We post our bi-weekly bulletin 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 websites provided in the hyperlinks, rather than relying solely on our synopses or copies. We are not responsible for the accessibility or the content of other websites. 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.
General News
Gallaudet University to Establish “National Beacon Center” for the Advancement of Early Language Acquisition for Deaf Children
Gallaudet University has entered into a five-year cooperative agreement with the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) in the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to establish the new Implementation and Change Center within the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) National Network.
This Center is one of three national technical assistance centers funded to advance EHDI systems nationwide so that deaf and hard of hearing newborns, infants, and young children up to age 3 receive appropriate supports and timely services to improve language acquisition outcomes. Gallaudet University joins Hands and Voices, serving as the Family Leadership in Language and Learning Center, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, serving as the Provider Education Center, in this effort.
Impact: New Issue, New Podcast
The latest issue of Impact explores what disability justice means for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD), as well as personal reflections from nationally-known advocates on what disability justice means to individuals with intersecting identities.
“No Place Like Home: People with Disabilities’ Fight to Stay Out of Institutions”
This report explores the issues facing people with disabilities who want to live in homes and integrated communities instead of institutions.
Transportation News
NADTC: 2023 Innovations Showcase
This publication from the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) highlights innovative transportation programs that represent out-of-the-box thinking and alignment of resources.
Technology News
“Harvard Team Makes Solar Eclipse Accessible to Visually Impaired”
The LightSound is a new device which can register the changing brightness of light and turn that information into a variety of sounds using a process known as “sonification.”
Health and Wellness News
“A Biased Test Kept Thousands of Black People from Getting a Kidney Transplant — It’s Finally Changing”
A widely used test overestimated how well Black people’s kidneys were functioning, in some cases delaying diagnosis of organ failure. Thousands of Black kidney transplant candidates are now being given credit for lost waiting time.
Arts and Culture News
“The World Is Finally Making Movies For Blind People — & It Means More To Me Than You’ll Ever Know”
This writer reviews the world’s first feature length “motion picture without pictures.”
Training, Events, and Opportunities to Participate
Webinar: Common Myths and Mix-Ups: Accessibility Standards
April 17, 2024
2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Eastern
This session will review and clarify common sources of confusion in the ADA Standards for Accessible Design, including application of the standards in new construction and alterations, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, toilet and bathing rooms, signage, accessible routes and ground surfaces, and other areas and elements.
Webinar: Inclusive Education for K-12 Students with Mental Health Disabilities
May 22, 2024
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Eastern
This webinar will address the right to inclusive education for K-12 students with mental health disabilities under the ADA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The session will review students’ rights and schools’ responsibilities, as well as best practices that schools can use to support students with mental health disabilities.
Seeking Input on Experiences with Section 504 Supports in Schools
Researchers at Vanderbilt University are seeking students (aged 14 or older) and family members or caregivers who have had experience applying for, or are currently receiving, supports in school under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. For more information, email Meghan Burke or call 615-585-1420.