SIGN of the TIMES E-NEWS August 2010 Department of Human Rights Office of Deaf Services ANNOUNCEMENT DSCI COMMISSION MEETING AUGUST 20TH, 2010 10:00 A.M.—1:00 P.M. ALTOONA PUBLIC LIBRARY 700—8TH STREET SW, ALTOONA Agendas and Meeting Minutes are available on our website: www.deafservices.iowa.gov ANNOUNCEMENT SIGN LANAGUAGES CLASSES AVAILABLE VIA THE IOWA COMMUNICATION NETWORK Iowa School for the Deaf, in collaboration with the Area Education Agencies and the Lions Foundation of Iowa, will again host sign language classes and mini workshops on deafness during the 2010-2011 school year. They are planning to hold the classes via the Iowa Communications Network. Check the Iowa School for the Deaf website at www.iowaschoolforthedeaf.org Visit DSCI website: www.deafservices.iowa.gov Questions or Comments? Email us: dhr.dsci@iowa.gov ANNOUNCEMENT Social Security Administration Issues Final Rules on Medical Criteria for Evaluating Hearing Loss Effective August 1, 2010, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will be using new medical criteria for evaluating hearing loss. The SSA will use these new rules to evaluate hearing loss in both adults and children who apply for or receive Social Security disability benefits or Supplemental Security In- come (SSI) payments based on disability. The electronic file of this document is available on the date of publication (November 20, 2006/71FR67037) in the Federal Register at www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/ index.html. ANNOUNCEMENT Department of Justice Announces Plans to Prepare New ADA Regulations Here are the four new ADA proposals: . Accessibility of websites . Provision of captioning and video description in movies shown in theaters . Accessible equipment and furniture . Ability of 9-1-1 centers to take text and video calls from individuals with disabilities. The proposals are in the form of advance notices of proposed rulemaking, or ANPRMs, which pro- vide information on these ADA issues and ask questions seeking comments and information from the public. The four ANPRMs were published in the Federal Register on July 26, 2010. More information: http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2010/July/10-crt-850.html President Obama Announces Revised ADA Regulations . Adoption of the Revised Design Standards . Element by Element Safe Harbor . Ticketing . Service Animals . Wheelchairs and Other Power-Driven Mobility Devices . Timeshares . Reservations at places of Lodging Detailed information: http://blogs.usdoj.gov/blog/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS 8/6: 6:00 pm: American Sign Language Social hosted by Deaf Awareness and DMACC located at ALL-Play 615 - 3rd Street, Des Moines. Games, eat and drink. 8/14: Iowa Deaf Senior Citizens Conference located at West Bend, Park View Inn & Suites, 13 4th Street NE. Hosted by North Central Club of the Deaf, Registration: $40 per person. To register, contact jlmatt@q.com 8/27: 7:00 p.m. Council Bluffs Silent Club’s 2011 IAD Conference Committee presents, from the Director of the Legend of the Mountain Man, an ASL film called “Gerald”, A Twist that Brings Them All Together located at DMACC, Bldg. #6 (Auditorium), 2006 S. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny. Net proceeds to benefit the 2011 IAD Conference. $11 Admission, ASL, English Subtitles. Tickets/Information: Kathy Shannon: granrose52@aol.com. 8/28: 7:00 p.m. Council Bluffs Silent Club’s 2011 IAD Conference Committee presents, from the Director of the Legend of the Mountain Man, an ASL film called “Gerald”, A Twist that Brings Them All Together located at Iowa School for the Deaf, Lied Multipurpose Complex, 3501 Harry Langdon Blvd., Council Bluffs. Net proceeds to benefit the 2011 IAD Conference. $11 Admission, ASL, English Subtitles. Tickets/Information: Kathy Shannon: granrose52@aol.com. www.aslfilms.com ANNOUNCEMENT “On Monday, July 19, 2010 the International Congress on the Education of the Deaf (ICED) opened its 21st Congress at Vancouver, British Columbia with a historic announcement that it formally re- jects the resolutions passed at its 2nd Congress (commonly known as the 1880 Milan Congress) which discouraged the use of sign language in the education of the deaf. The original resolutions passed at the 1880 Milan Congress did irreparable damage to deaf individuals, educators, profes- sionals, schools and communities around the world. Established in the same year as the 1880 Milan Congress, the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) was shaped 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.” "We are elated to see that, for the first time in 130 years, the ICED has joined us in rejecting the ac- tions of its predecessors and moving forward to improve educational systems for the global deaf and hard of hearing community. We are grateful and proud to see the ICED take this important and very appropriate step towards reconciliation," said NAD President Bobbie Beth Scoggins. "The formal rejection of the 1880 resolutions made in Milan by the ICED realizes a dream that we have had for 130 years. Together with the ICED we have taken the first steps towards a beautiful, bilingual future of cooperation and mutual respect." More information: http://www.nad.org/news/2010/7/nad-elated-iced-rejection-1880-milan-congress- resolutions Immediate Press Release available at this website: http://www.nad.org/news/2010/7/nad-elated-iced- rejection-1880-milan-congress-resolutions Visit DSCI website: www.deafservices.iowa.gov Questions or Comments? Email us: dhr.dsci@iowa.gov