McBurney Student Newsletter for October 6, 2009

• October 8: Diversity Forum, 7:45 am - 4:30 pm (various sessions throughout the day)
• October 15: McBurney Adaptive Technology Scholarship Applications are Due
• October 16: Midwest STEM Arboretum Tour, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
• October 21: Majors Fair, 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm, Memorial Union (Great opportunity for students to explore majors offered on campus!)
• October 30: Last day to drop semester-long courses (Keep in mind that shorter classes may have earlier drop deadlines.)
• November 2: Deadline for Ethel Allen Ski Scholarship
• November 4: Assistive Technology Expo 2009, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

Deaf Awareness Week Trivia Quiz - National Deaf Awareness Week is held annually, during the last full week of September. The McBurney Disability Resource Center commemorated this week with a daily trivia challenge. Each day of National Deaf Awareness Week, a new question was posted on the bulletin board outside the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Office. The previous day's answer was also posted. By the Monday after National Deaf Awareness Week, five questions and answers were posted on the bulletin board. The goal was to challenge employees and students alike with some interesting or unique trivia about the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Culture. The questions and answers follow:

Monday Question: What famous U.S. inventor was married to a woman who was deaf? Answer: Samuel Morse - He tapped Morse code into his wife's hands to communicate with her.

Tuesday Question: What percentage of Deaf and hard-of-hearing people have Deaf and hard-of-hearing parents? Answer: 10%

Wednesday Question: What was the name of the first regular publication for Deaf people? Answer: The Gallaudet Guide and Deaf-Mutes' Companion - On January 4, 1854, Deaf representatives from each of the New England states gathered to frame a constitution for the New England Gallaudet Association. Their constitution envisioned the publication of a newspaper by and for the Deaf community. In 1860, the Gallaudet Guide and Deaf Mutes Companion became one of the earliest periodicals in the United States printed exclusively for Deaf readers.

Thursday Question: Who is responsible for baseball umpires creating the signals for ball, out, and safe? Answer: William Hoy - The signals were created around 1887 and are still used today.

Friday Question: True or False? Sign Language is a global language that can be used anywhere in the world. Answer: False - American Sign Language is used in the U.S. and Canada, while British Sign Language, Australian Sign Language, Italian Sign Language, French Sign Language, etc., are used in other countries.

How can you better prepare for midterm exams? Here are a few suggestions:

• Contact faculty now to finalize arrangement for midterm test accommodations. See McBurney's tips for successful test accommodations for more suggestions.
• The McBurney Study and Learning Skills Specialists (SLSS) Leanna and Abby are available to meet with you to share efficient and effective test preparation and test-taking strategies to help you prepare for midterms. To make an appointment please call the McBurney Front Desk at 263-2741 or go to the SLSS link at: http://www.mcburney.wisc.edu/services/slss.php.

• Diversity Forum - Don't miss this year's forum "Seeding Inclusive Excellence" on October 8 from 7:45 am to 4:30 pm at Memorial Union. Cathy Trueba, McBurney Director, will be doing a workshop entitled "Finding the Intersection between Accessibility and Inclusive Excellence through Universal Design" in a 1:15 pm - 2:45 pm afternoon session and will be among the morning panel speakers discussing "Inclusion and Excellence: A Research University for the 21st Century". For an agenda, accommodation information, and registration for the lunch, see the Diversity Forum website.
• Arboretum Tour - Are you interested in ecological restoration and conservation? Do you want to learn more about the various plant life native to Wisconsin? Then join Midwest STEM staff at the UW-Arboretum on October 16th at 4:00 pm. There will be a guided tour through the Native Plants Garden to learn more about ecology and the science behind restoration. The tour will last for approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours and is wheelchair accessible. Please complete the Arboretum Tour online registration form today as space is limited.
• Assistive Technology Expo - View the latest in assistive technology for persons with disabilities! Experience new adaptive motor vehicles, speech recognition systems, telecommunication, rehabilitation robotics, wheelchair designs and more! The Assistive Technology Expo is scheduled for Wednesday, November 4 from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. at the Engineering Centers Building, 1550 Engineering Drive. There will be a keynote speaker at 12:00 noon. FREE ADMISSION. See Assistive Technology flyer or the Assistive Technology Expo blog for more details.
• Go Big Read Accessible Formats for 'In Defense of Food' - Participating in an event or class related to the Go Big Read Student & Community Reading Program? Do you have a print-related disability? The Go Big Read program web site lists sources and contact info for accessible copies. In addition, the book is also available through Bookshare.

- The U.S. Department of Labor recently launched Disability.gov, a redesigned federal Web site that connects the more than 50 million Americans with disabilities to thousands of trusted resources on disability-related issues, programs and services. Formerly known as DisabilityInfo.gov, the site has been completely redesigned and updated with new social media tools, such as a blog and a Twitter feed, to encourage feedback and interaction among visitors. Disability.gov is not just for Americans with disabilities, but also for parents of children with disabilities, employers, workforce and human resource professionals, veterans, educators, caregivers and many others.

Disability.gov features comprehensive information from 22 federal agencies, as well as educational institutions, non-profit organizations and state and local governments. Topics covered on the site include: benefits; civil rights; community life; education; emergency preparedness; employment; health; housing; technology; and transportation.

Midwest STEM Paid Internships:

• Become a Midwest Alliance Mentor! Earn a $300 stipend for each mentee you work with (up to 2 at one time), and help share your knowledge and experience as a student with a disability pursuing a degree. You must be pursuing a degree in a social science, science, technology, engineering, or math field - Alumni are eligible as well! You can apply online to be a mentor at http://stemmidwest.org/default.asp?contentID=516 .
• Do you have an internship? Need help looking for one? We will help you look, and provide you with a $1,000 stipend at the completion of 80 hours of time spent. You can apply online for the internship program at http://stemmidwest.org/default.asp?contentID=517 .

• Looking for a scholarship to purchase adaptive technology? Check out information on the McBurney Adaptive Technology Scholarships. Applications are due October 15!
• Interested in learning to ski in Colorado? The Madison West Kiwanis Foundation is taking applications for the Ethel Allen Ski Scholarship. This scholarship provides an opportunity for someone with a physical disability to learn to ski under the direction of the Adaptive Sports Association ski instructors at the Durango Mountain Resort in the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado the week of March 1 - 6. Applications, which are due November 2, can be downloaded at Madison West Kiwanis scholarship website.

Students who used test accommodations or notetaking services last year can still complete evaluations for those services to be entered into a $25 drawing for a UW Bookstore gift certificate. Please email B.A. Scheuers after you've completed the survey to ask to be entered in the drawing.

Test Accommodations Student Survey

Notetaking Service Student Survey