Comments on: Does Accessibility Need an Al Gore?

By: Camera Flip Bracket

Camera Flip Bracket — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:13:36 +0000

You are lucky you don’t live in asia. Out here it has a long way to go with disability access.

By: Glenda

Glenda — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 23:39:16 +0000

Rebecca, thanks for your vote of confidence!

By: rebeccahappy

rebeccahappy — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 23:27:11 +0000

Glenda can do it!!!
She has a voice.
MJs funeral has nothing to do with accessibility and he was NEVER at TED

By: Mary Anne

Mary Anne — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 23:01:03 +0000

We need a BIG NAME advocate because our culture only pays attention to celebrities. Look at the news papers over the last 3 weeks.

By: Jo Holzer

Jo Holzer — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:18:10 +0000

In my experience as an advocate (and parent of wheelchair user), simulations are effective! More so, if people with disabilities are included in the presentation. Bob’s evaluations are spot on. Humans are extremely narrow-minded — even unable to understand — when it comes to anything “foreign” to their own personal experience.
Enough said!

By: Ricky Buchanan

Ricky Buchanan — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:23:20 +0000

David, I just wanted to say don’t let your walker use stop you from being an accessibility spokesman as well! There are ALL kinds of accessibility needs, people who use walkers like you and people who use scooters like Glenda and people who are bedridden like me. Our needs are all different but all valid!

The fact that you and Glenda can go to the bank to open a bank account doesn’t make it not an important issue that I can’t open a bank account because they demand that you go there. And likewise the fact that having ramps and automatic doors isn’t helpful to me doesn’t mean that they aren’t important! Everybody’s needs are different and all are valid and important.

By: David Miller

David Miller — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:09:05 +0000

Glenda:

While I second your reservation about filming restrooms, I think you might be on target about using video to show some of the problems just getting around. While not in a chair myself, I am on a walker (back injury due to car wreck) so I do see some of the same problems you talk about.

Keep up the good work. Let’s leave Al Gore out of it, though, unless he wants to donate a few million $$$ for accessibility infrastructure improvements!!

By: Ruth Ellison

Ruth Ellison — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 21:59:35 +0000

I love the TED Conference suggestion. For those that can’t attend the conference, the videos are viewed by such a diverse range of people. This will be a fantastic way to get the accessibility message across to the broader public, especially once people are able to connect the sometimes abstract concept with a real person.

By: Glenda

Glenda — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:16:00 +0000

Thanks Rebecca, this is definitely a plan! I’ve been reluctant to take my camera into public washrooms for obvious reasons…but maybe there’s a way to do it tastefully.

I had a quick look at the TED 2010 Conference schedule. Intimidating! But why not? I’ve tweeted about possible contacts, which Robert and others have kindly retweeted. See what happens!

You guys and gals are the greatest! Thanks so much for your support.

By: rebeccahappy

rebeccahappy — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:57:23 +0000

Pictures and viral videos…that is certainly a great place to start. We could make it a team effort when you submit them and do a Digg, twitter FB campaign.
http://animoto.com/is a great site for making excellent slide show videos.
TED has to be a possibility. Start looking into what needs to be done to get there. Why not?