Thinking News & Events

Enable, Microsoft Plan Assistive Technology Passport:

The AT Passport will be a personal record of all of the relevant information about an individual’s requirement for AT including the necessary referrals, eligibility and training requirements and can support users to access the training and supports they need. It is expected that 10% of people with a disability

Improving Employment Opportunities for People with Disability in Ireland:

Ibec, the group that represents Irish business, in collaboration with Employers for Change, the Employer Disability Information Service providers, have today published a new policy paper that seeks to improve the employment opportunities for people with disability in Ireland.  More than one in seven people in Ireland have a disability,

Call for Disability Services Budget to Rise by Half in Next Decade:

The State’s spending on disability services will have to jump by up to half over the next 10 years, according to a major review of future needs by the Department of Health. The predictions are contained in the Review of Disability Social Care Demand and Capacity Requirements up to 2032

People with Disabilities Half as Likely to be Employed, Report says

In Ireland, a person with a disability is just over half as likely to be employed as a non-disabled peer, according to a new study published by the employers’ group Ibec. The report says Ireland’s rate of employment amongst people with disabilities is half the European average, and the gap between

Sky Q now gives more Control to Visually Impaired Customers:

New Voice Guidance feature makes navigation even easier, joining a range of accessibility features Sky’s Group CPO committed to going beyond to make Sky Q even more accessible for all Sky Q, the award-winning TV box, is introducing Voice Guidance – a new feature that will make the platform more

Accessibility Guidelines – Digital Content:

Our content must be accessible to everyone who needs it. This means we need to make sure it can be used by as many people as possible. This includes people with: impaired vision motor difficulties cognitive impairments or learning disabilities deafness or impaired hearing Web accessibility and the law Public

IWA Survey Reports Poor or no Access to Public Spaces:

LockedOut: Seventy-seven per cent of people with physical disabilities have poor or no access to public spaces according to Irish Wheelchair Association. Irish Wheelchair Association calls for review of building regulations on wheelchair accessible housing, as it launches new guidelines for designing accessible environments. The organisation surveyed almost 1,000 people

Educate Together

Educate Together is unique in education Like many other schools in Ireland, Educate Together schools are state-funded and teach the National Curriculum. They are non-fee-paying schools and are open to students of all backgrounds. They are co-educational and have no school uniforms. But they are much more than that: Educate

Myths And Facts About Disability Employment: Q&A With A Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist

https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahkim/2019/10/25/allsup-winiarski-ndeam/#65bc6f9912a8 In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Diane Winiarski, the director of vocational rehabilitation at Allsup Employment Services, provides insight on the current state of disability employment in the country. In doing so, she debunks various myths that employers have about workers with disabilities, provides best practices on

Is Ireland Ready for a ‘Total Inclusion’ Approach for Special Education?

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/is-ireland-ready-for-a-total-inclusion-approach-for-special-education-1.4109360 Last month the National Council for Special Education floated a bold idea: we should consider abolishing special schools and special classes and place all children in mainstream schools. regardless of their level of disability. The council says Ireland may be in breach of a UN convention by “segregating” up to 16,000 special pupils