The IPad & People with Disabilities

Assalaamu alaikum --

Debbie aunty provided the following article on the usefulness of IPads for some individuals with disabilities...
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/nyregion/31owen.html?_r=3

Here's one perspective on the topic:
http://quest.mda.org/article/ipad-disability-friendly-device

Thoughts?

CAM-D

Assalaamu alaikum!

Here is an update from CAM-D, an inspirational Muslim group in Canada:

CAM-D – the Canadian Association of Muslims with Disabilities is working to increase access for persons with disabilities in the Muslim community. This includes increasing access for Deaf Muslims. Insha'Allah, we are working on a project with Masjid Toronto to begin providing ASL at Friday prayers and classes about Islam. More information will be available at www.camd.ca soon.

The deaf Muslim Group - CAMD is now on facebook. Our goal is to bring together deaf Muslims in Canada. We are committed to providing services to deaf Muslims to learn about Islam and to raise awareness of the issues that are important to Deaf Muslims within the Muslim community Insha Allah. Please sign-up for the group and start sharing your issues and ideas.

Here is the link for this facebook group:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=name&id=537105067#/group.php?gid=360254725370

Thanks wasalaam
Isra

More resources and stories!

A video on assistive technologies: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/disability_issues&id=7168130

A video featuring an dance class for youth with Down Syndrome: http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/12/04/special.dance/index.html

A story on models with disabilities on a UK fashion show: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/arts/television/01model.html?_r=1&ref=arts

A story on wheelchair rugby: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/16/wheelchair.rugby/index.html

A story on a school for the blind in Iraq: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/11/20/iraq.school.blind/index.html

A video and story on a talented artist, who has Autism: http://www.stephenwiltshire.co.uk/download_video.aspx?Id=1507&Mode=Mac

If you are interested in disability advocacy in the US, please go to http://aapd.com/ and sign up for the Justice For All listserv, which emails you news updates biweekly!

Thanks for the submissions everyone,
Isra

More links to stories...

Assalaamu alaikum,

Thanks for sending in these links!

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/16/wheelchair.rugby/index.html

http://www.stephenwiltshire.co.uk/download_video.aspx?Id=1507&Mode=Mac

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/trackandfield/news/story?id=4666817

A Blessed dhul hijjah to everyone. Btw, if anyone has stories related to disability, accessibility and hajj, I'm sure we'd all love to be enlightened... (I searched "disability and hajj" and came across this link http://www.hajinformation.com/main/t21.htm)

Isra

Assalaamu alaikum !!

Here's a link on technology for those with visual impairments, and an associated documentary: http://goingblindmovie.com/steve/index.html

Thanks Debbie Aunty!

Isra

A great model

Assalaamu alaikum everyone, and belated Eid Mubarak!

As you might recall, one goal for this blog was to highlight success stories and share resources about accessibility. One success story in the making -- mashaAllah and inshaAllah -- has been the Muslim Education Center (MEC) in Morton Grove, IL, which is mosque, community center, and school. Newly remodeled, it is now physically accessible. It also has a working group of individuals and families that are making the community more inclusive. Some recent actions taken by the group include:

-- Establishing a regular support group for families of children with disabilities
-- Talking to leadership to include accessibility issues on the policy and funding agenda
-- Developing literature to help community members better support individuals and families with disabilities
-- Distributing literature on Eid to discuss MEC's work to become more accessible and to invite comments and advice on how to understand and cater to needs even better
-- Making sure the Eid khutba/sermon was available in print for deaf individuals and any others who needed it

MEC was featured on the website "JJ's List" -- a site that reviews businesses and services for accessibility. See http://www.jjslist.com/pages/bridge_builder_detail/28.php?id=261 for the reviews! As a side note, check out JJ's list -- the website is fantastic, and please contribute your reviews as well.

MashaAllah, MEC, a job well done and keep up the good work.

Isra

Some more very interesting articles!

Assalaamu alaikum,

Here are some more interesting links (thanks Sarah!). If you come across interesting articles please email them to us at faaida1@gmail.com.

-- A great speech delivered by a Muslimah student at Wellesley, mashaAllah: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAxKXxO4kkI (Part 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwfJqwkJ8ok (Part 2)

-- An article about a test car for blind drivers: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/AheadoftheCurve/story?id=8233087&page=1

P.S. The ISNA Panel video is on its way! And we are in the process of making "screening packages" with the documentary and discussion guide. Please email us if you are interested in receiving a package.

Isra