Youth delegates wanted for disability conference

[Guest guest]

(I just got this email today on the JFA list-serv, so assume they have

extended the deadline.

Ruth)

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JFA Daily: Youth Applicants Wanted for National Disability

Conference

JFA Daily, 6/13/07

1. Youth advocates wanted for national disability conference

2. Radio Shack initiative for customers with visual impairments

________________________________________________________________

Youth advocates wanted for national disability conference

(Applications still accepted)

Are you a youth who would like to learn more about the disability

rights movement, the independent living movement and the oldest

cross-disability, grassroots organizations in the United States?

The National Council on Independent Living and Mitsubishi Electric

America Foundation (MEAF) are very pleased to offer an educational

youth track at the NCIL conference this year. This track will give

participants invaluable experience as they actively engage in

workshops on disability policy and leadership development, meet

with Members of Congress and their staffs, and learn about the

priorities, history and governance practices of NCIL and our

members. The theme for the 2007 NCIL Conference is " Celebrating

Accomplishments and Forging New Leaders " as we commemorate our

25th Anniversary this year.

NCIL now offers a reduced youth registration fee of $110 to all

NCIL members that are 22-years-old or younger. NCIL Youth

Membership is $10. NCIL will also offer full or partial NCIL

conference registration fee waivers to at least twenty youth

participating in this program. Applicants for this waiver should

be 22 years-old or younger. Those chosen will be encouraged

to attend the NCIL Board meetings on Sunday, July 8 and Friday,

July 13 to meet with the NCIL Executive Director, Board and staff.

The attached waiver application should be submitted to NCIL by

June 9, 2007.

Unfortunately, NCIL is not able to help cover the travel and

lodging costs to attend the NCIL Conference. Those with the

financial means to attend the NCIL conference are encouraged to

register for the conference and reserve their hotel and travel

accommodations immediately.

Completed applications should be sent to Chappell at the

NCIL Office:

FAX: 202-207-0341

EMAIL: justin@...

MAIL: NCIL

1710 Rhode Island Ave., NW, 5th Floor

Washington, DC 20036

can also be reached by calling (202) 207-0334 (V), (202)

207-0340 (TTY) should you have questions about this program or if

your organization is willing to support the NCIL Conference and

other programs focusing on youth and under-represented

communities.

****************************************

2007 NCIL Conference

Youth Registration Fee Waiver Request

Name: ____________________________________________________________

Age: _____________________________________________________________

Occupation: ______________________________________________________

Nominating CIL/SILC/ IL Association: _____________________________

Are you employed by a CIL, SILC or IL Association? _______________

Are either of your parents employed by a CIL, SILC or IL Assn? ___

How will you pay for travel expenses? ____________________________

City______________________________________________________________

State_____________________________________________________________

Daytime Phone_____________________________________________________

Evening Phone_____________________________________________________

Email Address_____________________________________________________

Please answer the following questions using no more than 1-2 total

pages:

1) Why would you like to attend the 2007 NCIL Conference?

2) What experience or knowledge do you have with independent

living?

3) How can you help NCIL and our members outreach to youth and

foster leadership development?

SOURCE: National Council on Independent Living

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RadioShack Announces Point of Sale, Website Initiative for

Customers with Visual Impairments

Blind Community Leaders Applaud RadioShack's Commitment

June 13, 2007

Washington, DC - In a move praised by state and national blindness

organizations, RadioShack (NYSE:RSH) today announced it has

undertaken a nationwide initiative to improve services for

RadioShack's customers with visual impairments. As part of the

program, RadioShack will install new point of sale equipment with

tactile keypads to protect the privacy and security of visually

impaired shoppers and will make improvements to its website that

will benefit visually impaired shoppers and other customers with

disabilities.

Today's announcement is the result of collaboration between

RadioShack and major blindness organizations including the

American Foundation for the Blind, American Council of the Blind,

and California Council of the Blind.

Point of Sale Improvements

It is anticipated that by the end of September of this year, every

RadioShack store will have the new device, which is designed to

protect the financial privacy of blind and visually impaired

shoppers. The devices, manufactured by Ingenico (www.ingenico.com),

have tactile keys arranged like a standard telephone keypad and

plug easily into existing point of sale payment terminals. The new

units will allow RadioShack shoppers who have difficulty reading

information on a touch screen to privately and independently enter

their PIN, telephone number, and other confidential information.

Blind community representatives praised RadioShack's plan to

upgrade its point of sale devices. " Point of sale devices must

have tactile keys so blind people do not have to share their PIN

with strangers, " explained Brunson, executive director of

the American Council of the Blind.

" Today's announcement, and the collaboration that led to it,

demonstrates RadioShack's understanding of this fact and its

strong commitment to blind and visually impaired customers. "

To read the entire press release, please go to:

http://www.aapd.com/News/tech/070613acb.htm

SOURCE: American Council of the Blind

________________________________________________________________

For more news issues, see:

http://www.aapd.com/docs/news.php

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American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). To

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