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November 30, 2006
International Symbol of Access Call for Submissions for an International Exhibition
[Image: White outline of a wheelchair user within a blue square.]
Designed by Susanne Koefoed, 1968. Official design copyrighted by the
International Commission on Technology & Accessibility of Rehabilitation International. Regulated by ISO 7001:1990 (public information symbols).
The International Symbol of Access (ISA), used in a variety of specific locations to represent purposely-facilitated access, has spread throughout the world within just a few decades. Found wherever people move in physical space or cyberspace, navigating environmental barriers, this symbol is among the most widely recognized representations of disability.
While it provides daily interactions with issues of accessibility and disability, its design and purposes in different cultural contexts are neither obvious nor uncontested. Indeed, many individuals and groups have modified the ISA to represent a variety of perspectives and goals. Therefore, a tremendous diversity of designs abounds.
We seek images of the access symbol used in different locations and in different times for an international exhibition charting the symbol's global spread and local evolution.
If you have a photograph, artifact (pin, t-shirt, etc) or document with a variant of the symbol and wish to donate it to our ISA Archive, please send it to us along with the details of its location (e.g. accessible entrance, Hyatt Hotel, Bethesda, USA), the date, and name of photographer or source from which it was taken. If you wish, add commentary regarding the meanings the symbol has in your locality. So that we can credit your contribution and send you information on the exhibition, please also include your contact information along with the symbol (preferably as digital files), to:
Liat Ben-Moshe
Sociology & Disability Studies
302 Maxwell Hall
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY 13244 USA
lbenmosh [at] maxwell.syr.edu
URL=3Dhttp://disabilitystudies.syr.edu/news/default.aspx?st=3D21
and
Justin J.W. Powell, Dr.phil.
Georgia Augusta University
Institute of Sociology
Platz der Goettinger Sieben 3
D-37073 Goettingen, Germany
jpowell [at] uni-goettingen.de
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Posted by justinpowell
Posted by mjohnson at 11:25 AM
November 20, 2006
An online community which offers personal blogs, discussion forums, private chat, a dating service and more.
An online community which offers personal blogs, discussion forums, private chat, a dating service and more. This growing community has become a gathering place for the international special needs population, home to members from over 15 countries world-wide. It is a place for people of all nationalities, backgrounds and life-challenges to share, connect and just be heard. This site is aimed at facilitating social, personal and romantic development in a supportive and understanding environment. It’s a fun way to meet new people, make new friends, and hopefully find a partner for life. Membership is free, easy and non-committal. Disabled Online
Posted by Erin Shamberg
Posted by mjohnson at 11:19 AM
November 17, 2006
Stephen Kuusisto's article "The Beauty Myth" was recently published in the Washington Post.
You can find it here: kuusisto.typepad.com/planet_of_the_blind/2006/11/wwwwashingtonpo.html
Posted by Connie Kuusisto
Posted by mjohnson at 05:04 PM
AblePlay: a toy rating system
Website Makes Holiday Shopping Less Stressful for Parents and Family Members of Children with Disabilities
Ableplay.org offers free, independent ratings and expert advice on toys for children with disabilities
CHICAGO, IL (November 15, 2006) – -The Holiday Season is upon us and soon toy stores will be inundated with parents and family members who are on a mission to find the perfect toy for their children or grandchildren.
Choosing the perfect toy can be a daunting experience. Parents and family members venturing up and down the crowded aisles of toy stores can easily become overwhelmed by the vast amount of choices with which they are presented. Trying to decide whether or not a specific toy is age appropriate or has the right amount of bells and whistles is enough to send some parents running out of the store.
Now imagine a parent or family member who is looking for the perfect toy for a child with a disability. Their toy-shopping experience becomes even more daunting as they are faced with another challenge to overcome—not only do they have to choose the right toys that will bring joy to their child, they also have to find toys that will accommodate their special needs.
There are thousands of choices but finding just the right toy to match the varying abilities of each child with special needs can be a challenge.
Enter Ableplay.org (http://www.ableplay.org ), a toy rating system and Website that provides comprehensive information on toys for children with disabilities so parents, special educators, therapist and others can make the best choices for the children in their lives with disabilities.
Developed by the National Lekotek Center, the leading nonprofit authority on play for children with disabilities, AblePlayTM will provide parents, and the professionals who work with them, access to the most useful, product-specific information about the top play and learning products and toys for children with disabilities.
--MORE--
Features of http://www.ableplay.org include:
---Search for AblePlay-RatedTM Toys & Play Products
http://www.ableplay.org/search.asp
--Where to Buy
http://www.ableplay.org/buy.asp
--Tips on Using Ableplay Rating Information
http://www.ableplay.org/howtouse.asp
--AblePlayers Club
http://www.ableplay.org/apc.asp
Expert AblePlay evaluators have degrees in special education, early childhood education or related therapeutic specialties. Every toy on the AblePlay website features a rating seal that provides an at-a-glance understanding of a toy’s appropriateness for children with physical, sensory, communicative and/or cognitive disabilities. Through the website, consumers can purchase toys online directly from manufacturers after reading the comprehensive AblePlay Product Reviews.
Posted by Chris Coleman
Posted by mjohnson at 05:02 PM