How's Your News at the 2012 Conventions!

How's Your News, a group of reporters with disABILITIES covered both the Republican and the Democratic National Conventions this year as they did in 2008. You can download a digital copy of these events and interviews for $5 which goes towards their news organization and activities. Take a look at the trailer: How's Your News 2012.

Making Voting Accessible

The election is only a few weeks away. It is essential that everyone participates in the process. In order for this to happen, our voting sites and booths must be made accessible. The video above gives some simple suggestions on how to make the process much more accessible. Just physically getting to and into the polling site can be problematic. Massachusetts addresses some of this in the Voter's Bill of Rights. Please make an effort to assist in this process including offering rides to those who may find it challenging to get out and vote. The American Civil Liberties Union provides a lot of information around the voting laws and rights in each state.

When you go and vote, please pay attention to the accessibility features of the polling site. Make some notes and provide feedback to the Secretary of State. We have to stop and notice first and then we have a duty to act. As we review many important topics covered by our candidates, the most important is the ability of each of us to have a say in what happens. We do not have to agree, but we must share in the responsibility to make sure every voice is heard.

Accessible Technology Coalition

The Accessible Technology Coalition or ATC provides extensive resources on accessible technology across disabilities and categories of technology. There are many free trainings, recorded webinars and other resources. They have regular updates on a number of topics which support access to learning, work and greater independence.

Participatory Design of AAC Systems

Many times we design augmentative and alternative communication systems without considering the full participation of the person with the disability. Student and adults must play an active role in designing the system as well as the actual symbols. This resource gives a great example of a student who designed her own yes and no symbol. It makes the point quite well how important participation is. The resource has a lot of good suggestions. Take a look: Participatory AAC. This is another resource to look at especially if you are interested in AAC research:

" The AAC-RERC is a Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center that functions as a collaborative research group dedicated to the development of effective AAC technology."

Gamers of All Abilities

Arcades & video games of all types have been around for decades at this point. Over the past 10 years we have seen tremendous improvements in accessibility features. The first permanent accessible arcade will be opening in Washington DC on October 10th (Global Accessibility News). Accessible arcades should be available in all communities. Ablegamers has been in the business of making accessible video games as a non-profit since 2009. Take a look at some of the unique accessibility features they have developed. The most important piece they emphasize is how gaming evens the playing field for everyone.Make sure you download the accessible gaming guide.

Holloween Costumes for Kids & Adults who use Wheelchairs

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation has some great ideas and information on how to create cool Halloween Costumes for kids and adults who use wheelchairs. Take a look at the site and share. To learn more about the video showing the ice cream truck costume click here: Ice Cream!

InklessTales - Great Site!

Inkeless tales is a wonderful website with animated stories, poems, the alphabet and other activities. This is a great resource to share. Some things are free and others are extremely low cost!

National Disability Employment Awareness Month

October 2012 is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This site also has many free resources for teachers to use to discuss the history of this topic as well as the current challenges. Please make use of these materials and share them with others. The United States Department of Labor also has a number of policy statements and ways you can help.

Low cost visual schedules and displays - Teachers Pay Teachers

My friend Brittany Tellier sent me this great website. It has low cost Visual Schedules for you to purchase. There are many great low cost resources on this site. Please take a look at it and share it with other people.

A response to the National Forum on Disability and the absence of some invitees

“Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.” (William Bruce Cameron). Our numbers do not tell us what is most important but each of us counts. 

The national Forum on Disability happened on September 28^th in Columbus Ohio. This was an important forum and most likely the only one held on disability issues prior to the presidential election. There are many things at stake for people with disability. Those who spoke were passionate, sincere and respectful of those for whom they must serve. Others sent representatives in their place to speak for them. 

People with disabilities may not make up the largest voting block. Some people may not vote due to accessibility or never being supported in learning how. Many voting facilities are not particularly accessible as we have discussed several times. The problem is, our leaders must take the time to listen to all of the voices. Some voices are not heard through traditional spoken language. They may use sign, pictures, symbols, Braille, eye-gaze etc. It can take a lot longer to ask a question and have a conversation.  You cannot tell by looking at someone who they are, what they need or how to serve them well. This requires a direct interaction. 

We have come far in how access is provided to people. Gunnar Dybwad & Hank Bersani talked about the new voices we must hear, cultivate and support. Seeing the value in another human being cannot be directly taught. It has to be experienced and lived. It does not seem that long ago when I was working at a state school for people with developmental disabilities. I had the privilege of working with those who were challenge on multiple levels. Only a few spoke or walked. Many had been there since they are infants or young children. Some of the staff raised them and cared for them as their own. It took a great deal of time to get to know each person. As I did friendships formed, unconventional communication occurred, learning activities were better designed and there was much enjoyment in light of incredible hardship at times. These individuals were born too late to benefit from most of the laws although their living conditions had improved immensely. They taught me so much without saying a word. Their voices were present for those who would listen. They did not vote but they counted in ways which could not be measured. I remember assisting in planning their funerals, providing the music and watching the responses of their lifelong friends and residents at the services. I remember standing in the basement of one of the buildings where the morgue was, looking in silence as the person I had known lay on a metal table, covered and awaiting to move to their final resting place. It is a feeling I will never forget. Someone should watch over as they lay resting. They shouldn’t be alone. No matter what, the life they lived counted and needed to be respected. 

As one of many who assisted in establishing a now infamous research library which was originally located at a state school for people with disabilities, I had the humbling experience of going through the slides of tissue which had been saved many years ago for research. Their voices could still be heard in a different way. Their legacy and sacrifice counted. They most likely never voted yet they were citizens who were silenced by those who society choose to count. I looked at the graves at a State Hospital for people with mental illness which only had numbers on them. No names were present yet these voices need to be heard even now. They count and we need to listen. There are many who have gone before us and many yet to come. We have to slow down and take the time to listen. It does not matter if you are making a donation to a candidate, part of a large voting group or just one individual, the people running for office need to take the time to stop, listen to your voice and think about how their actions impact people in ways they had never realized. There are always unintended consequences to our actions, some being good and some causing duress to others. The only way to know the impact of your actions is to look, listen and respond to those who are on the receiving end.  

We the people are the United States. You do not know who we are by looking at us, assigning us a number or grouping us. Leaders stand beside and as one of the people. Leadership is shared and it is we the people, all the people who have the power to make change. Leaders must listen to the most soft barely heard voices. For in these voices they will find lessons learned that most of us can only stand in complete awe, humbled by the strength, sacrifice and commitment each has demonstrated without recognition, without yelling from the highest mountain. They live their life each day, setting an example we all should pay much more attention to. Please listen to the old, present and new voices. Who knows what wonderful things could come from this!