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ActionAlert/News
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Town Hall Meeting
at
HANDS Group Picnic
at Camp Roanoke on Saturday, May 24, 2008
Hosted by: Blue Ridge Neighbors
and Statewide Interagency Team
(DBVI, DHHSC, DRS, VCSB, VDDHH and other local
and state services for the deaf, hard of hearing, late deafened and
deafblind)
Where: HANDS Group Picnic/Town
Hall Meeting at Camp Roanoke’s Dining Hall on the top of the hill
(see map and directions on back).
When: Saturday, May 24, 2008
from 1:30 pm until 2:30 pm (You are welcome for the entire picnic
from 10 am until 4 pm. Lunch starts at noon.)
What: Public comments on
state and local services for the deaf, hard of hearing, late
deafened and deafblind
Accommodations/Questions: Sign
Language Interpreters, Assistive Listening Devices and CART will be
provided. To request for other accommodations or to ask for more
information about the meeting, please contact Betti Thompson at
dhhsc@yahoo.com or 540 342 0031
(voice/TTY/VP) no later than Thurs., May 22.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jacquie Brennan
DBTAC Southwest ADA Center
713.520.0232,
jbrennan@bcm.edu
FIRST EVER ASL VIDEO PODCAST LAUNCH from the DISABILITY LAW LOWDOWN
May 13, 2008 – The first ever video podcast in American Sign Language
is being launched today on the Disability Law Lowdown website at
ASL.DisabilityLawLowdown.com. The
Disability Law Lowdown ASL podcasts will bring a new level of service
to the Deaf community by expanding traditional audio-only podcasts to
include video that allows subscribers too see native Deaf speakers
signing the show's content. The podcasts will deliver the latest in
disability law information every other week via American Sign
Language, captioning, voice-over, and transcripts to maximize
accessibility. Free subscriptions to the ASL podcasts are available to
have shows automatically delivered to MP3 players. The ASL podcasts
are also available on the Disability Law Lowdown website, where
transcripts of the shows are simultaneously available. And for the
fastest viewing, the ASL podcasts are available on YouTube at
www.youtube.com/disabilitylawlowdown.
The hosts for the ASL Disability Law Lowdown are native Deaf signers
Danny Warthling and AJ Roupp. They will provide the latest information
about disability rights and obligations under the Americans with
Disabilities Act, and other disability-related topics. Subscription is
free and RSS feeds are available to automatically download the shows
to video iPods, computers, phones, and other video-capable devices.
Disability Law Lowdown is provided by the Disability Business
Technical Assistance Center (DBTAC), a national network of ten ADA
Centers across the country, offering technical assistance and training
in the Americans with Disabilities Act and other disability-related
laws. DCRE Labs developed the Disability Law Lowdown website and
brought together several new technologies as part of the Disability
Law Lowdown project.
To subscribe, look for the ASL Disability Law Lowdown podcast on
iTunes, or visit
ASL.DisabilityLawLowdown.com.
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Public Comment E-Mail Address
Correction. See below.
SCHEDULE
CONFIRMED
for Public
Comment
on Special Education Draft Regulations
The proposed revisions to
Virginia’s state special education regulations will be published in
The Virginia Register of Regulations on April 28, 2008. Publication
will initiate the 60-day public comment period, which will last from
April 28, 2008 through June 30, 2008. During that time period, the
Virginia Department of Education will accept written public comments
regarding the proposed revisions, and nine public hearings will be
convened. Information about the public hearings and submitting
written comment appears below, and a Superintendent’s Memorandum will
be issued on April 25, 2008.
Additional information
regarding the regulations revision process is also available at
www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/dueproc/regulationsCWD.html
or ob by calling
804-225-2013 or TDD toll-free
1-800-422-1098.
If you have any
questions, or if we can
provide further clarification, please contact:
Melissa
Smith at (804) 371-0524 or Melissa.Smith@doe.virginia.gov or
Suzanne Creasey at (804) 225-2923 or Suzanne.Creasey@doe.virginia.gov.
Your help with disseminating this
information is greatly appreciated!
Hearing Dates and Locations
May 12, 2008
6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Halifax Co. High School
310 High School Circle
South Boston, VA 24592
(434) 572-4977
May 13, 2008
6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Abingdon High School
705 Thompson Drive
Abingdon, VA 24210
(276) 739-3200
May 14, 2008
6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Hidden Valley High School
5000 Titan Trail
Roanoke, VA 24018
(540) 776-7320
May 15, 2008
(additional hearing
date & location)
6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Freedom High School
25450 Riding Center Drive
South Riding, VA 20150
(703) 957-4300
May 27, 2008
6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Clover Hill High School
13900 Hull Street Road
Midlothian, VA 23112
(804) 739-6230
May 28, 2008
6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Norview High School
6501 Chesapeake Blvd.
Norfolk, VA 23513
(757) 852-4500
June 2, 2008
6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Oakton High School
2900 Sutton Road
Vienna, VA 22181
(703) 319-2700
June 3, 2008
6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Essex High School
833 High School Circle
Tappahannock, VA 22560
(804) 443-4301
June 4, 2008
6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Performing Arts Center
1400 Melbourne Road
Charlottesville, VA
22901
(434) 295-2722
Meeting Guidelines:
1. The Board of Education is pleased to receive
public comment regarding these draft regulations. Individuals seeking
to speak to the Board will be allotted three (3) minutes each unless
the number of speakers requires the Chair to reallocate the time
available to ensure that as many individuals as possible may speak.
2. Registration for individuals seeking to provide
oral public comment will begin at 6:00 p. m.
(new time) on the night of
the hearing.
3. In order to make the limited time available most
effective, speakers are urged to provide written copies of their
comments.
4. Interpreters for the deaf will be provided.
Those wishing to provide
written comments may either
submit them during a public hearing or submit them as follows:
E-mail to ReviseSpedRegs@doe.virginia.gov
(Available to receive comment
now!)
Fax to
(804) 786-8520
Mail
to:
Special
Education Regulations Revision Process
Office of Dispute Resolution and Administrative Services
Virginia Department of Education
P.O. Box 2120
Richmond, Virginia 23218-2120.
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National
Association of the Deaf
NAD Seeks
Talent to Showcase at the 49th Biennial NAD Conference
Silver Spring, MD. The National Association
of the Deaf (NAD) is looking for deaf talent for a competition to
determine the most theatrically presented material in American Sign
Language (ASL) during ASL Live! on Tuesday,
July 8, 2008 during the 49th Biennial NAD Conference in
New Orleans! Loosely based on the popular TV program, American Idol,
this evening of great talent and fun will be hosted by former Miss
Deaf America, Lauren Teruel Ridloff.
The evening will feature ten talented
semi-finalists who will exhibit their creativity in the use of the
American Sign Language in front of a large audience and three judges.
It will be the audience and the judges who will ultimately decide the
winner.
Performers will be judged on ASL translations,
ASL delivery, performance and originality. Performances can include
ASL poetry, ASL storytelling, ASL monologues or an ASL interpreted
"songs".
The ten (10) semi-finalists will be selected
from submitted audition videos by a panel of judges.
Guidelines for interested performers
(contestants):
http://www.nad.org/atf/cf/%7BA2A94BC9-2744-4E84-852F-D8C3380D0B12%7D/ASL%20LIVE%20-GUIDELINES-FINAL.PDF
About the NAD Conference
Rotated annually among the four regions of the
United States, Biennial NAD Conferences, held in the even numbered
years, traditionally bring together more than 2,000 deaf, hard of
hearing, late-deafened, deaf-blind and hearing consumers, parents,
youth, professionals, educators, organizational and corporate
representatives for five days of professional development, enrichment,
training, networking, governance meetings, receptions and related
evening events.
NAD Biennial Conferences are open to
everyone: Parents and family members; retirees; federal employees;
youth; administrators, educators, support providers and
product/service providers. For complete conference information, please
visit:
www.nad.org/2008conf.
About the NAD
The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) was
established in 1880 by deaf leaders who believed in the right of the
American deaf community to use sign language, to congregate on issues
important to them, and to have its interests represented at the
national level. These beliefs remain true to this day, with American
Sign Language as a core value. As a nonprofit federation, the mission
of the NAD is to preserve, protect, and promote the civil, human, and
linguistic rights of deaf Americans. The advocacy scope of the NAD is
broad, covering the breadth of a lifetime and impacting future
generations in the areas
of early intervention, education, employment,
health care, technology, telecommunications, youth leadership, and
more. For more information, please visit
www.nad.org <http://www.nad.org>
.
Virginia launches website describing community living choice
project for seniors and individuals with disabilities. Virginia is
one of 31 states participating in a five-year, $1.75 billion
Money Follows the Person (MFP)
Demonstration project
designed to create a system of long-term services and supports that
assist individuals to transition from certain long-term care
institutions into the community. This project supports Virginia’s
Olmstead initiative
and complements the efforts of the recently awarded Systems
Transformation Grant that aims to improve the infrastructure for
community-based long-term supports.
Virginia’s MFP project,
administered by the
Department of Medical
Assistance Services,
will make over $28 million in federal Medicaid funds available to
support Virginia’s seniors and individuals with disabilities. For
more details and the most current information on the MFP project,
please visit
http://www.olmsteadva.com/mfp.
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Media Relations Office Washington, D.C. Media Contact: 202.622.4000
www.IRS.gov/newsroom Public Contact:
800.829.1040
February 2008
Starting in May, the Treasury will begin sending economic stimulus
payments to more than 130 million individuals. The stimulus payments
will go out through the late spring and summer.
The vast majority of Americans who qualify for an economic stimulus
payment will not have to do anything other than file their 2007
individual income tax return to receive their payment this year. They
will not have to complete applications, file any extra forms or call
the Internal Revenue Service to request the payment, which is
automatic. The IRS will determine eligibility, figure the amount and
issue the payment.
Stimulus payments will be direct deposited for taxpayers selecting
that option when filing their 2007 tax returns. Taxpayers who have
already filed with direct deposit won't need to do anything else to
receive the stimulus payment. For taxpayers who haven't filed their
2007 returns yet, the IRS reminds them that direct deposit is the
fastest way to get both regular refunds and stimulus payments.
Basic Eligibility
The IRS will use the 2007 tax return to determine eligibility and
calculate the basic amount of the payment. In most cases, the payment
will equal the amount of tax liability on the return with a maximum
amount of $600 for individuals ($1,200 for taxpayers who file a joint
return) and a minimum of $300 for individuals ($600 for taxpayers who
file a joint return).
Even those who have little or no tax liability may qualify for a
minimum payment of $300 ($600 if filing a joint return) if their tax
return reflects $3,000 or more in qualifying income. For the purpose
of the stimulus payments, qualifying income consists of earned income
such as wages and net self-employment income as well as Social
Security or certain Railroad Retirement benefits and veterans’
disability compensation, pension or survivors’ benefits received from
the Department of Veterans’ Affairs in 2007. However, Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) does not count as qualifying income for the
stimulus payment.
Low-income workers who have earned income above $3,000 but do not
have a regular filing requirement must file a 2007 tax return to
receive the minimum stimulus payment. Similarly, Social Security
recipients, certain Railroad retirees, and those who receive the
veterans’ benefits mentioned above must file a 2007 return in order to
notify the IRS of their qualifying income.
The IRS emphasized that people with no filing requirement who turn
in a tax return to qualify for the economic stimulus payment will not
get a tax bill. People in this category will not owe money because of
the stimulus payment.
Limitation
To be eligible for a stimulus payment, taxpayers must have valid
Social Security Numbers. Anyone who does not have a valid Social
Security Number, including those who file using an Individual Taxpayer
Identification Number (ITIN), an Adoption Taxpayer Identification
Number (ATIN) or any other identification number issued by the IRS is
not eligible for this payment.
Both individuals listed on a married filing jointly return must
have valid Social Security Numbers to qualify for a stimulus payment.
Eligibility for the advance payment is subject to maximum income
limits. The payment amounts will be reduced by 5 percent of the amount
of income in excess of $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 for those
with a Married Filing Jointly filing status.
Individuals who pay no tax and who have less than $3,000 of
qualifying income will not be eligible for the stimulus payment.
Additional Payments for Parents and Others with Qualifying Children
Parents and anyone else eligible for a stimulus payment will also
receive an additional $300 for each qualifying child (subject to
income phase-outs). To qualify, a child must be eligible under the
Child Tax Credit and have a valid Social Security Number.
Anyone who is not eligible for the basic payment amount due to the
phase-out provision or any other exception will not be eligible for
this additional amount for children.
Special Circumstances for Recipients of Social Security, Railroad
Retirement and Certain Veterans Benefits
Individuals who receive Social Security benefits, Railroad
Retirement benefits and certain veterans’ benefits may have to follow
special filing requirements in order to receive the basic amount:
Those who have already filed a 2007 return reflecting qualifying
income of $3,000 or more do not have any additional filing
requirements and do not need to do anything more to receive their
payment.
Those who have already filed a 2007 return showing less than $3,000
in qualifying income and did not list their Social Security, Railroad
Retirement or certain veterans benefits should file a Form 1040X to
list those non-taxable benefits and qualify for a payment.
Those who are not required to file a 2007 return but whose total
qualifying income including Social Security, certain Railroad
Retirement and certain Veterans benefits would equal or exceed $3,000
should file a return reporting these benefits on Line 14a of Form
1040A or Line 20a of Form 1040 to establish their eligibility. Please
note the form lines just mention Social Security, but use these lines
even if your only benefits were Railroad Retirement or veterans’
benefits.
Notices
Most taxpayers will receive two notices from the IRS. The first
general notice from the IRS will explain the stimulus payment program.
The second notice will confirm the recipients’ eligibility, the
payment amount and the approximate time table for the payment.
Taxpayers will need to save this notice to assist them when they
prepare their 2008 tax return next year.
Anyone who moves after they have filed their 2007 tax return should
notify the IRS by filing Form 8822, Change of Address, and also notify
the Post Office.
Exclusions
Individuals who file Form 1040NR, 1040PR or 1040SS are not eligible
for the stimulus payments. These returns are normally filed by
Nonresident Aliens, residents of Puerto Rico and residents of the U.S.
Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands (CNMI). Residents of U.S. possessions will be
receiving their rebates directly from the possessions.
Also ineligible are individuals who can be claimed as dependents on
someone else’s return.
Dividends, interest and capital gains income is not included when
determining qualifying income. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) does
not count as qualifying income for the stimulus payment. Also not
included in qualifying income are non-veterans or non-Social Security
pension income (such as those from Individual Retirement Accounts).
Stimulus payments will be subject to offset against outstanding tax
and non-tax liabilities in the same fashion as regular tax refunds.
In addition, the IRS emphasizes the stimulus payments will not
count toward or negatively impact any other income-based government
benefits, such as Social Security benefits, food stamps and other
programs.
For Additional Information
The IRS.gov Web site is the best source for additional information
and answers to questions regarding the stimulus payments. The site
will soon have an online tool which will allow taxpayers to calculate
the amount of their advance payment and to check on the status of
their specific payment.
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Website Offers Closed Captioned Presidential Debates
Taudiobook, a
software company that syncs transcripts to videos, has posted the
entire presidential debate series with closed captioning on their
website as a public service.
View the list
at
http://www.jfactivist.org/
of
closed captioned presidential debates, including the Saturday
debates.
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Independent
Living Institute introduces
Fashion Freaks –
your dressing room on the Internet!
Fashion Freaks is about fashion,
clothing and vanity from a seated perspective.
We who use wheelchairs know how
hard it is to find good looking clothes that fit. Skirts are too short
at the back. Pants are too tight in the crotch. The jacket travels
forward with every move until the shoulder pads form extra boobs. It
is not funny!!
It is not as complicated as you
think to sew yourself. And when you have your “own” pattern you can
create any combination or variation of clothing you want.
With your “own” pattern you can ask
a seamstress to sew that special garment for that special occasion –
maybe a two-piece suit for graduation. Or find the tailor who makes
motorcycle clothes and order that leather jacket everyone will envy.
Fashion Freaks is about clothing
for wheelchair users. On out website you will find patterns for
downloading, simple sewing instructions, tips and other useful stuff.
Here you will find everything you need to fix a wardrobe after your
personal taste.
Visit us at
www.independentliving.org/fashionfreaks
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VOPA needs YOU!!
Because the Virginia Office for
Protection and Advocacy has limited resources, it must choose, each
year, how best to use those resources. It does this by selecting
certain issues to work on. Each year, VOPA asks for public input on
its goals and objectives. We will soon be entering a two year
planning cycle, so it is critical that we receive thoughtful public
input.
What issues should VOPA take on?
What are the most critical issues facing the disability community
today? How can VOPA best use its limited legal resources?
Please help us by filling out a
simple public input survey. Go to VOPA's webpage:
www.vopa.state.va.us and click on the survey at the top. If you or
someone you know would prefer to use a paper survey, just call
1-800-552-3962 and ask us to send you one.
To learn more about VOPA's current
goals, visit our webpage, and click on programs/goals. You can also
call us and we will mail you information. Thank you for your help!!
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COMMONWEALTH OF
VIRGINIA
Office of
the Governor
Timothy M. Kaine
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Governor
May 14, 2007
Contact: Kevin Hall Karen K.
Lawson, DMAS
Phone: (804) 225-4260 (804) 786-8099
Cell Phone: (804) 393-9406
Internet:
www.governor.virginia.gov
www.dmas.virginia.gov
GOVERNOR KAINE
ANNOUNCES $28 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT TO
PROMOTE
COMMUNITY-BASED CARE FOR ELDERLY, DISABLED
~ Goal is to transition at least 1,000 people from
institutional settings ~
RICHMOND –
Governor Timothy M.
Kaine announced today that Virginia has been awarded a four-year,
$28.6 million "Money Follows the Person" demonstration grant by the
U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The federal
funding will help the Commonwealth design services and programs to
transition at least 1,000 seniors and adults and children with
disabilities from institutions, such as nursing facilities, into
appropriate community-based housing. The federal grant will extend
from May 2008 through September 2011.
"Our seniors and
Virginians with disabilities should be able to experience many of the
same benefits and freedoms of everyday life that all of us enjoy,"
Governor Kaine said. "By developing additional services and housing
options for these individuals, this project will help us promote
choice, quality, and flexibility as we continue to work to improve our
infrastructure for community-based, long-term support services."
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Good afternoon
from the Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access (CATEA)!
We are a non-profit research center in the Georgia Institute of
Technology (Georgia Tech) specializing in research that promotes
independence and knowledge for people with disabilities through
assistive technology and environmental access. Of particular interest
to your constituents is our CATEA
Consumer Network (CCN), online at
www.catea.gatech.edu/ccn/ccn.php
.
Earn $$ for research
participation! Help design new products!
The CCN is a network of
elders and people with disabilities. Members of CCN test new
prototypes, products and services in order to improve them through
focus groups, field-testing and surveys. By signing up and becoming a
member of CCN, individuals will be among the first to preview new
developments in these areas and provide input to make them more usable
and accessible. Members receive a periodic newsletter to keep them up
to date. Membership is free and CCN studies often provide payments to
participants.
To participate in the
CCN, interested elders and persons with disabilities should follow the
link to signup today at
www.catea.org/ccn/ccn.php.
The Registry Signup Form takes about 5 to 10 minutes to complete. The
Registry Signup Form can also be completed by phone by contacting a
CATEA research representative at 1-800-726-9119 (voice or TTY) or
404-894-4960. CCN members will receive periodic notices about paid and
unpaid opportunities for involvement.
We believe the CCN may
be of strong interest to members of you organization and those who use
its services. Please forward this information on the CCN to any and
all who may benefit. Also, feel free to contact us at the CCN (ccn@coa.gatech.edu)
if you need research subjects for your own studies; we would love to
work with you in helping identify the most appropriate subjects. We
would also love to hear your comments on the service and the signup
process.
CATEA (www.catea.gatech.edu)
promotes independence and participation of people with disabilities
through assistive technology and environmental access. CATEA advances
its mission through a variety of projects that focus on: Research and
Development, Information Dissemination, Training and Education, Design
and Technology Improvement. CATEA is a research unit in the College of
Architecture at Georgia Tech. |
