Public Service Announcement: Accessibility

The following showed up in my email from Inclusion Canada today so I'm passing it on.

You have a right to accessible information. What should that look like?

We know that accessibility is key to people with disabilities participating fully and equally in society. Fill out a survey to help us tell the federal government how they can do better and communicate more accessibly. 

Inclusion Canada is looking for people with an intellectual or developmental disability and their supporters to speak up. We want your voices to be heard You can do the survey in three ways: 

         1.  Online 

          2   With support over the phone or a video call 

3. On paper (we will mail you a printed copy of the survey) 

Please contact AIIDD.Study@camh.ca or by phone 437-328-6761.

When you complete the survey you will be entered into a draw for 1 of 12 gift cards. But the real prize helping improve how the Government of Canada communicates with people with disabilities in the future. 

This project is a partnership between Inclusion Canada, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), People First of Canada, the British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS), and Surrey Place. 

Rate Your Government

Yet another survey, this one from CHAG (Community Homes Action Group), formed a few years ago to gather information and provide help for good housing options for people with developmental disabilities.

In June 2013, the Government of Nova Scotia accepted the work of a joint Community-Government Advisory Committee on Transforming the Services to Persons with Disabilities Program (called the Roadmap). Before that, people with developmental disabilities may find it hard to do many things that most people can do easily. These disabilities can make it hard to learn, speak, tell others what you want, work with others and take care of daily needs. Developmental disabilities are present at birth or develop before 18 years of age. People can have more than one disability. 

CHAG wants to know the opinions of people on the status of services for people with development disabilities three years into the Roadmap. Please help us by filling out a short survey.

We are sending the survey to many people to learn Nova Scotians’ thoughts about the Roadmap. CHAG will create a “report card” that we will share with others. We have two goals: 

1. To make people aware of the critical issues facing people with developmental disabilities and their families; and
2. To encourage government to take action on these issues. 

Do you think the Roadmap has helped or not helped people living with developmental disabilities, their loved ones and service providers? Please tell us what you think. 

You do not have to give your name or tell us about yourself. No one will know that you filled-in this survey. Nothing about who you are will be kept with your answers. Please answer as many of the seven survey questions as you can. You can stop at any time. Clicking the link says that you know your answers will be kept private and that you agree to try the survey.

Please complete this survey by December 1, 2016. Make your opinion count!

As a community, I firmly believe that we really need to hold the government's feet to the fire on the issue of the Roadmap.

After all, if not us, then who? Please take the survey.

Beyond Graduation

PLAN (yes, yes, I do happen to be a big fan of PLAN, why ever do you ask?) is asking those of us whose children with intellectual disabilities have recently transitioned out of high school (or soon will be) to participate in a short survey sharing our experiences in order to "help guide other families who may be going through, or who will soon be going through, a similar process".

Hey, it's the least we could do, right?

New Legislation for Persons with Disabilities ~ It's Time to Have Your Say

Listen up, people.

Personally, I believe that Nova Scotia could well be a tipping point at this moment when it comes to services for persons with disabilities. We could go one way (towards truly individualized funding and real community inclusion.) or we could just stick with the status quo.

Which would you prefer?

As the province looks at bringing forward new legislation the ipro bono student group at Dalhousie Law School has taken the initiative of reviewing legislation in other provinces and elsewhere regarding services for persons with disabilities, the

They're anxious to engage as many people as possible in their project. And since you have a vested interest in the outcome, your opinion matters.

Here is a short survey (honest, it really is short) that touches on a lot of important points, some of which will really make you stop and think.

Please take a few minutes to complete it. If you like, they will send you the results, which will be included in their final report.

One other request - please share this survey widely - this legislation will affect a large number of people who are not often consulted. Indeed, the number of responses is itself a part of the message.

RDSP Survey Results

A while back, PLAN conducted a survey about people's experiences and concerns with the RDSP. The resuts of that suvey can be found here.

And I'm happy to say that given the few changes that were announced to the RDSP in the last budget, perhaps they are making headway.

One. Step. At. A. Time.

RDSP 3-year Review

I see our good friends at PLAN are conducting a 3-year review of the RDSP.

So if you've opened one (whether for yourself or someone else), please head over there and fill out their Survey.

It'll only you take you but a minute or two. Promise.

And I'm kind of thinking we most likely owe it to them, considering all the hard work they've done for us.

Suvey Says

For your rainy summer day enjoyment (I'm sure we'll have another one before too long), I offer two online government surveys you might be interested in.

The first newest is from the Cyberbullying Task Force.

The survey itself can be found here and you can learn more about both it and the Task Force here. The voices of young people with disabilities need to be heard on this topic and I was pleased to note that it was very teen-friendly when my youngest daughter filled it out.

The second one has been around for a while but closes for responses the end of July.

You might recall Ben Levin's report to the Minister of Education back in May and the op-ed I wrote at the time. An online questionnaire/survey had been created to get public response to the report and, apparently, the time for public response has been extended a few times, the most recent being until the end of July.

Admittedly, I was not too impressed when I first looked at this survey, seeing how it kept asking for the most "promising ideas" from Dr. Levin's on various topics.  Not when I hadn't come across many "promising" ideas when it came to the topic of special education.  But, having giving it some thought, I'm thinking that since the format does allow for written responses you can say pretty much whatever you want.  No matter what they appear to be looking for.

So might I suggest you review Dr. Levin's report and then try your hand at the survey.

In a very recent conversation with the Minister I was led to believe that it might just be worth it to get our responses/thoughts in and tabulated.

So there you go.

Yet Another Survey ...

Update: That was easy. Survey complete. Now it's your turn.

Decima Research is conducting a research study on behalf of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. This study is about programs and services that are offered to Canadians with disabilities. We are looking to survey people with disabilities, their legal guardian, or their caregiver.

We are asking for your help to find people who meet this criteria and who would be willing to participate in this study.

Please be assured that all information collected will be kept confidential and will be used only for the purposes of this research study. The results will be reported in aggregate form only and no person or organization will be identified. The survey will take about 10 minutes to complete.

Participants can conduct the survey using any of the following methods:

1) ONLINE: Please provide eligible participants will [this website]: . This link will take them directly to Decima's secure online survey site.

2) TELEPHONE:
Please provide eligible participants with the following toll-free number to call: 1-888-288-0199. They can complete the survey immediately, or schedule an interview for a later date. Please ask them to reference study #47380.

3) TTY: Please provide eligible participants who have a hearing or speech impairment with the following email address: 47380@decima.com. They may contact us to arrange an interview date and time. We will then contact them via TTY through a Bell relay service operator at the time of their choosing.

Additionally, in a separate email I will send you a poster that you can use to help with recruitment. It has all the pertinent information on it, including a brief description of this study, the eligibility criteria, and the various ways participants can complete the survey.

For further information about this study, please contact:

Megan Tam
Vice President
613-230-2200 ext. 3095

On behalf of HRSDC, thank you for your help on this important study.

Autism Lifespan Services Survey

A team looking to improve government services for people affected by autism spectrum disorder is asking for the public's help to find out where progress is needed.

The Autism Management Advisory Team will assess current efforts to help people with autism spectrum disorder and their families. It will identify priority service gaps for children, adults and families affected by autism spectrum disorder.

The assessment includes an Autism Lifespan Services survey designed to gather information from individuals with autism spectrum disorder, their families and caregivers, and others involved in their care, support and education.

"This team is doing important work towards improving government services for those affected with autism spectrum disorder," said Education Minister Marilyn More. "I encourage anyone affected by ASD to fill out the survey."

The team will use the survey to recommend a comprehensive strategy to improve services. It expects to complete its report early in 2010.

You can find said survey here.

Your Input is Requested

Apparently, input is being sought to help improve the learning environment in schools.

Nova Scotians are invited to provide input to help improve the learning environment in schools and address student absenteeism. The public can share their views and make submissions to the Minister's Working Committee on Absenteeism and Classroom Climate through an Education Department online survey, beginning June 10. The deadline for submissions is July 10.

The questionnaire can be accessed through the N.S. Department of Education Web site or follow the [direct] link: (English) or (French)

Which I won't say any more than that. It's not like I'm cynical or anything like that. Still, we probably should do it. Just because.

But if that's not enough to make you feel important, the Nova Scotia Government has formed an advisory committee -- the Autism Management Advisory Team (AMAT), with representatives from the Provincial Autism Centre/ Autism Societies and the Departments of Community Services, Education and Health, and in consultation with the Autism Research Centre.

They too would like to know what you think.

AMAT has been asked to produce a report on services for individuals with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) across the lifespan. This report is to include a description of gaps in services for all age groups with ASD.

For this purpose, AMAT is seeking wide input from individuals with ASD, their families/caregivers, and professionals/ others involved in their care, support and education. We encourage you to complete the survey and have your say (only one copy per person please). AMAT’s goal is to identify key or priority service needs based on your responses. Hopefully our joint efforts will result in better services across the lifespan for children, adults and families impacted by autism/ ASD.

The survey only takes a few moments to complete, so don’t delay – the survey closes on July 3. Please make sure your voice is heard, and thank you for helping to shape the future of autism support services in Nova Scotia.

You can complete that survey online at this link or access the survey link through the Provincial Autism Centre website.

So off you go.

With Thanks to LDAN and the Provincial Autism Centre

RDSP Survey, If You Please

The good folks at PLAN (Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network) would like to know how much you know about the RDSP (Registered Disability Savings Plan).

Which, if you happen to be one of the two or three regular readers of this blawg, should be a fair bit.

At any rate, if'n you wouldn't mind taking their survey.
Guaranteed to be both short and sweet.

So thanks. In advance.