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WATAP LogoWashington Assistive Technology Act Program

WASHINGTON ASSISTIVE
TECHNOLOGY ALLIANCE NEWSLETTER

Summer 1996

Volume 2, Number 3

The main index

Announcements and General Information

Making the World Wide Web Accessible

by Susan Adams

The World Wide Web is a powerful tool for people with disabilities. It offers information, resources, discussions and other opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable to them. However, many people who create Web pages (Web masters) are unaware of accessibility issues faced by their viewers. Many Web masters are accustomed to using high speed computers with complex graphic capabilities and have forgotten that some people still use older, slower computers and phone lines for access. Some Web masters do not know that many people, such as the blind or visually impaired, will always use text browsers to access the Web.

Designing Web pages that are accessible to all viewers is a relatively simple matter. For example, writing link text that is descriptive but not wordy makes it easier for the blind and visually impaired to navigate the page using screen reading software. To save time, many such users set their software to read the links only. If a link text merely reads "click here" or "this," it is difficult to decide whether or not to follow the link. Most visitors, whether text or graphic based, scan the links first when viewing a page, so better designed links are beneficial to everyone

Images obviously present a problem for users of text-based browsers. Web pages that incorporate pictures into their design can be quite uninviting to the text-only browser. Rather than displaying the image, the browser shows [image] or [ismap] - this is also true of colorful bullets and the eye-catching icons like "NEW!". However, there is a simple function that every Web master can use called "alternate text description" or ALT-TXT. This function offers a text description of a picture that is only displa yed by text-based browsers. So, instead of [image], a viewer might see [a picture of a mountain lake].

Using alternate text descriptions is particularly important when pictures are an essential part of the content of a page. A logo or other image whose main focus is text that graphic based users will see and read must also have an ALT-TXT to deliver the equivalent message. More significant, complex pictures that require an in-depth description should have a link to a page describing the graphic. This link could be either a capital "D," which is being tried as a standard, or a short phrase located next to t he picture.

Images are often used as links to explore other options. For example, I recently visited a page designed for voter registration which uses a clickable "image map" to access the various registration options. However, when viewed with a text browser such as lynx, the image map appears as [ismap] and cannot be used to access the registration options. An alternative text description as well as a set of text links just below the image map would render this important page accessible to all viewers.

Consistency of design, use of universally recognized HTML tags, and testing pages with a variety of browsers will increase the accessibility of your Web pages. Web publishers, insist that your Web masters are knowledgeable about accessibility and have your pages tested. Web masters, learn about accessibility issues. Web viewers, if you come across pages that are inaccessible to your text-based browser, write to the Web master (whose address should appear at the bottom of their page) and voice your concerns. Our joint efforts will result in a more inclusive electronic system that is user-friendly, informative and fun to use.

For more information on designing accessible web pages, please visit our page on the subject at http://wata.org/resource/design-for-web.htm

 

Policy, Funding, and Systems Change Update

Frances E. Pennell

Telecommunications Act of 1996

We are hoping that all of our readers will become familiar with the Telecommunications Act of 1996 which is one of the most important pieces of legislation to pass Congress in years.

Although the media has devoted a lot of attention to the deregulation aspects of the Act, relatively little has been said about the Act's disability access provisions. Properly interpreted, these provisions will necessity of having to purchase separate, and often expensive, assistive technology. Rather, access will be built in through principles of universal design.

Section 255 of the Act, for example, requires all manufacturers of telecommunications equipment and providers of telecommunications services to ensure that telecommunications equipment and services are accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities if "readily achievable." Where direct access is not readily achievable, manufacturers and service providers must ensure that their equipment or services are compatible with customer peripheral devices and commonly used equipment (if readily achievable).

The definition of "disability" is the same as that used in the Americans with Disabilities Act---meaning that a broad spectrum of disabilities must be accommodated.

Section 713 of the Act addresses access to video programming for persons with visual and hearing impairments. This section requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a timetable for requiring all video programming (with the exception of programming for which captioning would be economically burdensome) to be closed captioned. Section 713 also directs the FCC to study the use of video description as a means of ensuring access to video programming for individuals who are blind or visu ally impaired. This means that, for the first time ever, video programmers will need to consider the needs of these consumers in designing and marketing their products.

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 finds precedence in the Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990 which required all TV sets with 13 inch or larger screens manufactured after 1993 to include closed caption decoders. Prior to this Act, persons with heari ng impairments who wanted to access TV programming had to spend several hundred dollars to purchase their own decoders. By making decoder chips a universal requirement for all televisions, the Act reduced the per unit cost of such chips to about $2.00 to $5.00 per set. In other words we all paid a little more to ensure that everyone would have access to TV programming.

Like the Television Decoder Circuitry Act, the access provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 are based upon the principle that people with disabilities have the right to fully participate in, and use, emerging telecommunications technologies. The FCC is in the process of establishing rules to implement these provisions. These rules will govern the way in which the Act is interpreted and what Telecommunications manufacturers and service providers will need to do to comply.

You can have a voice in this process by asking the FCC to add your name to their mailing list for proposed rule-making. To do so, call 202-418-0190 (V) or 202-418-2555 (TTY) or send an e-mail to <access@fcc.gov>.

In March 1995, the FCC also established an FCC Disability Issues Task Force. To become a Friend of the Task Force, call the FCC with your name, street and e-mail address, phone and fax numbers (as appropriate) or e-mail Andy Firth <afirth @fcc.gov> or Sheryl Todd <stodd@fcc.gov>.

For more information about the Telecommunications Act and these provisions we urge you to visit the FCC World Wide Web page at <http://www.fcc.gov>.

Assistive Technology Advocacy WATA is looking for assistive technology (AT) users to serve on its Legislative and Policy Committee and as "AT consumer advocates." As a member of the Policy Committee, you will help to define and implement legislative and policy priorities. As a consumer advocate, you will be trained on AT funding and advocacy issues. You also will have a chance to meet with policy-makers to demonstrate assistive technology and to discuss funding and other policy issues. If you are interested in participating in these activities, please call or e-mail Frances Pennell <fpennell@u.washington.edu> or Karen Ozmun <karenoz@u.washington.edu>.

AT the Assistive Technology Resource Center. Assistive Technology Funding ConferenceWATA is planning an AT Funding Conference. Information on the conference will be posted on the WATA Web page. If you are interested in receiving registration information, call the Assistive Technology Resource Center.

 

Reader's Forum

Sheila Weldon

I am the mother of two children who have been diagnosed with a degenerative neurological disease (suspected leukodystrophy). My 18 year old son, Christian, is now totally dependent on others for care. He has a hospital bed, a wheelchair, is tube fed, can no longer speak, and needs to be bathed and dressed. My 15 year old daughter, Brienne, has been in a wheelchair for one year now. Her speech is going. She needs help when it comes to bathing, dressing, and feeding. Both children need to be lifted or carried.

I had been working full time up until a few years ago. I can no longer work now because of the progression of my children's illnesses. I have exhausted all of my savings paying for all the "little things" insurance does not cover. I have reached a point where I now need some serious help.

Last year I reached the point where it became very difficult to lift my son be myself. He was almost 5 feet tall and weighed 90 pounds. He also had metal rods put in his spine and pelvic area. Every doctor and therapist I knew said I needed a lift.

Our insurance company denied it! The state said I could trade my respite care hours for a down payment towards it! I had a hard time accepting these replies.

I tried to find out who makes these decisions. After months of nothing but red tape explanations, I decided to see visiting local politicians. They wasted no time in trying to find out why I could not have lift.

In the meantime my son had reached a weight of 101 pounds (I am 5 ft 4 inches and weigh 119). I had been diagnosed with osteoarthritis and my husband had an operation for two hernias and a hydrocele due to all the years of lifting. The operation cost three times the amount of the lift.

What I did was get letters from all doctors involved with my children, my husband and myself. These letters were presented to the insurance. After one year my lift was finally approved! It's wonderful! Now I do not have to worry about dropping my son or doing serious damage to either of us.

It's just a shame that it took a year for us to get this lift. I guess the insurance company finally realized that by denying us previously they had to spend more on aggravated medical problems. So much for preventive care!

Our Reader's Forum column is an opportunity for you to share your ideas and opinions about assistive technology as a consumer, parent, employer, or service provider.

Can technology solve all of our problems? Or does it create new ones? On what areas should future research focus? What kind of technology is needed right now? What will assistive technology look like in the 21st century?

We are looking for articles to publish in our newsletter. If you are a user of assistive technology, or if you work or live with a current or prospective user of assistive technology, please share your views and experiences with us. Writing and artwork by or about children is welcome.

 

Project Update

Kurt Johnson
Director, Assistive Technology Resource Center

Well! WATA has had quite a spring! WATA staffers with a great deal of help from the Advisory Board, completed our application for the two year extension of the Tech Act Project. Projects receive funding initially for three years, then a two year extension , and then a five year extension. As part of the application process we refined our strategic planning process, inventoried the work we had completed, and stepped back to look at the big picture. The initial responses from the project folks at NIDRR and t he technical assistance staff at RESNA have been very positive.

One requirement for Tech Act projects seeking their two year extension is a site visit from NIDRR project management staff in Washington, DC. Carol Cohen, the Tech Act Program Manager at NIDRR brought a review team that included Beth Mineo (Delaware), John Mills (South Dakota), and Bill Fleener (Michigan). The review team met with all the WATA partners and had lunch with Advisory Board Members. The team reported to us that they were quite impressed with our progress and found the information systems we ha d developed exemplary. They urged us to address state agency policies with respect to AT and interagency agreements in the future.

David Hooks has stepped down as Director of WATA following an extended medical leave. We thank Dave for his support and help during his tenure and wish him good luck. During his absence, Jeanne Munro has provided project leadership in collaboration with a management team at DVR, me, and Dagmar Amtmann. The NIDRR site review team recommended we consider several structural changes in the project and Jeanne Munro will discuss this further with Carol Cohen before deciding on whether or how to fill the project director position.

Protection and Advocacy for AT

Washington Protection and Advocacy System
1401 East Jefferson, Suite 506
Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 324-1521 V/TTY in Seattle
(800) 562-2702 V/TTY outside Seattle
wpas@halcyon.com

 

Assistive Technology On-Line Discussion Forum

Assistive Technology Resource Center WASH-AT was founded in June, 1995, with the goal of allowing anyone with an e-mail address to participate in the discussion on the earlier established USENET newsgroup wash.assistive-tech . This forum was established as a networking resource for consumers of assistive technology (AT) and their families, AT professionals, and others interested in AT in Washington and Pacific Northwest Region. Typical postings to the group include requests for help in tracking down devices or services, wanted / for sale announcements, notices of upcoming events, and employment opportunities. WASH-AT is an independent entity and not part of any professional group or organization. The discussion group was established as a result of the collaborative efforts of University of Washington Assistive Technology Resource Center and Patricia Dowden, Ph.D., but the group is not allied with any organization. WASH-AT is fortunate to have received technical support, publicity, and participation from the Washington Assistive Technology Alliance, a statewide project funded by the Department of Education under the Technical Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act.

The following is just one example of how the AT Discussion Forum links consumers and others interested in AT, providing an arena for information exchange.

QUESTION POSTED TO THE FORUM:

Does anyone know where in Seattle area someone can get gel batteries for wheelchairs? to rent? With regular batteries, airlines require that you take them out of the chair prior to flying, which some find terribly inconvenient and takes a lot of time.

FORUM RESPONSES:

Try Rehab. It's a business which specializes in Rehabilitive Medical Equipment. 206 Westlake Ave. N. Seattle 98019 1-800-446-2735 or (206)-624-3123. They should be able to help you. In fact, any wheelchair or scooter place should know where gel batteries are available.

----------------

I contacted Paralyzed Veterans of America, and spoke to a member there who uses gel batteries. He said they are available in medical supply stores such as Care Medical and Big Wheel. He did not know if they might be available to rent. They are quite expensive to buy, but apparently last a long time. He advised that persons interested in buying them shop around for a good price.

---------------

They just sell them. They don=D5t rent gel batteries for plane trips. It gets pricey when two people with disabilities have to dish out money for gel batteries which one uses only a couple times a year.

---------------

It is *definitely* advisable to shop around for a good price. I called about six different medical supply stores which I found under "wheelchair" in the yellow pages and, for a U1 gel battery, was quoted prices which ranged from $91.95 to $220.00. I could not find any businesses which rent gel batteries. I think they are viewed as "perishable" and so no company wants to rent them.

----------------

Wendell Matas of Wheelchairs Northwest has told me that he rents these batteries on a regular basis and that if someone is a regular client of theirs, he will loan the battery for short-term use if they have one to spare. Wheelchairs Northwest can be reac hed at 206-646-4601.

For additional information on the AT On-Line Discussion Forum, including how to subscribe, please contact the Assistive Technology Resource Center.

 

Arts and Visually Impaired Audiences

Arts and Visually Impaired Audiences presents, in conjunction with the Seattle Children's Theatre and the Group Theatre, the Access Theatre Company's production of "In the Burning Darkness" by Antonio Buero Vallejo. In the Burning Darkness Access Theatre at the Group Theatre in Seattle Performances on August 18 and August 25, beginning at 5:30 p.m. on both dates. The play is set in a school for blind teenagers and explores issues of real and metaphorical blindness. Blind and visually impaired young people will work with professionals both onstage and backstage in this unique production. For more information, contact Jane Kaplan at (206) 860-5195. Call the Access Arts Line at (206) 528-2085 for information on additional upcoming audio-described performances in Seattle area theaters.

 

Crystal Kroum

Crystal Kroum is an artist with mobility impairments due to Pachy Meningitis. She is not pictured using an assistive device with which she paints and draws. Her artwork has been exhibited at the Bellevue Art Museum and at the Davidson Art Gallery in Seattle; Pioneer Square. She currently participates in the Very Special Arts Washington; annual Art spring festival which offers art classes, workshops, and performances for children with disabilities. For additional information on art and disabilities, contact the Assistive Technology Resource Center at 206-685-4181 (V) / 206-616-1396 (TTY).

 

Brown Bag Lunch Group

The Disability Advocacy Network is a group of consumers and attorneys organized to promote interest in disability law. On the fourth Thursday of each month they sponsor a brown bag lunch on a current disability law topic. The lunches are held at noon at Columbia Legal Services, 101 Yesler, Suite 300, Seattle, Washington. To be placed on the Network mailing list or to arrange for accomodations, please contact the Assistive ???

 

Medicaid Alert

The Medical Assistance Administration is planning to transition most Medicaid-eligible clients into managed care by 1997. It is essential that consumers with disabilities monitor or actively participate in the transition process in their communities. If y ou are interested in knowing more about this issue, please contact Frances Pennell at the Assistive Technology Resource Center.

 

Report from RESNA '96

Salt Lake City, Utah
June 7-12, 1996

The following are the accounts of two WATA Advisory Board Members' experiences at the Annual RESNA Conference.

Berl Colley - Washington Assistive Technology Alliance Advisory Board Member June 11, 1996 This day's RESNA experience can be divided into two areas: time spent at the Washington Assistive Technology Alliance (WATA) booth in the exhibit hall and attending a session on establishing standards for building and designing recreational equipment and areas.

The exhibit hall of RESNA '96 opened to the public at 10 a.m. WATA shared a booth this year with the Alaska Tech Act Project. I spent 2-1/2 hours working with Kim Shaw, Karen Ozmun, Dagmar Amtmann and Kurt Johnson. Not all at one time, but as they came in to work at the booth, or as they came by between sessions. We were also joined by our friends from the Alaska Project. The traffic by the booth was steady throughout the morning, with a number of tech act projects from other states such as New Jersey and Minnesota coming by to exchange information. We had visitors from all over the United States and other countries, including England, Sweden, Hong Kong, Singapore, Germany, and Denmark.

Eight papers were presented at the session on establishing standards for building and designing recreational equipment and areas. These presentations ranged in topics from building and measuring accessible trails in federal, state and local parks to Olympic kiosk design; telecommunications; and commentaries on a logical outline for designing adaptive or accessible equipment. The following are brief summaries of the topics presented.

There is an on-going effort to establish a measuring system to rate the degree of accessibility of park trails. It will allow people, when they find a trail with an accessible sign, to know how accessible the trail is. Measurements are made on the degree of grade and slant of the trail. Also figured in is the type of surface and width of the trail and if there are multiple obstacles, such as roots.

The information kiosks at the '92 Olympics in Spain were at two heights: a screen for short folks and another for tall people. Georgia Tech University was asked to design a kiosk for the '96 Olympics that would serve people at a range of heights, from those in wheelchairs to someone who is nearly 7 feet tall. Another kiosk topic focused on the Trace Center's kiosk which is accessible to people with disabilities, such as people who are blind or visual impaired, people who need a slower screen, and people with special needs to access the kiosk.

The discussion of telecommunications centered around finding a universal way of transmitting to TTY's world-wide. A lot of progress has been made during the last couple of years, but researchers and advocates are still encountering obstacles like laws of countries, transmitting methodologies, and disagreements within the research community as to the best kind of telecommunication.

Standards outlines for building accessible equipment should include appropriate signage, room for wheelchair accessibility, voice output, controllable screen speeds and height adjustability. Essentially, the author was calling for developers to use common sense when designing items.

 

Reconnoitering RESNA

James Eccles
Chair Washington Assistive Technology Alliance Advisory Board

Reconnoitering RESNA

After spending three days at the annual national RESNA conference in Salt Lake City from June ninth through June twelfth, I was impressed by this far-flung, interdisciplinary information sharing organization, which meets annually each summer.

I spent time walking through what seemed to me a huge exhibit area with a diverse array of functional limitation solutions represented. Although exhibits to benefit people with mobility impairments seemed most in evidence, there were a few exhibits of interest to each major group at this cross-disability conference. All of the exhibitors were cordial, and each one took the time to explain both the product or service on display and its intended application. Some product literature was available on computer disk, making it more widely accessible.

I was particularly interested in the meeting of the western Tech Act states whose projects had staff in attendance. It was gratifying to see a high amount of interest in linking together as a region.

A very interesting presentation was the New Hampshire Tech Act project=D5s retelling of its journey through the transition process for becoming a nonprofit corporation. If Tech Act projects in each state are performing useful systems change work, it sounds to me like more federal fiction to suppose that their useful functions can be passed off to other organizations in a few short years. Thus, long-term project funding is something that each Tech Act project should consider.

RESNA may be in decline, as I heard some worry aloud. With funding decisions being returned to the various states, perhaps RESNA's national-and international-focus may need to shift, too. I hope, though, that RESNA's much-discussed downturn in conference participation is only a short-term anomaly in an otherwise long and prosperous organizational history from the 1970's out into the distant future. We need more forums to bring together an interdisciplinary cross-disability approach to solutions-not fewer!

This was my first RESNA conference, but I hope that it is not my last.

 

Register to Vote!

Did you know that agencies which primarily serve people with disabilities are required by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to offer voter registration as a part of their services? If you would like to register as a voter in Washington State, please contact the Assistive Technology Resource Center. In Seattle: (206) 685-4181 (V) / (206) 616-1396 (TTY). Outside of Seattle: (800) 841-8345 (V/TTY).

 

News From The Eastern AT Center

Glenn LeDuc

AT Center Activities

Greetings from the WATA Eastern Resource Center. The center has been very busy over the past three months with our information and referral program, demonstrations, classes, community activities and collaborations. Our information and referral program has been averaging over 40 contacts a month. Family members, professionals and consumers of assistive technology represent the majority of callers contacting the center. Our on-site demonstrations and Saturday classes also have been generating ample activity .

In March the AT Center was showcased to the local business community at the Spokane Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours Event held at the Easter Seal Offices. Special thanks to our Consumer Majority Advisory Board, whose members provided us with their generous support and assistance. In April, we welcomed the students and staff from a Gonzaga University special education class, who received information and demonstrations on a wide variety of assistive technology devices. In May, we were visited by a group of students, parents, teachers and professionals from Newport School District who used our center's resources to try out and learn about assistive technology devices.

Our Saturday classes and open labs, a collaborative effort with the Easter Seal Society Computer Loan Program, continue to provide participants with information and assistance. Recent class topics have included beginning IBM and Macintosh, The IntelliKeys Keyboard, modems and the Internet, and switch use. Upcoming classes include beginning IBM and mouse emulation. Open labs allow people to use the center and its equipment, and to receive technical support on their assistive technology and computer-related questions and problems. For more information, or to register for an open lab or class, please contact us at (509) 328-9350 or (800) 214-8731.

Community Outreach is Another of Our On-going Activities Recent community events and presentations in which we've participated include:

  • A presentation to Central Valley School District instructional
  • aides on issues relating to disability andassistive technology
  • Working with a group of local organizations on transition issues for
  • students with disabilities
  • Hosting an Eastern Washington Farm Safety Coalition Meeting
  • Participation in a meeting sponsored by East Valley High School that
  • provided parents of students with disabilities information on community
  • resources and services
  • Co-sponsorship of an all day Transition to College Workshop for students,
  • families, teachers and professionals interested in high school to college
  • transition issues and information. Other sponsors included DO-IT, Eastside
  • Vision Services, and North Cen tral Educational Service District
  • Collaborative Consultations with the Special Education Technology Center

Providing increased access to assistive technology devices and services is one of the primary missions of the WATA Eastern Resource Center.

Collaborating with other groups and organizations in fulfilling our missions is an on-going goal of the center. This May 5th and 6th we were able to collaborate with the Special Education Technology Center (SETC) and the Easter Seal Society of Washington to provide assistive technology consultations. This event provided five Eastern Washington students, their families , teachers and other school staff with improved access to assistive technology services.

The SETC has been providing assistive technology consultations for Washington State school age children for a number of years. Historically, residents in Eastern Washington had to travel to Ellensburg for these consultations. At times, the distance and time associated with this travel was difficult for the clients being served. The collaborative consultations were envisioned by personnel at the SETC, the Easter Seal Society of Washington, and the WATA Eastern Resource Center as a way to alleviate these difficulties.

Each organization collaborating on this effort provided a vital piece in putting it together. The SETC provided staff and equipment, the Easter Seal Society of Washington provided funding for some of the travel expenses, and the WATA Eastern Resource Cent er provided a site and additional equipment for the consultations.

SETC staff members Ann Black, Barbaralyn Harden and Jerry Connolly arrived the morning of May 5th and began setting up for the first consultation. Equipment brought from their center, as well as equipment from the WATA Eastern Resource Center, provided them with the tools that they needed. That day two groups of teachers, professionals, and students from Inchelum participated in the consultations. The next day, there were three more successful consultations from the Spokane area.

Positive feedback on this collaboration was received from all parties involved. Planning for future collaborative consultations has already begun, and one or two more are anticipated for the 1996 - 1997 school year.

On behalf of the WATA organization, we would like to offer sincere thanks to all individuals and organizations involved in making this a successful and positive event.

New Internet Presence for the WATA Eastern Resource Center For many months the WATA Eastern Resource Center has had a home on the World Wide Web (WWW) as a part of the WATA home page <http://wata.org/eatrc/about_es.html> provided by the AT Resource Center at the University of Washington. We are pleased to announce that additional information about the AT Center can now be found on the Easter Seal Society of Washington web pages at <http://www.seals.org/>. Please drop by our new address and learn more about the WATA Eastern Resource Center.

Eastern Assistive Technology Resource Center
Easter Seal Society of Washington
West 606 Sharp Spokane, WA 99201
Spokane: (509) 328-9350 V/TTY
(800) 214-8731 V/TTY (509) 326-2261 FAX
ewaratrc@poweramp.net

 

Western Assistive Technology Center

Karen Brekke,Tom Baroch

SSI Parent Mentor Project

Washington PAVE (Parents Are Vital in Education) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Parent Mentor Project assists parents who have children with disabilities maneuver through the SSI application process.

Through SSI, children receive Medicaid, which helps to pay for assistive technology devices and services they may need. The Parent Mentor Project helps parents apply for SSI and, if they are turned down, provides support and assistance in appealing the denial of the claim. Most claims are denied because the applicant does not understand the financial eligibility requirements or has not provided adequate medical documentation.

Volunteers for the Parent Mentor Project go through a one day training program to assist parents in understanding and working through requirements and documentation that SSI uses to make its determinations. When parents ask for assistance in the SSI proce ss, the PAVE office will contact the nearest volunteer to assist them.

To find out about the next class or how to enroll your child in SSI, call the PAVE office at 1-800-786-1620 or write to PAVE, 6316 South 12th St., Tacoma, WA 98465.

Native American Head Start In May, the Western AT Center attended "The Gathering Re-Visited," the second meeting involving Native American Head Start programs and other interested parties. Members of the Lummi, Upper Skagit, Nooksack, Tulalip and Swinomish Tribes were in attendance . Others providing information and participating were DSHS, Parent to Parent of Whatcom and Skagit counties, Bellingham Parks and Recreation, and other agencies from Whatcom, Skagit and Snohomish counties.

The group focused on the issues of raising a child with a disability in the Native American communities. Traditional extended families, involving aunts, uncles and grandparents, can provide strong internal support to the child who has special needs. However, it may not be possible for the family to provide for all of the child's needs, such as assistive technology.

When this happens, it may be necessary to go outside of the reservation's resources to provide for the child. Learning how to access these resources is often difficult for the Native American population. Providing the devices and services to the Native Am erican community in a way that is culturally appropriate is the issue for the service providers. The purpose of "The Gathering" was to explore and learn creative ways for the two cultures to interact and get the child the best possible service.

The Western AT Center will continue working with special education and assistive technology issues in the Native American community.

Spina Bifida Conference

The Western AT Center attended the 23rd Annual Spina Bifida Association of America (SBAA) Conference in Phoenix, June 19-23.

Spina bifida is the most common neural tube defect and occurs in 1 in 1,000 births. The defect occurs when the spinal column does not fully close during the first month of pregnancy. Hydrocephalus (excess spinal fluid in the brain), bowel and bladder diff iculties, learning disabilities and varying degrees of loss of skin sensation or paralysis are common disabilities from spina bifida. There are often significant needs for assistive technology which accompany spina bifida, since mobility and cognitive functions can be affected. However, there was very little mention of assistive technology in the seminars and the exhibit area was very small and limited in its offering of assistive technology equipment and information.

IMPORTANT FINDING: One important focus of the Spina Bifida Association of America is prevention. Presentations and public education materials distributed at the conference heavily publicized the research-demonstrated links between low folic acid levels in diet and incidence of Spina Bifida. It was announced that the Federal Food and Drug Administration is requiring as of January 1, 1998 that any food labeled "enriched" contain =2E4 mg. of Folic Acid to help prevent these birth defects.

The Western AT Center will be working with Washington Spina Bifida support groups to help build greater awareness of AT resources. We will also provide the national organization with a list of the state assistive technology projects so that each local SB group can have a greater understanding of assistive technology and increased access to AT resources.

Western Assistive Technology Center
Good Shepherd Center
4649 Sunnyside Ave N Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98103
Seattle: (206) 632-1212 Toll free: 1-800-859-8352
(206) 461-4570 (FAX) wccd@u.washington.edu (E-MAIL)

 

Personal Assistance Management

Karen Brekke

Many people with disabilities are able to live independently with the aid of personal assistants. However, personal assistants can present problems as well as solutions to daily living needs. Personal assistants are primarily used by people with mobility impairments, cognitive impairments, and developmental disabilities.

To help people with disabilities manage the challenges of hiring an individual who can provide personal care, Washington Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities (WCCD) has developed a Vista Volunteer position, which will serve its three Independent Living Center (ILC) office sites in the coming year. Beginning in August, training for persons with disabilities in hiring, training, communication, and supervising a personal attendant will be available in King, Snohomish, Skagit, Island, San Juan, and Whatcom counties.

If you have questions, please contact Karen Bermudez at the Independent Living Service Center of WCCD, 607 S.E. Everett Mall Way, Suite F, Everett, Washington, 98208. Her telephone number is 800-315-3583 (V/TDD). She can also be reached by e-mail at <ilsc@premier1.net.>

 

 

New Director!

For Eastern AT Resource Center! We are pleased to announce that on July 25, Brian Patchett, M.P.A., M.S., started his work as the new director of our Spokane-based regional center. See our next issue for more information. Welcome aboard, Brian.

 

Calendar of Events

Second Annual Conference for Disabled State Employees, September 18, 1996, 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Worthington Conference Center, St. Martin's College, 5300 Pacific Avenue, Lacey, WA

State of Washington Department of Personnel=D5s Employee Development and Training Program is sponsoring this conference designed for state employees with disabilities. The focus of the conference will be on employment related issues, including networking within the state employment system and strategies on enhancing upward mobility. The conference is free. For additional information call: Bonnie Jacobs (360) 352-1346 (V) or Karla Rutherford (360) 586-1343 (V) / (360) 753-4107 (TTY).

Exceptional Parent Magazine Forum '96 Conference and Exhibition October 17-20, 1996 Anaheim, CA

For additional information, please contact: Mr. Sandy Scheps, Exceptional Parent Magazine, 120 State St., Hackensack, NJ 07601 (800) 372-7368 / (201) 489-1240 (fax) : EPMAG12@AOL.COM (E-MAIL)

Reauthorization of the Rehab Act Regional Public Hearing October 29, 1996 Red Lion Inn, 300 112th Street, S.E., Bellevue, WA

The federal Rehabilitation Services Administration will hold a series of hearings around the country to gather input on possible changes to be made in the reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act, which is scheduled to occur in the next Congressional year. Individuals who cannot attend the meeting are invited to send in written comments which must be received by DOE on or before October 29, 1996.
Written comments should be addressed to: Fredric K. Schroeder U.S. Department of Education 600 Independence Avenue, S.W. FAX (202) 205-9772 or (202) 260-7527 E-mail: RehabReauth@ed.gov For additional information, contact: Beverlee Stafford, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3014, Mary E. Switzer Building, Washington, D.C. 20202-2550. Telephone (202) 205-8831. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call (202) 205-5538.

Fall '96 Technology Workshops

Sponsored by the Children's Therapy Unit/Good Samaritan Hospital Adaptive Switches and Control Devices - September 27 and 28, 1996 Creative Adaptive Equipment Solutions - November 2, 1996 Adaptive Switch Fabrication II - December 7, 1996 For additional information on registration and deadlines, please contact: Good Samaritan Children's Therapy Unit, PO Box 1247, Puyallup, WA 98371 (206) 848-6661 ext. 1600

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WATA Newsletter is supported by a grant from the National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research H224A3006, U.S. Department of Education, to the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Olympia, WA. The newsletter is published quarterly to provide students, professionals, and consumers with information about current issues in assistive technology. The opinions expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the views of the Washington Assistive Technology Alliance. Editorial Board of Advisors: Jeanne Munro, Director, Washington DVR; Kurt Johnson, PhD, Project Director; Dagmar Amtmann, MA, Project Manager; Karen Ozmun, Information Specialist; Frances E. Pennell, Funding, Policy, and Systems Change Specialist. Editor: Kim Shaw

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