Spencer ADA Task Force Resources

LOCAL MEETINGS

The Task Force normally meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 5:30 PM in the Spencer City Hall council chambers. Contact the Task Force's secretary, Janee Boever, at 418 2nd Avenue West, Spencer, Iowa, 51301 or email her to the attention of the ADA Task Force.

VIDEO TAPES

The Task Force has purchased several video tapes which can be checked out from Spencer Public Library. These video tapes can be used as teaching tools to make people aware of disabilities. The following descriptions will help in choosing the right video for the situation.

Commercials from "This Is Your Right" (15 min.)
Funny commercials about fictitious products and services that are intended to lampoon situations that people with disabilities encounter in every day life.

A Credo For Support (4 min.)
This powerful four minute video, set to music, offers a series of suggestions for people who care about and support someone with a disability. It prompts viewers to question the common perceptions of disability, professionalism, and support. Designed for use in presentations, in service, staff training and orientation programs. Excellent and highly recommended!

Friends Who Care Teachers Kit
Adopted as part of the curriculum in school districts across the country. This program is a starting point helping teachers, parents and young people develop a better understanding of what it means to have a disability. Includes a 16-page teacher's guide, activity sheets, posters, a 45-minute video tape and bookmarks with disability etiquette tips.

Just Like Anyone Else-Living with Disabilities (30 min.)
Host Vidya Shaker spends a day in school with a teen who uses a wheelchair. A high school hoop star struggles to overcome an injury. Rap star Queen Latifah talks about treating people with respect.

Kids in Wheelchairs (12 min.)
Excellent for schools, kids, and anyone interested in disabilities!
This video portrays children in wheelchairs in full inclusion settings, classrooms and playgrounds. Children who use wheelchairs explain why they use the wheelchair and how the chair works. Most important, children themselves ask questions and address some of the feelings they have about children who use wheelchairs. "Will they always have to use a wheelchair?" "What does it feel like to use a wheelchair?" Several aspects of how to become a safe and responsible peer buddy are described.

Nobody is Burning Wheelchairs (15 min.)
Using real-life illustrations of contributions that people with disabilities have made in their communities, this video provides an explanation of the ADA and what it means to people with disabilities and to business and industry. An ideal awareness and informational tool for use in community and business settings.

Part of the Team-People with Disabilities in the Workforce (17 min.)
Designed for employers of all sizes, eight managers who know the answers first-hand address questions about supervising people with disabilities, and 10 people with disabilities speak candidly about their jobs.

Small Differences (20 min.)
A children's disability awareness production.
What happens when you give kids with and without disabilities a camera and ask them to produce a video about disabilities? The result is an uplifting, award winning disability awareness video that both children and adults can relate to. This professionally produced video is uniquely interesting in the fact that children were instructed on how to use a video camera along with basic interview techniques. They interviewed and recorded each other, their parents and other adults and kids with various types of physical and sensory disabilities. The original video footage was professionally edited but narrated by the kids that shot it. The effort resulted in a quality production that increases understanding and awareness about disabilities and will help you promote inclusion. This award winning, fast action video will:

1.  Help adults and children feel more comfortable around people with disabilities.
2.  Keep the attention of kids (over 5 yrs.) and adults.
3.  Shows how people with disabilities get around, work and communicate.
4.  Promote discussion in groups and classrooms about disabilities.
5.  Help viewers recognize barriers that exits for people with disabilities.
6.  Encourage children with disabilities to strive towards their goals.

The Ten Commandments (26 min.)
Comes with a closed caption version followed by an open captioning and audio descriptor.
Forty-nine million people with disabilities purchase over $600 billion goods and services annually. Learning proper etiquette can help your organization avoid losing talented employees and potential customers due to ignorance or awkwardness. This outstanding video uses light-hearted, humorous vignettes to help you learn how to communicate effectively-excellent training for anyone who employs, serves, or communicates on a regular basis with people that have disabilities!

SPENCER PUBLIC LIBRARY RESOURCES

The library has a variety of materials available which provide information about disabilities. Business owners, who need ADA compliance guidelines, will find pamphlets for their specific type of business such as restaurants, motels or grocery stores. The federal government's "ADA Handbook" and the "Technical Assistance Manual on Employment Provisions of the ADA" may be photocopied for $.20 per page. There is also a scale to loan to those wanting to check the pounds of force needed to open a door. If you need specific books or articles, you can get them through the interlibrary loan program.

RADIO READING SERVICE

Iowa Radio Reading Information Service for the Blind and Print Handicapped, Inc. (IRIS) is a FREE, 24-hour, 365-days-a-year service that brings current papers and magazines to qualified print handicapped Iowans by way of a special radio that is pre-tuned to a sub carrier of a local public radio station.

IRIS volunteers read daily newspapers and magazines over the sub-carrier signals of public radio stations WOI-FM, Ames, in central Iowa; KTPR-FM, Fort Dodge, in north central Iowa; KSUI-FM, Iowa City and Dubuque, in eastern Iowa; KWIT, Sioux City, in northwest Iowa; and KHKE-FM, Cedar Falls and Mason City in northeast and northern Iowa.

Included in the 24-hour programming is the daily reading of The Des Moines Register, The Fort Dodge Messenger and other locally published magazines and community publication. These readings include breaking news stories, editorials, sports, obituaries, calendar events and grocery store ads. This programming enables listeners to be informed and involved citizens within their communities. Future plans call for reading local newspapers in each broadcast area.

In addition to local programming, IRIS also relays the readings of over 50 newspapers and magazines received via satellite from national networks, including In Touch Network of New York City and Radio Talking Book of St. Paul, Minnesota. Broadcasts include the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Audubon, Time, National Inquirer as well as special programming issues of concern to blind and print handicapped and physically challenged individuals.

Anyone who cannot read due to blindness, impaired vision or physical handicap can request IRIS service by simply calling or writing IRIS for an application form. While radio receivers remain the property of IRIS, they are provided to listeners on long-term loan (subject to availability) at no cost. This radio is a pre-tuned receiver located in each recipient's home. It is an uncomplicated device-simply turn it on or off. This signal cannot be picked up on a conventional radio.

IRIS is one of 150 non-profit radio reading services for the blind and print handicapped in the United States and is a member of the National Association of Radio Reading Services. It survives on monetary contributions from individuals, foundations, corporations, special events, government grants and other organizations. Of equal importance are volunteers who read on the air, deliver radios to listeners and help in outreach activities.

INTERNET LINKS