Disability

A Deaf Mom Shares Her World
Come and Join Me at Mom’s Night Inn

DeafMom

28 Jan 2010 | 4:55 pm

It’s that time of the year again, the weekend where moms of deaf and hard of hearing kids kick back together! Registration is already half full, so act quickly to join in on this special weekend! Illinois Hands & Voices presents: Mom’s Night Inn Saturday, February 20th and Sunday, February 21st (an overnight retreat!) Holiday Inn Select Naperville 1801 Naper Boulevard Naperville, Il 60563 (630) 505-4900 Event begins at 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 20th and ends at Noon, Sunday, February 21st “Making Connections” Educational Technology Family Community Dinner provided:…
Judy Myers Inspires Deaf Mom

DeafMom

20 Jan 2010 | 5:22 pm

Judy Myers is my new idol. This “Old Lady” is my new inspiration each day, because she’s got me all fired up about barefooting again. Here I was last year, all sad and feeling like my best years were behind me– and then I learned about this 66-year-old gal who was skimming along the water like a spring chicken. So I’m heading down to Florida in the spring to meet Judy and try my hand at barefooting again. Judy took a little time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions and share some photos of her barefooting. Enjoy! Judy with her biggest fan…
Deaf Mom’s Goal for 2010–Yes, I’m Gonna Barefoot Again.

DeafMom

16 Jan 2010 | 1:25 pm

I turned 44 last August and I wasn’t too happy about it. Forty four. It had an omnious ring to it–one step closer to “middle age.” I was feeling pretty much like my best years were behind me and I reflected on the years past. Why-oh-why didn’t I appreciate my youth when I had it? Why didn’t I enjoy my size-10 figure when I had it? Why didn’t I run away to Florida and apply for a job as a show skier at Cypress Gardens when I was nineteen? Fast forward to fall of 2009, and the hubby sent me an email with a link to Judy Myers, the…
I’m a Loser Mom

DeafMom

10 Jan 2010 | 12:27 pm

It’s official. I’m a Loser Mom. That’s right. I’ve joined the 2nd Loser Mom contest, thanks to Devra Renner, who made me realize that I really couldn’t continue to hide my spare tire under those sexy Lanz of Salzburg nightgowns. The contest is a timely one, as I’ve been so tired of carrying around 60 pounds of unhealthy weight. With my son’s friend Aubrey as a witness, I’ve climbed on the scale and registered it at two hundred and one pounds. Yes, I’m almost ashamed to say it. I’m packing some major flub on my 5′…
Deaf Mom’s Good Stuff of 2009

DeafMom

4 Jan 2010 | 9:00 pm

I was going to wrap up 2009 with a round up of posts before it turned 12:01, but I was a little busy fake-cleaning my house for the last-minute New Year’s Eve party. Better late than never. But before I amuse you with my posts, take a look at the fun we had saying goodbye to 2009: We connected with Natalie from Florida via the Z-340 and had a blast sharing the party with her. It’s hard to believe that yet another year has flown by. Here are some of the posts from 2009 that have stood out: Chicago Moms Blog, Behind Barbed Wire Chicago Moms Blog, Deaf on the Field Chicago Moms…

Disability News | PatriciaEBauer.com
In response to your questions …

Patricia Bauer

8 Feb 2010 | 11:16 am

A number of readers have asked where they can write with complaints about Rush Limbaugh’s repeated use of the word “retard” on his national radio broadcast last week. (The full transcript is here.) Here are some possibilities: You may contact the company that syndicates the program; the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which grants permission for the [...]
SNL skit lampoons Emanuel, ‘R-word,’ Palin

Patricia Bauer

8 Feb 2010 | 9:42 am

Video from NBC’s Saturday Night Live. (Warning: Offensive language is bleeped out, but is still obvious.) Comic Andy Samberg, playing White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, offered an “even-tempered apology” to Americans for his use of the term “f–ing retarded” to describe liberal Democrats in a strategy session. The apology started out quietly, then quickly [...]
The Arc to Limbaugh: Meet with us

Patricia Bauer

8 Feb 2010 | 8:58 am

In a letter signed by CEO Peter V. Berns, the Arc of the United States has invited talk show host Rush Limbaugh to meet personally with a group of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their parents and siblings to discuss his repeated use of the word “retard” on a recent radio broadcast. An excerpt: Self-advocates, [...]
Palin withdraws criticism of Limbaugh over ‘R-word’

Patricia Bauer

8 Feb 2010 | 8:30 am

From Politicsdaily.com, Miami Herald: Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Sarah Palin withdrew her earlier mild criticism of Rush Limbaugh’s repeated use of the word ‘retard’ on his nationally syndicated radio show last week. She said she found his remarks “hysterical” and characterized them as “satire.” In response to earlier questioning about Limbaugh’s broadcast, a Palin spokeswoman had [...]
Critical praise for HBO’s ‘Temple Grandin’

Patricia Bauer

7 Feb 2010 | 6:02 pm

A mind so different, by Dorothy Rabinowitz in the Wall Street Journal. An excerpt: The story of Temple Grandin, diagnosed with autism at age 4 and in time a symbol of hope for the afflicted, has made its way to the screen with spellbinding results. … there is Claire Danes in the title role, prime cause of [...]

ScienceDaily: Disability News
Mice shed new light on causes of childhood deafness

8 Feb 2010 | 11:00 pm

Mice with a genetic change that causes progressive hearing loss in children, also have hearing loss because sound waves are not processed properly. The ear's attempts to compensate for hearing loss may, ironically, cause further damage leading to complete hearing loss. These mice will allow detailed research into many forms of deafness, and bring closer the prospects of therapies to slow or halt hearing loss in both children and adults.
Scientists discover new treatment for chronic pain condition

7 Feb 2010 | 2:00 pm

Scientists have discovered that treating the immune system of patients with complex regional pain syndrome leads to a significant reduction in pain.
Children with cochlear implants have quality of life equal to normal hearing peers, study finds

1 Feb 2010 | 11:00 pm

Children who have cochlear implants rank their quality of life equal to their normally hearing peers, indicates new research.
Antibiotic found to protect hearing in mice

29 Jan 2010 | 5:00 pm

A type of antibiotic that can cause hearing loss in people has been found to paradoxically protect the ears when given in extended low doses in very young mice. The surprise finding came from researchers who looked to see if loud noise and the antibiotic kanamycin together would produce a bigger hearing loss than either factor by itself.
Rheumatoid arthritis doesn't hinder computing skills, study shows

28 Jan 2010 | 11:00 pm

Workers with rheumatoid arthritis were comparable to non-impaired individuals in keyboarding speed, according to a new study. Individuals who were trained in touch typing demonstrated faster typing speeds than those using a visually-guided ("hunt and peck") method, regardless of impairment.

CRIN News Feed - Home - English
CHINA: Court sentenced activist who investigated children's deaths in 2008 quake

8 Feb 2010 | 9:38 pm

[BEIJING, 9 February 2010] — A Chinese court Tuesday sentenced an activist who investigated the deaths of thousands of schoolchildren in the country's massive 2008 earthquake to five years in jail for inciting subversion of state power, the man's lawyer said.The United States deplored the s
ARMED CONFLICT: Take action to achieve universal ratification of OPAC

8 Feb 2010 | 6:35 pm

Today, child soldiers are fighting in at least 14 countries around the world. Boys and girls alike are forced into combat, exploited for their labor, and subjected to violence and mistreatment. Ten years ago, the United Nations adopted a treaty banning the use of children under age 18 in ho
EUROPE: Disappearing, Departing, Running Away: A surfeit of children in Europe?

8 Feb 2010 | 6:05 pm

Study carried out in Belgium, France, Spain and Switzerland on the disappearances of unaccompanied foreign minors placed in institutions.
SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Rights Commission seeks divorce for child bride

8 Feb 2010 | 1:57 am

[JEDDAH, 8 February 2010] - Saudi Arabia's human rights commission has hired a lawyer to help a 12-year-old girl annul* her marriage with her 80-year-old husband, the lawyer said, a move activists hope will lead to a ban on child marriages.Saudi Arabia, a patriarchal society that applies an auste
ASEAN: Indonesia seeks candidates for Children's Commission

7 Feb 2010 | 8:54 pm

[JAKARTA, 6 February 2010] - The Indonesian government is seeking candidates to sit on the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children. "The 8th meeting of ASEAN's Committee on Women agreed that member countries must submit the names of their re

CRIN News Feed - Resources - News Home
CHINA: Court sentenced activist who investigated children's deaths in 2008 quake

8 Feb 2010 | 9:38 pm

[BEIJING, 9 February 2010] — A Chinese court Tuesday sentenced an activist who investigated the deaths of thousands of schoolchildren in the country's massive 2008 earthquake to five years in jail for inciting subversion of state power, the man's lawyer said.The United States deplored the s
ARMED CONFLICT: Take action to achieve universal ratification of OPAC

8 Feb 2010 | 6:35 pm

Today, child soldiers are fighting in at least 14 countries around the world. Boys and girls alike are forced into combat, exploited for their labor, and subjected to violence and mistreatment. Ten years ago, the United Nations adopted a treaty banning the use of children under age 18 in ho
SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Rights Commission seeks divorce for child bride

8 Feb 2010 | 1:57 am

[JEDDAH, 8 February 2010] - Saudi Arabia's human rights commission has hired a lawyer to help a 12-year-old girl annul* her marriage with her 80-year-old husband, the lawyer said, a move activists hope will lead to a ban on child marriages.Saudi Arabia, a patriarchal society that applies an auste
ASEAN: Indonesia seeks candidates for Children's Commission

7 Feb 2010 | 8:54 pm

[JAKARTA, 6 February 2010] - The Indonesian government is seeking candidates to sit on the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children. "The 8th meeting of ASEAN's Committee on Women agreed that member countries must submit the names of their re
GUATEMALA: Supreme Court to reopen criminal investigation into street children case

3 Feb 2010 | 11:51 pm

[WASHINGTON, DC, 3 February 2010] – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), expresses its satisfaction over the decision of the Supreme Court to reopen criminal investigations in four cases of grave human rights violations in Guatemala. The cases were submitted by the Commiss

Do It Myself Blog - Glenda Watson Hyatt
The Paralympics, The Lesser Games

Glenda

3 Feb 2010 | 6:41 pm

Today efforts are being made to include people with disabilities in the classroom, in the workplace, in the community. So, why in hell is the world’s largest sporting event still segregated into the Olympics and the Paralympics? Are sports stuck in ancient Greek times? If the Olympics were divided along any other lines – gender, race, religion, economic – there would be an outcry worldwide! Yet, segregation based on ability or disability is acceptable? Not only are the Games segregated, but the Paralympic Games and athletes do not receive anywhere near the attention as the Olympic Games…
Launching the Exclusive Thumb-sized News Bytes

Glenda

2 Feb 2010 | 7:00 pm

Believe it or not, not all of my news and happenings end up here on my blog! For this reason, I’m launching Thumb-sized News Bytes – a brief, newsy email sent 1-2 times per month. What’s in it for you? An email packed full with: links to my guest and paid posts on other blogs, Glenda Around the Web – other bloggers who blog about me, other short news bytes, and more! However, Thumb-sized News Bytes will only be sent to email subscribers! Haven’t subscribed yet? It’s not too late! Sign up today. The first issue will go out as soon as I put it together. (If you are…
Highlights from My Pre-Olympic Photo Wheel

Glenda

28 Jan 2010 | 8:34 pm

Yesterday Darrell and I unplugged from our computers and headed out for a photo wheel – a photo walk on wheels, of course! – to capture signs the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2010 are, indeed, coming to Vancouver! The first stop was, naturally, the countdown clock. At that moment, the Olympics officially begin in 16 days, 4 hours, 39 minutes and 49 seconds, precisely! On the opposite side, which many people likely don’t check and, hence, miss, is the countdown clock for the Paralympics – one of the very few signs I spotted that the Paralympics are also coming to Vancouver, but…
Mapping My Social Media Empire

Glenda

24 Jan 2010 | 12:37 am

For 2010, I have chosen streamline as my word to focus on; as in streamlining my lines of communication. Giving this much thought, what I am truly seeking are ways to get my social media and networking efforts working seamlessly and smoothly; in essence, efficiently managing my media empire. The first step is to inventory my media empire, visually represented in this diagram (click on the image to enlarge): As I see it, my blog is the center of my media empire with seven smaller territories or outposts: Twitter, FaceBook, Linkedln, YouTube, Flickr, StumbleUpon, and Email Broadcast. The next…
What Does Accessibility Mean to You?

Glenda

21 Jan 2010 | 3:11 pm

In launching the 2010 edition of Accessibility 100 – a series of 100 easy-to-implement, free and inexpensive tips for improving accessibility for people with disabilities, I am borrowing a powerful idea from blogger extraordinaire Liz Strauss. You are invited to share exactly 25 words on: What does accessibility mean to you? Why only 25 words? To drill down to the essence of what accessibility truly means. As Liz explains (with a few minor changes), “Here’s how you might go about it: Look for an insight or piece of wisdom about accessibility. Write a sentence about it. Count…

ALS Blog Spot
Because You Really Love that ALS Patient

J.M.C. (Doc)

6 Feb 2010 | 3:08 pm

Pamper yourself with a gentle, warm aerated stream. A convenient remote control allows you to personalize several functions including water temperature, pressure, and even offers a gentle cycling massage feature.Follow cleansing with a touch of a button for an adjustable warm air-dry while enjoying the comfort of a gently heated seat. Both features include adjustable temperatures.BB-1000 is equipped with state-of-the-art "smart power saving function" that calculates the most frequently used hours of the day for maximum savings with a powerful deodorizer that eliminates up to 90% of…
Stem Cells and Science with Knowledge

J.M.C. (Doc)

2 Feb 2010 | 12:04 pm

Technology keeps evolving and this gives us many advantages, since many things can be solved by the advanced technology that we might have not been able to in the past. Many universities in the world conduct research in many topics and some of them are giving more focus on the health section. One of them is Harvard with it's Stem Cell Institute. The Harvard Stem Cell Institute's overall aim is to use the power of stem cell biology to understand and ultimately treat selected diseases and conditions.In short, The Harvard Stem Cell Institute is a place where scientist from many places gathered…
"It Don't Add Up"

JMC

30 Jan 2010 | 11:41 am

He was diagnosed six years ago with ALS and those years have been a horrid revelation of our final days . From the start it was such a shock to think that this terminal thing had gotten to us. All those test just to make sure, and waiting for the confirmation made me sick and unable to sleep. Those days changed us forever and when the truth came, I was relieved. I at last knew what it all meant. I said "It don't add up". Warning signs of panic shot up all around us, "You got to plan ahead, you got lots to learn, you have no time to waste". I got confused and as I ventured into the awareness…
Penalty Flag on Rev. James Dobson

J.M.C. (Doc)

28 Jan 2010 | 7:12 am

Roe V. Wade, the biggest talked about rivalry of all time, decided with a huge controversial overtime battle. A simple 7 to 2 majority victory that deemed Abortion a fundamental right under the United States Constitution, thereby subjecting all laws attempting to restrict it to the standard of strict scrutiny. This Texas football game or shall I say, wake-up call, was decided by the late Warren Burger, Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Justice Burger was a Presbyterian and nominated by Richard Nixon. No one predicted that Roe V. Wade would be the game changer and the…
Global Warming vs. Emperor Penguin

JMC

18 Dec 2009 | 4:52 am

Global warming is upon us and is going to be the next hot topic for years to come. Those that may be wrong will only be left with one single explanation, Sorry! Those that are thinking through this with science may be on the right track by simply watching Mother Nature. Some diminishing facts have recently surfaced and on the one hand it may be pitiful but for those involved it might be a blessing in disguise. I am not trying to explain science or nature but what I do know is that God does have a sense of humor. It is now confirmed, the Penguin has gone to the top of my odd creation list.

Disaboom Beauty, Wheelchair Fashion and Dating - Tiffiny - C6 Quadriplegic Blog
Don't let Pneumonia happen to you; I did

Tiffiny

31 Jan 2010 | 6:03 pm

I must say, there's nothing that has feared me more than pneumonia since becoming paralyzed. It's the #1 cause of death for quadriplegics, and up until now (having it when I first broke my neck doesn't count because my lungs were full of lake water), I've somehow escaped it's nasty, gooey death grip (because that's what the phlem is like, Elmer's Glue) the crap that gets in your lungs.And as it goes, this sticky hard-to-cough-up phlem is the killer of quads. Too sadly, I've known several quads who went from 100% healthy, to being gone, without you even knowing…
“Sympathy for Delicious” stars actual paraplegic, Mark Ruffalo directs

Tiffiny

27 Jan 2010 | 11:20 am

Sympathy for Delicious follows a jaded, DJ paraplegic who mysteriously wakes up with the ability to heal others but finds that despite his amazing gift, he still can’t heal himself. It’s the definition of injustice and the main theme of a movie that was written by real life paraplegic, Christopher Thornton. Thornton also plays the paraplegic in the film. And did I mention he’s sexy? His hair and face remind me of Javier Bardem. When I first heard about Sympathy for Delicious, I wasn’t expecting such an interesting back story on how the film came to be, but was pleasantly surprised…
Solar wheelchair works, but can you overlook the “roof?”

Tiffiny

25 Jan 2010 | 10:33 am

Here I am, once again, the voice of reason. This time I’m voicing a reasonable concern over “the world’s first” solar-powered wheelchair, invented by Haidar Talib Erabeh, a disabled man from the United Arab Emirates (it‘s not the first, btw. This is). Erabeh debuted his invention at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi last week.Before I rail into it, you should know that it does work. It’s been tested to drive continuously for 10 miles on solar energy. As long as the sun shines, theoretically, it should never need to be charged (traditionally), which is a BOON for all of…
Paralyzed R&B legend, Teddy Pendergrass, dies. Did you know who he was?

Tiffiny

22 Jan 2010 | 10:18 am

Here we go again. Another famous person with a spinal cord injury I didn’t know about (err scratch that, enough of) until after their passing. First Vic Chestnutt, the bad ass Georgian quad who killed himself by overdosing on muscle relaxants on Christmas Day. And now Teddy Pendergrass, another bad ass quad (this time from South Carolina), who sadly passed away from complications from a surgery he underwent to treat colon cancer last year.They were both accomplished musicians too, coincidentally enough. Vic became famous in the industry after his injury (he was a folk musician and…
How to look good naked from your wheelchair

Tiffiny

19 Jan 2010 | 4:29 pm

Once again, British television is blowing American television away when it comes to featuring people with disabilities. The incredibly popular show, How to Look Good Naked hosted by cutie-patootie Gok Wan, has just premiered their newest latest season by featuring three women with disabilities in the first three episodes, How to Look Good Naked….with a Difference is what they’re calling this unique disability-spin on their show.If you‘re not familiar with the show, it’s a lot like What Not to Wear except for one thing: To be on, you must get naked. Gok then undresses you and shows you…

Athena, Ivan, and The Integral
ANOTHER BLIZZARD…….the second this winter!

athenivandx

6 Feb 2010 | 1:03 am

Holy cow, a second blizzard is upon us here in the Mid Atlantic region! That’s right, we’re gonna get two feet or more of snow FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS WINTER! Amazing isn’t it? I know I have been badly neglecting to update my blog with odds and ends and random shit from our lives……but like a fellow blogger says so eloquently…..and this is a paraphrase……”no point blogging for the sake of blogging if you have nothing to say, no reason to say stuff just for the sake of saying stuff” I’ve been thinking about stuff for sure, but my…
Random update crap

athenivandx

26 Oct 2009 | 9:58 am

This post is basically to let readers know that we’re still around………other things have taken precedence over blogging for now. We have a friend over. She comforted Ivan the night before when he was very down and distraught saying that he had no direction. Last friday I had a kind of meltdown in front of my Differential Equations professor……..he said that he was tired and needed to wake up, I said……..”well, if you ride your bike across my neck, the sound will wake you up!” Thank goodness he’s not the type to freak out…..
We Will Miss You, Senator Kennedy

athenivandx

27 Aug 2009 | 6:22 am

On August 25th, 2009, at approximately 2am, America lost one of its greatest elder statesmen to brain cancer. Many people know this terrible day would come soon, but nobody really knew how much of a big deal it would be in the entire world. Of course, I never knew him at all, I’d never even met the man. None of us in our system had. We’re mathematical, not political. And we’re not important enough to have met somebody like that….important isn’t the right word, but hey, we’re autistic, and we cannot always find the right words to express our thoughts…
Back from vacation

athenivandx

25 Aug 2009 | 11:06 am

This is just a short post to let readers know that we’re back. I’m not even sure we mentioned that we’d be away….there are lots of things Athena and I want to share about our trip…Ivan didn’t come out himself, as he doesn’t do family vacations. There are several reasons for that. He’ll explain later if he wants to, or if he wants me to help him with that I will. The long and short of it is that our family doesn’t know about our multiplicity. School starts in less than a week……got to get prepared for that. We’ll be…
As yet untitled poem

athenivandx

31 Jul 2009 | 10:19 pm

From Mathematica I hail I see the world from your mind’s veil I was born from the depths of your illustrious brain And I remain with you through joy and pain You brought me to life by the stroke of your pen So many hours you spent writing, holed up in your den You bestowed upon me such tender loving care As you nursed me out of your mind, fixed me up, and sent me off into the public square My triumphs are yours, and your ecstasy mine Together a new piece of the great Mathematica we will define Interested mathematicians are invited to submit possible titles for this poem. Contextual…

Blisstree
Treat your garden seeds with care

Jennifer Chait

8 Feb 2010 | 8:55 pm

Garden seeds, if you think about it are pretty amazing. Just a few seeds can grow enough veggies for many summer salads, baskets of flowers, and enough seasoning for all your dishes year round. However, while seeds do have seemingly magical qualities they’re also fragile if not treated right. You need to care for your seeds carefully, not only to preserve the chance to grow a lovely garden but to save money and time as well. It’s much nicer not to have to buy new seeds each year. How to care for your seeds… Until you’re ready to plant or soak seeds for planting, always…
Sony Ericsson Releasing Green Smart Phone

Jennifer Chait

8 Feb 2010 | 8:50 pm

Sony Ericsson is on a serious roll this year. Just in time for Christmas last year they introduced two new green phones in their line-up of Green Heart products and now a few days ago they announced the release of another green phone, the Sony Ericsson Aspen. The Sony Ericsson Aspen is a windows mobile QWERTY phone primarily for heavy message and calendar users. This newest Green Heart edition is feature rich and allows for easy multi-tasking combining the touch experience and a real QWERTY keyboard. You can organize and adapt panels to change during the day and use a Slide View for quick…
Animals Used in the Making of Avatar

Peggy Rowland

8 Feb 2010 | 4:25 pm

Yes, the blockbuster movie “Avatar” used animals, but the animals weren’t used. They were treated nicely! The film received American Humane’s highest rating — Monitored: Outstanding / No Animals Were Harmed. “American Humane applauds ‘Avatar’ director James Cameron and the production for earning our highest rating by ensuring the safety of the animals used in the filming,” said Karen Rosa, vice president of American Humane’s Film & TV Unit. She added that PETA was apparently unaware that live animals were used in the film for motion capture. How…
Donate for Free to Help Pets in Need

Peggy Rowland

8 Feb 2010 | 3:13 pm

Are homeless animals heroes? I think so. It takes a lot of courage to be a pet without a home of your own, but you can help in a couple of ways during the Purina ONE Tour for Heroes, ending on February 26. During the tour, Purina ONE will be helping pets in need with adoption events and temporary food banks. If the tour is in your area, please visit. Upcoming stops include HALO Animal Rescue in Phoenix on February 9, the Houston Humane Society on February 12 and the Humane Society of Broward County in Fort Lauderdale on February 16. Read the complete list of tour stops. And, since Martha…
Maternal Age Linked with Autism Risk

Peggy Rowland

8 Feb 2010 | 1:42 pm

Researchers now say they’ve confirmed that maternal age is linked with a significantly elevated risk of autism in children. And the father’s age may not matter as much as previously thought. The research from the University of California – Davis was published online today in the February issue of the journal Autism Research. The study is important since it’s one of the largest to quantify how each parent’s age (separately and together) impacts the risk of autism in children. The risk of having a child with autism increased by 18% for each five-year increase in…

Rolling Around In My Head
Coming To Terms

8 Feb 2010 | 9:51 pm

When in Scotland lecturing, during one of my breaks I spoke with a guy with a disability who had attended my lectures several times over the years. He, unlike me, was born with his disability and therefore has a lifetime of experience with what it means to be disabled and what it means to live with a disability. I respect that. I wish I had more social contact with my 'elders' in the disability community.As we were chatting he had a caution for me. He said, "You've got to be careful not to become grateful for what should simply be expected." I assured him that my character was never thus, and…
A Baby Visits

8 Feb 2010 | 2:47 am

Out of the blue, last night, we got a call. Mike was on his way through the city and was coming down to pick up Marissa and the kids from her brother's place near us. He was wondering if they could drop by for a quick visit before heading back home to Ottawa. We were just back from Edmonton, ourselves, and were lounging around in our house coats but we said, immediately, 'Of course, come by.' It's nice having people in your life that you don't have to clean for or dress for. People that you can just move the newspaper from the chair and they feel welcomed by the gesture.The only thing we…
Lunch

6 Feb 2010 | 9:50 pm

On our arrival in Edmonton, we planned to go to the City Center mall. Our first thought was, of course, the West Edmonton Mall. I visited thier website and almost gave up at 15 minutes finding nothing about wheelchairs or scooters to rent. Maybe it's because I'm a bad surfer, or maybe they didn't think it important enough to highlight, either way, I was annoyed. Finally, on finding it, they tell you that they have such a thing but do not show you where in the mall you can find a scooter, where to park that's close by, any information. We do it. Be glad of it. Now find it on your own.Not, um,…
Diversity, Maybe Not

5 Feb 2010 | 9:41 pm

The Special Assistance area at the airport is always so incredibly ... um ... diverse. We arrived for our early morning flight and were brought in to wait for a woman, uncomfortable on her crutches but who refused a wheelchair, an elderly couple from India both with beautiful canes, and a young dude in a racing wheelchair. Then of course there in the line up, adding to this mix of people, Joe and I. Everyone was 'church quiet' as we all just waited for our turn at the counter, our needs to be considered and met. The elderly couple were being assisted by two grandchildren, a boy about 12 and a…
Jet Plane

4 Feb 2010 | 9:11 pm

Well, after a month of living 'la vita local' we head back on the road for a trip to Edmonton. As we do so I get struck with three things:1) I am amazed to be given the opportunity to speak to people all over the world, to share my ideas and ideals with audiences. It was never part of a 'plan', it just happened. An unlikelier public speaker you won't ever find. I'm uncomfortable in front of a group and very nervous about giving lectures. But I gear myself up with a couple visualizations and a prayer and go. As the first 'away' lecture of the year, it marks another beginning. Another…

Half Soled Boots
When is a good day a bad day?

2 Feb 2010 | 8:32 am

Yesterday was my Dad's surgery, and thanks to all the prayers, good wishes, positive vibes, and possibly chickens sacrificed on his behalf, it looks like "they got it all"."They" meaning the surgeons et al, "got" meaning removed, "it all" being every last scrap of cancer.Yay!And that, my friends, is a cute little summary of a hellish 16-hour day during which, at every trip to the hospital bathroom (because, lots of coffee), I noticed my hair was greyer.But the surgeon says "no trace of cancer anywhere else", so even if all my hair were to turn snow white before dropping off my head and…
Hm.

27 Jan 2010 | 11:09 pm

Now that I've been nearly three weeks without posting, I'm getting this awkward-silence vibe from the blog.To break the ice: here's my new haircut.Apparently, it's been too long since I had one, since I've emailed this picture to probably three people already. Inordinately pleased with this minor change in my appearance. (Same, but a little shorter.) And next time I put a picture of myself on the blog, it'll be one where I'm wearing makeup and therefore actually have features. And maybe I won't use the bathroom mirror and a flash.* * *Okay, here's the news.January 3rd my parents came over and…
Apprisal

8 Jan 2010 | 10:20 am

Round about the internet these days it's all about resolutions and non-resolutions - it seems the old terminology is passe. New Year, new everything.I was prodded today to put up a new post. Initially I rebelled - I don't like posting on demand - but then I saw the sense of it...if only to inform you that there won't be regular or predictable posts at Half Soled Boots for the time being. I have received two pieces of very bad news, which I won't share with you at the moment, and they are fully occupying my thoughts.I hope you are having a better year than I am.
Good Yule!

24 Dec 2009 | 12:05 am

The air in the house is full of cardamom, cinnamon, bay and clove...and excitement: tonight is Christmas Eve.I wish you a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year. I thought of you all on solstice a few days ago, while lighting my midwinter's eve candles, and wished you peace and light.--------------------------------------------Thanks to Charles Dickens, the very words I am searching for are already written for me:May it be truly said of us, and all of us....that we know how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possesses the knowledge.God bless us, every one!
Mailmen in Capes.

16 Dec 2009 | 11:44 pm

Today I bring you the Heroes of Christmas.My lovely Canada Post showed up today with the Christmas box from my sister, brought from 2000 kilometers away, regular ground, in three days. Applause!Not an hour later, another truck pulled up.with my December Usborne book order. Nothing makes me happier than getting huge boxes full of glossy new, freezing cold, info-stuffed schoolbooks. Especially when I've used my homeschool funding to buy them, and some of them are things like "365 Things to Draw and Paint" and "Christmas Fairy Things to Make and Do", and I can wrap them up and put them under the…

Touched By an Alien: Life as I Know It
Always There

Laura Gilmour

8 Feb 2010 | 8:26 am

A support network is an essential element in the lives of individuals with disabilities (or all individuals for that matter). Even when the outside world was not kind to me, I always had a loving family to go home to. Home was (and still is) a place where I could be myself and be accepted unconditionally.People with AS do need to learn social skills and when done by those who care about them, it consists of gentle modeling and explaining. However, those who care about those with AS should sometimes let the person relax and be themselves. Sometimes the rambling about one's special interest,…
Taking the Garbage Out

Laura Gilmour

2 Feb 2010 | 6:14 pm

Today is the day that the vaccine autism link has been discredited. As someone who is strongly interested in autism research, it discourages me that poorly designed studies can cause harm to children and their families. When a child is first diagnosed with a serious neurological condition such as autism, parents want answers as well as solutions for treatment. Many of these parents look for advice in internet search engines and don't have the educational background to be able to distinguish garbage from reliable information. It is especially hard when this garbage makes it into an academic…
Can't Recall

Laura Gilmour

24 Jan 2010 | 11:20 pm

Unknown Person: "Hi."Me: "I must know you from somewhere, but I'm not sure where. Did I take a class with you?"Unknown Person: "You sat next to me last term in psychology and we talked every day."Similar versions of this conversation occur several times per week at the small university I attend. One of the most embarrassing aspects of Asperger's is the inability to recognize (or sometimes even describe people). This also makes making friends difficult. I make a "friend" for a term while they sit beside me in class and then they disappear into the woodwork like a needle in a haystack.I tried…
Eugenics or Realism?

Laura Gilmour

19 Jan 2010 | 8:24 pm

Genetic pre-selection is a controversial topic. Personally, I am strongly opposed to abortion once an embryo has implanted, but have mixed feelings about genetic pre-selection or in vitro techniques. I am not one for designer babies or sex selection for cultural reasons. However, I wonder if in certain cases genetic pre-selection is warranted.For instance, in the case of autism, there is no current way of determining genetic risk factors of individuals who want to be parents other than knowing that individuals on the spectrum are of higher risk of conceiving a child with autism. Boys have a…
Choose Your Own Accomodation

Laura Gilmour

12 Jan 2010 | 5:57 pm

As a university student with Asperger's Syndrome who also has some learning difficulties, I have to take that into consideration when selecting my classes. Often, it is not the subject matter itself, but a particular teaching style that enables me to do well in a class.For instance, even though I can type fast, I have a hard time copying large amounts of material from the board due to tracking. Handwriting is hard for me to read. Also, I find it difficult if we are expected to take in information while writing things down. Therefore, whenever possible, I pick profs that either provide their…

My Private Casbah
Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

31 Jan 2010 | 5:44 pm

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celeb - Collage - MorphThis is pretty bizarre. I don't think I look much like any of these women. *shrug*
Land Squid

29 Jan 2010 | 2:42 pm

This is a conversation that just took place between me and my daughter.VanGoghGirl: I'm a land squid.Me: You're a land squid?! Since when?VanGoghGirl: Yesterday.Me: And how did this happen?VanGoghGirl: Evolution.Me: Yeah, I guess that's how these things tend to take place.End of conversation.The Future is Wild - Episode 1The Land Squids
Drug Testing as a Means of Preventing Abuse of Government Funds

25 Jan 2010 | 11:43 pm

Tonight I was on Facebook and someone posted a comment regarding their feelings about a group for people who believe that drug testing should be a requirement for receiving welfare. That person was against this idea and cringed at the fact that there were so many people who signed up to be a part of it. Unfortunately, two people on her friends list disagreed and advocated for the groups' position. Personally, I think it's a pretty problematic idea. However, if other folks think otherwise, maybe we should give it a whirl.Let's be consistent about the application of it, though. Why don't we…
What God do you Believe in?

20 Jan 2010 | 12:07 am

Enjoy more tasty Maneggs at maneggs.comI saw this picture on Maneggs and it made me think about Pat Robertson's view of God.
VanGoghGirl Gets New Art Tools

28 Dec 2009 | 12:16 pm

We just bought VanGoghGirl a Wacom Intuos 3 graphics tablet for Christmas. For years, she's been saying that she'd like to be an animator or a marine biologist when she grows up. Since she's in high school now, we figured she was old enough to start getting used to using professional digital tools. She has done about as much as one can using a mouse and basic programs like Microsoft Paint.Of course, she was surprised and eager to experiment with it as soon as we gave it to her. She hooked it up to my computer and installed the necessary programs. Using Corel Painter Essentials (a program that…

Sunny Dreamer -- We write to taste life twice...
The 14 Days of Valentine's

5 Feb 2010 | 12:00 am

I was hoping this year to do a "14 Days of Valentine's," you know, something similar to what I've done in the past with Halloween and Christmas. Bbbuuttt, Wednesday's post took considerable time to finish, so, it looks like I'll just have to go with the flow and post any Valentine's entries as they come...or as I feel like posting them...
How Many of Me Are There?

12 Jan 2010 | 12:00 am

Came across something a lil bit fun and interesting in trying to find some inspiration. (I hate when I'm in the mood to write, but have no idea what or in which direction to go. Don't you?) I think that's partly why I've gotten into poetry so much lately. The different forms give me direction and most poems I can write within minutes or a few hours. -smiles a bit- But I digress.
I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas

9 Dec 2009 | 12:00 am

One thing that makes following this particular Advent Calendar challenging is the fact that the person who put it together is from "Down Under," consequently the prompts have an Australian/Southern Hemisphere slant. A total opposite for someone living in a whole other country in the Northern Hemisphere. For her...him?...it's summer, but for me, it's definitely wintertime. (I wish it was the other way 'round. -sighs- Already I'm tired of the snow and grayness.)

Blob
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-02-07

dnw

6 Feb 2010 | 7:53 am

Just discovered John Callahan http://bit.ly/clII6K thru this vid : http://bit.ly/c5v6qH – Instant affinity! [sensibility warning] # In bed, watching Black Adder … Darling # @mpesce @trib So what's the term for the person who's reader/writer? pfkata? in reply to mpesce # @fang Wish I was there … in reply to fang # Run outta things to listen to. Looking for new podcast adventures to listen to. # Installing Win7 on Virtualbox on Mac … because I can # Lifekludger New post: Wireless door access TI watch http://cli.gs/sRE8Y # The hard to find missing words…
Affinity, Humanity and Disability.

dnw

2 Feb 2010 | 12:30 am

The other day whilst reading a feed somewhere in my hundreds, I came across a link to a video .. this video in fact : I instantly felt a recognition and affinity and especially wth the subtleties in the kaos (yes, oh yes, there’s subtleties), so much so it sent me hunting for more. I found it’s a creation by John Callahan who has a wikipedia entry here. If anybody really knows me they’ll see why I like this so much. Some, like the person who complained about the ‘insensitivity’ of the cartoon shown above, won’t see anything, as they really don’t wish to see the reality of…
Quote play

dnw

31 Jan 2010 | 4:47 pm

“We should be seeking to foster play in our information policy; it is a structural condition of human flourishing.” [berkman] Julie Cohen on networked selves [via http://j.mp/cBOXYS]
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-01-31

dnw

30 Jan 2010 | 7:53 am

Lifekludger New post: Make Open source hardware list 2009 http://cli.gs/YyYdH # Rotten connection still, Ping times shot to hell & packet loss. All plans reverted till tomorrow…then make some calls. #not #happy #jan # So, badlink report: blamed on RIM (probably correctly) now gotta jump thru hoops to get test done. Here's synopsis: On a RIM? YOUR STUFFED! # @fang Better than other things emanating from there! Welcome @theyakhimself in reply to fang # Reported bad connection and it seems to have cleared up.. weirdness # @triplej stream can't cope .. tuning in on the *radio*…
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-01-24

dnw

23 Jan 2010 | 7:53 am

Lifekludger New post: One Touch Automatic Jar Opener « Gadgetuser.net – The latest gadgets reviews and gadget shop http://cli.gs/Yd2Pb # Of @kentnewsome's Five Indisputable Tech Facts for 2010, I like "Facebook is the new AOL" best! http://bit.ly/8bY0Iy # Hmmm… an #evernote update. Wonder if they've listened to @kentnewsome's pleas (not holding breath) # "Morgan Stanley predicts that within 5 years more users will tap into the Internet via mobile devices than desktop PCs" http://bit.ly/7DskJQ # Amazing correlation in this post of Doc Searls to…

brokenclay.org/journal
How Not to Avoid the Superbowl

Katja

8 Feb 2010 | 9:39 am

As non-football fans, my husband and I enjoy Superbowl Sunday. Streets are empty, shops are quiet and it’s easy to find a seat in the movie theater. One memorable year (football fans will probably remember which year it was, I don’t), we strolled down the middle of Route 123 in downtown McLean, Virginia with not a car in sight. But it has its downside. Last year, we went out to dinner, only to find that the restaurant decided to close on the spur of the moment due to lack of customers. Last night we wanted pizza, and we discovered that there was a new sit-down pizza place nearby.
Access-A-Ride in NYC

Katja

6 Feb 2010 | 1:05 pm

You have to make a reservation one to two days in advance. That means knowing not only when you’ll be ready to set out, but also where your first stop will be, how long it will last, where your second stop will be, how long that will last, and so on. What if the doctor is running late? Or the movie is a dud? Too bad. Unless your doorway has a direct view of the curb, you have to wait outside. Tom Charles, the M.T.A.’s vice president for paratransit, said that 95 percent of departures are on time — but “on time” means within a half-hour. Half an hour is a long time to wait on the…
Exercise and Injury – Be Careful Out There

Katja

5 Feb 2010 | 8:33 pm

So I’m at the gym. My trainer wants to add a little challenge to crunches, and asks me if I can scoot up to the wall, put my legs straight up the wall, and do crunches like that. Oh, with a 12 pound medicine ball. I scoot up, I wrassle my legs up the wall, and I’m holding them up there by pressing my palms against my knees. I let go experimentally, and my knees bend and my heels start sliding down the wall. “You’re going to have to hold my feet up,” I say. Now I don’t know if my trainer had a bad experience with too many sexual harassment awareness classes,…
Nordic Sit-Skiing

Katja

31 Jan 2010 | 6:45 pm

This weekend I went cross-country sit-skiing for the first time! My friend Sherry, who is a volunteer instructor for the National Sports Center for the Disabled took me to Devil’s Thumb Ranch, near Winter Park. We were met by another NSCD volunteer, Rick, and he and Sherry conferred about which of the available sit-skis might work best for me. The one he brought out looked good, so I transferred into it (nice and snug!), got strapped in, and off we went. Sherry showed me how to get moving by pushing off with my poles. Sherry checking out my sit-ski Sherry and me on the trail It was a…
CommentLuv

Katja

19 Jan 2010 | 4:38 pm

I saw the CommentLuv plugin on FWD/Forward and found it intriguing – if you leave a comment, it parses your URL and looks for your last post, and prints out the first phrase. I followed a number of CommentLuv links and found interesting new people to read. I already have a feed for other people’s most recent posts (see the “Currently Reading” sidebar), but thought this would be better. So leave a comment and let’s try it out. (If you’re reading this on Facebook, follow the “View Original Post” link back to brokenclay/journal.)

New Statesman
BSkyB to sell about 10.4 per cent stake in ITV

9 Feb 2010 | 7:00 am

Pay TV group BSkyB has decided to end its two-year legal battle to hold on to the 17.9 per cent stake in ITV, and agreed to sell a stake of about 10.4 per cent.
Google to add social networking features to Gmail

9 Feb 2010 | 6:56 am

The search engine Google will add new features to Gmail to compete with the social networking site Facebook.
Expensive but indispensable: welcome to the commentariat

9 Feb 2010 | 6:53 am

Press Gazette's editor gives his take on the magazine's top 50 comment writers.
Digital Economy Bill violates human rights

9 Feb 2010 | 6:53 am

The Joint Select Committee on Human Rights has said that the Digital Economy Bill in its current form breaches human rights and needs clarification.
ITV fined for animal cruelty on reality TV show

9 Feb 2010 | 6:50 am

The Australian RSPCA has said that ITV has been fined for animal cruelty after two of the contestants in its reality show I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! killed and ate a rat.

Disability Studies, Temple U.
Still More Disability Studies at Temple

Brian Zimmerman

1 Feb 2010 | 7:41 pm

The hits keep on coming:Disabling Issues in the Study of the Hebrew BibleJeremy Schipper, Assistant Professor, Department of ReligionThursday, February 412:30-1:50 p.m.Center for the Humanities (CHAT) Lounge, 10th Floor, Gladfelter HallInformed by Disability Studies, this talk examines a variety of methodological issues that should influence the study of disability in the Hebrew Bible and other
“The Geo-Politics of Disability” at Temple University

Brian Zimmerman

25 Jan 2010 | 9:36 am

The Institute on Disabilities at Temple University presentsSpring 2010 Lecture Series“The Geo-Politics of Disability”Debility, Capacity, and DeleuzeJasbir PuarAssociate Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies, Rutgers UniversityWednesday, February 3, noon to 1:30 P.M.1810 Liacouras Conference SuiteLiacouras Walk, Temple University Main CampusProfessor Puar will analyze concerns related to the
Upcoming Disability Blog Carnivals

Penny L. Richards

24 Jan 2010 | 7:14 pm

We've had a good response to the call for hosting future editions of the Disability Blog Carnival--thanks all! I think this is the 2010 schedule so far; I'll amend, adjust, and augment as requested.January (#62): Cheryl hosted this edition at her blog, Finding My Way: Journey of an Uppity Intellectual Activist Crip.February (#63): The Disability community on Dreamwidth.org will host this
January 23: Django Reinhardt (1910-1953)

Penny L. Richards

23 Jan 2010 | 5:45 pm

[Visual description: Django Reinhardt, in a black-and-white photo, holding his guitar, with a cigarette in his lips]One hundred years ago this weekend, guitarist Django Reinhardt was born, outside the town of Liberchies, Belgium, in a Roma family. The teenaged Django found work playing music in a Paris dance hall. But at 18, the caravan he shared with his first wife caught fire. He was burned
Disability Blog Carnival #62 is up now....

Penny L. Richards

20 Jan 2010 | 10:39 am

...and has been for a week. Sorry--we spent three nights in the PICU last week, amazing how that wrecks a week, eh? (Son is fine now.) But better late than never, here's the 62nd edition of the Disability Blog Carnival, hosted by Cheryl with the theme "Holidays." Funny, defiant, adorable, troubling--she's got every flavor of post in this big stockingfull of links.Next month's edition will be

Down the MS Path
Exercise and MS

Vicki

6 Feb 2010 | 3:14 am

Besides improving mobility and strength, exercise therapy improves daily living, quality of life, and even the mood of MSers who participate. What about fatigue? There is a theory that aerobic exercise might fight fatigue even though exercise usually heats up the body, and for MSers heat often results in fatigue. Hmm. Sounds like a vicious circle. Maybe not.The University of Buffalo is researching that very question. Their study will determine "the effects of a 12-week aerobic exercise program on fitness, core and skin temperature, and heat flux in MS patients."And here's something for…
Ampyra Approved!

Vicki

22 Jan 2010 | 3:10 pm

Today Ampyra received FDA approval.This therapy by Acorda Therapeutics increases walking speed in the four major MS types - RRMS, SPMS, PPMS, and PRMS.Ampyra is in tablet form, previously known as fampridine. It is being developed in the US by Acorda Therapeutics, the company that works with zanaflex, and outside the US by Biogen Idec.Ampyra is expected to be commercially available by March of this year. Read the press release.
Two Ideas

Vicki

6 Jan 2010 | 3:39 am

Michael B. Gerber has some clever ideas and observations that help us think outside the box. Here are two posts that do just that:It can be doneMichael tells us a marching band from a blind school reminded him for something to be done, the idea must come to someone who then shares it. He asks us each to ask ourselves "What can I do?" When you have an answer, share it. It may be the beginning of something important.The Story of an MSer taking a SkydiveI have been thinking about this since I first read it, falling, not soaring. Almost everyone I know really like it whether they can describe it…
Oral Medication

Vicki

28 Dec 2009 | 2:53 am

Okay, pills for MS are not yet available, but they are coming soon. Soon is a word we hear about medical trials quite often. We do not know exactly when soon means, but we are closer than ever before.There are five, yes, five different possibilities of oral medications in trials at this time. The first two approved will probably be cladrbrine and fingolimad. Familiar names — coming soon to a pharmacist near you.Many of us with MS have been waiting for these two oral medications to reach the market. When it happens, I hope there are plenty of pills and that they make a difference in our…
My Card for You

Vicki

24 Dec 2009 | 5:16 pm

For the Christmas Tree, Garry used IFL Labs software for the fractal and Jasc animation software for the animation.

Fred's Head from APH
Blind and Visually Impaired mobile phone buyer's guide

9 Feb 2010 | 6:19 am

by Emma Tracey Nowadays, mobile phones are geared up for so much more than calls and texts. For blind or visually impaired people though, only certain devices will be usable. Without getting too technical, here are five things to think about when choosing a handset. Can I access the phone’s basic features? A mobile phone is totally pointless if you can’t make or receive calls or texts. There is text enlargement software available for those of you with useful vision, Zooms being the most popular choice. Otherwise, it’s about ensuring that character size is acceptable, that the device is…
FillAnyPDF.com: Greater Accessibility with PDF Forms

9 Feb 2010 | 4:35 am

FillAnyPDF.com is a website where you upload your PDF form and link to it so other people can fill it out and sign it online. No software is needed. Any PDF form can be used, even if it's not "interactive", so you can get started right away. You can even invite a group to fill out your forms and track the results. Anyone that collects signatures or filled out forms will find FillAnyPDF.com to be a valuable time-saving resource. Upload a PDF form Link to it People click the link They fill out the form Better than a Fax Do you ask anyone to print a form, fill it out, and fax it back? You can…
Find Free Wi-Fi

8 Feb 2010 | 10:38 am

Looking for free Wi-Fi in your area? Are you preparing for a trip? Well MetroFreeFi.com MetroFreeFi.com offers a really nice service where you can choose states from a menu, and MetroFreeFi will generate a Notes file for your iPod or compatible notetaker. Drop the files on your iPod or notetaker and you're good to go! I thought I knew most of the free Wi-Fi spots in Louisville, but the MFF file showed me about a dozen I was unaware of. Some of the notes even detail special procedures for getting a WEP key for particular locations. It's a free service, and well worth the time. Click this link…
Free Downloadable APH Product Manuals

8 Feb 2010 | 10:02 am

Did you know that APH products have manuals available for immediate, free-of-charge download. Examples of downloadable manuals include Crafty Graphics, Let's See, and Basic Tactile Anatomy Atlas. Manuals available for download. The next time you have a new APH Instructional Products Catalog, look for the yellow & black book icon to find the manuals available for download. APH will add new manuals to the download page on an ongoing basis. We will announce additions in the APH News. The following manuals were recently posted to our manual download page, www.aph.org/manuals/index.html…
Quick Fix for Trash Can Odor

8 Feb 2010 | 9:15 am

One thing I can't stand is a smelly trash can! It will stink up the entire house if not taken care of immediately. If you have problems with a smelly trash can, try dropping a section of newspaper in the bottom. The newspaper is great for absorbing odor, and if anything spills, the newspaper will soak it up. When the trash can is emptied, make sure all of the paper is discarded and place a new section in the bottom.

lifekludger
Resistive Multitouch Touchscreen tech

dnw

8 Feb 2010 | 9:17 pm

Touchco was a New York company that, according to it’s now closed website title, was developing “IFSR* multi-touch resistive sensors”. It has now reportedly ben bought by Amazon. The impressive thing about this technology is this. “Unlike the more common and more expensive capacitive touchscreens, Touchco-equipped screens can be used with a stylus as easily as a finger, are sensitive to different levels of pressure, and can detect an unlimited number of simultaneous touch points.” [Amazon reportedly gets its hands on touchscreen tech for Kindle | Good Morning…
iTouch iStick iKludge

dnw

3 Feb 2010 | 5:38 pm

Last year I captured this video, and has been on my youtube channel, yet seems I never posted it here. iTouch iStick iKludge From: lifekludger | August 10, 2009 The iTouch/iPhone needs skin so it doesn’t work with my mouthstick. In this video I show use by running copper wire down the stick from mouth. Contact to the device is using a pogo stylus. Taping the stylus to the stick and the wire to the stylus conducts whatever it is in y skin that the iTouch needs. This kludge was an experiment and is not very serviceable and therefore unsatisfactory as an end solution. The video alsio shows…
Wireless door access TI watch

dnw

31 Jan 2010 | 9:23 pm

Wireless door access using the TI hackable watch What seems “novelty” can often be essential in a different context. This type device could be great for access. The TI Chronos development kit will allow many great projects that cleverly exploit the resources of the Chronos watch. This video shows a hack that wirelessly unlocks a door using the built-in accelerometer to detect coded taps on the watch. [TI Press release] [via Hack a Day] – Share this on del.icio.us Digg this! Share this on Reddit Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon Share this on Facebook Tweet…
Mac Tutorial Video Subtitles

dnw

27 Jan 2010 | 12:49 am

Closed Caption symbol The goal of the Mac Video Tutorials Subtitle Project is to caption the Apple video tutorials that help users learn to use the Mac. To make this great resource available to non-English speaking users, and to those with hearing impairments or language processing problems. A great use of crowd sourcing. [Mac Video Tutorials Subtitle Project via atmac.org] Share this on del.icio.us Digg this! Share this on Reddit Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon Share this on Facebook Tweet This! Seed this on Newsvine Share this on Tumblr Blog this on Blogger Related…
Make Open source hardware list 2009

dnw

24 Jan 2010 | 1:37 am

Make has put together a list of Open Source Hardware projects. These are projects in which the creators have decided to completely publish all the source, schematics, firmware, software, bill of materials, parts list, drawings and “board” files to recreate the hardware – they also allow any use, including commercial. Similar to open source software like Linux, but this hardware centric. Wikipedia: Open Source Hardware [via Make: Online : Open source hardware 2009 - The definitive guide to open source hardware projects in 2009] Share this on del.icio.us Digg this! Share this…

My Disability Blog
Social Security Disability, Uncontrolled Hypertension, Severe Back Pain with Multiple Surgeries

Disability Blogger

8 Feb 2010 | 7:05 am

"I am close to 55 and have worked since I was in high school. Uncontrolled hypertension and a history of severe back pain with multiple surgeries including removal of a disc. Applied for disability in January but no answer yet. Should I be concerned? Should I call them to check on my case, or should I get a lawyer to do it for me? Will SS respond faster or better to a lawyer?"You should contact
Am I Guaranteed of an SSI Denial and will Social Security call my past employers?

Disability Blogger

5 Feb 2010 | 5:44 pm

Here's a question that was recently sent in by someone."Just trying to found out how this works. Everything, everybody always says that you always get turned down when you first apply. I applied for SSI two months ago, no attorney involved. I assume they will investigate with my doctors. Will they call my past employers or have an investigator follow me around to see if I am faking or deserve to
Social Security Disability and What Your Medical Records Have to Say

Disability Blogger

4 Feb 2010 | 9:17 pm

"I was denied SSDI and with a attorney filed a appeal and am waiting to go before the ALJ. My letter states that my medical records show I'm impaired and activites are severly restricted; however with treatment they expect them to improve after 12 months if they dont contact them.People have told me that's a good sign? Is it? Also I am under care every month with a regular MD,and its been a year
What if the Disability Examiner is Unfamiliar with my Medical Condition?

Disability Blogger

2 Feb 2010 | 8:19 am

The following is from Tld:"I followed up today and the Disability Examiner said that my case is in the queue for both the unit medical consultant and unit psychological consultant. She said that they are backed up and it could [take] 30 days then she will get it back and complete the write up and submit to the field office where they will send me a letter. I just noticed something tonight though.
Nine Things To Know About Osteoarthritis

Disability Blogger

30 Jan 2010 | 3:36 pm

1) The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which affects over 26 million people in the United States alone. It is also called degenerative joint disease and/or degenerative arthritis.2) Acute pain is the main symptom of osteoarthritis. Other symptoms may include stiffness, joint swelling and pain, aching in the joints, limited movement and joint pain during wet, rainy weather.3) With

Meyrick Jones Racing
Buntzen Lake Hike

MJ

8 Feb 2010 | 1:27 pm

Buntzen Lake is about 10 minutes from our new facility in Port Moody. The loop around the lake makes an awesome hike of about two hours if you are moving steadily.Yesterday (pre-Superbowl) 22 customers and friends, 3 IF staff, 3 dogs and one baby took on the hike around the lake. It was a little rainy so I thought the turnout might suffer but nobody was deterred - great start!We are one week into the facility Nutrition Challenge (essentially a cleanse combined with a challenge to increase your exercise) - it lasts 28 days. (Note: That's why the cakes pictured in the previous post were so…
Superbowl XLIV

MJ

7 Feb 2010 | 3:06 pm

The sad part is that I can't eat either of them.... Who are you picking?MJ's Superbowl prediction: Colts by 3
Grand Opening Party!

MJ

12 Jan 2010 | 9:05 am

This Thursday is our Grand Opening Party.It has been such a journey to get to this point - a lot of sweat but a lot of fun too! We are going to enjoy ourselves on Thursday and take a moment to reflect before we put the head back down and keep working.Please stop by and join us!
Happy Holidays!

MJ

24 Dec 2009 | 8:52 am

May your Holiday Season be filled with family, friends and good health!Merry Christmas from the Jones Family!
Thoughts After Two Weeks

MJ

5 Dec 2009 | 8:03 am

On Monday it will have been two weeks since we opened the doors of our sparkling new Innovative Fitness facility in Port Moody. It has been the busiest time of my life... There hasn't been much family time to speak of. That's why tonight's "Penguins vs. Capitals" game in front of our house was just what the doctor ordered. Penguins won by the way (as always.) Some thoughts about the last two weeks:- People: It has been a long time since I was meeting new people every day. I didn't miss it in my life because I didn't think about it... but it's one of my favourite things about the last two…

Rolling Rains Report
On Haiti & Mozambique: Development Strategies That Adopt Inclusive Tourism

Scott Rains

8 Feb 2010 | 8:41 pm

As I look at the Concept Note describing our upcoming seminar on Inclusive Tourism in Mozambique and read comments on Haiti's tourism I see parallels -- and opportunities:Image via WikipediaHaiti was getting ready to capitalise on its sunny weather and tropical scenery to attract tourist to that impoverished island nation when the magnitude-7.0 earthquake rocked the French-speaking country, killing an estimated 200,000 and leaving millions homeless.New hotels, new attention from international investors and buzz among travellers who have visited in recent years seem to signal a renewed…
Jangada Adaptada Conquista Maceió - Vamos Introduzi-la em Moçambique (Portuguese)

Scott Rains

8 Feb 2010 | 5:07 pm

Jangada adaptada A embarcação, agora, tem espaço para acomodar duas cadeiras de rodas, cercada por toda a segurança. José Batista, de 35 anos. Luiz Carlos, de 52. Ambos são cadeirantes. Faz tempo que eles sonhavam com algo que estava muito perto deles: as piscinas naturais de Maceió. Mas como chegar lá? "Quando é que um dia eu vou poder chegar até a beira-mar, pegar uma jangada e conhecer as piscinas naturais?", questiona o gestor de marketing José Batista. "Conhecer, realmente, isso que é uma atração turística da nossa cidade de Maceió", comenta o presidente da Associação…
A New Information Resource for PwD Wanting to Travel to Brazil

Scott Rains

8 Feb 2010 | 2:15 pm

Eduardo Camara has begun translating the articles at the blog Mão na Roda into English. Watch this page as he continues to add resources:http://maonarodablog.com.br/wheelchair-traveling-brazil/
Blog-to-Blog We Open Up the Outdoors to People with Disabilities!

Scott Rains

7 Feb 2010 | 11:33 am

One of the newest bright spots on the scene for those of us championing inclusion in outdoor tourism is the emergence of blogs by our researcher experts working in English.Among the former is Dr Simon Darcy with his Accessible Tourism Research blog:SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2010ACCESSIBLE ALPINE TOURISM PROJECTA colleague, Scott Rains of the Rolling Rains Report, alerted me to the Snow Mountains accessible tourism resources (Snowy Mountains Regional Tourism Association, 2010). What Scott didn't know was that the resources are an excellent example of operationalising previous…
UNESCO To Launch 2010 Year For Rapprochement Of Cultures

Scott Rains

6 Feb 2010 | 10:51 am

Whether or not people with disabilities or subgroups with specific disabilities constitute a culture or cultures is a controverted topic. Assuming that they do the following announcement excerpted from Imtiaz Muqbil's newsletter Travel Impact Newswire has relevance to Inclusive Tourism as contributing to rapprochement of cultures. A question then becomes, as the International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) already asks, "How can Inclusive Tourism contribute to rapprochement of cultures?" 1. UNESCO To Launch 2010 Year For Rapprochement Of Cultures Feb 4 2010 -- The head of the…

Leaving Treadmarkz Across the Universe
Mind Games to Play With Walkies III

treadmarkz

21 Jan 2010 | 6:29 pm

by Treadmarkz I love politically correct language. It’s funny. It’s irrational. I could go on all day but let me get to my point. A lot of people in wheelchairs, for example like to refer to themselves as “disabled”. In this country some people feel it is more appropriate to qualify that as “Disabled-American”. For [...]
Go and Watch “Avatar”

treadmarkz

28 Dec 2009 | 2:20 pm

by Treadmarkz Like I said in the title of this posting, go and watch James Cameron’s new movie, Avatar if you haven’t already. It is not ALL hype. Not all. It is a great movie, with some mind bending scenes, colors, action, etc. Not the most groundbreaking screenplay or overall plot, and there is certainly a [...]
Treadmarkz To Be Published by the “Legitimate” Press!

treadmarkz

18 Apr 2009 | 11:14 am

by Treadmarkz Yep, it’s official, Treadmarkz will be in hard copy for the first time ever when one of my stories appears in New Mobility magazine’s June issue. Reserve your copy now! I will be published under the name Forrest Dailey. It is a story which demonstrates that we are all much more alike in our [...]
Check Out a New Posting by Treadmarkz at Musicgoat.com!!!!!

treadmarkz

18 Apr 2009 | 10:58 am

by Treadmarkz Musicgoat.com is my brother-in-law’s music blog. I recently came up with the idea to write a piece in which I attempt to explain the break-up of the Beatles using the law of Karma as a guide. Give it a look, and if you are a fan of music – any music! - take a [...]
Treadmarkz and Footprints

treadmarkz

17 Apr 2009 | 8:42 am

by Treadmarkz One night, a man who uses a wheelchair dreamed that he was watching himself push through the wilderness. As he rolled through the wilderness, many scenes from his life flashed in the sky. As each scene flashed, he noted that beside the wheel tracks in the mud, there was a set of footprints. Further, [...]

Pipecleaner Dreams
Ramp Care

Ashley's Mom

9 Feb 2010 | 4:00 am

I need some advice from those of you who have wheelchair ramps.My ramp is built out of decking material - pressure treated wood. When it gets wet or cold and wet, or just covered in dew, it gets very slippery. Is there something I can put on it that would help?And how do you handle snow and lots of it? Do you just shovel the ramp like you would a driveway, or do you put a tarp down before it snows, or something else that would make the job of clearing the ramp quicker and easier?If things work out and Johnny gets to join our family, using the ramp will be a necessity and something we will not…
Sometimes I Do, Sometimes I Don't

Ashley's Mom

8 Feb 2010 | 4:00 am

Do people sometimes criticize you for doing too much for your child with a disability? Do they say, “Let them do that? How else will they learn?” I have, in fact, said similar things to other parents of children with disabilities. I even wrote a blog post titled Don’t Love Me Too Much on this subject. I believe we need to let our children try and sometimes even fail so that they can learn. But often when I am ‘doing’ for my child, it’s more for me than her.Yes, my daughter is capable of dressing and undressing herself. Yes, she is capable of washing her hair and completing her…
Chief of What?

Ashley's Mom

5 Feb 2010 | 4:00 am

I’ve never been a Sarah Palin fan, but I’ve got to applaud her for calling out The Obama Administration’s Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel (pictured to the right), when he recently scolded participants in a strategy session, calling them, “F---ing retarded.”Mrs. Palin wrote on her Facebook page, “Just as we’d be appalled if any public figure of Rahm’s stature ever used the “N-word” or other such inappropriate language, Rahm’s slur on all God’s children with cognitive and developmental disabilities – and the people who love them – is unacceptable, and it’s…
My Prayer for the 5th Day After the Snow Storm

Ashley's Mom

4 Feb 2010 | 4:00 am

Dear God,I have truly enjoyed the gift of snow You sent last weekend. Thirteen inches! Wow! And to think that we had fourteen inches just 6 weeks ago.The kids and I really enjoyed Your gift – the beautiful fat flakes of snow falling from the sky – the way our yard and driveway resembled a fluffy down blanket – and the way the sunlight made it glisten like diamonds. When You send a gift, it truly is a magnificent gift!You probably knew that we would enjoy making hot cocoa while watching movies and staying in our pajamas all day long. However, by the third day, our pajamas were getting a…
Special Exposure Wednesday

Ashley's Mom

3 Feb 2010 | 4:00 am

Someone tell me why the snow made a perfect conehead in the planter on my wheelchair ramp? I swear, this is exactly how it looked once the snow stopped.Be sure to visit all the other Special Exposure Wednesday shots at 5 Minutes For Special Needs!

SSD Disability
Social Security Disability, the Trial Work Period, EPE, and Expedited Reinstatement

Dnews

27 Jan 2010 | 5:48 pm

"After my 9 month work window has depleted, what happens with my family's benefits next?"Kest,The nine month trial work period is a time that an individual can earn over the SGA limit and not have it affect their ability to receive a disability check. Remember, that nine month period does not have to be continuous, but can occur at any time in a rolling five year period. Your disability benefit
Should Social Security Disability Have A Separate Impairment Listing For Migraines?

Dnews

22 Jan 2010 | 8:07 am

Individuals who experience debilitating migraines have a difficult time being approved for Social Security disability and Supplemental Security Income disability benefits. Social Security has no specific impairment listing for migraines (in the listing of impairments referred to as the blue book). That means that individuals with migraines have their symptoms and residual functional capacity--
How Hard Is It To Sign Up For Social Security Disability?

Dnews

18 Jan 2010 | 6:59 am

I was quite amazed at the response that I found at a forum for this question.“An attorney will only help out with paperwork. That may be worthwhile as they know how things should be worded for SSA to be able to understand how disabled the individual is. My child is blind and we have filed two times and have been turned down two times. Each time the soc sec office was full of people that seemed
What Are SSI Disability State Supplemental Benefits?

Dnews

15 Jan 2010 | 8:11 am

Supplemental Security Income or SSI is a federally funded need-based disability program that pays a set, monthly, monetary amount. The SSI disability benefit provided by the Federal Government is the same in all states. However, there are states in which SSI recipients receive higher benefit amounts. The reason some SSI recipients receive a higher disability payment is that some states offer an
After a Social Security Exam, How Long Does it Take for a Decision?

Dnews

9 Jan 2010 | 2:59 pm

Someone recently commented that they contacted the disability examiner working on their case and were told that everything was essentially done and that the examiner was simply waiting on the results of a consultative examination that the claimant had been required to go to. The individual asked (I'm paraphrasing): "How long does it take to get a decision after you go to an exam?"It's difficult

How to be an Inspiration
Bumped

Quick Sketch

31 Jan 2010 | 4:31 am

Apologies for the lack of posts over the last week or so. What can I say? It's January. It's cold, grey and generally miserable. If there was any justice in the world I would be in Mauritius. I am not, incidentally, in hospital. I was due to go in to the Royal Brompton on Tuesday so they could fiddle around with my BiPap settings and play with my mask in an attempt to sort out my CO2 levels. However I was bumped from my rightful bed by some sick person who was deemed to be in greater need than me. I was all psyched up and ready to go, ebooks downloaded and iPod charged, when the bed manager…
Still Ticking Along

Quick Sketch

21 Jan 2010 | 7:06 am

Yesterday I made the trip to Kings Hospital for the specialist FSH clinic with Dr Rose and his team. Once we had negotiated the near impossible task of parking within seven miles of the main entrance and then found our way through the maze of corridors to the Therapy Suite we were greeted by an enthusiastic volunteer who presented us with a pile of questionnaires designed to reveal my innermost concerns regarding my condition. No sooner had I started answering questions about my sleep patterns than we were whisked off to the cardiac clinic for an ECG.The woman who performed the ECG was one of…
Toeing The Line

Quick Sketch

12 Jan 2010 | 9:38 am

There is little to write about at the moment as I am effectively snowbound. The heavens have dumped a largish amount of the white stuff upon us and rendered the local pathways wheelchair proof. Dancing On Ice could be broadcast from the Westcroft Centre car park, across which I would have to traverse if I wanted to get to the school or village. The boys had two snow days off school last week and have since been watching the weather forecasts with the same attention they usually devote to Spongebob Squarepants.Apart from a slightly infected big toe I am well. Polly keeps looking at the toe and…
A Week In The Life

Quick Sketch

6 Jan 2010 | 7:53 am

We are now a week into 2010 and this is my first post of the new decade. It has been an interesting week, here are some of the highlights.On new years eve only one carer arrived. Polly had taken the boys to the early part of a party and I was home alone happily catching up with the second part of Day of the Triffids. Kolapo wrangled me into bed alone. New years day – only one carer arrived. Polly helped Kolapo get me up. There appears to have been some confusion over on which days care was cancelled. This had arisen because the decision had to be taken weeks in advance. Polly was in her run…
That Was The Year That Was

Quick Sketch

30 Dec 2009 | 6:20 am

As we slide down the razor blade of life (as Tom Lehrer had it) into 2010 I am compelled by convention to look back on 2009 with consideration.I had a run of deterioration in my Muscular Dystrophy which caused me some concern early in the year but a new super-duper wheelchair has gone some way towards compensating for that. I lost the ability to raise my arm in such a way as to be able to eat meals. A devise called a Neater arm has greatly helped with that problem. Frankly it was a bit scary at the time but I've got a new consultant at Kings who actually knows something about FSH MD and…

Low Visionary: accessible information, disability rights, web accessibility
Ten points to accessible information

Robyn

28 Jan 2010 | 5:48 pm

When I look back over my posts I realise that I have written quite a lot about accessible information, but never described what I mean by the term or expanded on the people who need it. So here goes. Of course everyone needs accessible information. But there are groups of people who encounter particular barriers when accessing information. Information is accessible when it is readily available to diverse audiences in ways which they can understand and use. It is presented in a range of formats and styles to people who are print-disabled. They may or may not use a range of specialist…
Good wishes for Christmas and 2010

Robyn

20 Dec 2009 | 4:04 pm

Thank you to everyone who has followed my blog and commented over the past year. It has certainly been a busy, eventful and sometimes difficult one. I hope that, like me, you are able to take a break and do some things you really enjoy with some people you love being with. May you all have a very happy Christmas and a safe and restful break. Of course not everyone celebrates Christmas. To those who don’t you have my good wishes. The New Year will bring new challenges and opportunities for all of us. I have some new and informative posts planned so do return next year. Ka kite ano Bookmark…
Social media equals social action

Robyn

15 Dec 2009 | 1:36 pm

Recent widespread outraged reaction over Paul Henry’s gratuitously insulting language on the Breakfast Show is an indication of the role social media is playing in establishing strong national disability networks. The response from across disability groups also shows that the silos between different impairment types are beginning to break down, which can only be a good thing. Paul Henry, and perhaps also TVNZ clearly had no grasp of the effect that so many disabled people and their supporters being connected online would have. Facebook was running hot and hectic, with pages I thought too…
Metservice NZ web accessibility review

Robyn

7 Dec 2009 | 2:37 pm

In a city where you can and frequently do have all four seasons in eight hours the weather web site is regular viewing for those of us who can’t drive and therefore walk to work (and most other places.) We need to make critical decisions like: head to toe raincoat with hood or windproof jacket and woolly hat and scarf, shoes, sandals or weather proof boots, sunnies or not. And that’s just the outerwear. Then there’s the issue if whether or not you need your merino vest and long johns. I am not talking about mid winter either. A few days ago I sat next to a young woman on the bus who…
The Disability Clothesline

Robyn

18 Nov 2009 | 5:44 pm

It is interesting to hear Judge Peter Boshier from the Family Court calling for a radical rethink of the way we deal with domestic violence in New Zealand. He cites cases of suicide because of the lack of support for victims. He also cites the lack of accountability of the perpetrators through programmes never completed. Nowhere is the need for action more acute than in the disability community where reporting is low, and penalties for murder lighter than for murder of non-disabled people. I know of at least once case of suicide caused by bullying, and more attempts. Domestic violence has a…

Bionic Ear Blog
Hearing Aid Tax Credit

8 Feb 2010 | 4:52 am

Image via Wikipedia From Hearing Aid Tax Credit web site: What would the Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act do? And, what are the differences in the House and Senate legislation? The bill in the House of Representatives (H.R. 1646) would provide a tax credit towards the purchase of each hearing aid of up to $500 per hearing aid, available once every 5 years. It would be available to 1) individuals age 55 and over, or 2) those purchasing a hearing aid for a dependent. The House bill excludes coverage for those with incomes over $200,000/year. The bill in the Senate (S. 1019) would provide…
Employees with Disabilities Think outside of the box daily

27 Jan 2010 | 1:32 pm

Who Are You Hiring in 2010? Thinking About Diversity in Another Way is a fabulous article that looks at hiring trends and thinking beyond the label. See Think Beyond the Label to learn how you can evolve your workforce. The web site is “committed to making the business case for employing people with disabilities.” Here’s an article that looks at five myths and the real facts for employers. I should be grateful I’ve had a great pre-freelance career working in the federal government as well as for two big telecommunications companies.
Cowboys Stadium Kicks off New Assistive Service

21 Jan 2010 | 8:39 am

No matter how you feel about the Dallas Cowboys — you have to give them credit. From Deaf Network of Texas. Softeq Development Corporation has implemented DURATEQ Live with Intelligent Access mobile captioning, audio description, and assistive listening service at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. On a recent Sunday, guests who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind or have low vision could access DURATEQ Assistive Technology Version (ATV) handhelds to enjoy the first NFC Playoff game in the stadium. “The Dallas Cowboys Football Club contacted us to build a universal experience for…
17 Misconceptions about People with Hearing Loss

12 Jan 2010 | 3:40 pm

17 Misconceptions about People with Hearing Loss shares great information answering many common questions I get from people. Some are afraid to ask the questions in fear of insulting someone. But I welcome them. Here I share my responses to the 17 misconceptions from my experience… Everyone with hearing losses uses sign language and reads lips. I know a drop of sign language, which I’ve picked up here and there like I’ve picked up words in other languages. My dad and grandmother lost their hearing as they got older. Neither knew sign language nor how to read lips. Talking…
Index of Captioned Videos

8 Jan 2010 | 1:19 pm

If you’re like me, you search for captioned video on a per site basis. For example, you use Hulu’s cc only caption feature, Google Video’s show captioned videos only feature and YouTube’s “closed captioned” type feature. Even these search tools are not perfect. For example, I added subtitles to all of my YouTube videos, but they don’t show up on YouTube’s caption search. Why? Because I didn’t upload a separate file with captions. They were already in there when I uploaded it. I have no way (that I know of) to identify the video as…

ATMac
Accessing the iPad: Mouthsticks and Styluses

Paul Natsch

2 Feb 2010 | 3:26 pm

Paul's handsplint, showing the Pogo Stylus attached with black velcro.When Apple announced the iPad the first thing I thought was “how, as a quadriplegic with limited use of my arms, will I be able to use this device?”. Fortunately I immediately already had a pretty good idea on how this could be accomplished being that I’ve been an iPod Touch 2G user for almost 18 months. Ultimately the iPad is probably going to be able to do quite a bit more than the iPod Touch but the iPod Touch is still essentially the iPad’s “little brother”. So I thought I’d…
Accessibility and the iPad: First Impressions

Ricky Buchanan

28 Jan 2010 | 5:20 am

As expected, at their press gathering this morning Apple announced their new product: the iPad. So what’s an iPad? Will the iPad be accessible, and what will it mean for accessibility in general? What’s An iPad? The iPad, at first glance, looks like an enlarged version of an iPod Touch or iPhone. It’s 9.7 inches diagonally, compared to the iTouch’s 4.7 inch diagonal screen so it’s approximately twice the width and height (so four times the total area) but not thicker than the smaller devices. Like the iTouch and iPhone, the iPad synchronises with iTunes and is…
Mac Video Tutorial Subtitles project

Ricky Buchanan

22 Jan 2010 | 1:54 am

Apple has a lot of wonderful video tutorials that help users learn to use the Mac, including the iLife and iWork applications. Unfortunately the videos are presented in English only, with no captions or subtitles available. The goal of the Mac Video Tutorials Subtitle Project is to caption these videos in multiple languages, including English. They want to make this great resource available to non-English speaking users, and to those with hearing impairments or language processing problems. The MVTS Project has also provided the MacTutorial Viewer which is a downloadable app containing all…
Round-Up: Discount Software, Accessible PDFs, Best App Ever

Ricky Buchanan

19 Jan 2010 | 5:04 pm

Looking for some new iPhone, iPod Touch or Mac software? On the 20th of January only take a look at Indie+Relief. A huge group of software developers have got together to sell software at discounted prices with all the proceeds going to charities to benefit Haiti in the wake of their massive earthquake. There’s some really useful software available there, and I highly recommend you take a look at it. Accessible Podcast/iTunes U Guidelines I wrote last year about the guidelines for creating accessible podcast and iTunes University content, put together by The National Center for…
Dictation For Your iPhone/iPod Touch

Paul Natsch

14 Jan 2010 | 7:16 pm

Back in December Nuance, makers of the award-winning Dragon NaturallySpeaking, surprised everybody by releasing two apps for the iPhone - Dragon Dictation and Dragon Search. The former allows you to dictate text into an iPhone much like Dragon NaturallySpeaking for the PC and MacSpeech Dictate for the Mac. The latter allows you to do a variety of Internet searches using filters such as YouTube, Google, and Wikipedia using your voice. Both apps were received extremely well and were instantly considered must-haves for any iPhone user, especially considering they were both free for a limited…

Disability Scoop
Mardi Gras To Accommodate Kids With Special Needs

Shaun Heasley

8 Feb 2010 | 11:30 am

Mardi Gras will be extra special this year for a group of kids with disabilities who will get to watch the parades from a V.I.P. stand.
Adopted Family Helps Man, 70, Become Oldest With Down Syndrome

Shaun Heasley

8 Feb 2010 | 11:16 am

At 70, Edgar Call is believed to be the oldest man living with Down syndrome. But at home with his adopted family, he's just one of the kids.
Autism Odds Double For Kids Born To Moms Over 40

Michelle Diament

8 Feb 2010 | 9:30 am

Older mothers are more likely to give birth to a child with autism, largely irrespective of the father's age, a new study finds.
White House Chief Emanuel Signs ‘R-Word’ Pledge, Calls Effort ‘Important’

Michelle Diament

5 Feb 2010 | 9:27 am

Capping more than a week of scrutiny, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel signed the Special Olympics pledge to end use of the "r-word."
New Data Shows More People With Disabilities Out Of Work

Shaun Heasley

5 Feb 2010 | 8:40 am

The unemployment rate among people with disabilities climbed back up in January after a two month decline, the Labor Department reported Friday.

Colorado Social Security Law
How much can I get from SSI in 2010?

Tomasz Stasiuk

27 Jan 2010 | 8:00 am

Social Security usually increases Supplemental Security Income benefits annually. Since 2007, SSI benefits have increased from $623, to $637 (in 2008), to $674 (in 2009). Sadly, Social Security is not increasing SSI benefits for 2010. SSI benefits are staying at $674 for individuals and $1,011 for couples. This is the first year in a decade that SSI benefits have stayed the same for two years in a row!
What’s new in Social Security in 2010?

Tomasz Stasiuk

20 Jan 2010 | 7:54 am

The Social Security Red Book page has a nice summary of the the changes in the Social Security system in 2010: We increased the Substantial Gainful Activity SGA amount for individuals with disabilities, other than blindness, from $980 to $1000 for 2010. The SGA amount for individuals who are blind is $1,640 for 2010. The amount is unchanged from 2009. We increased the monthly earnings amount that we use to determine if a month counts for the Trial Work Period TWP from$700 to $720 for 2010. For 2010, the Supplemental Security Income SSI Federal Benefit Rates FBR is $674 for an eligible…
Can 18 year old full time student still get Social Security child’s benefits?

Tomasz Stasiuk

12 Jan 2010 | 5:00 am

I was recently asked if Social Security child’s benefits continue for a full time student who is 18 or over. At first blush, the regulations seem to suggest it might be possible. 20 CFR 404.350 “Who is entitled to child’s benefits” states (a) General. You are entitled to child’s benefits on the earnings record of an insured person who is entitled to old-age or disability benefits or who has died if- (1) You are the insured person’s child, based upon a relationship described in §§404.355 through 404.359; (2) You are dependent on the insured, as defined in §§404.360 through…
Can adopted children receive Social Security benefits because of parent’s disability?

Tomasz Stasiuk

7 Jan 2010 | 5:00 am

Children can get Social Security benefits if they have a parent who is receiving Social Security Disability Insurance benefits (SSDI). 20 CFR 404.350 is the regulation dealing with who is entitled to Social Security child’s benefits. Generally, the child has to qualify as the parent’s child (more on this in a moment), be dependent on the parent, unmarried, and under 18. What happens in cases of grandparents, step-parents, or parents who adopt children? Are their children entitled to Social Security child’s benefits? Social Security has a number of regulations used to decide…
What are Social Security auxiliary benefits

Tomasz Stasiuk

5 Jan 2010 | 5:00 am

When a disabled individual receives Social Security disability insurance benefits (also known as DIB, SSDI or Title 2 benefits), their spouse or minor children may also be eligible to receive Social Security benefits. These benefits paid to the spouse or minor child are called “auxiliary benefits.” Wait a minute, I’m on SSI, but my kids didn’t get any Social Security benefits. Whether a spouse or children receive Social Security benefits depends on which Social Security benefits the spouse or parent is receiving. There are two kinds of Social Security disability…

Community Options, Inc.
Great Strides for People with Disabilities - Opinion Editorial by Robert Stack

25 Jan 2010 | 1:17 pm

The Governor of the state of Tennessee is making great strides in the educational and disability movement. Returning from my Nashville office to our national headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey, I read with great excitement the support Senator Frist extended to the Governor relative to the SCORE program. Both Senator Frist and I work in the same town; Princeton and we are both strong supporters of some of the work of the Governor.My background is in disability, which excites me that the Governor has made the executive decision to close Clover Bottom and place the remaining 108 people with…
Local Texan to Chair National Family Group Representing Children with Disabilities

19 Jan 2010 | 11:53 am

Community Options is the recipient of a $1 million dollar grant from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, an arm of the Administration for Children and Families. Community Options, Inc. will use its existing 26 offices in nine states to support families of children with disabilities to evaluate, promote and provide national leadership training through a Family Web 2.0 project. Families will teach each other how to evaluate and operate training programs and how to engage in positive policy development to ensure ongoing support services. Community Options has recently selected a…
NJ's First Green Group Home for People with Disabilities

19 Jan 2010 | 11:50 am

Community Options currently operates seventy group homes supporting people with disabilities across New Jersey. The organization is working on a unique project that has never been done in the state. In partnership with Hopewell Township and Princeton Design Guild, the nonprofit is building the first sustainable group home for people with disabilities in New Jersey.Plans call for the construction of this home to be LEED for Homes certified. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, provides standards for…
Tray Chaney - New Ambassador

19 Jan 2010 | 11:47 am

Tray Chaney, the highly celebrated up and coming actor, is best known for his role on the HBO’s Original hit series "The Wire", but his career as a performer at the early age of four years old. Among his credits is his performance at New York’s Apollo Theatre, "Head of State" with Chris Rock and Bernie Mac, "The District" (CBS Television), "America’s Most Wanted" (Fox Television), Lil Bow Wow "My Baby" Video featuring Jagged Edge, and The Salon featuring Vivica A. Fox. He is also the author of the book "The Truth You Can't Betray" and he is in the studio working on his debut recording…
New Ambassador - Jacki-O

19 Jan 2010 | 11:44 am

Jacki-O, As one of the few female hip hop artists to break into the industry with any success, Jacki-O has found content in her own skin as a lyricist, author and even an actress. The CEO of the company Jackmove Entertainment, she is not only managing her career but helping other recording artists break into the business as well. Known by many for her skills on the stage, in 2008 Jacki-O showed another side of herself by penning the urban novel GROWN AND GANGSTA. Within weeks it became a bestseller, taking her on tour and garnering a new audience in the process. Currently she is in the studio…

Disability Blog
A Brain AVM and Receiving Social Security Disability

admin

8 Feb 2010 | 8:50 am

Arteriovenous malformation is what the letters AVM stands for. An AVM is a tangle of poorly formed and abnormal veins and arteries (blood vessels). An AVM has a higher rate of bleeding than normal blood vessels. A brain AVM is when this occurs in your brain. It is an abnormal connection between veins and arteries in your brain that disrupts the normal flow of blood between these blood vessels. Fortunately, a brain AVM is extremely rare. They happen in less than 1% of the general population of the United States. Researchers believe that a brain AVM takes place during the development of a baby…
Aphasia and Receiving Social Security Disability Benefits

admin

4 Feb 2010 | 10:49 am

Aphasia is a language disorder that involves damage to the portions of your brain that are responsible for language. For most people, this involves the left side (hemisphere) of your brain. Aphasia usually happens suddenly. Many times it is the result of a head injury or stroke, but it can also develop slowly, as in the case of a brain tumor. This disorder affects the understanding and expression of language, as well as the writing and reading of it. Aphasia may occur at the same time as other speech disorders, such as apraxia of speech or dysarthria that also come from brain damage. Although…
Osteomyelitis and Receiving Social Security Disability Benefits

admin

1 Feb 2010 | 8:41 am

Osteomyelitis is the medical term that is used to refer to infection in a bone. Infections can start in one of your bones if some kind of trauma exposes your bone to germs. Infections can also reach one of your bones by spreading from a tissue that is close by or going through your blood stream. Osteomyelitis usually affects the long bones in your body. These are your upper arm bone or your leg bones. Osteomyelitis can also affect your pelvis and spine. Osteomyelitis can either be an acute or chronic condition in adults. In children it is usually an acute condition. Osteomyelitis affects…
Basal Cell Carcinoma and Receiving Social Security Disability

admin

26 Jan 2010 | 6:07 am

Image via Wikipedia Cancer begins in your cells, the building blocks of your body. When things are going as they should, your body produces new cells as you need them, which replace old cells that die. Sometimes this process does not work right. Old cells do not die when they should, and new cells develop even when you do not need them. Cancer is not just one disease. It is a group of diseases. Each one of these diseases is marked by cells that are aggressive (they grow and divide without respect to normal limits), invasive (they invade and destroy adjacent tissue) and sometimes metastatic…
Adrenocortical Carcinoma and Receiving Social Security Disability

admin

25 Jan 2010 | 7:21 am

Adrenocortical carcinoma is a cancer that begins in your adrenal cortex. This is the outside layer of your adrenal gland. Adrenocortical carcinoma is also referred to by other names. It is also called adrenal cancer, cancer of the adrenal cortex, adrenocortical cancer and adrenal carcinoma. Fortunately, adrenocortical carcinoma is rare. It affects one or two people per one million in population. It usually develops in adults who are in their 30s and 40s. There is also a childhood form of the disease that usually occurs in children under 5. Adrenocortical carcinoma may not cause any signs or…

Social Security Disability Blog
Q & A: Can I submit non-medical sources of evidence in my disability claim?

Jonathan C. Ginsberg

4 Feb 2010 | 12:26 pm

Hello and welcome to the 8th installment of my Q & A series, which is designed to cover some of the more elusive topics associated with the Social Security Disability claims process. In this post, I discuss how non-medical sources of evidence can be helpful in a disability claim. Question: Outside of doctors, licensed psychologists, licensed optometrists, hospitals, and clinics, are there additional evidence sources that I could submit information from that would help substantiate my disability claim? My answer: Yes, other additional sources may help show the extent of your impairment and…
Q & A: What medical sources are considered acceptable by the SSA?

Jonathan C. Ginsberg

26 Jan 2010 | 2:47 pm

Hello and welcome to the 7th installment of my Q & A series, which is designed to cover some of the more elusive topics associated with the Social Security Disability claims process. In this post, I discuss what types of medical providers are deemed as "acceptable medical sources" by the Social Security Administration. Question: I recently applied for SSDI, and I want to make sure that the medical records I am providing to the SSA are from "acceptable medical sources." Can you explain in detail what the SSA views as an acceptable medical source? My answer: The SSA…
Immigrant gets prison time for stealing from the SSA

Jonathan C. Ginsberg

25 Jan 2010 | 12:00 pm

This past November, Mohammad Husseini was sentenced to six months prison time and ordered to pay back the $111,000 he “stole” from the Social Security Administration. The 59-year-old immigrant from Afghanistan, who became a U.S. citizen in 1978, had been fraudulently receiving Social Security Disability benefits since 1999. In 1990, Husseini suffered a work-related injury and applied for and received Social Security disability payments, court documents said. Of course, as is always the case when one is approved for benefits, Husseini had to agree to notify the SSA if he again obtained…
Q & A: How important is it for me to keep my Social Security file up to date with new medical records?

Jonathan C. Ginsberg

15 Jan 2010 | 11:56 am

Hello and welcome to the 6th installment of my Q & A series, which is designed to cover some of the more elusive topics associated with the Social Security Disability claims process. In this post, I discuss the importance of keeping your disability case file up to date with new medical records as your claim progresses. Question: I recently applied for disability. Outside of the medical information that I provided in the initial application, how important is it that I continue to supplement my file while awaiting for a decision? My answer: Medical evidence is critical in determining…
If I Stop Working and File for Disability, How Do I Know that my Money Won't Run Out Before my Case is Approved?

Jonathan Ginsberg

9 Jan 2010 | 11:11 am

I have written extensively on this blog about the claim processing delays that continue to plague Social Security disability. I suspect that there are a lot of folks out there who are suffering and struggling trying to stay at work, perhaps at the expense of their health, because they are concerned that if they stop working, they will run out of savings before their case is decided. I recently received the following question from a gentleman named Steve who is fighting diabetes and diabetic complications and who finds himself with this quandary: I am a 43 year old diabetic. I was…

Personal Injury and Social Security Disability Blog
Toyota Planning to Recall 300,000 Prius Cars?

Bob Kraft

9 Feb 2010 | 4:14 am

According to published reports, Toyota is planning to recall some 300,000 Prius vehicles worldwide to repair a brake problem. The manufacturer supposedly will notify the U.S. and Japanese governments today. Toyota has already recalled more than 7 million other cars for repairs in the U.S. and other countries over a sticky accelerator and floor mats that can get caught in the gas pedal.General Motors said yesterday that it will start shipping parts to dealers soon to fix about 99,000 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibes equipped with the same sticky gas pedal systems as Toyota's. The Vibe is…
Not Following Doctor’s Orders Is Bad for Your Social Security Disability Claim

Bob Kraft

8 Feb 2010 | 3:17 am

Fellow blogger and Social Security Lawyer, Gordon Gates recently updated his blog on the topic of failure to follow prescribed treatment. It is worth reading, and I agree with him that you should avoid this becoming an issue at your hearing. Under the regulations, your disability claim can be denied if you would otherwise be found under a disability but fail, without justifiable cause, to follow treatment prescribed by a treating source which can be expected to restore your ability to work. See 20 C.F.R. 404.1530 (2009). Further sub-regulatory authority can be found in the Social Security…
U.S. Starts Inquiry Into Prius Brake Problems

Bob Kraft

5 Feb 2010 | 8:37 am

Poor Toyota. The company finally comes up with a proposed solution to the sticking throttle problem, and now they have a brake problem with the hugely popular Prius model. Here are excerpts from an article in the New York Times about the Prius problems:No sooner had Toyota dealerships begun to repair accelerator pedals on millions of recalled vehicles than the carmaker said it was considering yet another major recall, this time for problems with the brakes on its Prius hybrid.Safety regulators in Washington said Thursday that they would open an investigation into the brakes on the 2010…
Friday Fun

Bob Kraft

5 Feb 2010 | 3:06 am

This montage of old photos set to the lyrics of Billy Joel's We Didn't Start the Fire has been around a while, but I still enjoy seeing it. I'm old enough to remember all these pictures! Thanks to my friend Adam Doner for reminding me of it.
Embrace Life — Always Wear Your Seatbelt

Bob Kraft

4 Feb 2010 | 3:01 pm

Finding My Way
I Wouldn't Be Me If I Didn't Have This Funny Brain

8 Feb 2010 | 9:57 am

A crip friend of mine is reading Waist High in the World by Nancy Mairs (which looks like it's on a good sale at Amazon). I'd heard of it; it's been on my recommended list for years. She came to me with a simple quote. Something to the effect of I wouldn't be me if I didn't have MS.Wow, she thought. Profound. Seriously, I thought? You're XX age (I won't out you, sorry I'm implying you're old), you've been a crip most of your life, and this is the first you're pondering this? All through my life people have asked me "If you could take a pill and not have CP, would you do it?""No," I'd say to a…
If You Live in MN Gillette Needs Your Help

5 Feb 2010 | 9:46 am

Here is an email I got from them:We need your help.Over the coming weeks, the State House of Representatives will be reviewing Bill 2568. This bill was authored by 39 Representatives in support of providing funding for Gillette to expand our surgical facilities to meet current, and future, patient needs.Did you know that, currently, Gillette has only two surgical suites that are able to accommodate the complex, multi-specialty surgeries that so many of our patients need. And yet, each year, we perform more than 3,300 surgeries.All we are asking you to do is help us say, "Thank you." If you…
I Take Responsibility

4 Feb 2010 | 7:48 am

Thanks Beth for pointing me to two GREAT articles recently, one of which I will just mention briefly. Debate Over Cognitive, Traditional Mental Health Therapy from the LA Times touches on whether or not therapists should be designing treatment plans within the context of the medical model. But it is the other article, or rather part of it, that is really the focus of this post. The Americanization of Mental Illness from the New York Times also focuses on the medical model, but more extensively.I'm not going to sum up the entire article as it is super long (totally worth reading the whole…
A Health Care Almost Wordless Wednesday

3 Feb 2010 | 9:21 am

Is that supposed to be Socks the cat (?) leaning over the lectern in the White House press room. His word bubble says "Every animal-owner is required to treat their animals humanely, including veterinary care as necessary. Why don't you try that for people too?"
I Have Cerebral Palsy...

2 Feb 2010 | 8:29 am

[image description: a green rectangle with the words I have cerebral palsy... cerebral does not have me, a green cerebral palsy awareness ribbon, and one of those green awareness bracelets. Did you know that green is also the awareness color for both organ donation and save Darfur.]A few weeks ago I saw this clipart as the footer on someone's blog. I will not say who, as I do not want them to feel bad. Anyway, I've seen that ribbon icon on more than 1 blog. The ribbon has always made me feel uneasy, but this clipart even more so. It's those words, "I have cerebral palsy... cerebral palsy does…

abledbody
For the Deaf, Captioned Tours Wherever You Roam

admin

4 Feb 2010 | 3:00 am

Picture this: You fly off to Rome, head to the Coliseum and, using your iPhone, play a video that guides you around the ancient arena where gladiators and lions once roamed. Later, walk across Piazza del Colosseo to the Roman Forum and view a video tour of the sprawling Forum ruins, taking in what [...]
An Accessible Museum Tour in Your Hand

admin

4 Feb 2010 | 3:00 am

Keen Guides founder Catharine McNally says mobile video is the future of guided excursions, and will benefit the deaf and hard of hearing, too.
A Few of My Favorite Things at ATIA

admin

3 Feb 2010 | 3:00 am

My favorite gadgets at this year’s Assistive Technology Industry Association conference, which featured more than 100 vendors, include two communications products and a new PDA for the blind. I also note some worthy mentions – gadgets that I liked because of their design or originality. Here’s the list. ECO2 This eye-gaze system brings the latest in alternative [...]
Move Over iPhone — BlackBerry’s Got a New Screen Reader

admin

1 Feb 2010 | 1:02 pm

By Suzanne Robitaille In a much anticipated release, at this year’s Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) conference HumanWare and Code Factory debuted Oratio for the BlackBerry, the first-ever screen reader for the visually impaired using this smart phone. Oratio uses text-to-speech technology to convert the visual information displayed on the BlackBerry screen into audio output. [...]
Ad Campaign Eschews “Silly” Disability Labels

admin

31 Jan 2010 | 4:32 pm

Are you clearing-impaired? Yes, you heard me right. A new advertising campaign is using humor to encourage employers to hire people with disabilities. In Think Beyond The Label, workers are shown as having quirky impairments ranging from being a fashion disaster (”pattern-deficient”) to having two left feet on the dance floor (”rhythm-impaired”). The point is [...]

abledbody
For the Deaf, Captioned Tours Wherever You Roam

admin

4 Feb 2010 | 3:00 am

Picture this: You fly off to Rome, head to the Coliseum and, using your iPhone, play a video that guides you around the ancient arena where gladiators and lions once roamed. Later, walk across Piazza del Colosseo to the Roman Forum and view a video tour of the sprawling Forum ruins, taking in what [...]
An Accessible Museum Tour in Your Hand

admin

4 Feb 2010 | 3:00 am

Keen Guides founder Catharine McNally says mobile video is the future of guided excursions, and will benefit the deaf and hard of hearing, too.
A Few of My Favorite Things at ATIA

admin

3 Feb 2010 | 3:00 am

My favorite gadgets at this year’s Assistive Technology Industry Association conference, which featured more than 100 vendors, include two communications products and a new PDA for the blind. I also note some worthy mentions – gadgets that I liked because of their design or originality. Here’s the list. ECO2 This eye-gaze system brings the latest in alternative [...]
Move Over iPhone — BlackBerry’s Got a New Screen Reader

admin

1 Feb 2010 | 1:02 pm

By Suzanne Robitaille In a much anticipated release, at this year’s Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) conference HumanWare and Code Factory debuted Oratio for the BlackBerry, the first-ever screen reader for the visually impaired using this smart phone. Oratio uses text-to-speech technology to convert the visual information displayed on the BlackBerry screen into audio output. [...]
Ad Campaign Eschews “Silly” Disability Labels

admin

31 Jan 2010 | 4:32 pm

Are you clearing-impaired? Yes, you heard me right. A new advertising campaign is using humor to encourage employers to hire people with disabilities. In Think Beyond The Label, workers are shown as having quirky impairments ranging from being a fashion disaster (”pattern-deficient”) to having two left feet on the dance floor (”rhythm-impaired”). The point is [...]

Social Security Blog
Adults With Disabilities On The Rise

8 Feb 2010 | 9:31 am

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released a disturbing report about the number of people with disabilities in the United States. According to the report, more than one in five American adults is reporting that they have a disability. While the CDC does not give an age range for any of its figures, nor does it specify the difference between reported versus unreported cases, it does indicate that the number of adults that reported having disabilities grew 3.4 million between 1999-2005.The enormous growth in the number of adults with disabilities has reached a…
Best January Social Security Disability Blogs

6 Feb 2010 | 12:36 pm

For the fourth Best Social Security Disability Blogs of the month, there was a lot of competition in the month of January to make it to the Top 6. My favorite January blogs were:Comparison of Denial Rate of Social Security Judges -Texas lawyer Bob Kraft on his P.I.S.S.D BlogSSA Reports Improvement in Processing Disability Claims through New Health Information Network -Freedom Disability on Freedom Disability Daily BlogImportance of Specialist Care When Experiencing Chronic Pain -Delaware lawyer Steven Butler on Delaware Disability BlogDisability Technology Update -Illinois lawyer Aaron…
Drug Addiction and Alcoholism: The 6th Step of the Five Step Disability Evaluation Process

5 Feb 2010 | 11:18 am

In order to be adjudicated as disabled before a Social Security Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), an attorney or claimants representative must follow and complete what is called the five step Social Security disability evaluation process. The evaluation process asks the individual seeking disability benefits five separate questions: (1) Are you working and are you performing substantial gainful activity; (2) Is your condition severe; (3) Does your condition meet or exceed a listed impairment; (4) Can you do previous work; and (5) What work can you do. If a claimant meets each of the five steps…
Products For Children With Special Needs

6 Jan 2010 | 6:11 pm

In the spirit of the holiday season, this post attempts to answer a very unique question sent in by Jennifer from Boston regarding shopping for children with special needs. She asked, "Do you know of any kind of rating system that can make it easier for me to know what gifts to buy a very young girl with autism?" To answer Jennifer's question, the National Lekotek Center has created what they call the AblePlay rating system for individuals with special needs. There are so many toys out there that it can be daunting to try to find the right one even for your own child. To help parents, special…
Disability Technology Update

3 Jan 2010 | 9:37 am

For anyone who has an arm, wrist, or hand condition typing on a computer keyboard can be a frustrating and difficult experience. Typing requires a combination of different muscle movements and continuous motion that can place a significant amount of stress on the user. The keyboard can also prove to be difficult for people with autism, as the different quick movements required to type words can prove to be distractions that lead to cognitive confusion. To make keyboards easier to use, Blue Orb, Inc. has recently come out with what they call Orbitouch, a keyless computer keyboard. While…

Clear Helper
Upcoming Indexes of Resources Related to Cognitive Web Accessibility

John Rochford

8 Feb 2010 | 6:32 am

I will soon be publishing several indexes of resources related to cognitive Web accessibility. In each index, listings will include: a link to the resource; a brief description; and the publication year, as appropriate. In the order of indexes listed below, I will publish as many resources as I can, then announce the corresponding indexes. I will continually add resources to them, so there will be a RSS feed for each. (What Is RSS?) Indexes Cognitive Web Accessibility Sub-Indexes Research Guidelines Assistive Technology By Publication Year Web Sites Designed for People with Cognitive…
Self-Advocacy Web Site for People with Intellectual Disabilities

John Rochford

5 Feb 2010 | 12:52 pm

Self-Advocacy Online is an educational- and networking Web site for teens and adults with intellectual- and other developmental disabilities. Created by The Research and Training Center on Community Living, it is intended for people participating in organized self-advocacy groups. The site contains three sections: a “Learning Center”; a search tool for finding self-advocacy groups; and “My Page” for within-site e-mail messages and discussion forums. Site Registration The site registration form has a few simple fields. Fun, instructional videos explain each step. …
Accessible, Image-Based Menu: Rough Draft

John Rochford

3 Feb 2010 | 5:11 pm

I created a rudimentary, image-based menu as part of my recent Experiment with Site Design for People with Cognitive Disabilities. It has a few features that may make it easy to use by people cognitive disabilities. This is a continuation of previous posts that describe my intention to use image-based navigation for the future Clear Helper Web site. The menu, pictured on the right, appears in the “sidebar” column of a test page. The image on top, an outline of a house, is intended to symbolize the home page. An ideal is that the meaning it conveys is proven, through research and…
Text-Size Switcher Experiment

John Rochford

2 Feb 2010 | 5:34 pm

I incorporated a text-size switcher into a recent Experiment with Site Design for People with Cognitive Disabilities. I am trying this version because a feature like it may be easier to use for people with cognitive disabilities than a referral to instructions on how to increase text size. This is a continuation of previous posts that describe my experiment with providing step-by-step instructions for changing text size in Firefox or Internet Explorer. This text-size switcher, as pictured below, appears at the top of the test page, on the right side. Description & Features It is…
Experiment with Site Design for People with Cognitive Disabilities

John Rochford

1 Feb 2010 | 4:57 pm

I created my first Web site design intended to be used by people with cognitive disabilities. It is only a first draft, but it employs many of the cognitive-accessibility attributes I have been discussing since I started this blog. This post focuses on the CSS-based layout. Subsequent posts will describe the new text-size switcher experiment and the image-based menu. The test page itself has a list of text-accessibility features. The motivator for this draft was a desire for a two-column design that would not break no matter how much text size is increased. To accomplish this, I used a…