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Fully accessible mainstream games are the core mission for the accessible gaming movement. AbleGamers selects one game to represent the most accessible game of each calendar year.  This year is no different, one video game stood out from the rest with accessibility options far beyond what most companies are willing to include.

What: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are disability income benefits administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that also provide Medicaid and/or Medicare health insurance to individuals who are eligible. The application process for SSI/SSDI is complicated and difficult to navigate. Nationally, about 37 percent of individuals who apply for these benefits are approved on initial application and appeals take an average of two years to complete. For people who are homeless or who are returning to the community from institutions (jails, prisons or hospitals), access to these programs can be extremely challenging. Approval on initial application for people who are homeless and who have no one to assist them is about 10-15 percent. For those who have a mental illness, substance use issues, or co-occurring disorders that impair cognition, the application process is even more difficult – yet accessing these benefits is often a critical first step in recovery. SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery (SOAR) is an approach that helps states increase access to mainstream benefits for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness through: Strategic Planning Meeting(s) to establish collaboration among key state and/or local stakeholders and to develop an action plan for implementing the SOAR approach (e.g. SSA and Disability Determination Services (DDS); State Mental Health Agency and Department of Corrections leadership; and community homeless, health and behavioral health providers). Training of case managers using SAMHSA's Stepping Stones to Recovery curriculum that includes a step-by-step explanation of an improved SSI/SSDI application process. A Train-the-Trainer program allows for expansion and sustainability. Technical Assistance to states and communities including support for action plan implementation, training observations with feedback, and assistance with tracking outcomes in order to document success and help access additional resources.  (SOAR Technical Assistance Center. http://www.prainc.com/SOAR). When/Where: Great Falls SOAR Refresher Course September 23, 2011 & October 28, 2011  9AM – 2PM Largent Building - 915 First Avenue South Great Falls, MT (406) 761-2104 Billings SOAR Training Registration: September 28 & 29 | 8:00 – 5:00 Garfield School – Room 103 3212 1st Avenue South Billings, MT 59102 Great Falls SOAR Training Registration October 13-14, 2011 Largent Building - 915 First Avenue South Great Falls, MT (406) 761-2104 Helena SOAR Training Registration November 1-2, 2011 Disability Determination Services 2550 Prospect Avenue Helena, MT 59601

In my work helping to develop policies on accessible workplace technology, I have sometimes fallen into the trap of looking just at the “little picture.”  By that I mean that sometimes I’ve focused too much attention on making sure that information and communications technology is (ICT) is compatible, or interoperable, with assistive technology specifically screen readers.  I know I’m not the only one who has made this mistake, because I come across a lot of information suggesting that once a website is found to work with a screen reader or another type of assistive technology, the accessibility discussion can simply end there.  Millions of people around the world use assistive technology, so it is understandable that interoperability is a very important issue.  But it sometimes commands so much attention that we forget to look at the “big picture” of fully accessible ICT or the biggest picture of all, universal design.

What:The hearing will focus on the importance of accessible technology and how this issue is impacting K-12 and higher education. Witnesses include:Panel I with Eve Hill,  Senior Counselor to the Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice. Panel II with Mark Riccobono, Executive Director, Jernigan Institute, National Federation of the Blind, Dr. John B. Quick, Superintendent, Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation in Columbus, IndianaMark Turner, Director, Center for Accessible Media, Accessible Technology Initiative, California State University We hope to see you there. If you are unable to attend, the hearing will be broadcasted live online at www.help.senate.gov.Real time captioning and sign language interpreters will be provided at the hearing.When:February 7, 201212:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Mountain Time Where:Dirksen Senate Building Room G-50Washington, D.C.Contact:Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions428 Senate Dirksen Office BuildingWashington, DC 20510Phone: 202-224-5375

Visitor Information Available Through TDD People who are hearing impaired may obtain visitor information through TDD 307-344-2386. Accessibility Coordinator Facilities in Yellowstone are being made physically accessible as quickly as possible within funding limitations. Most facilities described in this guide have been judged to be negotiable by wheelchair users without assistance. Those facilities that require assistance for wheelchair users are indicated. Facilities described as accessible do not necessarily comply fully with federal standards.

Accessibility is the word at the Minnesota Twins’ new ballpark, as fans relying on wheelchairs bask in their unobstructed views of the field and extra touches like nearby plugs to recharge mobility devices. Planners for the new stadium known as Target Field, say they intentionally went above and beyond the accessibility requirements mandated by law. For example, all of the entrances are wheelchair accessible even though laws only require a portion to be.

Making online programming accessible to people with disabilities

The new Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act will make it easier for people with disabilities to access TV programs over the Internet. While the law is a tremendous step in the right direction, a surge in new types of online programming, such as Webisodes and streaming movies, are still not captioned for the deaf and hard of hearing. This issue has drawn the attention of federal law enforcers, including the Department of Justice, which is considering the possibility of revising the Americans with Disabilities Act to address accessible web information and services, movie captioning and video descriptions.

Click here to register for this webinar -- $39 What: Navigating the web of acronyms surrounding Accessible Instructional Materials can be confusing and frustrating.  NIMAC, NIMAS, Chaffee, 504, 508, etc: What do they all mean?  As educators, we have an obligation to provide equally effective access to the general curriculum for our students with disabilities.  How do we make sense of all this to get access to what our students need? This workshop will provide participants with a clear path of navigation through the maze of AIM and the related terminology.   When: Thursday, December 1, 2011 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Mountain Time Presenters: Jan McSorley, Assistive Technology Specialist, Austin Independent School District Carye Edelman, Assistive Technology Specialist, Austin Independent School District Piret Sari-Tate, Assistive Technology Specialist, Austin Independent School District Full Abstract – Including speaker biography and learning points

At the CSUN International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference this week, Google announced that it has added a number of accessibility features to Chrome, Chrome OS, Gmail and Google Drive that should make using Google suites of web apps a bit easier to use for blind and low-vision users. In addition, Google also launched a new sign language interpreter app and keyboard shortcuts for Hangouts for the deaf and hard of hearing, as well as those who can’t or don’t want to use a mouse while using Hangouts.

The National Braille Press has released iOS Success: Making the iPad Accessible to help students who are blind to maximize their use of the popular Apple tablet that's playing an increasing role in education The book, NBP's sixth guide to iOS devices, provides step-by-step instructions for iPad setup (including all accessibility features), using VoiceOver and Zoom, connecting to external devices such as braille displays, find and download apps, and use services such as Dropbox. NBP has done a remarkable job enabling persons who are blind or visually impaired to orient themselves on and learn to use iOS devices -- keeping them current and on the same page as their sighted classmates.

The longer there is a strong distinction between general and special education, the worse it is for students who are labeled with a disability. It perpetuates the language of us and them. These two worlds need to meet and the sooner they meet, the better. I will try to make it as simple as possible. In my opinion, there are the three things that need to happen in order for our schools to become better for all learners. Back to top Making things better for all 1) Acceptance – Create environments of acceptance in the classroom. We may not all be the same, but we are all deserving of understanding and acknowledgement of our strengths. 2) Access – A curriculum that is accessible to all learners! Modifications, accommodations and assessment are the key components to giving our students with special needs access to the general curriculum. 3) High Expectations – Never assume that what we are teaching is going over our students’ heads. This sells us (as educators) and them (as learners) short. We must always presume competence of our students and give them the support that they need in order to be successful. Oh…and I forgot about the wildcard: Technology! Assistive technology is often the missing piece to getting a reliable communication system for our students; not to mention accessing the curriculum by moving beyond paper and pencil work. The farther technology advances, the more access our students will be able to have.

Are you a Section 508 coordinator, federal Web content manager or a member of the disability community who has questions about Web accessibility? Many people within the accessibility community would like specific information on how to ensure their website is compliant. You may be thinking that there are limited examples to learn from, not enough information is shared or there are few documented detailed processes about how to do it.

Click here to register!What: The 2010 ADA Accessibility Standards and the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Accessibility Standard apply to many types of schools in the public and private sectors, including primary, secondary, trade schools and colleges and universities . This session will provide an overview of requirements in the ADA and ABA standards for newly constructed and altered school facilities and their related elements and spaces such as student laboratories, assembly seating, assistive listening systems, and much more.When:December 1st, 201112:30 - 2:00 PM MountainWhere:Great Lakes ADA Center1640 W. Roosevelt RoadChicago, Illinois 60608 Contact:Phone: 877-232-1990