Partnership for Empowerment, the 2005 Disability Policy Seminar is a joint effort of The Arc, United Cerebral Palsy (UCP), AAMR, the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), and the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD). The goal of the conference is to inform advocates and those interested in issues that impact persons with disabilities on key policy issues such as tax reform, Social Security reform, and Medicaid reform that will be addressed by the current administration and Congress.

The "Technology and Persons with Disabilities" conference is organized by the Center on Disabilities at California State University, Northridge. This is a comprehensive, international conference, where all technologies across all ages; disabilities; levels of education and training; employment; and independent living are addressed.

The 2005 INSPIRE Conference is a conference-style symposium focusing on outdoor recreation for people with and without disabilities will be held. The theme for the 2005 conference is "Joining Forces: Collaborative Solutions for Inclusive Recreation." The conference is sponsored by Project INSPIRE (Initiative for National and State Park Inclusive Recreation Expansion), which is funded in part by the U.S. Department of Education and Rehabilitative Services Administration and presented collaboratively by All Out Adventures, Inc. and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation's Universal Access Program. For more information contact: Bryce Fifield, Project Coordinator, All Out Adventures, Inc./Project INSPIRE 116 Pleasant Street, Suite 3103 Easthampton, MA 01027 (413) 527-8980(V/TTY), (413) 527-2483 (fax), bryce@alloutadventures.org

The National ADA Symposium is the most comprehensive training event available on the Americans with Disabilities Act and related disability issues including accessible information technology. The 10 Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers co-sponsor this event and it is hosted by the Great Plains DBTAC serving Region VII.

Demystifying the Interplay of the ADA with FMLA & Workers' Compensation is a pre-conference seminar to the 2005 Multiple Perspectives on Disability Conference. The seminar is sponsored by ADA-OHIO in collaboration with Buckeye Chapter, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Great Lakes ADA & IT Technical Assistance Center, Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council, and The Ohio State University ADA Coordinator's Office. The seminar will be held at the Blackwell Inn Ballroom The Ohio State University 2110 Tuttle Park Place and will feature the following presenters: Kimberly Shumate, Associate Legal Counsel for The Ohio State University and President, Columbus Bar Association; Mike Travis, Litigation Manager for the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation; and Larry Watson, Regional Attorney in the Cleveland, Ohio, Office of the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). For more information regarding cost and registration, contact ADA-OHIO at adaohio@aol.com or 800-ADA-OHIO (232-6446).

The Fifth Annual Multiple Perspectives on Disability Conference will be held at The Ohio State University Campus, Columbus Ohio. The goals of the conference are to encourage reflection on sameness, difference and equity while providing an opportunity to share practical information, explore current research and develop collaborations. On April 11, 2005 there will be two pre-conference seminars:"

The Accessibility and Historical Integrity seminar sponsored by the Wisconsin State Historical Society and the National Preservation Institute is for accessibility coordinators, managers of historic sites, architects, facility and community planners. Participants will learn how to preserve the significance and integrity of historic structures, while making them accessible to people with mobility, hearing, sight, cognitive, motor, or other disabilities. Deadline for registration is April 4, 2005. For more information contact Sherman Banker, State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Madison, WI at 608-264-6507(V/TTY), 608-264-6504(Fax), or via email at sjbanker@whs.wisc.edu