AHEAD: Association on Higher Education And Disability

August 2003

The articles published in the ALERT represent the opinions of the authors and are not an endorsement by the Association or necessarily representative of the views of the Association.

— From the President
— From the Editor
— Professional Development Calendar

From the AHEAD Office
— AHEAD establishes new central office
— Call for proposals
— Welcome new staff member
— Board rotation
— AHEAD Awards
— UD Strand Review

Features
— Disability Services Resources
— Faculty Training
— International Project Seeks Partners
— SSA Intern Program
— BrailleNote GPS
— Travel Tip Hotline
— Mobility International Exchange Pioneers Winners

From the President

Farewell from Your President
AHEAD President Randy Borst reflects on the past year and presents his hopes for the future of AHEAD.

This August issue will be my last opportunity to come to you through The ALERT as your president, and I cannot thank you enough for the trust, the many kind words, and so very many helpful deeds that you, the members of AHEAD, have shared during my presidency. I will, of course, remain on the board through the end of next year's professional conference in Miami. After that, I will leave the board but will remain an active member and will serve as called upon for many years to come.

Every AHEAD President that I have known has commented on how many surprises they had found in their year as president. This year was certainly no exception as we discovered new solutions to new and old problems, some previously known, some unknown, and labored with great success to implement systems which will ensure ethical, legal, and effective management of our resources for years to come.

As you are already aware from our numerous e-mail messages and even a snail-mail letter, your professional association and the University of Massachusetts-Boston agreed that it was in our mutual best interest to discontinue the partnership that was forged three years ago. AHEAD is extremely grateful to the University for having agreed to provide a home, at least temporarily, after we lost our lease for office space in Columbus-Ohio and had to terminate our long-standing relationship with Ohio State University. Since then, however, we learned to stand on our own and were able to leave UMass, proud of where we had gained, while finding ways to meet our obligations, continue service, and operate on a sound financial footing with no appreciable increase in cost to the association.

Lest it appear that this was all due to my leadership, it was not. I pretty much just collaborated with Stephen Smith and the rest of the board to keep the ball moving down the field. Was that a mixed metaphor?

As promised, the office was closed for just one week to allow the move of personnel, delivery of furniture, and installation of computing and information facilities. Next time you communicate with any of our staff be sure to thank them for how hard and efficiently they worked in order to make the move happen for you, and make it happen fast and without incident.

This year your professional association rolled out yet another spectacular professional conference, in a long line of many, past and future. Smaller in numbers than were conferences in Portland and Washington DC, this year's conference attendance was nonetheless on track with those of 1995-2000. Results of the evaluation are not yet fully tallied; however, subjectively conference attendees indicated they found opportunities for content-rich professional development, camaraderie, and down-home Texas hospitality. Speaking of which, you can't have a conference of the size and scope of our annual conferences without local groundwork, and for that, I am eternally grateful to AHEAD in Texas for the way they pitched in to host the conference and show us all a good time.

Work is very nearly complete for an all-new web site for your professional association. Much of the current content will be maintained; however, it will be arranged in ways to make it more user-friendly to you, and the new web site promises greater interactivity, with potential for growth and development to become a major player in the disability Internet community, as well it should be, considering the hope that disability participation places in the work of AHEAD and its wonderful members. Several online courses are in the queue, the first of which being free to AHEAD members. More news to follow.

This year AHEAD went through the first year of the current round of our Trio grant, with a new look and feel which succeeded not only in training TRIO program personnel about disability, but also with relating disability access to the actual TRIO programs themselves. Rhonda Rapp and her training team, both veterans and new players, are to be congratulated. We look forward to another tremendous year of aiding TRIO programs in their service to students with disabilities.

Finally, I have challenged the Board of Directors to implement a radical reorganization of your professional association, starting with - you guessed it - the Board of Directors. It will be up to future boards and to no lesser extent association members to decide if that reorganization will occur and what form it will eventually take. But here are the challenges I have laid out in a nutshell:

Reorganize board responsibilities
Grow beyond disability services offices to fill the gap of service and information for professionals, parents and students with disabilities
Increase financial resources to hire additional AHEAD office staff
Review our mission and strategic plan to meet the above objectives
My greatest thrill of the year as your president did not occur from leadership at the conference. It did not occur when I sent my letter to the Chancellor of UMass, agreeing that it was not in our interest to renew the Memorandum of Understanding with the University. It didn't even occur when I manage to fall off the speakers' platform at the conference without breaking my neck. No, it occurred last week when a new student to the University at Buffalo walked into my office bearing an AHEAD brochure about learning disability and inquiring how she could go about receiving the services and accommodations discussed in the brochure. I wanted to tell her I was the president of AHEAD but I held back. Stephen can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe we have sold over 25,000 of those brochures, along with many many other publications sales. Publications written by AHEAD members, by the way. We can do much more with our literature and services to reach deeper into the higher-education community, and we must.

So farewell as your president as of October 1, the closing mark of one of the very best years of my life, and hello again as your immediate past-president and continuing friend.

Randy Borst

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From the Editor

Greetings,

The summer lull is just about over, and I'm turning my mind to program ideas for the fall. This issue of the ALERT points me in the direction of focusing on faculty training and advancing Universal Design. It also contains updates on the conference for those who couldn't attend, and the call for proposals for AHEAD 2004! We will be publishing the ALERT every two months this year, which should make the calendar more current and keep it a more manageable size. We have added a section on Resources, which will include information on everything from listservs to books to useful products. If you have any resource that has been particularly useful, please send me a note about it and I will include it in a future issue. I hope you enjoy this issue of the ALERT, and that you will consider contributing an article in the coming year. If you have any suggestions or comments, please be sure to contact me at kejones@ucdavis.edu.

Sincerely,
Keltie Jones

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Professional Development
Take advantage of these upcoming events, conferences, and other opportunities to increase and share your knowledge.

Calls for Presentations and Articles:
On the heels of a successful conference in Dallas during which we were encouraged to advance the DSS profession and refine our vision, The Association on Higher Education And Disability announces the Call for Programs for the AHEAD 2004 conference to be held in Miami Beach, Florida. The theme for 2004, "Leading the Dance" recognizes the unique role DSS professionals play, and challenges us to take steps to be leaders and agents of change on our campuses. Through preconference, concurrent, plenary and poster sessions, we will share the steps we have taken to foster universal design in instruction, impact the curriculum and develop best practices in disability services. Details of the Call for Programs can be found at www.AHEAD.org/conference. The proposal submission period begins August 1st with a deadline of October 6th.

PEPNet 2004: "Planning for Success: Initiatives for Positive Outcomes." Check the PEPNet website, www.pepnet.org, for the call for presentations (proposals are due September 15, 2003). The conference will be in Pittsburgh on April 21-24, 2004.

CSUN's Annual International Conference "Technology and Persons with Disabilities." Presentation proposals are due October 1, 2003. Check www.csun.edu/cod/conf/2004/genconfinfo04.htm for details. The conference will be held in Los Angeles, March 15-20, 2004.

ALERT submission and publication dates:
The ALERT is now being published every other month. Here is the schedule for submissions:

Submissions Due: Publication Date:

• October 3, 2003 October 31, 2003
• December 1, 2003 December 19, 2003
• January 30, 2004 February 27, 2004
• April 2, 2004 April 30, 2004
• June 4, 2004 June 25, 2004

Please keep those articles coming!

Upcoming Conferences and Expositions:
Check out these offerings from our colleagues in the fields of disability and higher education:

Abilities Expo 2003 Shows: September 12-14, 2003 at the World Trade Center, Boston; October 17-19, at the Broward County Convention Center, Ft. Lauderdale; and November 14-16, at the San Mateo County Convention Center, San Mateo, California. For more information please visit www.abilitiesexpo.com.

ADAPT March: ADAPT's "Free Our People March" will take place September 4-17, 2003 from the Liberty Bell starting in Philadelphia, PA to Washington, D.C where the march will culminate in a rally for MiCASSA and a day of visits with Congress. For information contact: Nancy Salandra at 215-627-7255 or nancydia@voicenet.com or Bob Liston at 1-800-929-2611 or adaptmtbob@aol.com or go to www.adapt.org or www.freeourpeople.org.

2003 HireDisability Expos: The following dates have been announced: September 11, Chicago, IL; September 18-20, Orlando, FL; September 24, Boston, MA; October 14, Philadelphia, PA; October 16, New York, NY. Businesses interested in participating and individuals interested in attending should contact Amy Baum at (212) 766-6809 or abaum@hiredisability.com for more information.

Field Placement Accommodations: Strategies for College. Live Webcast on September 15, 2003 -- 2:00 - 2:45 p.m. ET from Virginia Commonwealth University. This presentation will be useful to disability support professionals, field placement coordinators, field instructors, and faculty who serve as liaisons in any higher education program that requires fieldwork. It will focus on potential strategies to utilize during field placements when instructing students who have hidden disabilities, such as learning disabilities, ADHD, traumatic brain injury, or mental health issues. In addition to disclosure decisions, identifying learning needs, and providing traditional accommodations, presenters will discuss resources for students with disabilities who face significant personal life issues. Learn how to explore effective accommodations, instructional supports and compensatory strategies at the work site. Presenters: Jaclyn Miller, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director of Field Instruction for the School of Social Work at VCU and Lloyd Chaser, L.C.S.W., Program Coordinator and Field Instructor at a local psychiatric hospital. Live chatroom with presenters immediately following the web cast. For more information or to register online: www.students.vcu.edu/pda/webcastInfo.html or e-mail Teri Blankenship: tcblanke@mail1.vcu.edu.

Fourth Annual World Congress & Exposition on Disabilities (WCD) will be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, September 18-20, 2003. Assistive Technology devices, services and aids for daily living will be on display at the WCD, including two special features being promoted aggressively - ATEN Assistive Technology Lab, a new feature and Assistive Technology Learning Center, back by popular demand. For details on the complete Conference Program and Exhibits, please visit www.WCDEXPO.com. An Employment Symposium, in the collaboration with Hire disAbility, will be held during the WDC. Call Amy Baum at 212-571-2600 or e-mail abaum@hiredisability.com. For more information about the WCD Expo, go to www.wcdexpo.com/.

Providing Effective Services For Students With Disabilities In Postsecondary Education, 2003 Fall Disability Institute, September 25-26, 2003, at Oglethorpe University, Atlanta, GA. ACCESS-NOW, Inc. and Oglethorpe University have gathered local and national experts to share educational and legal perspectives on serving students with disabilities in postsecondary education. Guest Speakers include Salome Heyward, J.D., Loring Brinckerhoff, Ph.D., Susan Bacher, MSW, Christopher Lee, and Ann T. Leverette, M.Ed. The institute is targeted to service providers who work with students with disabilities in post secondary education, students with disabilities, parents, psychologists and diagnosticians who document disabilities in adolescents and adults, college faculty and administrators, high school teachers and guidance counselors, and vocational rehabilitation counselors. Online registration is now available at www.accessnowinc.com. For further info, contact RoseMary Watkins, 404 364-8869 or 404 229-3859 Fax: 404 760-5141, or e-mail: instituteinfo@accessnowinc.com.

iCan! Disability Summit: iCan is hosting a disability summit from Oct. 8-10, 2003 in Charleston, S.C. with disability advocates and business leaders from across the United States. The Summit will highlight programs that have achieved success, ways they can be replicated and steps needed to ensure greater collaboration among those with a shared mission of creating accessible programs, products, services and equal rights for people with disabilities. Visit the iCan website for details and to register - www.ican.com.

Universal Design for Teaching and Learning Conference. October 8, 2003. Springfield Technical Community College is proud to host this half-day conference with support from the National Science Foundation. The focus of the conference is on implementing the principles of "Universal Design" in educational settings. Registration deadline is Friday, September 26th. Please visit our website for complete information, depts.stcc.edu/ud/conference.htm.

Women with Disabilities & Allies Forum: Linking Arms for Equality & Justice for All: This forum on women and disability rights, jointly sponsored by The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and the National Organization for Women (NOW) Foundation, will be held October 17-19, 2003, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Bethesda, Maryland. Registration form will be available in late July on both the AAPD at www.aapd-dc.org and the NOW Foundation websites www.nowfoundation.org.

2nd Annual SALT Conference entitled Beyond Accommodations: Promoting Success for Postsecondary Students with LD/ADHD, October 17 and 18, 2003. Sponsored by The University of Arizona SALT Center (www.salt.arizona.edu) at The University of Arizona, Student Union Memorial Center, Tucson, Arizona.

Second Northern Brain Injury Conference, Rehabilitation: Body, Mind and Spirit, October 17th & 18th, 2003, Ramada Inn - Prince George, British Columbia, Canada.

Professionals Helping Professionals: Mark your calendars for this upcoming Regional Conference. ILLOWA/AHEAD is planning a regional working conference, "PROFESSIONALS HELPING PROFESSIONALS," for October 23-24, 2003, in Rockford, Illinois. Four states will participate; Iowa and Illinois will be welcoming Minnesota and Wisconsin to this working conference. (Other states are also welcome) Whether you are a new DS provider or have been in the field for a time, there will be something of interest for everyone - new information, network opportunities, discussion of issues and many other timely topics. Mark your calendar now and plan to meet in Rockford, Illinois. As more information becomes available it will be passed on to interested parties - contact Nancy J. Kasinski (nancyk@niu.edu) if you want to know more.

"Accessing Higher Ground": Assistive Technology & Accessible Media In Higher Education, November 11-14, 2003, University of Colorado, Boulder.

The keynote speaker for the conference, Beth Finke, is a National Public Radio commentator and recent author of "Long Time, No See," a memoir of her struggle with juvenile diabetes, blindness and raising a multiply disabled child. Finke is also a freelance writer and public speaker. Her commentaries on NPR's "Morning Edition" and other talks and writings address topics such as writing, disabilities, assistive technology, service dogs and special education, among others.

Program coordinators at the CU-Boulder AT Lab and Disability Services are bringing together national leaders in the field of assistive technology and media to educate students, staff, faculty and the community on the availability and potential benefits of assistive technology in education. More than 35 workshops will be presented throughout the conference, several by people with disabilities, on topics including the Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, legal and policy issues and accommodations for students with learning disabilities, visual impairments and physical disabilities. Over 25 hours of hands-on labs will also be presented throughout the four days of the conference.

Special events include a mini institute focusing on access to distance learning, particularly commercial courseware management systems. This collaborative effort between CU-Boulder and Equal Access to Software Information, a provider of online training on accessible information technology for people with disabilities, will include representatives from Blackboard, WebCT and eCollege.
For a complete agenda, workshop listing and registration form, visit the conference Web site at www.Colorado.EDU/ATconference or contact Disability Services at (303) 492-8671 (Voice/TTY). Partial scholarships are also available for CU-Boulder students, faculty and staff.

2003 Business Leadership Network(BLN)Summit: The California BLN will host the 2003 Summit in San Francisco from November 5-7, 2003. in San Francisco. For information, contact the CABLN at sanderso@edd.ca.gov.

The 2003 National Higher Education Law and Policy Institute: Trends and Strategies for Universities and Community Colleges, November 16-18 in San Diego, California at Loews Coronado Bay Resort. Co-sponsored by: The American Council on Education, San Diego State University, The San Diego Community College District, and The League for Innovation in the Community College. To receive registration materials, email lawandpolicy@mail.sdsu.edu.

DisAbility in Education Conference 2003 - The Way Ahead, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, Sunday 7 December - Wednesday 10 December 2003. For more information, e-mail disabilities@canterbury.ac.nz.

CSUN's 19th Annual International Conference "Technology and Persons with Disabilities" March 15-20, 2004 ~ Los Angeles, CA. CSUN's 19th Annual International Conference, "Technology and Persons with Disabilities" will be held at the Hilton Los Angeles Airport and Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotels, March 15-20, 2004. A Preregistration brochure with complete information about the conference will be available in early January 2004. Check their website for conference information updates at: www.csun.edu/cod.

PEPNet Announces the PEPNet 2004 Conference, "Planning for Success: Initiatives for Positive Outcomes" Sheraton Station Square in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, April 21-24, 2004. The Postsecondary Education Programs Network (PEPNet) will hold its biennial conference April 21-24, 2004, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This conference will provide opportunities for further professional development as well as for networking with peers who provide similar services. In addition to the full conference, several pre-conference half-day workshops will be scheduled. Check www.pepnet.org for more information.

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From the AHEAD Office

AHEAD Establishes New Central Office
We are very excited to announce that the AHEAD offices have moved from our previous home at the University of Massachusetts Boston to wonderful new office space in Waltham, Massachusetts (a nearby suburb of Boston).

AHEAD had been housed at the UMass Boston for just over three years under an affiliation agreement with the University. When that affiliation agreement ended, AHEAD had the opportunity to move into larger, more appropriate, office space as a part of the organization's overall plan to become a fully independent operating entity. The implementation of this overall plan was completed on August 8, 2003.

AHEAD's new mailing address is:

P.O. Box 540666
Waltham, MA 02454 USA
v/t: 781-788-0003
fax: 781-788-0033

Additionally, full-time AHEAD staff have new e-mail addresses.

AHEAD's General E-mail: AHEAD@ahead.org
Richard Allegra, Associate Executive Director: Richard@ahead.org
Charlotte Corbett, Webmaster and MIS Manager: char@ahead.org
Tri Do, Manager of Member Services: Tri@ahead.org
Oanh Huynh, Accounting Manager: Oanh@ahead.org
Stephan Smith, Executive Director: Stephan@ahead.org
TRIO Training Program: TRIO@ahead.org

Please take a moment to update your contact information for AHEAD.

We look forward to serving you from our new location!

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Call for Proposals

AHEAD is getting a wonderful response to the Call for Programs for the 2004 Conference. Some exciting presentations have already been submitted. Will you join them as we "Lead the Dance" in Miami Beach?

The Program Committee is looking for a broad spectrum of topics, so let your administrators, student affairs colleagues, disability studies and other faculty know about the 2004 Call for Programs.

For more information and to find the Proposal Form, "cha-cha" your way to www.ahead.org and click on "Call for 2004 Proposals." The deadline for submissions is October 6, 2003.

Don't delay - the deadline will be here sooner than you think!

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Welcome New AHEAD Staff Member
We are excited to announce the appointment of Richard Allegra to the position of Associate Executive Director - Education and Information with AHEAD.

The Associate Executive Director - Education and Information is the primary staff position responsible for the research, development, facilitation, and provision of resources and programs specific to the provision of services to students with disabilities in higher education.

The key responsibilities of this new position include:

• Providing timely and accurate information and referral services to members of the Association in response to member inquiries.
• Providing consultation and presentation services to external organizations/institutions as contracted.
• Developing and maintaining ongoing research, relevant trends, and vital information for the Association's website.
• Developing, facilitating and implementing continuing education opportunities for the members of the Association in conjunction with member volunteers and other partners.
• Researching, proposing, and procuring external funding [grant(s)] for programs and services consistent with the mission of the Association.
• Serving as the primary staff contact with outside organizations/institutions fostering positive collaborative relationships consistent with the Association's strategic plan, and
• Coordinating the development of new and/or revised publications for sale by the Association.

Richard brings a wealth of knowledge, ability and experience to his position with AHEAD. Some highlights of his background include:

• Receiving an M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling from San Francisco State University in May 1983
• Serving as the Director of the Office of Disability Services at the University of Illinois at Chicago from 1998 - 2003
• Serving as the Assistant Director of Disability Services at the University of Minnesota from 1994 - 1997
• Serving as a Disability Specialist at the University of Minnesota from 1989 - 1994
• Several years of experience in the field of rehabilitation counseling
• Author of numerous articles and presenter of several workshops and trainings on issues related to disability in higher education and disability.

Richard can be reached at the AHEAD offices after September 2 at:

AHEAD
P.O. Box 540666
Waltham, MA 02454
V/t: 781-788-0003
Fax: 781-788-0033
e-mail: Richard@ahead.org

Please join us in welcoming Richard Allegra to the professional staff of AHEAD!

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Board Rotation With A Smile
AHEAD President Randy Borst says goodbye to out-going members of the Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors of AHEAD is entirely an elected board, with 1/3 of its directors and officers rotating off and being replaced by either newly elected or returning members. The latest bylaws revision extends the term limit from one three-year term to two terms for all positions except the presidency, which now consists of two years as President-elect and two years as President.

This year the Presidency and two director positions will rotate: Director of Constituent Relations, U.S. (Margaret Ottinger), and Director of Marketing (David Sweeney). Margaret is from University of Vermont, and David hails from Texas A&M (Go Aggies!). These board members will be missed for their dedication, their accomplishments, and their congenial ways.

In her three years of service (how quickly they pass) Margaret oversaw the maturing of AHEAD's regional-affiliate program, turning a mere exchange of dollars into a flexible program of resource and service sharing to meet regional needs and promote regional talent and interest. While managing her many projects, Margaret has spoken on the board with a peaceful voice and thoughtful mind.

David spent his first year or so chairing an Internet Work Group that worked with our Web master to make our association's Web site grow from a mere place to post messages from the central office into an interactive, information-packed Internet service with plenty of room to grow and plenty of ways to respond to association needs. He then turned more to focusing on his work with the Publications Committee, which has both screened and written new publications for sale, adding to the content of our services and generating thousands of dollars for the worthy work of your association.

Last mentioned, in order to satisfy his spirit so shy of the limelight, our Immediate Past-president, Sam Goodin, from the University of Michigan, will end his three-year term as President-elect, then President, then IPP. A man who knows his mind, Sam has worked as an eloquent listener and consensus builder. But my favorite of Sam's gifts was his steadfast determination to lead AHEAD's complete transition toward accountability to its members and toward the complete transparency of its information. Every president wants to contribute something that lasts, and Sam did us proud in that regard. We like a guy who believes in serving first the people who pay the bills, our members.

We will miss their smiling faces and loving hearts, just as we will look forward to their replacements coming on with the board - depending on whom you elect. By the time you read this, AHEAD elections will be well underway, and I urge you to take just a few moments to read the candidate statements, decide whose experience and plans for AHEAD's future suggest the best fit for you, and then vote. Voting is easy and accessible through the AHEAD Web site at www.ahead.org. During my presidency, I have called upon you, the members of AHEAD to participate actively in the workings of your professional association. Your participation makes AHEAD better; your participation makes AHEAD possible.

In closing, I would urge those members who like leadership and have thought about contributing to the profession through leadership to consider a volunteer career with AHEAD. Contact the office, get to know the board members whose work interests you, and volunteer what time you can to our many projects and services. I've said it many times, AHEAD is a peer-driven membership association, not a store. We value every member, those who can volunteer as leaders, those who help out when they can, and those who continue their membership and take advantage of association services.

Thank you.

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Awards Presented at AHEAD Conference Banquet
AHEAD Communications Director Joanie Friend reports on the honors bestowed at the annual conference.

In addition to the fabulous chocolate dessert and Mariachi music, AHEAD members honored three fellow professionals and one student at the banquet. Sam Goodin received the distinguished Ronald E. Blosser Dedicated Service Award. Pawel Widowik traveled from University of Warsaw, Poland to accept the President's Award. Dr. Sally Scott was recognized with the Professional Recognition Award for her work as JPED Editor and Aimee B. Herring a recent graduate of Indiana University received the Student Recognition Award. Following is a summary of the achievements of award winners.

The Ronald E. Blosser Dedicated Service Award was presented to Past President Sam Goodin, the Director of Services for Students with Disabilities at the University of Michigan. Sam was recognized for his outstanding service to AHEAD and to the disability services profession. Many members sent in letters supporting Sam's nomination.

Sam Goodin, AHEAD Past President and 2004 Blosser Dedicated Service Award winner with Ron Blosser.

Richard Harris, from Ball State University had the following things to say about his colleague. As a member of AHEAD for over 20 years, Sam has served the Association in formal capacities as a conference chair, conference program chair, president-elect, president, and immediate past president. Additionally, he has been a long time editorial board member of JPED and has chaired several committees, including most recently the very important by-laws revision committee. While these roles are indisputably important, his contributions by way of his activities above and beyond the call of any duty are what have made him of most exceptional value to AHEAD.

In addition, he is a true leader in our field, with experience at Southern Illinois-Carbondale, the University of North Dakota, California State University-Los Angeles, Indiana University-Bloomington, and now at the University of Michigan. There are few people that know our field better than Sam. Fellow professionals look to him for leadership.

Every once in a great while an organization is fortunate enough to be blessed with selfless dedication by an individual who works valiantly behind the scenes. Often, it is the monumental efforts of these "invisible" few that provide the true backbone of strength for an Association. Sam Goodin is one of those rare people. He has freely given of his time, talents, insights, and leadership to AHEAD. He has done this all as a volunteer, never seeking recognition, not looking for accolades, simply working tirelessly on behalf of his professional association. He is motivated by true care and concern for the ongoing welfare and viability of the organization that means so much to him.

Former Executive Director, Jane Jarrow of DAIS wrote, "Sam helped redefine the role of AHEAD in both its internal and external persona and with his guidance, AHEAD is once again a welcoming atmosphere to one and all. He did this through humor, hard work, diplomacy and - most of all - his dedication."

Sam Goodin began his career as a graduate assistant working under Dr.Ron Blosser at the Unversity of Illinois Carbondale from 1977-1979. As the 2003 recipient of the Blosser award, this is a tribute to the tenure, dedication, and leadership of Sam Goodin, as well as, the mentoring of Ron Blosser who helped launch the career of this exemplary disability services professional. Congratulations Sam.

The President's Award was presented to Pawel Widowik, Director of Disability Services at Warsaw University in Poland.

Randy Borst, AHEAD President met Pawel Widowik in 1999 at Warsaw University when he was a speaker at a conference to discuss disability law in Poland and to open an accessible technology lab for students with visual impairments. During the week Randy spent with Pawel, he acquired a deep respect for Pawel's considerable intellectual prowess and knowledge of disability and higher education. Randy was particularly impressed with Pawel's nobility and courage of character.

AHEAD President Randy Borst with President's Award winner Pawel Widowik from Warsaw, Poland.

By the time a democratic government was set up in Poland, Pawel had finished his work on his master's degree in social psychology. Pawel was invited to join University staff in a project to offer educational services to college students with disabilities and to improve disability access to university buildings. He was sent to tour several programs in the United States at institutions such as University of Illinois and University of Minnesota. Pawel stated that he especially learned about disability service coordination from Brad Hedrick at the University of Illinois. Accompanied by his new leader dog, Pawel went home to begin work on his program.

When Randy met him in 1999, Pawel had a small office, a secretary, and four part-time student workers. To maintain confidentiality, his secretary and student workers would have to wait in the hall while he met with students. Today, however, things are much different, Pawel now has a large office suite and a full-time staff of six, serving over 300 students. Significant work has gone forward on physical-access improvements to over 50 University buildings.

It was with humble pleasure that Randy had the opportunity to present to Pawel the AHEAD President's Award for 2003. Pawel now seeks to establish an AHEAD in Europe. We do not yet know what form such an association will take and what its formal relationship with AHEAD will be, but we do know that we have one of the very best people in the world working on it.

Dr.Sally Scott from the University of Connecticut received the Professional Recognition Award for her numerous contributions to AHEAD as a researcher, program presenter and most notably for her work as Editor of the Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability (JPED).

Communications Director Joanie Friend presents the Professional Recognition Award to JPED Editor Sally Scott.

As JPED editor for the last four years, Sally led the Journal back to producing two regular issues annually. In addition she has always held high standards for submission and has worked with struggling authors to help them bring their manuscripts up to JPED standards. She also reinvigorated the editorial review board and established three Associate Editors for the publication.

Sally's tenure as editor came along when the publication needed to join the electronic age. According to Sam Goodin, " The JPED has been blessed with many dedicated editors over the years but only Sally proofread 5000 pages of archived JPED articles so that they could be posted on the web. This was no easy task as these pages scanned very poorly with 20 or more errors per page." Thanks to Dr. Scott's efforts, AHEAD members can now search a database of the last ten years of JPED articles on the AHEAD web site.

Dr. Scott's term as editor has advanced the legitimacy of our association with a professional produced scholarly peer reviewed journal. Congratulations to Dr. Sally Scott, 2004 Professional Recognition Award recipient.

Aimee B. Herring was nominated for the Student Recognition Award by Martha Jacques, Director of Disability Services for Students at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Aimee first distinguished herself as a student worker in the Disability Services office. For two years, Aimee provided reliable transportation to students with disabilities as a van driver at Indiana's large and hilly campus. Aimee was respected and well liked by students and co-workers, often exceeding expectations to cover shifts to ensure that students had transportation.

In the summer of 2002, Aimee participated in a barrier identification project at the University. Aimee volunteered many hours to search the campus for facilities access barriers. In addition, she created a PowerPoint presentation for University Facilities Administrators that resulted in an action plan to improve campus access. In the Fall of 2002, Aimee volunteered to drive students with disabilities to an off campus leadership conference. She also assisted students and presenters while at the conference.

Additionally, Aimee has provided an average of four hours of weekly tutoring to at risk children in a local elementary school. She has worked one summer with Deaf children and this past academic year, she helped form and serve as founding president of a new student organization, Students for Improving Disability Access. Despite all of Aimee's extracurricular activities to improve the environment for students with disabilities, Aimee has a solid GPA, and graduated with a double major in Business and Political Science in May, 2003. Aimee plans to attend Law School and possibly focus her studies on disability law. Congratulations Aimee B. Herring 2003 AHEAD Student Recognition Award winner.

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The UD Strand In Review
Gladys Loewen. MEd, Manager of Assistive Technology - British Columbia, updates AHEAD members on developments in Universal Design shared at the Dallas conference, and points out the growing importance of UD in our field.

As I reflect on the success of the AHEAD Conference 2003, and the program Tom Thompson put together to explore how we can advance our profession, I realized that his is the first year that the conference program offered a full strand of sessions on Universal Design (UD), including a pre-conference institute and a closing plenary session. So this seemed like a good opportunity to think about the UD sessions and their impact on our vision as an Association.

When asked to comment on the UD pre-conference institute, Bill Pollard commented: "…I attended the UD pre-conference to show my support…and ended the day with new knowledge, excitement and insight into the potential of UD as a means to 'truly level the playing field' for the students we serve. The day was filled with excitement, strategies and many examples of how UD can empower students and energize faculty."

For David Clark, a guest speaker in the closing plenary session, this was his introduction to AHEAD and the approach we are taking in exploring universal designs in higher education. He observed that "It is a difficult proposition, because most members are struggling to 'stay afloat' and meet the needs of the students today, that have an exam this week etc. and we are asking them to embrace a paradigm shift that will take years to realize fully. I think that conceptually people get it, but it is hard to see how it applies to them / how they can use it today." He is quick to point out how important UD has been in his life as an information technology consultant. "From a technical standpoint, it means that I can roll up to any computer without adding or installing anything. It strikes me that academia really is a great incubator for UD. If we look at other societal transformations - the Internet, for example, started as a way for researchers to communicate with the military - darpa and bitnet." For Clark, UD provides a greater opportunity to participate equally.

Virginia Grubaugh, Director of Professional Development, did the groundwork to offer continuing education units for participation in the UD strand and was pleased with the interest showed by in the membership. Many conference attendees took advantage of this offer and faithfully lined up after each session to get their forms initialed as proof of attendance. This is just one more example demonstrating how this conference focused on advancing our profession.

Richard Allegra reflected: "An impression that I'm left with after this year's conference: I wonder if UD is the paradigm that can help bridge the gap between US and International AHEAD members/DSS providers. A challenge for each year's Program Committee is to create a conference that is broad enough to appeal to our diverse members…The common feedback we hear is that AHEAD is too US focused, which is a by-product of us focusing so much on the ADA. UD takes us beyond that limitation. It doesn't depend on a given country's legislation." Allegra is already "leading the dance" in thinking of the design of the program for AHEAD 2004.

Garth Findahl, an international member, commented that as he left the closing plenary, he "could see the relevancy that UD has on the 21st century and the potential it has for higher education. Some of the doubters realized that it [UD] is something that is feasible and should be explored." Pollard summed it up by saying that the conference showed "how much good work is already being done by members of the Association."

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Features

Disability Services Resources
This is a new section in the ALERT for announcements of books, services, and other resources that could be of use to AHEAD members. Please note that inclusion in the ALERT does not signify an endorsement by AHEAD.

Services:
Dots Plus. The Technical Braille Center at Computers to Help People, Inc. is ready to accept more orders for science, math, Engineering and other technical books to be translated into Braille, "DotsPlus" a special form of electronic text called "Verbal Math". We also transcribe music into braille. This is also a good time for students or their colleges or universities to place orders for the fall semester. Those who place their orders early will get higher priority, so that more of the book will be available when classes start. You can learn more about us at our website: www.chpi.org. To learn more please e-mail Braille Operations Manager, Dee Dee Collette, at techbrl@chpi.org or call 608-257-5917.

Listservs:
Universal Instructional Design (UID) is an approach to designing and offering courses so that they are more accessible and fair to all learners, including those with disabilities. A listserv called "UID-Forum" has been founded at the University of Guelph (Ontario, Canada) to explore the principles of UID and to find ways to implement them. For further information please contact palmerj@uoguelph.ca or go to www.uid.ca.

Other Resources:
"Nursing Students with Disabilities Change the Course" by Donna Maheady Ed.D., ARNP. In this new book, eight nursing students with disabilities (hearing loss, paralysis, scoliosis, and Crohn's disease) share their journey through nursing school. Issues related to disclosure, accommodations, and reactions from faculty, patients and other students are discussed. An Individualized Nursing Education Program is developed for each student and a resource section is included. This book is recommended reading for prospective nursing students with disabilities, current nursing students with disabilities, nursing faculty, guidance counselors and disability services staff members. The book is available at www.eplibrary.com.

Success from the Start: Preparing Students with Disabilities for their First Semester in College. On-line professional development courses designed to train currently-employed professionals to develop, implement, and evaluate the impact of college-preparation programs for students with disabilities who have been accepted into postsecondary institutions but have not yet begun classes. Each six-week professional development course will be delivered via the World Wide Web. Next Sessions: o Sept. 8-Oct. 19, 2003 o Jan. 26-March 7, 2004 o Oct. 27-Dec. 7, 2003 o March 22-May 1, 2004. For more information, contact:

Success from the Start C/O Lizzie Baldi
Center on Education and Work,
School of Education
University of Wisconsin
964 Educational Sciences Building
1025 West Johnson Street
Madison WI 53706-1796
Phone: 800-446-0399
Fax: 608-262-3050
Web: www.cew.wisc.edu/disted/

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Faculty Training
Dr. Margo Izzo from Ohio State University invites AHEAD members to participate in an assessment of disability services training for faculty.

A prominent theme that emerged from the AHEAD conference in Dallas this year is the need for greater Disability Services and faculty collaboration, and in particular, greater professional development of faculty on disability-related issues. As the field moves closer towards identifying key competencies for Disability Service offices, a related need is emerging: the need for identifying training competencies among faculty on disability awareness, accommodations, and good instructional design practices.

Recently at Ohio State University, researchers were awarded a three-year U.S. Department of Education grant as one of 21 Office of Postsecondary Education Model Demonstration grants awarded to institutions around the country. The purpose of the grant is to train faculty on key disability issues using an on-line curricula based on identified competencies - the core information faculty should know about teaching and accommodating students with disabilities. These competencies were drafted through an internal body of faculty, administrators, and service providers who had extensive experience with students with disabilities. However, the competencies have yet to be refined and externally validated.

Once refined and validated by other professionals in the field, they will be used to build a product that reflects the knowledge base faculty and administrators ideally should have regarding key disability and instructional topics such as: rights and responsibilities of faculty in the accommodations process, Universal Design for Learning, web accessibility and assistive technology, college writing, and assessment of the campus climate towards students with disabilities. It is important to mention that these topics were not arbitrarily selected but were the professional development "hot topics" identified by faculty through a prior grant at Ohio State in which hundreds of faculty were surveyed campus-wide across seven departments.

This research presents a unique opportunity for AHEAD members to assist the field in validating competency-based training in regards to faculty development on disability topics. It also encourages Disability Service providers to outreach to faculty through the recruitment of faculty involvement to help identify key competencies, thus initiating a dialogue among faculty, Disability Services, and faculty development organizations on the significance of these topics.

If you would like to foster greater faculty outreach on your campus and help move the field towards professional development competencies for faculty and administrators, we invite AHEAD members to do the following:

Send out a letter to faculty on your respective campuses (a sample letter is provided at below) that requests faculty participation in completing an on-line survey rating disability training competencies. The survey is available at www.osu.edu/grants/dpg. Complete the survey yourself.

We sincerely thank you in advance for working to foster greater collaborations with faculty, and should you have any questions regarding the survey, contact Dr. Margo Izzo at 614.292.9218, izzso.1@osu.edu.

Sample Letter:

August 1, 2003

Dear Faculty Member or Administrator,

To identify faculty training needs on teaching students with disabilities, you are cordially invited to participate in an anonymous, on-line survey in which you will be asked to rate the importance of training competencies across 5 key areas: the rights and responsibilities of faculty in the teaching and accommodations process, Universal Design for Learning (effective teaching methods), web accessibility and assistive technology, college writing, and assessing the campus learning climate towards students with disabilities. Your responses will be used to: 1) validate what faculty feel is important to know in teaching students with disabilities on a national level; 2) build digital training products based on the faculty-determined competencies across the five areas mentioned above; and 3) integrate these competencies into professional development and outreach initiatives on campuses nationwide through collaborative efforts with Disability Support Services and organizations such as the Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD).

If you would like to participate, simply go to the following web link: www.osu.edu/grants/dpg. Your responses are anonymous and confidential, and the information will be automatically tabulated on-line. The survey should only take 10 minutes.

As noted above, data collected will be used to customize training efforts to identified faculty need. One of these training efforts is a three-year project at Ohio State University called FAME (Faculty and Administrator Modules in Higher Education) in which researchers, faculty, and technical specialists are working across disciplines to create an on-line curricula that can act as a resource and training tool for faculty and Disability Service providers on disability topics. Your responses are vital to ensuring that faculty need is appropriately identified and represented, not only in the digital product, but also in the field of disability and higher education.

Thank you in advance for your participation. Should you have any questions regarding the FAME project or the mission of AHEAD and how you can be involved, please contact Dr. Margo Izzo (izzo.1@osu.edu) , Scott Lissner (lissner.2@osu.edu) or David Sweeney (David@studentlife.tamu.edu).

Sincerely,

Name of DSS provider

International Project Seeks Assistance
The Quaker Palestine Youth Program is looking for partners for its programs for visually impaired students in the Gaza Strip.

For the past three years the Quaker Palestine Youth Program (QPYP) in the Gaza Strip has been working with a local university to establish an assistive technology center for visually impaired students. This year they are working with a special education school for visually impaired children to establish a parallel center. They are developing a strategic plan for the sector and its main stakeholders, and are seeking suggestions and assistance in advancing the process. Specifically, they are working on three inter-connected projects for the short and long-term.

To support ongoing projects with educational institutions in the Gaza Strip, they are seeking organizations in North America or Europe to:

• host an intern for a 3-6 month period on the use of assistive technology in the classroom;
• accept a candidate for certification program as an assistive technology trainer (as in Britain);
• accept a student in a post-graduate degree program (Masters) in special education needs (for the visually impaired such as in New York);

They are finalizing a proposal for the establishment of a Braille production center and digital talking book recording studio. These units would comprise the foundations for a Gaza Library for the Blind. As such projects require considerable investments in both equipment and technical training, as well as significant operating costs, they are seeking to establish a relationship with one or two US-based organizations for this project.

Many of the teachers have indicated a need for curriculum reform and teacher training, particularly at the elementary level. It would be instructive if a core group of teachers received training in special education, particularly in phonics-based language acquisition, and numeracy and the Nemeth code. They are currently developing a project proposal in this regard.
Any assistance or suggestions with regards to funding or identifying potential project partners would be most appreciated.

Contact Mona Ghali
Consultant, QPYP (Gaza)
c/o Kristin Hoobler
International Development and Disability Department
Mobility International USA
PO Box 10767
Eugene, OR 97440 USA
Tel/TTY: 541/343.1284
Fax: 541/343.6812
E-mail: development@miusa.org
Web: www.miusa.org

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Presidential Management Intern (PMI) Program
The Social Security Administration announces an internship program for graduate and law students.

The Social Security Administration's (SSA) recruitment theme is "Make a difference in people's lives and your own." Please help us identify qualified and enthusiastic students who want a rewarding career that makes a difference. Additional information about SSA's PMI Program and experiences that SSA PMIs have had can be found on our website at: http://www.ssa.gov/careers/pmi1.htm.

The Social Security Administration has a strong history of PMI recruitment and career development. The Agency proudly recruits and employs a diverse population and is one of the nation's leaders for employing qualified individuals with disabilities. SSA ensures employee success by providing comprehensive training, reasonable accommodations and ongoing development programs to its employees. Our PMIs are offered a variety of opportunities across the country from headquarters to the field including positions in Operations, Disability and Income Security Programs, Finance, Budget, Systems, Policy, Communications, Human Resources, Legislative and Congressional Affairs, Office of the General Counsel, Office of the Inspector General and the Office of the Commissioner.

Any accredited graduate or law school Dean may nominate five students or up to ten percent of their best students, whichever is greater, for participation in the PMI program.

Students eligible to compete for this paid internship program must:

• Complete all graduate, doctoral, or law school degree requirements between 9/1/2003 and 8/31/2004, and
• Submit their application for the PMI Program (signed by the appropriate Dean, Department Chair or Program Director of their graduate, doctoral or law program) by the postmark deadline of 10/31/2003.

The internship begins at the GS-9 level with a salary at about $35,000. Interns successfully completing the first year in the program progress to the GS-11 grade level with a salary at about $43,000. The successful completion of the second year results in a possible permanent appointment to the GS-12 grade level with a salary at about $51,000. The following OPM link includes salary information for the nation: www.opm.gov/oca/03tables/indexGS.asp. In addition to generous salaries, Social Security's PMIs receive at least 240 hours of specialized training and management development courses.

Important things to remember:

• PMI applications will be available online in September 2003 at: www.pmi.opm.gov/howapp.asp
• Students' applications must be signed by the appropriate Dean, Department Chair or Program Director of their graduate, doctoral or law academic program, and
• Please advise students not to copy a downloaded application because they are numerically controlled and each student must download his/her own application.

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BrailleNote GPS:
Accessible Location Information for Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired.

Mike May of the Sendero Group reports on the use of global positioning system data for campus accessibility.

Until recently, 99% of location information was print and therefore not accessible to people who are blind and to most that are visually impaired. With the advent of mainstream GPS and electronic map data, this is changing for those who work with the technology and learn to use this new form of information.

Are mainstream GPS products accessible?
The good news is that the GPS continues to get cheaper and smaller and the hardware components are becoming more integrated. However, screen information is not accessible on commercial GPS units, talking car units do not describe intersections and voice input systems are slow in responding and undependable in many environments.

How can blind people access location information?
Mike May founded Sendero Group in Davis California and has been working to access location information for 9 years using the Global Positioning System and related technologies. This has culminated in the release of the BrailleNote GPS Version 2 with street maps in September 2003. The BrailleNote and VoiceNote are personal data assistants, which provide the full range of applications accessible in braille and/or speech including the optional GPS.

How can the BrailleNote GPS assist on campus?
Street map databases cover the main roads on campus but not all the foot and bike paths nor many of the buildings. The BrailleNote GPS allows any point to be labeled with the simple press of a command followed by the name of the building or point of interest. Most of the buildings at Arizona State University were given a GPS label in 3 hours. Larger campuses would obviously take longer but the process is quite easy. Many buildings on the UC Davis campus are labeled.

Once the buildings are labeled, a student with a BrailleNote or VoiceNote GPS can feel or hear directions to these buildings like, "Student Center ahead and right 872 feet." The GPS won't work inside the building but it helps the blind student or staff member to locate the correct building, more than half the battle.

In addition to targeting specific buildings on campus, the BrailleNote GPS facilitates better access to the local community with a database of restaurants (700,000 points in the U.S.) including exact routes and streets. Since the BrailleNote has the full range of information applications, the student has an integrated device for writing papers, taking notes, keeping a schedule and connecting with Email and the Internet. This is an ideal portable information tool from electronic text to environmental information.

What are some future navigation developments?
In the fall of 2001, Sendero Group was awarded a $2.25 mm grant by the Department of Education's NIDRR division for R&D of wayfinding technology. Sendero is collaborating with some of the top wayfinding experts in the field from Western Michigan University, University of Minnesota, UC Santa Barbara, Carnegie-Melon University and the Smith Kettlewell Institute. The plan is to create a platform, such as the BrailleNote GPS, into which various sensors can be connected such as Talking Signs, cell phones or any other device that can enhance location information and navigation.

One of the greatest weaknesses for GPS based navigation systems have been inside buildings and subways. Sendero is working with a Swiss company to integrate a Dead Reckoning Module with GPS to enhance navigation in urban canyons and indoors. This may work together nicely with Talking Signs or other location-specific identifiers. Another technology called Snap Track allows weak GPS signals to be received inside buildings. The fact that mobile telephones must have an accurate "E911" location ability gives the incentive for commercial manufacturers to come up with good all-around location technology and this is beginning to happen.

It is fair to say that the current GPS technology offers users many benefits bearing in mind that there are also limitations, issues like accuracy and seamless availability, which are being addressed with the Wayfinding grant. It is best to start integrating location information into our lives rather than waiting for perfect worldwide centimeter accuracy. A friend recently asked, "When the boat was first introduced, what if people had said, but it doesn't travel on land?" What is now available on the BrailleNote GPS is very beneficial. Those who wait for the perfect solution and don't start learning how to utilize location information now to further their orientation and understanding of the environment will be missing the boat.

Getting around better is so essential for one's education and career. One could have 5 degrees and not get a job if he or she could not independently get to the job interview. Good mobility skills coupled with accessible location information will help the student be among the small 25% of blind people who have jobs rather than among the 75% who are unemployed.

For more information go to:

www.senderogroup.com
www.Wayfinding.org

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Travel Tip Hotline
The U.S. Department of Transportation has set up a hotline to provide tips and assistance for travelers with disabilities.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is calling on all disability organizations to promote public education about its Toll Free Hotline for air travelers with disabilities through their organization newsletters, list-serves and sponsored events.

The Toll Free Hotline for disabled air travelers has been in operation since August 2002 and is available for callers from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Time, seven days a week. It is currently not being fully utilized. The Hotline serves two main purposes: (1) education and (2) assistance in resolving disability-related air travel problems.

Many disabled air travelers are not aware of their rights and the Hotline, in part, exists as an educational service to inform air travelers with disabilities about their rights under the Air Carrier Access Act and the Department's implementing regulations 14 CFR Part 382 (Part 382). Hotline operators are well versed in the ACAA and Part 382 and can provide callers with on the spot general information about the rights of air travelers with disabilities. The Hotline operators also respond to requests for printed consumer information about air travel rights of the disabled.

The Hotline can also assist air travelers with disabilities in resolving real time or upcoming issues with air carriers. The purpose of "real-time" assistance is to facilitate airline compliance with DOT's rules by suggesting to the passenger and the airline involved alternative customer-service solutions to the problem. The airline remains responsible for deciding what action will be taken to resolve the issue in accordance with the ACAA and Part 382. Generally, if a caller has a real time problem or an upcoming issue with an air carrier, a Hotline Duty Officer will contact that air carrier and attempt to resolve the issue. For example, there have been a number of incidents in which Hotline Duty Officers have contacted air carriers and convinced them to accept service animals and electric wheelchairs on board flights, to stow folding wheelchairs in the cabin, and to provide requested wheelchair assistance.

Air travelers who want information about the rights of persons with disabilities in air travel or who experience disability-related air travel service problems may call the Hotline to obtain assistance at:

1-800-778-4838 (voice) or 1-800-455-9880 (TTY).

Air travelers who want DOT to investigate a complaint about a disability-related issue still must submit their complaint in writing via e-mail at airconsumer@ost.dot.gov or postal mail to:

Aviation Consumer Protection Division
U.S. Department of Transportation
400 7th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590

To request flyers promoting the Hotline to distribute to your membership, contact (202) 366-1617 (voice) or (202) 366-0511 (TTY).

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Mobility International USA Announces Exchange Pioneers Fellowship Winners
The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange awards fellowships to five students with disabilities.

The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) announce the winners of the Exchange Pioneers Fellowships. These $1000 to $2000 fellowships were awarded to students with disabilities to facilitate taking part in internships with US-based international exchange programs and offices. In their internship positions, fellowship winners will assist exchange program staff to coordinate the sending or receiving of individuals or groups to/from overseas to study, research, intern or volunteer. The fellowships will provide financial support for these individuals to gain experience in the international exchange field, and for the exchange organizations to become familiar with disability perspectives. Each award recipient will write a publishable article about his/her experience and become a peer mentor to others with disabilities seeking similar experiences. The winning applicants are:

• Diana Nguyen who will intern with AYUSA International in San Francisco, CA;
• Christopher Archie who will intern at the Mississippi Valley State University Office of International Studies, in Itta Bena, MS;
• Allison LePage who will intern at Colleagues International in Kalamazoo, MI; and
• Takiesa Grant and John Braxton who will both intern at the Savannah State University International Education Office, in Savannah, GA.

NCDE strives to increase the participation of people with disabilities in the full range of international exchange opportunities by providing free resources, referrals and field-tested tips to disabled individuals, disability-related organizations and exchange organizations.

The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State and administered by Mobility International USA.

For further information about NCDE and its services visit www.miusa.org. For information on AAPD, visit www.aapd-dc.org.

As a student of the University during the 1980s when the people of Poland organized to throw off the bonds of communism, Pawel was a part of the freedom movement. He carried anti-Communist literature in his backpack along with his school supplies. One evening, a Communist-government policeman stopped Pawel, as he was on his way out of a meeting. The policeman demanded to know what was in Pawel's backpack. Pawel could only think of one response: he called the policeman's bluff by demanding of him, "what kind of fool would think there are such Poles who would make a blind man carry contraband literature?" Ashamed, the policeman let him go, or who knows what part of Siberia (figuratively speaking) Pawel would have wound up in. That has to have been the best example ever of taking undue advantage of one's disability for the benefit of ones countrymen.

 

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