New Poetry/Fiction Editor at DSQ

We are pleased to announce a new position and appointment at Disability Studies Quarterly. We have created the position of Poetry/Fiction Editor and have named Johnson Cheu of Michigan State University to the position.

The Poetry/Fiction Editor will be in charge of the peer review process for any submissions to DSQ of poetry or fiction that DSQ receives. Submissions should be sent directly to Johnson Cheu. For his contact information, and to see the guidelines for these submissions, visit: http://www.dsq-sds.org/guidelines.html.

We are pleased to have someone with Dr. Cheu's expertise in the position. Dr. Cheu's poetry and essays have appeared in anthologies such as Staring Back: The Disability Experience from the Inside Out (Plume), Screaming Monkeys: Critiques of Asian American Images (Coffee House), as well as periodicals such as The Ragged Edge, North American Review, The Massachusetts Review and Witness. In 2003, his work was a finalist for the National Poetry Series and was nominated for the Pushcart Prize.  Currently, he is a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and American Culture at Michigan State University.

Beth Haller & Corinne Kirchner
Co-Editors, DSQ

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Picture this...Film Festival
Feb 14-18, 2005
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

The 4th Annual Picture this...Film Festival will feature workshops, film and videos with the topic of disability and/or created by people with disabilities.

For more information, visit: http://www.picturethisfestival.org/.

Pac Rim Conference 2005
February 28-March 1, 2005
Waikiki, Hawaii

The 20^th annual Pacific Rim Conference on Disabilities includes participants from the U.S. Mainland, Alaska, Pacific Islands Nations, Japan, Australia, the Philippines and numerous other countries. Persons with disabilities, family members of persons with disabilities, researchers, and service providers join policy-makers and nationally recognized speakers in the field of disabilities at the conference.

This year's theme, "Promises to Keep, Futures to Seek," reflects on the promises and goals made, and the opportunities created, for persons with disabilities. Pac Rim 2004 topics include "Lifelong Inclusion in Education and Community;" "Technology Across the Ages;" "Parent Partnerships and Family Supports;" "Employment and Adult Services;" and "Body, Mind and Spirit."

For more information, visit http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/.

CSUN's 19th Annual International Conference
March 14-19, 2005
Los Angeles, California

California State University, Northridge will hold its 20^th Annual International Conference, "Technology and Persons with Disabilities," on March 15-20, 2005 in Los Angeles. Speakers, exhibits, and workshops will be presented on technologies across all ages, disabilities, levels of education and training, employment, and independent living.

For more information, visit http://www.csun.edu/cod.

AAPD Leadership Gala
March 9, 2005
Washington D.C.

The 4^th annual American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) Leadership Gala will be held Wednesday, March 9, 2005 in Washington D.C.

The AAPD Leadership Gala is a forum that brings government, business, and non-profit leaders together to recognize emerging and established leaders within the disability community.

For more information, visit www.aapd.com or call 703-556-4245.

Vision 2005 London
April 4-8 2005
London, UK

The "world's largest conference on issues concerning people with sight impairments" will be hosted by Royal National Institute for the Blind, in London. Themes include "Clinical care and integrating rehabilitation;" "Epidemiology and world blindness;" "Visual function assessment and visual performance;" "Education across the lifespan;" "Advances in technology, designing and constructing for an inclusive environment;" and "Employment."

For more information, visit: www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/code/public_rnib004044.hcs.

2005 ADA Multiple Perspectives on Access, Inclusion, and Disability Conference
April 11 - 13, 2005
Columbus, Ohio

The Fifth Annual Multiple Perspectives conference will provide opportunities to share practical information on best practices, explore current research, and develop collaborations. The conference will continue its tradition of bringing together a diverse audience to reflect on the many dimensions of disability.

For more information, visit: http://ada.osu.edu/conferences/2005.htm .

AT the Edge 2005
April 14 - 15 2005
Edmonton , Alberta, Canada

AT the EDGE 2005... will showcase assistive technology used by all disability and age groups within education, lifelong learning, employment, and recreation. The conference will be of interest to people who have disabilities, family members of persons with disabilities, special educators, rehabilitation professionals, administrators, service/care providers, government officials, and hardware/software developers.

For more information, visit: www.acrat.ca.

YAI/National Institute for People with Disabilities Conference
May 9-13, 2005
New York, New York

The YAI/National Institute for People with Disabilities will have its 26^th Annual International Conference May 9-13, 2005 in New York City. This year's conference is on Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities.

For more information, visit: http://www.yai.org/pid.cfm.

9th International Conference of Post-Polio Health International with International Ventilator Users Network: Strategies for Living Well
June 2-4, 2005
Saint Louis, Missouri

This meeting will focus on "Strategies for Living Well." The conference will offer over 45 practical and participatory sessions including "New Bracing: the Challenge and the Payoff;" "What About Nutraceuticals?;" "Anesthesia Precautions for People with Neurological Conditions;" "Expressing Sexuality: What Works for Me;" "Considering Exercise: What Steps to Take," and more.

For more information, visit: www.post-polio.org.

CHHA Conference 2005 - Natural Sounds
June 2-4, 2005
Kelowna , British Columbia, Canada

The Canadian Hard of Hearing Association will host a four-day conference including a banquet and awards ceremony, trade show, workshops, meals, and entertainment. For the first time ever at the National Conference, there will be programs for hard of hearing children and their siblings ages 1-5, 6-12 and 13-18.

For more information, visit: www.chha.ca.

Collective Assistive Technology Conference
June 9-11, 2005
Westminster, Colorado

The Collaborative Assistive Technology Conference of the Rockies has a goal to enhance the quality of life for individuals with disabilities through the appropriate selection and use of assistive technology. Anyone with an interest in assistive technology devices and services is welcome.  Breakout sessions will focus on funding issues and legislation, education, employment, hands-on assistive technology training and the design and development of low-tech adaptive devices.

For more information, visit: www.uchsc.edu/atp.

IASSCS 5^th International Conference: Sexual Rights and Moral Panics June 21-24, 2005 San Francisco, California

Moral panics have historically surrounded issues such as sexual purity, abortion, homosexuality, sexual education, and sexual violence. More recently reproductive technologies, LGBTQI identities, disability, and gay and lesbian marriage have been at the center of moral controversies. This conference examines how society and the media respond to these debates by analyzing the production of moral and sexual panics, past and present.

For more information, visit: http://iasscs.sfsu.edu/conference.html.

RESNA's 28th International Conference on Technology & Disability
June 23-27, 2005
Atlanta , Georgia

Save the date and submit a proposal for a pre-conference instructional course or a conference workshop. For more information, visit: www.resna.org

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Deadline Extended for Applications to UIC's Disability Studies Program

The Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Disability Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago is still accepting applications from prospective students for Fall 2005. The deadline for receipt of full applications has been extended to January 3, 2005.

The program is open to scholars committed to studying how disability "works" and what can be done to lessen the negative personal and social consequences of disability. Scholars from any discipline can engage in disability studies. A particular strength of the UIC Disability Studies program is access to diverse faculty mentors and resources in the health fields, the social sciences, and the humanities. Students in the program conduct research across impairment, clinical, social, cultural, ethical, and policy perspectives.

The jointly administered program is based in the College of Applied Health Sciences and includes faculty and course offerings from three foundational programs: the departments of Disability and Human Development, Physical Therapy, and Occupational Therapy. Many program faculty members have concurrent appointments in other university units, such as English, Medical Humanities, Community Psychology, Public Health, and Liberal Arts andSciences, and students have taken courses offered in many other UIC programs.

For more information or to arrange a telephone or in-person meeting with Carol J. Gill, Ph.D., Director of Graduate Studies, please contact:

Sarah Rothberger, MFA
Disability Studies Program Coordinator
College of Applied Health Sciences (MC 626)
1640 West Roosevelt Road, Room 215
Chicago, IL 60608-6904
(312) 996-1508 (voice)
Fax (312) 996-0885
TTY (312) 996-1233
E-mail: sr22@uic.edu

You can also visit the website at:
http://www.ahs.uic.edu/ahs/php/index.php?sitename=dis

Website Features Jobs for Academics in Health Sciences

AcademicKeys.com offers an effective meeting place for those seeking an academic career and those looking to fill academic positions. Because the sites are separated by academic discipline, intuitively designed for ease of use, and contain only senior administrative and faculty positions in higher education, the site helps launch a job search for the qualified applicant. It also offers comprehensive resources about faculty, educational tools, research interests, and professional activities pertinent to institutions of higher education.

The current issue of AcademicKeys' e-Flier For Health Sciences, features 78 faculty and senior administrative jobs in the Schools of Health Science.

For more information visit: http://healthsciences.AcademicKeys.com/client_login.php?tag=HS041116 for Health Science items,

Or: http://www.AcademicKeys.com?tag=HS041116 for general access to AcademicKeys.

Radio Show Disability News & Views Broadcasts to Mid-Atlantic Region

Monica Moshenko is the host and founder of Disability News & Views, a one-hour radio program that broadcasts live on Sundays from 5-6pm by WXRL 1300AM. A subsidiary of Power Advocates (a group also headed by Moshenko, who advocates as a parent of a child diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome), the show is aimed to be a "voice that will build and maintain a leadership position in the media for people with disabilities as we promote awareness, educate and inspire."

Disability News & Views reaches thousands of listeners in the Western New York, Northern Pennsylvania and Toronto, Canada regions and welcomes comments during the live talk show. To reach Moshenko during her broadcast call (716) 681-1313. For more information, visit the website: www.disabilitynewsradio.com.

New Book Published About Disabled Soldiers of the Civil War

Civil War Letters of Colonel Charles F. Johnson, Invalid Corps
Edited with introduction by Fred Pelka
University of Massachusetts Press

Colonel Charles F. Johnson wrote 143 letters to his wife while he was serving in America's Civil War. The couple's correspondence has helped to enrich the recorded history of this conflict because the account, as told in Civil War Letters of Colonel Charles F. Johnson, Invalid Corps edited by Fred Pelka, reports the war from the perspective of a member of the Union Army's Invalid Corps. Colonel Johnson, who continued to serve the Union after being wounded in the Seven Day's Battle of 1862, describes the daily routines and special duties performed by more than twenty-four regiments of troops made up of men who were disabled as a result of illness or injury during the war.

Mockingly referred to as the "Cripple Brigade" and officially renamed the Veteran Reserve Corps, the group was organized in 1863 and helped to guard prisoners, enforce the draft, and protect rail lines, among other services. After the war, many officers went on to form the Freedman's Bureau.

Johnson's letters combined with Pelka's introduction and notes examine disability in the 19^th century from both the experiences of the soldiers with disabilities and the country that received them after the war.

For more information visit http://www.umass.edu/umpress/spr_04/pelka.html.

Mobility International USA Publishes Travel Guide for People with Disabilities

Survival Strategies for Going Abroad: A Travel Guide for People with Disabilities

By Laura Hershey
Mobility International USA

These 225 pages of Hershey's Survival Strategies for Going Abroad include tips, resources and stories from more than 20 travelers with disabilities. The guide provides useful disability-related information for all stages of a traveling from planning a trip, getting around, and settling in, to returning home. For more information visit http://www.miusa.org/publications/books/SS.

SAGE Publications Announces Encyclopedia of Disabilities

From Sage Publications' reference division are the five volumes of the Encyclopedia of Disability, recommended for academic libraries, and any social science, medical, legal, or governmental reference collections. The Encyclopedia has more than 1000 entries written by over 500 scholars from around the world, and is the first attempt to create a reference tool of this size and breadth with the specific focus on disabilities. The first four volumes survey disabilities terms from A-Z and include a reader's guide, bibliography and index. The fifth volume contains primary sources directly related to disabilities, such as photographs, correspondence, and movie script excerpts.

For more information and a list of editors and contributors, visit: http://www.sagepub.com/book.aspx?pid=10550

RI Completes Final Report of the 2002 International Experts Meeting

RI, formally Rehabilitation International, has completed Mass Media and Disability: Final Report of the International Experts Meeting, Moscow, Russia, September 26-29, 2002. The report, edited by RI Communications Director, Barbara Duncan, includes 12 articles and a section for recent publications and resources regarding media and disability. Print copies are available for $20 plus postage, but the entire report in accessible online at http://www.riglobal.org/whatsnew/index.html.

OHSU Publishes Disability & Public Health Curriculum Outline

The Oregon Health and Science University and the Oregon Office on Disability and Health have published their Disability & Public Health Curriculum Outline. The outline was designed to guide instructors in introducing the topic of disability into courses featuring public health and similar areas. The outline is divided into nine modules or topics to be covered in a course and also contains a generic syllabus, example exam questions, bibliography, and a supplemental reading list.

For more information contact Amber Roberts at the Oregon Office on Disability and Health by voicemail: (503) 494-3331 or email: robertamb@ohsu.edu.

For general information about OHSU, visit the official website:http://cdrc.ohsu.edu/oodh/.

Never Dull Productions Announces Near Completion of Sled Shots, Documentary about the 2002 US Paralympic Sled Hockey Team

In 2001, the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey team was considered an afterthought. After a dismal last-place showing at the 2000 World Cup, the U.S. was ranked sixth out of six among the international teams going into Salt Lake. It was obvious that the American squad was no match for such top competitors as Norway, Canada and Sweden.

In 2002, they shocked the world by going undefeated at the Salt Lake Games to bring home the Gold.

Never Dull Productions is proud to announce that it is in post-production on Sled Shots—a feature length documentary on the 2002 Paralympic Gold Medal U.S. Sled Hockey Team.

For almost a year, filmmakers Chris Koseluk and Cindy Mulkern followed the team around the country, capturing over 100 hours of their lives both on and off the ice. They are now in the final stages of shaping the story and bringing it to television, DVD and the international marketplace.

Both Koseluk and Mulkern's involvement in the subject of disability is longstanding. Never Dull Productions has shot footage at the 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2002 Paralympic Games—as an independent production company, as USOC producers, and as part of the Turner Sports staff. Its footage has appeared on CBS, CNN, ESPN, WNET, Prime Sports, several international outlets, and has been used extensively, including at the White House, by the Olympic Committee to promote its disabled athletes.

To date, Sled Shots has been financed solely through private investors. Never Dull Productions is presently seeking additional investors—not sponsorship or underwriting—to complete the needed $55,000 in finishing funds. This money will be used for post production purposes—music rights, closed captioning, sound mixing, image editing, etc.

Sled Shots is set up along LLC guidelines so all investors receive back 100 percent of their investment prior to the disbursement of any potential profits. Subsequent net profits are then divided among investors and producers.

Individuals, for-profit corporations and non-profit organizations can invest. All receive an on screen producing credit, an on screen end page (when applicable) stating "for information on...please contact....," and mention in any advance press/promotion whenever it is within our control. All investors also have the option to publicize and/or market their involvement with Sled Shots.

For more information, please contact
Cindy Mulkern
(323) 256-7238
neverdull@earthlink.net

American Philosophical Association Forms Diversity Collective on Disability

The American Philosophical Association has gathered participants for their Diversity Collective dedicated to the issue of "disability/anti-disability." The group has goals to enact political change within the APA and will organize sessions on disability theory and policy to be held at the Division Conferences. The Collective's first meeting will be held in San Francisco at the 2005 Pacific Division meeting.

For more information, contact Shelly Tremain at stremain@porchlight.ca.

World Institute on Disability Selects New Executive Director

The Board of Directors of the World Institute on Disability (WID) today announced the selection of Mark Breimhorst as WID's new executive director, starting in the beginning of December 2004. Breimhorst most recently served as the North American Regional Director for Underwriters Laboratories (UL), where he managed new business initiatives within UL. Before that, he founded and served as executive director of Rinconada Ventures, which supports social entrepreneurs with financial and management assistance.

Breimhorst is an alumnus of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he received his MBA with a focus on marketing and entrepreneurship. He has built counseling, leadership, educational outreach, community-building and legal advocacy experience through his work as a disability rights advocate and paralegal at Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund and Suncoast Center for Independent Living.

Breimhorst commented, "I'm excited and honored to join WID's talented team.  WID plays a vital role in the disability rights movement and I look forward to working with internal and external stakeholders to grow WID to the next level."

WID is a nonprofit research and public policy center promoting the civil rights and full societal inclusion of people with disabilities. WID's work focuses on four areas: employment and asset development; accessible health care and personal assistance services; inclusive technology design; and international disability and development. More than half of the Board of Directors and staff are people with disabilities. By bringing together people at all levels people with disabilities, government representatives and companies, WID is changing the way things run at the policy level, to make sure people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else.

Request from Kyoto University, Japan for Questionnaire Participants

The Urban and Regional Planning Laboratory of Kyoto University's Department of Urban Management is conducting research for its study on universal design of public transportation. The objective is to investigate and compare demands on barrier-free environments in several developed countries in order to provide strategies for developing countries to follow in regards to universal design and barrier-free projects.

The Urban and Regional Planning Laboratory requests participants for their survey found at the following web address: http://utel.kuciv.kyoto-u.ac.jp/quest/.

Request from UCLA for Survey Participants

The UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge, in collaboration with the Westside Center for Independent Living, is conducting an online voter preference survey to try to better understand the reasons people with disabilities voted as they did in the recent presidential election. The Disability Community Voter Preference Survey can be found at the following site: http://lila.ucla.edu/Master.cfm?Content=Survey&SubContent=Survey_View.cfm&LILA_SurveyID=2

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SDS member and president of Disability/Arts, Simi Linton, had her article, "Urban Tactics: Transported," published in the City Section of the New York Times on Sunday, November 28, 2004. Her article on riding the bus in New York City explains how she "'went public' around 1998, when almost the entire fleet of New York buses had been outfitted with wheelchair lifts."

As a regular rider, Linton says that a typical bus ride "goes smoothly most of the time, and takes about two or three minutes." Her honesty is displayed when she says that "when the [lift] mechanism doesn't respond, it can take another couple of minutes. Still, the people inside, and those at the bus stop, must wait. It can delay their trip and I sometimes see irritation in their faces. I understand that feeling. New Yorkers don't take inconveniences without protest."

Linton also includes anecdotes about pleasant occurrences such as the cooperation of bus riders and drivers. She realizes that "this is all new, and we are all making up the rules and social protocols as we go," and adds, "I have been impressed by the steady learning curve of my fellow riders."

The full article can be found at the following link: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/28/nyregion/thecity/28bus.html?ex=1102746388&ei=1&en=252bfb00dffbf0b8

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Position Announcement: University of Texas Accepting Applications for Vice Provost for Inclusion and Cross-Cultural Effectiveness

The University of Texas at Austin invites nominations and applications for the newly created position of Vice Provost for Inclusion and Cross-Cultural Effectiveness.  This position will provide leadership, direction and assessment across all levels of the University related to the development, implementation and evaluation of comprehensive inclusion and cross-cultural initiatives.  This officer will be a hands-on facilitator, actively involved with individual University units and associated administrators, faculty, staff and students.  In addition, the Vice Provost will work with the University community to establish goals and objectives and evaluate progress toward each.  The Vice Provost will report to the Executive Vice President and Provost and will have direct access to university leadership, including the president, vice presidents, deans and others.

The Vice Provost will be responsible for the development and implementation of goals and objectives, partnering with University leaders and organizations, exploring opportunities for external funding, chairing the University Council on Inclusion and Cross-Cultural Effectiveness, reporting on progress, and managing resources.

The candidates will possess an earned terminal degree, and have demonstrated experience/responsibility for enhanced inclusion and cross-cultural effectiveness.  Candidates will have managed budgets and staff, and demonstrated strong management and communication skills.  Preference will be given to those candidates who also possess academic or professional accomplishments that would support a faculty appointment.

Interested applicants should apply directly using the University of Texas at Austin on-line job application system: http://utdirect.utexas.edu/pnjobs/. You will be requested to submit a letter of interest, résumé, and names of three professional references. Questions regarding the process may be sent to:

Ms. Jamie Belinne at: jamie.belinne@austin.utexas.edu

Review of applications will begin January 15, 2005 and will continue until the position is filled.

The Vice Provost position is security sensitive requiring a background check on the successful candidate prior to employment. The University of Texas is an AA/EOE. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.