What You Need to Know about NICHCY’s Disability Fact Sheets

Categories: Education

By Elaine Mulligan, Project Director, National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY)
Are you an educator with a new student in your class who has Attention Deficit /Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD)? If so, there’s a NICHCY fact sheet that can help you prepare.
Are you a parent whose child was recently identified as having a learning disability? If so, there’s a NICHCY’s fact sheet that can help you understand how that disability affects learning.
NICHCY’s online Disability Fact Sheet series are the most visited pages on our website, and it’s no wonder! Each fact sheet includes a definition, causes, characteristics, incidence, educational considerations and helpful organizations for further information. Most also include available supports (broken down by age group), tips for teachers and parents and a brief story of a child with that particular disability. The fact sheets are a great starting point for anyone who is living or working with a child who has a disability.
What Fact Sheets Does NICHCY Offer?
NICHCY offers fact sheets on the following topics:

• Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) *
• Autism Spectrum Disorders*
• Blindness/Visual Impairment*
• Cerebral Palsy*
• Deaf-Blindness
• Deafness and Hearing Loss*
• Developmental Delay
• Down Syndrome*
• Emotional Disturbance*
• Epilepsy*
• Intellectual Disability*
• Learning Disabilities*
• Other Health Impairment
• Rare Disorders
• Speech and Language Impairments*
• Spina Bifida*
• Tourette Syndrome
• Traumatic Brain Injury*

These fact sheets are easy to read and easy to share. The ones with an asterisk (*) next to the topic name are also available in Spanish. Our most popular fact sheets are Intellectual Disability, Speech and Language Impairments, Emotional Disturbance and Other Health Impairment.
Why Should You Use NICHCY’s Fact Sheets
Of course there are great resources available on specific disabilities from a variety of medical sources, disability-specific advocacy organizations and education professionals. However, there are also a few less-than-accurate sources online that can be distracting and difficult to wade through.
NICHCY does the work of collecting the reliable information you need to get started on your search for information and puts it all in one place. We present accurate information that is written specifically to meet the needs of parents and educators, and include links to trusted sources so you can continue gathering information effectively.
How Can You Use the Fact Sheets?
First and foremost, the fact sheets are a starting point for building your own knowledge base. They’re also great to share with family members. If your child has recently been identified with a disability, it can be exhausting to repeatedly explain the condition to aunts, uncles and grandparents. Share a fact sheet instead, and empower that person to learn on his or her own. Parents can even share this information at Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings.
Educators can share the fact sheets with colleagues or families of children with disabilities, or collect all of them in an information binder for their staff’s professional development library. The “Education Implications” and “Tips for Teachers” sections of the fact sheets are excellent resources for general educators.
NICHCY’s materials are always copyright-free, so you can share them freely, either in print or electronically. Visit http://nichcy.org/disability/specific and help yourself!
Elaine Mulligan is the Project Director of the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY). Prior to joining NICHCY, Elaine was the Assistant Director of the NIUSI-LeadScape principal leadership academy initiative. She also has extensive experience as a classroom teacher. 

Source: http://usodep.blogs.govdelivery.com/2012/08/29/what-you-need-to-know-about-nichcys-disability-fact-sheets/

August 24, 2012

What’s So Funny About…

Categories: Ask the Expert, Community Life, Health

By Guest Bloggers Wayne Connell, founder and president of the Invisible Disabilities Association (IDA), and Karyn Buxman, RN, MSN, IDA Advisory Board Member and Author
My journey over the past two decades with my wife, Sherri – whose life is filled daily with intense pain, brain fog, overwhelming fatigue and isolation – is full of more downs than ups. It seems like the easy thing to do would be to throw my hands up and scream. I joke sometimes that Murphy has nothing on what we go through each day.
Yet, despite all of the daily suffering, we try to laugh. We laugh at each other. She laughs at me more than I laugh at her, especially when I bold straight up in the middle of the night and try to figure out what just made that noise and where I am. We laugh at the absurdity of each moment. We laugh when her medical records are lost for the umpteenth time. We laugh at I Love Lucy. I bought all 186 episodes and watched them each night for six months straight. She calls me her Ricky and I call her my Lucy.
The real question is, are we just crazy? Maybe we are not serious enough about her illness. I don’t believe that’s the case. I think we would go mad if we didn’t laugh when someone asks Sherri if she has tried Tylenol for her pain (seriously?). Well, let’s ask an expert. Say Karyn Buxman, RN. Her Masters of Science in Nursing is in Therapeutic Humor. She is the Past President of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor and the editor of the Journal of Nursing Jocularity. Karyn is also the author of the new What So Funny About series of books. She has been a long time Invisible Disabilities Association (IDA) Advisory Board member and a personal friend of Sherri’s and mine. Did I mention she is also in the National Speaker Hall of Fame? I could go on.
Karyn, take it away…
What’s not funny about disabilities?
A diabetic, a blind man and an amputee walk into a bar. The bartender says, “What is this – some kind of joke?
Having a disability is no joke. But it can be a laughing matter. Pain, suffering, isolation, stress, depression, financial hardships – the problems can seem never ending. And to survive you need all the possible tools in your tool belt that you can find. One tool that is frequently overlooked is humor.
Science is affirming what we’ve suspected all along – laughter is good medicine. The benefits for you are so numerous that you are not going to want to wait for humor to happen by chance. You’ll want to be proactive and experience humor by choice. And the good news is, you don’t have to be funny. You just have to see funny.
What can humor do for you?
 Physically:
We’ve known for many years that negative emotions can wreak havoc on your body. Feelings of sadness, depression, fear, anxiety and stress can actually compound many of the issues you or your loved one may already be suffering as a result of a disability. For instance, stress is now known to exacerbate health problems such as diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, COPD, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, epilepsy, migraines, cardiovascular disease, depression  and many more.
Stress raises hormones that cause an inflammatory response throughout your body. Studies show that laughing lowers your levels of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. This may be reflected in lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar, improved circulation, enhanced digestion, decreased inflammation, and diminished pain and discomfort, just to mention a few. Another physical benefit of humor and laughter is decreased muscle tension – another great pain reliever.
Psychologically:
In my opinion, language was invented in order for people to communicate, whereas humor was invented in order for people to complain. Dealing with a chronic disease can trigger anger – and humor is a wonderful way to help process the negative emotions. And while people will run like the building is on fire when a complainer approaches, humor can be a socially acceptable – even enjoyable – way for people to vent.
Part of having a disability – any disability – is that you’re going to feel frustrated, you’re going to be angry, you’re going to have moments when you are filled with rage. It’s unrealistic to think that embracing humor as a coping strategy is going to eliminate those feelings. But repressed anger can make your symptoms even worse.
Humor redirects anger, instead of avoiding or denying it. This redirection can defuse a lot of rage, bringing with it a sense of calm, relief and a fresh perspective. The underlying circumstances that made you angry still exist, but after you’ve laughed, you’re better prepared to address those circumstances.
Socially:
Humor is an effective way to combat social isolation. You can use humor to directly address some of the issues that crop up in your relationships. Humor has been found to strengthen existing relationships (which is good if you like the people you know!). Regular use of humor is thought to make us more attractive to other people, which can increase your social circle and your base of support (this is good news if you don’t like the people you currently know).
But can you help me be funny?
Now that you understand some of the benefits of humor, let’s look at how you can proactively make this part of your daily routine. Here are seven tips on how you can increase your Laughter Factor:
1. First assume that there is humor to be found. If your assumption is that nothing funny is happening around you – then you miss it. Yet if you believe that something humorous is waiting to be found – you will discover it.
2. Raise your awareness. If you are proactively looking and listening for something humorous, you will see and hear what most others miss. Like the tourist who called a hotel in Florida wanting to know “Which beach is closest to the water?” Or the 5 year-old who asked his grandmother “Why doesn’t your skin fit your face?”
3. Manipulate your environment. Surround your living and working space with playful and entertaining items. These might be toys or games; funny books and DVDs; whimsical signs, cartoons, art, or posters; colorful clothing; entertaining CDs or mp3s. If you have fun things in your environment, you increase your likelihood of laughter.
4. Create a Play List. Write down at least 10, preferably 20, things you find fun to do. Ideally half of the items on your list should cost little or nothing to do. The plan: Next time you are feeling uncomfortable, sad or fatigued, pull out your list and make an agreement with yourself to do at least one item on your list. Don’t wait to feel better to play. Play and then feel better.
5. Use the Internet. There are numerous joke and cartoon sites – bookmark them and check them out on a routine basis. And YouTube has a plethora of clips that are guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. (For starters, type “laughing babies” into the search box. What is more contagious than a baby’s laugh?!)
6. Laugh anyway. If there is nothing funny to be found, fake it ‘til you make it – your body may not know the difference. And often it will become real laughter. If you want guidance, there are groups that teach how to laugh for no reason. Check out World Laughter Tour or Laughter Yoga.
7. Laugh at yourself. When all is said and done, you can take your disability seriously – it’s serious stuff. But you can take yourself lightly. Learn to separate the two. You are not your disability. You are an amazing and amusing individual with a rich resource of life experiences.
Hopefully with the tools and information I’ve given you, you can put yourself and your life in their proper perspective. Laugh at your mistakes, your foibles and your embarrassing moments, as well as your successes, your pleasures and your joy-filled moments. And don’t wait for humor to happen by chance. Experience by choice and reap the benefits today!
We hope this has been a very insightful article for you. We plan to bring you more like it in future Disability.gov blogs. Karyn Buxman will be joining the Invisible Disabilities Association on September 27th for the first ever Online True Help® DisabilityWeb Expo, which is sponsored by Allsup, for one of our online Expert Chats. Learn more about this free event and register today by visiting http://www.invisibledisabilities.org/ida-getting-the-word-out-about-invisible-disabilities/free-online-disability-expo-ida-september-27-2012.
Wayne Connell, the founder and president of the Invisible Disabilities Association (IDA), established IDA in 1997 out of the desire to educate friends and family about his wife’s debilitating illness. Soon afterwards, people around the globe began sending emails sharing how IDA had changed their relationships with their loved ones. He is co-author of the booklet, “But You LOOK Good, How to Encourage and Understand People Living with Illness and Pain.” Wayne’s background fueled his passion for helping people living with illness, pain and disability. His experience includes that of a professional, multitasking husband caregiver with an extensive background in management, media and technology. This man on a mission quickly launched IDA into a world-wide outreach for millions living with invisible disabilities. Join IDA on October 14^th in Lone Tree, CO for IDA’s 5^th Annual Honor Awards Banquet. Details are available at www.JoinTheExpedition.org or www.InvisibleDisabilities.org.
Karyn Buxman, RN, MSN, CSP CPAE is on a mission to improve global health through laughter and to heal the humor-impaired. For periodic tips on how to improve your life with strategic humor, visit her website at www.KarynBuxman.com. 

Sourc: http://usodep.blogs.govdelivery.com/2012/08/24/whats-so-funny-about/

Department of Justice

Office of Public Affairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, August 23, 2012.

 

Justice Department Obtains Comprehensive Agreement Regarding North Carolina Mental Health System

 

Settlement Will Expand Opportunities for Individuals with Mental Illness, Including Community-based Supported Housing, Ensuring That Necessary Services Are Provided in the Community

 

The Justice Department announced today that it has entered into an agreement with the state of North Carolina to ensure the state is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act. The agreement will transform the state’s system for serving people with mental illness. Under the settlement agreement, over the next eight years, North Carolina’s system will expand community-based services and supported housing that promote inclusion and independence and enable people with mental illness to participate fully in community life.

 

Under the ADA, as interpreted by the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Olmstead v. L.C., people with disabilities have the right to receive services in the most integrated settings appropriate to their needs.  The settlement follows an investigation by the Department of North Carolina’s mental health service system that began in 2010. Since the department’s letter of findings was issued one year ago, in July 2011, the state has worked cooperatively with the department to negotiate an agreement..

 

“As the Supreme Court noted over a decade ago, the unnecessary segregation of people with disabilities is based on the unsupported assumption that they are unworthy of participating in community life,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “This agreement will enable North Carolinians with mental illness to live in community-based settings, enriching their lives and the lives of their neighbors, and recognizing their worth and dignity. I commend Governor Bev Perdue and North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Al Delia for their leadership, which played a crucial role in making this comprehensive agreement a reality.”

 

Over the next eight years, North Carolina will provide integrated supported housing to 3,000 people, expand Assertive Community Treatment teams to serve 5,000 individuals, and provide a range of crisis services. The agreement will also expand integrated employment opportunities for people with mental illness by providing supported employment services to 2,500 individuals. These services will allow the state to serve people with mental illness effectively in their communities while avoiding costly institutional settings.

 

“North Carolina has taken an important step towards offering a choice to   individuals with mental illness who prefer to live in the community,” said Thomas G. Walker, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “The agreement, made possible by the coordinated and cooperative efforts of the state’s executive and legislative branches of government, will ensure that more North Carolinians with mental illness will be able to enjoy integrated lives in their communities.”

 

The agreement calls for a person-centered discharge planning process to help people move smoothly and successfully to community-based settings, while a pre-admission screening process will prevent people from unnecessarily entering institutional settings. Provisions of the agreement will ensure that people discharged from adult care homes designated as Institutions for mental disease are discharged in a safe, coordinated manner.

 

North Carolina will implement a comprehensive and robust quality assurance and performance improvement monitoring system to ensure that people are safe and are receiving integrated housing, services and supports that meet their needs. Compliance with the agreement will be monitored by an independent reviewer with extensive experience in mental health systems.

 

The Civil Rights Division enforces the ADA, which authorizes the attorney general to investigate whether a state is serving individuals in the most integrated settings appropriate to their needs. Visit www.justice.gov/crt to learn more about the Olmstead decision, the ADA and other laws enforced by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

 

This agreement is due to the efforts of the following Civil Rights Division staff: Alison Barkoff, Special Counsel for Olmstead Enforcement; Gregory Friel, Acting Chief; Anne Raish, Deputy Chief; Regan Rush, Joy Levin Welan, Travis England, and Regina Kline, Trial Attorneys; with support and assistance from Lance Simon.

PRESS RELEASE
8-21-12

Wal-Mart Settles EEOC Lawsuit for $50,000

Carlsbad Store Fired Long-Time Clerk, Refused Temporary Accommodation for Her Cerebral Palsy, Federal Agency Charged

DALLAS — Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores East, L.P. will pay $50,000 in back  pay and damages in settlement of a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by  the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC had charged that a Carlsbad, N.M., Walmart store unlawfully fired a part-time sales clerk because of her cerebral  palsy.
he EEOC  had charged in its lawsuit, Case No. 2:11-CV-00834, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico, that Wal-Mart fired Marcia Arney rather than attempting to return her to her job following a medical leave related to  her cerebral palsy.  When Arney, a 22-year Wal-Mart employee, showed the store manager a note from her doctor requesting an accommodation involving periodic breaks off her feet, he refused  to return her to her job, and instead demanded that she obtain a medical  release with no restrictions. The EEOC  alleges that the medical restriction could have easily been accommodated by the  giant retailer.  In fact, had the  employer inquired further, it would have learned that her need for accommodation  was temporary.
Such alleged conduct violates the Americans with Disabilities Act  of 1990 (ADA), which prohibits disability discrimination in the  workplace. The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation  process.
Under the consent decree settling the suit, Wal-Mart will conduct annual live ADA training of management  officials at its Carlsbad store. It will  also post a notice on its agreement with the EEOC so that employees are aware  of procedures for reporting disability discrimination. The company has committed to not requiring  disabled workers to produce a full release from their doctor upon returning  from a medical leave. Further, the  company will engage in an interactive process with disabled employees to find a  reasonable accommodation to assist them in performing their jobs. Future charges and lawsuits alleging disability discrimination will be reported to the EEOC for the duration of the decree,  as well as requests by employees for accommodation of a disability.
“Federal regulations explaining amendments to the ADA made it clear that many impairments, cerebral palsy among  them, do not require a lengthy analysis to determine whether or not they are  'substantially limiting,' which is the standard for coverage,” said Robert A. Canino, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Dallas District Office.  “Employers who used to argue otherwise should  get up to speed on the clarifications Congress made to the ADA to ensure that  most people with disabilities will be covered."
Janet V. Elizondo, director for the EEOC’s Dallas District Office, added, “We are  hopeful that our work in this case can generally serve to educate the employer community in southern New Mexico that the Dallas District stands ready to  address discrimination issues at the furthest reaches of its jurisdiction.”
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination.  Further information about the EEOC is available on its website at www.eeoc.gov.

August 20, 2012

Benefits.gov Celebrates 10 Years of Serving YOU!

Categories: Benefits

By the Benefits.gov Team

This year, Benefits.gov, the official benefits website of the U.S. government, celebrates its 10^th anniversary of citizen service. Over the last decade, the Benefits.gov Program has increased citizen access to government benefit information, while reducing the cost of interacting with the government. Over 50 million citizens have turned to Benefits.gov for life-altering government assistance information since its launch in 2002.
“For the past 10 years, Americans have been able to turn to Benefits.gov as the trusted online source for the information about government benefits and eligibility that they need. The Department of Labor is proud to be part of the Benefits.gov partnership, and I congratulate the website on this important milestone,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.
Benefits.gov’s core function is the Benefit Finder, an eligibility prescreening tool that allows citizens to quickly find out what benefits they may be eligible to receive out of more than 1,000 federally-funded benefit and assistance programs. After answering a few questions about your current circumstances, you will quickly receive a list of programs that you may be eligible for, as well as the program description and next steps to apply. Try the Benefit Finder now!
The program’s success hinges upon the dedication of the Benefits.gov partnership of 17 federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Labor (which serves as the Managing Partner) and the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Homeland Security, Interior, Justice, State, Transportation, Treasury and Veterans Affairs; the Office of Personnel Management; the Small Business Administration and the Social Security Administration.
We encourage you to visit and explore Benefits.gov. You can also keep up with the latest benefit-related information by subscribing to updates, or by following Benefits.gov on Twitter at www.twitter.com/benefitsGOV and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/benefitsGOV.
Visit us again soon for more details on the upcoming Benefits.gov YouTube account, featuring self-help Benefits.gov tutorials.
As true now as it was 10 years ago, it is a privilege to help you and your loved ones find the government benefits that are right for you.

Source:www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3730026889504390799#editor/src=dashboard

PRESS RELEASE
8-14-12

Hawaii Electric Company to Pay $50,000 to Settle EEOC Disability Discrimination Suit

Meter Reader Position Denied to Applicant with Eye Condition, Federal Agency Charges

HONOLULU – Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. (HECO) will pay $50,000 and furnish other relief to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today. The EEOC had charged that HECO denied an employee a meter reader position due to an eye condition. HECO, an electric distribution company, is the primary energy provider for the Hawaiian islands.
According to the EEOC, the employee, who has a congenital eye condition resulting in blindness in one eye, has worked for HECO since 2004. In April 2010, the employee applied for and was denied the position of meter reader due to HECO’s unfounded presumption that he could not do the job because of his disability. However, the EEOC asserted that the employee, with perfect vision in the other eye, was fully capable of doing the primary job duties of reading and recording changes in electric meters at different customer locations.
Refusal to hire a qualified individual due to his disability violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In September 2011, the EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii (EEOC v. Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Case No. CV11 00592-DAE-KSC). Besides the monetary relief, the three-year consent decree settling the suit mandates HECO to designate an ADA coordinator to appropriately handle all disability-related inquiries by employees. HECO will also hire an outside monitor to consult with the coordinator and provide extensive training to all human resources, corporate compliance, and newly hired and promoted staff on their ADA obligations and responsibilities. All other staff will also undergo training on disability discrimination, and HECO will revise and post a new company policy and complaint procedure at all facilities. The EEOC will monitor compliance with the decree, and HECO will report its handling of future complaints of disability discrimination.
“People with disabilities cannot be excluded from jobs due to ill-conceived assumptions about their abilities,” said Anna Y. Park, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Los Angeles District Office, which includes Hawaii in its jurisdiction. “Employers need to earnestly analyze the job at hand and assess whether a candidate with a disability is able to perform the essential functions of that job with or without a reasonable accommodation.
Timothy Riera, local director for the EEOC’s Honolulu Local Office, added, “Nationally, complaints of disability discrimination at the EEOC have been on the rise, now comprising about 26% of all charges received. Workers with disabilities are realizing more and more that they have employment rights under federal law which the EEOC will vigorously enforce.”
According to the company’s website, www.heco.com, the Hawaiian Electric Company and its subsidiaries provide energy to 95% of Hawaii’s 1.2 million residents on the islands of O’ahu, Maui, Hawai'i Island, Lana'i and Moloka'i.
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.

August 15, 2012

AbleGamers Foundation: Ensuring There Are No Barriers to Fun

Categories: Community Life, Technology By Guest Blogger Steven Spohn, Editor-in-Chief, AbleGamers
Video games, love’em or hate’em, are quickly becoming one of today’s most popular forms of entertainment. They are not just for kids anymore, and reach many different segments of our population. From hardcore Call of Duty to casual Angry Birds, there is a game for just about everyone. But what if you can’t play the same games everyone else is playing because of your disability?
That’s where AbleGamers comes in. AbleGamers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization advocating for game accessibility in the digital entertainment space. Really fancy words for: if you want to play video games and you can’t play or have trouble playing, we help you to do so.
Between the amazing amounts of assistive technology available today and the ingenuity of those with disabilities, there’s always a way around any obstacle in life. Gaming is no different. Our mission is to make sure that every video game is as accessible as it can be to the widest possible audience.
I always find it difficult to sum up what we do in just a few words, but perhaps I can give you just a glimpse into what our foundation is doing every day. First, we start out with a large community that helps anyone and everyone by providing suggestions from our own life experiences.
You’d be surprised what kind of things you can repurpose. I know someone who plays games with pencils, another who only plays with his feet, and a very good friend of mine used a telegrapher’s straight key device once used to send Morse code in order to play.
Second, we have the largest database of games reviewed specifically for their accessibility. On a  1 to 10 scale we tear apart video games based on the kind of options they have built in, how easy it would be to play with the various disabilities and what kind of workarounds there might be to play the game whether you only have one hand, no arm movement, colorblind, Deaf, etc.
After all, if you weren’t able to play the game anyway, who cares how fun it might be, right?
We also reach out to and work with developers to help add accessibility options to their games to include as many people with various disabilities as possible. We’ve been able to help the likes of Microsoft, Harmonix, Rockstar, Bioware, Blizzard and many more.
Third, we have what we like to call the Accessibility Arcade, which is simply two to four stations of Xbox and PC games setup with assistive technology. This does two things. One, it allows those that do not have a disability to see what someone with a disability might go through just to be able to play like everyone else. And two, it allows those who do have difficulties to see what is available for assistive technology to help them game and be able to try out expensive equipment before they purchase.
Fourth, we raise awareness for a cause that often has a negative stigma attached. It’s unfortunate that video games were given a bad rap early on in their creation; just like anything in life, video games should be used in moderation. But there is a whole other world of reasons why they are so important to those with disabilities.
If you are someone who is bedbound in a facility, shut-in at home or recuperating in a hospital, video games can be a window into an otherwise inaccessible world. Many, many of our members, including yours truly, have been able to find great joy in virtual worlds where running, jumping and flying are all completely possible. It’s a place where you can make friends, do something together as a family and even find love.
These virtual worlds are far more than games. They are communities with real people on the other side of the screen. Ten years ago it was considered odd to have made a friend online; today, almost everyone has met someone through some kind of online interaction, either at work or play. Our archives are filled with stories of individuals who have had experiences that would not have been possible without such wonderful technology.
Fifth, sixth and beyond, we do so many cool things that I am very happy and very lucky to be a part of every day. We give out codes. We recommend various setups so individuals with assistive technology can use games. We go to conventions and raise awareness about gamers with disabilities. We do consulting. We give presentations and speeches.
I could go on for hours about everything that helps me smile every day. You see those smiles are important because they are the only payment we get for doing what we do.
Yep. We are all volunteers. Our entire organization, from president on down to the newest volunteer, gets paid absolutely zero, zilch, zip, nada. We take 100 percent of every donation we get and throw it right back into doing something else for the community. (To learn more about volunteer opportunities with AbleGamers, visit http://www.ablegamers.com/Volunteer.html.)
And that all leads up to the reason I’m writing this today. When funding allows, we get the greatest joy from taking requests from the community and giving out assistive technology. This month the AbleGamers Foundation opened the Children’s Grant Program, an opportunity for young gamers to apply for a grant to help get them back in the game.
This particular grant application period is open August 1 – 31, but we hold these as often as we can. Sometimes it’s for Veterans (our president, Mark Barlet, is an injured Air Force Veteran). Other times, it’s for adults with disabilities, like me. This time we’re helping our younger fans (ages 15 years and younger).
We know we can’t help everyone but, with the help of our friends, we can bring just a little bit of joy to some very special people in need.
After all, there should be no barriers to fun!
For more Information
Visit the AbleGamers website at http://www.ablegamers.com/, “Like” us Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Steve Spohn is the Editor-in-Chief of AbleGamers and Outreach Chair for the AbleGamers Foundation. He has been interviewed as an expert in gaming with disabilities and assistive technologies by MSNBC, CNN, PC World, G4, and multiple international journals. Steve has travel a crossed the country as a speaker at various events including PAX East, Games for Health, Assistive Technology Centers, universities and many developer studios. In his off time, he is a web designer, gamer, writer, and on to his newest endeavor, learning Japanese. He holds degrees in Visual Communication, Information Technology, Web Design and Writing, with an MFA in Fiction Writing as his next goal. Steve is an active social media user and you can always find him on Twitter, Facebook and on AbleGamers forums.

Source:  http://usodep.blogs.govdelivery.com/2012/08/15/ablegamers-foundation-ensuring-there-are-no-barriers-to-fun/

August 13, 2012

Social Security’s Ticket to Work Find Help Tool Connects You to the Employment Services You Need!

Categories: Benefits, Employment
Guest Blog by the Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work Team
Are you a Social Security disability beneficiary (SSI/SSDI), age 18 through 64, who wants to work? The Ticket to Work program may be right for you! It provides choices in support services that help you prepare for, find and maintain work. The goal of the program is for you to work towards and achieve a better self-supporting future!
If you are interested in the Ticket to Work program, you should get to know our Find Help tool. With this tool, you can connect with organizations that can help you achieve your work goals.
With the Find Help tool you can:

• Find service providers that serve your state or ZIP code. These include Employment Networks (ENs) and Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies (VRs)
• Refine search by disabilities served, services provided or languages spoken
• Print condensed or detailed results lists or export to a file
• View EN Report Cards

EN Report Cards can help you find an EN that best meets your needs. They are updated yearly.
EN Report Cards include:

• Program services offered
• Years of experience
• Size of staff
• Performance in assisting clients to find and keep employment
• Client satisfaction data (if available)

In the past six months, more than 180,000 people have accessed the easy to use Find Help tool. Discover what it can do for you!  Check out the Find Help tool today.
To learn more about how Ticket to Work and Work Incentives can work for you or someone you know, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/work, email us at support@chooseworkttw.net or call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 (V) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY/TDD).

Source: http://usodep.blogs.govdelivery.com/2012/08/13/social-securitys-ticket-to-work-find-help-tool-connects-you-to-the-employment-services-you-need/

Miami Chapter CSI August 21st Meeting and Program Notice

We are happy to invite you to join us on Tuesday, August 21^st for the first meeting of the new fiscal year, and again due to a sponsor all non-members and guests will be at no charge.

Our program for the meeting will be Codes Pertaining to Door Hardware (Jeopardy Game).

The program, by Ingersoll Rand Security, is registered with AIA CSE for 1.0 LU and qualifies for HSW credit. As supplied by the presenter:

Course Description: Have fun in this game formatted course while learning about ADA requirements, occupancy classification codes, Fire and Life Safety codes and the hardware that can provide for the needs of an owner while also complying with applicable codes.

Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Define code requirements for ADA that relate to door hardware

List hardware that can be used to meet occupancy classification codes

List hardware that can be used to meet fire and life safety codes

The meeting will be held at the Miami Outboard Club located at 1099 MacArthur Causeway, and our schedules is as follows:

5:30 – 6:00 PM Board Meeting – open to Chapter Members

6:00 – 6:30 PM Networking and Light Refreshments

6:30 – 7:30 PM Program

Although there is no meeting cost for all, we request you RSVP by Friday, August 17th to make sure we have sufficient seating and refreshments. You may e-mail Hugo Ley at hdley@mac.com with your reservation(s).

We also ask that you mark Tuesday, September 18^th, on your calendar for our next meeting which will also feature the return of our popular tech session segment. The tech session segment is an informal round table conversation and exchange of information on items or issues our participants want to discuss and get informal comments and opinions on. Past subject areas have included Codes, roofing, waterproofing, and skylights among others. It’s open ended, stimulating and a means to exchange and gather information.

More on this and our September Program schedule to be forwarded in the next two weeks.

Look forward to seeing you there!

Ron Leiseca, CSI, CCPR, ICC, BOAF

RJL Associates, Inc.

When Professional Is Personal – Celebrating 22 Years of the ADA

Categories: Civil Rights

By Joy Welan, Trial Attorney, Disability Rights Section, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice
When the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was enacted, I was only six years old. At that time, I don’t think I knew what it, or a disability, was. Yet, even before I was aware of its existence, the ADA and related laws made it possible for me to attend public schools and enjoy movies, restaurants, museums, parks, vacations and all of the other activities that an integrated life with friends and family offers.
But perhaps more importantly, the existence of the ADA has allowed me to grow up never doubting that I was a full and equal citizen, someone with worth and dignity, who had talents and skills to share with the rest of the world. It never crossed my mind that I was somehow inferior or had less to contribute than anyone else. As one school administrator told my parents when they inquired about enrolling me in a “special” school for children with disabilities, “There is nothing wrong with your daughter. She just can’t walk.”
The path that my life has taken since then has proven him right. With the love, patience and support of my friends and family, I have thrived and made the most of the opportunities that would not have been available but for the ADA. I excelled in school, lived in a dormitory at college, moved into my own apartment in Washington, D.C., graduated from law school and now, against all odds, I have become an attorney who represents the United States as it enforces the ADA. The overlap between my own experiences and my work in the Disability Rights Section of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is striking.
When I was still in elementary school, my dad brought home a computer. Using that first computer, with its grainy screen and unbearably slow, screechy modem, I learned how to type so that I could more quickly and easily share my thoughts with the rest of the world. I met other people with disabilities and eagerly awaited their bulletin board postings that offered a glimpse of what life as an adult with a disability could be like. I also discovered a passion for technology that continues to this day. My experience with that first computer, as well as every device I have owned since then, reflects the importance of the department’s work to apply the ADA to new technologies and the Internet. My department recognizes that technology has the power to create opportunities for people with disabilities, and works to ensure that emerging technologies and websites are accessible to all.
Aside from a few brief flirtations with the dream of owning my own beauty salon and sailing around the world, I have always wanted to be a lawyer. But the path to my chosen career was not smooth. I struggled to obtain accommodations for my law school entrance exam and for the bar exam. My otherwise stellar application arrived at law schools with a “flag” informing every school that I had received accommodations and my (hard earned) score should be interpreted with caution. The Civil Rights Division has worked to ensure that students like me receive needed accommodations, and that high stakes tests are offered in a way that best ensures that they measure knowledge and skill – not disability. We are also challenging testing providers’ practice of “flagging” the scores of students who get accommodations, thus undermining their perceived validity.
I am particularly proud to be part of the department’s aggressive efforts to enforce Olmstead, the Supreme Court decision that held that unnecessary segregation of people with disabilities is discrimination. My department has participated in more than 40 Olmstead cases in 25 states, and has entered into agreements to ensure that individuals with disabilities in Georgia, Delaware and Virginia are not unnecessarily institutionalized.
These cases are deeply personal to me. Every time I hear the stories of people who are affected by the discriminatory policies at issue in our Olmstead cases – sometimes people who share my diagnosis – I am reminded that, but for a few twists of fate, their life could be mine. I know how fortunate I am to have grown up surrounded by my family and friends, not in a segregated facility with other people with disabilities.
Instead of moving into an institution when I finished school, I rented a wheelchair-accessible apartment in the heart of Washington, D.C. I know that my ability to enjoy city living like any other young professional is thanks in no small part to the ADA and the Fair Housing Act. Every day that I turn the key in the lock of my very own apartment, decide what to make for dinner and decide when (or when not) to get out of bed, I am thankful that Olmstead will protect the quality of life that I enjoy, and will help others to experience the same small pleasures.
I feel privileged to play a small role in my department’s ADA enforcement work and profoundly grateful for the ADA, which has enriched not only my life, but the lives of millions of other Americans with disabilities.

Source: http://usodep.blogs.govdelivery.com/2012/08/06/when-professional-is-personal-celebrating-22-years-of-the-ada/

How the disability Appeals Process works

Source: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/iAppeals/msg002.jsp

Described below is what happens when you request a review of the determination made on your disability case:

• You send a signed request for appeal to us.
• We review it to make sure all of the information is complete. We may contact you for missing or unclear information.
• We will contact you to complete a disability report and to sign medical release forms if you have not already done so. If you have submitted the report we will review it to make sure all of the information is complete.
• We will send your case to the office that determines if you are disabled under Social Security law.
• That office will request any new medical records that you have listed on your medical report.
• That office will then review all of your medical records—both old and new.
• If you have requested a face-to-face review, that office will make an appointment to meet with you. You will have an opportunity to meet face-to-face with someone from the office that decides your case. If you want this face-to-face meeting, we will make the appointment with you.
• The decision-making office will notify you in writing of their decision on your case.

There are four possible steps in the disability appeals process. They must be completed in the order listed below if you disagree with the determination on your case.

Type of Appeal	Appeal Process
Reconsideration	You should complete a Request for Reconsideration and an Appeal Disability Report. Both forms can be completed on the Internet, and submitted electronically to Social Security, or you can complete paper versions and send them to your local Social Security office. No matter how you complete the forms, Social Security will send your case to the State Disability Determination Services office. Someone there will review your medical records and make a new determination about your disability. It will not be the person whom made the last determination on your case. After reviewing your medical records, they will notify you in writing of their decision.
Hearing	You should complete a Request for Hearing by Administrative Law Judge and an Appeal Disability Report. Both forms can be completed on the Internet, and submitted electronically to Social Security, or you can complete paper versions and send them to your local Social Security office. No matter how you complete the forms, Social Security will send your request to the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review. If you want to meet face-to-face with the judge, an appointment will be made for you. After talking with you and your representative, the judge will notify you in writing of his/her decision on your case.
Appeals Council Review	You should complete a Request for Review of Decision/Order of Administrative Law Judge. You cannot do this on the Internet. Sign and send it to your local Social Security office. They will send your request to the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review. Someone there will review your medical records and notify you in writing of the decision on your case.
District Court Case	You must have an attorney at this level of appeal. He or she must file a case against Social Security in District Court. Your case will be heard by a district court judge who will notify you in writing of the decision on your case.