Led by theater veteran and ASL interpreter Alek Lev, the Victory Hall Opera of Charlottesville, Va. is working to adapt the 1957 opera “Dialogues of the Carmelites” for a cast comprising hearing and Deaf actors. While Deaf theater often has two actors play each role at the same time – one delivering lines verbally and the other in ASL – Lev and the cast are holding workshops to experiment with other staging methods.
In an article published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, UD neuroscientist Joshua Neunuebel writes that his research has been able to link specific sounds to specific behaviors in mice. Neunuebel says that further study of the relationship between sensory cues and social behavior could lead to insights about communication disorders in humans.
Real estate company Nestidd is working to reduce barriers to independent living for adults with intellectual disabilities by buying single-family homes, customizing them and leasing them to service providers. An executive with an independent living advocacy organization says that partnering with Nestidd eliminates the need to spend time and resources mastering topics such as zoning and building codes.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), recently made it harder for states to waive the employment requirement for certain SNAP beneficiaries. People with disabilities receiving Social Security benefits do not need to be employed to qualify for SNAP. However, disability advocates worry that the rule change will hurt people with disabilities not on Social Security who face obstacles to employment.
A lawyer representing the family of a man with bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder shot dead by Milford police has called for an examination of Delaware police training. In his letter to Delaware Attorney General Kathleen Jennings, attorney Thomas Neuberger said a statewide investigation is necessary to ensure law enforcement officers are complying with a 2006 law requiring special training on interactions with individuals with a mental illness, mental disability and/or physical disability.
