Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) – Wheelchair Basketball

Received an email yesterday from Ms. Kelly Fan, who works for the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC). She’s asking for help to increase support for wheelchair basketball in Singapore.

The event is today (I opened up my mail too late, unfortunately). Well, for what it’s worth, here’s the link to the event details at the SDSC page - “Watch The Rollers - world-ranked No.2 basketball team - against Singapore team this Sat!” (12 May 2007):

About Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) – Wheelchair Basketball

In 2007, SDSC will be relaunching its wheelchair basketball development programme, with support from the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The programme, headed by a group of students from Ngee Ann Polytechnic called ‘Wheel-Power’, will see a new batch of youths taking over the wheelchair basketball scene in Singapore.

A new wheelchair basketball league will also be starting this year under the National Disability League, which will be held from August to November 2007.

Link

Disability-related news from Singapore: Mar & Apr 2007

Some useful references to articles published in March & April 2007.

1) Car park label scheme for disabled to be revised on 1 Apr
By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia. Posted: 29 March 2007 0048 hrs

Come 1 April, the Car Park Label Scheme (CPLS) for the disabled will be revised. The eligibility criteria will be relaxed so as to allow more people to apply for the label. Under the scheme, label holders can park at designated lots that are wider than normal lots.

With the revisions, caregivers who are not family members can qualify for a Class 2 label. Eligibility will also be extended to vehicles registered with Voluntary Welfare Organisations. Class 2 label holders can also park at the lots for an hour, giving them more time to help their disabled passengers.

Full article here.

2) Trailing in the business of hearts: S’pore behind Taipei and Hong Kong in social enterprise sector
By Lee U-Wen, TODAYonline. Singapore News. Weekend, March 31, 2007

SINGAPORE may be the world’s fifth most competitive economy according to the World Economic Forum, but it still lags behind in nurturing businesses that provide jobs or training for the marginalised in society.

… MentalCare Connect in Hong Kong stood out for its success to provide jobs for the handicapped and mentally disabled. The start-up runs convenience stores, household goods shops and other businesses. In one of its projects, HK$700,000 (S$136,000) in Government grants were used to open four shops, employing about 70 workers, 10 of whom used to be on welfare. By employing them, the company saved the government about HK$500,000 a year in welfare payments.

Over in Taipei, residents are making a conscious effort to patronise the Syinlu Foundation Gas Station, the majority of its staff being physically and mentally challenged.

… being studied by the newly formed social enterprise committee, headed by incoming Spring Singapore chairman Philip Yeo. The committee is firming up its recommendations and will announce them by the year-end.

Full article here.

3) Easy access facilities completed in six precincts by Hong Kah Town Council
By Wong Mun Wai, Channel NewsAsia. Posted: 01 April 2007 2253 hrs

The Hong Kah Town Council has completed a project to provide easier access to the elderly and disabled in six precincts under its management.

The facilities, including titles on footpaths, leveling of curbs and signs pointing to barrier-free access, are not just for the elderly and disabled, but for all residents such as parents with prams.

Full article here.

4) Trusteeship scheme for kids with intellectual disability taking shape
By Julia Ng, Channel NewsAsia. Posted: 14 April 2007 1747 hrs

Parents with intellectually-disabled kids can soon be better assured of long-term security for their children. Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS) now have a new home, called MINDSville@Napiri, which integrates four services within a S$13-million building…

…Dr Balakrishnan said: “The other thing that’s been gestating over the last two years is the Trusteeship Scheme. I’m sorry that we’re not able to announce confirmed details of it. But I want to assure all of you that the various pieces of the jigsaw are falling into place.

“We should be able to assure parents that we can help you and your families look into the long-term security of your children as they grow old, as they become adults and as family circumstances change.”

Full article here.

HSBC Sign & Tell 2007: “Storytelling with a difference”

Spotted this poster at the Bishan Community library (BICL) today:

The event is held over four Saturdays, courtesy of staff from HSBC. The stories will be delivered using narration and sign language.

Technorati Tag: sign language

Singapore Polytechnic students design physical aids for handicapped

Article from Channel News Asia (11 Mar 2007): Singapore Polytechnic students design physical aids for handicapped

Final year students of Singapore Polytechnic have put their learning to good use - designing physical aid prototypes for the handicapped… The handover ceremony was held at the school on Friday 2 March 2007. It is an initiative of the poly’s School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering.

Read the article here.

Technorati Tags: physical aids

i-CREATe 2007

Thanks to Dennis for the heads-up on this event — i-CREATe 2007 (www.i-create2007.org). He informs the mailing list that, “NLB is the venue for inaugural International Convention for Rehabilitative Engineering & Assistive Technology (i-CREATe) 2007″.

The event will be held at the Singapore National Library Board (NLB) Building, and the Hotel Intercontinental, from 23rd – 26th April 2007.

From the i-CREATe 2007 website:
“The inaugural i-CREATe 2007 will be formally launched by Her Royal Highness (HRH) Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Kingdom of Thailand, and Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), Republic of Singapore, on 24th April 2007. This is the FIRST such joint efforts by the two countries to promote Assistive Technology (AT) for people with disabilities in Southeast Asia.

i-CREATe 2007 aims to provide a, previously lacking, platform for technical exchanges and exhibitions on the advanced technologies, equipments, techniques and materials applied in the field of Assistive & Rehabilitative Technology (ART). This platform is meant for rehabilitation and education professionals working with or implementing use of Assistive Technology (AT) including Suppliers, Technologists, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists, Rehabilitation Engineers, Educators, End-users, Caregivers, Governmental Officials, Policy Planning Staffs, Researchers, and Academicians, and Others interested in AT.“

Autism and ADHD workshop - 3 & 4 Mar 2007

Via mrbrown:

There is a two-day Autism and ADHD workshop conducted by Dr Michael Reiff from University of Minnesota, a specialist in Autism, on the 3rd and 4th of March 2007 (this coming Saturday and Sunday).

Details at Center for American Education website and a pdf can be downloaded here.

Internet cafe opens for disabled users (in the USA)

Thanks to Richard Bray for this alert (Senior Services Director, Disability Services Coordinator, Alameda County Library) from MSNBC.com news — Internet cafe opens for disabled users: Goodwill’s Good Bytes Cafe aims to make technology accessible .

Selected quotes:

… the computers — outfitted with a joystick mouse, magnifying software and equipment allowing people to point and click with their eye movements — make Good Bytes one of just a handful nationwide specifically designed for disabled users.

The cafe, which held its grand opening Friday, is a first for Goodwill Industries, the nonprofit best known for selling used clothing and furniture at its thrift stores nationwide.

The cafe, funded with a $125,000 grant from San Antonio-based AT&T Inc., will be supported by food sales and will double as a location to train disabled food service workers… The Good Bytes Cafe does not charge for access to the technology.

Full article at: www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16228221/from/ET (last accessed 28 Dec 2006)

Personally, I have not thought through enough about this idea to decide just how feasible it would be to set up something like this in Singapore. For one, sustaining this requires corporate sponsorship. Second, I think some agencies serving people with disabilities already provide such computer services for their clients at the agency premise.

Some questions to think about:
- What’s the initial setup cost for such a centre in Singapore?
- What’s the cost for sustaining it?
- Is there a need for such a centre in Singapore? How would be complement similar services run by the various disability organisations. Or would we be duplicating efforts?
- How would be go about collecting data to answer item 3?

Singapore Art Fringe 2007: Art & Disability

As alerted by one of the sgLEAD mailing list member:

The focus of next year’s Fringe is Art and Disability.
www.singaporefringe.com

Highlights include a symposium on inclusive design, and a 48-hr inclusive design competition.

More information about the competition:

Participants of the 48-Hour Inclusive Design Challenge will dedicate 48 hours to the conceptualisation of designs and prototypes of new products and environments which incorporate the inclusive design aesthetic. Entries will be showcased at VivoCity, with the following cash prizes awarded to three teams:
* A cash prize of $3,000 awarded to the winning team
* A cash prize of $1,000 each awarded to two Special Mention teams

Here’s the PDF file, for details.

“Natural” - A play by Down Syndrome Association

Late news, but news nonetheless. I learnt that the Down Syndrome Association (Singapore) is putting up a play:

This Saturday (16th December 2006), the Down Syndrome Association (Singapore) is staging the play “Natural”, to raise awareness on the presence of persons with special needs in the Performing Arts, in this case — persons with Down Syndrome.

Info via mrbrown.

Video: “Breaking the Sound Barrier”

[UPDATE 31 Dec 06: I've since learned that "Hearing Impaired" is not a preferred term. I should use "Deaf" or "Hard of Hearing". Thanks.]

Thanks to Alvan for alerting the group to this video titled “Breaking the Sound Barrier“:

This is a short documentary on the hearing impaired Hard-of-Hearing and the Deaf. It explores the various ways available to them for overcoming the challenges to integration and communications. Due to the limited length, many issues, including Cochlear Implants, are not covered. This was produced primarily for the “Project Deaf-Initely Boleh!” and will be screened at the event to be held at the National Library in December 2006.

The video features interviews with people with hearing-impairment people who are deaf/ hard of hearing. Quotes and highlights from the video:

• “Integration with society requires Total Communication (TC)”
• “For many who are deaf, the Sign Language is the most viable and important means of communication.”
• Short segment on the process of getting a Hearing Aid (the service is available from SADEAF).
• Mobile-phones and SMS (Short Messenging Service) has been an enabler for the Deaf. Alvan was interviewed there as well. He comments on the language skills and issues faced by students at the Singapore School for the Deaf.
• “I worry about the future because it is difficult to find a job. I can’t communicate with Hearing-people at work”
• “Don’t think of your child as a Handicapped Child. Think of them as a Child first. The handicap is secondary.”
• “I can do anything… but hear”.

Nice video that gives an insight to what it means to be deaf or have a hearing-impairment hard of hearing. It may take a while to load but worth the wait (anyway, it wasn’t that long). Here’s the link to the video again.

Alvan adds that:

“The site is done by a pastor who does video work on social issues. It features interesting (and short, extremely watchable) videos, like the autistic chap who is supposed to have recovered, foreign workers who actually live in the rubbish collection depots in Singapore, the teen skaters a the Youth Park, the old malted candy woman in Holland V.”

Technorati Tags: deaf, hard of hearing, deaf awareness