Ed Keller and I plan to do some sprucing up of all the Foundation Pages. If you have anything you would like to see on the Web site, please contact one of us, or send a message to the email list. Lastly, an item of particular importance: the recent rulings by the Supreme Court on ADA disability status took many of us by surprise. Essentially, the rulings held that the analysis of whether an individual is disabled under the ADA should include consideration of all measures that mitigate the impairment. If the disability is mitigated, e.g., if eyeglasses enable satisfactory vision or prostheses enable walking, the individual no longer falls under the act's jurisdiction. The ruling may have the effect of greatly restricting the applicability of the ADA, so the Foundation for Science and Disability probably needs to establish a formal position on this issue.

The issue strikes close to home for most of us. We want to have scientific careers, not because the ADA has restrained an employer from discriminating against us, but because we have a deep interest in science and are developing the skills or have already met the qualifications for performing in those positions. Yet, most of us remember having job applications rejected for suspicious reasons. Employment statistics bear out those suspicions (see, e.g., the 1998 NSF report on Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering). I would like some input from members before preparing a statement, so please call me: (352) 374-5774, email me: the mailing list, or write. I hope to see you at the Foundation's Annual meeting during the AAAS conference, February 17-22, in Washington, DC Richard Mankin

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Lodge in South Africa It is a Lodge in South-Africa, adjacent to the Kruger Park, made accessible by a American Quadriplegic, that allows disabled people to see the big five: rhino, elephant, lion, leopard and buffalo, in their natural surroundings. Visitors could even be able to touch a lion, leopard, or elephant. Touching the wild animals will give the blind people especially an idea of what a lion really looks like. The one chalet, which can accommodate up to 4 people in wheelchairs, is super accessible with drive in showers among other commodities. Visit the Tshukudu Lodge website for more details at: http://www.tshukudulodge.co.za/ AndrÈ Goosen Ingwe Guest House, PO Box 7234, Nelspruit, 1200 South - Africa Tel/Fax: +27 (0) 13-7413545: Email: goosena@iafrica.com Website: http://users.iafrica.com/g/go/goosena

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ABORIGINE SIGN LANGUAGE Aborigines, thriving in the Australian outback region in the early part of this century, used sign language to communicate with each other when not wanting to create a commotion. Dr. Walter Roth, at that time, wrote a book "The Queensland Aborigines." There was a section in this book about their sign language. Their ASL preceded our ASL by many years!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT CLINTON Two weeks ago, I was glad to see the Senate pass S. 622, the important hate crimes legislation I supported with a bipartisan coalition in Congress. But there is much more work to be done. Today the House Judiciary Committee will hold hearings on hate crimes. That is welcome news, but it must lead to the entire Houses' consideration and passage of strong, effective hate crimes legislation, and ultimately to enactment of a hate crimes law. Effective legislation must accomplish three objectives. First, it must remove serious jurisdictional limitations that require proof that victims were attacked because they were engaging in particular activities. Second, it must expand federal coverage for violent hate crimes based on sexual orientation, gender or disability. There is no question that innocent people have been targeted and attacked and in some cases even killed solely because of their sexual orientation, gender or disability. Such hate crimes must be covered by any legislation passed by the Congress. Third, it must recognize that state and local authorities should continue to prosecute the great majority of hate crimes, and that federal jurisdiction should be exercised only when it is necessary to achieve justice in a particular case. Any bill that does include these three elements falls far short of what America needs in our battle against hate. No American should have to suffer the violence of a hate crime. Unfortunately many do, and therefore we must work together to ensure that all Americans receive greater protection. This should not be a partisan issue. It is a national concern requiring a national response in the form of strong hate crimes legislation. I call on the House of Representatives to meet its responsibility in combating violence that is fueled by hate and to complete what the Senate has begun. If we work together, we have it within our grasp to enact a bill that will take a very strong stand against those who perpetrate crimes based on prejudice and hate. We must not let this opportunity pass us by.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EDUCATED DEAF NOSE An educated deaf nose story. Dr. Frank Hochman, the deaf physician in Fremont, CA, was attending a class on Qualitative Organic Analysis, way back in his college days. At that time he wasn't a pre-med student, but his classmates were. They were driven to keep their grades as high as they could. Frank could smell something and quickly identify it in few minutes whereas his classmates took as much as several weeks to find out what the odor was, so they depended on Frank's Educated Deaf Nose. Getting wise to the act, the frustrated professor yelled "Hochman, keep your nose out of everyone else's business."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Federal Employee Stats The Washington Post, September 27th edition, ran a statistical profile of the Federal Work Force. Such profiles are: Average age - 45.7 Average length of service - 16.7 With disabilities - 7.2 percent Average base salary - $48,094 outside of DC area Pay system - 72.3 % on general schedule Gender - 55% men & 45% women Union representation - 59 percent represented Supervisors and managers - 10.9 percent Where most work - 38.5 % in defense college degrees - 39.9 % live in Washington, DC area - 15.4 %

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE By Ed Keller, Jr. Mary Kohlerman, former associate program director at the National Science Foundation (NSF) program for Persons with Disabilities in Washington, DC, is one such extraordinary person. In the early 70's, I had become convinced that there was a need for NSF summer field/laboratory honors program for disabled secondary students. They were being excluded from regular NSF programs. Mary believed this too. When I approached the NSF secondary student program personnel I was told that it probably could not be funded under those 1996 NSF guidelines for the Student Science Training Program. From an early (1976) NSF decision to focus a small amount of funds on students with disabilities, Mary Kohlerman did the review and analysis on the Wallops Island disability proposal and recommended funding. She had the clear conviction that such a project could work and should be funded. The program had quite a long run at the Marine Science Consortium at Wallops Island, VA under NSF funding, from 1976 to 1993 (with a few years off for the Reagan suspension). About two hundred and fifty disabled student participants went through these programs. Sampling from the early phase of the programs (1976-1982) indicated that most of the participants were in undergraduate Science programs. Recently, Mary was working exclusively with programs for and about persons with disabilities. Due, in part to those early efforts, many programs, science classes, meetings, etc. are now quite inclusive. Mary has recently retired and we will miss her as Larry Scadden's right hand person at NSF. We all thank you Mary Kohlerman!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New in AT: Personal Captioning Technology The latest in Personal Captioning technology was demonstrated in Chicago at the International Center on Deafness and the Arts and the Victory Gardens Theater on August 9th and 10th. The Center on Deafness has been a world leader in the advancement of Education and the Arts for individuals with hearing impairments. Victory Gardens Theater has become Chicago's leading presenter of barrier-free live theater through the "Access Project" which is supported in part by a grant from Kraft Foods. Personal Captioning Systems, LLC, introduced individual display units that clip onto ordinary eyeglasses, displaying real-time and pre-scripted captions in "line of sight." Each individual present was given the opportunity to use a display unit to view captioning representative of various venues. Two aspects used real time captioning: the lecture (during the overview of the product) and the question and answer period of the demonstration. The other aspects used pre-scripted captioning are, a staged reading (live theater production), an operatic selection (English libretto), and a movie (pre-captioned). Many in attendance were eager to be involved in the upcoming classroom research funded through the U.S. Department of Education's Stepping Stones grant. Several theaters invited Personal Captioning Systems, LLC, to be involved with their fall productions. The audience members were encouraged to share their thoughts. The recurring theme emphasized the uniqueness of the Personal Captioning Systems in that they have the flexibility to be used in any seat at a venue. This allows the captions to be read no matter where the wearer is facing thus allowing deaf and hearing impaired patrons to view both the captioning and the performance simultaneously. Dr. Murray Fisher & Dr. Dan Deignan. Personal Captioning Systems, LLC 9401 North Nashville, Morton Grove, IL 60053 Voice/TDD: 1-847-965-6544 For more information, please visit their website: www.PersonalCaptioning.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ON-A-ROLL RADIO Keep up the pressure. Get yourself on radio and TV. Contact Greg Smith at On A Roll Radio. He may do a segment of his two-hour radio show on your cause. His e-mail address is: RollRadio@AOL.COM. He is a good man. The ADA is the wrong law to fight this with. I would not fight a legal fight. I would fight a moral/community fight. There has to be funds for your group. I publish Assistive Technology News, a national newspaper on assistive technology and disability services. Send me some information on your group and I will write a story for my newspaper on it. I also write a weekly AT column for Business Week online magazine on assistive technology issues and products. It is published every Wednesday. By John Williams

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Larry Scadden" Science Teacher of the Year Award The Regional Alliance for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics for Students with Disabilities (RASEM), New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, and The Science Education for Students with Disabilities (SESD, a group within the National Science Teachers Association; of which Ed Keller was the immediate Past-President) are now accepting nominations/applications for The Lawrence Scadden Teacher of the Year Award in Science Education for Students with Disabilities. Selection Criteria is based upon the following: á Current K-12, science, and special education teachers; á Must have taught science at least 5 years to students with disabilities; á Must have made an outstanding contribution to science students with disabilities; Candidates may apply on their own behalf or be nominated by peers, students, parents, or an administrator; The recipient will be recognized at the annual National Science Teachers Association conference (Florida 2000), and will receive a $1,000 award to be applied to travel expenses to the conference. Nomination/Application forms available by writing to: Sami Kahn, Rutgers University, 36 Street 1603, Piscataway, NJ 08854

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The NSF Program for Persons with Disabilities By Lawrence Scadden The NSF Program for Persons with Disabilities continues to receive level funding at approximately $4.35 million per year. With awards averaging around $140 thousand per year, PPD can not grow above having between 30 and 35 projects at any given time. Several years ago, the $4.35 million was an adequate budget because we were receiving around 60 preliminary proposals and between 25 and 30 full proposals annually. Now the pressure is on! In fiscal year 1999 we received 111preliminary proposals and 60 full proposals. Most awards are for grants of three years meaning that only one-third of the current awards terminate in a year. So we are limited to around ten to twelve new awards each year. In some years, fewer awards can be given because the available funds are reduced by supplements needed by exemplary projects and by the decision to renew other projects that would otherwise terminate. Fiscal years 1998 and 1999 were two such years. The number of highly recommended projects in 1998 was so high that I decided to hold three over and fund in early 1999. Without this strategy, they would have been declined even with high ratings. Rutgers, Duke, and the Education Development Center were funded in this manner in October of 1998, right at the beginning of the 1999 fiscal year. All three projects are exemplary, so my decision to mortgage the 1999 budget was justified. Of course, such a strategy seriously depleted the available funds for this past year's competition. Merit review panels recommended 21 proposals for funding. We were able to fund four of them in that fiscal year and four more at the beginning of this fiscal year. Already, however, our fiscal year 2000 budget is 80% expended by continuing awards and the four new awards to New Mexico State, Oregon State, the TLT Group working in collaboration with EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information), and to the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC). There were still an additional 13 proposals recommended for funding that either were declined for lack of funds or that are still in our hands awaiting further consideration. Even with the dismal situation with the budget, we are proud of the projects that are currently funded. We just completed our annual meeting of principal investigators and project directors, and reports from active projects elicited excitement from colleagues from around the country. Much new collaboration among project leaders was spawned and can be expected to lead to even more exciting activities. The new program announcement for PPD will be posted on the NSF Web site within the next month. It can be found by going to the following web site and searching for Program for Persons with Disabilities within publications or the Directorate of Education and Human Resources. http://www.nsf.gov The new program will highlight four areas of competition: 1) Demonstration and Intervention Projects 2) Information Dissemination Projects 3) Renewal of Demonstration and Intervention Projects, and 4) Capacity Building for Community Colleges in Science Education for Students with Disabilities. The deadline for preliminary proposals will be February 1, 2000, and full proposals will have a deadline of May 1, 2000. The later deadlines will permit us to plan for funding of more projects at the beginning of fiscal year 2001 when we hope the PPD budget will be increased. Lawrence Scadden, Ph.D., Senior Program Director

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RECENT SUPREME COURT DECISION By Andrew J. Imparato, General Counsel and Director of Policy National Council on Disability, June 28, 1999 As an attorney who has spent my career working to promote policies and laws that expand opportunities for the 54 million Americans with disabilities, I am deeply concerned that the U.S. Supreme Court totally missed the mark last week in three cases construing the definition of "disability" in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Supreme Court has left me and millions of other Americans with significant mental or physical impairments unprotected against egregious discrimination. The three cases involved people with poor uncorrected vision, monocular vision, and hypertension who were challenging discriminatory employer policies that unfairly excluded them based on their impairments. In deciding that these people fall outside the civil rights protections of ADA because their conditions are correctable, our highest court has left many people with treatable conditions like epilepsy, diabetes, and, in my case, bipolar disorder, outside of the law's protection as well. Anyone who is functioning well with their disability is now at risk of losing civil rights protections as a result of the Supreme Court's "miserly" construction, to use Justice Stevens' characterization in his eloquent dissent. People with hidden disabilities often are unable to predict how an employer, coworker, friend, or colleague will react when they learn of the disability. In my case, I have had a wide range of experiences when I self-identify as a person with bipolar disorder or manic-depressive illness. Some people assume that it is something I had in the past and that I am "better." Some worry that I might "go postal" and treat me with kid gloves. One interviewer raised an unfounded concern about whether I would know how to conduct myself appropriately at staff meetings. My own experience confirms for me that fears, myths, and stereotypes about people with disabilities are alive and well in the United States. Congress enacted ADA in 1990 to address this country's sad history of excluding, paternalistic, degrading treatment of our citizens with disabilities. In its role of advisor to the President and the Congress on public policy issues affecting people with disabilities, my employer, the National Council on Disability (NCD), drafted ADA to address the many forms of discrimination that occur for people with a wide variety of disabilities. One of the core findings in ADA is that "disability is a natural part of the human experience." This is a powerful statement. "Disability" should not be interpreted by the Supreme Court to exclude the many people whose conditions in their natural state result in significant impairments in functioning but who can function well with medication, assistive devices, or other mitigating measures. The people who would be left out nonetheless will continue to encounter bigotry and attitudinal barriers when we are turned down for jobs or are passed over for promotions. ADA is about equal opportunity, full participation, and equal access. It is not about handouts or special privileges for a select few. An inclusive definition of disability means extending a good thing-fairness-to more people. A narrow definition of disability for ADA means that civil rights will be "doled out" to the "deserving few." Under the decisions last week, people bringing ADA claims will need to emphasize the negative about their impairment and how it affects them, as if they were applying for disability retirement benefits. The evidence they submit to demonstrate their disability can and will be used against them when they seek to demonstrate their qualifications for the position they are seeking. This puts people in a Catch-22 situation that Congress never intended. When Congress defined disability in ADA, they intentionally used the inclusive, flexible definition that has been in place for many years under the Rehabilitation Act. The ADA definition includes not just people with physical or mental impairments that substantially limit at least one major life activity, but also people with a history of such impairments, and people who are regarded by others as having such impairments. If Congress wanted to limit coverage to people in wheelchairs, blind people, and deaf people, they certainly could have. Instead, Congress followed the advice of NCD and others and incorporated an inclusive definition of the protected class that would reach the many and varied ways that fears, myths, and stereotypes come into play to unfairly limit people based on their physical or mental conditions as opposed to their work experience and proven abilities. ADA should be read to protect anyone who is treated unfairly because of his or her physical or mental impairment. Because the Supreme Court decided otherwise, equal justice for all now rings hollow for millions of Americans with disabilities. (WITH PERMISSION) National Council on Disability, 1331 F Street, NW, Suite 1050, Washington, DC 20004 202-272-2004 Mark S. Quigley, Affairs Specialist, National Council on Disability 1331 F Street, NW, Suite 1050, Washington, DC 20004 Voice 202-272-2004: TTY 202-272-2074: Fax 202-272-2022 E-mail mquigley@ncd.gov http://www.ncd.gov

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TALKING ATM America's first talking automatic teller machine was unveiled in San Francisco last Friday. The City of San Francisco was the first organization in the United States to install an ATM available to the public. Newspaper coverage of this event is below. Wells Fargo has an out of court agreement to install talking ATM's at all locations in California within five years. The Citibank operating division of the global financial concern Citigroup will start a six-month pilot test of talking ATM's within the next few weeks. Also, federally funded attorneys in Pennsylvania have filed ADA suits against Philadelphia based Melon Bank and Pittsburgh based PNC Bank representing the National Federation of the Blind and four plaintiffs. The new machine and recent activity is based on a re-interpretation of the ADA accessibility guidelines that call for ATM's to be "independently usable" to the blind. The San Francisco Examiner The machine speaks to sight-impaired to give them equal access to their funds. Ron Boutte has been blind since he was 10, but he's an old pro at using ATM machines. Boutte reads the Braille on the keypads and has memorized the sequence of buttons to press. But cash is not always at Boutte's fingertips. Unable to see the screen, the 44-year-old cannot tell if the machine is out of order or if an error occurs. But for Boutte and other blind and visually impaired residents of San Francisco, a solution has arrived. The first talking ATM in the nation is now in the city treasurer and tax collector's office in City Hall. It can be found by following a talking sign, an infrared control that tells users where they are. The voice gets clearer as the person gets closer to the destination. At the ATM, audio instructions come through a headset. A voice repeats which keys have been punched and will notify the customer when the transaction is completed or if it fails. "I get a lot more of a secure feeling," said Damien Pickering, who is blind and is communications director at the Rose Resnick Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired. "I can find the ATM machine and can use the ATM machine easily. It's getting to the point where I can do business like anyone else." The ATM was brought to City Hall under the leadership of City Treasurer Susan Leal, the San Francisco Credit Union and T-base Communications USA Inc. Leal's two criteria were that the machine not impose a surcharge on customers and that it be accessible, she said. Further, Leal said she hopes the new machine will serve as a model to other banks. "Some banks are under court mandates and we felt like we would be proactive," Leal said. "We've issued a challenge to the other banks, like Citibank and Wells Fargo, who have the resources to put this together."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zeus, our heart repair robot Anyone who is interested in hearts and cardiac bypass surgery must read about "Zeus," the robotic heart surgeon. Without the natural hand tremors of its human creators, Zeus is currently performing single bypass surgery trials in three U.S. medical sites. Make sure you see this story's fascinating video by clicking on the Real Video on our home page -- this is truly a case of science fiction becoming reality! www.ivanhoe.com/stream/roboticheartsurgeon.html In webMD.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Updates on the FSD reading table ACCENT ON LIVING: Raymond C. Cheaver, 72, founder and publisher, Bloomington, IL, died on August 15, 1999. His magazine, which will continue, has served as a pioneering voice for disability rights and advocacy and was a valuable information resource in the community. His work will not be forgotten, and we offer our profound sympathy to his family and friends. SUNTIMES: Michelle Dreseris, editor, has recently received an award from the National Public Schools Public Relations Association for a feature article in her magazine. The story concerned an indoor swimming pool adapted for use by profoundly handicapped students at a Dade County, Florida, school. Suntimes is a publication of the public school system in Dade County. DEAF USA: EF Training Center, publisher, will sponsor the 1999 Deaf Expo November 19-21 in San Diego, CA. The Expo is the world's largest trades show targeted at the deaf and hard of hearing market. More than 8,000 visitors are expected. For more information, visit them on the Web at www.deafexpo.org

THE KEYSTONE: The Pennsylvania Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities, publisher, is sponsoring the state's fourth annual conference on independent living, October 16-19, in Harrisburg. The meeting will focus on disability culture and pride within a theme of "Attitude is Everything." More than 700 persons are expected to attend.

FOCUS FACTS ON COMMUNITY LIVING: The UAP of Oklahoma, publisher, is offering the 1999 Disability Leadership Calendar, which is filled with informative, historical dates and information. For ordering information, call 405-271-4500.

WORKSIGHT: The RRTC on Blindness and Low Vision at Mississippi State University will conduct its annual training conference on March 29-31, 2000, in Minneapolis, MN. The theme will be access technology. For more information, contact John Maxson at 662-325-7824. The Center has also published a Spanish version of it's 1997 publication" Serving Individuals with Diabetes Who and Blind or Visually Impaired." Contact Kelly Schaefer at 662-325-1363.

EPILEPSY USA: The Epilepsy Foundation of America has honored two physicians and a pharmaceutical firm with its 1999 Distinguished Achievement Award. The awards recognize contributions that have made a significant difference in the lives of people with epilepsy and their families. HIP MAGAZINE: This award-winning publication includes a teaching guide for parents and professionals with each issue called "Hip Tips." It serves any child with a hearing loss between the ages of 8-14. The address is 1563 Solano Ave., #137, Berkeley, CA 94707. SCI LIFE: The Spinal Cord Injury Association held a national educational conference September 26-29 in Washington, DC. Objectives were to understand the current research, medical, managed care, legislative and personal issues that affect consumers, families and caregivers.

EMERGING HORIZONS: Cany Harrington, editor, Ripon, CA, reports that a list of accessible rental van companies is available on her newsletter's highly rated website www.emerginghorizons.com The list was compiled after repeated requests from readers, and involved extensive research. Listed companies are from the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia and Israel.

TBI INFORM: The TBI Model System Unit at the University of Alabama-Birmingham is offering a new newsletter that discusses how patients can participate in research and how professionals offering a new newsletter that discusses how patients can participate in research and how professionals can obtain current data. Information about the publication is on the Internet at www.uab.edu/tbi

OPTIONS: The Polio society held it's annual conference "Living Well in a New Century" last month in Bethesda, MD. The meeting included presentations from distinguished researchers and authorities in the field.

AAPD NEWS: The American Association of People with Disabilities, Washington, DC, has begun issuing a new newsletter and is considering applications for president and chief executive officer. Current priorities include civil rights, employment, healthcare, civic participation and membership services. For information about AAPD, contact Helena Berger at 202-457-0046.

LIGHTHOUSE NEWS: The Lighthouse in New York City has published its new publications and resources catalog. Subject areas include age-related vision loss, eye disorders, infancy and childhood, low vision and environmental modifications. To order a free copy, call 800-829-0500.

NEW MOBILITY: Publisher Jeff Leonard reports the monthly magazine is "stronger then ever." He also cited a reader survey that prompted this comment: "Overall, New Mobility is the best disability-related publication there is. It is levels above and beyond the competition." For subscription information, contact Leonard at 888-850-0344.

THE HARRIS REPORT: Maria Harris is one of the few television producers of a disability program who also issues a newsletter to supplement her work. The Harris Group produces "Taking the Dis from Disability" in Fairfax County, Virginia. To contact write 6002 Hydrangea Dr., Alexandria, VA 22310.

DAV MAGAZINE: The Disabled American Veterans saluted the nation's war dead with a special Memorial Day issue of their publication. With the magazine came an attractive poster featuring the headline "We Shall Remember Them." Contact the CAV on the Internet at www.dav.org.

CLOSING THE GAP: The annual Closing the Gap conference will be held October 21-23 in Minneapolis, MN, and will feature computer technology in special education and rehabilitation.

INDEPENDENT LIVING AND DISABILITY POLICY: The World Institute on Disability is publishing a new newsletter in the field of independent living. It also offers several new publications: "Final Report of the International Forum for Women with Disabilities" and "Disabled Women's Priorities for Action." Write to 510 16th St., Ste. 100, Oakland, CA 94612.

FCA UPDATE: The Family Caregivers Alliance, San Francisco, CA, will be offering a ground-breaking Internet program that will provide specialized important services, on demand, to family caregivers. This will be the first long-term care program in the country to use the Internet to reach care-giving families at home. The website is www.link2care.net

MEDIA ACCESS OFFICE: The California Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities will hold it's 17th annual Media Access Disability Awareness Awards and dinner on October 24 at a Beverly Hills hotel.

AFB NEWS: The American Foundation for the Blind has installed the "Talking Sign" infrared, wireless communications system in the AFB Helen Keller Gallery at it's headquarters in New York City. The system will provide remote, directional, human voice messages for visually impaired and print-handicapped visitors. The system works equally well for interior and exterior applications.

APH SLATE: The American Printing House for the Blind, Louisville, KY, is adding new items from its museum to the website at www.aph.org. Examples of typewriters and mechanical tactile writers will be shown, along with other items from the museum. Eugene Callahan, a former General Electric employee and holder of several patents recently endowed the APH Museum. From Telemedia

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CALL FOR PAPERS 13TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY FOR DISABILITY STUDIES SDS is a parellel group to FSD (many are Psychologists). They have a very interesting topic at this year's meeting. I thought you might be interested Conference Theme: "Activism in the Academy" Program Organizer: Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, Howard University The Society for Disability Studies (SDS) will hold its 13th annual meeting at the Sheraton City Center in Chicago, Illinois, on June 28-July 2, 2000. SDS is a nonprofit educational organization established to promote research on the ways that disciplines, policies, and cultural representations structure ideas about disability. This announcement solicits abstracts for individual paper presentations, panels, workshops, roundtable, or performances on a wide range of topics and approaches to work in disability studies. Proposers are particularly encouraged to submit complete panels or roundtable sessions that have been solicited outside of this process. This year's conference theme, "Activism in the Academy," seeks to expand and engage current disability studies models, practices, theories, and methodologies in all academic fields. We ask proposers to consider in the very broadest sense how disability studies might function as a form of activism in the larger world and in the academy. We encourage proposers to frame their research and scholarship so that it questions, clarifies, challenges, or complicates the relation between work in disability studies and the lives of disabled people. Here are some questions that might inform the proposals: What are the politics of disability research methodologies? Can or should teaching and research and be activist in their orientation? What influence does activism have upon academic inquiry? How can grassroots organizing invigorate disability studies? What is the appropriate place of activism in research and teaching? How can we assess the effects of disability studies in the larger world? What relation can disability studies have upon administration or departments such as disability services? How can disability studies be integrated into other yields and teaching? Can studying the cultural, historical, or aesthetic representation of disability be activism? How does disability studies figure in political activism? What kinds of affiliations can or should be forged with other organizations that focus on policy, education, or other forms of activism. The theme is intended to provide only one basis of criteria for submissions. Because one of the organization's primary objectives is to promote interdisciplinary scholarship, we are particularly interested in other proposals that address an array of cross-disability issues, such as: disability policy and politics, disability rights movements, images of people with disabilities in media, disability culture(s), the relationship of disability to other ethnic/minority identities, health and medical industry reform, participatory political action models, cultural responses to disability, artistic representations of disability, social and individual implications of disability technologies, theories of bodily and cognitive norms/deviancy, disability and ethics, disability and the global economy, etc. The submission deadline is December 10, 1999. To have your proposal considered, please print out the form below and send it as indicated at the bottom. Newsletter prepared by Rebecca Keefer E-mail Rfkeefer@aol.com