National Council on Disability

Date: Fri, 03 Sep 1998
From: "Laura R. Mitchell" af752@lafn.org
Subject: Subscribe To National Council on Disability (NCD) Bulletin

FYI from Justice for All.
Justice For All jfa@mailbot.com

Justice For All encourages JFA subscribers to also subscribe to The NCD Bulletin. It's a great source for federal disability policy highlights:
A Monthly Publication of the National Council on Disability (NCD)
Marca Bristo, Chairperson August 1998

NCD CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF EMPOWERMENT, 1978-1998
The Bulletin, which is free of charge, available in alternative formats, and on the Internet at http://www.ncd.gov , brings you the latest issues and news affecting people with disabilities. Please write, fax, or e-mail your comments to Bulletin editor Mark S. Quigley, mquigley@ncd.gov .

NCD Conducts Hearing on Culturally Diverse Populations

On August 5, NCD conducted a public hearing in San Francisco that focused on meeting the unique needs of people with disabilities from diverse cultural populations. NCD heard from more than 50 witnesses during the six-hour public hearing. Representatives from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Social Security Administration were also on hand to answer questions. Sign language interpreters and Chinese and Spanish translators were provided. A report with policy recommendations will follow later this year. The Institute on Disability at San Francisco State University will assist NCD in preparing the report.

President Signs Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998

On August 7, President Clinton signed into law the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998 as part of the Workforce Investment Partnership Act (P.L. 105-220). The Amendments include stronger consumer-choice and consumer-control language. The law expands services beyond vocational rehabilitation's (VR) normal client base, including broader information and referrals to the mainstream workforce system. It mandates automatic referral to VR for Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance recipients. Section 407 contains NCD's authorizing legislation. In addition, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal agencies to procure and use accessible electronic and information technology, unless it poses an undue burden on the agency or department. The law also directs the Access Board to develop and publish electronic and information technology standards in 18 months.

Access Board to Establish Technology Advisory Committee

On August 24, the Access Board published a Federal Register notice of intent to establish an Electronic and Information Technology Access Advisory Committee. The committee will make recommendations for accessibility standards for electronic and information technology covered by the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998. The Access Board is taking applications for representatives to serve on the Committee. The deadline is September 23. For additional information, contact Doug Wakefield, Office of Technical and Information Services, Access Board, 1331 F Street, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20004; 202-272-5434 (voice); 202-272-5449 (TTY) wakefield@access-board.gov (e-mail).

Americans with Disabilities Act Benefits Many Americans

According to a study conducted by United Cerebral Palsy Association's (UCPA) Project Access for All, significant results have been reported in the efficacy and use of universal design and new accessible features created by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Survey results indicate that accessible features created as a result of ADA are being used by 72 percent of the 2,003 individuals polled. For more information, contact UCPA's Nancy Flinn at 202-973-7126.

Motor Voter Update

NCD will initiate a pilot study to assess compliance with the National Voter Registration Act (also known as the motor voter law) provisions requiring disability service organizations to offer their clients information on registering to vote. Anecdotal evidence indicates that many service organizations have not been responsive to this provision. NCD's proposed study would survey state vocational rehabilitation agencies to determine whether they are in compliance and how they have implemented the requirements. The study would become the basis for a broader study encompassing a larger cross-section of disability service organizations across the country. The study goals are to gather data on the level of awareness of the motor voter requirements among state agencies, the extent of compliance among the agencies, barriers to compliance, types of notification programs, methods of implementing notification programs, the effectiveness of various notification programs in increasing voter registration and participation, and the identification of best practice models. For information, contact Kathleen Blank at 202-272-2019.

International Update

NCD will be represented in the U.S. delegation participating in a conference on employment of people with disabilities in the information and technology age, October 26-27, 1998, in Madrid, Spain. This conference is a cooperative effort of the European Union and the Spanish ONCE Foundation under the New Transatlantic Agenda, which was signed in 1995 by President Clinton and the presidents of the European Council and the European Commission. The U.S. Department of Labor and the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities are coordinating U.S. efforts for this conference.

NCD To Conduct Hearing on Psychiatric issues

NCD will conduct a public hearing in Albany, New York, on federal policy issues affecting people with psychiatric disabilities. The hearing is being held in conjunction with NCD's quarterly meeting, and will take place on Friday, November 20, 1998, from 3:30- p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Albany Marriott. Those interested in testifying should contact Stacey Brown at 202-272-2004 (voice); 202-272-2074 (TTY); sbrown@ncd.gov (e-mail); 202-272-2022 (fax). A copy of the invitation letter with additional information is posted at the NCD web site http://www.ncd.gov .

President's Task Force on Employment to Conduct Meeting

The next meeting of the President's Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities will take place in September. The proposed agenda focuses on the diverse federal efforts currently under way to ensure that new technology and the Internet are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Proposed agenda items include a presentation on the Department of Defense's CAP program and a report on the government's participation in and adherence to the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative.

For more info:
Mark S. Quigley
Public Affairs Specialist
National Council on Disability
1331 F Street, NW, Suite 1050
Washington, DC 20004
202-272-2004 Voice
202-272-2074 TTY
202-272-2022 Fax
mquigley@ncd.gov
http://www.ncd.gov

Fred Fay
Chair, Justice For All
jfa@mailbot.com
http://www.mailbot.com/justice

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