Blind artist paints Gus Poyet's portrait

 

Seagulls boss Gus Poyet was seeing double thanks to the talents of blind artist Matt Rhodes. Mr. Rhodes has virtually no sight after being blinded in a car accident. St. Dunstan’s, an Ovingdean-base charity for blind UK servicemen, has been helping him to paint-- something he never did before losing his vision.

 

Mr Rhodes, 36, of Telscombe Cliffs, presented Mr Poyet with this portrait on Tuesday.

 

A Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club spokesman said: "Gus absolutely loved the picture. "Matt is really talented and Gus was blown away when he saw it.”

 

Here’s a link to the article:

 

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/9139231.Blind_artist_paints_Gus_Poyet_s_portrait/

 

 

 

Braille book brings lunar craters down to earth …
NASA Ames releases new book with tactile diagrams for visually impaired readers.

 

Craters more than 200,000 miles away from Earth are now within reach for visually impaired readers thanks to a new Braille book that debuted last Monday at the NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field.

 

"Getting a Feel for Lunar Craters" features tactile diagrams of the lunar surface and is designed to educate the blind and visually impaired about Earth's moon, according to NASA

http://mv-voice.com/news/show_story.php?id=4509

 

 

http://lunarscience.nasa.gov/articles/tactile

 

text version

http://lunarscience.arc.nasa.gov/files/getting_a_feel_for_lunar_craters.pdf

audio file

http://lunarscience.arc.nasa.gov/files/getting_a_feel_for_lunar_craters.wav

 

 

 

 

Press Release from the White House:

In order to help keep you more informed, we are hosting monthly calls to update you on various disability issues as well as to introduce you to persons who work on disability issues in the Federal government.  This call is open to everyone, and we strongly urge and ask that you distribute this email broadly to your networks and listservs so that everyone has the opportunity to learn this valuable information.

 

The next call will take place on Wednesday, July 27 at 1:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time.  The call will feature information on technology, Section 508 of the Rehab Act, independent agencies, emergency preparedness, employment, budgetary issues and other topics.

 

I would encourage you to call in about five minutes early due to the large volume of callers. The conference call information is below.    

Dial in for listeners: (866) 298-7926

Title: White House Disability Call (use instead of code)

 Date of Call: 07/27/2011

 Start Time: 1:00 PM Eastern (dial in 5 minutes early)

 

This call is off the record and not for press purposes.

 

 For live captioning, at the start time of the event, please login by clicking on the link below.

 

http://www.fedrcc.us//Enter.aspx?EventID=1796804&CustomerID=321

 

Please be respectful and only use this feature if you are deaf or hard of hearing.

 

Again, please distribute widely.

 

 

 

National Association of Guide Dog Users
National Federation of the Blind
 
July 21, 2011
 
Teleseminar: Service Animals in Places of Public Accommodation
 
            What are the rights and responsibilities of service animal users in places of public accommodation? Are there circumstances under which a business is allowed to refuse access to an individual accompanied by a service animal? What is the best way to resolve issues that arise because of the choice to use a service animal? What remedies are available to those who feel their civil rights have been violated? These questions and many more will be answered in an upcoming special teleseminar.
 
            The National Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU), a strong and proud division of the National Federation of the Blind, will host “Service Animals in Places of public Accommodation” on Sunday, August 21, 2011 at 8:00 pm eastern  Daylight Time (7:00 pm Central; 6:00 pm Mountain; and 5:00 pm Pacific). This teleseminar is absolutely free; however reservations are required. Participation is limited and is on a first come first served basis.
 
Who Should Attend?
            This teleseminar is designed to teach service animal users how to best protect their rights and empower them to be effective self-advocates. It is also meant to help owners and operators of public accommodations understand their rights and responsibilities under the law. The goal of this workshop is to encourage proactive solutions to the challenges faced by service animal users through effective education and accurate information. In order to reserve your space in this teleseminar, please send your name, city & state, and your email address by Thursday, August18, 2011 to
 
Info@...
 
We would like to know if you are a service animal user or represent a public accommodation. If you represent a public accommodation, what type of public accommodation do you represent? This information will help us better plan the content of the teleseminar. An email confirmation with the call-in number and access codes will be sent to you. Those without email access or who would like more information may call 813-626-2789.
 
Please note: This conference will be recorded. Participation in the conference implies an agreement to and authorization for such recording in compliance with state and federal laws. The information provided during this teleseminar is intended as informal guidance only and should not be construed as legal advice. The call-in telephone number is not toll-free; the National Association of Guide Dog Users, the National Federation of the Blind, or any of its affiliates, divisions, or chapters will not be responsible for any telephone charges or fees that may be incurred as the result of participation in this seminar. For more information about the National Association of Guide Dog Users, the National Federation of the Blind, or to locate a Chapter in your area, you may visit the following websites:
 
National Association of Guide Dog Users
HTTP://NAGDU.ORG
 
National Federation of the Blind
HTTP://NFB.ORG
 
            The National Association of Guide Dog Users also operates a nationwide hotline. Callers can choose to listen to general information about the federal regulations concerning service animals, as well as industry-specific guidance for restaurants, taxicabs, and health care facilities. Those needing immediate assistance can connect to an advocate who has been trained to resolve access issues. The NAGDU Information & Advocacy Hotline is available by calling 888-NAGDU411 (888-624-3841). Those with long distance calling plans can save the association toll charges by using our local number – 813-658-5749.

 

 

 

Lane Harwell of DanceNYC, Linda Shelton of the Joyce Theater, and Ellen Bar of NYC Ballet all recently recorded verbal descriptions of their favorite New York City spots for www.nybeyondsight – the bank of verbal descriptions on Art Beyond Sight’s New York Beyond Sight Website.

 

Below are direct links to their recordings:

 

Ellen describes Strawberry Fields and the Imagine Mosaic in Central Park: http://www.nybeyondsight.org/strawberry-fields-imagine-mosaic.shtml

 

Lane tells us about the marvelous Chagalls at Lincoln Center’s Metropolitan Opera: http://www.nybeyondsight.org/chagall-paintings-at-the-met-opera.shtml

 

Linda describes the Jefferson Market Garden: http://www.nybeyondsight.org/jefferson-market-library.shtml

 

Tune into these New York City’s treasures – listen and enjoy.

 

 

 

 

Disability, Accessibility, and Arts Residency: Call for Participation

 

Calling artists of all media (visual artists, filmmakers, performance artists, choreographers, sound artists, creative writers, & poets) to participate in a one-week residency to be held at the University of California Humanities Research Institute (UCHRI) at UC Irvine from June 12-20, 2012.  Six artists will be invited to work in conversation with other artists and scholars, to consider issues of multiple access/disability in the conception and design of a creative work. (Approaches to accessibility could include, but are not limited to: audio description, captioning, sign language, multimodal design, etc.)   We are interested in expanding notions and strategies for works that are multiply-accessible.

 

Leading scholars in disability studies will offer daily workshops on disability and access in the arts for a small group of graduate student participants. These workshops are optional for artists in residence. The week will culminate in a final day of informal public presentations, aimed to share findings in the form of discussion, sketches and performances.

 

Residency will include basic support for travel, accommodations, and materials fees, as well as a small stipend.  Some meals will also be provided.  This residency is organized by the Critical Disability Studies research group (http://www.uchri.org/Fellows/Residential-Research-Groups/2011F-Critical-Disability-Studies.php), and is partially funded in kind by UCHRI and a grant from the University of California Institute for Research in the Arts (UCIRA).

 

Please submit by November 1, 2011: a one page resume; a 1-2 page >written statement regarding your interest/experience in disability, access, and the arts; and relevant work samples.  Send URL(s) and pdfs of the above to criticaldisabilitystudies@...

 

Mara Mills

Assistant Professor

Media, Culture, and Communication

New York University

239 Greene St., 7th Floor

New York, NY 10003

 

http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/faculty_bios/view/Mara_Mills

 

Happy fall. October is the annual Art Beyond Sight Awareness Month. Here is the first electronic newsletter issued by Art Beyond Sight/Art Education for the Blind. You can link to the newsletter online: http://www.artbeyondsight.org/change/aw-emailalerts.shtml

 

...or read below. Please check if your local museums are part of this international initiative -- and if not, encourage them to contact Marie Clapot at Art Beyond Sight for information on getting involved.

 

Art Beyond Sight Awareness Month

October 2011 Alert I

 

Welcome to all newcomers and long-time participants. Throughout the years, Awareness Month has brought together museums, schools, cultural institutions, libraries, and service organizations to encourage the public to experience the arts in more than one way. Once more, this October we are celebrating art education and creativity for people with vision loss and other disabilities.

 

Note to Arts Organization/Institutions with Public Spaces: You might remember that last year, Art Beyond Sight/Art Education for the Blind created Project Access for All, the first national database of accessible arts/cultural institutions. Earlier this year Project Access was promoted by NYC's Mayor at his annual ADA event, attended by more than 500 New Yorkers with disabilities. We are beginning to promote it with national organizations that represent or serve people with disabilities but we need more US states represented.

 

Please help by registering your organization now - as part of your celebration of Art Beyond Sight Awareness Month. You control all of the material on your organization, and can access it for updates as often as you wish. Note: Only the services that you have will appear on the website. Check it out and get on board! http://projectaccessforall.org

 

Need to get press coverage for your accessible programs?

If you haven't contacted your local press about Art Beyond Sight Awareness Month, DO SO TODAY, and if you need any help, feel free to contact Art Beyond Sight for direct quotes from its staff to include in your press release - or to give Art Beyond Sight's phone number to reporters. It is (212) 334-8723. Also, feel free to print and include our factsheets in your press kits. Here's a link to them: http://www.artbeyondsight.org/change/aw-pressroom.shtml

 

Kudos to the Dallas Museum of Art and the Tennessee School for the Blind both of which received excellent pre-Awareness Month coverage from local press. Here are links to their coverage:

 

http://www.dallasartnews.com/2011/09/art-beyond-sight-awareness-month-at-the-dallas-museum-of-art/

 

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/mixmaster/2011/09/dallas_museum_of_art_hosts_spe.php

 

http://www.dallasmuseumofart.org/Events/dma_aio2011

 

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110916/NEWS01/309130080/Students-TN-School-Blind-find-outlet-arts?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

 

 

Want to know about special Awareness Month programs … and if there are any in your area?

Check out the Art Beyond Sight Calendar. It is found on Art Beyond Sight Web site: click on "calendar" at the bottom of the home page, or click on this direct link to it: http://www.artbeyondsight.org/change/aw-calendar.shtml

 

Have a success story to share in a future Alert?

Send information and a digital photo or two to Marie (again, address above), who will be writing features for them this year.

 

Project Access for All Profile

 

Throughout the month of October we will be featuring some of the registered Project Access institutions. This week, Art Beyond Sight spoke with Manuel Bagorro, Project manager for Carnegie Halls's Musical Connections.

 

Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute

 

In 2010 Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute launched its Musical Connections program. It offers free and accessible concerts in all five of New York City's boroughs as well as programs that reach out to places with limited access to live music, including homeless shelters, correctional facilities, and senior service organizations. Art Beyond Sight interviewed Manuel Bagorro, Project Manager for Musical Connection, to learn more about this initiative:

 

Art Beyond Sight (ABS): How did the Weill Music Institute and its pilot program, Musical Connections, come to fruition? Was there a specific event that led to their creation?

 

Manuel Bagorro (M.B): There was a growing interest within the organization in ways to connect with audiences in acute need, particularly those with limited or no access to live music. Conversations with [New York] City agencies and potential venue partners clearly identified the demand for programming that offered the transformative power of music and creative self expression in healthcare settings, correctional facilities, senior care organizations and homeless shelters. The decision was made in 2009 to pilot the program, building on Carnegie Hall's existing community programs, particularly the Neighborhood Concert series, and longstanding work within homeless shelters, to reach deeper in to the community and offer thoughtful and diverse programming in these settings.

 

ABS: What have been some successes that the institution and program have had? What have been some recent events that occurred?

 

M.B: A roster of 60 exceptional artists undertake this work with one of the central tenants of the program being a commitment to professional development. A range of training sessions offers an opportunity for artists to learn more about the significance of music in these settings and hear from venue staff as well as residents as they plan their performances or residencies. This commitment to questioning and the ongoing evaluation work around the program undertaken by WolfBrown Associates have encouraged reflective practice and truly responsive programming.  One of the interesting things coming out of the evaluation is the ability to see multiple outcomes from the work in four key areas: rehabilitative/clinical, wellness, institutional, and creative.

 

Other stand-out successes have been the songwriting projects, which offer a powerful way to honor the creative capacity and life experiences of program participants and also generate wonderful new songs. 3-month residencies with public culminating concerts have taken place at Hudson Guild, a multi-service community center, Valley Lodge, a homeless shelter for seniors, many of whom have mental health challenges, and the HIV/AIDS Pediatric Care unit at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx.   A documentary about the work at Valley Lodge can be seen here - http://www.carnegiehall.org/Video/Video.aspx?id=4294971882

 

Recent events have included a series of instrumental and compositional workshops and concerts at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, an ongoing partnership with Jacobi Medical Center exploring the idea of creating a "musical hospital" and compositional work in secure juvenile detention facilities - http://www.wnyc.org/articles/wnyc-news/2011/jun/20/cindy-feature/

 

ABS: Have you worked specifically with people who are blind or visually impaired? And if so, what was the program and experience like?

 

M.B: We have brought interactive concerts to VISIONS at Selis Manor through our partnership with Hudson Guild. Visions offers an adapted learning environment and meeting place for youth, adults, and seniors who are blind or visually impaired, as well as training, adapted recreation, volunteer and social work services. Artists enjoyed playing these concerts; the audiences were engaged, enthusiastic and open to hearing a wide range of repertoire. Artists also enjoyed hearing from audience members and learning about ways to adapt interaction strategies in their programs for sight impaired listeners. We are planning three concerts at Selis Manor in early 2012.

 

ABS: What has been the response to the Musical Connections program?

 

M.B: The response has been wonderfully positive and speaks to the power of this work to bring rehabilitation, creativity, and individual/institutional well-being, as well as great joy and consolation. A quote from a participant in the creative work at Sing Sing speaks to the impact of the program on him and his fellow participants:

 

"We discovered an honesty - a level of openness and camaraderie among ourselves that wasn't as apparent before. You can't force determination or drive on anyone, but by simultaneously inspiring and directing growth it gives us our own fuel and a clearer map to our destination. The combination of the completely inspirational performances with (the Musical Connections artists') clear direction generates an immense impetus to improve."

 

ABS: What do you hope the Weill Music Institute and the Musical Connections program will accomplish in the future? Are there plans to expand the programs and create new ones?

 

M.B: The program has expanded in 2011/12 to include over 180 separate concerts and over 200 artist-led creative sessions and workshops, offering audience and staff in our partner venues a mixture of single, interactive concert experiences and longer term creative projects and songwriting residencies. We plan to continue our work with WolfBrown to think about best practices and how sharing our experiences can support and foster community programs in other national centers. We also hope that Musical Connections will continue to underline the importance and dynamic nature of this work in the field.

 

STAY TUNED!

Our next alerts will feature more Project Access profiles and more information about our upcoming Telephone Crash Course Conference – a free all-day event.

 

 

Art Beyond Sight: A Resource Guide to Art, Creativity, and Visual Impairment

Elisabeth Salzhauer Axel and Nina Sobol Levent, Editors

 

The American Foundation for the Blind and Art Education for the Blind joined together to co-publish this one-of-a-kind resource that provides vital information on all aspects of exploring art and creativity by people who are blind or visually impaired. Developed by Art Education for the Blind, this beautiful, fully illustrated manual is the result of a decade-long international collaboration among researchers, art educators, teachers of visually impaired students, psychologists, museum professionals, and blind and sighted art enthusiasts. The 504-page resource guide includes a section of reproducible pages for classroom or workshop activities.

 

To purchase it go to:

 

http://www.afb.org/store/product.asp?sku=978%2D0%2D89128%2D850%2D3&mscssid

Phone: 1-800-232-3044

Fax: 412-741-1398

 

Or for International

Phone: 412-741-1398

Fax: 412-741-0609

In the UK: www.amazon.co.uk

 

 

 

The second Art Beyond Sight Awareness Month newsletter  (found online at  http://www.artbeyondsight.org/change/aw-emailalerts.shtml)

Included this feature on the Ellen Noel Art Museum’s sensory garden. The museum is located in Odessa, Texas.

 

 

Ellen Noel Art Museum,

George and Milly Rhodus Sculpture and Sensory Garden

 

Art Beyond Sight (ABS): How did the idea for the Sensory Garden come to fruition? Was there a specific event that led to its creation?

Doylene Land: The garden started in the mid 1990s as a collaboration between the Museum, the Permian Basin Master Gardeners and DARS/Division for Blind Services, formerly Texas Commission for the Blind.  It was a concept that the director and the museum board of trustees had at the time. Their long-range planning included an expansion of the museum to include this sculpture/sensory garden so that all citizens of the community could enjoy and experience art and so that our mission of ‘Connecting People with Art’ could be fulfilled. 

 

ABS: You mentioned that you had experience in working with people with disabilities, so how did your experience help shape the creation of the garden?

D.L: Before I came on staff as Curator of Education here at the Ellen Noël Art Museum I worked for the State of Texas Division for Blind Services as a rehabilitation teacher for 23 years providing direct services to blind and visually impaired adults and children. During this time I also volunteered and applied my art education background to teach art classes for both sighted and those with visual impairments at the Museum. The director of the museum at the time asked me to assist with the committee in the planning and implementation of the design of the garden. Having an understanding of visual impairments, sensory loss, and the needs of the blind community helped me to work with the committee in creating this space for such a sensory experience.  I also worked with them on training staff and volunteers on blindness awareness issues. Now, as a full-time museum staff member I have the privilege of combining my background working with the blind and my love and background in the arts.

 

ABS: How is the garden designed to be a "unique experience"? What are the functions of each entity in the garden?

D.L: The garden is a unique experience in that is combines both aspects of art and nature. The garden is a space that is easy and safe to mobilize about, having raised beds for ease of reach that are filled with sensory plants. The Master Gardeners assist in choosing plants that are not only hardy and appropriate for this area of Texas but are aromatic, have interesting textures as well as being vibrant or contrasting in color. 

All of the sculpture in the garden is meant to be touched.  One granite sculpture by artist Jesus Moroles is musical and can be ‘played’ with a mallet. The sculptures in the garden are both realistic and abstract in nature and provide for interesting discussion. Another sculpture that is quite unique was completed by the artist Jesus Moroles, the community, and adults who are blind. This ten-foot-tall granite sculpture, entitled ‘Portal,’ is the signature of our Sculpture and Sensory Garden, with its completion involving the entire community.

The garden provides a place for hands-on experiences for children who have never seen or felt a tomato growing on a vine, had a butterfly land on their arm; heard the quite humming of a hummingbird; felt slick, wet granite; or created music from a rock.  It provides a space for being creative, learning how nature and art correlate, and how experiences with nature can become a work of art.

 

ABS: How do visitors respond to the Sensory Garden?

D.L: We have had a great response from the blind community. Many return here with family members to not only experience the garden, but to explore the galleries as well.  We also provide art classes for adults with visual impairments and incorporate the garden with the lessons. The community, including the local university and state offices, use the garden for training others who  work with the blind.  The garden is also used for special events, college classes, girl scouts, and public and private schools to teach blindness awareness topics.

 

Are you familiar with this 20^th-century hero?  Find out why this dog is famous and learn about the statue of him in New York’s Central Park at:

 

http://www.nybeyondsight.org/balto-sculpture.shtml

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday, December 15, 2011   At 1 p.m. Eastern today, join American Association of People with Disabilities and Jon Carson, Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement and Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy, to discuss issues of top concern to people with disabilities for a Twitter Q&A. We want you to be part of the conversation! Through Twitter, you can ask important questions and share your concerns with the White House. Here's how - at 1 p.m. EST today, December 15: Follow both @joncarson44 and @AAPD on twitter Tweet your questions directly to @joncarson44 and @AAPD Use #AAPDatWH to see all the questions and answers         Flickr iTunes      . The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

During 2010, Art Beyond Sight and the Museum of Science, Boston partnered with seven major American museums to hold focus groups with adults with vision loss on what would make a visit to a museum an enjoyable experience that they would want to repeat.  Attached is a link to the report and a short White Paper on the focus groups.

 

http://www.artbeyondsight.org/new/speaking-out-on-art-and-museums.shtml

 

 

 

 

Dancer/choreographer Mark Morris recently recorded a verbal description of Lincoln Center’s famous fountain – a favorite meeting place for New Yorkers in the Lincoln Center Plaza – for Art Beyond Sight/Art Education for the Blind’s New York Beyond Sight project.  Here’s a link to the recording: http://www.nybeyondsight.org/lincoln-center-fountain.shtml

 

Some five dozen other New Yorkers, well known and respected in their professions, also describe favorite landmarks on this website: www.nybeyondsight.org.  The site received a Jodi Award Commendation for Compelling Content in 2010 and was featured at the European Congress on e-Inclusion that year.

 

We hope you enjoy this Website … meeting these New Yorkers and learning more about this great city’s historic landmarks, hot spots, and public art.

 

 

 

 

Monday, January 9, 2011   Hello everyone, We're once again resuming our monthly disability calls. In order to help keep you more informed, we host these monthly calls to update you on various disability issues as well as to introduce you to persons who work on disability issues in the Federal government. This call is open to everyone, and we strongly urge and ask that you distribute this email broadly to your networks and listservs so that everyone has the opportunity to learn this valuable information. If you received this email as a forward but would like to be added to the White House Disability Group email distribution list, please visit our website at http://www.whitehouse.gov/disability-issues-contact and fill out the contact us form in the disabilities section or you can email us at disability@... and provide your full name, city, state, and organization. We will be addressing a number of issues during this next call since we have not had a call recently. Also, we will begin answering the questions and issues many of you raised through disability.gov. So, dial in to hear if we answer your question or address your issue. And, we will have some exciting announcements! I would encourage you to call in about five minutes early due to the large volume of callers. The conference call information is below. Date of Call: 01/18/2012 Start Time: 2:00 p.m. EST (dial in 5 minutes early) This call will probably last one and a half hour. Dial in: (800) 762-4758 Code: “White House Disability Call”            For live captioning, at the start time of the event, please login by  clicking on the link below. Please only use this feature if you are deaf or hard of hearing. http://www.fedrcc.us//Enter.aspx?EventID=1894630&CustomerID=321 This call is off the record and not for press purposes.         Flickr iTunes       This email was sent to editor-at-large@... Manage Subscriptions for editor-at-large@... Sign Up for Updates from the White House Unsubscribe editor-at-large@... | Privacy Policy Please do not reply to this email. Contact the White House. The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

THE 2012 NFB SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
 
Dear College Students:
 
Are you legally blind and will you be a full-time college student in the fall 2012 semester? The National Federation of the Blind Scholarship Program Application Form is online at www.nfb.org/scholarships along with all rules for eligibility and additional information. (A print application form is available upon request.)
 
Our Scholarships:
  1 for $12,000
  1 for $10,000
  2 for $7,000 each
  4 for $5,000 each
22 for $3,000 each
plus additional gifts to each winner
 
The deadline to submit the application form and all required support documents is three months away­March 31, 2012­so there is still plenty of time, especially if you have the other required documents ready to upload from your computer to the online application form. 
 
We prefer DOC, DOCX, and RTF file formats, though we accept PDF. We prefer PDF for school transcripts and SAT/ACT scores.  We also accept documents via mail or as attachments to an email.
 
Students, it is never too early to begin to assemble your documents.  Please read the details on the 2012 program right now by going to our website at www.nfb.org/scholarships. The “Submission Checklist” on our website lists the full set of requirements and the FAQ page provides additional information on what the scholarship committee expects to find in a winning application packet. 
 
More good news – In addition to this national scholarship program, many of our state affiliates have their own scholarship program for blind students living in their state or attending college in their state. When you contact your state’s NFB president to set up your personal interview, be sure to discover whether the state affiliate has a statewide scholarship program.  (You must request the interview before the deadline; the interview itself may take place after the deadline if you and the president wish.)  For contact information, go to www.nfb.org, then to FAST FACTS, then tap on the Presidents List and follow the links to your state.
 
Cordially,
 
Patti Chang, Esq.
Chairperson, NFB Scholarship Committee
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
       at Jernigan Place
200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
Office:  (410) 659-9314, x2415
E-mail:  scholarships@...
Website:  www.nfb.org/scholarships
 
P. S.: The deadline is March 31, 2012.

 

 

To Prospective NASA Student Interns with Disabilities,

NASA is looking to increase the number of students with disabilities pursuing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers through our internship programs. We have a two-percent hiring goal. Students can apply for summer internships now! The deadline for submitting applications is February 1, 2012. They can register for an account and look for internships anytime at the One Stop Shopping Initiative (OSSI): Student On-Line Application for Recruiting interns, fellows and scholars (SOLAR) at http://intern.nasa.gov/ . Summer 2012 internships run for ten weeks from early June through early/mid August. NASA internships are also offered during Spring, Fall and Year Long Sessions.

In order to be eligible to apply, students must be accepted as freshmen at an accredited institution of higher learning, i.e., a college or university at the time of the internship. This is what we call a rising freshman. NASA has internships for rising freshmen through doctoral students in STEM fields. A minimum GPA of 2.8 is required to apply; however, applicants must understand that the competition for internships is keen. The age limits for interns are eighteen years and up.

Internships are available at all NASA centers nationwide. Students can submit a completed application whether they apply to an opportunity or not. However, applying to opportunities has the advantage of allowing applicants to be considered by mentors who work in disciplines of interest and at a particular center. For example, an opportunity having to do with the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) will be at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland because SDO is located there. Not applying to an opportunity means that prospective interns will be hoping that a mentor happens to read their applications rather than directing their applications to mentors in fields and at centers of interest.

Students, who are selected for summer internships will receive an offer letter by E-mail sometime after February 1, 2012. They will then have five days to either accept or reject the offer through their OSSI:SOLAR account. The offer will automatically expire after five days if no action is taken.

Please see the below attached recruitment letter, the recruitment flier, and the instructions for how to use the on-line application system.  Also, please feel free to contact me for more information or help with applying.

Please feel free to contact me for more information or help with applying.

Kenneth A. Silberman, Esq.

U.S. Supreme Court, Maryland, & Patent Bars B.A., M.Eng., J.D.

NASA Engineer & Registered Patent Attorney Education Office Code 160 NASA/GSFC Mailstop 160 Bldg. 28 Rm. N165 Greenbelt, MD  20771, USA

Voice:  (301) 286-9281

Fax:  (301) 286-1655

E-mail:  kenneth.a.silberman@...

Office Location:                 Building 28 Room W151

--------------------------------------------------------------

Student Instructions for Applying for a NASA Internship, OSSI:SOLAR

If you are interested in applying for a NASA internship during 2012, please follow the detailed instructions below.

 The following instructions are for student interns.

 1.     Go to http://intern.nasa.gov/   (OSSI:SOLAR Launch Pad)

2.     Click “Quick Launch to apply for Internship, Fellowship, or Scholarship opportunities” located in the top banner next to the SOLAR logo. If nothing happens, click it once or twice again.

3.     The next display should read “Premiere of Solar” on the left and a clickable box labeled “First Time Student Users Register” on the right. Or, if previously registered, click the box to the right labeled “Current Student Users Login”and go to step 5.

4.     Complete the registration form to setup an applicant account and the Student Profile.

5.     Once the account is created, select the “Getting Started” tab for applicants interested in obtaining more information. There you will also find three informative streaming videos or student tutorials.

6.     If an applicant has any questions, they should select the “Need Help? Click here” link at the top of the applicants Dash Board.

7.     There are six sections that must be completed in the application. They are:

a.     Personal Information

b.     Educational Information

c.     Work History

d.     References

e.     Skills, Awards and Educational Activities

f.      Acceptance Statement

8.     Applicants are required to identify at least one professional reference (usually a professor or previous mentor). It is recommended that applicants contact these individuals in advance to let them know they will be receiving a SOLAR generated e-request from NASASOLAR on behalf of the applicant. The deadline for references to submit their letter is the same as the applicants to complete their application.

9.     Once all six sections are complete (including receipt of at least one letter of recommendation), the applicant can then apply to up to 15 opportunities. Be careful to only apply to opportunities you are eligible for and strongly interested in being considered for. Remember, more is not always better.

10.  The deadline to complete your application for Summer 2012 is February 1, 2012.

 

 

 

ARTICLE: Roman Baths wins tourism excellence award for offering Access for All

http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/Roman-Baths-wins-tourism-excellence-award/story-15166754-detail/story.html

 

ARTICLE: A world of possibilities

Partho Bhowmick, whose Blind With Camera project teaches photography to the visually impaired, has trained 200 students since 2006 http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/metroplus/article2872294.ece

 

ARTICLE: Green home -- Edible art products for safer creativity

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/07/3415147/green-home-edible-art-products.html

 

 

 

 

The Onkyo Corporation is again sponsoring a braille essay contest for people of all ages.  Contest winners receive cash prizes valued from $500 to $2,000. The link for full information and application is below, but here are the basics.  Please help us spread the word!

 Onkyo Braille Essay Contest -- Sponsored by Onkyo Corporation and The Braille Mainichi

The Onkyo Braille essay contest is being administered by the National Federation of the Blind on behalf of the North America-Caribbean Region of the World Blind Union.

Essays must be written by contest participants, in English or their native language, in Braille, and must be completely original in nature. Entries should be no fewer than 800 words and no more than 1,000 words in length. There will be two groups of competitors-one Junior group, aged 25 and under; and one Senior group, aged 26 and up, and prizes range from $500-$2,000.

Essay topics:

1. How do you acquire knowledge and information through Braille or audio devices? (Illustrate with some interesting personal stories/episodes.)

2. How can blind persons become independent by learning Braille or music?

 3. Individual concept about world peace from the viewpoint of persons with disabilities.

 All essays must be received by April 30, 2012.

 
Visit http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Onkyo_Braille_Essay_Contest.asp for more information and an application.  Please contact Trisha Tatam at (410) 659-9314 (ext. 2510) or ttatam@... if you have any questions.

Jennifer Dunnam
Manager of Braille Programs, Jernigan Institute
National Federation of the Blind
200 E. Wells Street
Baltimore, MD 21230
(612) 767-5658
E-mail:
transcribers@...
http://www.nfb.org
Visit the Braille Certification page at
http://www.nfb.org/transcribers
 

Release from the White House:

Hello Everyone,

In order to help keep you more informed, we host monthly calls to update you on various disability issues as well as to introduce you to persons who work on disability issues in the Federal government.  This call is open to everyone, and we strongly urge and ask that you distribute this email broadly to your networks and listservs so that everyone has the opportunity to learn this valuable information.

If you received this email as a forward but would like to be added to the White House Disability Group email distribution list, please visit our website at http://www.whitehouse.gov/disability-issues-contact and fill out the "contact us" form in the disabilities section, or you can email us at disability@... and provide your full name, city, state, and organization.

We will continue to answer the questions and issues many of you raised through disability.gov. So, dial in to hear if we answer your question or address your issue. We also will have other presenters on the call.

I would encourage you to call in about five minutes early due to the large volume of callers. The conference call information is below.

• Date of Call: 2/29/2012
• Start Time: 3:00 p.m. EST (dial in 5 minutes early)
• Dial in: (800) 230-1766
• Code: “White House Monthly Disability Call”

For live captioning, at the start time of the event, please login by  clicking on the link below. Please only use this feature if you are deaf or hard of hearing. http://www.fedrcc.us//Enter.aspx?EventID=1907398&CustomerID=321

This call is off the record and not for press purposes.  

 

 

 

American Action Fund Makes Free Braille Books Available Online

Baltimore, Maryland (February 28, 2012): The American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults (AAF) is making its free Braille books for blind children available online as downloadable BRF files.  Since 1997, the AAF has provided popular and award-winning children’s books, including titles from popular series, to blind children throughout the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />United States as well as to libraries and other organizations that serve blind children.  The books have been and will continue to be distributed by mail, but now readers and libraries will also be able to download them from the American Action Fund Web site. The BRF files are ready to be used on Braille notetakers and other Braille-aware devices.

Barbara Loos, president of the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults, said: “The American Action Fund is pleased to make our free Braille books for blind children available on the Internet.  Technology is making Braille more widely available than ever before, and we are proud to become part of this exciting trend.”

Dr. Marc Maurer, AAF executive director, said: “Braille literacy is one of the highest predictors of success in later life for blind students, so we want to do everything in our power to ensure that blind children have free and easy access to Braille books.  This initiative will set blind children on a path to achievement and independence­not to mention giving them the simple joy of reading a good book.”

 

… in 2010, Art Beyond Sight staff worked with seven United States museums in conducting focus groups on the needs and preferences of people with vision loss re meaningful museum visits. The focus groups were part of a multi-site museum accessibility study being conducted by Art Beyond Sight (formerly Art Education for the Blind) and the Museum of Science, Boston. The focus group report is now available on Art Beyond Sight’s Website (www.artbeyondsight.org). Here’s a direct link to the study: http://www.artbeyondsight.org/new/speaking-out-on-art-and-museums.shtml

 

Also on Art Beyond Sight’s website is a White Paper that highlights the results of the focus group research. The accessibility study is ongoing. The final report and case studies of some of the participating museums will be published online when the study has been completed.

 

 

 

 

Hello Everyone,

In order to help keep you more informed, we host monthly calls to update you on various disability issues as well as to introduce you to persons who work on disability issues in the Federal government.

This call is open to everyone, and we strongly urge and ask that you distribute this email broadly to your networks and listservs so that everyone has the opportunity to learn this valuable information.

We will continue to answer the questions and issues many of you raised through disability.gov. So, dial in to hear if we answer your question or address your issue.

We also will have other presenters on the call.

I would encourage you to call in about five minutes early due to the large volume of callers.

The conference call information is below.

• Date of Call: 3/30/2012
• Start Time: 2:30 p.m. EDT (dial in 5 minutes early)
• Dial in: (800) 288-8967
• Code: "White House Disability Call"

For live captioning, at the start time of the event, please login by clicking on the link below. Please only use this feature if you are deaf or hard of hearing. http://www.fedrcc.us//Enter.aspx?EventID=1922314&CustomerID=321

This call is off the record and not for press purposes. 

If you received this email as a forward but would like to be added to the White House Disability Group email distribution list, please visit our website at http://www.whitehouse.gov/disability-issues-contact and fill out the "contact us" form in the disabilities section, or you can email us at disability@... and provide your full name, city, state, and organization.

 

 

 

Tek Talk Offers the Chance to Meet Blio, Accessible E-Books for All

Monday, April 9, 2012

 

The Accessible World News Wire, Indianapolis, Indiana USA

 

As mainstream book publishing continues the process of going digital, Tek Talk is pleased to feature the latest news about e-books and accessibility. Is

the goal of "same book, same time, same price" really achievable? Can blind people actually expect to enjoy the latest best sellers on the day they are

published and released to the general public? Can waiting for specialized libraries and services to produce accessible books become a thing of the past

for people who are blind? Can books be accessible to the blind on mainstream rather than expensive specialized devices?These questions and more will be

addressed during this week's Tek Talk event by James Gashel, Vice President of Business Development at K-NFB Reading Technology, speaking to the topic,

"Meet Blio, Accessible E-Books for All." Working with Baker and Taylor, the world's largest distributor of books direct from publishers to bookstores everywhere, K-NFB Reading Technology, led by Ray Kurzweil, is seeking to make Blio the standard for accessible book publishing throughout the world.

 

Following the presentation, plenty of time will be available for questions from the virtual audience.

 

To learn more about Blio and download the free e-book reader for yourself please visit blio.com.

 

 

Contact:  James Gashel: Jim@...

 

Monday, April 9, 2012

 

Time:  5:00 p.m. Pacific, 6:00 p.m. Mountain, 7:00 p.m. Central,   8:00 p.m. Eastern and elsewhere in the world Tuesday 1:00 GMT.

 

Approximately 15 minutes prior to the event start time; go to The Pat

Price Tek Talk Training Room at:

 

http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

 

Or, alternatively: Select The Pat Price Tek Talk Training Room at: www.accessibleworld.org

 

Enter your first and last names on the sign-in screen.

 

All Tek Talk training events are recorded so if you are unable to participate live at the above times then you may download the presentation or podcast

from the Tek Talk archives on our website at www.accessibleworld.org

 

If you are a first-time user of the Talking Communities online conferencing software, there is a small, safe software program that you need to download

and then run. A link to the software is available on every entry screen to the Accessible World online rooms.

 

All online interactive programs are free of charge, and open to anyone worldwide having an Internet connection, a computer, speakers, and a sound card.

Those with microphones can interact audibly with the presenters and others in the virtual audience or text chat with the attendees. To speak to us, hold

down the control key and talk; then let up to listen.

 

Accessible World uses News Wires, like this one, to inform people of the topic and times for the many Discussion Groups on Accessible World. The lists are announce only to keep the traffic to a minimum.

 

You can join the Accessible World Announce List, the Tek Talk Announce List or the Sports Talk Announce List by completing the form at:

www.accessibleworld.org/mailinglists

 

Accessible World also provides a Tek Talk Discussion List. This list is intended to give you an opportunity to ask computer related questions, suggest topics to be used in the weekly Monday training programs, or just to interact with others interested in using assistive devices to access computers. You may sign up for this list by selecting the Tek Talk Discussion link on the same page and completing the form.

 

Accessible World Contacts: Robert Acosta, Chair

Accessible World

818-998-0044

Email: boacosta@...

Web: www.helpinghands4theblind.org

 

Marcia Moses, Events Coordinator

Accessible World

734-495-1496

Email: mgmoses@...

 

Steve Hoffman, President

Talking Communities

Email: steve@...

 

The Accessible World, a division of Helping Hands For The Blind, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, seeks to educate the general

public, the disabled community and the professionals who serve them by providing highly relevant information about new products, services, and training

opportunities designed specifically to eliminate geographic and access barriers that adversely affect them.

 

Robert Acosta, President

Helping Hands for the Blind

Email:

boacosta@...

Web Site:

www.helpinghands4theblind.org

 

You can assist Helping Hands for the Blind by donating your used

computers to us. If you have a blind friend in need of a computer,

please mail us at the above address.

 

Wednesday, April 25, 2012   Hello Everyone, In order to help keep you more informed, we host monthly calls to update you on various disability issues as well as to introduce you to persons who work on disability issues in the Federal government. This call is open to everyone, and we strongly urge and ask that you distribute this email broadly to your networks and listservs so that everyone has the opportunity to learn this valuable information. I would encourage you to call in about five minutes early due to the large volume of callers. The conference call information is below. Date of Call: 4/30/2012 Start Time: 2:00 p.m. EDT (dial in 5 minutes early) Dial in: (800) 553-5275 Code: "Disability Conference Call" For live captioning, at the start time of the event, please login by clicking on the link below. Please only use this feature if you are deaf or hard of hearing. http://www.fedrcc.us//Enter.aspx?EventID=1936760&CustomerID=321 This call is off the record and not for press purposes.   If you received this email as a forward but would like to be added to the White House Disability Group email distribution list, please visit our website at http://www.whitehouse.gov/disability-issues-contact and fill out the "contact us" form in the disabilities section, or you can email us at disability@... and provide your full name, city, state, and organization.       Flickr iTunes     This email was sent to editor-at-large@... Manage Subscriptions for editor-at-large@... Sign Up for Updates from the White House Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy Please do not reply to this email. Contact the White House. The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

New raised-line drawing tool created by Ann Cunningham … here’s a video clip on it:

 

http://www.9news.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=1621260374001&odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Cfeatured

 

Also  there is a nice description and video at Ann's Sensationalbooks.com

 

http://sensationalbooks.com/

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, May 16, 2012   Hello everyone, Please see the below announcement from HUD. This stems from the President's signing of the Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act. It's one more critical step to ensuring people with disabilities get the support and services they need to live in the community. HUD Makes Available $85 Million to Fund Housing for Extremely Low-Income Persons with Disabilities WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development makes $85 million available to state housing agencies to provide affordable supportive housing for extremely low-income persons with disabilities. This is the first time in the history of HUD’s Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities Program (http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/mfh/progdesc/disab811) that funding will be offered to state housing agencies that meet new eligibility criteria, including having a partnership with a state health and human services and Medicaid agency to provide essential support and services. The Notice of Funding for the Section 811 Project Rental Assistance was posted on Grants.gov here. http://go.usa.gov/pCO Entities have until July 31, 2012 to apply for funding, which is expected to provide housing for 2,800 extremely low-income persons with disabilities. “The reforms the Obama Administration has made to the Section 811 program will strengthen HUD's efforts to provide affordable, supportive housing to thousands of the most vulnerable low-income persons with disabilities," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “HUD and the Department of Health and Human Services are also seizing the opportunity to support innovative state-level strategies to transform and increase the availability of affordable housing, matched with needed services and supports, that will help keep people with disabilities out of institutions and integrated into the community.” “We are excited about this new opportunity for housing with services for people with disabilities,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.  “Our collaboration with HUD is critically important to helping people with disabilities lead productive lives as members of their communities.  This is a priority for our Department, which is reflected in the recent creation of the Administration for Community Living.  This agency provides leadership within HHS and across the federal government to make sure that people with disabilities have the opportunity to live in the community with the right mix of services and supports." To ensure this at-risk population gets quality, cost-effective service, HUD and HHS are aligning housing and healthcare services at the state level. Under new eligibility requirements, only state or local housing agencies that are currently administering affordable housing programs are eligible for these funds. In addition, these entities must have established a formal partnership with a state health and human services and Medicaid agency to provide for referrals, tenant selection and perform other casework activities to ensure that individuals with the most critical need receive this supportive housing assistance. The funding must be used for rental assistance only and not for construction or rehabilitation. “The Section 811 Program is a lifeline for people in the disability community who want to live normal lives in society, but cannot afford the cost of even modest rental housing.  These reforms make the program even more significant to improve the lives of thousands more people with long-term disabilities access to services in the community," said Andrew Sperling, housing Co-Chair of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Housing Task Force. This round of funding will also target the assistance to "extremely" low-income persons with disabilities – those who are at or below 30 percent of Area Median Income (AMI) – and limits to only 25 percent the number of apartments that can be set-aside for supportive housing for persons with disabilities in a building.  These measures, and other reforms to the Section 811 program, are the result of the Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act of 2010 – groundbreaking legislation President Obama signed on January 4, 2011 to revitalize and reform the program to improve services to this population. Stay Connected If you received this email as a forward but would like to be added to the White House Disability Group email distribution list, please visit our website at http://www.whitehouse.gov/disability-issues-contact and fill out the "contact us" form in the disabilities section, or you can email us at disability@... and provide your full name, city, state, and organization.       Flickr iTunes     This email was sent to editor-at-large@... Manage Subscriptions for editor-at-large@... Sign Up for Updates from the White House Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy Please do not reply to this email. Contact the White House. The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

Monday, July 23, 2012   White House Observes ADA Anniversary On Thursday, July 26, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern, please tune in as the White House observes the 22nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and hosts a discussion on the state of disability policy.  You can tune into the live stream which will have live captioning at http://www.whitehouse.gov/live   You will have the opportunity to hear from Senior Advisor to President Obama, Valerie Jarrett, as well as other senior administration officials.  We also will have a panel discussion with administration officials who will discuss technology, education, community living, civil rights, employment and emergency preparedness—among other topics.  Thank you, and we look forward to observing the anniversary of this landmark civil rights law with you. What: White House Observance of ADA Anniversary When: Thursday, July 26, 2012 Time: 8:00-9:00 a.m. Eastern How: Live stream at http://www.whitehouse.gov/live This event is closed press. Note: If you received this email as a forward but would like to be added to the White House Disability Group email distribution list, please visit at http://www.whitehouse.gov/disability-issues-contact and fill out the "contact us" form in the disabilities section, or you can email us at disability@... and provide your full name, city, state, and organization. Stay Connected     Facebook Twitter YouTube Flickr Google+     This email was sent to editor-at-large@... Manage Subscriptions for editor-at-large@... Sign Up for Updates from the White House Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy Please do not reply to this email. Contact the White House The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111

 

TCM to Examine Hollywood's Depiction of People with Disabilities in
The Projected Image: A History of Disability in Film in October

 

Lawrence Carter-Long Joins TCM's Robert Osborne for Historic Month-Long Film Exploration, Presented in Collaboration with Inclusion in the Arts

 

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will dedicate the month of October to exploring the ways people with disabilities have been portrayed in film. On behalf of Inclusion in the Arts, Lawrence Carter-Long will join TCM host Robert Osborne for The Projected Image: A History of Disability in Film. The special month-long exploration will air Tuesdays in October, beginning Oct. 2 at 8 p.m. (ET).

 

TCM makes today's announcement to coincide with the 22nd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disability Act(ADA) on July 26. And in a first for TCM, all films will be presented with both closed captioning and audio description (via secondary audio) for audience members with auditory and visual disabilities.

 

The Projected Image: A History of Disability in Film features more than 20 films ranging from the 1920s to the 1980s. Each night's collection will explore particular aspects, themes, or types of disability, such as blindness, deafness and psychiatric or intellectual disabilities. In addition, one evening of programming will focus on newly disabled veterans returning home from war.

 

TCM's exploration of disability in cinema includes many Oscar(r)-winning and nominated films, such as An Affair to Remember (1957), in which Deborah Kerr's romantic rendezvous with Cary Grant is nearly derailed by a paralyzing accident; A Patch of Blue (1965), with Elizabeth Hartman as a blind white girl who falls in love with a black man, played by Sidney Poitier; Butterflies Are Free (1972), starring Edward Albert as a blind man attempting to break free from his over-protective mother; and Gaby: A True Story (1987), the powerful tale of a girl with cerebral palsy trying to gain independence as an artist; Johnny Belinda(1948), starring Jane Wyman as a "deaf-mute" to defy expectations; The Miracle Worker (1962), starring Anne Bancroft as Annie Sullivan and Patty Duke as Helen Keller; One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), with Jack Nicholson as a patient in a mental institution and Louise Fletcher as the infamous Nurse Ratched; The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), the post-War drama starring Fredric March, Myrna Loy and real-life disabled veteran Harold Russell; and Charly (1968), with Cliff Robertson as an intellectually disabled man who questions the limits of science after being turned into a genius.

 

The Projected Image: A History of Disability in Film also features several lesser-known classics ripe for rediscovery, including the atmospheric Val Lewton chiller Bedlam (1946), the intriguing blind-detective mystery Eyes in the Night (1942); A Child is Waiting  (1963), with Burt Lancaster and Judy Garland; the British family drama Mandy (1953); and a bravura performance by wheelchair user Susan Peters in Sign of the Ram (1948). A complete schedule is included.

 

Each year since 2006, TCM has dedicated one month toward examining how different cultural and ethnic groups have been portrayed in the movies. Several of the programming events have centered on Race and Hollywood, with explorations on how the movies have portrayed African-Americans in 2005, Asians in 2008, Latinos in 2009, Native Americans in 2010 and Arabs in 2011. TCM looked at Hollywood's depiction of gay and lesbian characters, issues and themes in 2007.

 

"The Projected Image: A History of Disability in Film is a valuable opportunity to take a deeper look at the movies we all know and love, to see them from a different perspective and to learn what they have to say about us as a society," said Osborne."We are very proud to be working with Inclusion in the Arts on this important exploration. And we are especially glad to have Lawrence Carter-Long of the National Council on Disability with us to provide fascinating, historical background and thought-provoking insight on how cinematic portrayals of disability have evolved over time."

 

"From returning veterans learning to renegotiate both the assumptions and environments once taken for granted to the rise of independent living, Hollywood depictions of disability have alternately echoed and influenced life outside the movie theater,"said Carter-Long, who curated the series. "Twenty-two years after the passage of the ADA and over a century since Thomas Edison filmed 'The Fake Beggar,' TCM and Inclusion in the Arts provide an unprecedented overview of how cinematic projections of isolation and inspiration have played out on the silver screen - and in our lives. When screenedtogether, everything from The Miracle Worker to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest reveals another layer where what you think you know is

only the beginning."