Wanted ADA Success Stories
Jennifer Sheehy writes:
The July 26, 10th anniversary of the ADA is our greatest opportunity to raise national awareness in the general population about the benefits that the ADA has afforded all Americans. In an effort to entice journalists and broadcasters to do stories about the ADA, we are collecting "real people" personal success stories of individuals with disabilities who would not be able to work but for the ADA to present to reporters.
Please help us identify people in the Washington D.C. area and around the country who can credit the ADA with opening up employment opportunities.
In other words, we're looking for people for whom the ADA has had a positive impact people who are able to get work because of architectural, transportation, human resource practices or policy changes brought about by the ADA.
Please have people e-mail me their stories or please e-mail me a name and contact information so that I may follow up. Don't wait to collect your stories before you send them; send any as soon as you have them! The more stories we have, the better chance we have of attracting national and local media coverage.
Thank you,
Jennifer Sheehy
Senior Policy Adviser
Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities
202-693-4940
sheehy-jennifer@dol.gov
Information Technology Newsletter-Job Announcement in PA
Job Announcement
Information Technology, the international newsletter of information technology in libraries, currently is seeking articles, announcements and book reviews for the next issue (Fall 2000). Submissions are requested in the following categories:
Articles:
If you are interested in sharing your opinion on a current trend or topic, consider writing an article for publication in Information Technology. Short manuscripts (no more than 4-5 pages) relating to information technology in libraries will be considered for publication.
Announcements:
In a column to debut in the Fall 2000 issue, the Information Technology Newsletter will feature news of:
* promotions
* awards
* new positions
* current projects
* major renovations
* technology additions
* and other items of interest to professionals in information technology management as it relates to libraries.
Book Reviews:
If you are interested in having a review of an information technology-related book published, send the completed review for possible inclusion in the next issue of ITN.
Send articles, announcements and reviews to:
Michele Rossi, Development Editor
Information Technology Newsletter
1331 E. Chocolate Avenue
Hershey, PA 17033-1117
Tel: 717-533-8845
Fax: 717-533-8661
E-mail: mrossi@idea-group.com
Copy deadline for publication in the next issue is June 15, 2000.
Gregory A. Crawford, Ph.D.
Co-Editor, Information Technology Newsletter
http://www.idea-group.com/itnews.htm
Head of Public Services
Library
Penn State Harrisburg -- The Capital College
351 Olmsted Drive
Middletown, PA 17057-6850
(717) 948-6076; fax: (717) 948-6381
e-mail: gac2@psu.edu
News from AbleNet
Date: April 10, 2000
Contact: Kara Hans O'Brien
800-322-0956 x641
kara_o'brien@ablenetinc.com
AbleNet, Inc.
LITERACY PRODUCTS FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Minneapolis, MN -- To support its belief that a rich, balanced literary experience is important for all students, including those with severe and profound disabilities, AbleNet, Inc. is developing a comprehensive line of products that promote literacy.
"We believe that students benefit from just participating in literacy activities," said Cheryl Volkman, president and CEO of AbleNet, Inc., a company that has worked to gain greater independence and inclusion for-persons with disabilities. "Such experiences are opportunities for social closeness and building one's knowledge of the world."
In March, AbleNet began publishing a newsletter for elementary educators and launched its literacy line of products with two Guided Reading Kits, three teacher resource books and other helpful items for the classroom.
The Literary Experience newsletter is a teacher's blueprint for building a progression of participation experiences. Newsletter content is based on the innovative 4-block model developed by Patricia Cunningham and includes articles by contributing authors, such as Dr. Karen Erickson, a leader in the field of literacy for people with disabilities. Each newsletter focuses on one of the four blocks: guided reading, writing, working with words or self selected reading. Included are articles exploring that component of the model, activities for getting kids with severe and profound disabilities to participate in literary experiences, and idea templates that can be photocopied for classroom use. The U.S. retail price for the newsletter is $19.95 for five issues.
AbleNet's Guided Reading Kits utilize carefully selected books containing elements proven to support teaching children to read for comprehension. Each book is paired with a related guide containing one months worth of activities using simple technology for both children with disabilities and their typical peers. Activities include dramatic play, cooking, academics, building background knowledge and art. AbleNet's two initial Guided Reading Kits utilize Silly Sally and If You Give A Pig A Pancake, and each kit sells for $38 (U.S. retail).
The supportive resources available from AbleNet include books that support Cunningham's 4-block model.
"AbleNet recognizes that educators can't do everything they want to do with their students because of lack of time, resources and staff," said Volkman. "It's our intention to make theirjobs easier by providing ready-to-use activities that can provide a meaningful link between life and literacy for students with disabilities."
For more information or for ordering, contact AbleNet at 1-800-322-0956, or visit their website at www.ablenetinc.com
ABLENET REINFORCES COMMITMENT TO SERVING EDUCATORS
Minneapolis, Minn... AbleNet, Inc. continues to strengthen its long-time emphasis on service to educators, and the addition of three new staff positions reflect that commitment to those who put simple technology products to work in classrooms.
Dr. Peggy Locke has assumed the newly created post of Director of Educational Research and Development. More than I I of Locke's 25 career years have been as a special education teacher of K- 1 2 pupils with severe disabilities. Her nine years with AbleNet have focused on the inclusion of children and adults with severe/profound disabilities through the use of simple technology. In her work, Locke has provided training and support to thousands of educators and families throughout the world.
"I'm pleased to now be able to use my experience to best serve kids with severe and profound disabilities through research and development at AbleNet," said Locke, who had been Director of Sales at the company. "This new position allows me to focus my energy first on doing the research and then in being able to bring it to the people who use life-enhancing products on a day-to-day basis."
Matt Him has joined AbleNet to further support educators in implementing assistive technology for persons with disabilities. Him, who has become Associate Market Manager, has a decade of experience in assistive technology education, occupational therapy, and technical assistance for both clients and assistive technology professionals. "I intend to work closely with educators who perhaps are just leaming about assistive technology products and looking for ideas and solutions to make experiences accessible and enjoyable for all," said Him.
Patricia Wright is now serving AbleNet as an Education and Sales Consultant on the West Coast. In addition to direct sales work, Wright does workshop development and delivery, presents at national educational and assistive technology conferences, and participates in new product development based on her interactions with customers. Wright, who holds a master of arts in special education, is experienced as a classroom teacher of students with disabilities, an educational consultant, educational project manager, a full-inclusion teacher, and an autism specialist.
1081 Tenth Avenue, SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414-1312
612-379-0956
800-322-0956
612-379-9143 (fax)
www.ablenet.com
National Federation Of The Blind Sues Over Atm Accessibility
Suits Against Chevy Chase Bank, Rite Aid, and Diebold Charge ADA Violations
WASHINGTON, D.C. (5/24/00)
In a warning shot to ATM owners and operators nationwide, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), its local affiliate the National Federation of the Blind of the District of Columbia, the Disability Rights Council of Greater Washington, and several blind individuals filed suit today against Chevy Chase Bank, charging that the bank's more than 800 automated teller machines (ATMs) in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia are in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
In a separate suit, the plaintiffs charged Rite Aid Corporation and Diebold, one of the leading manufacturers of automated teller machines (ATMs), with violating the ADA.
The lawsuit against Chevy Chase Bank states that the bank's ATMs many of which are located in major visitor sites such as the Smithsonian (including The National Air & Space Museum), The National Zoo, and all three area airports are inaccessible to blind people because they use computer screen text prompts to guide customers through transactions. These screen text prompts are not translated into a medium that is accessible to the blind, such as audio output.
A recent agreement between Diebold and Rite Aid under which Diebold is installing and operating ATMs in Rite Aid stores nationwide also violates the provisions of the ADA, according to the plaintiffs, because the ATMs being installed use screen text prompts that are inaccessible to the blind.
"Our nation's capital should set the example for the nation to follow by being fully accessible to persons who are blind or otherwise disabled," says NFB President Dr. Marc Maurer. "It is distressing to know that the only ATMs available in such national treasures as the Smithsonian are inaccessible to the blind. It is equally troubling that a company like Diebold, which manufactures and sells voice activated ATMs that can be used independently by the blind, has chosen instead to install machines in Rite Aid stores that rely solely on screen text prompts."
The two lawsuits, both of which were filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, ask the court to order the defendants "to make the necessary technological modifications to their ATMs to allow access by persons who are blind or visually impaired," says NFB attorney Daniel Goldstein, Esq.
Because Diebold manufactures voice activated ATMs, but chose not to install them in Rite Aid outlets, the suit also seeks punitive damages against Diebold under the provisions of the D.C. Human Rights Act. "The bottom line is that the technology exists to make these ATMs fully accessible," says Dr. Maurer.
"Unfortunately, the defendants are installing ATMs that are inaccessible to the blind, even though the cost for voice activated ATMs is negligible, and providing them would not fundamentally alter the nature of ATM services or retail drugstore facilities."
The ADA requires that "instructions and all information for use [in ATMs] be made accessible to, and independently usable by, persons with vision impairments." While some of the defendants' ATMs have Braille keypads and labels, the suit charges that this feature is "an ineffective accommodation under the ADA."
"Not all persons who are blind can read Braille," explains Dr. Maurer.
"Moreover, Braille keypads and labels are static. They do not provide accessible and independently usable, sequential, computer screen instructions to guide a blind customer through a bank transaction. As a result, blind customers basically have little choice but to rely on others to do their banking for them."
According to NFB, the only effective means to make ATMs accessible to the blind is voice guidance technology, which allows blind persons to hear step-by-step instructions. Voice guidance technology is accessed by plugging personal headphones into a universal audio jack installed in the ATM or by using a telephone handset, also installed in the ATM.
NFB has long been actively involved in promoting adaptive technologies for the blind so that blind people can live and work independently in today's technology dependent world.
The organization runs the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind at its headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland. The Center, which houses more than $2 million worth of hardware and software designed specifically for the blind, is the world's most extensive demonstration and evaluation center for computer related technology serving the needs of blind people.
