The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) at ACL has funded 64 new projects in fiscal year 2019, ranging from six-months long Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) projects building new technology to five-year centers conducting research and training in rehabilitation

Today is America Recycles Day. Recycling assistive technology is one way to help make community living possible for more people. Assistive technology (AT) and durable medical equipment (DME) encompass a broad range of devices including home hospital beds, hearing aids, communication devices, wheelchair ramps or lifts, and software. These devices play a critical role in helping many older adults and individuals with disabilities achieve educational and career goals, avoid social isolation, and stay out of nursing homes.

ACL is proud to partner with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to offer training and practical job experience to veterans with disabilities. The first two veterans to join ACL through the program, Shantol Coleman and Darrick Copeland, describe their experience in the program and how their military training and experience has helped them in their new roles.

Approximately 200,000 Americans will join the U.S. military by the close of 2019. This year’s volunteers will join the ranks of the 24 million Americans who either currently serve in the military or are veterans. When each of them made the decision to join, they knew the sacrifices that lay ahead, the risks they might be asked to take, and the responsibilities one assumes when they put on the uniform.

Last week, ACL represented the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at the Access and Mobility for All Summit hosted by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT).

 

Ideas from American Employers Seen as Best Way to Revolutionize Inclusive Hiring Practices

By Lance Robertson, ACL Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging Today marks the close of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). This year's NDEAM theme, "the right talent, right now," perfectly captures the many contributions people with disabilities are making to our nation's booming economy today and the potential they hold for employers willing to judge every applicant based solely on their skills and talents.   

The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) at ACL has awarded several new grants to support people with psychiatric disabilities and Autism.  Below are highlights of some of the various projects set to begin:

Amir Rahimi demonstrates how a screen magnifier helps him read e-mails during an ACL visit to the ENDependence Center of Norther Virginia.