The Disability Law & Policy e-Newsletter
An electronic publication of
The Law, Health Policy & Disability Center at the
University of Iowa College of Law
http://disability.law.uiowa.edu/
and
The Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University
http://bbi.syr.edu
May 15, 2014
Volume 11, Issue 3
The Disability Law & Policy Newsletter is a monthly publication that aims to inform disability advocates, scholars, and service providers of the most current issues in disability law, policy, research, best practices, and breaking news.
Dear Colleague:
Below is a topical overview of the items presented in this issue.
A. CIVIL RIGHTS: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Sections
504 & 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and state civil rights law
B. EDUCATION: Special education & youth transition to
successful postsecondary outcomes
C. TECHNOLOGY / TELECOMMUNICATIONS: Assistive, information,
and communication technologies
D. HEALTHCARE / BENEFITS: Social Security Income / Social Security Disability
Income / Medicaid & Medicare
E. WORKFORCE: Workforce Investment Act (WIA), Ticket to Work
and Work Incentives Improvement Act (TWWIIA), & Vocational Rehabilitation
F. INDEPENDENCE: News for and about the Independent Living
Movement
G. EMERGENCY RESPONSE / PREPAREDNESS: Disaster mitigation and preparedness news
H. INTERNATIONAL: News for and about disability topics
outside the U.S.
I. MISCELLANEOUS: News and topics may vary
J. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Books, financial aid, and events
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A. CIVIL RIGHTS
1. Parents Sue Disney Parks and Resorts Alleging ADA Violations
In April, the mothers of 16 children and young adults with developmental disabilities filed a lawsuit against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, alleging that Disney violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. Specifically the suit, filed in the U.S District Court for the Central District of California, maintains that Disney failed to accommodate the special needs of those with developmental disabilities and actively dissuaded their presence at the Disney World parks. The complaint contains multiple accusations of long waits and unhelpful interactions with employees in the parks. In addition, the suit states that Disney refused to discuss accommodations for those with disabilities until their families have invested significant sums of money in the park.
This lawsuit comes after recent changes by Disney to its policy for accommodating visitors with disabilities. The new policy allows visitors to obtain a Disability Access Service Card, which allows guests with disabilities to schedule access to one attraction at a time and avoid waiting in line for that attraction. Previously, Disney provided guests with disabilities a pass that allowed them to skip to the front of long lines at any time. Disney maintains that its new policy complies with the ADA, stating "Disney Parks have an unwavering commitment to providing an inclusive and accessible environment for all our guests. We fully comply with all ADA requirements and believe that the legal claims are without merit."
Full story: Michelle Diament, Disney Sued over Access Policy, Disability Scoop, Apr. 8, 2014,
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/04/08/disney-sued-disability-policy/19263/
2. U.S. Attorney to Investigate Connecticut Courts for ADA Compliance
On March 28, the Connecticut U.S. Attorney's Office acknowledged that it has started to review the Connecticut Judicial Branch for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Complaints from two litigants who claim they were not provided equal access to the courts prompted the investigation. One of the litigants, Susan Skipp, claims that the Connecticut Judicial Branch rejected her request for an accommodation of real time transcripts. In addition, she claimed that a post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosis was improperly used against her during her divorce proceeding. The other litigant, Elizabeth Richter, claimed that a family court failed to grant the accommodations she requested for her children, who have disabilities related to their vision. Both women have also filed federal ADA discrimination claims against the Connecticut Judicial Branch.
Sandra Lugo-Gines, the ADA program manager for the Connecticut Judicial Branch stated, "Every request [for an] accommodation is taken seriously." Court administrators said that they were proud of the internal efforts of the Judicial Branch to build an internal ADA program. Following recommendation by the Access to Justice Commission the judiciary implemented multiple changes. For example, "all policies, procedures, and forms relevant to the ADA are featured prominently on the Judicial Branch website." In addition, the judiciary recently started a new training program for its employees on responding to requests to bring seeing-eye dogs and service animals into the courtroom.
The review of the Connecticut Judicial Branch will include ADA complaints and examine the training judges receive regarding the ADA.
Full story: Jay Stapleton, Feds Look into Judicial Branch ADA Compliance, The Connecticut Law Tribune, Mar. 28, 2014,
http://www.ctlawtribune.com/id=1202648960110/Feds+Look+Into+Judicial+Branch+ADA+Compliance%3Fmcode=1202617073650&curindex=2&curpage=ALL
3. Deaf Floridians and Advocates Rally at Florida Capitol Seeking Legislation
On March 25, hundreds of deaf Florida residents rallied for legislation that would require "licensure of sign language interpreters" to ensure better interpreter quality and to restore funding to the council responsible for overseeing the state's policies for deaf Floridians. The residents were joined by advocates representing Florida Association of the Deaf, Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Florida Deaf Service Center Association, among other groups. These advocates stressed the importance of interpreters, stating that the failure to accommodate deaf Floridian's communications needs has severe and tragic consequences.
The advocates emphasized that having certified sign language interpreters in schools, legal proceeding, doctors' offices, and other places would help ensure that deaf Floridians enjoy the same rights as other Florida residents. Vick Fales the President of Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf stated, "Too often, deaf Floridians either have no communication access or are provided with an unqualified interpreter unable to establish effective communication."
The advocates agreed that the Florida Legislature has made progress on deaf issues recently, citing the passage of the Deaf Children's Bill of Rights. However they said progress has been hampered by the Legislature cutting funding to the Florida Coordinating Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the state's policy coordinator for deaf Floridians.
Full Story: Hundreds of Deaf Floridians and Advocates Rally at Capitol for Legislation Enhancing Deaf Floridians' Rights, Capital Soup, Mar. 25, 2014,
http://capitalsoup.com/2014/03/25/hundreds-of-deaf-floridians-and-advocates-rally-at-capitol-for-legislation-enhancing-deaf-floridians-rights/
B. EDUCATION
1. Discrimination Causes Disproportionate Suspensions
A new study released on March 13, 2014 shows that school discipline disproportionately impacts students with disabilities, as well as students of color. This report is provided by the Discipline Disparities Research-to-Practice Collaborative, a group consisting of 26 experts. This collaborative said that students with disabilities are suspended twice as much as their non-disabled peers, and for longer durations.
According to the director of the collaborative, "We need to pay close attention not only to the fact that suspension and expulsion are overused but that they affect certain groups much more than others."
Full story: Joy Resmovits, Yes, Schools Do Discriminate against Students of Color, Huffington Post, Mar. 13, 2014,
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/13/school-discipline-race_n_4952322.html?utm_hp_ref=education&ir=EducationSee also: Donna St. George, Researchers point to racial disparities in school suspension, spotlight new practices, The Washington Post, Mar. 14, 2014,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/researchers-point-to-racial-disparities-in-school-suspension-spotlight-new-practices/2014/03/14/0017cd98-aaa7-11e3-adbc-888c8010c799_story.htmlFor more information: The Discipline Disparities Research-to-Practice Collaborative,
http://www.indiana.edu/~atlantic/
2. New Teaching Hotel to Offer Postsecondary Opportunities to Individuals with Disabilities
Marriott announced in early March their plans to construct a first-of-its-kind hotel where teaching and employing people with disabilities will be their primary goal. Along with providing employment for those with physical and developmental disabilities, this hotel will offer postsecondary educational opportunities for individuals to learn about the hospitality and food-service industries and will serve as a training ground for human resources professionals to understand better how to hire people with disabilities.
Full story: Michelle Diament, People with Disabilities Impetus for New Teaching Hotel, Disability Scoop, Mar. 10, 2014,
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/03/10/people-teaching-hotel/19178/
3. Report Endorses Read-Aloud Accommodations
The National Center for Education Statistics, which administers the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), released a research report on March 25 that endorses read-aloud accommodations for students with disabilities for examinations. The Center determined that teachers reading aloud a reading-comprehension test to students with disabilities offers a boost in scores without altering what the test is trying to measure. The lead author of the report, Jamal Abedi, said, "In general, we make a distinction between features that make a system more accessible, and features that alter the construct. When [an accommodation] improves assessment for all, that is an accessibility feature."
Abedi is also an advisor to one of the testing consortia for the Common Core aligned examinations, Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, and his endorsement could foretell some changes within those tests as well. For now, however, Smarter Balanced will not allow reading aloud reading passages for ELA tests in grades 3-5, but they will be permitted in middle and high school. The other consortium, Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) will allow a read-aloud accommodation of text passages on its English/language arts tests.
Full story: Christina A. Samuels, NAEP Provides Vehicle for Study of Read-Aloud Option: Testing Supports Are Subject of Debate, Education Week, Mar. 25, 2014,
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/03/26/26naep.h33.html
4. Least Restrictive Environment Expanded
On April 2, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held that the requirement that school districts place special-needs children in the least restrictive environment (LRE) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act applies to extended school-year placements for children who require 12-month programs. As such, certain students with disabilities can use this to ensure they are provided with the LRE during the summer months, when a more restrictive setting could cause regression.
Attorney Gary Mayerson stated that "This issue has been somewhat cloudy, unfortunately, over the years, with parents not knowing what to do. The circuit was very focused on the continuum of services and this will make schools enhance their services."
Full story: Mark Hamblett, Circuit Clarifies Key Part of Disabilities Education Act, New York Law Journal, Apr. 8, 2014,
http://www.newyorklawjournal.com/id=1202650097257/Circuit-Clarifies-Key-Part-of-Disabilities-Education-Act#ixzz2zUCqQyub.
5. Lawsuit, Government Supports Incarcerated Children with Disabilities' Right to Education
Recently, the U.S. Department of Education and Department of Justice filed a joint statement in response to a federal lawsuit over how California's Contra Costa County treats its incarcerated youth. According to the lawsuit, the county's juvenile hall has held children with disabilities in isolation for up to 23 hours a day with zero contact with others. The Federal Agencies condemn this practice and state that even youth with disabilities held in solitary confinement are entitled to appropriate public education. The lawsuit alleges that this denial of education to children with disabilities in the juvenile system violates the IDEA and the ADA.
One of the plaintiff's time in solitary confinement, totaling approximately 90 days, triggered a psychotic break that required three weeks of hospitalization. The Obama administration affirmed the rights of kids with disabilities held in juvenile detention, and quoted a departmental task force that concluded, "Nowhere is the damaging impact of incarceration on vulnerable children more obvious than when it involves solitary confinement."
Full story: Julianne Hing, Lawsuit: Juvenile Solitary Confinement Blocks Education, The District Chronicles, Mar. 31, 2014,
http://www.districtchronicles.com/cover/lawsuit-juvenile-solitary-confinement-blocks-education-1.3155478#.U1R2KVd7SfM
C. TECHNOLOGY / TELECOMMUNICATIONS
1. Popular Video Relay Service Company Sorenson Communications, Inc., Files Bankruptcy
In early March, Sorenson Communications, Inc., a company that specializes in video relay services (VRS) for persons with hearing impairments, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company cited a declining revenue and rising debt as reasons for the bankruptcy.
Sorenson Communications, Inc., also claimed that as a result of the Federal Communications Commission's 2010 rate reductions and raised performance requirements for video conferencing services, the company could not continue to provide video relay services in the long-term. Sorenson Communications, Inc., is the largest employer of American Sign Language interpreters in the country.
Full story: Sorenson Communications Files for Bankruptcy, Reuters, Mar. 3, 2014,
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/03/sorensoncommunications-bankruptcy-idUSL3N0M02BD20140303?irpc=932
2. Wristwatch for Blind and Visually Impaired Doesn't Require the Use of Sound
In early April, Eone Time released a new watch to aid persons who are blind or visually impaired. The watch is called the Bradley Timepiece. It is named after retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant Bradley Snyder who lost his sight in 2011 from an improvised explosive device explosion in Afghanistan.
The Bradley Timepiece was developed with the idea of helping its users avoid unnecessary attention by avoiding the use of sound to tell time. The watch uses magnets and moving ball bearings to help the user tell time through touch.
Full story: Bradley Campbell, Imagine If You Could Tell the Time By Touch? Well, Now You Can, PRI's The World, Apr. 10, 2014,
http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-04-10/imagine-if-you-could-tell-time-touch-well-now-you-can
D. HEALTHCARE / BENEFITS
1. Study Finds Inpatient Autism Treatment on the Rise
Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine conducted a study that analyzed data from over two million hospitalizations of children in California aged 1 to 18 and learned that between 1999 and 2009 inpatient treatment related to autism almost tripled. The study, published in the May issue of the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, also found that of this demographic, children over the age of 11 were more likely to be hospitalized. When comparing children with Autism and those with developmental and intellectual disabilities between the ages of 15 and 18, children with Autism were three and a half times more likely than their peers to be hospitalized for treatment. The researchers were unable to find a definite reason for this data; however, they suggest that outpatient and community resources haven't grown in pace with the number of people diagnosed with autism living in the community.
Full story: Shaun Heasley, Study Finds Inpatient Autism Treatment on the Rise, Apr. 15, 2014,
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/04/15/study-inpatient-autism-rise/19284/
2. How the Proposed ABLE Act Will Help Parents of Children with Disabilities
The current version of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act was introduced to Congress in February 2013. The ABLE act would enable individuals with disabilities to retain their eligibility for benefits such as Medicaid while enabling them to save money for long term expenses that Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) do not cover, such as education, housing, and transportation. The Act would allow individuals to establish an account that allows families to save for their children's college educations. Parents are advocating for the Act's passage to assist individuals with disabilities further in establishing an independent lifestyle.
Full story: Mari-Jane Williams, How the Proposed ABLE Act Will Help Parents of Children with Disabilities, Mar. 6, 2014,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2014/03/06/how-the-proposed-able-act-will-help-parents-of-children-with-disabilities/See also: ABLE Act: Achieving a Better Life Experience, National Disability Institute,
http://www.realeconomicimpact.org/public-policy/able-act.aspxSee also: Sara Wolff, Pass the ABLE Act, Change.org,
https://www.change.org/petitions/u-s-senate-pass-the-able-act
E. WORKFORCE
1. Social Media May Raise Employment Discrimination Concerns
On March 12, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) held a meeting in Washington to gather information about the increased use of social media and the implications of that growth on the laws that the EEOC enforces. A panel of experts including Jonathan Segal, speaking on behalf of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Lynne Bernabei, of Bernabei & Wachtel PLLC, and Rita Kittle, a Senior Trial Attorney in the EEOC's Denver Field Office, educated the panel on potential concerns. Segal noted the use of social media in recruiting candidates and knowledge sharing between offices in different locations. Bernabei addressed the issue of social media as a tool for creating a hostile work environment and platform to harass co-workers. Finally, Kittle addressed the litigious effects of social media with respect to discovery in employment discrimination suits. The takeaway from this meeting was that, although social media affords many benefits and opportunities, it also presents areas of concern.
Full story: Social Media is Part of Today's Workplace but its Use May Raise Employment Discrimination Concerns, EEOC, Mar. 12, 2014,
http://eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/3-12-14.cfm
2. Federal Judge Rejects Challenge to Labor Department Disability Hiring Rule
On March 24, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia rejected a challenge to a U.S. Labor Department affirmative action rule for hiring individuals with disabilities. The rule requires employers with at least 50 employees and federal government contracts of $50,000 or more to invite applicants to share disability information and try to meet benchmark goals for disability hiring. The court held that the rule did not exceed the Labor Department's authority or conflict with other laws or prior guidance. Labor Secretary, Tom Perez, applauded the disability hiring proposal stating, "the steps we are announcing will ensure that qualified workers have more meaningful opportunities to find, secure and keep good jobs." However, the challengers, Associated Builders and Contractors feared that the rule would be burdensome and wasteful. The court rejected the Associated Builders Contractors arguments and denied the group's request for summary judgment.
Mark Perrielo, President and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities said, "Federal contractors represent 22% of the American workforce and an aspirational 7% hiring goal means the rule will create real jobs, at all levels of seniority, for Americans with disabilities [that in turn] will ultimately have a ripple effect throughout the economy." The Department of Labor has said that this 7% goal is not a quota, but that contractors that fail to achieve the target and that show insufficient effort in its attainment could lose contracts. By this time next year the rule could lead to 585,000 jobs for people with disabilities.
Full story:Jay-Anne B. Casuga, Judge Nixes Construction Association's Challenge to OFCCP's Disabilities Rules, Mar. 24, 2014,
http://www.bna.com/judge-nixes-construction-n17179889027/Full decision:
http://blog.ogletreedeakins.com/assets/ABCvShiu.pdfSee also: Michelle Diament, Feds Move Forward with Disability Hiring Mandate, Disability Scoop, Mar. 25, 2014,
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/03/25/feds-disability-hiring-mandate/19222/See also: Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs - New Regulations: Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act,
http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/section503.htm
3. Department of Justice Reaches Landmark ADA Settlement with Rhode Island
Rhode Island entered into the nation's first statewide settlement agreement that addressed the rights of people with disabilities regarding employment in the general community as opposed to segregated sheltered workshops. The Justice Department entered into this agreement with Rhode Island because of multiple violations of the ADA including an unacceptable reliance on segregated services in the employment and community spheres. As a result of the terms in the agreement 3,250 residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities will gain access to inclusive employment and community activities. There are an estimated 450,000 people with developmental disabilities nationwide currently spending their days in sheltered workshops and other segregated programs.
The agreement stipulates several provisions to ensure that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are able attain positions outside of sheltered workshops. Transition services must be implemented for students beginning at the age of fourteen that include internships, mentoring, and general preparation to compete for competitive wages in the workplace. During the next ten years funding must be redirected from support in segregated settings to opportunities that are provided in an inclusive setting. Finally, individuals must be able to work a minimum of twenty hours per week and must earn at least minimum wage. Acting Assistant Attorney General Jocelyn Samuels of the Civil Rights Division said, "Today's agreement will make Rhode Island a national leader in the movement to bring people with disabilities out of segregated work settings and into typical jobs in the community at competitive pay."
Full story: Department of Justice: Office of Public Affairs, Department of Justice Reaches Landmark Americans with Disabilities Act Settlement Agreement with Rhode Island, Apr. 8, 2014,
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2014/April/14-crt-350.htmlSee also: Shaun Heasley, Justice Department Urges Shift away from Sheltered Workshops, Disability Scoop, Apr. 8, 2014,
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/04/08/justice-away-sheltered/19265/.
F. INDEPENDENCE
1. $120 Million Available for Disability Housing Assistance
On March 4, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) earmarked funding intended to help prevent homelessness and unnecessary institutionalization of people with disabilities. The money is available under HUD's Section 811 Project Rental Assistance Demonstration Program, which state housing agencies can apply for through May.
Full story: Shaun Heasley, Feds Earmark Millions for Disability Housing Assistance, Disability Scoop, Mar. 4, 2014,
https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/03/04/feds-earmark-housing/19163/
2. New Adaptive Housing Grants Available to Veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced a new adaptive housing grant on April 18, 2014. These grants are available to veterans and active-duty military personnel who have acquired amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in the course of duty. The grants allow individuals with ALS to construct or modify a home to meet their unique housing needs, purchase adapted homes, or pay down mortgages on homes that are already adapted. This is "an important benefit [that gives] beneficiaries the ability to adapt their homes and create a barrierfree living environment [that] expand[s] their independence in their own homes," stated Under Secretary for Benefits Allison A. Hickey. In addition, the VA amended its disability rating scale to assign a 100% disability evaluation for any Veteran who has service-connected ALS.
Full story: Adaptive Housing Grant Eligibility Now Automatic for Veterans with ALS, Hometown Focus, Apr. 18, 2014,
http://www.hometownfocus.us/news/2014-04-18/Focus_On_Veterans/Adaptive_housing_grant_eligibility_now_automatic_f.html.
3. Massachusetts Funds Permanent Supportive Housing
On April 8, Massachusetts announced that it is allocating $25 million in funding to create 335 new units of supportive housing statewide. This funding is in response to earlier legislation that determined benchmarks for the creation of supportive housing. The legislation increased Massachusetts' focus on the development of permanent supportive housing, and established a target of 1,000 units of new supportive housing by 2015.
A major challenge facing independent community living is the lack of affordable housing linked with supports for persons with disabilities. The gap between the high cost of housing in Massachusetts and the income levels of persons with disabilities is a serious challenge. These supportive housing units bridge that gap and provide for a living arrangement that allows seniors and/or individuals with disabilities to avoid homelessness, eviction, shelters, poorer health, and related healthcare costs.
Full story: Sen. Patricia Jehlen, New Supportive Housing Units Funded Statewide, Wicked Local Medford, Apr. 14, 2014,
http://medford.wickedlocal.com/article/20140414/NEWS/140419992/12423/NEWS
H. INTERNATIONAL
1. UK Government Admits Wrongdoing in Cutting Disability Benefits of Mark Wood
In late March, the UK Government's Department for Work and Pensions admitted that a decision to cut the disability benefits of Mark Wood was wrong. Mark Wood had obsessive compulsive disorder, Asperger's syndrome, phobias of food, pollution, paint fumes, and social situations, and cognitive behavioral problems. He later starved to death when his disability benefits were cut.
Atos, a company that the government uses to assess whether citizens are fit for work, deemed Mark Wood fit for work last year. His benefits were cut to 40 pounds a week and he was instructed to find employment. Approximately five months later, Mark Wood died from starvation. This decision has sparked an internal review in the Department for Work and Pensions. Additionally, Atos announced that it will be terminating its contract with the government early as a result of government criticism.
Full Story: 'We Were Wrong': Government Admits it Should Not Have Axed Disability Benefits of Asperger's Sufferer Who Starved to Death Just Five Months Later Weighing Five-and-a-Half Stone, Daily Mail - UK, Mar. 29, 2014,
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2592214/We-wrong-Government-admits-not-axed-disability-benefits-Aspergers-sufferer-starved-death-just-four-months-later-weighing-five-half-stone.html.See also: Robert Hutton, Atos Loses Disability-Testing Contract with U.K. Government, Bloomberg News, Mar. 27, 2014,
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-27/atos-loses-disability-testing-contract-with-u-k-government.html
2. Greek Tourism Ministry and Disability Organization Sign Agreement for Better Access
In late March, the president of the National Confederation of Persons with Disability, Ioannis Vardakastanis, and Greek Tourism Minister, Olga Kefalogianni, signed a cooperation protocol that seeks to secure equal access to tourism activities for persons with disabilities in Greece. These would include cultural, leisure, recreational and sporting activities. The agreement's goals include jointly promoting and acting on a national level to improve access to facilities, infrastructure, information, and communication relating to tourism. The agreement also seeks to promote access and action with tourism industry entrepreneurs to highlight the benefits of creating equal access to all.
Full Story: Sotiria Nikolouli, Tourism Ministry Signs Agreement for Better Access by Disabled, Greek Reporter, Mar. 29, 2014,
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/03/29/tourism-ministry-signs-agreement-for-better-access-by-disabled/#sthash.2w2HFjtX.dpuf
I. POP CULTURE
1. Russian Designers Present Catwalk Collections on Models with Disabilities
On March 30, designers in Russia challenged conventional fashion show stereotypes by presenting clothing collections designed specifically for people with physical disabilities. The event, Fashion without Borders at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Moscow, involved dozens of models with various physical disabilities. The model initiative is aimed at increasing disability awareness within the fashion industry. Chelsey Hay, an ambassador for models with disabilities, stated, "At Models of Diversity we strive for disabled models to be embraced and not excluded in fashion, this show in Russia has done exactly that."
Full story: Katy Winter, Breaking Down Barriers: Russian Designers Present Catwalk Collections on Disabled Models at Moscow Fashion Week, Daily Mail UK, Mar. 31, 2014,
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2593426/Breaking-barriers-Russian-designers-present-catwalk-collections-disabled-models-Moscow-Fashion-Week.html
2. Sesame Street to Focus on Autism
The nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, Sesame Workshop, has recently announced its plans for a new initiative entitled, "See Amazing in All Children." This program will use Sesame Street's brand and characters to raise awareness about children on the spectrum. Jeanette Betancourt, senior vice president for community and family engagement of Sesame Workshop stated, "This has become one of the most widely discussed topics in childhood development, yet we have found that there's a lack of understanding among the general public about children with autism. Sesame Workshop has a long history of addressing diversity, acceptance and inclusion, and we felt we could play a critical role in reducing misconceptions by highlighting the commonalities children with autism share with all children." The new program will create digital tools to aid children with autism in learning to play with peers and complete daily activities like getting dressed, brushing one's teeth, and trying new foods.
Full story: Michelle Diament, Sesame Street to Focus on Autism, Disability Scoop, Apr. 4, 2014,
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/04/04/sesame-street-autism/19257/
J. ANNOUNCEMENTS
The staff of the Disability Law & Policy e-Newsletter welcomes suggestions for announcements incorporating a focus on disability law or policy in forthcoming issues. If you would like to bring calls for papers or proposals, conferences or events, book announcements, new resources, or scholarship, fellowship or internship competitions to our attention, please send them to dlpannounce@law.syr.edu. Thank you.
Book Announcements
Now Available:
Bree Hadley, Disability, Public Space Performance and Spectatorship: Unconscious Performers, Palgrave MacMillan, March 26, 2014.
"Bree Hadley's study of disability performance and spectatorship marks a maturing of the field, a moment which takes stock of the interventions disabled performance artists make in public - and, more specifically, how they can help us redefine and rethink notions of the 'public sphere'. Through grounded and exciting case studies of installation, live art, public space interventions and online public arenas, Hadley shows the challenges disabled artists offer to a mainstream that still wishes to keep disability contained." - Petra Kuppers, University of Michigan, USA.
http://us.macmillan.com/disabilitypublicspaceperformanceandspectatorship/BreeHadley
Patricia C. Kuszler & Christy Thompson Ibrahim, Discussions on Disability Law and Policy, Carolina Academic Press, January 2014.
"Liven up your disability law or policy course with this diverse collection of cases, policy articles, stories, and questions. More traditional casebooks contain fragments of cases clumped together by statute, while this text contains interesting, multidisciplinary articles categorized by disability studies topics. "
http://www.cap-press.com/books/isbn/9781611633955/Discussions-on-Disability-Law-and-Policy
Christy Thompson Ibrahim et al., The U.S. Supreme Court on Disability Law: Sixteen Modern Cases, Carolina Academic Press, March 2014.
"This casebook compiles the landmark Supreme Court cases that form the foundation of modern disability law. It is designed to be used alone or in combination with other disability law texts. Presented in chronological order, the cases in this book illustrate the evolution of a robust body of law, encompassing issues of education, health care, housing, civil commitment, and criminal prosecution. They provide students an opportunity to consider the diverse issues and questions that have arisen over the last 40 years, from the beginning of the disability rights movement, through the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, to the present day. "
http://www.cap-press.com/books/isbn/9781611633962/The-U.S.-Supreme-Court-on-Disability-Law
Upcoming:
David Bolt, Changing Social Attitudes Toward Disability: Perspectives from Historical, Cultural, and Educational Series, Routledge, July 3, 2014.
"This unique book provides a much needed, multifaceted exploration of changing social attitudes toward disability. Adopting a tripartite approach to examining disability, the book looks at historical, cultural, and education studies, broadly conceived, in order to provide a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach to the documentation and endorsement of changing social attitudes toward disability."
Dan Goodley, Dis/ability Studies: Theorising Disablism and Ableism, Routledge, May 7, 2014.
"In this ground-breaking new work, Dan Goodley makes the case for a novel, distinct, intellectual, and political project - dis/ability studies - an orientation that might encourage us to think again about the phenomena of disability and ability.
Drawing on a range of interdisciplinary areas, including sociology, psychology, education, policy and cultural studies, this much needed text takes the most topical and important issues in critical disability theory, and pushes them into new theoretical territory. Goodley argues that we are entering a time of dis/ability studies, when both categories of disability and ability require expanding upon as a response to the global politics of neoliberal capitalism. "
Arlene Kanter, International Human Rights Recognition of People with Disabilities: From Charity to Human Rights, Routledge, July 21, 2014.
"The adoption of the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CPRD) by the United Nations in 2006 marked a major watershed. The CRPD is the first comprehensive and binding treaty on the rights of people with disabilities. It establishes the right of people with disabilities to equality, dignity, autonomy, full participation as well as specific rights including the right to live in the community, supported decision-making and inclusive education."
Nick J. Watson & Andrew Parker, Sports, Religion and Disability, Routledge, September 1, 2014.
"This ground-breaking book provides a fascinating insight into the relationship between sports (and leisure), religion and disability. In the shadow of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, at which athletes that were both able-bodied and disabled, provided an extravaganza of sporting excellence and drama, this text is a timely and important synthesis of ideas that have emerged in two previously distinct areas of research: (i) 'disability sport' and (ii) the 'theology of disability'."
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