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Approved-By:  Bill McGarry <wtm@SHELDEV.SHEL.ISC-BR.COM>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.l-hcap
Date:         Fri, 6 Nov 1992 01:01:09 EST
Reply-To:     Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
From:         Bill McGarry <wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com>
Subject:      Handicap Digest # 3011

                             THE HANDICAP DIGEST

                                 Issue # 3011

                          Friday, November 06, 1992

Today's Topics:


                                ******


                About WIDNet:  The Disability Policy Network
                         PC or Mac -- What do I buy?
                            Re: The act of voting
       Re: interface/changes to a car for wheel-chair handicap driver
                   Re: RSDS, Sympathectomy, and amputation


                                ******


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thoughts in the next issue, please send electronic mail to
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                              Bill McGarry (Moderator)
                              (203) 337-1518



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Subject: About WIDNet:  The Disability Policy Network
From: janina@netcom.com (Janina Sajka)
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest)

[Note from Bill McGarry -- I'm letting this article go through
 as an one-time product announcement rather than as an advertisment.]

WIDNet
Electronic Communication & Information

We're Growing Rapidly -- To Keep Up With YOU

This past February the World Institute on Disability created a new
electronic information service that reaches all of the U.S. and
even other countries.

Just look at what we've put on WIDNet since then:

  *  E-Mail -- even with individuals who do not subscribe to WIDNet
     itself.  Using the Internet network, WIDNet can send and
     receive electronic mail to and from over 4 million individuals
     worldwide -- usually within minutes.  On WIDNet your Internet
     MAIL is dispatched IMMEDIATELY, not some time later that day.

  *  FEDERAL REGISTER excerpts -- including RFPs, and NPRMs of
     interest to disability communities.

  *  A comprehensive DOCUMENT LIBRARY of disability-related laws,
     regulations, articles and publications set up in a way that
     lets you go directly to the part of the document you're
     actually interested in.  WIDNet's Document Library contains
     over 1,000 files.  We have all ADA regulations, proposed and
     final state and federal civil rights, social service, and
     technology laws.  We have COCA publications, California's Deaf
     & Disabled Telecommunications Program documents, WID, TRACE
     and other research publications, conference announcements and
     schedules for CSUN and Closing the Gap, specialized products
     catalogs, adaptive software demos, documents on women's
     issues, publications like The Mouth and The Disability Rag,
     and much more.

  *  COMMERCIAL BUSINESS SERVICES of value to professionals.  On
     WIDNet you can read UPI News, book your own airline
     reservations, check the weather in another city, translate
     documents into a foreign language, and send a FAX or TELEX to
     one or many locations -- from your office, home, or hotel
     room.  WIDNet's interconnect to Dialog Information Services
     lets you search the most comprehensive on-line commercial
     databases available.

  *  PUBLIC FORUMS for frank and lively on-line PUBLIC discussions
     of disability issues such as "Jerry's Orphans," disability
     culture, inaccessible Boy Scouts, and more.  We have several
     FORUMS so you can focus on the issues you're interested in.

   * PRIVATE FORUMS for PRIVATE discussions with ONLY the people
     YOU designate.  With WIDNet, organizations can create their
     own private, internal nationwide communication capability and
     also have access to all other WIDNet features.

And there's much more, like an on-line Resume Publication Service
and a Job Bank Database, coming soon.

WIDNet is affordable and easy to use because WIDNet can be reached
via local telephone in over 900 U.S. cities & towns, you won't need
to pay the telephone company to use WIDNet.  You'll know up front
what WIDNet costs, because our charges aren't hidden in your
telephone bill.  We grant scholarships to those who need WIDNet but
can't afford even our low fees.  Ask for a Scholarship Application.

WIDNet works with absolutely every adaptive technology system
available anywhere.  A recent PC WORLD review said our
"straightforward menus are perfect even for novices, and the
service is laid out logically. You can't get lost." (PC WORLD,
Sept. 1991, p. 261)

WIDNet is reliable and secure.

   * Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
     You'll almost never get a busy signal from WIDNet.

   * Your privacy is guaranteed.  Nothing of yours is available to
     anyone else unless you give it to them yourself.

   * If you need assistance using WIDNet, you can get help by
     calling an 800 number (voice or TTY).

   * If you have suggestions for making WIDNet more accessible or
     ideas for new WIDNet topics and services, you can leave an
     electronic mail message for us on WIDNet, and we promise to
     respond promptly and take your ideas seriously.  We recognize
     that, in a real sense, WIDNet members ARE WIDNet.

WIDNet is a partnership project of:

The World Institute on Disability.  WID is responsible for the
content and development of WIDNet.

General Videotex Corporation, a recognized leader in the business
of hosting information services.  GVC is responsible for
maintaining all the technical aspects of WIDNet so that WID and YOU
can focus on disability policy.

WIDNet is rapidly becoming a vital link between disability leaders,
organizations, professionals, researchers, volunteers, and all
others who share our goals.

Please read the remaining files in the WIDNET.ZIP archive for more
information, or contact WID for print brochures.

for free on-line pricing information and sign-up call
(800) 695-4002 with your
modem, press ENTER once or twice when you get connected, and use
the password "WIDNET" when prompted.

See you on WIDNet.

WIDNet is provided by WID, the

WORLD INSTITUTE ON DISABILITY
510 Sixteenth Street, Suite 100
Oakland, CA  94612-1502 USA

Telephone:  510-763-4100 (Voice/TTY)       510-763-4109 (Fax)




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Subject: PC or Mac -- What do I buy?
From: jradue@SANDCASTLE.COSC.BROCKU.CA (Jon Radue)

A very good friend of mine, with advanced MS, has recently decided
to 'go with technology' and purchase a computer. But what does he
purchase? He has trouble using his fingers and would like voice
input to help with his job as treasurer of the local MS Society,
and to type letters (Dragon Dictate appears to be too expensive).
He also does not know how the disease will progress so he needs a
computer that can readily be adapted for his next requirement
(maybe controlling some of his environment, or turning book pages,
etc.). My problem is that I am a Mac fanatic, using Macs for all my
teaching and research, but I believe that there is greater
selection of hardware and software for the PC.

Can anyone out there help me decide?

Jon Radue

Associate Professor
Computer Science Department
Brock University              V: (416)688-5550 x 3867
St. Catharines, Ontario       F: (416)688-2789
L2S 3A1  CANADA               E: jradue@sandcastle.cosc.brocku.ca







------



Subject: Re: The act of voting
From: weave@bach.udel.edu (Ken Weaverling)
Organization: University of Delaware

In article <25149@handicap.news> weave@bach.udel.edu (Ken Weaverling) writes:
>After running around several people in the Department of Elections I
>have been giving only two choices...
>
>1) She can vote absentee
>
>2) I can go into the booth with her and assist her (very unacceptable)

The latest...

I went with my girl friend and assisted her with voting after all
(choice #2).  Her voting place was a local high school (Christiana
High School). When we got there, we found that there were no
disabled parking spots anywhere around the front of the building
and all other spots were filled. We drove around to the back, where
the main student parking lot is.  We found two disabled, but not
van-accessible, spots. She parked crooked, taking two spaces, and
got out of the van.

She looked for a curb-cut... none near the entrance. Went the
length of the sidewalk in one direction until we reached a fence.
No cuts, went half-way around the other way (large building), still
no cuts. Went back near the entrance, and I popped her chair up the
curb. By this time she was furious.  She complained to a local
politician standing outside, and he just shrugged his shoulders and
suggested that she complain to the school the next day.

We went into the building. She identified herself to the polling
officials, and they directed her to a machine.  The voting machine
is a bit larger than a phone booth, with a red switch about 6 feet
above the floor that you must turn to the right. A curtain
automatically closes behind you. You then move levers next to
candidates names you want to vote for, then move the red switch to
the left. The vote is tallied, board cleared, and curtain opened.

Of course, she couldn't fit into the booth with her wheelchair. Had
to go head-in, a side approach was impossible, since it only opened
on one side.  I moved the red switch, and the curtain attempted to
close. Since she was blocking the path of the curtain, it didn't
close around her and I couldn't manage to do a thing to provide her
with any privacy.

So there we were. I flipped the switches if full view of dozens of
people waiting in queue to vote, and election workers.  A royal
mess.

So, now she wants to file complaints.  I hope we can do something
to change this.  Of course, many people don't understand what the
big deal is. It seems that other wheelchair users we met just vote
absentee and that is that.  But Delaware requires absentee balots
be turned in personally the day before the elections by noon at the
elections office in downtown Wilmington, or mailed in enough time
to get there.

The law says that she has the right to vote on election day, with
everyone else who chooses to do so.  I don't see why she should not
be accomodated.

Will keep the list informed from time to time of any progress made.
Thank you for the encouraging mail I have received from many of
you.

--
Ken Weaverling (Delaware Tech College) weave@dtcc.edu -or- weave@bach.udel.edu

"Is it too late to change the way we're bound to go? Surely one of us must know"
                        -- Sandy Denny,  1948-1978




------



Subject: Re: interface/changes to a car for wheel-chair handicap driver
From: timpson@iscnvx.lmsc.lockheed.com (n R Timpson)
Organization: Lockheed Missiles and Space Co.

xnguyen@icsi.berkeley.edu (Alex Nguyen) writes:
: Index Number: 25391
:
: I have a user that is in a wheel chair.  He will be in the U.S. for
: three to four months starting January.  He wants to be able to drive
: around in the San Francisco bay area.  Does anyone know of a decent
: priced place that adapts regular automatic transmittion for
: hand-driven?  Also, is there a place that lease such a car.  What is
: the cheapest way for this person to obtain transportation
: (a car for a wheel chair person) for a short period of time?
:
: Any response is greatly apprieciated.
:
: ---Alex
: xnguyen@icsi.berkeley.edu

Alex, I believe that Hertz and Avis will rent cars with hand controls.
Since I see that you are in Berkeley, I suggest that you contact the
Center for Independent Living (CIL) in Berkeley for any other options.
They are a the best resource for disabled people in the Bay Area.

-------------- Ron
--
Ron Timpson   timpson@iscnvx.lmsc.lockheed.com
These are my opinions and judgements only and in no way reflect any concurrence
or endorsment by my employer, Lockheed Corporation.




------



Subject: Re: RSDS, Sympathectomy, and amputation
From: sbill@infmx.com (Bill Stackhouse)
Organization: Informix Software, Inc.


Jim has asked about how to request an elective amputation and I have
had experience with this. Sad to say that most doctors will not discuss
this as an alternative as long as keeping the leg is not life threating.
I found that you have to beat the pavement and keep asking. Don't be
afraid to ask outside of the area where you live. Talk to people in
the ethics department at hospitals and medical centers for references
to sympathetic doctors. Once you find a doctor, be prepared to be
asked to talk to mental health people and other doctors. Also be
prepared for things to take awhile. If you are dedicated, you will be
successful.

Bill




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                  End of Issue # 3011 of the Handicap Digest

                                ******
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU