Angel Giuffria is known as the ‘bionic actress’ because she wears a high-tech prosthetic arm that she likes to tinker with and customizeRJ Mitte is an actor who reached worldwide fame following his portrayal of Walter Jr. on the show ‘Breaking Bad’.&…
View More ‘Breaking Bad’ star RJ Mitte and ‘bionic actress’ Angel Giuffria are on a mission to change disability representation in HollywoodCategory: Disability Rights
This refugee camp has an inclusive playground that children with disabilities can enjoy — Genius Moments
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The playground at the Za’atari Refugee Camp in Jordan is one of the first of its kind inside a refugee camp, giving all kids access to a right to play.
UNICEF hopes the playground becomes a global message for social cohesion. Read more…
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How people with disabilities are kept from voting — and what you can do about it
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Americans are busy getting ready to go to the polls on November 6. But as you read up on the candidates and ballot measures and plan your voting day, know that there are millions who may not even get the opportunity to cast a ballot in the upcoming midterm elections — or the elections that will follow — because they have a disability.
Research shows that people with disabilities face numerous barriers to voting. For instance, they report finding it difficult to vote at a polling place at much higher rates than voters without disabilities. One research paper found that 30 percent of voters with disabilities polled in a nationally representative survey said it was difficult to vote at a polling place in 2012. Only 8 percent of voters without disabilities said the same. Read more…
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View More How people with disabilities are kept from voting — and what you can do about it9 things you need to know about how to behave around assistance dogs
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Forget Shark Week, it’s Bark Week on Mashable. Join us as we celebrate all the good dogs, which we humans do not deserve.
Recently, I noticed a person about to cross the street — right into the path of an oncoming car. Before I could lunge forward to pull her back, her guide dog yanked its owner to safety. I felt the strong urge to pet the dog, which in addition to being a very good dog was also an Australian Shepherd, the same breed as my own.
Then I noticed the words “DO NOT PET” across the dog’s harness.
The term “assistance dog” includes guide dogs, who help the blind; hearing dogs, who help the Deaf; and service dogs, who help people with a broader range of disabilities including but not limited to autism, epilepsy, life-threatening allergies, diabetes, mobility issues, neuromuscular diseases, and psychological trauma. Read more…
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4 things we learned about plastic straw bans from people with disabilities
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There is a debate taking place online in reaction to the plastic straw bans spreading across the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
As various cities and companies ban plastic straws, advocates for people with disabilities have taken to social media to voice their opposition. First Vancouver in May, then Seattle earlier this month, and now Starbucks, McDonalds, and American Airlines have created laws or policies limiting plastic straws.
Just this weekend, advocates canceled a protest planned in front of a New York City Starbucks after speaking with a company official about its ban. Starbucks announced on Friday that straws would be available for customers who ask, but did not confirm they would be plastic — a sticking point for advocates who feel like Starbucks isn’t compromising enough. Read more…
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View More 4 things we learned about plastic straw bans from people with disabilitiesHow a deaf, blind Harvard graduate is influencing Apple
Texting a friend when you’re in the same room isn’t that unusual. But interviewing someone over text when you’re staring them in the eyes doesn’t feel right.
For Haben Girma, communicating with keyboards is simply a necessity. Girma, 29, is dea…
How Stephen Hawking became an accidental ambassador for assistive technology
Imagine you’ve contemplated the great scientific theories of the past and arrived at new insights based on your own observations. Imagine you’ve organized these thoughts into compelling arguments. Imagine that what you have to say will likely advance…
View More How Stephen Hawking became an accidental ambassador for assistive technology