STC AccessAbility SIG
A Blog About Accessibility

“Puppies Behind Bars” trains inmates to raise puppies to become service dogs for the disabled and explosive detection canines for law enforcement. Another program “Paws & Reflect Friendly Visiting Program” trains the dogs with homebound elderly in New York City to get used to oxygen machines, walkers, and more. Watch the full video for examples [...]

Read: Puppies Behind Bars »

Preparing for School and Community Sports Events
by James M. Daniels, MD, MPH; Joel Kary, MD, ATC; Joseph A. Lane, MD
The Physician and Sportsmedicine - Vol. 33 - No. 12 - December 2005
This is an informative and helpful article for all physicians who are asked to provide sideline medical coverage at school athletic events or cover [...]

Read: Optimizing the Sideline Medical Bag »

VIA Rail in Canada and Amtrak in the U.S. have excellent services for special needs. To be sure you receive the service you need, purchase your tickets over the telephone and let them know what you need. Services vary from train to train and station to station but if they know in advance what [...]

Read: Accessible Train Travel in Canada & the U.S. »

Each year at the STC conferences, the AccessAbility SIG publishes a roadmap to sessions that are related to accessibility or usability. 2008 is no different. Download the
AccessAbility SIG conference roadmap 2008 today.
Highlights
The SIG luncheon and SIG business meeting are two obvious highlights. The SIG luncheon is on Monday, June 2 at 12 noon in the [...]

Read: AccessAbility SIG Roadmap to 2008 Technical Summit »

The following information was provided by Allen Rotz. While at the conference in Philadelphia, check out the interesting adaptive use of the Reading Railroad Terminal: http://www.paconvention.com/art/history.asp. It also includes the Reading Terminal Market which has several interesting eateries for lunch. Some serve breakfast.

http://www.readingterminalmarket.org/about/
http://www.readingterminalmarket.org/merchants/category/pennsylvaniadutch Unfortunately, the Pennsylvania Dutch businesses are only open Wed-Sat.
http://www.readingterminalmarket.org/merchants/category/restaurants
From the Washington Post’s [...]

Read: Reading Railroad Terminal Market »

Whirlwind Wheelchair International at San Francisco State University serves as the hub of a network of wheelchair manufacturing shops and related disability organizations around the world. Whirlwind is a nonprofit organization that designs wheelchairs for production and use in developing countries and by homeless people in the Bay area with accessibility problems such as stairs, [...]

Read: Whirlwind Roughrider Wheelchair for Rough Terrain »

A spam attack on one of the Epilepsy Foundation’s online forums appears to have been designed to trigger seizures in persons with epilepsy.
On Easter weekend, the Epilepsy Foundation—and those who use its online forums for help, support, suggestions and camaraderie—came under attack by people who posted rapidly flashing images to cause serious injury and harm. [...]

Read: Hacker Attack Aimed At Triggering Seizures »

From the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), February 2008.
"Antirheumatic, Antimalarial Treatment Reduces Diabetes Risk in People With Rheumatoid Arthritis":
Researchers partly funded by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) recently found that hydroxychloroquine, a medication used to treat rheumatic diseases and malaria, reduced the incidence of [...]

Read: Treatment Reduces Diabetes Risk in People With Rheumatoid Arthritis »

There is an excellent blog by the owner of a woman-owned car dealership in California at AskPatty.com "Automotive Advice for Women". She supports and is the president of the United Spinal Association and her blog posts include many that relate to disabled drivers.
"Transportation From a Different View Part II - Hand Controls Spell Freedom for [...]

Read: Hand Controls Spell Freedom for Teen Driver »

Press Release from the United Spinal Association, Release: Monday, June 18, 2007

Example of a disabled access minivan with left side ramp access that is blocked by a sedan parked illegally in the required access aisle.
If you have wondered about the purpose of those blue diagonal-lined areas adjacent to, or between, accessible parking spaces for [...]

Read: Parking Courtesy in Areas for Drivers with Disabilities »