News & Events- 3/18/02

Public Forums on the Reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act

The final schedule has been set for the Public Forums on the reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act and is available at http://www.wou.edu/nwoc/testimony.htm . Tips on how to prepare public testimony, examples from the December 13, 2001 public meeting in Seattle, WA, and an overview of the Rehabilitation Act and the many programs it covers can also be found there. RSA is interested in hearing from persons with disabilities and others interested in the programs funded under the Rehabilitation Act. The federal Rehabilitation Act authorizes the funding of the vocational rehabilitation programs serving people with disabilities (including Native American and Migrant programs), independent living programs (including older blind), Projects with Industry, client assistance programs, rehabilitation training programs, protection and advocacy, recreation and other demonstration and research programs. Deadline for submitting written testimony is June 30, 2002.

PEPNet Featured Product: Online Transition Training

NEW to the PEPNet website: "Gates to Adventure". This is PEPNet's on-line transition training for students who are deaf or hard of hearing! This on-line training tool was developed specifically for deaf adolescents and young adults. Training objectives include: understand major career categories, understand the range of postsecondary educational options available to learners, understand that the requirements for entry into postsecondary options vary and require advance planning in order to be met, and describe services that are available for postsecondary students who are deaf and hard of hearing. Send your students to http://www.pepnet.org and click on 'On-Line Training' and scroll down to "Gates to Adventure".

NWSRD is now WSRD!

The Northwest Symposium on Rehabilitation and Deafness has grown! Our conference is now the Western Symposium on Rehabilitation and Deafness. The 2003 conference "Partners in Progress," is the collaborative effort of the Western Region Outreach Center & Consortia (WROCC), Rehabilitation Services Administration/US Department of Education, Regional Resource Center on Deafness at WOU, Gallaudet University Regional Center at Ohlone, Center for Continuing Education in Rehabilitation at Western Washington University, and the Western states public Vocational Rehabilitation programs. The next biennial conference will be April 9-11, 2003 in Seattle, Washington at the Seattle Center and will continue the successful mix of workshop topics that keep people coming back for more...only now there will be even more to choose from! The Call for Programs will be available late summer, 2002. See what you've been missing! Proceedings from both the 1999 and 2001 Northwest Symposiums on Rehabilitation and Deafness are now available at: http://www.wou.edu/wrocc and click on 'WSRD Conference'.

SHHH International Convention Hits Seattle

If you've never been to an SHHH conference, then you don't know what you've been missing! Go to http://www.shhh.org for more information! Dates are June 21-24. SHHHOR (SHHH in Oregon) is coordinating volunteers for the conference (they need 134!!). They are also exploring charter bus options from Interstate 5 in Eugene, costing around $50 to $80, depending on the number of persons interested. If you are interested in finding out more about charter buses to the convention, or want to volunteer, contact Karen Swezey at kswezey@efn.org.

Deaf Way II...Twelve years in the making

Deaf Way II will be held July 8-13 in Washington DC. In 1989, over 5000 Deaf and hearing individuals from all over the world gathered for cross-cultural exchanges of Deaf history, culture, art, and language. Go to http://www.deafway.org for more information.

Think There's Nothing New to Telephone Relay? Think Again!

October, 2001 saw the nationwide implementation of the easy-to-remember universal 711 dialing to reach your relay service. However, you may be able to reach specialty services faster by dialing a specific number. In Oregon, many services have dedicated numbers to improve service. For example, if you want to make a Voice Carry Over call in Oregon, dial 1-800-735-3260 (this is a NEW dedicated number!). Speech-to-Speech and Hearing Carry Over services are also available for those who have difficulty speaking clearly or are unable to speak (even if they do not have a hearing loss). Remember to advertise TRS! And if you have complaints or compliments about the service you received--ask the operator for the customer service number, and have the agent number, date and time of the call, and the phone numbers involved if possible. Invite the person you are calling to report their experiences to customer service, too!

Another exciting option is the use of Video Relay. Using a small, inexpensive camera on your computer, can put you in touch with a video relay interpreter. You can sign to the interpreter what you want to tell the other party, and the interpreter will sign to you their response. You do need a fast computer connection (e.g., cable modem, ISDN, or DSL line) to be able to send and receive adequate video images. Check it out at http://www.csdvrs.org.

Oregonians: TDAP opening

The Telecommunication Devices Access Program (TDAP) is currently seeking candidates to servive on the TDAP Advisory Committee. The group meets quarterly on the second Monday of each March, June, September and December, from 9 am to noon in the Public Utility Commission (PUC) building in Salem. The mission of the committee is to provide input to the PUC regarding the loaner assitive telecommunications technology for Oregonians with disabilities who cannot use a standard phone. Current openings are for a speech impaired and a mobility impaired candidate. Submit a letter of interest, a resume and a letter of recommendation from a community member to: Damara Paris, RSPF Manager, OPUC, 5550 Capitol Street NE, STE 215, Salem, Oregon 97301-2551 or fax to 503.378.6047. Phone or E-mail inquiries may be made to damara.paris@state.or.us or 503.373.1413 TTY.

Intermountain Special Study Institute: June 10-13

ISSI (Intermountain Special Study Institute) is June 10-13, 2002, Pocatello Idaho. Conference targets Teachers of the Deaf, pre-k through 12. Theme: The Magic of Language. Speakers include Matthew Morgan, Mike Kemp, Connie Schimmel, Sandra Edwards, Susan Naidu, and David R. Schleper. FMI contact Alice at baumalic@isu.edu

Have you seen...

Want more info on Section 508?
Check out http://www.section508.gov . There are several FREE on-line trainings available here including designing accessible websites, accessible conferences, buying accessible E&IT. And you webmeisters out there...notice in the top right corner of the site you can change the font size. What a great example of building access into a webpage!

Mobility Internation USA...
is sponsoring a Summer 2002 Exchange Program to England for young adults with and without disabilities. Application deadline is 4/15/02. http://www.miusa.org/

Gateway computer give away
Gateway is donating up to 4,500 computers that were used in the Winter Olympic Games to non-profit organizations.
For more information and to register your group, visit http://www.gateway.com/olympics/donations.shtml

That Georgia Cracker...
is posting lots of useful technical info, including how to configure Hypertermial to make 2-line VCO calls from your computer, info on telecoils and neckloops, and how to build your own audio loop. Go to http://gacracker.tripod.com/RVickery.htm

What is 2-line Voice Carry Over Calling?
http://dana_mulvany.tripod.com/2LVCOsteps.htm
http://www2.bitstream.net/~jwyant/call.html

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