The Scene

Issue 3, 20 February 2006

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Features

Sydney Royal Easter Show
This year, anyone with a disability can purchase a ticket to the Royal Easter Show for $15.60 and receive a free ticket for their carer. The price includes show entry and return travel on CityRail, Sydney Olympic Park Major Event buses and regular ‘blue and white’ Sydney Buses and Sydney Ferries (excludes premium bus and ferry services and private buses).

This offer is only available until 17 March 2006.

For more information visit www.eastershow.com.au
Phone 02 9704 1111 or email groupsales@rasnsw.com.au

Australia's First Premium Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Fleet
Australia’s first premium wheelchair-accessible taxi fleet is expected to be on the road by Anzac Day this year. The fleet will use custom converted Mercedes Vito. Macquarie Bank Banking and Property Group Head, Bill Moss AM, trucking magnate, Lindsay Fox AO, and the Hon John Brown AO, a long time supporter of people with disabilities have thrown their support behind the venture, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Macquarie Bank. “This new fleet will help improve the lives of many Sydneysiders who – like myself - have found it difficult to access taxis,” said Bill Moss, who has lived with muscular dystrophy for more than 20 years.

Stephen Albin, Chief Executive of the venture, announced that the fleet is to be named Lime Taxis. “Our plan is to launch with a small number of taxis but by year end the company aims to have 240 wheelchair accessible taxis on Sydney’s roads.” Mr Albin explained. More details from Stephen Albin, Phone 02 8232 0015 or email stephen.albin@macquarie.com. Register your interest at www.thefutureisnow.com.au

[Source: IDEAS]

General

Young People in Nursing Homes
For many years, many younger people with disabilities have been living in age-inappropriate residential care facilities such as nursing homes. On 10 February, the Commonwealth, state and territory governments agreed to jointly fund and develop a new program to address this issue. It will contribute up to $122 million over five years, focusing mainly on people aged 50 years and under.

Under the program, younger people with disability currently living in residential aged care will be offered a care needs assessment, and where appropriate, alternative accommodation and care options can be made available. Those who wish to stay in their current accommodation will benefit from a range of age-appropriate services.

More details on the InfoXchange website or the Young People in Nursing Homes website.

The ABC’s 7.30 Report also featured an item on the topic on Monday 20 February. View the transcript of 'Government to Look at Nursing Homes'

Cerebral Palsy: A Lifelong Journey (Video)
The Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy has made available its video narrative, ‘Cerebral Palsy: A Lifelong Journey’ free to download from its website. The video is a collection of powerful stories of how families and people with cerebral palsy move on with their lives. Each of the four parts of this series focuses on major themes and universal issues across a continuum of ages. Visit www.ofcp.on.ca/online_video.html

Sport

Special Needs Soccer
Those in the ‘Shire’ now have a chance to join a soccer competition for children and teenagers with special needs. Registration day is Sunday 5 March from 2pm to 5pm at Gymea Soccer Oval, Cnr Gymea Bay Rd and Avenal Rd Gymea. Cost is $30 plus uniform.

For more information contact Stewart on 0424 415 225 or Bree at soccer_stars06@yahoo.com.au

Technology

Mobile Phone Solutions

Aircard – Mobile Communication In Voice Output Technologies
Using a Speech Generating Device (SGD) to communicate via the telephone has just become easier for augmentative communicators using devices from Prentke Romich Company (PRC). All you need is your new Vantage™ Plus, Vanguard™ Plus or Pathfinder™ Plus device, a current or new mobile phone SIM card and PRC’s new AirCard® module. AirCard is to be released very soon in Australia and it an elegant solution to portable telephony in an augmentative communication device.

AirCard wireless phone capability is now compatible with all Speech Generating Devices (SGDs) from Prentke Romich Company and is the first commercial solution ever to made available in Australian for augmentative communicators. AirCard neatly inserts into the device’s PCMCIA slot, with only a small aerial protruding, and allows your PRC communication aid; Vantage Plus, Vanguard Plus or Pathfinder Plus, to act just like a mobile phone. Receive text messages and voice calls directly to your PRC communication device’s screen or send text messages and make calls directly from your device using Minspeak®. Contact Technability on 02 9975 8240 for further information about AirCard and speech generating devices from PRC*, or see the Technability website.

SGD Mobile Access wins ABC-TV New Inventors program
Congratulations to Toan Nguyen, an engineer from NovitaTech in Adelaide, has also developed a software interface that allows people with speech disabilities who do not have the use of their hands to use a mobile phone. The software interface allows Pathfinder™ users to access, control and use a mobile phone for voice calls and text messaging. Toan’s work was the winning invention on last week’s ABC-TV New Inventors program.

There are currently two versions of the software:
- Direct cable connection from the Pathfinder™ to a Nokia 6310i mobile phone; and
- Wireless (Bluetooth) connection from the Pathfinder™ to a mobile phone.

More details on the NovitaTech website
The New Inventors program can be viewed on the ABC website.

Assistive Technology
The Seventh Annual ATIA (Assistive Technology Industry Association) Conference was held recently in Florida, USA. It showcased a variety of assistive technology products designed to advance educational opportunities, personal independence, services and jobs for people with disabilities worldwide. The EP website has an extensive report about the conference with product demonstrations and interviews with key individuals in the field of assistive technology.

Find it at www.eparent.com/technology/2006_01_ATIA.cfm

Education

Resources for Study and Work Abroad for All
People with disabilities are under-represented among youth who study, train, work or volunteer in their countries or abroad. With support from the Swedish government the Independent Living Institute has compiled a list of currently over 1,000 universities offering services to students with disabilities and 250 disability organizations that can be contacted for information about local conditions in university towns such as the availability of accessible housing, transportation, sign language or personal assistance services.

The list can be found at www.independentliving.org/studyworkabroad/

[Source: Disability Education and Employment News - Disability Coordination Office, Northern, Central and Southern Sydney]

Parenting with a Disability

Pregnancy and Parenting with a Disability
A group of women at NSW Network of Women with Disability are developing a pregnancy and parenting resource for women with disability in NSW. It is due for completion in June 2006. If you would like to know more about this project, or have some helpful information to contribute, please go to the Physical Disability Council of NSW website

Multicultural

Ethnicity and Disability Factbook 2005 Edition Now Available
The comprehensive Ethnicity and Disability Factbook 2005 is packed with information about eleven of the major NSW ethnic communities, the key religions in NSW, all the statistics and figures you ever wanted, plus ideas about how to understand disability, culture and religion.

For further information and to download an order form visit www.mdaa.org.au/publications/factbook.html

If you are one of the 300 individuals who have previously purchased a copy, you can now order an inserts pack to update Version 1 which includes four new communities, 2001 census data, updates and much more.

New NESB Disability Advocate for the Hunter Region
Maurice Marquez is the Hunter Region Advocate for people with disabilities and their families who comes from a non-English speaking background (NESB). Maurice’s job is to assist NESB people to gain fair treatment when they have problems with housing, immigration, school, work and disability services.

Maurice is based at DASH in Newcastle (S3 L1 408 King St Newcastle West). He can be contacted on 02 4927 0111, email mdaa@dash.org.au or visit www.dash.org.au to download a referral form.

MDAA Individual Advocacy in Queanbeyan
One day a month for the next three months, the Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association (MDAA) will have an individual advocate in Queanbeyan for people from a non-English speaking background (NESB) with disability and their families and carers living in the Queanbeyan area. MDAA Individual Advocates assist people with disability to stand up for their rights, for example, when people have problems with housing, immigration, school, work and disability services.

The advocate will be based at the Queanbeyan Multilingual Centre, 12 Rutledge Street, Queanbeyan (accessible to people using wheelchairs) on Tuesdays 21 February, 18 April and 20 June 2006 from 10am to 4pm.

To make an appointment with the individual advocate call the Queanbeyan Multilingual Centre on 02 6297 6110 or MDAA on 1800 629 072.

[Source: NESB +Disability News February 2006]

Feet

SWAP: Shoes Without A Partner
Launched in 2005, SWAP Shoes is a service for people requiring single shoes or shoes for different sized feet. If you are tired of buying two pairs of shoes to get one pair that fits or buying a pair when you only need one shoe, then hopefully this project will save you some money and frustration!

For further information visit www.e-bility.com/shoes/

Vrooom!

Grand Prix
The Australian Grand Prix Corporation has released a brochure, Event Information for Patrons with a Disability. The brochure includes information about transport, wheelchair-accessible buses and parking, concession tickets, companion cards, corporate hospitality, and wheelchair renting.

[Source: Disability InfoXchange]

Conferences .. Workshops .. Forums

Standardised Assessments: An Open Forum
9 March 2006

A forum for families, professionals and carers of children with diverse abilities. Come, have your say, and hear other people’s opinion on the use of standardised assessments. Hosted by the Early Childhood Intervention Coordination Program, Marrickville and Leichhardt Committee, the forum will be held on Thursday 9 March 2006, 10am – 12noon at the Debbie and Abbey Borgia Community Recreation Centre, 531 Illawarra Rd. Marrickville. Cost – Free. There are limited places so RSVP now by email resup@marrickville.nsw.gov.au or Phone 02 9335 2180. When booking, please indicate if you need childcare.

Communicating with people with lifelong disability: AAC across the lifespan
18 March 2006

A one day workshop, presented by Bronwyn Hemsley and Associate Professor Susan Balandin from the University of Sydney, on the issues relevant to people with a life long disability and communication problems, augmentative and alternative communication and the importance of functional communication for people with life-long disability. To be held Saturday 18 March 2006, 8.45am - 4.45 pm in Seminar Room 1, The University of Sydney, Cumberland Campus, East Street, Lidcombe. Cost $120 (Including GST).

For more information, contact Angela Dew, School of Occupation and Leisure Sciences, University of Sydney, Phone 02 9351 9050 or email a.dew@fhs.usyd.edu.au

Getting the Mix Right: person-centred approaches from policy to implementation
20 March 2006

This event is for anyone seeking to make a practical and positive difference in creating individualised supports and services for people with developmental disability. Internationally renowned speaker, Michael Kendrick, will present a day of clarification and thinking about person-centred supports across many areas of life for people with developmental disability. He will be talking about strategies to consider, what does and doesn’t work, possible risks… and the safeguards needed. Hosted by Family Advocacy, the event will be held at Burwood RSL, 96 Shaftsbury Rd, on Monday 20th March, 2006. Full fee per person $100; Students $50; Family member of a person with a disability $30; Person with disability $20. Find out more by phoning 02 9869 0866 or 1800 620 588.

Food and You: Enjoying Healthy Eating
11 April 2006

A workshop for people with disabilities, which looks at the foods, we eat, why healthy eating is important, how to vary the choice and style of foods we eat cooking techniques and how to decide what foods to buy. The course for people who would like to learn more about what healthy eating is and how easy and fun it can be. To be held on Tuesday 11 April, 10am-1pm at Harris Park Community Centre, 11 Albion Street, Harris Park (not too far from Harris Park rail station). Cost $66, including GST and worksheets. For more details, contact Vivienne Pendergast, Co-ordinator, The Centre for Training and Community Development, Phone 02 9878 2598 or email vpendergast@ccoz.org.au

Innovative Communication Programming - Supporting People with Special Needs ...
ICP was established by Ylana Bloom and Dolly Bhargava who are speech pathologists specialising as augmentative communication consultants. Some of the clients they service include individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, Dyspraxia, intellectual disability, global delay, deaf blind, challenging behaviours and unknown diagnosis. They will travel to clients and provide assessment, intervention ideas and ongoing consultation services to establish, train, problem solve and manage issues relating to communication.

The ICP website has information on AAC online courses and face-to-face workshops. For further information visit www.e-bility.com/talktogether/about.php and click on the Training link.

Service Providers

International Classification of Functioning and Health (ICF)
Presentations are now available from the excellent ICF Forum held in Sydney 6-7 February 2006, hosted by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). Speakers included:
- Dr Bedirhan Üstün, WHO Secretariat Co-ordinator, World Health Organization on 'What is the future for ICF?'
- Dr Rune Simeonsson, University of North Carolina on 'The ICF for children and youth'.

The papers are available on the AIHW website.

From FACS to FaCSIA
Following the changes announced by the Prime Minister on 24 January 2006, the Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services is now known as the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and will use the acronym FaCSIA. The new portfolio is made up of the Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination (OIPC) and the old Department of Family and Community Services. The Hon Mal Brough MP will become Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and will also become Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs. The Hon John Cobb MP will become Minister for Community Services. Minister Cobb will have responsibility for disability services.

Profiling People with a Disability in Employment
TAFE NSW Disability Programs are developing a resource of several DVDs to showcase the full range of opportunities for people with disabilities across the workplace. This resource will have three aims:
- to assist in career planning
- to increase employer awareness and expectations
- to alleviate misconceptions.

It is proposed that there will be one DVD for each of the following six areas of disability: hearing, intellectual, learning/neurological, physical, psychiatric and vision. TAFE Disability Programs need assistance in finding a large number of people with disabilities willing to take part in this project. They are collecting expressions of interest from around the country.

To request an information/nomination form please email toby.prentice@tafensw.edu.au or phone on 9244 5098 or Mark Kelly on 9244 5101. Please note that nominating for the project does not guarantee involvement.

[Source: Disability Education and Employment News - Disability Coordination Office, Northern, Central and Southern Sydney]

* Pathfinder, Vanguard, Vantage are trademarks of Prentke Romich Company. Minspeak is a registered trademark, in the USA, UK, and Canada, and the property of Semantic Compaction Systems. AirCard is a registered trademark of Sierra Wireless.

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Disclaimer
Opinions expressed in items of The Scene are the individual opinions of the respective authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of The Spastic Centre or the editors. Products and companies featured in The Scene are not necessarily endorsed by The Spastic Centre. The Scene is intended to be informative only and should not be relied on as medical or other technical advice on any matter. The Spastic Centre and editor take no responsibility for the information published in this newsletter or any person's actions in reliance on that information.