September 2013 South Africa essays: I just returned from 10 days in South Africa where I had the honor to witness the awesome perfection of nature. Thanks to Jennae Tachea and Access2Africa safaris, (www.access2africasafaris.com)( Contact Jennae email -jennae@vodamail.co.za) I was able to get closer to nature than I have been in the 33 years I've been a quadriplegic. Because of her wealth of experience and great knowledge about the needs of the disabled, I had no difficulty with bathroom facilities, transportation or accessible restaurants. This was the first time in 33 years I didn't have to worry about details. What a relief! Our party, which included friends and family, was treated to a luxurious first day at palatial gardens of Makaranga Lodge where we had no responsibility but to enjoy the beauty around us. The grounds were completely accessible, the monkeys were playful, the original sculptures were powerful and the view was indescribable! A little later, we were introduced to our friendly and knowledgeable guide named Dave who seemed to know everything about the flora and fauna of South Africa. We left the well manicured flora in that 5 star resort to have a completely different cultural experience. We were first taken to Leopards Walk, a Lodge with breathtaking views of the wildlife that is South Africa. Our chalet consisted of a very comfortable bedroom, bathroom with a wheel in shower and a hot tub! 3 of the walls were all glass which enabled us to see whatever animals were around as soon as we opened our eyes. This was a wonderful experience with warm and generous hosts. Later that day, we were taken to one of Africa's many game preserves was simply breathtaking as we watched elephants, water Buffalo's, giraffes, hippos and many other species in their natural habitats. Natures perfection! Dave was so knowledgeable that he was able to spot some 25 elephants who would be crossing the road right in front of us. So he moved our vehicle in such a way that we were surrounded by these magnificent 4 ton animals as some came within 30 feet of our vehicle! Hearing what we humans have done to this animal population, I felt ashamed of my species. But that was all to change the next day. I think the highlight of the trip for me was a visit to the Khulani Special Needs School. This is a school in the heart of rural Zululand which caters to over 100 children with a wide variety of disabilities from cerebral palsy to autism to intellectual disabilities and many more. This school had very little money to work with and children (all residential) slept on the floor on mats and not all of them had blankets or shoes. Their wheelchairs were not in good shape and I was told they didn't have equipment or parts. I watched as children with autism pushed children with cerebral palsy in broken down wheelchairs over this sandy terrain as both of them were laughing. There was no dining room as meals were picked up by each student and taken outside to be. And yet these children seem to be happy and filled with love. I spoke a few words to them and they surrounded me as I felt bathed in their sweetness. At that moment, I saw the best of humanity. One of my great life lessons came from the woman who founded this school many years ago. She was now aging, overweight and walked with difficulty on a cane. Yet she had this beaming smile. I commented to her about how happy she looked to which she said: "as long as my hut is clean, I am happy." How many of us would be happier with that perspective. And yes, I got to pet big cats, elephants, watch hippos while I was riding a wheelchair accessible riverboat. One of my fellow travelers said that it would be very difficult for her to go back to the "real world". "No, I said "this is the real world. Most of that stuff back there is the outward manifestation of human egos trying to move mountains. Where we are in South Africa we were surrounded with people who don't try to move them-they honor them."I'm making arrangements for my return trip as we speak. Daniel Gottlieb Ph.D. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-gottlieb-phd
To contact Access2africasafaris- www.access2africasafaris.com or jennae email - jennae@vodamail.co.za or Cell 0027 716753291 (South Africa)
WASHINGTON - U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), in its ongoing effort to ensure equal access to air transportation for all travelers, is requiring airline websites and automated airport kiosks to be accessible to passengers with disabilities. In addition, DOT will allow airlines to choose between stowing wheelchairs in a cabin compartment on new aircraft or strapping them to a row of seats, an option that will ensure that two manual, folding wheelchairs can be transported at a time.
The new rules are part of DOT's continuing implementation of the Air Carrier Access Act of 1986.
"All air travelers should be treated fairly when they fly, regardless of any disabilities they may have," said Secretary Foxx. "These new rules build on our past work in ensuring that our air transportation system is accessible for everyone, while balancing both airlines' and passengers' need for flexibility."
Under the new websites-and-kiosks rule, covered airlines are required within two years to make pages of their websites that contain core travel information and services accessible to persons with disabilities, and to make all of their web pages accessible within three years. Websites are required to meet the standards for accessibility contained in the widely accepted Website Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The requirement applies to U.S. and foreign airlines with websites marketing air transportation to U.S. consumers for travel within, to or from the United States.
The rule also requires ticket agents to disclose and offer web-based discount fares to customers unable to use their sites due to a disability starting within 180 days after the rule's effective date. Airlines are already required to provide equivalent service for consumers who are unable to use inaccessible websites. Under the new rule, airlines must also offer equivalent service to passengers with disabilities who are unable to use their websites even if the websites meet the WCAG accessibility standards.
In addition, any automated kiosks installed at U.S. airports for services -- such as printing boarding passes and baggage tags --must be accessible to passengers with disabilities until at least 25 percent of all kiosks at each airport location are accessible. Even if no new kiosks are installed, 25 percent of kiosks at each airport location must be accessible within 10 years. The standards for accessible kiosks are based on those set by the U.S. Department of Justice for ATM and fare machines in its 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act rule as well as the Section 508 standards for self-contained closed products, such as copiers.
DOT's wheelchair rule provides airlines with more flexibility because it permits airlines to transport passenger wheelchairs by strapping them across a row of seats using a strap kit that complies with applicable safety standards, in addition to stowing them in a closet or similar compartment. In 2008, DOT issued a rule prohibiting airlines from using the seat-strapping method on new aircraft as an alternative to stowing the manual wheelchair in a closet or similar compartment. In that same rule, DOT allowed the use of a seat-strapping method on existing aircraft. Based on a fuller evaluation of the costs and benefits, DOT has now revised its position to also allow the use of seat-strapping on new aircraft subject to certain conditions. For example, if an airline chooses to use the seat-strapping method to stow a wheelchair, it must transport two wheelchairs in the cabin if requested unless stowing the second wheelchair would displace other passengers.
If an airline chooses to use a closet to stow a wheelchair, then it will still be required to stow only one wheelchair in the cabin. However, in this case it must install a sign or placard prominently on the closet indicating that a wheelchair and other assistive devices are to be stowed in this area with priority over other items brought onto the aircraft by other passengers or crew, including crew luggage.
The rule on accessible websites and kiosks is available on the Internet atwww.regulations.gov, docket DOT-OST-2011-0177. In addition to accepting public comments on the web and kiosk rule through this website, the Department partnered with Cornell University's eRulemaking Initiative (CeRI), Regulation Room, designed to improve the public's ability to understand and participate in the rulemaking process. A goal of the CeRI team is to make Regulation Room as accessible to as many users as possible. This partnership supports President Obama's open-government initiative. The final rule on wheelchairs is available at the same website at docket DOT-OST-2011-0098.
DOT 92-13
Related Links:
Recent Comments