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"Our mission is to support providers
of travel instruction for the purpose of
teaching people with disabilities and seniors
to travel safely and independently."
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IN THIS ISSUE: |
1. ADA Amendments Act Signed
2. Membership
3. ADA Testimony
4. Minneapolis Conference
5. A Mom's Eye-Opening Bus Ride |
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ADA AMENDMENTS ACT
SIGNED
On Thursday,
September 25, 2008, President George W. Bush signed into law, S.
3406, the “ADA Amendments Act of 2008,” in a small ceremony at the
White House Oval Office.
Among those in attendance were Former President George H.W. Bush,
who signed the original Americans with Disabilities Act into law in
1990; Cheryl Sensenbrenner, Chairwoman of the Board of the American
Association of People with Disabilities and spouse of Rep. James
Sensenbrenner (R-WI), who was a main sponsor of the House version of
the ADA Amendments Act; and, Rep. James Langevin (D-RI), who is a
wheelchair user and also a sponsor of the new law. S. 3406 clarifies
and broadens the definition of disability, and expands the
population eligible for protection under the ADA. |
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MEMBERSHIP
As of September 26th, the Association of Travel
Instruction (ATI) has 87 members, as follows:
59 individual members, 15 organizational members, six auxiliary
members (category name changed from “associate” member by the Board
on August 17), and seven more members identified in organizational
membership forms. E-mails were sent after our Minneapolis conference
to organizational, individual, and auxiliary members who have not
renewed their membership for our July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009
membership period. Know a travel trainer or other interested person
who is not an ATI member?
Click
here for a 2008-2009 Membership Form. |
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ADA TESTIMONY
On August 18, 2008, ATI President Terry
Moakley submitted brief comments in behalf of our association to the
U. S. Department of Justice concerning proposed changes to Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations that have been in effect
since 1991.
ATI’s short remarks mirrored those of many other
national disability groups who vigorously opposed the proposed
“watering down” of ADA Title II “program access” requirements for
state and local government buildings and facilities, as well as the
Title III “readily achievable barriers removal” provisions for
existing places of public accommodation. ATI testimony also stressed
that our members’ travel training students often learn public
transportation skills to be able to get to work, so our nation
should not be restricting the number and the nature of existing
structures that the ADA requires to be rendered accessible since
they are also potential places of employment.
Click here to read this testimony. |
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MINNEAPOLIS CONFERENCE
ATI’s August 15
to 17 Eighth Annual Conference in the Twin Cities was extremely
successful. We had a total of 48 attendees, and the presentations
were typically rated good or excellent.
Look for a full report in our next print newsletter issue. For
example, a roundtable discussion about “stranger/danger” issues, led
by J.D. Culver, Kevin Welch, and Sean Powers of Paratransit Inc.,
produced an incredible amount of useful audience participation and
comments. And Lyn M. Wiley, Certified Orientation and Mobility
Specialist at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, delivered a
heartfelt and moving presentation about the polytraumatic injuries
incurred by our military personnel in Operation Enduring Freedom and
Operation Iraqi Freedom, and how the VA is trying to help them
during the rehabilitative process. We have ATI members in two cities
currently researching to host our 2009 conference, but the more the
merrier!
If interested,
click here for the Conference Host Proposal Form. |
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A MOM'S EYE-OPENING BUS
RIDE
Success stories
like this one is why travel trainers love their jobs!
Click here
to read about hard-working Mom Cherri’s untypical September 21st day
and what she learned from her son about riding buses. |
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LINK TO ATI'S WEBSITE!
Questions? Need information?
Contact ATI today! |
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P.O. Box 2042 - Madison Square Station
- New York, NY 10159 |
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