In this issue:

(1) DD Council Meeting Dates for 1999

(2) EDUCATION: COPAA

(3) EDUCATION: Section 504 and others online

(4) U. S. Supreme Court to Hear "Integration Mandate" Case

(5) NAPAS Supports National Legislation to Eliminate Deadly Restraint

(6) How to File Complaints Under ADA (by Keybridge Foundation)

(7) Assistive Technology Task Force Minutes

(8) Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth (OCCY)

(9) Website Accessibility

(10) ODLC's Website -- Disability Law List Calendar

Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) has rapidly expanded its on-line resources to help you as an advocate, parent or attorney in recent months. That's why you should be checking COPAA's web page http://www.copaa.net regularly. Current contents include: NEWS STAND with recent media coverage of selected disability and education issues (your submissions are invited); LITIGATION DATA BASE (your submissions are invited); LEGAL RESOURCES BY STATE, provides where to find your state's statutes, regulations, policies and other information governing the provision of special education; DISCUSSION LIST for exchanging ideas on how to solve problems, find information with other attorneys, advocates and parents; this list is not open to school personnel or their attorneys. Their website homepage is http://www.copaa.net.

http://inform.ospi.wednet.edu/sped/Publications/504.html

Most of you probably blaze a trail to these sites regularly, but for those of you who don't . . . Go to http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCR/ and follow the links. Statutes of particular interest are the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and Sec. 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which protect the rights of school children with disabilities.

The December 16, 1998 issue of the Hartford Courant reports on a meeting between Senator Joseph I. Lieberman (D-CT)and advocates for people with mental illness. The policymakers discussed Senator Lieberman's draft proposed legislation which would address the use of improper and deadly restraints in facilities serving people with disabilities. The proposed legislation would extend current Federal requirements limiting the use of restraints -- now applicable only to nursing homes -- to a variety of facilities serving persons with mental illness and developmental disabilities, including children. NAPAS' Executive Director, Curtis L. Decker, played a key role in the meeting. He stressed that the number of deaths in facilities resulting from restraint abuses is underreported and that the need for legislation to track these deaths and curb abuse is critical. NAPAS is proposing a number of amendments to the legislation to strengthen the role of P&As in addressing this national concern. "We want to see results," Decker said. You can find the entire article at the Courant's website at: http://www.courant.com/news/article/ctnews7.stm

(from the Keybridge Foundation, http://www.igc.org/medADA/)

Minutes Assistive -- Technology Legislative Task Force November 6, 1998, 10:00 am Room 419C, State Capitol, Oklahoma City Task Force Members in attendance: Al Lindley, Bob Utley, Dale Lott, Jaimie White, Jean Jones, John Corpolongo, Peggy Davis for Lynn Mitchell, Steve Stokes, Marti Ferretti, Mike O'Brien, Mike Ward, Linda Jaco. Task Force Members unable to attend: Cinda Hughes, Jim Rankin, Bernest Cain, Melanie Eick, Ruby Walker, LaDonna Bornemann, Laura Dempsey-Polan, Jeffrey Rhoads. Guests: Susan Baldwin, Diana Sargent, Milissa Gofourth, Shawn Black, Gail Dunsky, Kelli Yager, Bill Shields, Mark Bresler, Roger Williams, Anne Stefan-Kopko and Misty Kimbrough. Agenda: * Call to Order --Task Force Chair, Linda Jaco, called the meeting to order. * Roll Call--Diana Sargent completed the roll call. * Approval of October 2, 1998 Minutes--Bob Utley moved to accept the minutes and they were seconded by Mike Ward. The minutes were accepted by unanimous vote. * Report of SB 1324 - Task Force: Linda Jaco disseminated copies of SB 1324 and reported on the first meeting of the Task Force. Jeff Hughes, Program Director for the Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC), was named as Chair and Jim Rice as Vice-chair. Two subcommittees were formed - one to develop a mission statement and the second to determine what subcommittees should be created to complete the mission of the task force. The work of the task force is to improve how persons, following the onset of a disability, can better access and utilize services that could assist them. Jean Jones pointed out that because SB 1324 mentions assistive technology and extended services, some of the work of the two task forces could be combined. One idea that was mentioned would be to have both task forces join to have a public hearing in order for the legislature to have a better understanding of the barriers faced by persons with disabilities as they attempt to access the state agency systems. * Report of Education Subcommittee: Marti Ferretti submitted a written report of the Education Subcommittee. She reviewed the information that Sylvia Gray, M.S., Director of Assistive Technology (AT) Programs for the Oklahoma State Department of Education, provided to the subcommittee at their October 16th meeting. Discussion that followed the report focused on the equipment loan libraries that now exist in 10 Regional Education Service Centers and the AT Team training. Marti offered to have Ms. Gray come to an upcoming Task Force meeting to discuss the program in further detail and answer more specific questions. Several members concurred that they would benefit from such a presentation. As a comment on the need for more personnel to have information on assistive technology, John Corpolongo explained the work of the Teacher Preparation Commission. One of the revised areas for special education teacher competencies will include proficiency of assistive technology. The Teacher Preparation Commission is in charge of the: × Development of competencies × Review of Higher Education curriculum to meet the competencies × Development of exit test and × Ongoing evaluation of results for future planning. * Guest Report on Wheels for Work: Bill Shields submitted a written report to the task force on a joint pilot program for transportation between DHS and Action Inc. In review of the report, he explained how a donated car could be transferred to the ownership of a person receiving welfare, that is currently employed, and needs transportation. Mr. Shields explained that the three barriers remaining include: 1) how to accurately put a value on a donated car, 2) the need for Action Inc. to not be considered a car dealer, and 3) the expense of the transfer of tag, title and tax. If anyone has further questions about Wheels for Work, contact John Shea in Shawnee at 405-273-3000. * Report of Employment Subcommittee: Bob Utley submitted a written report to the task force on the work of the Employment Subcommittee. The discussion, beyond the written report, focused on the many barriers persons with disabilities have regarding employment. The Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) can take application and provide some services regardless of economic resources, yet many individuals either can not or do not utilize DRS for an employment outcome. Mike O'Brien explained that DRS policy is presently in the process of being reviewed by a committee from the agency and the State Rehabilitation Council. The review is studying the guidelines of economic resources for a number of DRS services including assistive technology. Mike suggested that the Employment Subcommittee provide input to Virgil Taylor for committee consideration. It was also recommended that the Employment Subcommittee provide input to the State Rehabilitation Council. Another barrier to employment is the lack of federal funding to provide adequate independent living skills services. These services are often needed in order for a person to get ready to seek employment. Additional state appropriations are needed toward this effort. There is a greater need to effectively train persons with disabilities for jobs that are available in the labor market. Often jobs are available and persons with disabilities are not trained to perform that type of work. Effective counseling based on a greater knowledge of the present and future job market needs to be developed. Partnerships with private industry for internships and other training opportunities also need to be established to better prepare persons with disabilities for employment. The final employment barrier discussed was the high cost of losing benefits, particularly medical insurance, when a person becomes employed. A great deal of study is going on at the federal level on this issue. * Report of Use/Maintenance/Independent Living/Funding Subcommittee: Jaimie White submitted a written report of the subcommittee. The subcommittee has six major areas of work. The subcommittee developed a survey to identify agencies and entities that purchase, recycle, repair, and train on assistive technology. Discussion followed on the possibilities and barriers to vendors accepting trade-ins. Roger Williams, a vendor, explained that two major problems in accepting trade-ins is that the manufacturer will not take back equipment and that there is not enough of a market to establish a fair price of used equipment. Mike O'Brien, DVR Administrator, also explained that the client generally prefers new equipment over recycled equipment. Visual services is occasionally able to pick up used computer equipment, upgrade it and get it out to those in need. * Report of Interagency Subcommittee: Mike O'Brien submitted a written report of the Interagency Subcommittee. Mike explained that although the work of the subcommittee is broken into six categories, the work is based on only three concepts: interagency coordination, sales tax exemption or write off, and the transfer of assistive technology. On the sales tax exemption issue, Representative Al Lindley agreed to request that House staff complete an impact study with the Tax Commission. The results of this study would be used to determine whether legislative action could be seriously considered. With regard to the discussion on the barriers to the transfer of assistive technology, it was suggested that someone from Central Purchasing assist with information on various state and federal laws. Various members indicated that the entire Task Force could benefit from that presentation at a future meeting. * Subcommittee Group Meetings: There was not enough time for subcommittees to break into separate meetings. * Discussion: Linda Jaco reminded the Task Force that there was only one more meeting prior to preparing the interim report due to the Governor and Legislature by December 31st. Therefore, she entertained a discussion on how subcommittees could provide a report based on two separate types of recommendations. She requested that subcommittees provide a written report with achievable recommendations based on: 1) short term recommendations of agency and/or interagency policy and procedural work and 2) long term recommendations of new or changing legislation which may include new state appropriations. Subcommittee reports are due to Linda by November 23rd. All subcommittee recommendations will be compiled by the Chair. The December 4th Task Force meeting's focus will be to review all subcommittee recommendations for the purpose of submitting an interim report to the Governor by December 31, 1998. * Next Task Force Meeting: December 4, 1998 at 10:00 am until 12:30 PM in room 419 C of the State Capitol. Minutes submitted by: Milissa Gofourth