Volume 12, No 1: Winter 2004 |
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What's Inside...Winter 2004 Issue
Governor Creates Commission on Community-Based Alternatives
for Individuals with Disabilities
Monday, September 22, 2003 was a significant
day for the disability movement: Governor Ruth Ann Minner signed Executive
Order
50, creating the Commission on Community-Based Alternatives
for
Individuals with Disabilities. The Governor made the announcement
before attendees
at the Annual State Council for Persons with Disabilities
luncheon.
Low-Interest AT Loan Programs Seek Start-Up
Funds
In late September 2003, the U.S. Department of Education,
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
(NIDRR) awarded Delaware $1.32 million
to develop low-interest assistive technology and telework loan programs.
As many of you know, some types of AT, such as home and vehicle modifications
and hearing aids, are not covered by private and public health insurers
because the devices are not regarded as "medically necessary." The
AT Loan Program will enable persons with disabilities and their families
to obtain
these types of AT devices and others.
DATI Sponsors Upcoming IntelliTalk II Workshop
When:
March 25-26, 2004, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Web Accessibility Contest Announced
The
Mid-Atlantic Consortium on Accessible Information Technology in Education
announces its first annual Website Accessibility
Contest. K-12 schools in Delaware,
District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania
are invited to submit their Websites for consideration.
Freedom Center Named
Delaware’s ADA
Resource Center
On October 1, 2003, the Freedom Center announced that it has
been named Delaware's resource center on the Americans with
Disabilities
Act (ADA). The Freedom Center, a consumer-driven organization,
is committed to promoting independent living options for individuals
with disabilities.
Home Modifications:
Essential but Difficult to Fund
It has been nearly four years since the Supreme
Court affirmed in Olmstead that states have an obligation under the Americans
with Disabilities Act to provide services for people with
disabilities in the least restrictive environment. Many states
have at least
one of their feet on the community integration bandwagon,
although many gaps in the service continuum remain.
DATI Employs Language Line Services
With the
number of non-English speaking residents growing in Delaware, the DATI has
employed the use of Language Line
Services. These services provide translation
assistance to residents who do not speak English and wish to contact the
DATI. There is no cost to our customers for these services.
Vehicle Modifications Provide Independence
People
love the flexibility of personal motor vehicles to travel where and when
they want without having to schedule in
advance
or wait at bus stops. Persons with disabilities need the flexibility
of motor vehicle transportation as much as anyone else; however,
they may require vehicle modifications to accommodate their
needs. Today, there are a number of adaptive equipment selections
designed
for vehicle access, steering, secondary controls, brake/accelerator
systems, safety, and driver position needs.
The Assistive Technology Bargain Basement
Seasons
greetings everyone, and welcome to the holiday edition of the AT Bargain
Basement. For those of you who are new
to this column, this is where I, your humble AT Specialist,
give you the
info on some great assistive technology that is available
for under $100 and is usually found in local area stores.
Visual Assistant Keeps Users
on Task
Visual Assistant by AbleLink Technologies is a customizable,
multimedia software application that runs on Windows CE palmtop computers. It
was designed to help individuals with mental retardation and other cognitive
impairments learn and maintain skills in a self-directed format. The software
may be used in a variety of settings including home, school, and workplace.
ECUs Put Control at Your Fingertips
For
some folks, having the ability to automate
the control of their living environment is a convenience;
for others, it is a necessity. In this article, I will cover
some
of the technology available to help make a home (or office)
more
accessible. There are dozens of options available that may
truly help—many at a reasonable cost.