Announcing 23 New Activities & Resources of the Latino World
By Rosangela Berman-Bieler (iid@iidisability.org)
Puerto Rico: Portal for Internet users with disabilities
Manolo.net is an Internet portal dedicated to assistive technology and useful information related to the issues of disability for Spanish speakers. Manolo.net was developed by Manolo, a Puerto Rican blind man who decided to create a site that other blind people could use to improve their lives through technology.
Manolo works for the Assistive Technology Program at the Central Administration Department of the University of Puerto Rico. His work there involves reviewing assistive technology products as well as monitoring and supporting the use of such technologies for the creation of employment opportunities for disabled persons.
Manolo is currently working on his Ph.D. in Special Education Administration at the Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico. He holds an MS in Special Education and an undergraduate degree in business administration, which he completed though independent study at the New York State University.
Manolo.net integrates current best practice of accessibility by providing a website that is fully accessible to vision impaired users.
Mexico: Autism
FELAC, The Latin American Federation of Autism offers updated information for parents or professsionals who speak Spanish. The site www.autismo.org.mx offers information on the many issues of autism, such as diagnosis, family support, research, treatment, education, drugs, and other related topics. There are also links to sites offering related content.
FELAC's Second General Assembly was held 7 May 2001 in Madrid, Spain. There were more than ten Latin American countries present. The WAO or World Autism Organization was also present. FELAC is a member of the WAO. There will follow a website soon with information on the Assembly.
Nicaragua: Building Low-Cost Wheelchairs
CADISCA.NET (Capacitación a Discapacitados de Centro América or Training for Disabled people in Central America), wishes to exchange information with similar organizations as part of its goal of pursuing ways to contribute to a better life for wheelchair users around the world.
CADISCA has been involved with Motivation since1995 in a joint project that makes low-cost wheelchairs. In 1999, these two organizations trained a team in El Salvador, who is now locally manufacturing wheelchairs and working on an awareness program to educate the general public on the needs and talents of disabled people, specially wheelchair users.
In August 2000 a new project was launched with a group of eight people from Honduras, who spent six months in Nicaragua training in the design and manufacture of wheelchairs and in awareness and educational programs. The team is now in Honduras, replicating the effort. More information at cadisca@ibw.com.ni.
Brazil: An Illustrated Dictionary of Signs (in Portuguese)
A book in two volumes containing a collection of 9,500 signs in Brazilian Sign language (Libras) and their translation in English and Portuguese is now available. The trilingual dictionary is titled "Dicionário Enciclopédico Ilustrado Trilíngue da Língua de Sinais Brasileira".
The dictionary was compiled by Professor Fernando Capovilla and psychologist Walkíria Duarte Raphael from the Neuropsycholinguistics Laboratory of Sao Paulo University.
There will be a CD version. For more information, call (55-11) 3818-4149 in Brazil, or email capovilla@usp.br.
Mexico: Deaf Community Bulletin
ADCS, the Deaf Community Awareness Association is happy to announce that number 31 of its DifuSord bulletin is now available at difusord.org. Following is a sample of the content:
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The Deaf Movement in Mexico
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The Zapatistas and sign language
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All Autonomous communities in Spain except PP Valenciano support sign language
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Deaf People in the Press
Idealist.org now has Spanish Language Content
Idealist is an NGO that compiles data on other NGO's around the world. Its mission is to find practical solutions to social and environmental problems within the scope of mutual respect and generosity.
The English language version of Idealist.org has over 22,000 NGOs listed from 150 different countries. It has over 10,000 visitors a day. The Spanish language versions was launched in May 2001. It plans to offer a list of NGOs as extensive as its English counterpart.
Idealist.org lists name and scope and mission of NGOs, as well as employment or volunteer opportunities at each of those organizations. If the user is also an NGO it may include its data and subscribe to a customized bulletin.
Brazil: Disability E-ducation
Cursinhovirtual.com.br, an educational website in Brazil, offers eleven courses designed with full accessibility. The cost for the courses is $30 Brazilian Reales or about 15 US dollars. The website is part of an initiative that seeks to support technologically based companies. The initiative is sponsored by SIETEC and SACI.
The courses are meant to serve as preparation for the entrance examinations given by all Brazilian universities. They reflect a general education requirement: chemistry, history, physics, mathematics, Portuguese, etc.
Full accessibility is guaranteed to its users by providing a suite of tools known as kit Vox or SACI. This suite of productivity tools include a web browser, a word processor, and an email reader, all of them with an integrated screen reader. SACI was developed by the University of Sao Paulo.
Users may try the courses for free for two weeks. More information at Cursinhovirtual.com.br
Argentina: Accessibility Workshops
Accesible.com.ar is a website dedicated to inclusive architecture. As such, it offers workshops on accessible architecture. The goal of these workshops is to present the challenges of obstacle-free living spaces, so that the student begins to develop awareness of the issues involved in the design of living spaces.
This site also features updates on the Law of Buildings in Buenos Aires, which includes a chapter on obstacle-free public spaces.
Salamanca, Spain:
Disability Research
All those interested in perusing the results of the 4th Symposium on Research on Disabilities, may visit the following website www3.usal.es/inico/jornadas.htm.
The Symposium is sponsored by the University Center for Community Inclusion of the University of Salamanca.
Master's Degree in Inclusion
Beginning October 2001 the University of Salamanca in Spain opens its Master's Degree in Inclusion and Rehabilitation. The program is organized by the University Center for Community Inclusion. More info at: www3.usal.es/inico/actividades/master/master2001.html
Information Service
SID - Spanish Disability Information Service, has a website offering tools and documents on disability. SID receives support from the University of Salamanca, in Spain. Visit the site at http://sid.usal.es.
Nominations Invited for Prize for Contribution to Health Education
The Pan American Health and Education Foundation invites the public to nominate an exceptional contributor to health education through publication in Latin America for the Fred L. Sloper Award 2001. The prize consists of a diploma and $2500 USD. The deadline for nominations is 31 July 2001. More information available from:
Fred L. Sloper Award Committee
c/o Pan American Health and Education Foundation
525 23rd St., NW
Washington, DC 20037
Tel: (202) 974-3416
Fax: (202) 974-3636
E-mail: pahef@paho.org
www.paho.org
Spain: HTML Accessibility rules now in Spanish
A book in Spanish covering HTML accessibility rules is now available. "Diseño Accesible de Páginas Web" (Accessible Web Design) is written by Carlos Egea García. Here is a sample of its content:
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Normative documentation on content accessibility 1.0;
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FAQ on content accessibility 1.0;
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Quick Guide to accessible websites;
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Techniques for accessibility 1.0;
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Comparative Table on Accessibility Items1.0.
Some free copies of the book are still available. Email the author at Carlos.Egea@carm.es. The snail mail address is: Dirección General de Política Social, Avda. de la Fama, 3 - 30, 30071 Murcia. España; Fax (34)968 365 174.
Logopedia Resource Guide
Hergue publishers announced the publication of the book in Spanish "Logopedia: Guía de Recursos Bibliográficos y Materiales". This three-volume work is a thorough study of all aspects of Logopedia and related associations. There you may find a complete list of all organizations working in Spain or Latin America that diagnose, evaluate, and treat the many problems associated with Logopedia. The book includes a large collection of articles and a complete bibliography. More information at hergue.com
Mexico: New Policies on Disability
The Office of the President of Mexico has published its documentation on disability policies introduced and to be followed by the new Mexican Government. The documents may be perused at presidencia.gob.mx/?Orden=Leer&Tipo=PP&Art=509
Venezuela: Paso-a-Paso (Step by Step) Foundation The Paso a Paso Foundation was formed in 1991 by a group of concerned parents. Their mission was to improve the lives of children with special needs and their families. Their website offers a great amount of information concerning these issues. It also offers services and publications, as well as a bimonthly bulletin you may subscribe to via their website at pasoapaso.com.ve Further information from Angela Couret elvira@telcel.net.ve
Spain: PlanetaVisual
Planetavisual.org offers information, amusement, help and educational material for those who are deaf or deaf-blind. Its target audience is children and adult Spanish speakers with these disabilities, as well as professionals in the area of deaf and deaf-blind issues.
The website offers a lot of interesting information. Topics include news, education, amusements, employment, computer science, help and services, and others.
The website layout tends to increase usability for people with hearing disabilities.
England: Resources on Inclusive Education
EENET has created a website with lots of documentation on the practice of inclusive education. Sponsored by the University of Manchester, the website carries mostly English language content, but it also has plenty of Portuguese and Spanish documentation. Go to http://www.eenet.org.uk/search/search.htm - and search for "spanish".
Argentina: Social Inclusion Tool--Advalens
Advalens.com.ar is a website that hopes to serve as a tool for the social inclusion of people with disabilities by making use of technology and modern management theory. The website offers access to products, services, information on disability and topics of related interest.
Spain: Deafness Content on the Internet
The Special Education Center for the Deaf of Coruña, Spain, invites everyone to visit its newly updated website at ctv.es/USERS/sordos-co/ and suggest new content and links. These are the new areas covered in the updated website: educational software and bibliographies.
Spain: Andalucian Web Services
The website http://www.nexus.cas.junta-andalucia.es/ was created by the Social Services Institute in Andaluzia. Done in collaboration with the Department of Architecture and the Computer Science Department, it contains a list of applications and tools that may be useful for disabled people.
Nicaragua: Accessible Tourism
TRACCTRAVEL, an accessible travel company, offers two basic services: accessible tourism in Nicaragua and consultancy in inclusive architecture. Refer to their website for more information: tracctravel.com.
Spain: A Glossary of Web Terminology
There is a comprehensive glossary of web terminology in Spanish compiled by Harvey Bingham and translated by a group of members of Sidar. It is available at sidar.org/docus/gloswai1.htm
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