An Elegant Tribute: The Ed Roberts Campus, a building to honor the father of the Independent Living Movement, brings together seven agencies for people with disabilities under one roof, The Monthly, San Francisco, CA

By Eve Kushner

This article covers all the important reasons that a building like this is hugely important to both people with and without disabilities, from the advantage of housing numerous disability agencies under one roof to the implications of creating more visibility of the disability community (through its two-story glass façade) to the obvious disregard of "separate but equal" (everyone will use the grand spiral ramp located at the center of the building) to the idea that universal design helps everyone, especially as we age. Ultimately, there is no reason why something has to sacrifice accessibility to be state of the art and architecturally beautiful. I found myself nodding emphatically while reading this article and hope architects and designers are motivated by it as well.

To read this article, go to http://www.themonthly.com/feature-03-09.html

Three Trackers of Ohio Video Footage, February 8, 2010, WKYC-TV
In the December 2009 Program Spotlight, NCHPAD featured Three Trackers of Ohio, an organization that provides the fun and exhilarating experience of skiing for people with disabilities.

Now you can check out video footage just released in this February news story about Three Trackers:
http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=130338

Central Cross Country Ski Association Adaptive Program receives $10,000 grant
The Central Cross Country Ski Association Adaptive Program is pleased to announce the receipt of a $10,000 grant from The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation for the furtherance of the CXC Adaptive Cross Country Program, a cross-country ski program for individuals with all types of physical disabilities, visual impairments, amputations, and spinal cord injuries. Adaptive skiers travel over the snow on either traditional cross-country stand-up equipment or on sit skis; essentially, a system with a chair mounted on standard cross-country skis.

To learn more, go to http://www.cxcskiing.org.

NCA Contributes to Special Journal Issue on Universal Design
The November 2009 special issue of NeuroRehabilitation was focused on residential design for persons with neurological disabilities. Dr. Sherril York, NCA Executive Director, shares her architectural views on outdoor design relative to accessibility-related issues.

Dr. Nathan Zasler, guest editor for this special issue, comments, "This special thematic issue of NeuroRehabilitation on residential design serves as a 'one-stop' resource for individuals interested in serving the housing needs of persons with neurodisability and/or for those making modifications to their own homes...." Because of the importance of this issue, IOS Press has made its content available at no cost.

Free to read, go to:
http://iospress.metapress.com/content/w73627vu76q2/?p=feba6288943942a982f6a0a2e0082e61π=0.

Summer Conductive Education Camp for Children with Cerebral Palsy
This summer, the Center is pleased to announce Intensive Group Motor Training Camps offered to children with cerebral palsy between the ages of 2 and 10.

Their unique programs are based on Conductive Education, a group method of teaching children with physical disabilities. Activities will focus on daily life skills including walking, sitting, eating, and dressing independently. Conductive Education is also fun and relies on music, games, and structured activities to improve movement, life skills, and most importantly, self-reliance and self-confidence.

For information about these new camps, go to www.Center-for-Independence.org.

New Amputees Worry About Life Ahead in Haiti
Ivens Louius, a Haitian physical therapist in the Dominican Republic, hopes the wave of amputees needing rehabilitation after the earthquake that rocked his native country means he can go home again.
For three years, Louius, 25, has been working in Santo Domingo, the Dominican capital, because he says there is no work for physical therapists in Haiti. Hospitals and clinics could not afford to pay them.
Today, though, the need for rehabilitation is greater than ever, he says.

To read more, go to http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-02-04-haiti-amputees_N.htm.