UPCOMING EVENT: Celebration 18! The 18th anniversary of the signing of the ADA!

We have a great event planned for you! Peter Berg from the DBTAC Great Lakes ADA Center in Chicago, Illinois will be in St. Paul on Friday, July 25, 2008 @ 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. to give us updates on the ADA Restoration Act. For more information, download the flyer in PDF or Text version here: (PDF) (Text)

News on the ADA Restoration Act

The U.S. is moving on two fronts this week to expand businesses' obligations to accommodate disabled people, in a legislative and regulatory push that risks a backlash from millions of businesses worried about costs.

On Wednesday, two House committees will finish crafting a bill that broadens the population entitled to employment rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act, reversing Supreme Court decisions narrowing it. The bill could come to a vote before the July 4 recess, if lawmakers reach agreement.

The site below is updated often,so to learn more about what is going on, click the link to the Justice for All blog linked here: http://www.jfactivist.org/

Mark Your Calendars for the 2008 Accessible Technology On-line Seminars

The DBTAC-Great Lakes ADA Center is sponsoring a new on-line seminar series on accessible technology in 2008. The goal of the series is to increase awareness on technology accessibility for people with disabilities.  Each
session will be held from 1:00pm-2:00pm Central Time.    

This on-line series will utilize an internet based conferencing system. The Online Conferencing System is a fully accessible integrated data and voice medium that enables users to conduct workshops over the internet from just
about any computer with a network connection and web browser. Participation is enhanced with use of a personal microphone.

The seminar series is FREE, but pre-registration is required.  Please e-mail jpete@uic.edu to register for a session or for more information and/or questions.  

Download the full release with the SCHEDULE to learn more

Dates

-February 11, 2008 State Laws Addressing Accessibility

-March 3, 2008 Web Accessibility for Students with Disabilities

-May 19, 2008 Accessible Computer Applications

-August 11, 2008 ADA and Website Accessibility

-September 29, 2008 Learning and Accessibility

ADA Audio Conference Series

The ADA Audio Conference Series provides in-depth information on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Accessible Information Technology and other related topics. This program is designed as a springboard to enhance an individual's existing knowledge base or facilitate continued learning regarding regulations and trends under the ADA. For more information, click the link below.

ADA Audio Conference Series

Publications

Check out the Great Lakes ADA and Accessible IT Center's monthly Newsletter by clicking the link below.

GREAT LAKES CHRONICAL (Nov. Issue: Vol 3 Issue 2)

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY BULLETIN (OCT 2005 Vol 1 Issue 1)

GREAT LAKES ADA CENTER PUBLICATIONS

The Great Lakes Center maintains resources that are available in our region as well as throughout the United States regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Accessible Information Technology (AIT). Such resources include written material, consultants, architects, educators, model programs, and other services specializing in accommodating the needs of people with disabilities. The information, materials, and/or technical assistance referred to on this page are intended solely as informal guidance, and are neither a determination of your legal rights and responsibilities under the ADA, nor binding on any agency with enforcement responsibility. For questions or materials about the ADA, disability etiquette, or Accessible Information Technology, call 800-949-4232 (V/TTY) to reach your regional DBTAC: ADA Center.

A New Grant for the Great Lakes ADA Center

The Great Lakes ADA and Accessible IT Center has been serving the region of Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Indiana since 1991 as a project of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Recently, we received funding to continue from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) in the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services.

The Center’s new goals include: 1) Increase employment outcomes for people with disabilities, 2) Increase community participation of people with disabilities, and 3) Help ensure full implementation of the ADA.

The Great Lakes ADA Center will also expand our 2001 initiative addressing accessible information technology in schools. The new Center technology activities will include more in-depth training and technical assistance to businesses regarding accessible and assistive technology.

The Center will also be creating a resource toolkit to aid students transitioning from post-secondary school to employment. The toolkit will be piloted with Wisconsin Technical Colleges and made available in the Great Lakes Region.