This week we shared some inspiring stories of people that are changing the world. Chris Downey is an architect who didn’t let his sudden blindness keep him from designing great architecture. Ralph Hotchkiss has designed wheelchairs that restore mobility and independence to people in developing countries. Bart Hickey began fixing his mother’s car when his father passed away. Being blind never kept him from being a mechanic. Parlerai is a personal network developed for people with autism and their support group. It was developed by Kristin Erickson for her daughter.
Venezuelan State to Produce Affordable Mobile Phones for the Blind | venezuelanalysis.com
President Hugo Chavez announced that the state-owned Vtelca, which manufactures the subsidised and very affordable ‘Vergatario’ phone, will now also manufacture a phone designed for blind people.- Port Hope accessibility advocate wins again
Zach, a veteran disability activist at the age of 16, has been honored for his efforts to install an accessible swing in a neighborhood park. 
Love and Sex
Intriguing ad campaign from the UK changes perceptions of the disabled. View more at Creature Comforts
6 Surprising Bad Practices That Hurt Dyslexic Users – UX Movement
Are your typography decisions making it more difficult for people to use your site? This article lists several design patterns that are harmful to people with dyslexia.
Colorblind Leading the Blind – Waxy.org
Experience of a color-blind person trying to decipher the charts… And what about the rest of the web? .- Walking is Overrated :: disability news, opinion, reviews, and a passion for accessibility
Red from WalkingisOverrated.com explains what Wheelchair Central is and is not. 
Chris Downey is an architect who lost his sight in 2008
Chris Downey is an architect, planner and consultant who lost his sight in 2008. He works to create more helpful environments for the blind and visually impaired. Downey helped the architects of the Ed Roberts Campus test the concrete surface textures for wayfinding.-
Don’t Allow Limitations To Limit
This is an essay about Chris Downey for a Mephis television show. -
Whirlwind and The RoughRider
Ralph Hotchkiss, who was awarded the MacArthur Foundation Fellowship in 1989, is a mechanical engineer who has invented a series of wheelchairs for developing nations. - Pepsi‘s Refresh Everything project lets you vote on ideas that need funding. Ideas include: renovating a horse riding center for disabled children, art therapy in Oakland, and this new rec center for the disabled.
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What Is Parlerai?
Parlerai was awarded last night by the Center for Accessible Technology for their cognitive disability portal. Parlerai harnesses the power of the Internet for children with special needs. As the world’s first web based, augmentative collaboration service, it leverages current social networking technologies and to deliver services for families with children with special needs. 
MobileASL Research Movie
Find out what goes into making sign language work on a standard cell phone. This video describes the MobileASL research project using real time video over the mobile cell phone network in the U.S.- Assistance and Help for the Blind – Services of the Pennsylvania Assocation for the Blind
Do you have a visual impairment and live in Pennsylvania? Take this survey to see if you can benefit from a government program for enhanced communication via broadband. 
a11yyow.ca | Ottawa’s First Accessibility Unconference!
Visit Ottawa, Canada in May for the first Accessibility Unconference. This should be a great event. Encouraged by the grass roots potential of bringing folks together interested in improving accessibility, a11yow.ca decided it’s time to have one in Ottawa.
“Intimidator”
This is a very inspiring short video of Bart Hickey, an auto mechanic who happens to be blind.- How many TV commercials are closed captioned? | Yahoo! Accessibility
Did you know that most TV commercials are not captioned? Why don’t advertisers realize that people with disabilities are consumers? read our latest post to find out the details -
Denton woman creates Braille jewelry to spur message, change
Interested in learning braille? How about wearing Braille? Well guess what you can do both at the same time! 
Folding Wheelchair Ramps for Greater Accessibility » Indiana Assistive Technology Blog
How about a folding wheelchair ramp?? Not too shabby
Tags: Advertising, architecture, Blindness, Braille, Education, engineer, video, wheelchair
