Presents Rotary Park in Mesa (Arizona), designed to be accessible to the disabled and developed by the Mesa Rotary Club, the city parks and recreation department, and county and federal agencies. Describes the park's origins, development, and special recreational equipment, including a physical fitness trail and multipurpose playing areas. (RW)

Discusses the accessibility of public libraries to the physically handicapped in light of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504. The specific architectural requirements of the law are outlined and questions concerning the scope of the law and funding of required renovations are addressed. A 15-item bibliography is provided. (JL)

This article looks at both the problems of restrictive barriers (physical, administrative, social) to educational opportunities for the handicapped and at alternative solutions, particularly in terms of personnel needs and financial concerns directed toward the removal of these barriers. (Author/SJL)

The article describes a study conducted to determine the needs (physical, training, and support) of cerebral palsied students enrolled in community colleges. Ss' responses are presented in three general areas of accessibility: academic, social/psychological, and physical. A program providing needed special services for such students is proposed.…

Presents basic guidelines to help school districts comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in making their schools accessible to disabled students. A brief overview of the ADA is provided as well as a list of where to get help for advise prior to new school construction or renovation. (GR)

This column explains the National File Format, a proposed voluntary standard for accessible digital instructional materials for students with disabilities. It considers the role of digital materials, difficulties with the present system of disseminating accessible materials, how a consistent file format for digital materials will help, and ways to…

Data are presented from four focus groups of adult assistive technology (AT) computer users with visual impairments. Participants cited the benefits of using assistive technology with computers at work. Barriers to computer use included lack of training and accessible training materials and dependence on assistance from sighted people. (Contains…

A review was conducted of 198 articles on special education technology. While literature could be found in 28 journals, a core set of 7 contributed 70% of relevant articles. Articles revealed the following 2001 themes: accessibility, assistive technology, implementation issues, Internet use and Web resources, technology integration, and universal…

The article outlines provisions of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act (P.L. 98-524) which provide equity and access to vocational education for students with handicaps. Provisions concern: guidance, counseling, and career development; provision of information concerning vocational program opportunities; equal access to vocational…

This report presents the result of the learner/teacher verification of seven switch input microcomputer software programs designed for use with multihandicapped students with developmental ages of three to five years. Strengths and weaknesses of the programs are discussed along with suggestions for their use. (Author/DB)

The study evaluated the touch sensitive screen, providing computer access to students with severe learning disabilities, with visual impairments, and with physical handicaps. Results indicated the apparatus to be a valuable tool for individual or group work in a variety of skills by children of various ages and disabilities. (DB)

This study evaluated interfaces (menu-driven, natural language, or hybrid) for using the Computer Access Technology-Knowledge Based Expert System (CAT-KBES), which assists in the selection of appropriate computer access technology for clients with severe visual disabilities. Users (n=19, including 12 with visual impairments) preferred the revised…

A court case in which a dyslexic medical student was dismissed from medical school because he was unable to pass multiple-choice examinations is discussed, and its implications for higher education are examined. Standards in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are considered, and recommendations are made for institutions admitting handicapped students.…

Answers questions concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act's effect on early childhood programs. Questions include the following: Are centers with no federal funding exempt? Must centers accept every disabled child? What does "reasonable accommodations" mean? When can centers terminate enrollment? Can fees be raised to offset…

A rural model for preventing and managing secondary health problems involves workshops that empower adults with disabilities to better manage their own health, and the development of supportive community structures. Four Montana case studies suggest that this prevention model may enhance the health and independence of rural adults with…