In February, Matt Jennings was at home in Lititz, PA when he received a most surprising invitation. The Governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, asked Matt to join him at the Governor's 2024-25 Budget address, since Matt and his family — his mother Cindy and grandmother Judy — featured prominently in his address. The Governor met Matt and Cindy in June and he was moved by their story. Matt is a long-time friend of the Institute on Disabilities. More than 10 years ago, he came to Philadelphia to attend his first Augmentative Communication Empowerment and Supports program, or "...

TechOWL's Community Space at the Institute on Disabilities, on Temple University's main campus, will celebrate its grand opening on Thursday, April 18. Located on the ground floor of Morgan Hall on Cecil B. Moore Avenue, TechOWL’s Community Space is a place where people can explore tools and technology to discover what works for them. Visitors to the Community Space will be able to try cutting-edge vision equipment, mobility devices, and other assistive tech options. 3D printing will be in action for creating assistive devices, and visitors can also discover accessible...

The Institute on Disabilities has been awarded a grant from The WITH Foundation (Working with Inclusive and Transformative Healthcare) to improve healthcare for sexual and gender minorities with disabilities.   Project lead, Taye Hallock, Assistant Director of Health Equity says that sexual and gender minorities with intellectual and developmental disability face challenges finding affirming and accessible health care. "This project will conduct a qualitative needs assessment in collaboration with a community advisory board to identify barriers to healthcare access for...

Since 1993, the Assistive Technology programs of the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University - TechOWL - has partnered with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in designating November as Assistive Technology Awareness Month. The proclamation, signed by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, is below in text and as an image of the proclamation.   Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Proclamation by the Governor WHEREAS, Pennsylvanians with disabilities of all ages may need assistive technology devices and services to live independently and productively, as well as to...

The Institute will partner with the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council to sponsor a virtual meeting on Wednesday, November 1, 2023 about Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Specifically for self-advocates, this meeting will present updates to Section 504 that will affect self-advocates across Pennsylvania. The Rehabilitation Act was passed 50 years ago, and it helps ensure that the rights of people with disabilities are protected. An important part of the act is known as Section 504. Changes to Section 504 proposed by the government will focus on equity...

On September 26, 2023, Sally Gould-Taylor, the Executive Director of the Institute on Disabilities, moderated a round table discussion after the performance of the world premier opera "10 Days in a Madhouse." Produced by Opera Philadelphia at the Wilma Theatre, "10 Days in a Madhouse" follows reporter Nellie Bly through her internment at Blackwell's Asylum and addresses the notions of madness and societal biases against women. The roundtable discussion provided an opportunity for panelists and audience members to reflect on how the experiences of Nellie Bly parallel...

Issue 6 | Summer 2023 Greetings from the Executive Director Sally Gould-Taylor, PhD Executive Director of the Institute on Disabilities I hope you and your family are enjoying the summer. It's been a hot one here in Philadelphia and indeed across the state of Pennsylvania. The Institute has been busy! We welcomed our groundbreaking ACES program back to campus after a hiatus, due to the pandemic. After a successful run in Philadelphia during the spring, our File/Life installation traveled to the Senate Building Rotunda in Washington, DC. We are set to begin...

Registration for the 2023 Disability Summit is now open. This year's theme is "Self-Determination: Shaping Our Own Lives." Details Date: September 14, 2023 Time: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Location: Howard Gittis Student Center at Temple University's Main Campus in Philadelphia (Temple campus maps and directions) Cost: The Disability Summit is a free event. ASL and CART (live captioning) will be provided. Agenda Keynote, breakout sessions, lunch, and public legislative session are included. Keynote by Tom Vlodkowski, Vice President of Accessibility for Comcast....