Greetings everyone,
This and next week's newsletters are dedicated to informing our readers of the
changes in some of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) definitions that
became effective last week. Therefore these are very important issues in our
newsletter history. This newsletter will cover some of the changes and next
week's newsletter will cover some additional changes affecting the deaf and
disability communities. Information and explanations in this newsletter is not
legal advice. For legal advice, please contact an attorney.
Lets celebrate National Deaf History Month with a day of positive relationships,
a day of positive coexistence, and a day of fun at our bowing tournament today.
More info on our bowling event http://www.deafadvocacy.org/bowl-a-thon and
please join us.
Richard Roehm, Chairman
On behalf of Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center
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Our ebay store http://stores.ebay.com/OCDAC-Adaptive-Equipment-and-More
Funds raised would go to supporting a variety of advocacy, training, education,
outreach, and residency programs offered by the Orange County Deaf Advocacy
Center.
Were always adding many new items each month.
Your support is always needed. Please visit the store and see our new items.
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Our meetups scheduling will resume starting May 2011. Please join a group for
more information.
The Orange County Deaf & Hearing Impaired Meetup Group
http://www.meetup.com/deaf-38/
The Orange County American Sign Language Meetup Group
http://www.meetup.com/asl-37/
Oral Deaf Orange County http://www.meetup.com/deaf-263/
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ADA Definition of : Qualified Interpreter
Qualified interpreter means an interpreter who, via a video remote interpreting
(VRI) service or an on-site appearance, is able to interpret effectively,
accurately, and impartially, both receptively and expressively, using any
necessary specialized vocabulary. Qualified interpreters include, for example,
sign language interpreters, oral transliterators, and cued-language
transliterators.
Examples : Certification of interpreters through Registry of Interpreters for
the Deaf (RID) is not in the definition. RID certification is not necessary.
Basically this is a re-empasization as there are many places throughout the USA
still requiring the use of certified interpreters and is attributing to the
"shortage of interpreters" condition that allows waivers from the ADA
requirements.
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Help us raise some funds with our tupperware fundraiser.
Our tupperware fundraiser http://shortlinks.deafadvocacy.org/tupperware
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ADA Definition of : Service Animals
Service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform
tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical,
sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of
animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals
for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service
animal must be directly related to the handler's disability. Examples of work or
tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or
have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are
deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing
non-violent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an
individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens,
retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support
and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility
disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities
by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors. The crime
deterrent effects of an animal's presence and the provision of emotional
support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks
for the purposes of this definition.
Examples : Only trained dogs are service animals. Not monkeys, potbellied pigs,
hissing cockroaches. Therapy animal services do not meet the definition of work
that a service animals does. Minature horses may meet the service animal
definition through a completely different, and complicated, set of rules.
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ADA Definition of : Video Remote Interpreting
Video remote interpreting (VRI) service means an interpreting service that uses
video conference technology over dedicated lines or wireless technology offering
high-speed, wide-bandwidth video connection that delivers high-quality video
images as provided in Sec. 36.303(f). Qualified interpreters on-site or
through video remote interpreting (VRI) services; notetakers; real-time
computer-aided transcription services; written materials; exchange of written
notes; telephone handset amplifiers; assistive listening devices; assistive
listening systems; telephones compatible with hearing aids; closed caption
decoders; open and closed captioning, including real-time captioning; voice,
text, and video-based telecommunications products and systems, including text
telephones (TTYs), videophones, and captioned telephones, or equally effective
telecommunications devices; videotext displays; accessible electronic and
information technology; or other effective methods of making aurally delivered
information available to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing;
Examples : This combines many communication services for the deaf and hard of
hearing that were in separate categories into a single category. This probably
complicates the separation between VRS and VRI for the purpose of receiving
reimbursements from FCC and NECA.
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Donate to Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center
Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center is a transparent organization serving the
needs of people with disabilities and our transparency is visible at
http://rct.doj.ca.gov/MyLicenseVerification/Details.aspx?agency_id=1&license_id=\
1003712& and we are current with our State of California reporting requirements.
Give us a hand. Go to
https://www.justgive.org/nonprofits/donate.jsp?ein=33-0806007
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ADA Definition of : Wheelchairs
Wheelchair means a manually-operated or power-driven device designed primarily
for use by an individual with a mobility disability for the main purpose of
indoor or of both indoor and outdoor locomotion. This definition does not apply
to Federal wilderness areas; wheelchairs in such areas are defined in section
508(c)(2) of the ADA, 42 U.S.C. 12207(c)(2).
Examples : Wheelchairs dont have to look like wheelchairs. They can be walkers
with seats or battery power razor scooters to name a few. This expands the
definition of wheelchairs.
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Paypal is one super online payment system we all come to know for now. However a
new company called VirtaPay is rising up using the same babysteps as paypal.
They need at least 3 million members before they can open up to the public and
your help is needed. We will get $10.00 for each new VirtaPay signup. New
signups will be given $25.00 in startup funds. Now isn't that a win win
situation for you and our organization?
Paybox http://www.virtapay.com/r/ocdac
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ADA Definition of : Mobility Devices
Other power-driven mobility device means any mobility device powered by
batteries, fuel, or other engines--whether or not designed primarily for use by
individuals with mobility disabilities--that is used by individuals with
mobility disabilities for the purpose of locomotion, including golf cars,
electronic personal assistance mobility devices (EPAMDs), such as the
Segway[supreg] PT, or any mobility device designed to operate in areas without
defined pedestrian routes, but that is not a wheelchair within the meaning of
this section. This definition does not apply to Federal wilderness areas;
wheelchairs in such areas are defined in section 508(c)(2) of the ADA, 42 U.S.C.
12207(c)(2).
Examples : This also means Fairview's community Segway users in Costa Mesa will
no longer tickets from police!
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For over 37 years, Labels for Education® has supported organizations across the
country by providing more than $110 million in free educational merchandise.
This year, the Labels for Education program is getting even better with a new
look and focus on the Arts, Athletics and Academic enrichment programs that can
spark children's successes. Labels for Education is also adding new partnerships
and resources. With your help, the Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center can make
this year the best ever! To meet our goals, we need to collect 1,000,000 points.
Campbells Labels For Education Program http://www.deafadvocacy.org/campbells
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ADA Definition of : Direct Threat
Direct threat means a significant risk to the health or safety of others that
cannot be eliminated by a modification of policies, practices, or procedures, or
by the provision of auxiliary aids or services, as provided in Sec. 36.208. In
determining whether an individual poses a direct threat to the health or safety
of others, a public accommodation must make an individualized assessment, based
on reasonable judgment that relies on current medical knowledge or on the best
available objective evidence, to ascertain: The nature, duration, and severity
of the risk; the probability that the potential injury will actually occur; and
whether reasonable modifications of policies, practices, or procedures or the
provision of auxiliary aids or services will mitigate the risk.
Examples : A person, who has been making threats in the past, can no longer be
perceived as a person capable of making threats in the future PROVIDED that
there is treatment and or following self achievable procedures available to
suppress the threat and the person has unrestricted access to and is ready,
willing, and able to obtain treatment or follow procedures in order to suppress
the capabilities of making the threats.
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**** DISCLAIMER ****
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The OCDAC Newsletter is designed to share information of interest to people with
disabilities, their friends, associates, and relatives and promote advocacy in
the disability community. Information circulated herein does not necessarily
express the views of The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center. The OCDAC
Newsletter is non-partisan. OCDAC Newsletter does not sell advertising space.
The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center is a community based organization that
puts people with disabilities first in their advocacy for equal opportunities in
safety, health, and productive living.
The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center provides services for disabled
individuals and their families in our community who need help in navigating the
social services maze. Every day people go without proper food, shelter, and
essential medical care every day due to a variety of factors including low
wages, job loss, injuries, illness, age, domestic violence, or divorce. While
all of us are susceptible to hard times, disabled individuals are at the most
risk. With the generous support of people like you, we are able to help many of
these families and individuals not only to meet essential daily needs, but to
work toward a brighter future with programs in job training, education,
counseling, elderly assistance, and temporary housing.
Feel free to forward this email message IN ITS ENTIRETY to anyone and any of
your personal mailing lists so we can get the important messages out far and
wide and encourage them to sign up for our weekly newsletter.
Our physical address is P.O. Box 4339, Santa Ana, California, 92702-4339 and
this email is in compliance with CAN-SPAM Act of 2003.
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