Disability consumers and professionals unite in Orlando, Florida, to promote independence and highlight cutting-edge research in the field of spinal cord injuries and disorders.
By Tom Scott
United Spinal Association’s 2nd Annual Independence Expo–the premier event to help improve the quality of life for Americans living with spinal cord-related disabilities—returned to the Gaylord Palms Resort […]

By Andrea J Kennedy
Gas prices climb. Airline companies merge and ticket prices increase. Baggage allowances drop. How do we stay ahead of the game and continue to travel without it taking a chunk out of our own budget? Luckily we still have several options!
This year’s newest trend has arisen from a made-up word […]

52 year old quadriplegic gets an independence boost as form meets function when a van, a man, and a new wheelchair come together.

Historic Governor’s Island in New York Harbor is now open to the public—and a lot is accessible to everyone.
By William Clarke
Before I even knew I had multiple sclerosis, I worked as a futures trader in an office high above the city streets that had a fantastic view of lower Manhattan. I usually didn’t […]

Get out there and travel with Scot Chesney’s Plane Talk on vacationing and airline travel. This is “concrete” advice from a wheelchair user who has traveled to 38 different countries.

We received this via e-mail and want to bring it to the attention of the students among our readership. MIUSA is not affiliated with United Spinal Association, and this is presented for informational purposes only:
Mobility International USA (MIUSA) is currently recruiting for our Summer 2008 US/Costa Rica: Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Disability Rights Leadership Exchange […]

Research is key to traveling with a disability.
By Rob Ingraham
Despite the explosive growth in travel options, traveling with a disability can still be a complicated and frustrating experience. Stephanie Acosta, corporate travel manager for United Spinal Association’s ABLE to Travel unit, specializes in booking business and leisure trips for people with disabilities and […]

For many people with disabilities, accessible vans are the key to unlocking their independence on the road.

By Tom Scott
As more and more wheelchair-users take to the road in pursuit of adventure, many prefer the peace of mind that comes with being behind the controls of a vehicle modified to fit their needs and […]

A native of Sun Valley, Idaho, Muffy Davis (seen above balancing near the rim of the Fox River Gorge in Namibia) injured her spine while training at Olympic ski racing during high school.

Davis and husband Jeff ride
an elephant in Thailand.

After graduating valedictorian in her class and while continuing her studies at Stanford […]

Getting Somewhere?
Well, I’m not sure exactly how to respond to your recent articles on public transit accessibility (July 2007), other than to say, you are referencing only the most advanced and progressive regions while ignoring the bulk of the United States, which appears to be ignoring the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Planning a mile-high vacation? Here are three ways to have extreme fun in Colorado for the adventure-loving adaptive sportsperson.
By Andrea J. Kennedy

Downhill mountain bikers can test their skills on stairs at the top of the trail leading to the road down the mountain.

Colorado is one of the most adventurous destinations in the world. Lovers […]

Recently I was talking to David Politz, 45, an Air Force veteran and United Spinal member from Philadelphia, who was telling me about his plans this summer. After four years in rehab for an accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury, Dave said, “I’m finally going to take a vacation.”
This past spring, Dave […]

The 1986 Air Carrier Access Act has been updated and expanded to include foreign carriers, but travelers with disabilities still have a responsibility to help keep air travel as accessible as possible.
By Kleo King

The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) was enacted into law in 1986 and the implementing regulations were promulgated four years […]

For those who can’t use accessible mass transportation systems, the ADA requires localities to make available paratransit services. How have they been performing since the ADA became law?
By Terry Moakley

Charles Roman (in chair) is mostly satisfied with the paratransit service he has received. Is he typical or unusual?

In June of 2005, […]

By Bob Nunn

Dealers mingled at the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (NMEDA) show in Tampa, Florida where new products making personal transportation more accessible to drivers with disabilities were exhibited.

When Carol Hawkins needed a rear-entry wheelchair van to transport her 37-year-old daughter, Joella, from Rhode Island to Florida, Hawkins turned to eBay. […]

How does someone with limited resources find an affordable adapted vehicle? Here’s one person’s story…
By Tiffiny Carlson
Note: Some of the terms used in the following article are specific to the state of Minnesota.
Four wheels. We can get them for free from the government if they’re on durable medical equipment, but when […]

As warmer weekends and summer vacations draw near, the number of Americans participating in outdoor recreational activities and sports increases. And unfortunately, so do the injuries.
By Celina De León

Never ride without a certified motorcycle helmet and eye protection.

United Spinal Association’s Motorsafe program is a nationwide public awareness campaign promoting safe motoring. The […]

Hybrid Taxis at the Expense of Accessibility
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s announcement that the city’s yellow taxi fleet will become completely hybrid within five years (news article, May 23) callously ignores the immediate transportation needs of people with severe physical disabilities who cannot enter or exit currently approved hybrid taxi vehicles, as well as New York […]

By now you have received, and hopefully have had the opportunity to review, proposed bylaw changes mailed to you last month. With the change in our organization’s name three years ago and our expanded mission, it was essential to overhaul our governing and procedural rules.
The proposed revisions were the result of lengthy review and […]

Alfred Hitchcock famously defined suspense by invoking a scene in a movie in which two people are innocuously chatting and, without warning, a bomb under the table goes off. Now compare that with a scene in which the audience knows there’s a bomb under a table at which two people are innocuously chatting. “In the […]