DisABILITY Accessibility Information Resources
April / May 2009
Number 49
What's new on e-Bility.com?
Brochure stand
FitRec
Orest Pawloff is a personal trainer with fifteen years disability experience, Certificate IV - Fitness and a BA in Leisure Studies. He set up FitRec to assist small groups of children, people with disability and older people to exercise and stay fit. The general population is welcome too.
Buy & Sell
This area has been very active recently and there are quite a few new additions listed under accessible vehicles and second hand equipment for sale.
Round Table Newsletter
The Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities newsletters, previously only for members, are now publicly available on their website.
ARATA Conference 2010 Update
The conference date for "Assistive Technology: The tip of the iceberg" has been changed from earlier announcements and is now 11th to 13th August 2010 (Wednesday to Friday). You can keep abreast of future conference updates by registering your interest with the organisers.
GTK Catalogue
GTK Rehab have added three Magic Mobility wheelchairs to their online catalogue, including all terrain powerdrive models. The Extreme 4x4 is designed for off-road locations and means driving on sand, soft, wet ground or even slippery surfaces presents no problems.
Articles
One handed woodwind musicians
The personal stories of a music therapy student and her mentor David Nabb, a one-handed sax player who runs a program to make adapted woodwind instruments and teach musicians with disability how to play them.
Dylan finds Paradise!
Following recovery from a spinal cord injury and subsequent surgery, Dylan took up flying in the Paradise Light Sport Aircraft that has been modified with custom hand controls for pilots with spinal cord injuries.
Motivational speakers
Simon Minty
Simon has been a Partner and Director of Minty & Friend since 2001. He has experience working in the media and commercial sector, presenting on the 'hot topics' of the day concerning disability and diversity. He also co-produced and performed in the sell out Edinburgh Fringe show "Abnormally Funny People".
What's new on the WWW?
Accessible Travel Options Database
Recently re-launched, the IDEAS online travel directory allows you to search their extensive database for information on accessible accommodation and other related travel services and resources.
Geotourism Challenge: Making It Green & Accessible
The goal of the Geotourism Challenge is to identify and showcase innovators - individuals and organisations - that directly or indirectly support good destination stewardship and the approach known as geotourism. To be considered ecologically sustainable a tourism project must be socially sustainable. That is, it must be realistic in accounting for the diversity of human needs and cultural variation among those it impacts. If you, or a tourism provider you know, have been successful in accommodating travellers with a disability to make an earth-sensitive project open to all, why not consider nominating.
Able Management Group
AMG is a not-for-profit, membership-based organisation providing alpine sporting and recreational opportunities for people with disability. A variety of summer and winter activities are available, including skiing, swimming and kayaking.
CalcuType
A free, simple, web based text editor and calculator that has built-in text editing, mathematical equation solving, and word completion.
Build for Life
An initiative of the Building Commission in collaboration with leading government agencies and building industry organisations, Welcome is a comprehensive Australian guide to designing accessible homes. It includes a website and a quirky video clip that shows how a couple learn that their new dream home is an inaccessible nightmare.
Webby Talents
Promote yourself and share your talents on a new video-sharing site designed by and for people with disability across the world. The site provides opportunities for artistic expression and professional growth. Any persons, artists, film makers, organizations, performers, athletes, heros or spectators sitting at home are invited to submit videos. It's Free.
TechDis UK
Funded by the libraries Joint Information Systems Committee, TechDis offers support to the education sector in achieving greater accessibility and inclusion by stimulating innovation and providing expert advice and guidance on disability and technology. The Resources and References section draws together useful articles and pieces of work which are referenced throughout the site, aimed at widening participation and support for all learners.
ATMac: Assistive Technology for Apple and Mac Users
ATMac covers all Apple products with a slant towards disability. They have an interest in users with a disability, adaptive and assistive technology, and making accessible programs and content.
Ability Technology Newsletter
A free on-line newsletter with assistive technology reviews and tips in areas such as computer access, environmental control and phones. Copies are available for download (in pdf format only).
W3C [DRAFT] Contacting Organizations with Inaccessible Websites
The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) Education and Outreach Working Group is currently working on a draft document to help people who are encountering accessibility barriers with web pages find a resolution to the access issues, although it does not directly address the legal issues. This document is an in-progress internal Editor's Draft at present, but is worth watching and might be a useful source of information.
AHRC World Wide Web access advisory notes
In December 2008 the W3C formally endorsed its new Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0). The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is in the process of assessing the new guidelines within the Australian context and DDA. They will respond shortly and are publishing periodic updates to their "World Wide Web Access: Disability Discrimination Act Advisory Notes" concerning transition and implementation of the Guidelines.
