Global Universal Design Educators 
Monthly Online News

Produced and distributed monthly by Elaine Ostroff In cooperation with the Adaptive Environments Center, the Center for Universal Design and the Trace R&D Center; with support from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research

Volume 3 Number 2, February 2001

Contents

• EDITOR’S NOTE
• News From the Global Network
  • CANADA
    • Inclusion by Design Update
  • EUROPE
    • Busses for All Victory in E.U. Parliament
    • Council of Europe - Universal Design Education
  • GREECE
    • New Journal: UNIVERSAL ACCESS IN THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
  • INDIA
    • Historic Monuments to be made Accessible
  • MEXICO
    • President Fox Establishes New Office on Disability 
  • UNITED STATES
    • National Center for Seniors’ Housing Research: Design Competition Winners
    • Supreme Court: Justices Won’t Hear New ADA Challenge - States Must Comply
    • US Access Board: Advisory Committee Issues Report on Public Rights-of-Way
• Global Universal Design Educator’s Network e-mail list
• Calendar
• Adding your information, questions to the Online News

EDITOR’S NOTE

This issue brings news from the ‘Majority World’ – both India and Mexico report on changing policies in each country that can lead to universal design. News from Europe highlights action on ‘Busses for All’ from the European Parliament and a resolution on universal design education from the European Council of Ministers. Universal information technology is the subject of a new international journal and conference, the Canadian ‘Inclusion by Design’ conference highlights its international program and events, the US Senior Housing Research Center announces student winners of a recent design competition, and the Rights of Way committee of the US Access board releases its report. An analysis of recent US Supreme Court decisions reviews their impact on the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Information from the Monthly Online News may be freely copied and quoted as long as the individual author, and/or web site and this source is cited. Previous issues of the Online News are available online at the Adaptive Environments web site at:

<http://www.adaptenv.org/global/default.asp?f=5>.

NEWS FROM THE GLOBAL NETWORK

CANADA

World Congress on Inclusion by Design: Update

Deputy Prime Minister, Herb Gray, the Honorary Patron of the World Congress announced that Canada is taking a leadership role in this premier event that will be held June 1 -5, 2001 in Montreal. Canada has a rich history of inclusion that reflects its diverse population, cultures and traditions. Employment Equity Legislation, the Canadian Human Rights Act, National Building Codes, Labor Laws and Transportation guidelines are examples of Canadian policies that respond to the range of interests and needs within our country.  

The Congress will feature over 170 presenters from 30 different countries and will include a number of special events such as the adoption of an International Instrument The Montréal Inclusion by Design Declaration. “Each participant will contribute to the drafting of this Instrument and will receive a copy of the Declaration to circulate in their network and present to decision makers and elected officials in their respective countries”, concludes Mr. Jim McDonald, President of the Organizing Committee.

Plenary Speakers include: Mr. Claude Filion, President, Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse, Québec, Canada; Ms. Christine Gordon, Co-ordinator, B.C. Coalition of People with Disabilities, Canada; Ms. Elaine Ostroff, Founding Director, Adaptive Environments Center, United States; Ms.  Nancy Riche, Secretary-Treasurer, Canadian Labour Congress, Canada; Mr. Norbert Rodrigue, President and Chief Executive Officer, Office des personnes handicapées du Québec, Canada; Mr. Jim Sandhu, Director, Inclusive Design Research Associates (INDRA), United Kingdom; Mr. Riadh Tappuni, 1^st Human Settlements Officer, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, Beirut, Lebanon. Formerly: United Nations Regional Housing Reconstruction Coordinator, Kosovo. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, Beirut, Lebanon; and Ms. Jane Woodruff, Senior Director, Common Domain Events and Venue Management, Olympic Co-ordination Authority, Australia.

Also incorporated in the Conference is the First International Morton Keston Summit on Home Modifications, coordinated by the National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modification of the University of Southern California. An international panel will discuss current achievements, barriers to progress, and strategies to create better housing environments in the future.

Early Bird Rate

The early bird rate will be available until March 15, 2001.  For further information, please visit the Congress website at <http://www.ccrw.org> or call the Congress Secretariat at (514) 287-1070 or write:<congress @ccrw.org>.

EUROPE

Busses for All Victory in E.U. Parliament

February 14, 2001 marked a historic victory for disabled people in securing a winning vote at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on the ‘Bus and Coach Directive’ which will mean all buses in the European Union will have to be fully accessible for disabled people. The Disability Intergroup of the European Parliament together with disabled people in Europe have been campaigning on this Directive for the last nine years; a Directive of great importance to all disabled people in Europe.

The successful outcome follows a dramatic, last ditch attempt by a large group of MEPs to vote against this very important Directive and vote down the Council common position. The Rapporteur of the Parliament Report, Bill Miller MEP and the members of the Disability Intergroup of the European Parliament led by Chair Richard Howitt MEP together with the European disability movement launched an intensive campaign to save this Directive from defeat. The vote was won by 296 votes: 224

Of particular importance is that the European Parliament voted in favour of a key amendment to the Directive to guarantee level access to all new buses in urban areas for persons with reduced mobility including wheelchair users negotiated by the Disability Intergroup Chair, Richard Howitt MEP and Rapporteur Bill Miller MEP. “To achieve level access requires a boarding aid -a lift or a ramp - because a low-floor bus on its own is not enough” said Richard Howitt MEP during the plenary debate.

This amendment requires that all urban buses must be fitted with a kneeling system in combination with a ramp or lift unless local infrastructure design already guarantees level access to secure boarding.

The Disability Intergroup and the European Disability Forum strongly calls on the Council to support the Parliament report and the amendment on boarding aids in the final approval stage in the next two weeks. NOTE: Thanks to Jim Sandhu of the UK for noting this decision. This story was excerpted from <http://www.independentliving.org>. 

New Resolution on Universal Design Education 

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted a Resolution on Universal Design at their February meeting in Strasburg. This pro-active approach recommends the incorporation of universal design principles into the curricula of architects, engineers and town planners, and, by and large, into the training of all vocations working on the built environment. Thanks to Olav Bringa of Norway for sending this information.

The resolution notes that, “Architectural obstacles and barriers in the built environment still exclude many people with disabilities from full participation in the life of the community - a form of social exclusion that is undoubtedly a denial of basic human rights. The man-made environment is constructed on the assumption of there being an “average person”. However, there is no standardized person. Since every individual deviates from ‘the norm’ in one way or another (age, height, width, weight, strength, speed, sight, hearing, stamina, mental capacities, etc.), facilities built for the ‘average person’ are not necessarily equally accessible for everybody.

In the past, the problem of accessibility was considered a direct result of the individual’s deviation from ‘the norm’. The person was the ‘exception,’ hence the ‘problem.’ The new integrated approach including universal design aims to respond equally to the needs of everyone. The criteria defining ‘normality’ should be enlarged to ensure that the construction of the built environment is based on universal design. A new awareness of design and construction is needed.”

The Council of Europe is a pan-European cooperation-organization on culture and human rights. It does not have the lawful powers of the European Commission but has significant influence on European matters.

The resolution relates to earlier efforts of the by the ‘European Concept for Accessibility’, in March 1996, elaborated by the Central Coordinating Commission for the Promotion of Accessibility (CCPT) and the ‘Barcelona Declaration: The City and the Disabled’ of 24 March 1995, signed by 150 European cities following the Congress on “The City and the Disabled”, Barcelona, 23-24 March 1995.

• Following is a selection of excerpts from the detailed resolution that highlights the depth of the thinking involved in this resolution.

• ‘Considering that the aim of the Council of Europe can be pursued, inter alia, by the adoption of common legislation and practice conducive to the creation of a society for all;

• Considering that failure to promote the rights of citizens with disabilities and ensure equality of opportunities is a violation of human dignity;

• Considering that equal opportunities for members of all groups in society can contribute to securing democracy and social cohesion;

• Emphasizing the almost total lack of compulsory training programmes with a universal design dimension for all occupations working on the built environment;

Convinced that universal design and accessibility have a key role to play in the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms and should therefore be incorporated into all levels of the education and training programs of all occupations working on the built environment;

Through a coordinated set of measures introducing the concept of universal design into the curricula of all occupations working on the built environment, people of all ages, sizes and abilities should be enabled to have as much mobility, and access to buildings as well as means of transport, as possible, so that they can play a full role in society and take part in economic, social, cultural, leisure, and recreational activities.

Curricula should be developed with the co-operation of users, including organizations of and for people with disabilities.

The concept of universal design should be brought into focus for other professions working with the built environment, such as regional planners, property developers, estate agents, landscape architects and landscape gardeners, as well as interior designers.  It should also be brought to the attention of users, customers and clients, including organizations and bodies representing them.

Education, training and awareness-raising should provide everyone dealing with the built environment with the necessary understanding, knowledge, skills and values to instill new attitudes and behavior towards achieving a built environment that is universally accessible.’ The full resolution can be seen at: <http://cm.coe.int/ta/res/resAP/2001/2001xp1.htm>.

GREECE

New Journal: UNIVERSAL ACCESS IN THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

A Call for Papers has been sent from Constantine Stephanidis, inviting participation in a new journal, Universal Access in the Information Society (UAIS). This is an international, interdisciplinary refereed journal that solicits original research contributions addressing the accessibility, usability, and, ultimately, acceptability of Information Society Technologies by anyone, anywhere, at anytime, and through any media and device. Universal access refers to the conscious and systematic effort to proactively apply principles, methods and tools of universal design, in order to develop Information Society Technologies which are accessible and usable by all citizens, including the very young and the elderly and people with different types of disabilities, thus avoiding the need for a posteriori adaptations or specialized design. The journal’s unique focus is on theoretical, methodological, and empirical research, of both technological and non-technological nature, that addresses equitable access and active participation of potentially all citizens in the information society.

The journal’s perspective is that the requirement for universal access stems from the growing impact of the fusion of the emerging technologies, and from the different dimensions of diversity, which are intrinsic to the information society. These dimensions become evident when considering the broad range of user characteristics, the changing nature of human activities, the variety of contexts of use, the increasing availability and diversification of information and knowledge sources and services, the proliferation of technological platforms, etc.

The journal publishes research work on the design, development, evaluation, use, and impact of Information Society Technologies, as well as on standardization, policy, and other non-technological issues that facilitate and promote universal access. Paper submissions, in English, should report on theories, methods, tools, empirical results, reviews, case studies, and best practice examples, in any application domain and should have a clear focus on universal access. The journal will also host special issues, book reviews and letters to the editor, news from Information Society Technologies industry, and standardization and regulatory bodies, announcements (e.g., conferences, seminars, presentations, exhibitions, education & curricula, awards, new research programs) and commentaries (e.g., about new legislation).

For further information, please visit the Journal’s website:

<http://link.springer.de/journals/uais/>.

Stephanidis also notes that the 1^st International Conference on “Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction” will be held in New Orleans, August 5-12, 2001, at the Fairmount Hotel. For more information, see the conference website at: <http://uahci.ics.forth.gr/> or contact Constantine Stephanidis who is the conference chair at: <cs@ics.forth.gr>.

INDIA

Historic Monuments to be made Accessible

Abir Mullick reports on recent developments in India, highlighting the news that followed Professor Stephen Hawking’s visit to New Delhi. Hawking wanted to visit four historical monuments, the Red Fort, Qutab Minar, Humayun’s Tomb and Jantar Mantar. In order for him to visit these sites, they were made accessible in a cooperative effort between the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Government’s Institute for the Physically Handicapped (IPH). Later, the ASI announced its plan to make all monuments, including the Taj and Khajuraho, accessible. In the first phase of this new program, over two dozen monuments in the country, including all the World Heritage Sites, would be made accessible.

Mullick, who visited India just prior to Hawking’s visit, also notes, “I lectured on universal design at the Delhi’s School of Planning and Architecture and at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT); IIT is comparable to MIT here.  In addition, Javed Abidi, Director, National Council for the Promotion of Employment of Disabled People (NCPEDP), and his office organized a meeting where I introduced universal design to about 10 organizations that service the disability sector. He also arranged a public lecture on January 13, at the most conspicuous place in Delhi, the India International Center; the same place where Stephen Hawkins was to lecture the day after. My lecture on universal design was extremely well attended by high government officials, the architect contingent such as the Presidents of the Council of Indian Architects and Indian Institute of Architects, the American Embassy, British Council, many disability organizations and of course a huge press contingent. I gave a 45-minute lecture and answered questions for 1 hour. The lecture received excellent press coverage.” For more information, contact Abir Mullick at <amullick@ap.buffalo.edu>.

MEXICO

President Establishes New Office on Disability 

Mexico’s new president, Vicente Fox, has established a high-level office for people with disabilities. This is the first time that there has been a comprehensive office that crosscuts all agencies and programs.  Taide Buenfil, Director of Citizens Projects, Office of Representation for the Social Promotion and Inclusion of Disabled Persons, Presidency of the Mexican Republic, explains, “This is the first time that we have an office especially for disabled persons; before this there were specialized but disconnected programs in the health department or social security, but not everywhere where we needed to be”.  She describes the three branches of the new office and the growing emphasis on accessibility and universal design in Mexico. The focus of each branch is:

1. Legal aspects - laws, regulations and norms will be modified in every aspect to include disabled persons.

2. Institutional programs – federal, state, and local government institutions, will work to meet the needs of disabled people. Non-government organizations (NGO´s) will be involved but the government will initiate the changes in policies and programs.

3. Citizens projects - the NGO´s will initiate and make the changes or projects.

She notes, “The citizens projects involve accessibility; this is where we can start working in universal design. We have to explain accessibility to everyone, and how that is the basis for universal design. This is a way to have the whole society working on the new society that we are trying to make, a society of inclusion”. 

Buenfil is a registered architect who has been teaching graduate courses in accessibility and universal design at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. She is also the author of survey tools and accessibility guidelines. She highlights the fact that the 1985 earthquake in Mexico City led to major changes in design and construction that incorporated the needs of older and disabled people. For more information, contact her at obrasyd@prodigy.net.mex

UNITED STATES

National Center for Seniors’ Housing Research: 
Winners of Design Comp

Students from the University of Minnesota, the University of Idaho, and Texas A & M University were named winners of the national student design competition, Aging in Place: A Smart-Aging Residential Design Competition for Students.

First place in the single-family design was won by Lynn Lehman, University of Minnesota. The runner-up was Carolyn Bogert, University of Idaho. Texas A&M University architecture students won both first place and runner-up awards in the multi-family design. First place was won by Thane Eddington & Bhargav Goswami, and the runner-up was Wayne Baker & Aditya Dafre.

“These students rose above their peers in understanding and addressing the needs of today’s aging population through innovative residential design,” said Liza Bowles, president of the NAHB Research Center, which sponsored the competition in cooperation with the U.S. Administration on Aging.

Open spaces, bathrooms with two separate sink areas, foam bathtubs, carts for everything from trash to flowers, safe rooms, toilets on tracks, and even edible plants were among the creative features the students included in their entries, said Bowles.

Students from 21 states and Canada participated in the inaugural year of the competition. The 136 students came from four-year colleges, community colleges, vocational schools, and high schools.

“While we have recognized the students as winners, the real winners are older adults,” said Deborah Adler, project director of the National Center for Seniors’ Housing Research. With the participation of academic institutions nationwide, the concept of aging in place has been successfully introduced to hundreds of students across the U.S. “These students will be the designers and home builders of the future, and introducing them to the housing needs of an aging population now paves the way,” Adler added.

Because Americans over age 60 will number almost 88 million by 2030, the demand for new homes and modifications to existing homes will be substantial. Through innovative ideas and creative features, today’s and tomorrow’s home builders and remodelers will be able to meet the demand.

“Students will be better equipped to help meet the demands because of their introduction to the concept of aging in place through contests such as ours,” Bowles said. The good ideas from the competition will be captured and made available for use by academic institutions, home builders, remodelers, and aging and health care professionals, for the benefit of all.

Competition judges met in early January and selected the winning and runner-up entries. Judged on creativity, buildability, livability, and affordability, the entries were featured at an open house on January 5, where judges were on hand to point out features they felt were particularly attractive and useful.

The student design competition is one of many activities of the National Center for Seniors’ Housing Research, which seeks to enable all Americans to continue to live comfortably, safely, and independently in their own homes as they age, regardless of age or ability level.

The next planned activity for the Center, Adler said, is the Seniors’ Housing Symposium, scheduled for April 26 and 27 in Phoenix, Ariz. The symposium will bring together housing, aging, financial, and product experts to discuss how to design, develop, market, build, renovate, and finance homes for a diverse and growing group of Americans.

For more information about any of the activities of the National Center for Seniors’ Housing Research, visit the NAHB Research Center website at www.nahbrc.org, and click on Seniors’ Research or contact:                                                    

Deborah Adler at: dsadler@nahbrc.org.

Supreme Court: Justices Won’t Hear ADA Challenge - States Must Comply

This analysis of the recent Supreme actions related to the ADA is provided especially for the international readers of the Online News. Many people around the world (the editor among them) believe that the ADA provides a foundation for universal design. There had been widespread concern that the Supreme Court decision on Alabama v. Garrett would have significant consequences for the ADA, especially in relation to Title II, the section of the law that covers state and local governments. However, the decision released on February 21 was fairly narrow and limited to state employees. Fred Fay, of Justice for All, distributed the following material.

Anne Gearan, Associated Press, wrote, “Only days after it put some lawsuits off-limits under the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Supreme Court declined to take on a broader challenge to the landmark law.

The court, without comment, turned aside a case on February 26 that could have made states immune from lawsuits alleging discrimination against the disabled in access to public services, programs and buildings.

Like a case decided a week before, which dealt with state employees who sought money damages for alleged employment discrimination, this one asked the justices to look at the 11^th Amendment as it relates to civil rights claims, and decide how much protection states are due. The amendment has been interpreted to give states immunity from private suits seeking money in federal court, unless the states have consented to be sued or Congress has acted conclusively to do away with the immunity.

In its 5-4 ruling on Feb. 21, the court said Congress exceeded its authority in opening states to private employment discrimination lawsuits like those brought by a state-employed nurse with breast cancer and a maintenance worker with chronic asthma.

That ruling is limited to state employees. But the same reasoning would have wider effect if applied to the case acted on Monday. That case dealt with lawsuits against state or local governments under the part of the ADA that forbids governments to discriminate against the disabled in their programs, services and activities.

That part of the 1990 anti-discrimination law is not limited to state employees, and is a major reason public buildings have had to make such physical changes as wheelchair ramps and Braille elevator buttons.”

Attorney Amy Robertson, of the Denver law firm Fox & Robertson, drafted the following document at the request of Julie Reiskin and the Colorado Cross Disability Coalition.  In it, she clarifies key points of the Garrett decision, including the fact that states still have obligations under the ADA.

States Must Still Comply with the ADA

The Supreme Court’s decision in Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama v. Garrett, No. 99-1240 (Feb. 21, 2001), did one thing:  It held that lawsuits under Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act for damages against states are unconstitutional.  With this one exception, the ADA is very much alive, even against states and other public entities.  For example:

1. Title II of the ADA was not affected by this decision and individuals can still sue for injunctive relief and damages under that part of the statute;

2. Even under the rationale of the Garrett decision, individuals can still sue for injunctive relief—that is, an order— requiring a state to comply with the ADA; and

3. Individuals can still sue local governments and other non-state public entities both for injunctive relief and for damages.

The Decision Only Covers Title I: 

Title I of the ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment; Title II prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by public entities.  Although the parties to Garrett had originally asked the Supreme Court to decide both Title I and Title II, the Court only decided Title I, and explicitly stated, “We are not disposed to decide the constitutional issue whether Title II, which has somewhat different remedial provisions from Title I, is appropriate legislation under §5 of the Fourteenth Amendment . . .”  Slip op. at 2 n.1.  What this means is that the result of the Garrett decision only impacts state employment practices.  All other facets of state government activity are unaffected by this opinion.  It is true that some courts may hold that the logic of today’s decision applies to Title II as well, although there are very good reasons why the Supreme Court might analyze Title II differently and come to the conclusion that damages suits are available under that title.  But even if Title II is treated as Title I was in Garrett—that is, if damages suits are held to be unconstitutional—suits for injunctive relief against states and all lawsuits against local governments are still very much alive.

An Individual Can Still Sue a State for an Injunction Requiring

Compliance with the ADA:

The Supreme Court—through footnote 9 of the Garrett decision—made clear that “Title I of the ADA still prescribes standards applicable to the States.  Those standards can be enforced…by private individuals in actions for injunctive relief.”  Slip op. at 16 n.9.  If the logic of Garrett is extended to Title II, naturally this exception will also apply.  What this means is that:

• States will still have to comply with the ADA;

• People with disabilities can sue states for failing to comply with the ADA; and

• Courts can order states to comply with the ADA.

US Access Board - Advisory Committee Issues Report on Public Rights-of-Way

On January 10, 2001, the Access Board’s Public Rights-of-Way Access Advisory Committee presented its recommendations on accessible public rights-of-way at the annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board. The recommendations are provided in the form of a report, “Building a True Community,” which the Board will use in developing accessibility guidelines specific to public rights-of-way under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA). The committee’s 33 members included representatives from disability organizations, public works departments, transportation and traffic engineering groups, design professionals and civil engineers, government agencies, and standards-setting bodies. An overview of the report is available in the January/February issue of Access Currents, the Board’s quarterly publication from which this article is excerpted. See it at:

<http://www.access-board.gov/news/Access%20Currents/Jan-Feb01.htm> The committee’s report provides criteria for the design and construction of public rights-of-way that are accessible to people with physical and sensory disabilities. The report presents specific language for requirements covering sidewalks, street fixtures and furnishings, street crossings, vehicular ways, and other components of public rights-of-way. In addition to scoping and technical provisions, the report also provides advisory notes, figures, and discussion of issues that merit further study or special attention in the Board’s rulemaking. The full report is available on the Board’s website at <htpp://www.access-board.gov> or can be ordered by calling the Board at (800) 872-2253 (voice) or (800) 993-2822 (TTY).

BOARD GUIDANCE MATERIALS ON RIGHTS-OF-WAY 
In addition to the advisory committee report, there is other guidance material on rights-of-way design available from the Board on its website at <http://www.access-board.gov> or by calling (800) 872-2253 (voice) or (800) 993-2822 (TTY). This information includes:

• ACCESSIBLE RIGHTS-OF-WAY: A DESIGN GUIDE - This 148-page design guide, developed by the Board and FHWA, shows how to apply ADA standards to sidewalks and street crossings and provides recommendations for best practice.  *DETECTABLE WARNINGS: SYNTHESIS OF U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE - A 150-page report that provides a review of research and guidelines on detectable warnings and their use in the U.S. and abroad.
  

• ACCESSIBLE PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS - This report provides a synthesis of current technology in accessible pedestrian signals, including a listing of devices and manufacturers.
  

• ACCESSIBLE SIDEWALKS: DESIGN ISSUES FOR PEDESTRIANS WITH DISABILITIES - A four-part video that highlights common access issues in public rights-of-way.

Global Universal Design Educator’s Network NEW e-mail list

The Trace Center has agreed to host the email list. They host over a dozen lists and have a good, working system. Note that the email list and the Online News are two distinct features. The list is interactive, unlike the Online News that you receive monthly. If you want to be part of an interactive e-mail exchange with other people who are interested in teaching and learning about universal design education, you must subscribe as explained below. If you were subscribed to the original list you will need to re-subscribe. Once you subscribe you will receive directions for how to use the list.

To subscribe send an email message to listproc@trace.wisc.edu, and include the following in the body of the message: subscribe UNIVERSALDESIGN-ED yourfirstname yourlastname.

The purpose of the list is explained more fully at this link: <http://trace.wisc.edu:8080/guest/info/UNIVERSALDESIGN-ED>

CALENDAR

March 19-24, 2001: CSUN’s 16^th Annual International Conference, “Technology and Persons with Disabilities” at the Hilton Los Angeles Airport and Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotels,. A Preregistration brochure with complete information about the conference will be available in early January 2001. Check our website regularly for conference information updates at: http://www.csun.edu/cod/conf2001/genconfinfo/

April 18-20, 2001: “Include: Innovation through inclusive design and communication,” at the Royal College of Art, London. Organized by the Helen Hamlyn Research Center in collaboration with the Contemporary Trends Institute. <http://www.hhrc.rca.ac.uk/events/include/index.html>.

April 26-27, 2001: Building for Boomers and Beyond, Seniors Housing Symposium 2001. Hyatt Regency at Civic Plaza, Phoenix, AZ. Sponsored by the NAHB National Center for Seniors’ Housing Research, the NAHB Research Center, and the National Council on Seniors Housing. See: < http://www.nahbrc.org/seniors/symposium.htm>.

April 29-May 1, 2001: Outdoors for All: Creating Solutions for Inclusive Recreation. Roundtable and Exposition, in Silver Creek, Colorado. Organized Easter Seals Colorado. Contact Carol Hunter at hunterc@estreet.com or visit the website at: <http://www.eastersealsco.org/Roundtable/roundtable_info.html>.

May 3-5, 2001: The Child’s Right to Play: A Global Approach, in Hempstead, NY. Hofstra Cultural Center, Hofstra University in cooperation with the American Association of the Child’s Right to Play (IPA/USA). See http://www.hofstra.edu/play and http://ipausa.org or email to: <HOFCULTR@Hofstra.edu>.

June 1-5, 2001: INCLUSION BY DESIGN - Planning the Barrier-Free World in Montréal, Canada (Palais des Congrès de Montréal). The Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work is hosting an international world congress.  See: <http://www.ccrw.org> or contact <congress@ccrw.org>.

June 21-24, 2001: Democracy, Diversity & Disability in Winnipeg, Canada. This is Society for Disability Studies annual meeting. The Information is at: <http://www.uic.edu/orgs/sds/>.

July 1-6,2001: International Association of Gerontology: 17^th Congress in Vancouver. See: <http://www.harbour.sfu.ca/iag/abstguid.html>

August 5-12, 2001: 1^st International Conference on “Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction” will be held in New Orleans, LA, at the Fairmount Hotel. For more information, see the conference website at: <http://uahci.ics.forth.gr/> or contact Constantine Stephanidis, conference chair at: <cs@ics.forth.gr>.

August 23-24, 2001: Accessible Practices Workshop: Exhibitions                  Carnegie Science Center, Pittsburgh. Contact: Jessica Stricker, 412/237-1806, e-mail <strickerj@csc.clpgh.org>; web site:                   <http://www.astc.org/resource/camp/workshop/aproject2.htm>.

September 12-14, 2001: International Conference on Technology and Aging in Toronto, Canada. Sponsored by the Government of Toronto, RESNA and other organizations. See: <http://www.icta.on.ca or <bbuchanan@look.ca>

September 14, 2001: Accessible Practices Workshop: Facilities/Visitor Services St. Louis Science Center, St. Louis. Contact: Elana Yellen, 314/289-4426; e-mail <eyellen@slsc.org>; web site:                   <http://www.astc.org/resource/camp/workshop/aproject2.htm>.

October 19-20, 2001: Integrating Differences: Theories and Applications of Universal Design in New York City, Fashion Institute of Technology. The full program will be posted on the website in April at: <http://www.fitnyc.suny.edu/USD.html>, or can be mailed. Contact Dr. Desiree Koslin, at koslinde@fitsuny.edu, or fax 212.217.7910.

Adding your information, questions to the Online News: