Local support group

Caregivers in Clark County, Indiana have a new resource available to them. CHIN-UPS, a caregivers support group, meets on the third Tuesday of every month from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at Silver Creek Elementary in Sellersburg. Childcare is available when reserved in advance. For more information, contact cedir[at]indiana[dot]edu

Suzanne Mintz on Fresh Air

Terry Gross, host of WHYY's syndicated program Fresh Air, interviews Suzanne Geffen Mintz, president and co-founder of the National Family Caregivers Association. They discuss her experiences as a caregiver for her husband, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1974.

Audio of their conversation will be available here at 4:00pm Eastern time today.

cell phone reader

K-NFB Reading Technology, a joint venture between Kurzweil Technologies and the National Federation of the Blind, has come out with a new type of reader that works with a cell phone. All you have to do is snap a picture and the phone will read the words to you. It can even distinguish one denomination of currency from another.

Check out the story on NPR.

New book on spina bifida

CeDIR has recently added the book "Children with Spina Bifida: A Parents' Guide: Second Edition" (ed. Marlene Lutkenhoff) to the collection. This book provides an easy-to-understand guide to:

• Causes of spina bifida
• Prenatal diagnosis
• Neurosurgery
• Urological & bowel management
• Physical therapy
• Common medical concerns
• Child development
• Day-to-day parenting issues
• Early intervention & school issues
• Emotional development
• Legal rights & hurdles
• Perspectives from teens and adults with spina bifida
  

The new version includes many updates including information on the latest on orthotics and wheelchairs and new prenatal surgical options.

If you live in Indiana and are interested in checking out this book from our library, contact us at 812-855-9396 or cedir(at)indiana(dot)edu

New Encyclopedia

The CeDIR Library has just purchased a new reference for Autism.
Autism Spectrum Disorders is a great resource for parents, families, or professionals that would like to better understand affected children. A posted review says this about the book: This A-to-Z work contains original entries on the topic of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Entries include facts about disabilities, personal and historic perspectives, interventions, assessments, educational methods, trusted internet resources, and national organizations. The work outlines the contributions of founding researchers and other professionals and includes personal perspectives from individuals with ASD and their parents. It also includes lesson plans that can be implemented in a home, school, or community setting. No other such definitive resource exists that provides both educational and practical information related to ASD.
The Handbook is a two-volume set, and may be a little pricey for individuals looking to purchase it for themselves. Come check out our copy instead!
CeDIR Call Number 20.3 .A99 (V.1, V.2)

Wal-Mart disability discrimination case

Yesterday the Supreme Court dismissed a case regarding a woman who was disabled and claimed that Wal-Mart discriminated against her because it had been settled out of court. According to the Associated Press article:

Pam Huber was an order filler in a Wal-Mart distribution center in Clarksville, Ark. She applied for a different position at equivalent pay, but didn't get the job.

Wal-Mart said in court papers that it hired a more qualified employee. Huber was later given a job at about half the hourly wage she earned as an order filler.

Huber sued in June 2004, arguing that under ADA rules, she only had to be qualified for the equivalent position, not the most qualified, and should have been reassigned to the job with equivalent pay.

The case may have given an interesting perspective about the application of ADA in the workplace. For more information about the Americans with Disabilities Act, check out the government's site on the ADA.