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Nike Improves Shoe Accessibility
March 22, 2017
https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2017/03/22/nike-improves-shoe-accessibility/23485/

I thought this was an interesting article, and a positive comeback especially after the Nike Air Dri-Goat ad that caused so much offense. Nice to see this company putting its product design to use in direct response to its customers. This shoe was first designed back in 2015, following a request from a teenager with cerebral palsy. The new and improved version is now available. I went on to watch a review on YouTube presented by a teenager's channel "Cerebral Palsy with Swagger". He just loved these shoes and how easily he could manage to get them on and off, while still looking cool.

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Nike is taking steps toward increased accessibility with a new shoe designed to make it even easier for people with disabilities to slip their feet in and out.

The athletic-wear giant said this week that it's introducing a new iteration of its FlyEase lineup, a collection of sneakers that include special accessibility features.

Nike first introduced FlyEase in 2015 after hearing from a teenager with cerebral palsy who sought a shoe he could put on independently. The original FlyEase design relied on a wrap-around zipper to fasten the shoe and included a larger opening at the back to make it simpler to slide feet in and out.

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"One of the key learnings we've had in crafting accessible footwear is the importance of easy entry and exit of the shoe, not just simplifying its fastening system," said Tobie Hatfield, senior director of athlete innovation at Nike. "Eliminating the intricate hand movement of lace tying is important, but if the athlete cannot get their foot into the shoe, lacing becomes a moot point."

The new version - called the LeBron Soldier 10 FlyEase - opens from the heal to the midpoint and uses a flatter zipper and Velcro straps to secure the shoe around the foot.

"It looks just like the traditional Soldier 10, but with a far more generous opening for the foot," Hatfield said. "Of all the shoes we've ever made, this may be the easiest one to get into."

The LeBron Soldier 10 FlyEase is available online in both kids and adult sizes.

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Nike is taking steps toward increased accessibility with a new shoe designed to make it even easier for people with disabilities to slip their feet in and out. The athletic-wear giant said this week that it's introducing a new iteration of its FlyEase lineup, a collection of sneakers that include special accessibility features.

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Roncesvalles grocer ordered to remove 'unsafe wheelchair ramp
March 17, 2017
http://www.citynews.ca/2017/03/17/roncesvalles-grocer-ordered-remove-unsafe-wheelchair-ramp/

This article talks about the owner of a small store who expresses his frustration after he received a warning from the city asking him to remove a wheelchair ramp he had installed to make his store more accessible to customers using a wheelchair. The letter stated it need to be removed by March 22 or he would be fined $5000. The Ramp as been installed for almost 3 years by the stopgap foundation, a non-profit organization which has built more than 1,300 ramps for Canadian Storefronts. Ontario's deadline to make the city and business accessible is withing the year 2025.
the owner stated that he's only renting and it would cost him too much to have it replace and he doesn't see the problem with the one he has now, especially since it's been working fine for 3 years now without an issue till now. In order for businesses to be accessible by the required deadline. There needs to be some sort of allowance. even tho the city recognizes and acknowledge his gesture, they also stated that it the ramp doesn't help.
This was very disappointing to read because, in my opinion, I feel as if the city is not considering the people first, instead they have their own hidden agenda, make as much money as they can. the best way to know what works for people is to ask the people themselves. I am sure if the city did a survey and ask whether or not a person in a wheelchair using the ramp feel safe, almost all or everyone would agree they do feel safe.

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The owner of a small specialty grocer in Roncesvalles is fighting back after the city ordered him to remove the wheelchair ramp from outside his store.

On Wednesday, an inspector dropped off a notice to Stasis Deli & Pantry saying the ramp is blocking "safe pedestrian passage" and is not safe for people using mobility devices.

When asked about the problem, Coun. Gord Perks said the ramp doesn't have enough turning room or the necessary handrails.

"It doesn't actually provide any additional access to the store," he said. "All it really does is take up space on the sidewalk.

"The city has said to the owner, 'I'm sorry. We appreciate your gesture, but this doesn't help. We're going to ask you to remove it.'"

Stasis owner Julian Katz - who rents the space for his store - said he would do anything he can to make the ramp conform to code. But when he spoke with Transportation Services, staff told him he wouldn't get an easement.

"I was really surprised because we're trying to do our part to make our city accessible and the city is saying, 'Well, here's your options: get rid of it or get rid of it," Katz said.

Perks said if Katz has a plan, the city would be willing to look at it. But he suggested the location is tricky and Katz should take time to figure out how to make it properly accessible in time for 2025, Ontario's deadline to make the province barrier-free.

"We're struggling as a city to figure out how to meet all of these requirements, making our transit system accessible, all of our own buildings accessible," Perks said. "It's often not easy."

Meanwhile, Katz said his customers rely on the ramp, installed almost three years ago by StopGap Foundation, a non-profit which has built more than 1,300 ramps for Canadian storefronts with steps.

"It really addresses the tension between city policy ... and our goal as a province to be fully barrier-free by 2025," said StopGap founder Luke Anderson. "That's an incredible and very important goal.

"Safety definitely has to be paramount ... But again we have to look at how many people have used (Stasis's ramp) and how many people have enjoyed using it successfully and safely."

Although Anderson admitted the ramp isn't a "perfect solution," he said building a ramp to code would encroach even further onto the sidewalk.

"If we want our businesses to be accessible, then there needs to be some allowances," Katz said.

"And when I'm being told directly, 'No, we're not going to make an allowance for you,' where does that leave us when we're trying to do our part to make the city accessible?"

If the ramp is not gone by March 22, the city will remove the ramp itself, charge Katz for the visit and the cost of destroying it, and take him to court, where he could be fined up to $5,000.

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Roncesvalles grocer ordered to remove 'unsafe' wheelchair ramp - CityNews Toronto

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The owner of a small specialty grocer in Roncesvalles is fighting back after the city ordered him to remove the wheelchair ramp from outside his store. On Wednesday, an inspector dropped off a notice to Stasis Deli & Pantry saying the ramp is blocking "safe pedestrian passage" and is not safe for people using mobility devices.

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Qualtrough Pushes for Accessibility Despite Cost
February, 9, 2017.
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/02/09/qualtrough-pushes-for-accessibility-despite-cost.html

In this article, Ottawa's minister of sport and persons with disabilities shares her vision to push to craft Canad'as first national accessibility legislation, by the end of 2018.The focus is on inclusion and breaking down the barriers that support long-term cultural change. She emphasizes that we can not discriminate against a marginalized population because its going to cost too much to be inclusive. I find this an important point as it challenges the monetary value that is creating a barrier of exclusion. The issue presented with this plans is that there needs to be a common definition of disability that supports all federal laws and regulations. This an be challenging and will take time to ensure that the definition of disability includes a range of persons and does not create limits and or challenges within it's own definition. This article helped to developed a deeper understanding about the politics involved around laws related to disability.

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TTC expands Wheel-Trans eligibility to include people with cognitive, sensory, or mental health disabilities
March, 7, 2017
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/07/ttc-expands-wheel-trans-eligibility-to-include-people-with-cognitive-sensory-or-mental-
health-disabilities.html

This article presents the story about a boy named Jack. He is a 16 year old boy that suffers from social anxiety and finds TTC rides stressful and overwhelming. His mom has to drive him to school, making life less flexible. TTC recognize that all disabilities should be accommodated. Under new rules that went into effect on Jan. 1, people like Jack are eligible to take Wheel-Trans instead of the conventional TTC. The law indicates that people with cognitive or mental health issues must be given the same accommodation as transit users with physical challenges. Funding has been given for TTC to removing barriers and expand accommodating services for people with a wide range of disabilities. This article emphasizes the fact that disabilities go beyond physical impairments, and that all disabilities should be recognized and supported. I found it progressive and empowering that the municipal government was able to recognize this and take the initiative to provide accessible public transportation to a wider range of individuals with special needs. Recognizing these issues and doing something to create change strives for a more inclusive society.

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Winter Paralympics
Toronto Star
March 9, 2017

Highlights athletes selected to take part in the Pyeonchang Winter Olympics in 2018
Great to see just a regular sports report, in the sports section of the newspaper. This to me is a really positive portrayal of someone with a disability. The athletes' stories are being covered in the appropriate place 'the sports' section, rather than being separated out and heralded as inspirations! Their athleticism is the focus and not their disability. I think this is one step closer to normalization in society.

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MS 'liberation therapy' ineffective: study
Toronto Star
March 9, 2017
MS 'liberation therapy' ineffective: study
I found this article interesting for several reasons. Reading it made me consider the discussions we have had during this course on how people view a disability as something that needs to be fixed. It was also good to read that the physician who had developed this procedure has been successfully challenged. I wonder sometimes if we place a little too much faith in doctors, believing claims, rather than questioning the validity. In this case, many Canadian patients had received this treatment and had positive testimonials supporting the treatment, which raises questions about the placebo effect.
I don't see that the article does anything with regard to portrayals of disability, other than to indicate that there are people who do want to treat, and reduce the symptoms of their disability. I can understand both sides of the argument for wanting to change your circumstances if you have a disaibility, or to believe that society needs to change rather than the person.

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Paralympic athlete 'forced to wet herself' on CrossCountry train without disabled toilet

January 2, 2017

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/paralympic-athlete-wheelchair-wet-herself-crosscountry-train-no-disabled-toilets-anne-wafule-strike-a7505461.html

Paralympic athlete was forced to wet herself while traveling on a train because the only accessible washroom that on board was not in service. Anne a British wheelchair athlete was awarded an MBE for her achievement in sports and said she has never felt so embarrassed in her life She also stated she felt rob of her dignity. She had spent years building her self-confidence and self- belief, and it took one day to destroy it.
I truly believe Having access to a toilet is everyone's most basic rights and extremely respectively of the fact that she decided to share her experience so that she could highlight the daily struggles persons with disabilities are faced with due to poor accessibility.

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A Paralympic athlete and prominent campaigner has spoken of her distress after being forced to wet herself during a three hour train journey without an accessible toilet.

Anne Wafule Strike, a British wheelchair athlete who was awarded an MBE for services to disability sport, says she was left feeling "completely robbed of dignity" by the incident. She says she had to urinate on herself on a CrossCountry train after the only accessible toilet was out of order.

She told The Guardian she was forced to urinate on herself where she was sitting and covered her face with her clothes out of shame.

She said: "I was completely robbed of my dignity by the train company. I would like to ask the train company when will they give me my dignity back? As a disabled person I have worked so hard over the years to build up my confidence and self-belief. Having access to a toilet, especially in a developed nation like the UK, is one of the most basic rights."

Describing the journey as a "nightmare", she said that when she finally returned home "I scrubbed myself clean in the shower then flung myself on my bed and sobbed for hours."

She said she decided to share her experience to highlight the struggles people with disabilities can be faced with due to poor accessibility:"After thinking about it for a while I decided to go public despite the personal humiliation of doing so in the hope that it will bring about change for other people with disabilities who want to contribute to society but are prevented from doing so. Too many people with disabilities suffer in silence when this kind of thing happens because they feel too embarrassed to talk about it."

A CrossCountry spokesperson said: "We are extremely sorry for the circumstances of Mrs Strike's recent journey with us, and our managing director has passed on our apologies to her along with an explanation of why it appears all our systems failed her on that day. We hope she will take up our offer and contact us in the new year so we can offer her a more pleasant experience of travelling with us."

The NHS estimates that 1.2 million people in the UK are wheelchair users, amounting to 1.9 per cent of the total British population.

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Paralympic athlete 'forced to wet herself' on train without disabled toilet

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A Paralympic athlete and prominent campaigner has spoken of her distress after being forced to wet herself during a three hour train journey without an accessible toilet. Anne Wafule Strike, a British wheelchair athlete who was awarded an MBE for services to disability sport, says she was left feeling "completely robbed of dignity" by the incident.

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Non-verbal six-year-old boy and deaf dog learn to communicate using sign language
January 6, 2017
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/non-verbal-boy-deaf-dog-communicate-sign-language-a7513991.html

A 6-year-old boy, who is non-verbal learns how to communicate with his dog who is deaf using sign language.The family decided to foster the dog because they thought it would be good for their son to communicate with the dog seeing as though he can only response to sign language. the parents made the decision because they wanted to see how their son would interact with him and wanted him to have a friend.
This article was inspiring and touching to see how they formed such a strong bond despite their abilities. But I didn't like the wording of the title " Non-verbal six-year-old boy" rather than identifying the child first, by saying  "A six-year-old boy who is Non-verbal"

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A six-year-old boy who cannot speak and a deaf dog are a "match made in heaven", according to the boy's mother.

Connor Guillet is able to communicate with three-year-old boxer Ellie using sign language and has become inseparable from the affectionate rescue animal since the family took her in a week before Christmas.

Connor, who was adopted at four weeks old, was born addicted to opiates, and has since been diagnosed with damage to his brain and nervous system, in addition to a chromosomal disorder called DiGeorge syndrome, and autism.

"Connor is severely delayed psychologically, physically and emotionally," Ms Guillet told CBS News.

"He is nonverbal and requires speech therapy. It is unknown whether he has the ability to speak with a limited vocabulary."

Since he also has issues with motor skills, even using sign language is difficult for Connor, but his mother said Ellie is adept at understanding.

The family, from Florida, already had an eight-year-old boxer when they were contacted by a rescue centre in late December, which said it had a deaf animal that only responded to sign language available for adoption.

"I had a lightbulb go off immediately," Ms Guillet said. "To think that Connor can sign to her and actually communicate with her made my heart melt."

Connor and his mother met the dog the next day.

"That was it," Ms Guillet said, adding that Connor petted, kissed, and hugged the dog, who responded by licking the child.

"She was beyond gentle with him," Ms Guillet said. "Boxers are known to be great with kids, but there is something definitely special about Ellie."

Ms Guillet agreed to foster the dog to see how she would interact with Connor at home. The pair quickly became inseparable.

They play tug of war, run up and down the slide in the back garden and cuddle on the couch together, Ms Guillet said, adding that, finally, Connor has found a friend he can relate to.

"It warms my heart like nothing else," said Ms Guillet, adding that she is now going to adopt Ellie and "make her a permanent member of the family".

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A boy who cannot speak and his deaf dog communicate through sign language

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A six-year-old boy who cannot speak and a deaf dog are a "match made in heaven", according to the boy's mother. Connor Guillet is able to communicate with three-year-old boxer Ellie using sign language and has become inseparable from the affectionate rescue animal since the family took her in a week before Christmas.

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Disabled, shunned and silenced in Trump's America
February 15, 2017
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/15/opinion/disabled-shunned-and-silenced-in-trumps-america.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FDisabilities&action=click&contentCollection=health&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=4&pgtype=collection&_r=0

Donald Trump the president of the united states removed the disability act section from the White House website, stating they are working on making it better. Individuals with a disability who depends on this information does not believe that's the case, they felt as if the president got rid of the site because of his obvious lack of respect and value for others. Because of this, individuals felt betrayed in some ways and felt as if they are not valued or equal to everyone else.
Donald Trump has been dismissive and rude towards individuals with a disability in the past. these individual are living in fear for their future and their family. It's not a good feeling knowing that persons with a disability do not feel safe, especially in a country where human rights are so important.

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Disability

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Credit Credit Dadu Shin

I'm a woman. I'm physically disabled. And I've never been more scared than I am right now.

I sat there staring at my computer screen as the words "page not found" popped up on the White House website. My eyes did a double take and then my heart sank.

I felt like I'd just been punched in the gut as I realized that the Disabilities section had been removed from the site in the wake of President Trump's inauguration. Just 12 hours before, after being sworn into office, he spoke of empowering the American people in his inauguration speech, saying: "Today's ceremony, however, has very special meaning. Because today we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another or from one party to another, but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C., and giving it back to you, the American people."

That's not what I heard, however, as I stared at my computer screen that night, feeling angry and defeated. What I did hear was the tiny voice that has been in the back of my mind throughout my life. It's the one that has tried to undermine me and make me doubt myself. It's the one that has made me question my worth and my place in society.

"You don't matter."

"You're not worth it."

"You're not a person."

In his campaign, and so far in his presidency, that has been Trump's message to me. And it's not O.K. (A search for "Americans With Disabilities Act" on the White House web page returned no matches, with the suggestion "Try entering fewer or broader query terms." That didn't work either. An archived version of the Obama administration's disabilities page can be found here.)

I've heard people say: "Well, the Trump administration is just updating the site. All those sections will be back up." That may be true, but is that really the point? Knowing that didn't make the discovery sting any less for me.

As we know, the president has not merely shown a total lack of awareness of disability rights issues and of the crucial role that people with disabilities can play in an inclusive society - he has been dismissive and rude toward us. We are all familiar with his mocking of the physical appearance of the Times reporter Serge Kovaleski, as we are with his denial of the real meaning of the incident, and his refusal to apologize. On matters related to us, we've heard nothing since.

Though I can't speak for Kovaleski, I do feel I can identify with him. I was born with Freeman-Sheldon syndrome, a genetic bone and muscular disorder, and had 26 surgeries by my midteens. I also majored in journalism in college and worked as a reporter. There have been times when I've felt like my wheelchair overshadowed everything about me and there were times where I could sense the person on the other side of the interview table was taken aback upon first meeting me. I'd hate to think that Trump's treatment of a dedicated reporter is anywhere close to indicative of how people view the disability community.

Because of my condition, I've spent my life feeling overlooked, excluded and underestimated. I've had people make assumptions about my abilities just by looking at me. I've had people talk over me - or, worse, assuming I can't communicate and directing questions about me to the people around me as if I wasn't even there. If they actually took the time to get to know me, they'd learn a few things - that I graduated from college with honors, earned a degree in journalism and have worked as a blogger and freelance writer for nearly a decade.

In all of this, if I could speak directly to Trump I would tell him this: Words have meaning. Words have power. You wield that power every time you open your mouth, and whether you acknowledge it or not, you have a responsibility to use those words thoughtfully and wisely with people's best interests in mind. Using them hurtfully, dismissively or with contempt will have the effect of wounding certain American citizens, and those wounds will last longer than any news conference or sound bite. The internet never forgets.

It's 2017 and the disability community has come a long way. Yet sometimes I still feel as though we're living in the 1950s. I often struggle with finding ways to fix this. I do know that it starts with changing the way society views those with disabilities. We can no longer be seen only as shut-ins, unable to care for ourselves. More and more of us are out there, in the world, proclaiming our dignity, demanding our basic rights - in short, living our lives. Most important, we're not going anywhere. With about 20 percent of the population living with a disability, we're becoming harder and harder to simply overlook.

Though it has been said before, this bears repeating. What Trump has done is bullying and shaming people in the worst possible way - by judging them. I think about young people with disabilities. Has Trump given any thought to them? What about the teenager with a disability who's getting bullied every day at school? What about the kid who has spent more time in the hospital than on the playground? What about the young woman struggling with self-esteem issues, desperately trying to come to terms with her disability? If mocking and bullying are seen as O.K., vulnerable people with disabilities may come to believe that they deserve it. I know from experience that this is a dangerous message to send.

The truth is, I'm afraid. I'm afraid of living in a country that would shun people with disabilities as if they didn't exist. I'm afraid to live in a country that sends these kinds of messages and think it's perfectly all right. Because it's most definitely not all right and never will be.

If Trump really cared about giving people their power back, it would behoove him to actually sit down with members of the disability community and listen - really listen - to their stories and their concerns and their recommendations for the future.

My mantra has always been "I'm a person," and that has never been truer than right now. Yes, I am a person. I matter. People with disabilities matter. I will never stop fighting for our rights and against bullies. I will never not be a person. I'm taking back my power and I want President Trump to know it.

Melissa Blake writes regularly at her blog, So About What I Said .... Twitter @melissablake.
Disability is a weekly series of essays, art and opinion by and about people living with disabilities. The entire series can be found here. To reach the editors or submit an essay for consideration, write opinionator@nytimes.com and include "Disability" in the subject field. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook and Twitter (@NYTOpinion), and sign up for the Opinion Today newsletter.

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Opinion | Disabled, Shunned and Silenced in Trump's America

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Disability I'm a woman. I'm physically disabled. And I've never been more scared than I am right now. I sat there staring at my computer screen as the words "page not found" popped up on the White House website. My eyes did a double take and then my heart sank.

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Theatre project fills program void for adults with disabilities

February 17, 2017

http://globalnews.ca/news/3257755/theatre-project-fills-program-void-for-adults-with-disabilities/

A Theater Art program offers a creative and leadership outlet for adults ages 18-30 with a disability because they believe once individuals with a disability turn's 18 they have very little programming or support available to them. This program is designed to be accessible to people with different abilities. And within the program, they will work on building their confidence and work on their self-esteem.
I am impressed with this program and I believe it's a great idea, I've never really thought about life after schooling, or once they are not eligible for certain programs anymore.

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Families liken it to "falling off a cliff" when a loved one living with a disability turns 18 and effectively ages out of support programs - including the arts.

"There's a lot of support in early years if you have a disability. There's a lot built into public school systems, but once you age out of a lot of programming at 18, it can be really, really isolating," Liviya Mendelsohn, manager of accessibility and inclusion for the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre, told Global News.

That's where the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre's partnership with artist collective Ahuri Theatre comes in. They have created an inclusive arts program for young adults with mental and physical disabilities aged 18 to 30.

It's called What Dream It Was, inspired by Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. The interactive playground showcases the arts, and it's all led by a group of 16 young adults with mixed abilities.
READ MORE: Ontario fails to help people with developmental disabilities: Ombudsman
Under a canopy of lights, Toronto's Al Green Theatre transforms into a magical forest filled with shadow puppets, potion making, drama and music.

"We invite the audience into the magical forest of play, and it's designed to be accessible to people of different abilities," said artistic director Dan Watson from Ahuri Theatre.

Providing creative outlets for adults with disabilities is very important for Watson. His oldest son, seven-year-old Bruno, was born with cerebral palsy.

Although there are programs and services available to Bruno now, Watson and his wife are concerned those supports will disappear when Bruno becomes an adult.

"After 18, it drops off and there's not a lot of programming that's available for young adults," Watson said.

READ MORE: Housing crisis for adults with developmental disabilities grows in Ontario: families
So he helped launch the interactive arts project geared towards adults with physical or intellectual disabilities. Participants worked together for months - brainstorming, collaborating and rehearsing - to create What Dream It Was.

Beginning Feb. 16, the installation is open to the public in the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre, a centre fittingly dedicated to promoting inclusiveness and diversity.

For participant and actor Ken Harrower, the experience was transformative.

"Being part of an acting group, it builds up your confidence, and it gives us something to look forward to each and every week," he said.

READ MORE: Albertans offer input on safety guidelines for people with developmental disabilities
That confidence didn't come easily for Harrower. He was born with a rare disorder that affects his joints and requires him to use a wheelchair. As a baby, he was abandoned, and then lived in a series of foster homes.

Although he dreamed of acting since childhood, Harrower said there were times he thought it would never happen.

"Because of lack of confidence in my abilities... I thought I could not make it as an actor, but I've been slowly, slowly building it up, and I'm happy I'm finally following something that I've always wanted to do," Harrower said.

He has starred in an award-winning film and also been developing his leadership skills through What Dream It Was.

"Every person has something to contribute to society," Harrower told Global News.

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Theatre project fills program void for adults with disabilities

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Families refer to it as "falling off a cliff." It's what happens when young people living with a disability turn 18. As adults, they can no longer access programs. An inclusive arts theatre program in Toronto is trying to change that.

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Working With Epilepsy
Learning Curves
Winter 2017

Written from the perspective of an employment services manager who represents clients with epilepsy; this article discusses why some clients choose to keep their epilepsy hidden from current or potential employers. The article discusses the pitfalls of hiding epilepsy from an employer, while also providing useful advice on how to be upfront and to review a job's requirements and potential accommodations that may be required.
I found this article to be  a very practical guide. It recognizes that epilepsy exists and is a potential  concern for both employees and employers if hidden; so it effectively argues the case for disclosure of the condition to protect both employee and employer.
Unfortunately, it also highlights the negative fact that some people feel the need to hide a medical condition in order to acquire, or keep, a job. It also made me realise that although companies are legally required to offer equal opportunities, there are most probably loopholes that they can use, to avoid selecting some applicants; overlooking their talent and seeing only the disability.

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Accessible accommodations when travelling: Travel Smart

January 13, 2017
https://www.thestar.com/life/travel/2017/01/13/travel-smart-accessible-accommodations-when-travelling.html

This article promotes new websites aimed at providing travel information and reviews for people with disabilities. Travellers with disabilities can use the websites to locate hotels and services based on the personal reviews of other travellers. Many hotels claim to be fully accessible but the reality is often very different.
Accessible travel has never been more important as people with disabilities are now recognized as a significant consumer segment, and this article covers several different services offering travel advice and reviews.
The website TripAble was developed by a frustrated traveller, in response to a number of barriers experienced at destinations that claimed to be accessible.
I think services like this indicate the growing expectation of normalization by people with disabilities and their efforts to educate and advocate to make society more 'normal' for everyone. A very positive portrayal of people with disabilities with growing expectations of accessible travel.

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Having a disability shouldn't be a barrier to exploring the world.

But as Daniel Humphrey found on trips with his father Alan, who needs a wheelchair to get around, not all hotels claiming to be accessible are quite as advertised.

When travelling with his dad Alan, who needs a wheelchair to get around, Daniel Humphrey found hotel accessibility claims are not always as advertised, so he started TripAble.org, a website like TripAdvisor for travellers with physical disabilities. (Humphrey family photo)

And it's the reason he launched a website where travellers can rate actual hotel accessibility based on their personal experiences.

Unable to walk since suffering a spinal cord injury in 2005 following a 40-foot (12-metre) fall while working as a qualified ski instructor, the senior Humphrey didn't want his disability to hamper family travel plans.

On their trips, the Humphreys booked into one so-called "wheelchair accessible" establishment where Alan had to roll through a busy restaurant kitchen and crammed dining room every time they wanted to enter and exit the hotel.

And another hotel boasting a "wheelchair ready" bathroom merely placed a shower chair in a standard bathtub.

"This has caused a number of issues for us and a lot of frustration for dad, knocking his confidence to travel again," says the younger Humphrey, who lives in St Albans, north of London, England, where he operates a fruit and vegetable preserving and processing company.

His site TripAble allows anyone to rate a hotel's accessibility across six categories; hotel access, room usability, toilet facilities, washing facilities, hotel facilities and fire exits. It also contains booking links to the lodgings listed.

"Think trip adviser for the physically disabled," is how Humphrey puts it.

Launched last June, the website attracted about 2,500 visitors in the first four months, with around 50 hotel accessibility reviews submitted by the summer's end.

TripAble lists about 300,000 hotels for review and as that number grows, Humphrey plans to extend coverage to include resorts, restaurants and attractions.

"There is huge potential for those who can remove the barriers and take the fear of the unknown out of travel for this segment of the population," adds Humphrey. "This is what I am trying to do with TripAble; allow people to book appropriately accessible accommodation with confidence."

He's one of an increasing number of entrepreneurs around the world who are creating something practical to advance travel opportunities for a rapidly growing segment of the global travel and tourist trade.

Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 29, Tarita Davenock, a social worker helping adults and kids with special needs, decided to switch careers and get into the travel business.

The Nanaimo, B.C. resident was already a seasoned traveller, so the switch was a natural one. She quickly found a job with a travel agency where she worked for 15 years before starting up her own company, first Tarita's Travel Connections and more recently, Travel for All.

"Travel should be inclusive - not exclusive," is her working motto.

Even when MS forced her to use a wheelchair later in life, it didn't dampen Davenock's wanderlust, and her trips added to her ability to track down the best accessible destinations and accommodations that a certified special-needs travel advocate needed.

"It blows my mind how underserviced the accessible travel sector is," says Davenock.

"This is something I'm so passionate about because I have a disability, and when it started to affect how I was travelling I realized I wasn't alone.

"If you look up travel accessibility in Canada, you'll find the odd cruise, but there isn't one full-service accessible travel agency that will do whatever type of travel you want, whether it's going to Costa Rica or Nepal," she says.

And like the Humphrey's negative travel experiences, Davenock has over the years helped many clients who came to her with horror stories about how some vacations advertised as "accessible" turned out to be anything but, where they found themselves stranded with hotel beds that were too high, showers that were not accessible, and even where the doors to their rooms were too narrow for wheelchair passage.

"There are a lot of companies that say they can arrange accessible travel, but they are very limited in where they can send you, especially really fun things to do and active adventures for people who happen to be in wheelchairs," she says adding: "I've been to many of those places, so I know first hand."

Davenock also points out how travel ads, and almost all advertising, is locked into what she calls the "Ken and Barbie" image of beautiful people in beautiful settings, which stigmatizes people with disabilities.

"If they used reality-based images that include people with disabilities, someone in a wheelchair or with a Seeing Eye dog for example, it would encourage even more people to travel.

"Many in the travel industry also assume people with disabilities don't have much money, but there are many who do and they are willing to pay extra to go to a place they know meets their comfort level. Once companies realize just how lucrative accessible travel is they will get involved," she adds.

Davenock says travel companies must invest in training their staff to be able to arrange appropriate vacations for customers with special needs.

According to a study by ratings firm Fifth Quadrant Analytics, people with disabilities (PWD) is "an emerging market the size of China" numbering about 1.3 billion.

The study estimates "their friends and family add another 2.2 billion potential consumers that act on their emotional connection to PWD. Together, they control over $8 trillion in annual disposable income globally. Companies seeking new ways to create value for stakeholders have a strong interest in attracting the spending of this increasingly powerful cohort."

And the World Health Organization sees the number of people with some form of disability growing dramatically as an aging population increases the demand for accessibility in all facets of the tourism industry.

Davenock works in association with the Australian-based Flight Centre Travel Group in Canada as an accessible-travel expert, and she has also recently partnered up with Brettapproved Inc., founded by Brett Heising of Phoenix, Ariz., which provides subjective ratings on the accessibility of hotels, resorts, and restaurants, across the U.S.

Email Henry Stancu at hstancu@thestar.ca

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Accessible accommodations when travelling: Travel Smart | The Star

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Having a disability shouldn't be a barrier to exploring the world. But as Daniel Humphrey found on trips with his father Alan, who needs a wheelchair to get around, not all hotels claiming to be accessible are quite as advertised. And it's the reason he launched a website where travellers can rate actual hotel accessibility based on their personal experiences.

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French woman with Down syndrome fulfils lifelong dream to present the weather

March 15, 2017

A nice piece in the Toronto Star, about a French woman who lobbied, with the support of advocacy group Unapei, to present the weather news on national TV.  Melanie Segard challenged a number of television stations to allow her to present the weather report on their station.
The story proves that anything is possible, for anyone, when you put your mind to it.
One thing that bothers me though,  is that this was a one off appearance, not a commitment to place Melanie Segard in a full time position on the weather channel. I hate to say it, but the sceptical side of me wonders if this was done partly for ratings, or for the emotional value. Her apperance on television drew record-breaking viewing figures and she received over 200, 000 supporters on Facebook.  So while I do think it was great that Melanie achieved her dream, which may well have been to only present the weather once; I can't help thinking that it would have had a greater impact if that opportunity had turned into some kind of career move for Melanie.

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Mélanie Ségard is 21 years old, with a bright smile, a love of parties and restaurants, and a job at a packaging company.

And, oh yes: she also happens to have Down syndrome.

Melanie Segard wanted to get 100,000 supporters, she said, and challenged a television station to allow her on a newscast if she succeeded. Within a few hours, the campaign received more than 20,000 likes. Within days, it exceeded 200,000 supporters. (Christophe Russel / France Televisions via The Associated Press)

"I'm different," the French woman states on her official Facebook page, "but I want to show everyone that I can do a lot of things."

But there was one thing she had always wanted to do that had eluded her: present the weather on television.

It seemed an improbable dream for someone with Down syndrome. Ségard couldn't read or write, according to Le Parisien, and had no broadcast training.

But her lifelong wish was picked up by Unapei, a French non-profit that advocates for "an inclusive and supportive society." It asked: Why couldn't a woman with Down syndrome present the weather on TV?

"These are people who, despite their disabilities, have abilities," Unapei's president, Luc Gateau, told the French news site La Croix, according to the Independent. And they "only ask to express them on condition that we take the time to welcome them in a universe able to adapt to their handicap."

In late February, the group launched a Facebook campaign in French titled "Mélanie peut le faire" - "Mélanie can do it" - that outlined her goal in the simplest terms.

Melanie Segard, right, is assisted by France 2 weather presenter Chloe Nabedian during training at France Televisions headquarters in Paris, France. (Christophe Russel)

"Hi everyone, my name is Mélanie," the group wrote on Ségard's behalf on Feb. 27. "And my dream is to present the weather."

She wanted to get 100,000 supporters, she said, and challenged a television station to allow her on a newscast if she succeeded.

The response was swift and overwhelming. Within a few hours, the campaign received more than 20,000 likes. Within days, it exceeded 200,000 supporters.

Hundreds of thousands of people wished her well in the comments. Catherine Laborde, a longtime French weather broadcaster, offered to be Ségard's godmother.

"It would be a great honour for me," Laborde said in a video.

Not one, but two, television networks invited Ségard to do the weather. She went with the national public network France 2, and trained for four days with the station's weather team. One presenter, Chloé Nabédian, gave her tips on how to present in front of a green screen.

Finally, Ségard was ready for her television debut: a March 14 evening broadcast. That morning, she asked for people's encouragement on Facebook.

"Today is a big day for me," she said, alongside a video of her brushing her hair. Thousands replied.

"Go Mélanie!" one Facebook user wrote. "Don't just give us the weather but also your smile and all the love of your heart. Bravo!"

Melanie Segard, who has Down syndrome, took to the airwaves March 14 to present the weather on French national television, breaking ratings records for the broadcast. (Christophe Russel)

Her older brother Cyril, who had followed her throughout her training, had just one piece of advice for his sister, according to the BBC: "Imagine you're alone at home doing the weather. Have fun."

On Tuesday night, Ségard strode onto the set with the air - and the bright magenta top - of someone who had been on television news many times before.

Behind her, the usual presenter, Anaïs Baydemir, stood back and smiled as Ségard took over the weather report:

"For Saturday, there are clouds in the north and rain. . ."

"On Sunday, clouds in three-quarters of the country. . . Rain. Sun in Marseille. It's going to be very cool."

She broke out into a wide smile as the segment wrapped up. Baydemir grasped her hand and gave her a hug. Off the set, Ségard flashed an enthusiastic thumbs-up as she was showered with hugs.

Her appearance had lasted only 30 seconds. However, France 2 later said Ségard's presentation drew a record-breaking 5.3 million viewers, according to The Associated Press.

"I did it," Ségard said on Facebook afterward. "I'm finally a weather girl."

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French woman with Down syndrome fulfils lifelong dream to present the weather | The Star

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Mélanie Ségard is 21 years old, with a bright smile, a love of parties and restaurants, and a job at a packaging company. And, oh yes: she also happens to have Down syndrome. "I'm different," the French woman states on her official Facebook page, "but I want to show everyone that I can do a lot of things."

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Learning Curves
Winter 2017
This newspaper is freely available in public libraries and targets adult learners. I found this full page advert in the newspaper which caught my eye because it shows a student using a wheelchair along with a group of other students.  The advert is promoting the Toronto Education Workers Union, but contains a positive representation of all students in the school system.

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Yoga Journal
February 2017

I looked through several issues of Yoga magazine and couldn't find one reference to yoga exercises, or considerations, for people with disabilities.
I cannot decide if this is because the magazine hasn't considered people with physical disabilities as being able to do yoga, or if the general idea is that youga can be done by everyone regardless of ability. It wouldbe nice, however, to see yoga exercises performed by people with disabilities

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The Athlete in Me Won’t Stop
March, 1, 2017
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/01/opinion/the-athlete-in-me-wont-stop.html

This article expresses the personal opinion of a man who was diagnosed with spinal chord cancer and resulted in incomplete paralysis. Before his injury he was an athlete who competed in track events. He is training, striving and  perusing recovery as far as medical science will take him. What stood out to me was that this young man expressed that his legs defined him, and that now he is incomplete, not fully disabled and not fully-able. -He struggles with self-identification and finds it confusing. What resonates most with me about this article is that sometimes you don't know what you have til its gone. You don't know the value of something until you lose it. In a society that is so judgmental and prejudice, its so difficult to know who to identify yourself and find a place where you belong. What stood out to me was that the young man shared when he is alone, the disability is forgotten but around others it is exposed. This supports that we can be comfortable with ourselves until we experience the judgment and exclusion from others around us. I find it important to reflect upon myself and my actions to understand if I fit into the category of people who would make him feel exposed If so, what can i do to change that
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Children With Disabilities May Face Higher Risks of Abuse
March, 6, 2017
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/health/children-with-disabilities-may-face-higher-risk-of-abuse-1.4012093

This articles explains the high risk of children with disabilities experiencing abuse and neglect. It shares that particularly children with intellectual disabilities, classified with mental or behavioral disorders. Children with autism, Down syndrome and birth defects were not at heightened risk. Children with intellectual disabilities were twice as likely as kids without disabilities to have a maltreatment allegation on record. What I found so great about this article is that it emphasized the importance of prevention and support. It shared that risks can be reduced if parents are educated with managing stress and feelings of being overwhelmed when dealing  with their child's special needs. Also, families of children with disabilities should have access to extra supports. What I found important about this article was that it presented facts on children with disabilities who experience abuse, and suggested intervention methods to reduce the risks.

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Creep Busters ambush of man with mental disability called 'vigilantism'
March, 3, 2017
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/creep-busters-ambush-of-man-with-mental-disability-called-vigilantism-1.4009147

This article shares the story about 21 year old Jacoe, who has ADHD and developmental delays. Jacoe began to use an app to find a girlfriend. He began chatting with a girl who revealed she was 14 years old and he thought there was nothing wrong with being friends. A group of "creep hunters" believed he was a predator and asked him where he worked. They showed up at his workplace, integrated, humiliated, devalued and insulted him. This resulted in Jacoe losing his job. The article expresses how Jacoe was misunderstood and manipulated by a form of vigilantism.His intellectual disability was a primary factor that caused a misunderstanding and the ethical judgement of others is what led to the ambush, humiliation and job loss of an innocent young man. This young man many now suffer from the trauma associated with the incident. This article made me think about how a "mental disability" which in this case I will refer to as a developmental delay can affect a person's social judgment and the harsh implications associated with. Society is quick to judge and slow to show compassion and understanding.

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CIBC to hire 500 workers with disabilities in 2017
Jan, 20, 2017
http://www.cbc.ca/news/ontario-employees-disability-cibc-poll-1.3939990

This article expresses the importance of equal access to employment for all. CIBC announces to employee 500 people with disabilities in 2017. Most positions will be for front line staff workers. People with disabilities have skills and talents that can be used. We need to give opportunities to see what people are capable of, which means putting our judgments and biases aside to create equal opportunities for all. The article advocates for people with disabilities and argues that people with disabilities should not be judged or discriminated against based on their ability, when searching for employment. The article also brings awareness that their is a gap in employing people with disabilities and that something needs to be done to change that.

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'Lazy' is Not a Disability
Nov, 21, 2016
http://globalnews.ca/news/3079702/city-reminds-edmonton-drivers-accessible-stalls-are-for-those-with-disabilities/

This article reminds the residence of Edmonton about the laws related to accessible parking and that accessible parking spaces should only be used by those with permits. It highlights the importance of safe access for all people in public places. It discourages the misuse of accessible parking spaces and reminds everyone of heavy fines implemented by patrolling and ticketing. No excuses is a good excuse to park in an accessible space without a permit as it takes away the opportunity from someone who may really need it. I find it very important to publish this article before the busy holiday season, as that is when shopping malls tend to get busy and people are more likely to misuse accessible parking spaces.

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My Life with Paralysis
Jan, 11, 2017
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/11/opinion/my-life-with-paralysis-its-a-workout.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FDisabilities&action=click&contentCollection=health&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=3&pgtype=collection&_r=0

This articles expresses the opinion of a women who has paralysis due to a spinal chord injury that occurred during a car accident on the road when she was in high school (stretching, moving, stimulating blood flow, using equipment and wheel chairs) She shared her morning routine that included physical therapy to strengthen her body. Many friends from school quickly distanced themselves and became mere acquaintances, which i thought was extremely sad, and consider that a loss of friendship.People began to judge and defined her by her ability. People around her even undermined her intelligence and even believed that her acceptance to Harvard was based on her life obstacles rather than her intelligence and hard work. She is just a women, who accepted her disability and choses to live a healthy that is not defined by her ability, but rather by her will to take control over her life. She doesn't not allow her ability to define her. What I enjoyed most about this article is that you understand the disability from a first person perspective and the implications that the disability has on one's life.

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Why you're not hearing about Hillary Clinton's radical disability proposals
September 22, 2016
https://www.bustle.com/articles/185607-why-youre-not-hearing-about-hillary-clintons-radical-disability-proposals

This article discusses the importance of recognizing disability issues. This is all information that Hillary discussed during her campaign, however no one really heard about it. Hillary stated that disability issues should be getting national attention. Hillary wanted to build an economy that welcomes people with disabilities rather then not being accepted. Hillary also brought up and stated that people with disabilities should have the opportunity to work alongside those who don't have a disability. People will disabilities sometimes live in poverty because of unemployment disability poverty rates are doubled that of the non disabled community. Hillary also stated that a person with a disability is able to feel independent when they have an employment. The reason I picked this article is because of the positive things Hillary said about individuals who have a disability. I also thought it was ridiculous that we never heard about Hillary standing up and making awareness for the disability community. I think it would be important for others to know about and educate themselves about the disability community.

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On Wednesday, Hillary Clinton appeared before a crowd in Florida to make a policy speech on a subject that rarely gets this level of dedicated attention: Economic empowerment for the disability community. With headlines like CNN's " Clinton ignores Trump, delivers speech on helping disabled," it was clear that the media didn't really know what to do with this development, treating Clinton's opponent, rather than the substance of the speech, as the news.

The disability community is still very much treated as a niche or specialized interest, despite the fact that the Census estimates some 20 percent of the population is disabled and a recent Rutgers study found that one-sixth of the voting population is disabled. The mistake that many media outlets are making is assuming that disability issues aren't of interest to nondisabled people - but they should be, and Clinton's policy proposals on disability issues should be getting national attention. In this case, her remarks were particularly unusual. Disability is often consigned to speeches about health care or social services, but the candidate chose to frame disability from an economic perspective, focusing on full inclusion for disabled people in the economy, rather than promoting limiting and sometimes patronizing benefits programs.

Clinton hit the "big three" when it comes to the economic issues disabled people themselves are fighting for - showing that her campaign is listening.

Her speech itself was a mixed bag. It included the obligatory inspiration porn (individual stories about disability used in an appeal to emotion) and an overview of her disability rights talking points, clearly targeting a nondisabled audience.

The fact that Clinton has disability rights talking points, though, is remarkable. Many of those same points appeared in the DNC platform this year, highlighting the influence the disability community managed to exert on shaping core party policy. In her speech, Clinton hit the "big three" when it comes to the economic issues disabled people themselves are fighting for - showing that her campaign is listening.

1. The Subminimum Wage

Many members of the general public are not aware of the exception in the Fair Labor Standards Act that allows employers to pay certain disabled people subminimum wage, a practice justified with the claim that they can only do some of the work that a nondisabled person can. Another common exception is the "wait wage," which allows employers to underpay tipped employees - several states, including Maine, have challenges to the wait wage on the ballot this year. The subminimum wage is inherently dehumanizing and insulting, but it's also used as a tool for economic exploitation, and that's why Clinton has vowed to abolish it.

It most commonly shows up in so-called "sheltered workshops," which claim to be supporting disabled people by employing them in jobs that usually involve simplistic, repetitive work. Goodwill is one of the most famous sheltered workshop employers and also one of the most notorious - NBC reported that they were paying employees pennies each hour in 2013.

People making subminimum wage cannot enjoy financial independence: The subminimum wage pushes disabled people who can and want to work onto public benefits, forces them to stay at home, and limits their choices. The Center for Poverty Research at UC Davis finds that disability poverty rates are double that of the nondisabled community in some regions, and the subminimum wage isn't the only reason why - but it's a factor.

By contrast, supported employment, in which disabled people work in community businesses with subsidized wages, allows people to be independent and also provides them with actual job skills.

2. The United Nations Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Did you know that there's a disability rights treaty ratified by nearly every country in the world except a handful of holdouts, including the United States? The document sets out some very basic social and political rights, including condemning disability-based discrimination, acknowledging that ability status evolves over time, explicitly expressing concerns about intersectional disability justice, and affirming that disabled children have a right to live in society. Congress refuses to ratify it, with excuses like the claim that the document could interfere with the function of the U.S. legal system.

The National Council on Disability and Human Rights Watch have both strongly urged the government to ratify, as doing so would take the discussion about disability rights in the United States to the next level. It includes policy guidance and recommendations that go beyond the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, legislation that actually inspired the document. Ratifying would affirm a commitment to social inclusion and independence for disabled people, which is in line with the ethos of the ADA and subsequent litigation.

Clinton has vowed to pressure Congress to get it done, and it matters because it would bring the U.S. in line with many of our allies in expressly acknowledging the vital social and cultural importance of disability rights.

3. Autism in the Workplace

Autism is a popular cause in the United States right now, but much of the coverage focuses on autistic children. Autistic adults also exist (hi), and face a variety of social issues, including in the workplace. Clinton has laid out an ambitious job creation plan to address the problems faced by both autistic children and adults, and in doing so could build a framework for addressing other disabilities in the workplace as well. The Autistic Self Advocacy Network noted in January that Clinton has extensive and progressive autism-related policy proposals, and this speech followed in that vein by being explicit about economic inclusion.

In an election where the bulk of discussion about disability has surrounded Donald Trump's comments about a disabled reporter, with Bloomberg finding that six in ten voters found his comments offensive, disability is being reduced to a simplistic political blunt object: Donald Trump is mean to disabled people, so you shouldn't like him. Disability issues are much bigger and more complicated than that, though - Donald Trump may be a jerk, but the lack of disability-specific policy in his platform, paired with proposals that will be harmful for disabled people, is the real problem. Clinton is upping the stakes of the game, and it's time to start paying attention - and to start considering the disability issues she hasn't even delved into yet, like guardianship and voting rights, the Social Security benefits trap, sexual autonomy, and more.

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3 Things to Know on Clinton's Disability Platform

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On Wednesday, Hillary Clinton appeared before a crowd in Florida to make a policy speech on a subject that rarely gets this level of dedicated attention: Economic empowerment for the disability community.

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The Dream Project
February 28, 2017
http://nationaldance.org/programs_dream.htm

This article showcase a national dance institute that creates and inclusive environment for students with a disability to learn dance moves. They do this by peering Children with disabilities with typically developing peers to maximize participation. This article is inspiring because they are promoting and inclusive environment for kids with disability and also teaching others to be empathic and respectful to everyone.
I loved this article, I saw the post on facebook and is made my day, creating an inclusive environment will help promote awareness within the community.

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Teen with Cerebral Palsy makes desperate midnight phone calls to find shelter

March 9, 2017

http://www.citynews.ca/2017/03/09/teen-cerebral-palsy-makes-desperate-midnight-phone-calls-find-shelter/
This article speaks about a 17-year-old boy named Benjamin, an honor student with cerebral palsy who uses a wheelchair. He has been desperately searching for a homeless shelter to stay after he had to flee his family home because it was an unhealthy and toxic environment for him to be in. He has made dozens of phone calls to numerous amount of shelter but was denied access because the were not accessible and he wouldn't be allowed to have his personal support worker with him because of confidentiality reasons.Benjamin stayed up till midnight to make it on the waitlist the only shelter that could accommodate his wheelchair but he's only allowed to stay for 4 months after which he has to leave and find a new residency.
The wait list for accessible subsidized housing in York region is 15-35 years so he may never find anything.
This article really breaks my heart, no one whether or not you have a disability should be faced with such stressful situation. there need to be a better system in place when it comes to priority and waitlist, especially if your need is much more demanding than others.

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Benjamin Williamson is a 17-year-old honours student.

He has Cerebral Palsy and uses a wheelchair.

He's also homeless and his plight paints a stark picture of what it means to be homeless when you are living with a disability.

For nine long months, the Richmond Hill teen has been desperately searching for a way out of a family home life he describes as "unhealthy and toxic".

"The majority of homeless shelters I contacted throughout the GTA were not accessible physically, and wouldn't allow for me to have my personal support worker because of the confidentiality of other residents".

Williamson finally landed a spot at 360Kids emergency shelter in Richmond Hill last week, after staying up late for months to make what he calls his "midnight phone calls."

"They start a new wait list every day at midnight. As soon as a bed becomes available they look at the top of the list, so if you call at midnight you hope that you are one of the first people on that list."

360kids has just 14 emergency beds, and while the building is wheelchair accessible, it is not a long term solution for Benjamin because there's a four month cap on how long any teen can stay.

"Ben can't stay here forever," said Bonnie Harkness, executive director of 360 Kids. "This is a temporary solution to help people move on."

But moving on will be a challenge for Ben. He estimates his odds of ever finding an accessible place to live at "one-in-a-million." Benjamin says the March of Dimes apartment complex has a wait list of 10-15 years. He's been told the wait for accessible subsidized housing in York Region is 15-35 years. But Harkness says teens from her facility rarely ever make it to the top of the list.

"I know our young people rarely get called on that list."

Harkness added that young single men are often pushed to the bottom of the list because of the more pressing needs of seniors and families with children.

Benjamin is no ordinary teen. Born with Cerebral Palsy, he has extremely limited use of his legs and cannot write with his hands. But he says "my mind is as sharp as anybody else's."

With that sharp mind, he has become an activist by necessity. His poignant letters to Ontario's Housing Minister were so impressive that he has landed a co-op job at the minister's constituency office. Ben has also been appointed to the Premier's Council on Youth Opportunities, advising the Premier on policy that relates to young people.

Despite his connections, Benjamin says his life has been a constant battle, but one where he usually comes out on top. For six months, for example, he fought his high school over how many courses he could take each semester. The school said it could only provide an Educational Assistant, who transcribes two courses per semester for him. "They do this because it's cheaper for the board," he said.

Benjamin fought for, and won the right to take three courses.

"I was not going to forsake my education because of a policy decision that needs to be changed."

Even so, he won't graduate with his friends this year.

"Unfortunately, their lack of accommodations, means I won't graduate until the first semester of my 20th year".

Benjamin Williamson describes being a homeless teen who lives with a disability as a life with "hundreds of daily discriminations and challenges." But he isn't angry. The system, he feels, is designed to push people down, to make their voices marginalized. "By giving up and being frustrated and angry you've let them win."

Instead, the teen says he will continue to fight because "no other child should have to go through what I have gone through. You have to remember, we are just kids."

With just four months to find his "one in a million" shot at a permanent home, the 17-year-old, isn't letting go of his bigger dream of becoming a lawyer who advocates on behalf of children in need.

"I'm not going to sit back and do nothing", he said. "I don't want young people, or disabled people thinking this is the way they have to live. It's not. "

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Teen with Cerebral Palsy makes desperate midnight phone calls to find shelter - CityNews Toronto

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Benjamin Williamson is a 17-year-old honours student. He has Cerebral Palsy and uses a wheelchair. He's also homeless and his plight paints a stark picture of what it means to be homeless when you are living with a disability.

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Employment will be persons with disabilities minister's key focus
February 5, 2017
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/02/05/employment-will-be-persons-with-disabilities-ministers-key-focus.html

The Ontario minister is designing new laws to make employment more accessible for persons with a disability. with this law in place, it will create better job opportunity and open up more doors for persons with a disability. The new disability act focuses on Improving building standards that will make workplaces more accessible because if the building is not accessible they are not able to work in it. the Provincial accessibility legislation is currently only available in Ontario and Manitoba.
I am extremely excited about this new law because, most of the time, the person's with a disability doses not get a fair chance at a job they may be qualified for. This is a good opportunity to creating an inclusive environment.

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TORONTO-The minister tasked with crafting laws to make Canada more accessible to people with disabilities says employment will be a key focus of her efforts.

Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, says removing accessibility barriers will be crucial to tackling long-standing low jobless rates among the country's disabled population.

Qualtrough says most aspects of the anticipated Canadians with Disabilities Act will address employment issues in some way, citing examples such as targeted programs or improving building standards that might make future workplaces more accessible.

Data has long shown that Canadians with disabilities are greatly underemployed compared to their nondisabled counterparts, with multiple studies finding that only half of disabled Canadians have found work.

Qualtrough says details of the Canadians with Disabilities Act are still in the works, adding a series of 18 consultations across the country will play a key part in shaping the new laws.

She says she hopes to have the act before parliament by this time next year.

The prospective act, which disability rights advocates have been seeking for years, would govern areas that fall under federal jurisdiction. Major examples include financial services such as banks, telecommunications, and interprovincial transportation.

Only Ontario and Manitoba currently have provincial accessibility legislation on the books, though other provinces including Nova Scotia, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland have all expressed interest in addressing accessibility strategies. Qualtrough said the federal act has to be written to work alongside existing provincial laws without encroaching on their areas of jurisdiction.

The sweeping legislation, which may tackle everything from building codes to customer service standards, all have potential to improve Canada's stubbornly low unemployment figures for people with disabilities, she said.

"Everything impacts employment," Qualtrough said in an interview. "If you don't have a building environment that's accessible, you can't work there. If you don't have the transportation that gets you there, you can't work there. If you don't have technology that's accessible, you can't work there. All roads lead back to employment in some way. So in that regard, absolutely employment will be impacted quite significantly by this law."

Two years ago, Statistics Canada released figures putting the employment rate for disabled Canadians at 49 per cent, compared to 79 per cent for the general population. An online poll commissioned by CIBC last month reached a similar conclusion, saying only half of respondents living with a disability have a full- or part-time job.

Qualtrough said employment barriers were a recurring theme in the 17 consultations already held across Canada in a bid to seek input on the new act. The last such session is slated to take place in Toronto this week.

The issue has long been recognized as a pressing concern for the disabled community, but some advocates are skeptical that it can be handled through legislation.

Joe Dale, executive director of the Ontario Disability Employment Network, said laws can only go so far toward including people with disabilities in the workforce.

The sort of change required is more rooted in attitudes and cultures rather than government rules, he said, adding laws can't necessarily do much to dispel misconceptions about people with disabilities or argue the business case for exploring a largely untapped talent pool.

"To build legislation that has an employment focus where one of the biggest barriers is attitudinal and bias is a tough thing to do in legislature and it's a tougher thing to sell," he said. "Typically all these types of things end up getting people to the point of interview ... but it can't necessarily guarantee they're going to get through the door."

Qualtrough said Ottawa is keenly aware of the business advantages of hiring people with disabilities, saying research has shown such candidates are frequently well educated, inclined to remain loyal to an employer and highly innovative after years of navigating societal systems that can leave them at a disadvantage.

She said the consultation sessions have illustrated the need to take a direct approach with the new act and think beyond simply accommodating would-be employees.

"We really need to change the conversation around disability generally from one of need and inabilities and retrofitting and accommodation to one of inclusion," she said. "It's time we started looking at people as contributing members of society instead of burdens on society."

Another key message to emerge from the consultations, she said, is the need for the federal act to have strong enforcement powers.

Canadians have been clear that an act without teeth will fall short of the mark, she said, adding the government has not yet decided how enforcement mechanisms would look.

Qualtrough did not rule out the idea of introducing an accessibility commissioner who would oversee complaints related to the new law.

Nor did she eliminate the idea of maintaining the current system, which sees complaints of discrimination based on disability come before provincial and federal human rights commissions.

She acknowledged that the current system leaves something to be desired.

"The fundamental flaw with our current system is that it's for the most part reactive," she said. "You have to wait until someone's discriminated against, you have to wait until someone's denied ... a service, a house, whatever.

"Then people swoop in and two to three years later we tell you, 'you're right, you shouldn't have been denied.'"

Eliminating that flaw is one of several demands made by Barrier-Free Canada, an advocacy organization that has been crusading for federal legislation.

"(The act) should not simply incorporate the existing procedures for filing discrimination complaints with the Canadian Human Rights Commission or under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, as these are too slow and cumbersome, and can yield inadequate remedies," the organization writes on its list of principles.

Other demands include strict timelines for the country to comply with the new laws and a call for all provinces to enact accessibility legislation of their own.

Qualtrough said it's too early to speculate on timelines or other particulars of the act before the law is drafted. She said she hopes that process will be complete by the end of the year.

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Employment will be Persons with Disabilities minister's key focus | The Star

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TORONTO-The minister tasked with crafting laws to make Canada more accessible to people with disabilities says employment will be a key focus of her efforts. Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, says removing accessibility barriers will be crucial to tackling long-standing low jobless rates among the country's disabled population.

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Air Canada's wheelchair policy doesn't fly, says man denied direct flight
August 2, 2017
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/02/05/employment-will-be-persons-with-disabilities-ministers-key-focus.html

A young man with cerebral palsy was denied flight onto air Canada because of the size of his wheelchair. They were not able to accommodate for his wheelchair on his direct flight to Cleveland, they first stated it would not fit because it's too tall then changed their statement saying its too heavy. Rose has been using a wheelchair his entire life because his job requirement includes traveling by air frequently.
For a well known established airline, Air Canada should have better accessibility for individuals using a wheelchair. Rose had already paid his fair when he received an email stating they can't accommodate his wheelchair. This should have been visible for customers to see, giving them a choice to go with another airline.

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A Toronto man says Air Canada denying him a direct flight because his wheelchair won't fit in the plane is the most blatant discrimination he's faced in 31 years of using a chair.

That he was able to fly to Cleveland with his wheelchair only 14 months ago, without issue, has only added to Tim Rose's ire. Rose has cerebral palsy and has used a power wheelchair his entire life, living and working on three continents and travelling by air 40 to 50 times.

Tim Rose says he was denied a direct flight to Cleveland on Air Canada because the airline told him they can't accomodate his wheelchair on the plane that flies that route. (Rene Johnston / Toronto Star)

"I've never ever been treated like this by an airline," he told the Star on Monday.

On Sunday, Air Canada told him it can't accommodate him on a direct flight Toronto to Cleveland in September because his wheelchair is too tall for the plane the airline now flies on that route. Rose said the wheelchair is just more than 91 centimetres tall. Air Canada told him that is nearly 13 centimetres too high to fit in its luggage area.

On Tuesday, Rose said he received two phone calls from Air Canada, the first apologizing for misinformation they sent to media about his story and the second, telling him his chair is in fact too heavy - and not too tall - to fly.

Air Canada previously told media they offered Rose two alternate options instead of flying direct: a connecting flight or a separate flight altogether for his wheelchair. Rose said he was never offered those options and had only been told by Air Canada his wheelchair was too tall to fit in the plane.

"I would like to make clear that the weight (of the wheelchair) has never been expressed to me as an issue before, either in regards to this flight or the countless other flights my chair (has) traveled on. I am still furious as I write this that they have changed their story," Rose wrote in an email Tuesday.

Air Canada called the incident an "unfortunate circumstance" due to the use of a smaller aircraft for the planned Toronto-Cleveland route than the one used in years past.

"It has a cargo-hold door smaller than the height of the chair... and we are working to see if there is a way to safely carry this particular-size wheelchair without causing damage," Peter Fitzpatrick, a spokesman for Air Canada, said in an emailed statement.

If they can't come to an agreement, Fitzpatrick said Air Canada will offer Rose a full refund.

No other airlines offer direct flights from Toronto to Cleveland, Rose said. And because he has a history of medical issues and a service dog to consider, he can't take flights that have a stop.

"I flew to the same destination 14 months ago, and so there are clearly many planes in the Air Canada fleet that can accommodate my wheelchair. I find it really hard to believe that a multi-billion dollar airline with six weeks notice... cannot get a different plane for the day that I go to Cleveland or the day that I get back," Rose said.

Rose, the founder of Disability Positive Consulting, is going to Cleveland with his wife to deliver a speech on disability rights - a detail he calls "ironic."

Air Canada's online policy states they carry mobility aids as carry-on items or checked baggage "subject to space availability." If there isn't space on a plane, Air Canada says it will "arrange for alternate transportation for your large mobility aid when travelling on an aircraft with less than 60 seats."

After three phone calls with different staff members, Rose took to social media to express his concerns.

"The lady who I called at (Air Canada's) medical desk said, 'It's just like a piece of luggage. If the luggage doesn't fit, it doesn't fit.' She's essentially saying that I am a piece of luggage because the wheelchair is a part of me," said Rose.

"I'm going to set the record straight once and for all: I am not a piece of oversized luggage and neither are my legs," he said in a video blog posted to Facebook.

His wife, Natalie Rose, who has worked as an occupational therapist, said most of the people she's met who use a wheelchair have at least one negative story involving air travel.

"To be honest, media coverage is the thing that fixes most disability issues," Natalie Rose said.

David Lepofsky, chair of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance, said people with disabilities face travel barriers that require systemic fixes.

"Issues with air travel in this country, they're not limited to Air Canada, but they do recur," he said. "It is no news to airlines that people with disabilities travel, and you need to have airplanes that can accommodate them. They didn't invent people with disabilities last week."

Lepofsky pointed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's campaign promise during the last federal election to produce a Canadians with Disabilities Act. Public consultations for assistance in crafting the Canadians with Disabilities Act will start in the fall, Lepofsky said.

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Air Canada's wheelchair policy doesn't fly, says man denied direct flight | The Star

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A Toronto man says Air Canada denying him a direct flight because his wheelchair won't fit in the plane is the most blatant discrimination he's faced in 31 years of using a chair. That he was able to fly to Cleveland with his wheelchair only 14 months ago, without issue, has only added to Tim Rose's ire.

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Crowd goes wild after special-needs player hits game's final shot
February 6, 2017
http://abc7ny.com/sports/crowd-goes-wild-after-special-needs-player-hits-games-final-shot/1739795/?cid=social_fb_abcn

This is a video I found about a student who has a disability who plays on a school basketball team. This individual made the final and winning shot in the basketball team. Everyone in the crowd stood up and cheered and in final and winning shot was made. There was only one person on the team who had a disability. This individual only played the last few minutes of the game rather then half or a few minutes. I picked this article because of how my views have changed about the idea of someone with a disability being an inspiration. I used to look at some individuals who have a disability as an inspiration. However after watching the video in class about Stella Young I have discovered that people who have a disability doesn't want to be seen as an inspiration. The way the video is first represented was by a reporting stating "and a video that's sure to make you smile". Therefore with that being stated it comes across as an inspirational video, rather then just discussing about a winning shot that was made at a school basketball team.

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A high school basketball player made her debut on the court in Oklahoma and sent the crowd into a frenzy when she hit the game's last shot.

Lainy Fredrickson, who has special needs, is a senior at Norman High School.

On Friday, she was given the chance to enter the game for the fina minutes against the school's arch-rival.

Fredrickson buried her shot to help to win the game for her team, and the roaring crowd let her hear it.

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Crowd goes wild after special-needs player hits game's final shot

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A high school basketball player made her debut on the court in Oklahoma and sent the crowd into a frenzy when she hit the game's last shot. Lainy Fredrickson, who has special needs, is a senior at Norman High School. On Friday, she was given the chance to enter the game for the fina minutes against the school's arch-rival.

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Raising the profile of disability issues in the presidential campaign
November 2, 2017
http://www.wnyc.org/story/raising-the-profile-of-disability-issues-in-the-presidential-campaign/

I found this article/podcast about negative situations that Donald Trump was involved in talking/discussing aspects about people with disabilities. Donald Trump was caught mocking a reporter who has a disability and this lead to a lot of controversy. The reporter felt like they were belittled due to their disability. Others can view people who has a disability as vulnerable, can't speak for themselves, and can't defend themselves. Crip the vote is a program that was created to inform issues related to people with a disability. Obama care has saved many many lives especially those who have a disability. Considering now that Donald Trump is in power is this a problem that is going to occur for those with a disability, considering it is a disability rights act. People who have a disability may be impacted negativity when it comes to voting. People with a disability may be impacted for voting for example with transportation, waiting in lines and not having proper ID. This can impact an individual and their right to voice their on opinion about future health care for people with disabilities. This really surprised me because of Donald Trump being president he wasn't very professional when talking about other with a disability. They should be treated like anyone and shouldn't feel belittled. As well as other should be able to be included in voting considering the outcomes of future presedent can impact them personally.

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Raising The Profile Of Disability Issues In The Presidential Campaign | WNYC | New York Public Radio, Podcasts, Live Streaming Radio, News

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The issues and concerns of disabled people haven't been brought up much during the presidential campaign, even though one in five adults lives with some kind of disability.

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Civil society efforts brought disability issues at forefront
February 18, 2017
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-02-18/local-news/Civil-society-efforts-brought-disability-issues-at-forefront-President-6736170567 or http://www.pressreader.com/malta/the-malta-independent-on-sunday/20170219/281603830228864

This is a European article that discusses about disability employment. This article stated that full time and part time positions have increased by 9% for people with disabilities. This isn't a huge increase however its a better increase then no increase. This article also stated that people who have a disability can be powerful contributors to a workforce. They have started formulating a systematic response to the inclusion for all people deemed "vulnerable in some way in, employment". This article made me happy because of the steps that have been taken into consideration in a European area. I hope that this can transfer into all other countries in order to educate people more about disability employment. Others might assume that they are good workers because they have a disability however if we make others aware that they are good workers and have been powerful contributors to the workforce.

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Ongoing endeavours of civil society have brought issues of disability and employment to the forefront of the national agenda, President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca said today.

Opening the European Conference on Inclusive Workplaces, hosted by the Malta Federation of Organisations Persons with Disability and the Malta Association for Supported Employment, she said leadership shown by civil society stakeholders has proved that people with disability, through their diverse abilities, can be powerful contributors to the workforce.

The strengthening of the participation of persons with disability in employment is being reflected by a general expansion of the Maltese workforce.

According to data from Malta's National Statistics Office, the numbers of people gainfully occupied, including both full and part-time, increased by nine percent last year, she said.

The participation of persons with disabilities in this increase is, in no small way, due to the effective strategies adopted by Maltese authorities.

For example, it is because of the great success of the Supported Employment Programme that a much needed review has begun, in the way our country is developing a more inclusive workforce.

Thanks to the Malta Association of Supported Employment, established by the Malta Federation of Persons with Disability, working hand in hand with our policy-makers and national authorities, we have started formulating a systematic response to the inclusion of all people deemed "vulnerable", in some way, within employment.

The Programme, which the president said touched the lives of hundreds of people between 2015 and 2016, is now reaching an even broader number of individuals through the LEAP! Agency.

It is important, she said, that countries continue to appraise and review, as necessary, their policies and strategies.

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Civil society efforts brought disability issues at forefront - President - The Malta Independent

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Ongoing endeavours of civil society have brought issues of disability and employment to the forefront of the national agenda, President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca said today.

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Students with disability must advocate for support
August, 17, 2016
http://www.torontosun.com/2016/08/17/students-with-disabilities-must-advocate-for-support

This article discusses how someone with a disability is able to get support going into post secondary education. Throughout one's life who has a disability they are most likely to have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) this follows them up until grade 12 without be asked. However transferring your identification of someone with a disability/exceptionality after high school is their choice. In order for it to be transferred they need to have specific document and it needs to be up to date in order to use the IEP is post secondary education. This may be difficult for an individual with a disability because they have never been used to this before and don't know the information needed when moving to post secondary education. When receiving accommodations it doesn't mean changing the work for the individual it just allows for an equal opportunity. This is important for individuals in order to allow for them to have equal opportunity and receive the support they need to be successful in post secondary education. Some post secondary schools allow for different programs to assist someone with a disability with transitioning. I found this article surprising because other people should be abel to assist them with this process in order to make sure the proper steps are being taken. However I also believe that this is a good approach in order to make them feel independent.

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Some students will write exams in a quiet room to minimize distractions. Some will be accompanied to class by a sign language interpreter in class while still others will make oral presentations rather than written submissions.

Those are just a few examples of the many types of academic accommodations available to college and university students diagnosed with any of a number of disabilities, such as anxiety and visual impairment.
Disclosing your disability
Your identification as a student with an exceptionality in high school will not automatically transfer to college or university, the ministry of advanced education and skills development reminds.

It's a personal choice if you want to share information about your disability with others but if you require educational accommodations in college or university, you need to disclose your disability to a counsellor in the office for students with disabilities.
Required documentation
In elementary and secondary school, a committee decides if a student should be placed in a special education program. In college and university, you must identify yourself as a student with a disability and provide documented proof of your disability from a certified practitioner, such as an audiology report or a psychological assessment diagnosing a learning disability or mental illness.

If you don't have those documents or if they're out of date, an Individual Education Plan, transition plans and Identification, Placement and Review Committee forms from high school may help you access temporary supports while you compile required documentation, the ministry notes.
Educational accommodations
Educational modifications such as completing work at a different grade level that you may have received in high school aren't available in college or university. Instead, you may receive educational accommodations.

Accommodations don't change the level or amount of work you're expected to complete but are resources or services to provide you with an equal opportunity to complete the work. They may include alternate format textbooks, the use of assistive technology, alternate testing locations or extended time for tests. Accommodations are designed to meet a student's unique needs.
Disability counsellor
"A student with a disability should think of their counsellor as the quarterback who will help them navigate the system," says Daniel Fok, senior manager of accessibility services at Seneca College. A counsellor could help a student explore assistive devices, such as noise-cancellation headphones to help them better concentrate during an exam, screen readers and dictation software.

"A student with a learning disability may benefit from seeing a learning strategist to go through things like study skills to make sure they stay on task and different ways to use a computer or their phone's calendar features to keep track of assignments and receive alerts," says Fok.
Summer programs, special funding
Many post-secondary institutions offer summer sessions for students with disabilities. Guelph University's "pre-flight summer transition program," for instance, offers opportunities for students to learn to use adaptive technology.

If you have a permanent disability, you could be eligible for grants and bursaries in addition to an Ontario Student Assistance Program loan. Visit www.ontario.ca/page/students-special-circumstances to learn more. Some post-secondary institutions offer modified tuition fees.
Tips for parents

Help your child identify the resources needed to succeed and how to access them.

Support your child as they develop and strengthen their self-advocacy skills.

Because most students are over 18, staff at the disability services office must have a student's permission to disclose information to others, including their parents. Talk with your child to establish an information-sharing arrangement you're all comfortable with.

Source: Ministry of Education and Advanced Skills ( http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/postsecondary/careerplanning/disabilities.html)
Examples of disabilities
Post-secondary institutions meet a variety of disabilities. George Brown College, for instance, offers services to support students with such disabilities as:

Acquired brain injury

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Blindness or low vision

Developmental, such as autism spectrum disorder

Deaf, deafened and hard of hearing

Learning disabilities

Medical, such as epilepsy, HIV, diabetes, kidney disease

Mental health, such as depression, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, mood disorders and post-traumatic stress syndrome

Mobility, such as physical and neurological disabilities

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Students with disabilities must advocate for support

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Some students will write exams in a quiet room to minimize distractions. Some will be accompanied to class by a sign language interpreter in class while still others will make oral presentations rather than written submissions.

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Family fights to have son's service dog in class
Mar 01, 2017

This was an interesting article to me as this subject had been discussed previously in our Physical Exceptionalities class. The article discusses a family's attempts to have a school allow their son to be accompanied by his therapy dog. The little boy is autistic and his dog helps him with his anxieties in the classroom. However, the school believes the dog is not necessary and that it would place undue hardship on school staff.
This case is interesting in that it could set a precedent for future requests to allow service dogs into the classroom.
It is important to see both sides to this argument. There is much evidence to support the importance of therapy dogs, however, you also have a school full of other students to consider; allergies, fears, environmental breaks etc all need to be taken into account.

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Family fights to have son's service dog in class

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Ontario family fights to have autistic son's service dog allowed in classroom

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Video appears to Mississippi teacher dragging special needs student by hair
October 11th, 2016
http://www.torontosun.com/2016/10/11/video-appears-to-show-mississippi-teacher-dragging-special-needs-student-by-hair

I found this video of a students who has a disability and has been verbally as well as verbally abused. By not only one teacher/educator but two teachers were involved in this incident. From the video it seems like this is happening because the student wasn't doing what she was asked to do by the teachers. It also seemed like she was forced to do something she didn't want to be involved in. The student was not able to gain independence because this student had to stay close to the teacher. This video made me fee disgusted because of how they were treating someone with a disability. Not only because of the fact that this individual was being absued but the fact that she couldn't have her own independence or voice. This student had to so what she was told and being forced to do so.

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A video that appears to show a Mississippi teacher dragging a special needs student by the hair has prompted a school investigation, Inside Edition reports.

The clip shows a woman, who is sitting in a chair inside a high school gymnasium, grab a girl by her hair as she lies on the floor, kicking out her legs and appearing to struggle.

The video of the September 21 incident was posted to Facebook by a concerned parent last week and has been viewed over 6 million times.

A second video allegedly shows the woman hitting the girl in the head and forcing the child to sit in her lap.

A spokesman for the Greenville Public School District said the "matter is under a very aggressive and ongoing investigation."

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Video appears to show Mississippi teacher dragging special needs student by hair

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A video that appears to show a Mississippi teacher dragging a special needs student by the hair has prompted a school investigation, Inside Edition reports. The clip shows a woman, who is sitting in a chair inside a high school gymnasium, grab a girl by her hair as she lies on the floor, kicking out her legs and appearing to struggle.

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Special needs student traumatized after being left on Toronto school bus for six hours
February 2nd, 2017
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/02/02/special-needs-student-traumatized-after-being-left-on-toronto-school-bus-for-six-hours-mother-says.html

This article is about a girl named Wendy who was left on a school bus for six hours of the day. Wendy has a disability and was involved in a traumatic event from this situation. Wendy was not able to attend school after the incident because she was so nervous/anxious about what happened. Before this situation occurred she was stated to be outgoing, always saying hi to everyone. However after this situation occurred her attitude changed and she wasn't as enthusiastic anymore. Wendy has fears of stepping onto a school bus again after this situation occurred. Overall this was a life changing event that Wendy was involved in. This article made me feel very shocked. I couldn't have imagined what I would've done if I was in Wendy's shoes. I was not aware about this situation until looking and searching for articles. Therefore this article made me realize that because it involved someone with a disability it wasn't as vocalized about it. I would like to know why this was the reason, and I hope for this to never happen to anyone again. I also believe that because Wendy has a disability she might not have been able to move in the school bus, or be able to be vocal to make other around her aware. This should be eye opening for other bus drivers to make sure this doesn't happen under their supervision, because of the impact it can have in someones life.

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A Toronto mother says her disabled daughter is still traumatized more than a week after being forgotten on board a school bus and left in the cold for six hours.

Laura Mastache says her daughter Wendy, who has both autism and epilepsy, has been noticeably more reserved and withdrawn since the incident on Jan. 23.

A school bus driver has been fired after a special needs student from York Humber High School was left on a bus for six hours. (Colin McConnell / Toronto Star file photo)

Mastache says the driver picked Wendy up as scheduled that morning, and was supposed to drop her off at the back entrance of a Toronto high school where the 19-year-old's special education program is held.

But the driver only dropped the students off at the front door, forgetting to take Wendy to her destination and leaving her on the bus, without heat, until it was time to take students home at the end of the day.

The incident prompted the Toronto District School Board to change one of its attendance notification policies and resulted in the bus driver losing her job.

Mastache says such actions can't ever answer the questions that linger as she and her daughter struggle to make sense of what happened.

"She could have died there," Mastache said in a telephone interview. "Hypothermia. I don't know if she had a convulsion, if she passed out, I don't know."

Mastache said the day began as usual when she put Wendy on the school bus around 8:30 a.m.

She had no idea anything was amiss until a concerned teacher phoned at the end of the day to report that Wendy had been absent from class all day, but had recently been seen getting off the bus that was rounding up students for the trip home.

Mastache, feeling panicky, went to the school to make inquiries. She said school officials were reviewing surveillance video and reported that Wendy had not entered the school building at the beginning of the day.

Mastache said she confronted the school bus driver, who initially denied knowing anything about Wendy's whereabouts.

Later on, however, Mastache said the driver broke down and admitted that she had forgotten to both drop Wendy off and check that the bus was vacant.

The driver chalked the error up to anxiety to get to a funeral, Mastache said, adding she believes her daughter sat in the bus near the funeral site all day. Temperatures hovered around the freezing mark on Jan. 23, she said, adding Wendy was not dressed appropriately for a prolonged stint in cold conditions.

Stock Transportation, the company that employed the bus driver, said such a breach of protocol was a serious matter.

"Our drivers are required to conduct a child check to look for students at the end of each route," spokeswoman Molly Hart said in a statement. "In this instance, the procedure was not followed and the driver has been terminated."

The incident also prompted a policy change at the Toronto District School Board, according to spokesman Ryan Bird.

The board routinely notifies parents if a student under the age of 18 has missed school, but did not do so once students were legally classified as adults, Bird said.

Mastache's ordeal has prompted the board to revise the policy and send absentee notifications to the parents of all special needs students regardless of their age, he said.

Mastache said her daughter was unable to return to school for days after the incident, only venturing back for a half-day on Wednesday.

She said the once enthusiastic student has been noticeably more reticent since being left on the bus, refusing to board the vehicle again and adopting a different demeanour when she did go back to class.

"She was different. Everybody noticed," Mastache said. "She didn't answer to ... her teachers, when she's the kind of girl that says hi and gives a smile."

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Special needs student traumatized after being left on Toronto school bus for six hours, mother says | The Star

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Laura Mastache says her daughter Wendy, who has both autism and epilepsy, has been noticeably more reserved and withdrawn since the incident on Jan. 23.

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Don't let disability affect life.
Brampton Guardian
Mar 06, 2017
http://m.bramptonguardian.com/community-story/7174226-don-t-let-disability-affect-life-says-nonverbal-peel-teen

In this local news report, a non-verbal Brampton teenager with cerebral palsy, is the keynote speaker at the Disability, Empowerment Equality Network fund-raising gala evening. I thought the main point, that being 'differently abled' shouldn't prevent you from doing anything you want to do, is a very positive message to other teens and highlights the power of peer-to-peer mentoring and encouragement.
The event also raises the profile and public awareness of the group's work, which is an important part in the growing advocacy movement for people with disabilities.
Interesting to compare today's growing presence of people with disabilities in the media, to how, historically, people with disabilities would have been hidden away, without a voice, or placed on stage to be mocked and ridiculed.

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20 February 2017

This BBC news article/video discusses the growing trend of self-employment among people with disabilities. It interviews a lady who set up her own consulting firm after realising that the company she worked for was holding her back because of her disability. She feels thats being self-employed allows her to plan her time more effectively and to be a more effective problem solver. She also indicates that she believes her own attitude towards he disability has held her back in the past, moreso than the actual disability. A very positive media portrayal of how this woman's positive attitude and pragmatic approach have made her successful in business.

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'It makes for a fantastic business mind'

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Kelly Perks-Bevington, who has spinal muscular atrophy type 3, says in the past she may have let her disability hold her back in business, but not anymore.

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Global Accessibility News
Jan 24, 2017
- A new app is launched in Hong Kong to aid people with vision disabilities
- The app produced by the Hong Kong Blind Union is called 'Tap My Dish'. It  lists restaurants and reads menus out loud and also provides restaurant menus in different sized fonts
- A great example of society beginning to meet the needs of all customers.
- The aim now is for more companies to take the intiative and to sign up and add their own menus to the service

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Asia-Pacific, January 24 2017

HONG KONG: Hongkongers with vision disabilities can now order meals at select restaurants across the city by themselves, thanks to a new app 'Tap My Dish' released this week by the Hong Kong Blind Union (HKBU).

The smartphone and tablet app, called Tap My Dish, lists restaurant menus and reads items aloud. It also uses various font sizes and colours to assist people with vision disabilities.

Ms Adelaide Cheuk, HKBU's senior project officer, said users would no longer need to rely on waiters or friends to order food.

"It's a way for businesses to attract more people, and to help the restaurants show their social responsibility," she said.

About 50 businesses have signed up with the app so far, with the union hoping to reach 500 by the end of the year.

"It really is a groundbreaking app," said Mr Kevin Chow, executive committee member of the HKBU. "My memory is not that good, and it is pretty annoying to ask others (to tell me) what is on the menu. Now I can use the app to choose my favourite dish and see what I can afford."

In development since mid-2016, and funded through a HK$500,000 (S$91,464) grant from the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, the app aims to service the more than 170,000 people with vision disabilities living in the city, as well as people with full vision.

"It's a really helpful thing for us because the difficulty for a visually impaired person is that it's quite difficult to (peruse) the menu," said Ms Jacky Sze Yan-kit, assistant project officer at HKBU.

"We believe people with vision disabilities do have the same rights as the people who are sighted," she added.

Ms Sze said it can be embarrassing for those without full vision to ask restaurant staff to explain the whole menu to them, and they inevitably would not be able to look through all of the items.

At the launch, the Secretary for Food and Health, Ko Wing-man, urged more businesses to sign up to the app.

"I hope a variety of restaurants can actively support this initiative, and help create an inclusive societal environment," Mr Ko said.

Source: Hong Kong Blind Union, Today

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New app makes dining out easier for people with vision disabilities

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Asia-Pacific, January 24 2017 HONG KONG: Hongkongers with vision disabilities can now order meals at select restaurants across the city by themselves, thanks to a new app 'Tap My Dish' released this week by the Hong Kong Blind Union (HKBU). The smartphone and tablet app, called Tap My Dish, lists restaurant menus and reads items aloud.

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Web accessibility will now be the law of the land in Europe

May 4, 2016

This article discusses a directive that has now been passed in Europe which will require all public sector websites and mobile apps to be fully accessible to people with disabilities. Currently 80 million Europeans have disabilities and it is expected that this number will rise in an aging population.

This article appealed to me because it is about progress in the European Union, however, these laws already exist in Canada. It shows how progressive Canada is, but it is also promising to see changes like this are slowly beginning to happen internationally. I believe thisn article ties into  the political model of disability; a change in government policy to meet the needs of its citizens.

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On Tuesday (3 May), after a long night of negotiation, and after more than three years since its proposal, it was agreed that web accessibility will now be the law of the land in Europe. This is a victory not only for persons with disabilities, but all of us, writes Dita Charanzová.
Dita Charanzová MEP (Czech Republic, ALDE), is the rapporteur of the Directive on Web Accessibility for Public Sector Websites. The Directive requires: - All new public sector websites and apps will have to accessible and current websites will have to be updated - Older content, like old videos or word documents, will be available to citizens in accessible form on demand - Government videos will have to have closed captioning or another accessible alternative, including live streaming within a maximum of 14 days of broadcast. - Online services, like paying fines or fees, will have to be accessible. - A clear statement on each website on to explain if a part of a website is not accessible.
Today, our lives centre around access to information online, either at our workplace or in our school or in our relations with government authorities. Most of us could not go through our day without this digital communication, no matter if it is on a computer or a smart phone. This will go without saying as more of the population become 'digital natives'.

We, as a digital society, however, can only be complete when all citizens have access, and this access must include persons with disabilities.

More than 80 million Europeans have disabilities. As we age as a society, this number will only grow (currently at 87 million over 65). One in five of us will have sight loss by the time we are 75, according to the European Blind Union. Even more of us will have physical movement problems. We must all face the fact that at some point in our lives, we will all have a disability, either temporary or permanent.

This legislation is therefore vital to all of us, even those without disabilities today.

From an original proposal that covered only a few limited services, thanks to good will of the Dutch Presidency and the hard work of the members of the European Parliament, in the future, all public sector websites and mobile apps will have to be accessible. The fact that mobile apps are included is a major victory as more and more communicate with public sector bodies is via Apps. This will, I hope, lead to a new world where e-government is fully possible and there is no longer a need to queue for hours for a stamp on a piece of paper. A blind person should not be forced to queue any more than someone else.

Many of us take reading a website for granted, but public authorities should not. Especially when a good website will mean less time needed to answer problems where there is clear information available online, which will save them both time and money. Public authorities already know the benefits in terms of online services like paying your taxes online. Online tax declarations have already saved billions of euros in printing and postal costs and thousands of fewer tax errors and CO2 emissions. In some member states there is a move to become completely paperless for services like taxes. But how does a person with a disability do this if she cannot read the website or the PDF of the instructions? Or use the payment system, because they are not accessible?

This legislation should solve this problem.

If implemented by the member states, even taking into account short term-costs, a fully accessible public sector will save tax payers millions of euros from fewer call centres, fewer letters, and other costly alternatives. The long term benefits far outweigh the short term transition.

Sadly, however, legislation alone will not solve all accessibility issues.

First, we must ensure that this European Directive is transposed into national legislation correctly. Not only do national associations need to ensure that the minimum standards of the directive are included in the law, but push even further. The Directive leaves the door open for Member States to do more and to include more websites within the law. But it also includes some scope exclusions at the request of the Member States. For example, public broadcasts are not covered. If Member States want to only do the minimum, the voices of supporters of web accessibility will have to demand why and the reason should be a good one.

Secondly, while this directive is only on government websites and apps, our citizens use the internet for far more than paying parking fines. We use it to watch television, pay our gas bills, we check our bank accounts and we buy countless goods and services. As we move towards the Digital Single Market, we must ensure that more than just public websites and apps alone are accessible. We must ensure that any attempts to weaken the European Accessibility Act proposal or to block true requirements for accessibility in the revised AVMS directive fail.

When I took up the post of Rapporteur (author) of this law in the European Parliament, I made one promise. That I would only support a compromise that would honestly help our citizens practically in their daily lives. That I could not accept a law which is only fine words on a piece of paper. This morning, I am happy to say we have delivered on this pledge. This is an important first step towards full equality for all in our digital world, but it cannot be the last.

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Web accessibility will now be the law of the land in Europe

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On Tuesday (3 May), after a long night of negotiation, and after more than three years since its proposal, it was agreed that web accessibility will now be the law of the land in Europe. This is a victory not only for persons with disabilities, but all of us, writes Dita Charanzová.

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The Dot braille smartwatch is finally getting shipped out to patient buyers

February 22, 2017

https://flipboard.com/@flipboard/flip.it%2FRxWpGs-the-dot-braille-smartwatch-is-finally-g/f-596c561df9%2Fmashable.com

This article caught my eye because of how cool this watch looks. It is clear that as much attention has been paid to design as to functionality. I think that this is evident of a growing trend in producing high quality, well designed, consumer products for people with disabilties and is an indicator of society's changing attitudes towards people with disabiltiies.

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The Irony of inclusivity
Dec 30, 2016

https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/12/the-ironies-of-inclusivity/511490/
This article reviews the ABC sitcom "Speechless"
Speechless is an American tv show featuring Micah Fowler, an actor with cerebral palsy, playing the role of a student (JJ), whose mother is desperate to find him a place in an inclusive high school.

I have watched several episodes of this series and have seen several course topics addressed, such as the social model and physical barriers; JJ uses a wheelchair and was reduced to using the maintenance entrance of the school, because it was the only accessible entrance. It also showed a good example of JJ acting up and losing friends as a result. He is definately not portrayed as an inspirational character, or as an object of pity. This is firmly handled at the beginning of the show and as JJ's character is developed, it is clear to see he has to face all the same challenges as his peers, just with a twist.
I also like the fact that the son, JJ, is treated equally by his family. They joke with him and are not overly sensitive to him. His mom and dad, however, believe strongly in JJ having the same rights as other people and work hard to achieve this.
It is refreshing to see actors with disabilities playing positive roles like this on tv, but it would be nice if the focus of their role was not the disability.

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From the very start of the show, it is deliberately clear that, for all their calls for a welcoming and open environment, the students and teachers of J.J.'s new high school struggle to implement the integration they're so passionate about. The principal is overwhelmingly supportive of the DiMeos nominally, but when Maya DiMeo (Minnie Driver)-J.J.'s loving and exceedingly overbearing mother-expresses frustration that the wheelchair ramp her son is using is made for garbage, the administrator is, well, Speechless. And, when the school throws an underwhelming bonfire in the gymnasium because the beach version wasn't wheelchair accessible, the reasonably disappointed students ultimately decide, after an open conversation, that they should be mad at J.J. for ruining this rite of passage; after all, wouldn't they blame any other student for the turn of events? Isn't it the friendly and fair thing to single out J.J.?

Much like many conversations about inclusivity that actually happen in America's schools, these actions grasp desperately at sincerity. But ultimately, they're stilted. They're awkward. And they're obvious. Speechless-with its participation trophies and excessive praise for mediocre work-takes the trope of liberal Californians' commitment to accessible safe spaces to its logical extreme. And if you've read even one story about coddled millennials working to make sure everyone feels welcome, you'll recognize the smug side-eye glance Speechless pays to this line of rhetoric and those who criticize it.

Additionally, the fictional high school is so over-the-top with its acceptance of J.J. that the characters' deliberate obliviousness to the school's racial homogeneity is equally as present in every episode. J.J.'s aide, Kenneth (Cedric Yarbrough), is the only character of color in the main cast, and viewers will struggle to find a non-white student in Lafayette's hallways. When Kenneth deliberately points out his blackness, other characters do not respond. Instead, Kenneth's race is only addressed when he and J.J. become "inspirations" for strangers wondering "who's really helping who?" Though J.J.'s classmates and teachers work to create a legitimately welcoming atmosphere for him, their ignorance of the school's racial exclusivity is all the more damning and contemporarily relevant.

The show's acknowledgement of these ironies is deliberate and omnipresent but never crass nor mean spirited. For all the overwrought ink spilled on the hypersensitivity of college campuses and the narratives of inclusivity that dominate politics, Speechless is remarkable in how relevant its portrayals of diversity efforts feel. The behaviors of the school's characters in the show are incredibly cliche, but that's precisely the point. In what is a very played-out Hollywood trope, Speechless presents viewers with the chance to decide what a "normal" high-school experience is in practically every scene. But alongside that determination is the insistence that the audience examine who they may have left out in conceptualizing that normality.

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There Is No Normal High-School Experience

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From the very start of the show, it is deliberately clear that, for all their calls for a welcoming and open environment, the students and teachers of J.J.'s new high school struggle to implement the integration they're so passionate about.

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These unusual markings on British roads are there for an important reason

Jan 10th, 2017

This piece turned up in my Twitter feed and even though it is a British piece I found it interesting as I have never noticed these panels in the sidewalks here in Ontario.
I grew up in the UK and have always thought these bumpy things on the sidewalk, were to prevent slipping. I had no idea that they served another purpose; to help those with visual challenges to interpret the sidewalk and crossing signals. This again ties into the social model as an example of the environment being designed to facilitate people, rather than presenting barriers.
Its a great idea apart from the fact that they are now designed to blend with the surroundings more, to make them more aesthetically pleasing. This evades the point of them serving people with little or no vision. I also learned that most people with vision loss, can still see to a certain extent, rather than being 100% blind.
I thought this was a great video for raising awareness of the environmental challenges facing people with reduced vision.
http://mashable.com/2017/01/10/british-pavement-markings-tom-scott/?utm_cid=mash-com-Tw-main-link#Rri1Q6fhpiq0

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If you've ever wandered around the streets of Britain, chances are you've crossed one of the yellow, bobbly patterned stretches of paving shown in the clip above.

But have you ever wondered what they're actually for?

For his latest video, YouTuber Tom Scott interviews Richard Holmes from the Royal National Institute of Blind People to find out more about the road markings - all of which actually serve as a clever guide for visually impaired people.

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There's an important reason for these strange patterns on British roads

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If you've ever wandered around the streets of Britain, chances are you've crossed one of the yellow, bobbly patterned stretches of paving shown in the clip above. But have you ever wondered what they're actually for?

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Go Hack Yourself
Jan 12, 2017
https://medium.com/push-play/go-hack-yourself-f5098995b685#.vw7z4lccz

This article discusses some of the pitfalls of technology design in meeting user needs and makes suggestings on how to improve your design by emulating your user's needs.
I was a little perturbed by some of the suggestions such as "taping your fingers together, or trying to use an app one handed" to emulate someone who is physically challenged. This didn't sit well with me. Although the intention is trying to be positive, the suggestions are clumsy and insensitive and give a negative message. Surely product design and improvement should include input from actual users, not just someone taping their fingers together???