Accomplishments

11/25/02 - BUTTON OPERATIONAL

We are very pleased to announce that a project that we initiated last summer has been completed. In July, 2000, we requested that Adlai E. Stevenson High School place an automatic door-opening button on one of their entrances to their older building. Just before Thanksgiving, the button became fully operational. Now, the building can be used to it's full potential as a community center and educational facility; everyone can easily enter and exit the building. We'd like to extend a heartfelt thanks to Mr. Chris Peters, interim head of building and grounds for his tireless work Mr. Steve Spangler also deserves a thank you for finishing where Mr. Peters left off. We also wish to thank Mr. William Lemieux for constantly updating us on the progress of the project.

05/04/02 - INAUGURAL ISSUE OF NEWSLETTER RELEASED

We recently began authoring a newsletter for all students with disabilities and their parents. This first issue is mainly about how Different Ability was founded, but in issues to come, you will see many useful articles. View the inaugural issue of the Differently- Abled Digest now!

07/12/02 - HARKIN'S HELPING HAND

Different Ability met with Iowa Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin on July 12, 2002 outside Chicago's Wrigley Field. He is the main author of the ADA and believes that "while it was a landmark piece of legislation, we still have a long way to go." (Pictures)

07/22/02 - COMMENDATION AND SUPPORT FROM PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH

On July 27, 2002, at a Town Hall Meeting on Medicare and prescription drugs, Congressman Mark Steven Kirk (R-IL-10) told the audience of how he rode with President Bush on Air Force One after a speech at Argonne National Labs. The President asked the Congressman who he though should get a handwritten note on Air Force One stationery. Mr. Kirk told the President about David Kuriniec, Different Ability's spokesman, as well as the Differently-Abled Digest. The President included a box of red, white and blue M&M's with his note. (See Pictures.)

04/09/03-04/12-03 - SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE

A PowerPoint show put together by Different Ability was selected for presentation at the Council for Exceptional Children's Annual Convention and Expo in Seattle, Washington. The program detailed how able-bodied people could better understand and treat people with disabilities. While in Seattle, we met with Ted Kennedy, Jr., (Pictures) who lost a leg to cancer at age twelve. The convention had 5500 attendees and our presentation was a huge success.

07/28/03 - NEW STATE LAW PROPOSED

State Representative Kathleen A. Ryg met with Different Ability's David Kuriniec on July 28, 2003 to discuss a new proposed state law that would require owners of any building that houses or employs people with disabilities to have specific evacuation plans for each person with a disability. Ryg's staff is in the process of exploring how the plan can amend existing legislation and public acts. Look in the upcoming issue of the Differently-Abled Digest for more information.

10/23/03 - SUCCESSABILITY MOVES CLOSER TO BEING A REALITY

Different Ability is working closely with the administration of Adlai E. Stevenson High School to ensure that there is realistic accessibility in the school's older building. Realistic meaning that a person with a disability can independently navigate the building. With that goal in mind, Different Ability has been part of the oversight on the installation of fully accessible washrooms with automatic door-opening buttons. Curb cuts were also installed to provide greater wheelchair access to the facility.

10/28/03 - DIVERSIFIED POLITICS

Different Ability spokesman David Kuriniec spoke to members of Adlai E. Stevenson High School's Diversity and Political Action Clubs. The lecture coincided with the PowerPoint presentation given at the CEC Convention in Seattle.

05/20/04- SECOND POWERPOINT AUTHORED BY KURINIEC

Founder David Kuriniec authored Successability: Providing Motivation Despite Limitation, which redefines the inclusive educational model by focusing on the social and emotional effects. It seeks, simply, to lessen the gap between the vision of inclusion and the reality of inclusion.

02/03/05- DEAL IN WORKS, SUCCESSABILITY MAY BE PRESENTED IN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

Different Ability is working dilligently with the Louisiana State Board of Education to bring about a deal which would allow our plan to restructure the education system to be heard at the state conference on No Child Left Behind and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1975. If the deal goes through, executives will also speak on barriers to pre-school inclusion at the Pre-Kindergarten Conference.