The Help America Vote Act is Empowering Americans with Disabilities

This is a special year for people with disabilities in San Mateo County.  As we honor Disabilities Awareness month, we are also celebrating the introduction of the eSlate, the new electronic voting machine which is accessible to all voters.  The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) was passed in 2002, guaranteeing the right of all voters to vote secretly and independently.  In accordance with HAVA, there will be an accessible voting machine in every polling place in the county for the upcoming November 7th General Election, giving voters with disabilities the ability to vote secretly and independently for the first time ever in San Mateo County history.  The accessible eSlate has special features for voters with disabilities, including

• Lower height to accommodate wheelchairs
• Headphones with an audio ballot in three languages (English, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese)
• Tactile switches for voters with limited mobility upper-body mobility
• Sip and puff device capability for voters with quadriplegia
• Large, distinct buttons

For more information about the eSlate, visit the eSlate Learning Center.

In 1945 Congress enacted Public Law 176 which designated the first week in October as "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." In 1962, the word "physically" was removed from the week's name to recognize the employment needs of all Americans with disabilities. Congress, in 1988, expanded the week to a month and changed its name to "National Disability Employment Awareness Month." October has evolved as the kick-off month for year-round programs that highlight the abilities and skills of Americans with disabilities.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) an individual with a disability is a person who:

1. Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a “major life activity” (http://nadc.ucla.edu/CommonTerms.htm),

Physical impairments include orthopedic, visual, speech and hearing conditions. Mental impairments include mental or psychological conditions, such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness and specific learning disabilities.

See the disability fact sheets (http://www.nichcy.org/disabinf.htm) by the National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY), for information about definitions, characteristics, and educational implications for certain types of disabilities.

2. Has a history of such an impairment,

This is to protect those that have limitations or illness from discrimination. It protects people with a history of cancer, heart disease or other debilitating illness. It also protects people with a history of mental illness.

3. Or is regarded as having such an impairment.

This is to protect people who appear to have a physical difference, but have no real disability limitations or need for adjustment or accommodation. For example, if a person with a facial scar was denied admittance to a program on the grounds that his or her presence may disturb others

What Are the Common Causes of Disability?

Although many people assume the most common disabilities are those associated with visible manifestations such as use of wheelchairs, white canes and sign language, most disabilities are caused by "hidden" conditions. Hidden disabilities are physical or mental conditions that are not readily apparent to others, such as learning disabilities, diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, low vision, poor hearing, heart disease, depression or chronic illness.

How Many People with Disabilities Live in California?

• According to the California Department of Rehabilitation, there are 4.5 million Californians with approximately 900 known disabilities. According to the U.S. Census, disabilities affect one out of every five Americans.

• Almost everyone is touched by disability in some way, whether it is a family member, friend, co-worker, or neighbor.

Information found on http://www.cac.ca.gov

The 10 Commandments For
Communicating with People with Disabilities:

1. Speak directly rather than through a companion or sign language interpreter who may be present.

2. Offer to shake hands when introduced. People with limited hand use or an artificial limb can usually shake hands and offering the left hand is an acceptable greeting.

3. Always identify yourself and others who may be with you when meeting someone with a visual disability. When conversing in a group, remember to identify the person to whom you are speaking. When dining with a friend who has a visual disability, ask if you can describe what is on his or her plate.

4. If you offer assistance, wait until the offer is accepted. Then listen or ask for instructions.

5. Treat adults as adults. Address people with disabilities by their first names only when extending that same familiarity to all others. Never patronize people in wheelchairs by patting them on the head or shoulder.

6. Do not lean against or hang on someone’s wheelchair. Bear in mind that people with disabilities treat their chairs as extensions of their bodies. And so do people with guide dogs and help dogs. Never distract a work animal from their job without the owner’s permission.

7. Listen attentively when talking with people who have difficulty speaking and wait for them to finish. If necessary, ask short questions that require short answers, or a nod of the head. Never pretend to understand; instead repeat what you have understood and allow the person to respond.

8. Place yourself at eye level when speaking with someone in a wheelchair or on crutches.

9. Tap a person who has a hearing disability on the shoulder or wave your hand to get his or her attention. Look directly at the person and speak clearly, slowly, and expressively to establish if the person can read your lips. If so, try to face the light source and keep hands, cigarettes and food away from your mouth when speaking. If a person is wearing a hearing aid, don’t assume that they have the ability to discriminate your speaking voice. Never shout to a person. Just speak in a normal tone of voice.

10. Relax. Don’t be embarrassed if you happen to use common expressions such as “See you later” or “Did you hear about this?” that seems to relate to a person’s disability.

International Declaration of Rights of Disabled Persons

In 1975, the Declaration of Rights of Disabled Persons affirmed, for the first time under international law, the entitlement of people with disabilities to have the same civil and political rights as other human beings.  This Declaration outlines the rights of disabled persons and calls for national and international action to ensure that it will be used as a common basis and frame of reference for the protection of these rights.  For a complete transcript of the Declaration of Rights of Disabled Persons by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights visit http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/72.htm.

Take a quiz to find out how much you know about disabilities rights at
http://www.smith.edu/ods/quiz.html

Famous People With Disabilities

http://www.ny.nrcs.usda.gov

Resources for People with Disabilities

American Association of People with Disabilities
          http://www.aapd-dc.org/

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
          http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/

County of San Mateo Commission on Disabilities
http://www.smco-cod.org/smc/department/cod/home/

Online Resource for Americans with Disabilities
          http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/

Disabled World: News and Information for the Disabled Community
          http://www.disabled-world.com/

Toolworks: Tools and Resource for People with Disabilities
          http://www.toolworks.org/

Protection and Advocacy for Californians with Disabilities
          http://www.pai-ca.org/

National Council For Support of Disability Issues
          http://www.ncsd.org/

Office of Disability Employment Policy
          http://www.dol.gov/odep/

Disability News and Articles
http://news.surfwax.com/disabilities/files/Disabilities_Awareness.html