WVATS Quarterly Newsletter
Summer 2006

Articles:   [WVATS]   [Resources]   [ADAPT News]   [Tools]   [State]   [National]   [DBTAC]   [AgrAbility]

West Virginia Accessible Recreation Conference & Expo

three men using equipment in the woods

Make plans today to attend the West Virginia Accessible Recreation Conference and Expo on November 7-9, 2006, at the Waterfront Place Hotel in Morgantown. The three day event will include information for individuals with disabilities, older adults, families and recreation professionals, including planners and therapists. The Conference and Expo will be more than just an avenue to information and resources; it will provide opportunities for participants to try out various pieces of recreational equipment and to see demonstrations of what is possible for anyone, regardless of age or ability.

The Conference and Expo are sponsored by WVATS. Planning partners include the WV Parks and Recreation Association, WV Division of Natural Resources, Challenged Athletes of WV, Eastlake, Derry & Associates, CED Fine Arts Program, Adventure Pursuit, WVU Office of Disability Services and West Virginia Real Choice. National organizations participating in the activity include the NRA Disabled Shooting Services.

So, if the thought of skiing, fishing, cycling, kayaking, painting, hunting, swimming, camping, bowling, sculpting or pinball excites you, don't miss the West Virginia Accessible Recreation Conference and Expo. For more information, call Regina Mayolo at WVATS at 304-293-4692 x 1142 or e-mail her at rmayolo@hsc.wvu.edu

Pursue Adventure this Summer

smiling boy in a kayak

Summer is a great time to become more active. West Virginia is a beautiful state with lots to offer. Adventure Pursuit, an adventure outfitter located in Parkersburg, WV on the Little Kanawha River and Big Tygart Creek, specializes in adventures for those with physical and mental challenges.

Adventure Pursuit offers biking, kayaking, swimming, an accessible climbing wall and much more! Its clubhouse, swimming pool, docks and piers are accessible, as is a climbing gym in the octagon clubhouse. Adventure Pursuit founded West Virginia's Special Olympic Kayaking team and also hosts private adventure camps for organizations.

Staff members of the organization are very proud of the adventures they have helped those with physical and mental challenges enjoy. Adventure Pursuit has many inclusive activities that offer something for the whole family. For more information or to see the catalog, call 304-485-0911 or visit www.adventurepursuit.org

The Mountain State People's Alliance: Looking For a Few Good Men AND Women

People sitting at a table talkingThe Mountain State People's Alliance (MSPA) now has more than 125 members across the State. Self advocates are more involved in public policy issues in their home communities. Staff of MSPA has also presented information to over 500 people across the state about the importance of self-advocacy for people with developmental disabilities. MSPA is now recruiting board members to represent self-advocates from across the state and is looking for a board member from Region 1 (Raleigh, Summers, Monroe, Mercer, McDowell and Wyoming), Region 2 (Cabell, Lincoln, Mason, Mingo and Wayne), Region 6 (Ohio, Brooke, Hancock, Marshall and Wetzel) and Region 9 (Jefferson, Berkeley, Morgan, Mineral, Hampshire, Hardy, Grant and Pendleton).

If you, or someone you know, has a developmental disability and would like to serve on this statewide board, please give us a call, e-mail or write. The board meets at least four times a year to discuss issues that are affecting people with developmental disabilities, set goals of how to address those issues and promote self-advocacy across the state.

The board creates action plans at each meeting because we believe that sitting and talking is important, but DOING is more important, and we all know that ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. Board members have made it clear that their voices have not been heard in other forums, but MSPA listens to what people have to say, takes the time to listen and finds ways to get something done. Funds are available to pay for travel and assistance to participate. For more information call, Darla Ervin at 304-319-2697 or e-mail scottsamaverizon.net

New Equipment Added to the WVATS Loan Library

The following equipment is now available to borrow from the WVATS loan library. The devices in the library can be borrowed by the public for a short-term loan up to four weeks. For more information or to borrow equipment, call 800-841-8436.

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The Resource Section

Eldercare Locater

The Eldercare Locator is a nationwide service that connects older Americans and their caregivers with information on senior services. The Locator is designed to help older adults, their families and caregivers find services by identifying trustworthy local support resources by linking them with state and local area agencies on aging and community-based organizations that serve older adults and their caregivers.

Services included in the Locator are meals, home care, transportation, caregiver training and much more. The goal is to provide users with the information and resources they need to help older adults live independently and safely in their homes and communities for as long as possible. For more information, call 800-677-1116 or visit www.eldercare.gov

Foot-Care Tips for People with Diabetes

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has published 101 Tips on Foot Care for People with Diabetes (2nd Edition). This book is meant to be an easy-to-read reference for people with diabetes who are at high risk for foot problems and amputations. The book answers a wide variety of frequently asked questions, discusses common foot problems, prevention and treatment for both minor and major foot problems. This book is available at bookstores nationwide or at http://store.diabetes.org

WVU Assessment Team

Upcoming clinic dates have been announced for the WVU Assistive Technology Assessment Team, housed at the WVU Speech Center. The team provides augmentative communication evaluations, seating and positioning assessments and voice output device access assessments. Beginning on September 20, 2006, the Team will evaluate two clients, one day each month during the academic year. Other dates are Oct. 18, Nov. 8, Dec. 13, Feb 21, March 21, April 18, and May 16.

Members of this Team include a speech and language pathologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist and social worker. Assessments start at 1:00 p.m. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Karen Haines, M.S., CCC/SLP, Clinic Coordinator, at 304-293-2477 or the WVU Speech Center at 304-293-4241.

Amputee Coalition of America Web Site

The Amputee Coalition of America's (ACA) web site is a vital tool for sharing information with the amputee community. The site describes ACA's programs, resources, current activities, hosts support groups and has a searchable library with full text articles. For more information, visit www.amputee-coalition.org

IncludingAllKids.org

a child using a walkerThe IncludingAllKids.org web site was constructed by the Easter Seals to assist youth organizations in actively engaging young people of all abilities. Several examples of excellent practice in inclusion were taken from the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the National 4-H Council, National Wildlife Federation and Wilderness Inquiry. Examples of materials provided include:

For more information, visit www.includingallkids.org

SteppingStones

SteppingStones, located in Morgantown, West Virginia offers recreational and personal development activities to help people with disabilities find strength and courage within themselves.

SteppingStones is home to one of the first Miracle League fields in the country. The field is completely flat with a rubberized surface to protect the players. The baseball league runs in the summer and as with all their programs, everyone can play. The gym hosts the competitive adult wheelchair basketball team, the Mountain Wheelers. This summer the newly built, accessible swimming pool will be open. Computer classes are also offered for those who have little knowledge about technology or who just want to sharpen their skills.

Stepping Stones is an affiliate of Very Special Arts (VSA), an organization that is creating a society where people with disabilities can learn through, participate in and enjoy the arts. VSA offers a summer art camp which recruits artist residencies, trains and places artist-educators in special education classrooms, trains and provides technical assistance on effective methods and hands-on art activities.

Programs change regularly. For more information, call 800-982-8799 or visit www.steppingstonescenter.net

Telecommunication Relay Service (TRS)

Telecommunication Relay Service, also known as TRS, is the link between telephone users and people who use text telephones (TTY's) because they are deaf, hard-of-hearing or have a speech disability.

hand dialing a telephone

To place a call between telephone and TTY users, call the TRS by dialing 711 in any state. TRS providers also have direct-dial numbers that are listed in telephone directories or on their website. A communications assistant will process your call by typing spoken words for the TTY user to read then the assistant will read aloud the words that the TTY user types back to the telephone user. All conversations are private and confidential.

TRS service has no additional charge. You will be charged as if you placed the call directly. Callers can use the TRS service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. TRS assisted local calls can also be made from payphones free of charge. There are several types of TRS that users can select:

Speech-to-speech is the relaying of calls for those who have a speech disability and may not be readily understood when using the telephone.

Voice Carry Over (VCO) relay is a system that provides captioning assistance for callers who can speak, but do not hear well enough for a traditional phone conversation.

Video Relay Service (VRS) is a video-based TRS that allows a communication assistant to view and interpret a caller's sign language and instantly relay the conversation to a voice caller.

Internet Protocol Relay Service enables two-way communication between an individual who uses a text-based device (such as a computer, PDA, or other device) that can access the Internet and an individual using a standard voice telephone.

Information adapted from Verizon Extra, 2006

Seeing it Our Way

large eye

Seeing it Our Way is a monthly magazine published by Horizons for the Blind that is available in Braille and large print. Included monthly are craft patterns, recipes, puzzles, poems and more. A one year subscription is $30. For more information or to subscribe, call 815-444-8800.

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ADAPT News   adaptwv@hotmail.com

Ken Irvin

Groups Come Together to Fight A/D Waiver Cuts
By: Ken Ervin

On June 15, over thirty agencies and eighty individuals came together to discuss the problems being experienced by A/D Waiver users since the West Virginia Medical Institute (WVMI) was contracted to conduct the A/D Waiver re-evaluation process.

Bren Pomponio of Mountain State Justice Legal Services provided an overview of a lawsuit regarding the re-evaluation process and individuals with cognitive disabilities, which may be brought by Mountain State Justice in the near future. The group provided him with a number of examples of flaws in the current re-evaluation process. Pomponio encouraged people to provide these stories in writing.

The group identified a number of problems with the current evaluation process including: WVMI nurses asking Waiver participants to perform tasks such as raising their arms above their head, which bears no relationship to their ability to perform activities of daily living.

Vendors confirmed that these evaluations are signed off on, but are never truly reviewed by a doctor, and that there is no standardization among nurses regarding how evaluations are scored and how the level of care is determined.

Another problem identified was the lack of accurate data concerning the number of people who have been denied services or have experienced a reduction in hours as a result of WVMI evaluations. One senior center reported a 65% denial rate since the re-evaluation process was contracted to WVMI. This senior center also reported that four individuals have been forced into nursing homes and eleven were hospitalized due to loss of service or reduction in hours.

The group is developing a number of strategies including: meeting with legislators in their local area, meeting with individuals who have experienced problems since their re-evaluation, utilizing media and meeting directly with Governor Manchin. The group intends to establish a website chronicling how many individuals have had services reduced or denied since the new evaluation process. A list serve is also being established. The group has scheduled to meet again on July 20th at 10:30 am, at the Western Steer Steakhouse in Weston, WV. Anyone interested in attending should contact the Lewis County Senior Center at 304-269-5738.

group of people talking at a table
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Powerful Tools

GoTalk communication device

GoTalk 9+
The GoTalk 9+ is a lightweight, rugged augmentative communication device. It has a 45 message capacity with nine keys. This new version has technology that provides great sound and volume control, easier sequential recording and many other features. It is priced at $199.00. For more information, call 800-327-4269 or visit www.attainmentcompany.com


Baby Cry Signaler

Sonic Alert Sonic Sitter Baby Cry Signaler
The wireless Baby Cry Signaler system is activated when a baby cries and sends a signal over your home's electrical system to your Sonic Alert receivers. It activates either a lamp plugged into it to flash a light or your vibrator plugged into it to vibrate. The Sonic Sitter is small and compact and can be plugged into any outlet. The unit has a sensitivity control that allows you to be alerted to sounds as soft as a whisper. This system is priced at $42.95. For more information, call 800-522-6294 or visit www.maxiaids.com


Kurzweil 3000 Version 10
Kurzweil logo Kurzweil 3000 is a reading, writing and learning software program for students that provides powerful decoding, study and test taking tools that promote active learning. This latest version has new features and product enhancements including a new task bar that allows students to access reading, word lookup, and spell check tools while in other applications such as Microsoft Word or e-mail. For network users, the "Remote License to Go," allows teachers and students to access Kurzweil 3000 using a computer not connected to a Kurzweil 3000 network. To learn about more upgrades and features call 800-894-5374 or visit www.kurzweiledu.com


Magnify OutLoud Magnify OutLoud
Magnify OutLoud is a screen magnifier that reads text out loud. All of its functions are controlled by a wireless keyboard with 20 pre-programmed keys or by a wireless mouse allowing easy use. A sliding bar allows text to zoom in and out easily. For more information, call 360-647-3404 or visit www.colligo.us


A man in a wheelchair using the fishing aid

Van's E-Z Cast
Van's E-Z Cast is a fishing aid that works on the right or left arm of wheelchairs or lawn chairs and requires limited use of one arm. It is ideal for anyone who has limited arm or hand movement as it will enable them to fish. Its cast and reel work with no wrist or finger movement. Each unit includes a rod, aluminum casting device, chair arm holder and two clamps. For more information, call 800-634-4351 or visit www.accesstr.com

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National News

Project ACTION Training: Public Transportation for Grades 8-12

Easter Seals Project ACTION has developed a curriculum, available free, to educators, rehabilitation specialists, counselors and other professionals who work with young people with disabilities. "Public Transportation: A Route to Freedom," is designed to teach the skills needed to use public transportation. For more information, visit projectaction.easterseals.com or call 800-659-6428.
Picture of two buses with US map in the background

State News

Personal Story About Successful Legislation

My name is Erick Dowdy and in Summer 2005 I attended the first ever West Virginia Youth Disability Caucus. During the three-day Caucus I, along with 17 other disabled teens and young adults around West Virginia, learned about disability history, the disability community and steps to take in making more of the rights of disabled people a reality. Near the end of the Caucus, I took part in a mock legislative session that helped teach me about the process a bill must go through before being passed into law.

As if all this wasn't enough to walk away saying "I learned a lot of stuff this weekend," we were addressed by the WV Speaker of the House, Bob Kiss, and were offered a very exciting proposal. The Speaker told us that if we could come up with an idea for a bill and get it to him that he would sponsor it for us. We were all very excited, but to be honest I wasn't sure how far this proposal would go, and I had no idea it would lead to what happened.

In less than a month after the Caucus, after a lot of suggestions were thrown around, we came up with a unique idea for a bill that would establish Disability History Week.

The idea of the Disability History Week bill was to include the contributions and successes of people with disabilities in the school curriculum. All of us agreed that in all our school experiences we heard little-to-nothing of disability history and the accomplishments of people with disabilities. We learned very little about laws that protect our rights as people with disabilities. For those reasons we decided this was an issue to address in our bill.

The bill states that public schools, during the third week in October, must include disability history in curriculum or school activities. Within the bill, we offered to provide a database of resources for the schools for little-to-no cost. It was time to gain support for our bill.

We first talked to Perry Bryant, a lobbyist for the West Virginia Education Association. He reviewed the bill, gave us a lot of positive input and answered many of our questions. Over the next couple months we had successful meetings with Senator Robert Plymale; Jorea Marple, Assistant Superintendent; Delegate Tom Campbell, the SILC and the Fair Shake Network.

By the end of March, we successfully got the bill passed through the House and Senate and it was signed by Governor Manchin on April 3. All of our hard work over the last several months had finally paid off.

The Disability History Week bill is now law. I am proud to have made what was once just a proposal, a reality. With the help of Ann Meadows, Director of the Statewide Independent Living Council, other delegates and people in the disability community and state legislature, I have now made what was once a dream, a law.

This is something I will take with me for the rest of my life, and will use it to inspire myself and others with disabilities in the future. Hey, if it was this easy the first time around, another bill can't be that hard!

This story is adapted from the West Virginia Statewide Independent Living Council Newsletter


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WV DBTAC NEWS

Ai Squared Partners with Local Accessibility Resource Centers

To bring assistance with ZoomText closer to your neighborhood, Ai Squared is now partnering with more than 150 accessibility resource centers throughout the US and Canada. Each of these resource centers specializes in showing you what is new and possible with assistive technology.

Ai Squared logo

Through Ai Squared's partner centers, you, a family member or friend can:

Go to www.aisquared.com/AboutUs/Resources/index.cfm and click on your state. You can browse through the list of centers, see maps of their locations and even get driving directions.

Ai Squared Resource Center Partners in West Virginia include:

VISIONS, West Virginia University
Center for Excellence in Disabilities
Patricia Lee
603 Locust St
Keyser, WV, 26726
Phone: 304-788-2313
E-mail: palee@hsc.wvu.edu

West Virginia Assistive Technology System
Center for Excellence in Disabilities
Jamie Marshall
959 Hartman Run Rd
Morgantown, WV, 26505
Phone: 304-293-4692
E-mail: jhayhurst@hsc.wvu.edu

Seeing Hand
Bob Hicks
750 Main St
Wheeling, WV, 26003
Phone: 304-232-4810
E-mail: bob@seeinghandassociation.com


SWIG - WV Statewide Internet Group

Are you a state employee who maintains a website or supervises people who do? Join SWIG.

SWIG logo

SWIG is a group of statewide web developers that now meets quarterly (formerly monthly) to make policy recommendations for web development in state government. SWIG's accomplishments include raising awareness of website accessibility, web usability and trends and developments in information technology. SWIG has helped the state government establish guidelines related to accessible web design issues.

All state organizations are invited to send representatives to SWIG quarterly meetings, which are now held in January, April, July and October. The meetings are at 1 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in Charleston, with videoconferencing in Morgantown.

For more information about SWIG, please visit: www.wvswig.org

SWIG has compiled a list of 10 fundamental components of website accessibility based on Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. These components are:

  1. Good design = Accessible design: Many visitors to your website have some sort of disability - usually vision-related problems such as blindness, low vision or aging eyes. Some employ the use of screen readers and screen magnifiers. A screen reader reads the text content of the screen to the user. Screen readers cannot "read" images, however, so steps must be taken to ensure they are able to describe what is on the screen.
  2. Avoid text images: A text image is one that contains text, but has been saved as an image file. Excessive use of text in graphic form shows poor design technique and should be avoided.
  3. Navigation: Never use applet-driven navigation as the only way of getting around your site. Provide alternate text navigation or a link to a text-only site map on every page.
  4. Avoid small fonts: Remember your older visitors and others with low-vision problems and select easy to read fonts. Avoid anything smaller than 10 pixels.
  5. Color combinations: Make sure there is enough contrast between the page text and background and avoid red/green color combinations.
  6. Avoid blinking animation: It is annoying to most people and it can actually cause some visitors to have seizures.
  7. Use valid HTML/or XML code that works in all browsers.
  8. Make sure that all visitors can access multimedia content. Add a transcript link to audio files and add captions to video files.
  9. Label form elements so that visitors who cannot see the form will still know what information to enter when they hear the LABEL content.
  10. Test for Accessibility and validate your code!
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West Virginia AgrAbility Project logo

Serving West Virginia Farmers and Farm Families

Do you belong to an organization whose members might want to know more about West Virginia AgrAbility?

Please call to arrange an AgrAbility presentation. We would like to share information with your organization about the AgrAbility Project and how it helps farmers and their families.

1-800-841-8436 or agrability@hsc.wvu.edu

Ventrac 300 Available for Demonstration

woman riding in a Ventrac 300

Does the idea of transferring from a wheelchair to another seat keep you away from anything but the smoothest of surfaces? If so, AgrAbility may be able to help make you more mobile on your property. A generous discount from the manufacturer has allowed AgrAbility to purchase a Ventrac Freedom 300, which allows those using wheelchairs to go off-road up to 15 miles per hour, without transferring to another seat.

On May 6, AgrAbility exhibited at Agriculture Day at Joe Johnson's farm in Parkersburg, demonstrating the device for dozens of current and beginning farmers in the western part of the state. E-mail agrability@hsc.wvu.edu to schedule a demonstration for interested farmers in your area, and to find out what other new tools are available for loan through the West Virginia Assistive Technology System (WVATS) Loan Library. You can view the Freedom 300's specifications at www.ventrac.com/products/powerunits/VR300/index.htm

Copies of "Burden of Arthritis" Now Available

Copies of the 40 page, full-color report, "The Burden of Arthritis" are now available from West Virginia AgrAbility. The report details arthritis prevalence by county as well as describing risk factors for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia.

If you would like to receive a free copy of the publication to learn more about how arthritis is affecting West Virginians, please call 800-841-8436 or e-mail agrability@hsc.wvu.edu

'Access for All' Talk Show Interviews AgrAbility

In case you missed AgrAbility's interview with 'Access for All,' you can now watch it on-line at www.cedwvu.org/videos/ This 30 minute show provides a background on West Virginia's role within the National AgrAbility Project, as well as the kinds of clients with whom West Virginia AgrAbility works. The show also features a demonstration of some of the assistive technology available from the WVATS Loan Library. Pictures of students at training classes

AgrAbility Demonstrates Assistive Technology at Farm Safety Days

Every summer, several counties in West Virginia participate in Progressive Agriculture's "Farm Safety Days," which bring elementary school students together for one day to learn about various safety and injury prevention techniques for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), tractors, bikes, food, animals, railroads and more.

A popular and important aspect of "Farm Safety Days" is Disability Awareness training, which West Virginia AgrAbility provides for over 1,000 elementary school students in Gilmer, Jackson, Tyler and Wood counties. Although each training is less than half an hour, students learn about all types of assistive technology, as well as ways to be mindful of wheelchair accessibility. In these hands-on activities, students learn about the many applications of ergonomic tools and farm-relevant assistive technologies like one-handed hammers, talking tape measures and wheelchair-mounted fishing rods.

Tablet Computer Provides Options

person using a tablet computer

Do you have difficulty typing on a computer keyboard? AgrAbility has recently acquired a new lightweight, highly portable computer that is sure to be useful for amputees as well as people with musculoskeletal conditions. The Fujitsu T4000 can be used as a regular laptop, or the screen can be swiveled and folded down to resemble a writing tablet. Equipped with speech recognition software, the tablet computer can turn your voice into text, as well as follow voice commands for operating programs. In addition, the T4000 allows users to write on the screen with a special pen, transferring hand writing (even cursive!) into computerized text. Notes can be written in the margins of existing Microsoft documents and then inserted as text, while e-mails can be written and sent without the user ever touching the keyboard.

To learn more about the Fujitsu T4000 or other tablet laptops, please call 800-841-8436 or e-mail Stacy Miller at agrability@hsc.wvu.edu

Vision Blooms Into Reality for West Virginia AgrAbility Client

Becky in her greenhouse

Ever since she was a small girl, Becky Conrad has loved plants. This passion combined with unflagging determination to open Butterfly Gardens, a greenhouse business in Burnsville that sells bedding plants, unique varieties of vegetables and flowers and hanging baskets. With a few modest signs along the roadside and customer loyalty, Becky has made a name for herself in the community and at the local farmers' market as a source of quality plants.

Though progressive vision loss and blindness has made operating her greenhouse business challenging, assistance from West Virginia AgrAbility and West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services has helped make Becky's work safer and easier. Braille copper sheets for labeling, as well as a 'Voice-It-All' which identifies colors as well as monetary bill denominations are some of the tools she uses every day while working in the greenhouse.

You can read Becky's full-length story at www.cedwvu.org/programs/agrability/successstories.html, or by calling Stacy Miller at 800-841-8436 for a printed copy.

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WVATS Site Addresses & Numbers

WVATS Core Office
WVATS Northern Resource Center
Center for Excellence in Disabilities
West Virginia University
959 Hartman Run Road
Morgantown, WV 26505
Voice & TDD: 304-293-4692
Hotline: 800-841-8436

WVATS Southern Resource Center
c/o WV Rehabilitation Center
P.O. Box 1004
Institute, WV 25112
Voice & TDD: 304-766-4946
Hotline: 800-SR-WVATS (779-8287)

WVATS Newsletter

WVATS Newsletter Editor: Melina Danko msissum@hsc.wvu.edu - Center for Excellence in Disabilities at West Virginia University Publications

Editorial Committee: Jeanne Grimm, Melina Danko, Stacy Miller, Lori Risk, Kathy Torsney. Layout: Kim Palumbo

All printed materials produced by WVATS are available in Braille, electronic format, cassette tape and large print.

This publication was supported by funds from the Rehabilitation Services Agency, Department of Education, grant number H224a050047. The lead agency is the West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services.

Contents of the newsletter are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of the Department of Education or the Center for Excellence in Disabilities.

Web site address: www.cedwvu.org/programs/wvats/

Call WVATS Toll Free 800-841-8436
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