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Accessibility News International will strive to bring you as much information as possible from around the Globe regarding issues of accessibility for the Disability Community.
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Posted under: Community
Trina Bolton
Atlanta - 07.02.09
Could a blind visitor ever fully enjoy a visit to Georgia’s Aquarium without being able to see the marine life? Yes. Due to the collaborative efforts of experts at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Georgia Department of Economic Development, and several local organizations committed to the disability community, it may someday be possible for a blind guest to have an enriching experience at this Atlanta attraction.
Guest Commentary: Georgia’s Planning and Tourism Initiatives for the Disabled- Full Article
Posted under: Mental
Kathleen Donaghey
July 3rd, 2009
MENTALLY ill people facing criminal charges are living in the community because there are not enough high-security mental health beds to care for them, health experts warn.
The Gold Coast has no dedicated facility for treating mentally ill people going through the courts despite calls for more than 10 years for a ‘forensic’ mental health unit.
Mental Care Menace- Full Article
Posted under: Mental
Richmond Hill
July 02, 2009 09:00 AM
BY ADAM MC LEAN
He’s rolled over the Rocky Mountains, pedalled down the Prairies and is now hammering through the hills of northwestern Ontario.
It is the remarkable journey of Richmond Hill’s Mel Thompson and his family, which began six weeks ago as he dipped the rear wheel of his bicycle in the Pacific Ocean.
That day in Vancouver started his quest to reach the shores of the Atlantic Ocean on Labour Day weekend and dip his worn front wheel into the cool waters of St. John’s harbour, conquering thousands of kilometres, all in the name of his daughter.
Cross-country Ride Picking Up Speed- Full Article
Posted under: Communications, Products
New screen reader software application provides blind and visually impaired customers with a solution to access BlackBerry® smartphones
With The summer conferences just around the corner, HumanWare is pleased to introduce its newest software solution called “Orator for BlackBerry Smartphones®”
to the blind community. Access to information through mobile devices is key in today’s business world and the use of smartphones has become the predominant way of communication for business professionals and management. With over 21 million subscribers in 150 countries the BlackBerry Smartphones have grown in popularity to become the smartphone of choice to stay in touch with work, family, friends and important information while on the go.
Introducing Orator for BlackBerry Smartphones- Full Article
Posted under: Communications, Education
By Ofer Chermesh
Laptop penetration and wireless connectivity, two major technological phenomena of this past decade, could have dramatically affected the penetration and adoption of assistive technology in educational institutes. However, the conservative policies of software-based assistive technology vendors
have prevented this promise from being fulfilled.
Assistive Technology and the Mobile Student Body- Full Article
Posted under: Communications, Education
Posted Fri, 06/26/2009 - 00:15 by RRC
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
National Federation of the Blind and American Council of the Blind File Discrimination Suit Against Arizona State University
University’s Amazon Kindle DX Pilot Program Discriminates Against the Blind
Posted under: Mental
Posted By ANTHONY DIXON ADIXON@THEDAILYOBSERVER.CA
June 30, 2009
Could Canada be on the verge of a fundamental transformation of mental health care?
Dr. Simon Davidson, psychiatrist at the Children’s hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, believes this could be the case.
Youth Are Not Getting Needed Treatment- Full Article
Posted under: Employment
By Phil Hazlewood – June 26, 2009
MUMBAI (AFP) — At a foot spa above a children’s playschool in the winding backstreets of north Mumbai, Anand’s busy thumbs and fingers press and pull on
the soles of a client, as light, relaxing music fills the air.
In a cramped office in the south of the city, an ancient air-conditioner clanks noisily as six women quietly fill in slips of paper to accompany packages to be delivered by their male colleagues who wait patiently nearby.
The everyday scenes could be from any firm or office anywhere in the world, except at the Metta spa and the Mirakle Couriers, all the employees are either blind or deaf.
Blind Spa, Deaf Couriers: India and Disabled Rights- Full Article
Posted under: Mental
By Pamela Cowan, Leader-PostJune 26, 2009
Former Liberal senator Michael Kirby is embarrassed. “We closed the insane asylums and decided that instead of institutionalizing or warehousing people, we would create community-based beds … They closed the institutional beds, but were very slow on opening community beds,” says Kirby. “I’m embarrassed to say this as a Canadian, but we have really made the streets and the prisons the asylums of the 21st century.”
Lack of Mental Health Care ‘Embarrassing,’ says Michael Kirby- Full Article
Posted under: Arts & Entertainment
Starting point, steel blue torch design, official uniform, and relay’s
emblem unveiled
VANCOUVER, June 25 /CNW/ - Three days after the Olympic Flame is
extinguished on the West Coast, a new flame will light in Ottawa - in the
heart of Canada’s national capital - sparking the official start of the 2010
Paralympic Torch Relay on March 3, 2010. The 10-day inspirational journey will
illuminate the extraordinary achievements of Paralympians and celebrate the
endless possibilities of the human spirit through sharing the message of
courage and determination embodied by the flame.
Posted under: Mental
OTTAWA, ONTARIO — 06/25/09 — General Walt Natynczyk, Chief of the Defence Staff, launched today the Canadian Forces (CF) Mental Health Awareness Campaign, which has the dual aim of educating CF personnel on mental health issues, and building a culture of understanding. The campaign’s theme of “Be the Difference”
communicates the idea that all personnel can make a difference to those affected by mental health issues.
Chief of the Defence Staff Launches Canadian Forces Mental Health Awareness Campaign- Full Article
Posted under: Community
OTTAWA, ONTARIO–(Marketwire - June 25, 2009) - The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, today invited Canadians
to provide their views on the ratification and implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Posted under: ADHD, Communications
NTID News - June 24, 2009
“The Attention Deficit Scales for Adults: Sign Language Version” is now available from NTID. The DVD enables more accurate screening for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder for deaf and hard-of-hearing adults using sign language.”
A DVD that uses American Sign Language and English-based sign language to test for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in deaf and hard-of-hearing adults is now available.
NTID Develops Test for ADHD in Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Adults- Full Article
Posted under: Built Environment, Transportation
Dave Matthews can’t get a Tim Horton’s coffee due to his mobility disability
Access to public places should be a guarantee under Canadian law but some businesses don’t believe access is a right
Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, June 21, 2009 with story from
CBC News(http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2009/06/15/hortons-scooter.html?ref=rss)
CBC Halifax reported the story of Dave Matthews from Lower Sackville who cannot get a coffee from a local Tim Horton’s donut shop. Matthews claims the Tim’s is discriminating against him on the basis of his disability. Tim Horton’s is discriminating in our opinion.
Disabled Denied Access to Tim Hortons Violates His Human Rights- Full Article
Posted under: Communications
Posted by Brad Howarth(edit@zdnet.com.au)
With Australia’s mobile phone penetration now sitting at around 100 per
cent, it’s easy to forget that there are still groups for whom the
technology remains out of reach.
Aussie Phone For Disabled Wins Recognition- Full Article
Posted under: Employment
Commission discriminated against him, probe finds
By: Aldo Santin
21/06/2009 1:00 AM |
Victor Schwartzman filed a human rights complaint against the Manitoba Human Rights Commission, where he once worked as an investigator.
The Manitoba Human Rights Commission has been found to have discriminated against one of its former employees.
Ex-worker Wins Rights Fight- Full Article
Posted under: Community
18 June 2006 For Immediate Release
Winnipeg—The COUNCIL OF CANADIANS WITH DISABILITIES (CCD) believes that
everyone who supports disability rights should oppose Bill C-384 which would
legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide and put Canadians with disabilities
at risk! CCD is a national human rights organization of persons with
disabilities working for an accessible and inclusive Canada.
Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) Opposes Bill C-384- Full Article
Posted under: ADHD, Community, Health, Mental
“Irresponsible, manipulative, and deceitful marketing efforts push products and programs that harm children physically, emotionally, socially, mentally, morally, and even spiritually. Children today face increased exposure to sex, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, guns, foul language, bullying, violence, and fattening foods. And many of us are simply standing by as increased materialism and commercialism undermine our culture’s basic values.” — Daniel S. Acuff and Robert
H. Reiher, Kidnapped: How Irresponsible Marketers Are Stealing the Minds of Your Children (2005)
The Hostile Takeover of Childhood- Full Article
Posted under: Communications
Random House Has Denied 15 Million Print-Disabled Americans Access to its Books
NEW YORK, May 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Reading Rights Coalition, representing more than 15 million print-disabled Americans, has denounced publishing giant Random House, which has turned off text-to-speech on all of its e-books available for Amazon’s Kindle 2 reading service.
Reading Rights Coalition Denounces Random House- Full Article
Posted under: ADHD
Jun 12, 2009
In the midst of a swine flu epidemic, rising numbers of dangerously undiagnosed cases of lyme disease, and the daily threat of contaminated food, I laughed myself sick when I read the article in last week’s Nugget entitled, Regaining Focus.
It warned every Canadian to be aware they may have Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
We’ve All Grown Into Our Disorders - Patty Fedeli Column- Full Article