Skip navigation
DBTAC: Mid-Atlantic ADA Center logo, with illustrations of individuals using crutches, computer keyboard, wheelchair, and Braille book
Home
About Us
What's New
State Affiliates
Information for Businesses
Hospitality Initiative
Training
Publications
Links and Resources
Accessible IT
Youth with Disabilities
Research
Join Our Mailing List
Contact Us

Annual ADA Update Conference National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research

What's New

___________________________________________________

November 15, 2008 Bulletin

We post our bi-weekly bulletin here on the "What's New" page, to keep you up to date on disability-related resources, news, and other items of interest. This information is being provided solely for non-commercial, nonprofit educational purposes, including news reporting and research. It is not intended for commercial purposes. Further, we understand that our readers generally read the articles and information online, at the Web sites provided in the hypertext links, rather than relying solely on our synopses or copies. We are not responsible for the accessibility or the content of other Web sites. Please be aware that some links provided are time sensitive, and may become inactive at any time.

We include links to articles, editorials and opinion pieces, press releases, and other materials that represent diverse perspectives. Inclusion does not imply endorsement of any products, services, sources, information, or opinions expressed in these materials.

Use the DBTACs' customized news feeds to check out disability-related stories that are gathered by an automated agent on an ongoing basis.

Visit the Training page for a listing of ADA and disability related trainings, meetings, and conferences.

General / ADA

Employment

Assistive Technology / Information Technology

Fair Housing Act

Comments
Check this section for opportunities to submit comments on various topics or proposals, and visit our new "Research" page to learn more about opportunities to participate in surveys and research studies.

"Nearly New" News
Check this section for previously posted items that still deserve attention!

___________________________________________________

General / ADA

Ex-Producer of Montel Williams Show
Alleges Unfair Dismissal (NY)

This article is from ContactMusic.com. Erin Primmer accused CBS, which airs the Montel Williams Show, of firing her from her $110,000-a-year job after she collapsed on set in March 2007 from a brain aneurysm.
She was given the all-clear from her doctor to return to work in April that year, but claims she was made aware that her contract would not be renewed because its executive producer needed "someone capable of handling pressure".

Primmer, who had been an employee of the network since August 2005, adds in the lawsuit initially filed in February 2008 that her firing was "a clear violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, New York State and New York City law".

Cat Soothes Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder for Veteran (TX)

This article is from KRIS-TV. A Vietnam veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder received an unconventional prescription in July, stating that he needs a service pet, namely a cat - and that the cat is allowed to travel with him anywhere. The last part of the prescription has been the toughest to fill. The 53-year-old former medical corpsman has been denied access to some public places with Patch, his 6-month-old white male service cat.

"It's not like I'm trying to take an alligator with me," the veteran said. "I just want people to know service animals can be other than dogs."

Disabled Possess Flexibility in the Workplace

This article is from the US Department of Labor. The number one skill small businesses should seek in new hires is flexibility. Today more than ever, small businesses need people with a demonstrated ability to adapt to different situations and circumstances. And perhaps more than any other group, people with disabilities possess precisely these attributes. On a daily basis, people with disabilities must think creatively about how to solve problems and accomplish tasks. In the workplace, this resourcefulness translates into innovative thinking, fresh ideas and varied approaches to confronting business challenges and achieving success.

Segways to be Allowed on
Caltrain for Disabled Riders (CA)

This article appeared in the San Mateo County Times. Segway scooters will be allowed on Caltrain as long as they're ridden by disabled people. Caltrain directors unanimously agreed to allow Segways in order for the agency to comply with a 2005 U.S. Department of Transportation directive, which says the personal transporters must be allowed on public-transit systems when used by disabled people.

The policy change, which requires personal transport users to get permits from Caltrain, covers Segways and similar two-wheeled, gyroscopically stabilized products, technically known as "electric personal assistive mobility devices."

MCAT Test Organizers Need Not Accommodate
Those with Disabilities (CA)

This article appears in the San Francisco Chronicle. Future medical school students with dyslexia are not entitled to accommodations on the Medical College Admission Test under the Americans with Disabilities Act, a California appeals-court panel has ruled. The students who filed the suit said the American Association of Medical Colleges, which administers the MCAT, should give them more time because of their dyslexia and ADD.

Employment

GettingHired.com launches Targeted,
Accessible Listings for the Disabled (NJ)

This article comes from Talent Management. GettingHired.com announced its launch as the first employer subscription-based online career center and social networking community for people with disabilities.
Incorporating advanced ADA and 508 compliant technology, GettingHired.com is the first job portal and social network that enables the nation's 22.3 million working-age people with disabilities to connect without limitation to peers, mentors, employers, advocacy groups and a network of national service providers catering to the career advancement of those living with disabilities.

Assistive Technology / Information Technology

Assistive Tech Resource Center
Offers Specialized Services (PA)

This article is from the Pocono Record. The Assistive Technology Resource Center (ATRC) at United Cerebral Palsy of Northeastern Pennsylvania provides specialized services for children and adults with all types of disabilities, as well as for older individuals who may need and benefit from assistive technology devices. Their primary purpose is to help individuals get the assistive technology they need.

New Web Content Accessibility
Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) Published

This article appears in IT Analysis. In May 1999 the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) published Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (WCAG 1.0) and since then they have been the benchmark for testing the accessibility of web sites. Since that time, web technology, and the understanding of accessibility, has progressed significantly. Soon after WCAG 1.0 was published work began on WCAG 2.0 and the first working draft was available in January 2001. It has taken a great deal of time and effort to get to the Proposed Recommendation which was published November 3, 2008, and it is expected that the final publication will be before the end of the year.

Honda Shows Wearable Device
that Helps You Walk (JAPAN)

This article is from The Associated Press. Imagine a bicycle seat connected by mechanical frames to a pair of shoes for an idea of how the new wearable assisted-walking gadget from Honda works. The experimental device, unveiled Friday, is designed to support bodyweight, reduce stress on the knees and help people get up steps and stay in crouching positions.

New Radio Technology for Deaf and Hard
of Hearing Demonstrated at Towson University (MD)

This article appears in the Portland Business Journal. During the election night broadcasts, some of the nation's deaf and hard of hearing citizens were casting important votes on the future of captioned radio broadcasts, namely a new technology designed to enable them to experience live radio coverage for the first time.

An NPR broadcast, part of an initiative to make radio more accessible to the millions of consumers with sensory disabilities around the world, was shown at private demonstrations at National Public Radio's (NPR) international headquarters and Towson University in Towson, Maryland, along with five NPR member stations around the United States. At each of the demonstration locations, participants who are deaf or hard-of-hearing watched captioned radio displays and filled out surveys in person or online to provide feedback on the technology.

Fair Housing Act

Justice Department Sues Retirement Home (IN)

This article is from the US Department of Justice. The Justice Department announced today that it has sued the owners and managers of an Indiana retirement home for not allowing residents with disabilities to use motorized wheelchairs or scooters in the dining hall or in their apartments and for forcing out two tenants who used motorized wheelchairs.

Comments

Mental Health America: Tell Your Story

Mental Health America invites people who experience mental illnesses to share their stories and help reduce the stigma that keeps people from getting care and perpetuates misunderstanding about those affected by mental health disorders.

Visit our new "Research" page to learn more about opportunities to participate in surveys and research studies.

"Nearly New" News

FCC: New Ten-Digit Numbering and Emergency
Call Handling Procedures for Internet-Based
Telecommunications Relay Services

Beginning on December 31, 2008, persons with hearing and speech disabilities using Video Relay Service (VRS) or Internet Protocol Relay (IP Relay) - two forms of Internet-based Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) - will be able to obtain ten-digit telephone numbers. This ten-digit number requirement was adopted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in conjunction with 911 call handling requirements for VRS and IP-Relay providers.

TRS calls made through the traditional telephone network will automatically pass along to the called party signals that help identify the caller's location. As a result, relay providers will know the caller's location, and can therefore route the call to the appropriate emergency personnel to respond. This routing is not currently possible with the Internet-based forms of TRS, because calls do not pass along location information. The FCC has now adopted rules to address this situation by requiring VRS and IP Relay providers to obtain location information from relay users obtaining ten-digit telephone numbers. The new rules ensure that VRS and IP Relay users are provided with 911 service that is comparable to the 911 service provided to traditional telephone users.

Complaints by Travelers with Disabilities Rise (PDF Report)

Information released by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings showed an increase in both the number of complaints filed and the percentage of disability complaints as compared to all consumer aviation complaints.

Airline passengers brought 36 disability complaints in May 2008, which accounted for 4.6 percent of all complaints. In May 2007, passengers filed 29 disability complaints, which compromised 3.8 percent of all complaints. The report showed that Continental Airlines and Southwest Airlines received the most disability complaints in May 2008 with five complaints filed against each airline. Air Jamaica received the only disability-related complaint against a foreign airline. The total number of passenger complaints increased from 766 in May 2007 to 785 in May 2008.

Expanded Regulations to the Air Carrier Access Act
Include Foreign Carriers

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued new regulations under the Air Carrier Access Act which prohibit discrimination by air carriers on the basis of disability. The new rule updates and reorganizes existing regulations which were first issued in 1990 and supplemented and clarified over the years. The regulations cover boarding and aircraft access, including seating, lavatories, mobility aid storage and transport, and provision of onboard wheelchairs, as well as air carrier policies and practices, terminal accessibility, and other topics. Most provisions remain substantively unchanged, but they have been reorganized into a new subject-based framework and format for greater clarity.

Succeeding in College and at Work:
Students with Disabilities Tell Their Stories

The DBTAC: New England ADA Center and No Limits Media released four fresh and informative videos. In these videos, college students with disabilities share strategies they used to succeed at staying in school, graduating, and landing jobs. Students discuss the issues of self-reporting and negotiating accommodations in school and at work. The videos can be viewed online; DVDs are also available.

"You Are Us:
What Every Lawyer Needs to Know
about Representing Disabled Clients"

This article from the Oregon State Bar Bulletin offers information on ADA requirements, as well as ethical practices, for attorneys.

Legal Rights
of Individuals with Hearing Loss

The Better Hearing Institute (BHI) published a guide entitled "Hearing Solutions -- Legal Rights Guide for Individuals with Hearing Loss." The guide, written by an attorney who practices in the area of employment law, discusses the ADA and other relevant laws, such as the Telecommunications Act.

TEITAC Presents Report
on Updated 508 Standards

The Telecommunications and Electronic and Information Technology Advisory Committee (TEITAC) presented its report on updating accessibility criteria for information and communication technologies. The report recommends revisions to the standards for electronic and information technology covered by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and guidelines for telecommunications products under Section 255 of the Telecommunication Act.

Accessible Sidewalk Videos
Now Available Online

A series of videos on sidewalk accessibility previously available on DVD can now be viewed through the U.S. Access Board's website. Accessible Sidewalks is a four-part video developed by the Board to illustrate issues and considerations in the design of sidewalks. The series covers access for pedestrians with mobility impairments, including those who use wheelchairs, and pedestrians who are blind or have low vision. The videos are open captioned and incorporate running descriptive audio.

New Guide Published
on Rights-of-Way Alterations

Accessible Public Rights-of-Way: Planning and Designing for Alterations explains how to maximize accessibility in the course of alterations through careful planning, an understanding of current regulations and access criteria, and strategies for negotiating constraints.

The guide, posted in its entirety at the Access Board's web site, was published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers, with support from the U.S. Access Board.

Access Board:
Supplementary Information
to ADA and ABA Guidelines

The U.S. Access Board added supplementary information on its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) guidelines. This information, which does not affect the substance of the guidelines, provides information on the adoption of enforceable standards, including effective dates, for new ADA standards adopted by the U.S. Department of Transportation and updated ABA standards implemented by the General Services Administration and the U.S. Postal Service.

DOJ: ADA Best Practices Tool Kit
for State and Local Governments

The U.S. Department of Justice issued a new technical assistance document designed to assist state and local officials to improve compliance with the ADA.

The Tool Kit is designed to teach state and local government officials how to identify and fix problems that prevent people with disabilities from gaining equal access to state and local government programs, services, and activities.

Back to Top

Home | About Us | What's New | State Affiliates | Information for Businesses | Hospitality Initiative
Training | Publications | Links | Accessible IT | Youth with Disabilities | Research | Join Our Mailing List

©2008 DBTAC: Mid-Atlantic ADA Center