International Disability and Development

Technology and Disability: a global glimpse of the future

WID commissioned several specialists to prepare overviews of key technology topics with a view towards the future. Some of the reports have already appeared in DisabilityWorld, while others are printed here for the first time. The topics selected for an international perspective are: universal design, advocacy and the information society, accessible information technology in the European Union, wheelchair provision trends in developing countries and information technology developments benefiting blind and print disabled users.

Change from Within: International Overview of the Impact of Disabled Politicians and Disability Policy Bodies on Governance

This volume presents the results of a five-year international investigation into disability and governance. It examines three interrelated topics: the impact of disabled individuals who have been elected or appointed to high governmental office; the scope, structure and impact of national disability policy bodies; and the increasing accessibility of the machinery of democracy, especially elections and voting. “Change from Within” is the first international report on this significant topic.

Independent Living and Self-Help in 2003: A Global Snapshot of a Social Change Movement

The International Independent Living Timeline is an indispensable research tool that helps track 1) precursors or prerequisites to an independent living movement in various countries, and 2) the influence of external political events and international and regional collaboration. IDEAS project staff have recently updated the timeline, which is printed in this volume.

Mass Media and Disability

Mass Media and Disability is an overview of research and advocacy projects internationally to improve the image and expand the presence of people with disabilities in the mass media. The report includes an analytical overview of improvements in disability portrayal on television, films, public education programs and schools-based awareness projects; an overview of research on disability imagery; and in-depth reports on approaches in Australia, Germany, the Philippines, Russia, South Africa, the UK and the U.S.

Personal Assistance Services in Europe and North America: Report of an International Symposium

This report is a collection of essays by PAS users from North America and Western Europe, describing service models in the U.S., Canada, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Germany, with an eye toward system reform. It provides an overview of common issues faced by consumers and advocates as they strive to develop user responsive policies.

The U.S. Role in International Disability Activities: A History and a Look Towards the Future

This study, commissioned by WID, the World Rehabilitation Fund, and Rehabilitation International, was undertaken to present an initial introduction to U.S. involvement in the field of international rehabilitation and disability.

Personal Assistant Programs in Germany, Sweden and the USA: Differences and Similarities

This thesis, funded by "Stiftung zur Förderung körper-behinderter Hochbegabter" of Lichtenstein and the IDEAS for a New Millennium Project, describes and compares personal assistance services in three different countries.

Ethical Issues in Disability and Rehabilitation: A Report on an International Conference

This monograph is the result of an international conference on disability and ethics, sponsored by WID in collaboration with the World Rehabilitation Fund and Rehabilitation International. Key issues are examined by an international forum of concerned persons from the medical, rehabilitation, and disability communities. An extensive annotated international bibliography is also included.