Monday, November 4, 2013

Photo Of The Day

Photo of "Toe Mouse" computer controller, with drawing of foot superimposed
From the DISABILITÀ - TOE MOUSE Tumblr blog. I don’t need one, but I want one!

Disability News

picture of stacked newspapers
I set my Google News page to find disability-related stories using keywords, "disabled" and "disability", and I pick a few that interest me ...

New Transportation Department rules seek to make flying easier for disabled passengers
Joan Loway, Associated Press - November 4, 2013

I’d like to know more about the change allowing up to two wheelchairs to be transported within the passenger cabin. That could make a real difference, allowing more wheelchair users to keep their wheelchairs close, and not have to wait for baggage handlers to deliver them.

Rochelle Rictchie, CBS Baltimore WJZ - November 3, 2013

It’s a terrible thing to happen to someone, of course. But I can’t help also worrying about what people might do with a happening like this. The idea that people with disabilities are terribly vulnerable and in need of special supervision lies pretty close to the surface of most peoples’ minds, and random mishaps are easily spun into overblown “problems” in need of restrictive “solutions”. On the other hand, I am one of those people who says, "Why a Pit Bull?"

Cecilia Capuzzi Simon, New York Times - November 1, 2013

It’s nice to see an article on Disability Studies programs, but this left me underwhelmed. I don’t know whether the reporter only half understood what Disability Studies are about, or if Disability Studies programs actually are a bit stale and superficial these days. It just seemed like the concepts mentioned in the article are the same that I heard in the early ‘90s, and are probably covered in the first week of Disability Studies 101 classes.