AccessAbility SIG of STC: Accessibility Resources, part 1

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Resources, part 1

There are over 1,100 rare disorders according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). We have limited this set of resources to the more common disorders and the ones with more public awareness. We also include items that have been submitted for the list by the A-SIG Discussion list members. If you find a link that is no longer active or has moved, please notify the Webmasters.

Disclaimer

The AccessAbility SIG does not diagnose, prescribe, or endorse. We simply provide information to those who want it. For more information about product endorsements and other disclaimers, please see our Legal Information page.

Part 1: Updated Sunday May 04 2008: Accessible Travel Adaptive Technology Aging Allergy and Asthma Alternative Medicine Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's Disease) Aphasia Architectural, Environmental, and Product Design Arthritis Asperger's Syndrome and Autism
Part 2: Updated Sunday May 04 2008: Assisted Living, Clothing, and Rehab Equipment Products Assistive Technology
Part 3: Updated Sunday May 04 2008: Attention Deficit Disorder Behavior and Social Interaction Blood Diseases and Disorders Book Lists Brain Injury Cancer Cerebral Palsy Chromosome 18 Syndrome Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Cognitive Disability Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Cystic Fibrosis Deep Vein Thrombosis Developmental Disabilities Diabetes Disability Etiquette
Part 4: Updated Sunday May 04 2008: Disability Organizations Disability Sites for Children and Families Disaster Resources Down Syndrome Drug/Alcohol Addiction Dwarfism Dyslexia Dystonia Education Emergency Preparedness
Part 5: Updated Sunday May 04 2008: Employment Epilepsy Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders Facial Difference Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Fibromyalgia Fragile X Syndrome Guillain-Barré Syndrome / Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy Health Care for Women Hearing Loss Heart Attack and Angina Huntington's Disease Hyperlexia Hypermobility, Ehlers-Danlos, and Marfan Syndrome Internet Accessibility / Usability Invisible Disabilities Klinefelter Syndrome
Part 6: Updated Sunday May 04 2008: Language Learning and Speaking Legal & Human Rights Resources Literacy: Reading and Print Disabilities Literature Lung Diseases Lupus Magazines and Periodicals Medical Links
Part 7: Updated Sunday February 24 2008: Mental Health Mucopolysaccharidoses & Mucolipidoses Multiple Sclerosis Muscular Dystrophy and Ataxia Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Orthopaedic Information Pain Management Parkinson's Disease Performance Arts / Theater Pervasive Developmental Disorders Phobias Physical Impairment Polio Prader-Willi Syndrome Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy Restless Leg Syndrome Rett Syndrome
Part 8: Updated Sunday May 04 2008: Scoliosis Service Dogs and Therapy Animals Sight / Vision Loss Sjögren's Syndrome Sleep Disorders Spasmodic Torticollis / Dystonia Speech Spina Bifida Spinal Cord Injury Spine and Neck Pain Sports and Recreation Stress Stroke Treatment and Recovery
Part 9: Updated Thursday March 20 2008: Tay-Sachs Disease Technical Communication Thyroid Disorders Tourette Syndrome Traumatic Brain Injury Turner Syndrome Usability and Human Factors Vision Loss William's Syndrome

Accessible Travel

Access-Able Travel answers such questions as "Is this wheelchair going to squeeze into a Tokyo hotel room?" and "What about bathroom facilities on an African safari?" using a worldwide database. Also allows searching by disability to find travel agents who can help you with special needs.
- Access-Able Travel Source text only
Accessible Europe tourism for all
Access San Francisco a free guide for travelers with disabilities
Accessible Adventure: St. Thomas, Virgin Islands Wheelchair Transportation Service
Accessible Air Travel: A Guide for People with Disabilities also available in PDF format () Provides information about the types of airline equipment for passengers with disabilities now required by law. It also contains recent changes in regulations implementing the Air Carrier Access Act.
Accessible Rental Vans for Baltimore, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and all areas in-between
Accessible Travel Resources, a Traveling with Accessiblities Guide from BootsnAll Travel, "The Ultimate Resource for the Independent Traveller"
Accessible Vacation Home Exchange
Amtrak [US passenger train system]: Services for People with Disabilities and Special Needs
Armchair World: Handicapped-Accessible Tours fishing, kayaking, white-water rafting...
Currency conversion tool for exchange rates from 1990 through yesterday
- 164 Currencies Converter
Currency exchange rates for both Canadian and US dollars
U.S. Department of Transportation Toll-Free Hotline for air travelers with disabilities:
- Voice: 1-800-778-4838
- TTY: 1-800-455-9880
The Hotline is available from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, seven days a week. It serves two main purposes: (1) education and (2) assistance in resolving disability-related air travel problems.
- Information for the Air Traveler with a Disability
- Passengers with Disabilities
Eastern Mobility customized transportation solutions for physically challenged individuals
Economy Class Syndrome (Deep Vein Thrombosis)
Electric and manual wheelchairs and scooters
Emergency Evacuation Traveler's Insurance
The Enabled RVer provides tips for newbies and information on accessible campgrounds and parks. Includes checklist.
Four Communities Improve Civic Access ADA report
France Guide for the Disabled Tourist
Global Access
Combating Lost Luggage Syndrome
Lost Luggage treasures Unclaimed Baggage Center
Unclaimed Baggage Center
Mobility Independent Transportation Systems, Inc. (M.I.T.S.) driving equipment, van conversions, scooters, and power chairs [Mid-Atlantic region]
North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA)
Railpass, Disabled Travel with Eurail and BritRail
Ride-Away adaptive equipment, driving controls, handicap accessible rental vans [Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Virginia]
Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality (SATH) Includes specific travle tips, such as How to travel with mobility impairments and How to travel with arthritis, and more
Subway Navigator
Travel for the Disabled from Routes International
Travel questions, tips, and publications, U.S. State Department passports, visas, foreign adoptions, and tips for residents and nonresidents
Travel Warnings, U.S. State Department
VIA Rail Canada: Services for your special needs and for Seniors
- COMPLAINT by Donna Pistell that VIA Rail Canada Inc. did not provide adequate accessible rail services in contravention of section 113 of the Canada Transportation Act, S.C., 1996, c. 10.
- Council of Canadians with Disabilities Press Release: Disabled Community Outraged at VIA Appeal of CTA Order to Make Trains Accessible
- When is an escort considered an escort for a free fare? APPLICATION by Chantal Laprise pursuant to subsection 172(1) of the Canada Transportation Act, S.C., 1996, c. 10, regarding the level of assistance that VIA Rail Canada Inc. provided to her when she requested information on the cost of a return trip between Toronto, Ontario, and Montréal, Quebec, for her attendant.
WheelchairNet's travel tips: Traveling when using a wheelchair
Wilderness Emergency Medical Services Institute (WEMSIE)

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Adaptive Technology

AbilityHub assistive technology for computers and disability
Accessible Housing
Adaptech Research Network In partnership with the National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS), the Adaptech Research Project conducts research on the use of computer technologies by Canadian college and university students with disabilities. [Canada]
- list of free and/or inexpensive hardware and software alternatives that might be useful to students with disabilities on a tight budget.
Adaptive Aids
Adaptive Technologies Hardware, Software, and Other Tools, Alternative Keyboards, Alternative Pointing Devices list provided by the Boston-IA Association
Adaptive Technology Resource Centre (ATRC)
Adaptive Technology Consulting, Inc.
Dining with Dignity
Esmerel's Adaptive Technology Sites
Esmerel's Canadian Adaptive Technology Sites
Esmerel's General Adaptive Technology Sites
Esmerel's International Adaptive Technology Sites
Esmerel's Keyboard Alternatives and Typing Injury Sites
Adaptive Technologies links to hardware, software, and other tools, alternative keyboards, alternative pointing devices list provided by the Boston-IA Association
Foot-Click lets you click the computer mouse with your feet. You can now choose to only click the mouse buttons with your feet or freely shift between using your feet and your fingers.
Infogrip assistive keyboards, switches, joysticks, etc.
One-Handed and Two-Handed Keyboard a standard desktop keyboard that has been enhanced to allow both one-handed and two-handed touch-typing

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Aging

AARP: Home Design provides useful information on universal home design, aging in place, housing for adults over 50, and more.
Administration on Aging (AOA) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (U.S. HHS) site provides information about the Older Americans Act, the federal legislation establishing the AoA, and a range of programs that offer services and opportunities for older Americans and their caregivers.
Administration on Aging (AOA) Aging Internet Information Notes U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (U.S. HHS). This site is intended to empower users to explore Internet resources and find information and sites beyond those identified. More than 60 aging topics are currently represented in this series.
Aging by Design specializes in helping adult children cope and adjust with their elderly parents' changing needs.
Aging Parent and Elder Care - a guide for caring for aging parents and elder loved ones
Aging Well, Living Well U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health Web site about common health problems for aging women and the services that are available.
American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) - a collection of not-for-profit organizations that provide aging services: adult day services, home health, community services, senior housing, assisted living residences, continuing care retirement communities, and nursing homes.
Caring.com helps you care for your aging parents and other loved ones. It provides information and resources to make better decisions, save time, and feel more supported.
Caring Connections is a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). The program provides free resources and information to help people make decisions about advance directives, and end-of-life care and services before a crisis.
Design for Aging (DFA), the American Institute of Architects
ElderCare.gov The Eldercare Locator is a public service of the U.S. Administration on Aging. The Eldercare Locator is the first step to finding resources for older adults in any U.S. community.
Geronurse online is the official geriatric nursing Web site of the American Nurses Association (ANA)
Help The Aged is an international charity fighting to free disadvantaged older people from poverty, isolation, and neglect. [United Kingdom]
International Conference on Aging, Disability and Independence (ICADI) This bi-annual conference focuses on approaches to support people as they age in maintaining independence in daily living at home, at work, and in the community.
National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) is the umbrella organization for the 655 area agencies on aging (AAAs) and more than 230 Title VI Native American aging programs in the U.S.
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) represents hospice and palliative care programs and professionals in the United States.
National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA) NICOA strives to better the lives of the nation's indigenous seniors through advocacy, employment training, dissemination of information, and data support.
National Institute on Aging (NIA), U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Senior Citizens Law Center (NSCLC) The NSCLC advocates nationwide to promote the independence and well-being of low-income elderly individuals, as well as persons with disabilities, with particular emphasis on women and racial and ethnic minorities.
"Older Wiser Wired" - Adults over 50 Online, Life and Living - AARP
On Our Own Terms - Bill Moyer's presentation for PBS
Resource Center on Aging, University of California at Berkeley
Retirement Living Information Center offers access to an array of resource materials, including books and online publications, tax information, a guide to state aging agencies, retirement news, shopping for special assistive products and services, and links to online stores.
Second Wind Dreams "enhances the quality of life for those living in Eldercare Communities and changes the perception of aging."
Senior Care Directory find senior care resources by state
"The Politics of Design", by Whitney Quesenbery (728 KB )
Virginia Health Information find long term care
Wellness Health Care Information Resources on Aging. [Canada]
Universal Design for Aging-in-Place is a collection of resources and research from ToolBase Services, the home building industry's technical information resource.
"What counts in brain aging? Design-based stereological analysis of cell number.", by Long JM, Mouton PR, Jucker M, Ingram DK. National Library of Medicine (NLM) October 1999.

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Aphasia

Academy of Aphasia
Aphasia [American Speech-Language-Hearing Association]
Aphasia [NIDCD Health Information]
Aphasia Hope Network
Aphasia Institute [Canada]
Lingraphica a speech generating device designed specifically for aphasia [English and Spanish versions]
Medline Plus: Aphasia health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Aphasia Association (NAA)

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Architectural, Environmental, and Product Design

Accessible Housing
Accommodation and Compliance Series: Employees with Fibromyalgia Syndrome provided by the Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor
Adaptive Architecture
Adaptive Environments human centered design
Center for Accessible Environments (CAE) is concerned with the practicalities of inclusive design in the built environment. [United Kingdom]
Center for Universal Design The Center for Universal Design is a national research, information, and technical assistance center that evaluates, develops, and promotes universal design in housing, public and commercial facilities, and related products.
Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists provided by AARP
Easy Living with Universal Design A booklet that provides information on how to begin modifying existing homes into a design that fits every lifestyle, and provides Internet resources to contact, should the consumer wish to build a new home. It includes a selection of resources available locally (Virginia), regionally and nationally. The booklet is a product of the Prince William Aging in Place Committee, a sub-committee of the Prince William Long Term Care Coordinating Committee, under the direction of the Prince William Area Agency on Aging.
Environmental, Safety, and Health Communication SIG of the Society for Technical Communication (STC)
Gifts For The Disabled: Accessibility To The Arts - What if cultural institutions and entertainment venues provided small improvements to make the arts accessible or more accessible for the disabled? From the Gotham Gazette, 26 December 2006
Home Design for Aging in Place provided by AARP
Illustrators and Visual Designers SIG of STC
Information Design and Architecture SIG of STC
Lifts and ramps
National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modifications
Research Information for Independent Living (RIIL)
The Design Linc an online Interior Design resource and information service
Usability & User Experience SIG of STC
Universal Designers
Universal Design Principles from the Center for Universal Design, College of Design, North Carolina State University