Elsa Sallard was hired by Starbucks to work as a barista, but was fired soon afterwards. Starbucks is accused of violating federal law by denying reasonable accommodation to the barista with dwarfism and firing her because of her disability.
The Up & Down Emotions of a Diagnosis Part IV-To go or not to go: A Personal Battle
May 25, 2011
As the date for the camp drew near, I felt myself getting more and more apprehensive. I reached out to friends and family searching for a solution to my thoughts and feelings.
Age before Need: A Flawed Premise?
May 25, 2011
Ask a teacher or coach this question: When is a special needs athlete ready for competitive sports? The answers may surprise you for they can reveal the coaches’ sports philosophy, personal beliefs, and maybe even hint at a bias about the capabilities of the athletes they work with. Some coaches believe that the earlier an athlete starts competition the better they will be prepared for challenges later in their sporting lives. Other coaches – myself included – believe that such a decision is best determined by assessing each athlete’s capabilities (physical and intellectual) and their interests in competition; not by their age. I do not view chronology as a good predictor of athletic readiness.
Make Fitness Accessible! Become an Inclusive Fitness Trainer!
May 24, 2011
If you are already a Personal Trainer and want to reach out a hand to people with disabilities, the CIFT program is for you. It is a cutting-edge credential that allows personal trainers to prepare for and serve people with disabilities in fitness settings. The CIFT credential is the gold-standard in credentialing as it is offered through the American College of Sports Medicine, and it is valued in high quality fitness centers across the nation. Information is provided below.
Changing Perceptions: A Response to “Wretches and Jabberers”
May 24, 2011
Several weeks ago I wrote an entry about the documentary film Wretches and Jabberers. I unfortunately missed the viewing that I discussed in that entry, but was so excited when it played again last week. This time I made sure to be there!
“Sighted” Wheelchair Makes First Successful Test Drive
May 24, 2011
A “sighted” wheelchair has been taken on a successful first test drive by a PhD-student who is visually impaired. The electric wheelchair is steered with a joystick and has a “haptic robot” that works like a virtual white cane. A laser scanner helps to create a simplified 3D map of the wheelchair surroundings. The laser scanner uses a technique called “Time-of-flight.” After the 3D map is produced, it transfers back to the haptic robot. This allows a wheelchair user with a visual impairment to “feel or see” obstacles like oncoming people or open doors, and navigate past them.
The Power of Belief
May 23, 2011
Everything that we do in our lives is based upon believing. We are constantly making decisions directly in relation to those things that we believe.
Scuba Diving Study for Veterans with Paralysis
May 23, 2011
There’s a new research study on scuba diving and people with disabilities. The pilot study will take place in the Cayman Islands; and will conduct trials on 10 veterans with paralysis. The goal is to measure the neurological, psychological and pulmonary effects of scuba diving. The research process will include testing, evaluation, and data gathering to scientifically measure the efficacy of scuba diving as an activity-based therapy that benefits people with disabilities.
A Very Special Physical Education Class
May 23, 2011
Research has found that youth with developmental disabilities tend to be less fit than their nondisabled peers, and I do fear the health risks of a sedentary lifestyle for these children and their families. Maybe if more of us could believe the simple things we see and take time to apply these practices, daily positive results would come with a lot less effort and time.
Scientists create paranoid, delusional computers with “virtual schizophrenia”
May 19, 2011
If a computer claimed it was responsible for a terrorist bombing, or claimed that it had analyzed and discovered secret-coded NSA messages in online articles which told it to infiltrate a terrorist network, it would likely freak some people out. However, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin were elated when a computer freaked out and told them paranoid and delusional tales. The computer seemed to take on the “split mind” of the disorder schizophrenia which can cause severely impaired thinking, emotions, and behaviors. Scientists did this to the computer to better understand the human brain.
