[Md-sligo] FW: Mapping Montgomery Needs Volunteers

Fri Mar 23 15:49:54 UTC 2012

news that we could use. 

Yasmin Reyazuddin 
Aging & Disability Services 
Montgomery County Government 
Department of Health & Human Services 
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Rockville MD 20850 
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Thank you.

-----Original Message-----
From: MCG eSubscription [mailto:NoReply at eSub.montgomerycountymd.gov] 
Sent: Friday, March 23, 2012 11:40 AM
To: Reyazuddin, Yasmin
Subject: Mapping Montgomery Needs Volunteers

Maryland Department of Disabilities Press Release ¨C Mapping Montgomery ©\ volunteers 

Individuals with disabilities can now play a role in identifying and rating the accessibility of Montgomery County businesses such as restaurants, banks, stores and other places of public accommodations as part of "Mapping Montgomery," a pilot project initiated by the Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD), the Montgomery County Government and Independence Now, an independent living center serving Prince George¡¯s and Montgomery counties. 

"People with disabilities have long endured unpredictable results in accessing restaurants, retail establishments and other public accommodations. If they haven¡¯t visited the business before, they need to call to find out whether there are barriers such as stairs or other impediments to accessibility," said Catherine A. Raggio, MDOD Secretary. "Mapping Montgomery will enable us to develop a consumer focused system that will provide invaluable information for individuals with disabilities, their families and friends." 

The Mapping Montgomery project is the result of conversations Delegate Bonnie Cullison had with Secretary Raggio and Uma Ahluwalia, Director, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services on the difficulties people with disabilities face when choosing a restaurant, bank or other business. "In collaborating with Delegate Cullison and Secretary Raggio, we all concluded that Montgomery County would be an ideal jurisdiction to pilot this application. Our residents are extremely savvy when it comes to using information technology," said Ms. Ahluwalia. "We are confident that we will have many residents eager to try this leading©\edge technology to help people with disabilities be better informed about accessible public places and to educate businesses regarding the accessibility needs of individuals with a range of disabilities." 

Mapping Montgomery is part of a global accessibility map, an easy©\to©\use consumer review tool that uses a five star rating system similar in concept to consumer reviews found on many travel websites, but with a focus on accessibility features. As part of the Mapping Montgomery project, people with disabilities and their immediate family members will use their computer, iPhone, iPad, Blackberry Torch or Smartphone with Android 2.2 to rate the accessibility of places of public accommodations in Montgomery County. Mapping Montgomery volunteers will send information on various accessibility features to the Global Accessibility Map online ratings tool designed by the Rick Hansen Foundation. 

Individuals with disabilities and immediate family members interested in volunteering to be a part of the Mapping Montgomery pilot project should contact Anne Blackfield, Maryland Technology Assistance Program, at the Maryland Department of Disabilities. She can be reached by calling 1©\800©\832©\4827 / 1 ©\866©\881©\4788(TTY) or by sending an email to ablackfield at mdtap.org. The project is open to persons with mobility, auditory or visual disabilities and or their immediate family members; willing to visit and review at least five establishments in Montgomery County; and have access to a computer with an internet connection or an iPhone, iPad, Blackberry Torch or smartphone with Andoid 2.2 or higher on the Opera Mobile browser. 

Betsy Tolbert Luecking, Staff Liaison

Montgomery County (MD) Health & Human Services

Commission on People with Disabilities

Commission on Veterans Affairs Affairs
(240) 777-1256 Voice or via MD Relay 711

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