Independent Living Institute

February 2000

Got a meeting abroad? How easily will your attendees with disabilities cope with the barriers?

Disability Discrimination Act Standards Project

On October 12, 2000, the Australian Federal Cabinet approved the Draft DDA Transport Standard. The decision requires all intra-city buses to be of low-floor type using boarding aids for wheelchair users in the form of ramps. This article traces the history of the milestone decision as an example and encouragement for the movement for Buses For All in other countries.

ABSTRACT

HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION

DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ACT 1992 (CTH)

H 99/115

BRUCE LINDSAY MAGUIRE

Complainant

and

SYDNEY ORGANISING COMMITTEE FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Respondent

REASONS FOR DECISION

 

This paper was presented at the Bristol University Centenary Celebration on 9th November 2001, as part of their series of lectures on ‘Valuing Diversity’.

When Bristol University asked me to give a lecture on Diversity and Disability, I immediately thought of Adolf Ratzka, a seasoned disabled activist from Germany. He had the UK’s disability movement splitting our sides with laughter and wonder when he presented his ‘Crip Utopia’ at one of our gatherings two years ago.

Compassion, tolerance, care for vulnerable people. “Why do these "feel good" words, mainstays of the New Tory lexicon, make some of us feel so uneasy?”

Partly it is that their synonyms are not so attractive; to think that someone is pitying you or putting up with you and that they are doing this because they see you as weak, is not a good feeling. But this is not the whole reason. It is also because these words are chosen in favour of other words - rights, equality, and services for those who need them.

STIL SWEDEN
23 May 2003
Jane Campbell

When contemplating the future of Independent Living organisations, we should reflect upon our history, to revisit the principles that have advanced our independence and see if they still hold up today or if it's time to modify them. So let us look for a moment at our rich history of building disabled people's independence.

After 22 years in UK, Mr Ahmed decided to bring his wife and six of his children to join him from their Asian country of origin. His eldest son was twenty years old, the youngest just three. Two daughters were married, and they remained in their country. He hoped the eldest son would find work in UK, and there would be school education for the others. He did not know what could be done for thirteen year old Imran, though he had heard there were special schools for children like him.

"Epileptic."  by  David B., translated by  K. Thompson.  (2005). London: Jonathan Cape.  366 pages.

M. Miles,
 

THE DEAF AFGHAN CHILD ‑ I.

Counsellor:  In the past few weeks we have talked about children and young people with different disabilities. First we looked at the fingers on our hand, and saw that one of them is smaller and weaker than all the others. We do not disregard that one simply because it is small and weak. In the same way, one child out of ten, on average, has some kind of disability, and needs some extra help from its family and the local community. We heard from the parents of one such child who is mentally weaker. They were given advice on how to help their child at home. Those parents will be back in a week or two, to report how they have got along with teaching their child.