me. But, I didn’t do it.

In college it was really full of discrimination because of different classmates and different classes. It means more and more students will discriminate me. I just ignored them. In order to silent the critics, I went on to become a student leader from 1st up to 5th year in college- student council officer, sports editor, organization president, PRO and representative and graduation committee. But the discrimination really bothers me. It hurt me badly. I always ask God, “Why did You put me in this world when everybody hates me? I shouldn’t have live in this world. The world has turned its back on me. I was born to see and hear the beauty of this world but it wasn’t. I was born to be hated by others.” I always seek refuge in the church and ask what His purpose for my life is. I hated my life back then. That’s the reason why I was lurked to vices by drinking alcoholic beverages.

During my final year in college, I strived hard because I want to finish my studies. I want to show to them that I can succeed despite of my condition. During the graduation ceremony, everybody clapped their hands when I got to the stage to receive my diploma. That’s the same thing that happened during my graduation in high school. I made it despite I was the only hard of hearing student in the batch. Being a hearing impaired person in this regular school provided me tough challenges and trials in my social life. Some would look down and even bully me. With my perseverance I was able to graduate in college. This, I consider it as the greatest achievement of my life. Amid the happy and glorious moments in finishing my studies, another burden awaits me.

After graduation, I was faced with another challenge: job searching. Because of my condition, no company is interested in hiring me. They looked in my disability, not on my capabilities. But at the stage of job hunting, I feel less confident with my lip reading. I have looked for a job 2 years after my graduation without success. I never had the chance of thinking to surrender for I recognize that I have the talent and the capacity except that I am a hearing impaired person. I don't see my hearing impairment as a disability. I see it as a challenge for me to work and persevere harder than normal people. Nonetheless, I am still confident that something in there and someone are waiting for me. I'm proud that I was able to make it in a school full of hearing students. What more if I strive harder than the normal working people?

After 2 years of looking for job, I feel discouraged again with my life. I want to give up on my life. But my parents and my few friends advised me not to give up and just be patient. I remember what my friend told me, “Bro, don’t give up. Just continue. Look around. You’ll see many normal people but some of them are not successful like you. They don’t do anything to reach their goals but just to remain lazy. But you, you made it and you continued to strive hard despite of your condition. I’m happy and proud of you because despite of your condition, you insisted to finish your education and what more, you finished it in a school full of normal people.” My family and friends believed that someday I will be successful because God has wonderful plans for me. I just need to be patient to wait for His purpose for me. I asked God again to guide me what should I do in my life, “Lord, wherever you want to take me, I will go. I will not question but follow.” I always ask that question to Him everytime I pray before my job interview. Just to guide me and help me find the right path.

While I was jobless, I joined the Philippine Federation of the Deaf (PFD) as a volunteer and help the organization. That was time I realized the differences between the Deaf, hard of hearing and hearing people. I also learned the Deaf culture. It was in PFD where I learned my life, in which group I belong- hard of hearing or hearing. I learned a lot from them. The people behind this organization became my first Deaf friends and they are my friends up to this day. I’m grateful to them for helping me.

Just a simple letter I posted in the internet led to a new beginning in my job hunting and also, connected my mom and her long-lost cousin. I shared my problem in the internet in hope that someone will help me. Indeed, it happened. Few people responded and soon, more and more people responded. Most of them come from the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) sector yahoo groups. This the time when my mom and her long-lost cousin reunited after not seeing each other for a long, long time. My uncle (her cousin) is one of the few people who helped me look for job at first place.

After many emails being sent back and forth, a group of overseas Filipino workers planned to organize a fund-raising for my hearing aid, which continues up to this day. One of the group is a book author who promised that for every books sold, 25% will go to the fund. Even a politician brought 4 books but got only 1 book. The price of the 3 books went to the fund. That’s the time I can feel that God is guiding me now in my life. I can feel His presence, guiding me to continue doing for the best of my life.

One day, as I was writing an email to be sent to the PWD groups, I saw this job vacancy for journalist of Withnews- an internet news for the disabled and the poor. I didn’t think twice. I applied immediately because I can feel that this job is right for me- I have a background in journalism and computer, and most of all, I love helping others. Before I went to the interview, I prayed and asked God again to guide and I hope that this will be the right job for me.

I passed the interview. I was happy to finally found a job. I’m so grateful to my employers for believing in my capabilities, not my disability. In return, I promised to them that I will give my 100% in ever work I do. My boss even wrote an article about me in the website:

Raphael D. Torralba, a 24 year-old hard of hearing, joins Withnews

Ralph as he is fondly called by relatives and friends, at 2 years old, accidentally fell from the stairs of his home and suffered head injury that caused partial damage to his hearing. But this did not hinder this young man from pursuing his dreams, attaining a baccalaureate degree and finally, earning his rightful place at Withnews - the Internet news for the disabled and the poor.

Being the newest member of Withnews, Ralph as journalist, displays a natural talent and love for writing. He did very well in his initial interview on November 6, besting an abled-applicant, and was immediately hired after the final interview on November 7. To date, he has submitted five (5) news articles to Withnews.

Ralph said, "I felt very much at ease during my interview. I sensed right away that Withnews is the place for me. I think Withnews has really lived up to its name and mission. The people I work with truly respect and accept me as a person, despite my disability." Further, Ralph said, "My family is grateful and happy that I finally found a job that would best fit my talents and skills. In return, I vow to commit myself to the works and mission of Withnews."

A graduate of BS Business Administration Major in Computer Based Information System from Colegio de San Lorenzo, Ralph said that he now feels confident about his future. He believes he can now work and support himself. He said, "I sent application letters and resume to over two (2) hundred companies for nearly two (2) years. Everytime, I was denied and I almost gave up. But Withnews is different. I am so grateful for the people who are behind Withnews. The generous and dedicated people who continue to create a difference in the lives of the poor and persons with disabilities (PWD's)".

>From your Withnews brothers and sisters, WELCOME to Withnews Family Ralph!

That's my boss article about me. At the start, I was contractual for 5 months. But because of my hard work, I was appointed to probationary after 1 month. Then after 3 months, I'm now a regular employee. It’s all because of my hard work. I let them see that I can work hard and they believed in me and in my capabilities, not in my disability. And also, because of my work, I was able to meet the people behind the PWD Yahoo groups personally in which I was sending emails in the past.

I'm now happy and contended in my work. I love my work because I'm not only a journalist but I'm of service others too, especially the poor and disabled people. It’s really a great feeling for me to help others. It’s my way of sharing God’s blessings for me to others. Recently, I was cited by a well-known organization for my work and for my advocacy and help to special children and children with disability. More and more disabled groups and other groups are recognizing me. One of them is endorsing me to be one of the 2 representatives to a 6 months scholarship in Denmark next year. I couldn't ask for more from God. He has given me blessings already and my prayers are answered. I believe He put me in Withnews so that I can share His blessings to others by helping them and I'm proud to be a journalist for His people who are disabled and poor.

God is really so good. He has showered me full of blessings already. I couldn't ask for more. He guided me to be patient and continue to work hard to achieve my success. I’m now happy and contended in my life. No one is perfect. I just continue to be me and believe in myself. My condition is not a hindrance to success. Only hardwork, determination, motivation, believing in oneself and faith in God is the key to success. I still continue to work hard for my future and that is the main focus of my life now. I'm grateful and thankful to God, my family, my girlfriend, my close friends and few people who helped me in my life and encouraged me to believe in myself..

Air Access Code: Are You Ready?

The new disabled passenger rights coming into effect in the EU mean some changes. After explaining some of these changes -- and noting that the fine for violation could be up to £5,000 they note and ask:

ABTA is working with the Department for Transport on a revised voluntary Air Access Code, which is expected to be published this month. The code will outline steps agents, operators and airlines can take to help make their services more accessible to disabled passengers.

* Are you prepared for the new regulations? Email travel.weekly@rbi.co.uk

Full article:

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2008/07/03/28095/travel-agents-could-face-5k-fines-under-new-mobility.html

Disasters are Always Inclusive

The Bonn Declaration makes explicit the need for inclusive reconstruction and development. The document begins:

In humanitarian emergency situations, persons with disabilities are amongst the most vulnerable groups of society and tend to be disproportionately affected by the impacts of disasters. At the same time, they often remain ‘invisible’, even though their number statically makes up approximately ten percent of any population. Persons with disabilities, be they of physical, sensory, intellectual or psychological nature, are most often not included in the various stages of disaster response and in disaster preparedness measures, neither as recipients of aid to meet their basic as well as specific needs, nor as active stakeholders and designers or planners of aid measures, voicing their own needs and opinions.

It continues:

Inclusive reconstruction and development, focussing on participation and empowerment of all groups of society and especially of vulnerable groups, leads to better living conditions than before the disaster and at the same time to a higher level of preparedness and thus reduction of vulnerability in the face of a potential next disaster.

The full document follows

International Conference: Disasters are always inclusive. Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Emergency Situations

Bonn, 7 - 8 November, 2007

BONN DECLARATION


Preface – Situation Analysis

In humanitarian emergency situations, persons with disabilities are amongst the most vulnerable groups of society and tend to be disproportionately affected by the impacts of disasters. At the same time, they often remain ‘invisible’, even though their number statically makes up approximately ten percent of any population. Persons with disabilities, be they of physical, sensory, intellectual or psychological nature, are most often not included in the various stages of disaster response and in disaster preparedness measures, neither as recipients of aid to meet their basic as well as specific needs, nor as active stakeholders and designers or planners of aid measures, voicing their own needs and opinions. In addition, the incidence of new disabilities created by disasters is often not sufficiently taken into account and not responded to in an adequate, long-term manner, neither by local Governments, local NGOs or Disabled Peoples’ Organizations (DPOs), nor by intervening international NGOs. This lack of long-term rehabilitation perspective can lead to detrimental or even fatal outcomes for injured disaster victims, even after the disaster has long since passed and is no longer present in public awareness. This includes the neglect of severe trauma symptoms, which, if not professionally dealt with, can result in permanent psychological disabilities.

As a basis for a change of mindsets as well as for concrete action, the UN Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities, adopted in December 2006, constitutes the crucial instrument of international law to claim and reinforce equality and full participation of persons with disabilities. Article 11 calls for State parties to undertake “all measures to ensure protection and safety for persons with disabilities in situations of risk, including situations of armed conflict, humanitarian emergencies and the occurrence of natural disasters”.

In humanitarian emergency situations, humanitarian aid agencies and other stakeholders are called to comply with minimum standards and indicators of humanitarian aid in order to secure and protect lives, especially of vulnerable groups such as women, children, elderly and persons with disabilities. These minimum standards and indicators can be valuable guidelines, but are not yet sufficiently explicit and practical with regard to inclusion of persons with disabilities (for example refer to the handbook of The Sphere Project, 2004 edition).

In conclusion to the international conference “Disasters are always inclusive! Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Emergency Situations”, held November 7 and 8, 2007, a number of recommendations for inclusive disaster preparedness and emergency response in the sense of “Humanitarian Aid for ALL” were deduced. It was the common understanding that the most important and at the same time most difficult requirement is to change mindsets in such a way that inclusion becomes a matter of course. From there to actual practical adjustments towards inclusiveness of disaster preparedness and response programs is a much easier step.

I. Recommendations for Inclusive Disaster Response in General

II. Recommendations for Inclusive Disaster Preparedness Planning

III. Recommendations for Inclusive Response in Acute Emergency Situations and Immediate Rehabilitation Measures

IV. Recommendations for Inclusive Post-Disaster Reconstruction and Development Measures

I. Recommendations for Inclusive Disaster Response in General

It is important to ensure inclusion of persons with disabilities, their families and communities as well as Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) at every stage of disaster response, from planning to implementation, in order to cater for basic as well as special needs of persons with disabilities in pre, acute and post disaster situations.

Recommendations instrumental for inclusion in all stages of disaster response are:

1) Enable full participation of persons with disabilities and their families as active stakeholders and advisors;

2) Guarantee full accessibility for persons with disabilities and their families to information and services in pre, acute and post disaster situations;

3) Strive for involvement and creation of ownership of local government structures with regard to inclusive disaster response measures;

4) Lobby for government action plans for inclusion / disability mainstreaming in disaster response;

5) Strive for cooperation and networking between humanitarian aid agencies and organisations specialising in disability issues, both on the national and international level;

6) Define and learn from “best practices” of inclusion / disability mainstreaming in disaster response;

7) Adapt existing disaster response guidelines to include criteria and practical indicators for inclusion of disability issues;

8) Provide easily applicable methodologies and tools for practical inclusive action in disaster response;

9) Establish (self-)evaluation mechanisms to monitor and improve the quality of inclusion measures in disaster response;

10) Allocate adequate funding for disability issues in disaster response budgets as well as in development aid budgets for disaster prone areas.

II. Recommendations for Inclusive Disaster Preparedness Planning

Special focus must be directed towards inclusive disaster preparedness planning to ensure effective inclusive disaster response when an emergency actually takes place (be prepared = best case scenario).

Since the emergency affects local people in situ on the level of local communities, disaster preparedness planning must be community-based. Tailor-made community based disaster preparedness planning can then respond adequately to the special situations and needs of ALL, including vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, in a given community.

Recommendations instrumental for inclusive disaster preparedness planning are:

1) Raise sensitivity and awareness that disaster preparedness is important for all members of a community;

2) Raise sensitivity and awareness that persons with disabilities have basic and special needs that require specific attention in an emergency situation;

3) Mobilize and strengthen the capacities of local human resources, in particular individuals with disabilities, their families (especially the parents of the intellectually disabled), their village communities, local government structures, existing local DPOs, local research institutes etc;

4) Provide theoretical and practical training on disability issues (knowledge and skills) for relief workers, volunteers, family members etc. – Possible training topics: understanding disability and related basic and special needs; understanding and overcoming barriers; acquiring and improving practical skills by exercising communication techniques and evacuation methods adapted to the needs of persons with disabilities etc;

5) Involve disabled people themselves, their families and local DPOs in local needs assessments (participatory vulnerability mapping of communities);

6) Involve and train disabled people themselves, their families and local DPOs for participation in local disaster response task forces;

7) Establish a system of accountability for all involved stakeholders (local NGOs, voluntary task forces, local government structures etc), based on a catalogue of criteria / indicators and easily applicable self-monitoring systems to determine the degree and quality of inclusive preparedness.

III. Recommendations for Inclusive Response in Acute Emergency Situations and Immediate Rehabilitation Measures

Most often the “best case scenario”, meaning that inclusive disaster preparedness planning has taken place and preparedness measures are implemented, is not given at the incidence of disaster. Nevertheless, it is possible to include persons with disabilities in relief and in immediate rehabilitation measures.

Recommendations instrumental for inclusive relief and immediate rehabilitation after an acute emergency are:

1) Include issues of disability in rapid assessments of aid relevant sectors;

2) As a tool for rapid assessments, use easy to handle (updated) checklists which comprise disability related questions;

3) Find and provide assistance for the ‘invisible’ persons with disabilities already living in the disaster affected communities, including those with intellectual and psychological disabilities;

4) Pay adequate professional medical attention to newly injured or disabled persons to avoid medical complications, secondary disabilities or even fatal outcomes;

5) Avoid aggravation of injuries or new disabilities by inadequate transportation of injured persons during evacuation;

6) Pay adequate attention to the emotional and social needs of disaster victims to help them overcome normal trauma symptoms;

7) Pay adequate professional psychological attention to disaster victims displaying severe traumatic symptoms to avoid long-term psychic disabilities;

8) Include local and international experts for special focuses in rapid assessment teams and advisory teams, such as disability experts, psycho-social trauma counsellors, experienced persons with disabilities etc;

9) Strive for coordination of intervening stakeholders on the spot, for example through cluster meetings of local and international NGOs representing different aid sectors, including disability specific organisations;

10) Build alliances with other vulnerable groups, because what you do for one group (persons with disabilities) is often also valuable for others (elderly persons, pregnant or nursing mothers, mothers with many children etc);

11) Incorporate tools for inclusion in the context of relief and immediate rehabilitation into the next revision of The Sphere Project handbook (knowing about these tools is also an aspect of preparedness);

12) Link relief and immediate rehabilitation activities with long-term rehabilitation and development by negotiation and cooperation with local Governments and authorities.

IV. Recommendations for Inclusive Post-Disaster Reconstruction and Development Measures

Inclusive reconstruction and development, focussing on participation and empowerment of all groups of society and especially of vulnerable groups, leads to better living conditions than before the disaster and at the same time to a higher level of preparedness and thus reduction of vulnerability in the face of a potential next disaster.

Recommendations instrumental for inclusive post-disaster reconstruction and inclusive development are:

1) Apply principles of universal accessibility for ALL, including flexibility for adaptations to various needs of persons with disabilities when implementing housing reconstruction projects;

2) Include universal accessibility features when involved in planning and reconstruction of infrastructure and public facilities;

3) Involve beneficiaries as active participants in every stage of the reconstruction project cycle;

4) Facilitate and monitor inclusive planning and reconstruction with the help of expert advice from skilled and specialized persons with disabilities;

5) Allocate sufficient time for sensitization, awareness raising, negotiation and cooperation with key (local) stakeholders, such as affected communities, persons with disabilities and their families, DPOs, local authorities (community and national levels), professionals (architects, engineers) etc;

6) Lobby for government policies and minimum standards for barrier-free reconstruction, including reconstruction of infrastructure and public facilities (refer to article 9 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities);

7) Raise awareness for cost efficiency of barrier-free reconstruction from the very beginning as compared to subsequent technical adjustments;

8) Further develop and apply tools (checklists, manuals) for barrier-free reconstruction and adapt them to local environments (adjustment of minimum standards to local context);

9) Strive for continuation of medical care and rehabilitation as well as psycho-social support for persons injured or disabled by the disaster through their integration into long-term local public health programs;

10) Support the development of a referral system linking existing facilities required in long-term rehabilitation;

11) Develop self-help capacities of persons with disabilities and their families through livelihood programs (professional training, income generating projects);

12) Monitor and evaluate long-term rehabilitation and development measures to make necessary changes for improved impact and sustainability;

13) Make disaster preparedness planning a crucial element of and a trigger for inclusive community development (refer to paragraph I. of this document).

_____________________________________________________________________

The Bonn Declaration was composed and published as result of the international conference “Disasters are always inclusive. Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Emergency Situations” which took place from 7 – 8 November, 2007, in Bonn/Germany.

The conference was organized by Disability & Development Cooperation (bezev), Kindernothilfe, Christian Blind Mission, Caritas Germany International Dptm., Handicap International and Der Paritätische Gesamtverband.

Further information and documents on ‘Humanitarian Aid for All’, Inclusive Disaster Preparedness and Response are available under: www.bezev.de

TripWolf is Live With 200,000+ Destinations and all MairDumont's Content

OK, this site could be a big development for sharing travel information in the disability community.

Now is the time to determine that for yourself. If you like it share it with your friends. Where you see it needs improvement share that directly with TripWolf.

Or, as soon as you register, add me as a Friend. I'm on the site as Rolling Rains. This will allow us to compare evaluations of the site's usefulness. It will also allow us to better inform the site's staff on the needs of people with disabilities.

From their press release:

New York City, July 1, 2008. Today tripwolf.com (http://www.tripwolf.com) is released publicly to the US market. tripwolf is a new social travel guide that covers the whole world, focusing mainly on Europe. tripwolf combines professional editorial content with user-generated content from globetrotters worldwide.

tripwolf is backed by MairDumont, Europe’s largest publisher of travel guides
including Baedeker, Dumont and Marco Polo. Through collaboration with
tripwolf, MairDumont has taken the unprecedented step of putting all of its
content - covering more than 200,000 destinations and points of
interest - online for free.

Note the recent post on the Sydney for All online travel directory and observe how different approaches to online travel information and directories are evolving to serve the disability community.

Sri Lanka: IDIRAYA and CEAT Tyres Team up for Inclusion

Dr Ajith C S Perera has worked tirelessly to promote Inclusive Destination Development in Sri Lanka through his organization IDIRAYA. Below is an article from Lanka Business Online noting his new sponsor CEAT Tyres.

Sri Lanka access for disabled campaign gets corporate support

June 05, 2008 (LBO) - Only two percent of the public buildings in Sri Lanka have easy access to the disabled, CEAT Tyres which is backing an organization that is campaigning to improving access to public buildings by the disabled, has said.

"Statistics show that less than two per cent of all buildings, private or public, have access for the mobility impaired," Oscar Braganza, managing director of CEAT Sri Lanka , was quoted as saying in a statement.

"Wittingly or unwittingly we are discriminating against this increasingly large sector of the community."

The tyre maker is supporting 'IDIRIYA', an organization of professionals that is campaigning to improve access of public buildings to the disabled.

“Very often what is needed is very simple. For example, access to each and every public and private building and its facilities," Braganza said at a ceremony to launch a book called ‘Access Ability For All - Why You?’ by the IDIRIYA organization.

"We know this to be a fact instinctively, but somehow our corporate plans and strategy do not factor in this basic human right.”

Activists say the true extent of the disabled in Sri Lanka is not known.

"Decision makers should not be misguided by the published figures on disability, which are often underestimated," IDIRIYA secretary general Ajith Perera said.

"For numerous reasons, disability in both visible and invisible forms is on the rise in Sri Lanka. Today, the risk of becoming disabled has become a grave social problem afflicting a wide range of people."

"By the way we continue to design our buildings, man is creating more physical barriers to man in attending to normal daily activities. This is wholly unacceptable in modern day Sri Lanka.

Activists are promoting ‘designing for inclusion’ in Sri Lanka’s construction industry to accommodate the increasing numbers of people who are physically or sensorily disadvantaged.

The ADA Amendments Act is Not the ADA Restoration Act

ADAWatch.org of the National Coalition for Disability Rights offers the following article on current US disability legislation. It reports on the fundamentally flawed legislation known as the ADA Amendments Act which accepts a scarcity model of social resources rather than affirmation of Universal Design and implicitly endorses the Medical Model of Disability by accepting a medically determined severity test.

OPINION: As the ADA Amendments Act Passes In the House…

The ADA Watch/NCDR Board and State Steering Committee has announced, in a show of unity with other disability organizations, its support of the ADA Amendments Act.

This is not, however, the ADA Restoration Act we all worked so hard on and it is quickly moving forward without the support of key disability rights organizations and leaders. The concerns being voiced come from many who were vital in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (www.dredf.org), for example, as part of an analysis posted on their website, states that:

"Passage of the current deal will improve the status quo for many, but it will also mean that the opportunity to correct the paradigm to remove severity as a factor of coverage and include many more who are currently unable to use the ADA because they are not considered "disabled enough" will be lost or indefinitely delayed as the new provisions are interpreted up the judicial ladder."

[The medical severity test evokes eligibility criteria for benefits programs, an area of law that the courts encounter more frequently, rather than supporting a civil rights interpretation. The severity of disability should be irrelevant to whether the plaintiff's impairment resulted in discrimination. The ADA Restoration Act, unlike the ADA Amendments Act, would remove a medical severity test, allowing any person with an actual or perceived impairment the opportunity to show that he or she was subjected to an adverse action on the basis of that impairment.]

As you might have noticed, ADA Watch has been publicly quiet for some time now. Spending 18 months on the Road To Freedom bus traveling the United States to promote the original ADA Restoration Act certainly has left us in a prolonged period of reentry both organizationally and personally. [See below for what we have been cooking up] But we also we also held our public tongue at the request of disability negotiators who were in "delicate" negotiations with the business community.

Well now those negotiations are over, there is a deal that does not allow for any strengthening of the bill by our supporters in Congress, and there is little time to use this process to build community or change public consciousness about disability rights. There also seems to be, in this process, a missed opportunity.

As this process unfolded, ADA Watch/NCDR was at the table and, like others, expressed our concerns regarding content, process and timing. While many say that this is the best deal that could be had in the current environment, and while the Congressional leadership forced us into negotiations with business lobbying groups before it went to the floor, it seems that we, as a community, could have done more to soften the ground leading to these negotiations. A more cohesive and inclusive campaign, much like the one that led to the initial passage of the ADA, could have produced greater unity in our community and capitalized on all of our strengths -- from the grassroots advocates to the legal teams, from our lobbyists to our media experts, and more.

ADA Watch/NCDR was praised by the disability negotiators for the extensive media we received in publicly making the case for ADA Restoration on the Road To Freedom bus tour. While we appreciate the praise, the reality is that we have one of the smallest budgets of any national organization - less than the yearly CEO salaries of some of the larger organizations. The fact that we received the bulk of media coverage in the year prior to this deal leaves us wondering what might have been had there been the will to fund either our campaign or another centralized effort to compete against the well-organized campaign of our opponents. While we often say that we are a poor community and that we can never compete with the well-funded corporate lobbyists, the reality is that - while our constituency is poor - there are billions of dollars being raised annually in the name of disability. Isn't it time that a larger share of those funds went to publically promote the ADA and disability rights - not as charity, not as sympathy, not just as research or cure - but as fundamental civil and human rights.

As we learned in traveling around the country, and as you surely know, we are not winning in the media. More times than not, the ADA is covered as "big government putting "Mom and Pop" stores out of business." (Never mind that this is fiction and that, more times than not, we are talking about multinational corporations!) These stories are generated directly from the news releases from corporate lobbying groups and associations. When the original ADA Restoration Act was introduced these groups took aim, even declaring that individuals with a "hangnail" were now going to be covered by the ADA! Outrageous as they sound, they have been very effective.

So we are left to guess how the negotiations might have been influenced were there an organized effort that matched or even exceeded that which led to the passage of the ADA in 1990. A campaign that drew fairly on the resources in our community. A campaign with earned and unearned media portraying the struggle for equal opportunity nearly 20 years after passage of the world's first civil rights law for people with disabilities. Community organizing efforts to teach and build coalition in support of restoration. Maybe even an ADAPT action at the Chamber of Commerce after the "hangnail" remarks. A united community pushing for full restoration of the ADA.

While, as an organization, we are not second-guessing our colleagues and have expressed support for the ADA Amendments Act, it is difficult not to imagine the results of a more unified effort. One that, in addition to the considerable legal drafting and negotiations, put similar emphasis - and funding - on the other "prongs" of the social change "pitchfork." That we could have gotten more seems evident in the now public sentiment of at least one of the business lobbyists involved in the negotiations. Randel Johnson, a vice president at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, referring to the original ADA Restoration Act, was quoted in the Wall Street Journal as saying, "We couldn't beat this bill so there was a need for a compromise…"
Concerns about timing have also been raised in regard to sending this bill to President Bush, as the Administration responded to passage of the Act in the House with criticism that it "could unduly expand" coverage and significantly increase litigation. This criticism follows the Bush Administration's release of federal regulations that many disability rights experts declare will further weaken the Americans with Disabilities Act. As disability rights attorney, Steve Gold reports, "On June 17, 2008, the Department of Justice issued proposed rules to the ADA's federal regulations which, if adopted, will significantly undercut the original 1990 compromises and will impose numerous regressive restrictions. Many of the proposed rules will ensure that full accessibility will be, at best, postponed indefinitely."

The process leading to passage of the ADA Amendments Act has undeniably taken a toll on our community. There are many divisions, many bruised egos, many damaged relationships. When the smoke clears, we hope there is an awareness that there remains a need for a unified campaign to change the "hearts and minds" of Americans regarding the ADA and disability rights. We don't claim that our coalition alone is the answer to fill that need, but we hope that we can be a part of such an effort. And as we assess what happened, we should avoid the polarizing - and often self-serving - characterizations highlighting supposed dichotomies in our community such as disabled/nondisabled, lawyers/lay-advocates, Inside/Outside the Beltway, physical/mental disabilities, rights/research, and the like. This is not a time for further segregation but for greater unity.

This certainly is not our last legislative battle and many in our community have said that laws alone will not lead to the kind of social change we are seeking. The "missed opportunity" that many are seeing in this process will present itself again. Perhaps, however, we should not wait for the next battle and can commit now to greater unity and the fostering of a stronger disability community. Now, more than ever it seems, we need to join together behind a common agenda and we need to unite all aspects of what we call the "disability community." We need to work together as national, state and local organizations; legal, non-legal and self-advocacy organizations; advocates and academics; youth organizations; rights and research organizations; student and educator organizations; parent and family organizations; aging organizations; as well as associated non-disability led civil rights and social justice organizations.

We can't afford to exclude anybody who wants to get behind our vision of equality and opportunity for people with disabilities in America.

See below for what the National Coalition for Disability Rights (NCDR) has in the works for fostering "unity in the community" and changing public consciousness about disability rights. New membership information for NCDR has just been posted at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/3621464/NCDRMembership-

What do you think? Contact ADA Watch/NCDR's president, Jim Ward, directly and share your thoughts. He can be reached by email at jimward@ncdr.org and our mailing address is:

ADA Watch/National Coalition for Disability Rights
ATTN: Jim Ward
601 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 900S
Washington, DC 20004