DBTAC- Northeast ADA Technical Bulletin: October 2007 The DBTAC- Northeast ADA Center at Cornell University provides training, technical assistance and materials on the ADA and accessible information technology throughout New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This monthly technical bulletin is part of our dissemination efforts and if you do not want to receive this document or would like others from your organization added to our list, please call 1-800-949-4232 or reply to this message. Thank you.
Please Join us for the October Distance Learning Program - ADA Legal Update: Current litigation trends under the ADA The courts and federal agencies are shaping the ADA through their decisions and settlements. This session will outline the key issues that are currently before the courts as well as discuss some trends in case law at the lower courts which will have an impact on decisions at all levels, including any future cases to be argued before the Supreme Court. Speaker: Barry Taylor, Director of Legal Services, Equip for Equality, Chicago, Illinois CEU Credits: CRC Time: 1:00-2:30pm CT Date: October 17, 2007 To learn more or to register for the ADA Audio Conference please visit www.ada-audio.org <http://www.ada-audio.org/> . FEMA Releases Disability Disaster Reference Guide (from NCD Bulletin - August 2007) On August 21, the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released a new reference guide that outlines existing legal requirements and standards relating to access for people with disabilities. A Reference Guide for Accommodating Individuals with Disabilities in the Provision of Disaster Mass Care, Housing and Human Services is the first of a series of disability-related guidelines to be produced by FEMA for disaster preparedness and response planners and service providers. The document summarizes equal access requirements for people with disabilities within disaster mass care, housing, and human services functions. The Guide explains how applicable federal laws relate to government entities, the private sector, and religious organizations. A full copy of the Guide may be accessed at www.fema.gov/oer/reference New Jersey Institute for Technology- Disability and Employment Training Program Opportunity (from EmployME! website) On December 22, 2006, the Board of Trustees of the Henry H. Kessler Foundation in West Orange, NJ approved a two-year grant allocation totaling $946,000 to New Jersey Institute of Technology - the state's science and technology university - targeted largely towards people with physical disabilities through training and special initiatives leading to employment. The EmployME! Program is a public-private partnership to prepare unemployed and underemployed men and women with disabilities for both entry level and advanced jobs in information technology fields that are in demand in our state. Applicants can expedite the process by calling NJIT EmployME! at 973.596.3064 or applying online at http://cpe.njit.edu/EmployME New Disability Status Report for Region 2 (New York, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico) The Cornell University's Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Demographics and Statistics will release the new Disability Status Reports on November 7, 2007. The Status Reports will include the latest statistics related to disability and employment, education, earnings, poverty, and more. The Annual Disability Status Reports provide consistently measured indicators of the demographic characteristics and economic status of working age (ages 21-64) people with disabilities, based on the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS). Disability Status reports for Region 2 are developed in collaboration with the DBTAC-Northeast and the new reports will be available after November 7, 2007 at the Disability Statistic Website: http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/edi/disabilitystatistics/ General Accounting Office has released a report on "Lack of Data and Limited Enforcement Options, Limit Federal Oversight" for surface transportation (excerpt from GAO's website) The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) provides people with disabilities the legal right to access transportation and public rights-of-way, including sidewalks and street crossings. The Department of Transportation (DOT) and Department of Justice (DOJ) share responsibility for overseeing ADA compliance. GAO was asked to review federal oversight and enforcement of ADA compliance, including (1) what is known about compliance, (2) difficulties the federal government faces in overseeing and enforcing compliance, and (3) the sources of federal help and any gaps in that help. GAO's work encompassed a wide range of federal agencies and other entities, such as industry associations, transportation providers, and disability advocacy groups, as well as detailed reviews in eight cities across the country. For a copy of the full report, please go to, http://www.gao.gov/docsearch/abstract.php?rptno=GAO-07-1126 Smithsonian Exhibit Opens On September 15, 2007, the Smithsonian exhibit Driven opened at the S. Dillon Ripley Center. The exhibit features the work of 15 artists with disabilities who have been selected from 204 applicants. The exhibit will be open until December 15, 2007. For more information, go to: http://www.abilitymagazine.com/news_Smithsonian.html Public Hearing Held for Accessibility Guidelines in Federal Parks On September 6, 2007, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board held a public hearing to discuss proposed guidelines for Federal parks and recreation facilities. The proposed guidelines will cover a variety of areas: beach access, picnic areas, camping facilities, and trails. The purpose of the hearing was to get feedback from the public on these proposed guidelines. To find out more, go to: http://www.access-board.gov/outdoor/nprm/ DBTAC - Northeast ADA Center 201 ILR Extension Building Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853 1-800-949-4232 (TTY and voice) NY, NJ, PR, USVI www.northeastada.org <http://www.northeastada.org/> [EMAIL PROTECTED] Elizabeth M. Treston, M.A., CCC/SLP Speaker/Disability Consult/Education 516.316.1807 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <http://www.missliz.org/> www.missliz.org
