Global Universal Design Educator's Calendar

June 2-6, 2004: EDRA 35, 'Design with Spirit,' Albuquerque, New Mexico, sponsored by Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA). Conference celebrates the awareness, passion, oneness, and surrender to higher influences in our creative processes of conceiving, shaping, and evaluating our built and natural environments. Taken in the broadest of connotations, spirit not only infuses us with enthusiasm, connection, and original thought in our process, but also manifests in our products. As we strive to create holistic habitats of power and peace, we account for body, mind, and spirit in our criteria, intentions, and choices. See: http://home.telepath.com/~edra/home.html.

June 14-18, 2004: 'Towards full Citizenship'. The 8th International Congress on Including Children and Youth with Disabilities in the Community. Stavanger, Norway. These Congresses have given people from both developing and developed nations the chance to share policies and programs that promote the inclusion of children and youth with disabilities in their everyday lives at their home communities. Congresses have focused on building self-determination and self-reliance at the local level for children and adults of all abilities. See: http://www.statped.no/congress2004/

June 16-17, 2004: 'The Universal Package: designing packaging for everyone' Lansing, Michigan, sponsored by The School of Packaging. Welcome to this innovative event, a first for the industry. Pharmaceutical, personal care, consumer goods, food and beverage packages are being held to a similar standard by consumers: they must have great utility. Packages that save time, thinking, and work, making life easier, are in demand. Although improvements that increase utility may add mere "convenience" to the life of an "average" healthy consumer, they can be much more impactful on the lives of the elderly and disabled. We should consider making these people the central concern of designers. See: http://www.universalpackage.msu.edu/welcome/welcome.htm.

June 19-22, 2004: RESNA 2004, 'Technology & Disability: Research, Design, Practice and Policy,' Orlando, FL, sponsored by RESNA, Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Association of North America. This year's conference has seven main topic areas: Computer Access and Communication, Job and Environmental Accommodations, including Ergonomics, Seating and Wheeled Mobility, Technology for Cognitive and Sensory Impairments, Public Policy, Outcomes and Quantitative Measurement, and Other which includes Technology Transfer, Rural Rehab, Robotics, Telerehab and more. See: www.resna.org.

June 19-22, 2004: Evaluation in Progress: Strategies for Environmental Research and Implementation. Vienna, Austria. Conference organized by The Institute for Spatial Interaction and Simulation. This conference is research and practice in progress - it will provide a forum for scientists, professional practitioners, and policy makers to debate ways and means of stimulating new proposals, documenting existing situations and assessing diverse tools and techniques that can promote evaluation and user feedback. See: http://info.tuwien.ac.at/iaps2004/

June 28, 2004: Deadline for Proposals of the eLearning Programme 2004-2006. The Call is focused on three of the four areas of intervention of the eLearning Programme: 1. Promoting digital literacy, 2. European virtual campuses and 3. Transversal actions. For more information see http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/elearning/call_eac2604_en.html.

June 21 - August 1, 2004: 'Building Careers in Design' is a new college level online course for career and vocational counselors. This 6-week 30 CRC credit course begins June 21 and is offered through the Interwork Institute of San Diego State University, in cooperation with Adaptive Environments, Boston, MA. The course fee is $175. For more information see www.careersindesign.org or contact Kristin Schneider at 617-695-1225 ex 35 or kschneider@AdaptiveEnvironments.org.

July 1, 2004: Deadline for INTERIORS '05: The ASID Conference on Design, San Diego, March 17-20, 2005. The submission should address one of the following broad categories: Sustainability/Green Design, Universal Design/Aging in Place, Security/ Personal Safety/ Privacy, Health, Safety and Welfare, etc. For more information see http://www.asid.org/asid2/designer/Call%20for%20Presentations.pdf.

July 9-10, 2004: Tools for Life 2004, A 21st Century Look at Assistive Technology, Honolulu HA. The Tools for Life Expo and Conference is a collaborative exhibit with concurrent workshops designed to bring information to individuals with disabilities, their families, and advocates regarding civil rights laws and technological support options to maximize independence in society. See: http://www.assistguide.com/toolsforlife/

August 24-27, 2004: The 7th International Conference of Human Services Information Technology Applications 'Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Social Inclusion,' Hong Kong, sponsored by HUSITA (Human Services Information Technology Applications) an international association of information technology (IT) innovators in human services dedicated to promoting ethical and effective use of IT to better serve humanity. The conference will revolve around four major sub-themes. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Social Services, ICT in Rehabilitation, IT Education and Training in Human Service Professionals, and ICT in Community and the Information Society. See: http://www.hkcss.org.hk/husita7/

August 31, 2004: Deadline for 'A Competition for Narrow Lot House Designs of Excellence - Living Smart Project,' sponsored by Portland Bureau of Development Services. A competition for the design of affordable single-family detached housing on very narrow lots. The goal of this project is to create a catalogue of house designs that can be built on 25-foot wide lots. Designs that meet the needs of first-time homebuyers, provide design compatibility with a variety of neighborhoods, and respond to a range of market demands are all desired outcomes. See: http://www.livingsmartpdx.com/default.asp.

August 31-September 3, 2004: CBR (Community Based Rehabilitation) Africa Network Conference 'CBR as Part Of Community Development.' Conference sponsored by the CBR Africa Network (CAN). CBR Africa Network is a non-government organization, of which the secretariat is based at the Ugandan National Institute of Special Education. CAN was established in 2001 following resolutions made at the previous CBR Africa Regional Conference, "CBR as a participatory strategy in Africa." CAN aims to facilitate the sharing of information about community-based services for persons with disabilities and their families in African countries. See: http://www.disabilityworld.org/11-12_03/news/cbrafrica.shtml

September 3, 2004: The Shinkenchiku Residential Design Competition 2004. Theme: House of Multiple Dimensions. See: http://www.japan-architect.co.jp/english/5info/topics/sk2004.html

September 5 - 8, 2004: 7th IFA Global Conference on Ageing, titled 'Global Ageing: Sustaining Development' organized by: International Federation on Ageing (IFA) & The Singapore Action Group of Elders (SAGE), in Singapore. A forum for debates on ageing issues, an opportunity for consumers, practitioners and policymakers in the field of ageing to exchange knowledge and information, as well as establish and strengthen friendships and partnerships. This forum is an important occasion to also learn about the impact of ageing policies and programs since the United Nations Second World Assembly on Ageing in 2002 and finalization of The International Plan of Action. Models of leading practice will also be highlighted. See: http://www.7ifaconference.com

September 6-9, 2004: 'HCI2004, The 18th British HCI Group Annual Conference' Leeds, UK, sponsored by the British HCI Group. Join researchers, practitioners and educators from around the world at HCI2004 where we will be exploring the theme of Design for Life. As designers, evaluators and implementers of interactive systems we have great responsibility. The systems we design impact upon the lives of the people who use them - for good or ill. See: http://www.bcs-hci.org.uk/hci2004/.

September 7-9, 2004: 'Ageing Societies and Ageing Sociology: Diversity and Change in a Global World' sponsored by ISA Research Committee on Sociology of Aging, RC11, Inter-Congress Conference, Roehampton, UK. Ageing societies are a historically unique and global phenomenon, which calls for intensified scientific research into the consequences of this worldwide development in the years to come: What will ageing societies look like? In which regards will they differ from contemporary societies? How does ageing affect social institutions and social structures? What are the implications of ageing societies in different regional, national, and international contexts? See: http://www.soc.surrey.ac.uk/crag/ISA2004/.

September 8-10, 2004: 'DPI World Summit 2004: Diversity Within,' Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, sponsored by Disabled Peoples' International. DPI's World Summit will be an opportunity for national assemblies, disability organizations, NGOs, international development agencies, as well as local and national goods and services providers in the disability field to discuss and share information. The purpose of the Summit is to pursue the issues identified at the DPI 6th World Assembly in Sapporo, Japan, to address the issue of diversity, and to prepare for the next World Assembly in South Africa in 2006. See: http://www.dpi.org/en/events/world_summit/06-23-03_summit2004.htm .

September 20-22, 2004: '5th National NICAN Conference, Out of the Blue: Valuing the Disability Market in Tourism' Perth, Australia. The Conference will concentrate on making Tourism more inclusive for people with disabilities. At the same time it will present an excellent opportunity for tourism and recreation groups to virtually discover an untapped market. The Conference aims to open up explorative discussion and develop actions to break down some of the inhibitive barriers preventing maximum participation in tourism experiences. See: http://www.nican.com.au/education/conference.shtml.

September 28-October 2, 2004: '2nd Symposium on International Issues in Engineering Design (IIED) as part of the 2004 IDETC (International Design Engineering Technical Conference),' Salt Lake City, Utah, sponsored by the International Activities Committee of the Design Engineering Division. The three major overall conference categories are: pan-world collaborative design, management of pan-world project design teams, and international drivers and practice for product life cycle with one focus area being "Design for the elderly and physically challenged." See: http://www.detc2004.me.byu.edu/conferences.htm.

September 30, 2004: Submission deadline for Include 2005 to be held April 5-8, 2005, Royal College of Art, UK. Inclusive design is a process whereby designers and manufacturers ensure that their products and services address the needs of the widest possible audience. Don't miss this opportunity to discuss your work on inclusive design at one of the key research and design business conferences of 2005, adding to the cutting-edge approaches, case studies and real world achievements described at Include 2001 and 2003. For the call, see: http://www.hhrc.rca.ac.uk/programmes/include/2005/call.html

October 4-7, 2004: NCA Training Course: Retrofitting for Accessibility Yellowstone, MT. This course provides education on federal legislations and accessibility requirements as applied to park and recreation facilities and programs. Curriculum emphasis will include application of accessibility standards, barrier removal, safety issues associated with accessibility, and ongoing facility maintenance to assure optimum access for visitors including those with disabilities. Participants will learn how to identify barriers and initiate appropriate solutions for facility renovations beneficial to user groups of all abilities. For more info, see: http://www.ncaonline.org/training/retrofit04.shtml.

October 6-8, 2004: New Design Cities, Montreal, Canada. Founded on the assumption that design is an activity involving conception, creation, planning and management that shapes the quality of our environment and contributes to the competitiveness of our economy and the cultural expression of our country, our region, our city and our businesses, this symposium aims to discuss cities' different positioning and development strategies based on design, and then to assess their impact.. For more info, see: http://www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/colloquedesign/index_eng.shtm.

October 20-22, 2004: Child in the City Conference, London, UK, organized by The Child in the City Foundation in association with the National Children's Bureau. The purpose of this two-and-a-half day international conference is to bring together social scientists, policy makers, planners and practitioners to share current thinking and disseminate good practice on one of the most pressing challenges facing urban governments: integrating the play and recreational needs of children within the planning, design and governance of the modern city. See: http://www.europoint-bv.com/events/?child2004.

October 27-29, 2004: Open Space: People Space: An International Conference on Inclusive Environments, Edinburgh, Scotland, sponsored by OPENspace: the research centre for inclusive access to outdoor environments is hosting a three-day conference in Edinburgh to review recent research and debate current issues surrounding good design for open space and social inclusion, spaces and places for the 21st century. The programme will include contributions from an international array of experts covering the major themes of the conference: children and young people; disability and social inclusion; health and restorative environments and tourism and leisure. See: http://www.openspace.eca.ac.uk.

November 1, 2004: Deadline for submission of full papers for the environmental health issue of Children, Youth and Environments (CYE). CYE's environmental health issue will feature articles from researchers around the world who are investigating the conditions in which children live and the impacts of specific hazards and toxins in their environments, such as indoor air quality in homes and schools, lead poisoning and remediation, outdoor environment access and safety, water quality and safety, sanitation issues, and other environmental concerns. See: http://cye.colorado.edu/CYE_SubmissionGuidelines.htm

November 17-21, 2004: Design Research Society International Conference, Monash University, Melbourne. The theme is 'FUTUREGROUND', and will feature leading edge design research from the international research community. Supporting the central theme will be discourse around design as both cultural activity and production; mapping the discipline's development; and research in an industrial context. Particular emphasis will be on the opportunities this presents for reconsidering the nature of design and an exploration of the scope for future research. See: http://www.futureground.monash.edu.au

December 5, 2004: Deadline for The Dyson/IDSA an Eye for Why Design & Engineering Competition. Dyson, Inc. and IDSA have teamed up to challenge industrial design students to create an innovative household product that reflects Dyson's philosophy and commitment to intelligent, function-first design and will be designed to work better by solving a problem. See: http://new.idsa.org/webmodules/articles/anmviewer.asp?a=921&z=31.

December 8-12, 2004: 'Designing for the 21st Century III: An International Conference on Universal Design,' Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Sponsored by Adaptive Environments and a number of international groups, including Metropolis Magazine. This is an extraordinary moment. We are more diverse now in ability and age than ever before. It is time for design to catch up. There is an urgent need to exchange ideas about the design of places, things, information, policies and programs that demonstrate the power of design to shape a 21st century world that works for all of us. Whatever you call it - universal design, inclusive design, design-for-all, lifespan design - the worldwide movement for human centered design with everyone in mind is gaining momentum. The Designing for the 21st Century III Conference is fueled by that momentum and will offer a platform for the next stage of development. The conference includes a student design competition, charettes within Rio de Janeiro and an Educator's Forum. See: http://www.designfor21st.org/.

December 15, 2004: Deadline for C2C Home design and construction competition. Design will lead to actual construction. And homes will be built with a goal of achieving the new standards of sustainability set up in Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things. See: http://www.c2c-home.org/.

December 31, 2004: Deadline for submissions to the 18th World Congress of Gerontology, to be held June 26-27 2005, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Aging is a major challenge for the 21st century. Not only will retirement policies have to find an innovative structure to accomplish their purpose, but the society will also have to deal with new and difficult demands in the field of health, psychosocial and economic factors. The role of Gerontology will increase not only to answer the new questions regarding the aged, but implement alternatives already available. See: http://www.gerontology2005.org.br/

March 10-13, 2005: The Changing Face of Aging: 5th Joint Conference of the American Society and the National Council on Aging, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. As current social, political, and economic forces intersect a burgeoning medical and technological revolution, what will the face of aging look like? In the spirit of 1776, the conference will examine the themes of independence, choice, evolution and revolution in light of this diversity. See: http://www.agingconference.org/jc05/theme.cfm

May 24-25, 2005: The 5th Conference of the International Society for Gerontechnology - Gerontechnology 2005, Nagoya, Japan. This conference held about every 3 years will focus on the following topics: Health & Self-esteem, Housing & Daily Living, Mobility & transport, Communication & Governance, Work Condition & Work Ability, Geriatrics & Dementia Cares, Leisure, Robotics for Human Support, Universal Design and Standards for the elderly & disabled people. See: http://www2.convention.co.jp/5isg/english/

July 22-27 2005: HCI International 2005, including: 11th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction jointly with Symposium on Human Interface (Japan) 2005, 6th International Conference on Engineering Psychology and Cognitive Ergonomics, 3rd International Conference on Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction, 1st International Conference on Virtual Reality, and 1st International Conference on Usability and Internationalization, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. The conference objective is to provide an international forum for the dissemination and exchange of scientific information on theoretical, generic, and applied areas of HCI, usability, internationalization, virtual reality, universal access and cognitive ergonomics. See: http://www.hci-international.org/

November 16-18 2005: World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Tunis, Tunisia. The first phase of WSIS took place in Geneva and the second phase will take place in Tunis. Information is a powerful tool for economic and social development and this Summit will provide a unique opportunity for all key players to contribute actively to bridge the digital and knowledge divides. The first phase of the Summit in Geneva adopted a Declaration of principles and a Plan of Action for implementation by governments, institutions and all sectors of civil society to deal with the new challenges of the ever-evolving information society. Development themes will be a key focus in the second phase in Tunisia and it will assess progress that has been made and adopt any further Action Plan to be taken. See: http://www.itu.int/wsis/

May 30-June 2 2006: IFA 8th Global Conference on Aging, Copenhagen, Denmark. The Copenhagen conference aims to highlight cross-cultural co-operation to meet the challenges of global aging, and at the same time address important region-specific issues of ageing. The conference will be built up around the following themes and dimensions: The Economics of Aging, The Challenges of Aging, Active Aging - Aging Well, and Empowerment - participation. See: http://www.global-ageing.dk/

Additions to the calendar, questions, comments, new subscriptions, write to Elaine Ostroff at elaine@ostroff.org

Elaine Ostroff, Editor Director, Global Universal Design Educator's Network; Founding Director, Adaptive Environments Center

Diane Richard, Editorial Assistant Center for Universal Design, College of Design, North Carolina State University.

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