Claire Lomas Finishes The London Marathon Using The ReWalk

In an astounding feat of endurance and perseverance, 32-year old Claire Lomas became the first paralyzed person to complete a marathon using the ReWalk, a bionic suit that allows any individual with lower body paralyses to stand, walk, and climb stairs. The London Marathon, sponsored by Virgin, is an annual marathon spanning 26 miles from Blackheath to Buckingham Palace with thousands of participants. It's participants fees and donations go towards the chaarity of the runner's choice. Walking around two miles a day, it took Lomas 16 days to complete with hundreds of fans, including her husband and thirteen month old child, cheering her on.

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AUSTRALIA: Western Australian Accessible Tourism Pays Off

From the 2010 Universal Design Newsletter

By: Elaine Ostroff, Hon. AIA, founding director of the Institute for Human Centered Design, and Denise Hofstedt, Editor of UDN

Five years ago Western Australia decided to get serious about competing for tourism dollars on the national and international levels. Business and government leaders there developed a Strategic Directions Plan to identify ways to expand tourism options for people of all ages and abilities and increase the customer base for tourism operators.

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Disney Segway Ban Case Thrown Out: Ban Likely to be Challenged Again

A federal judge in Florida has thrown out a lawsuit challenging Disney World's ban on the use of Segways by park visitors and rejected a proposed settlement between the parties in the case. The case, Ault, et al v. Walt Disney World Company, was brought by three individuals who claimed that the theme park's policy against Segways violates Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The plaintiffs reached a settlement with Disney, which the court preliminarily approved in January 2009. Under the proposed settlement, Disney's Segway ban would have remained in place, with Disney making a certain number of its own electronic stand-up vehicles (ESV) available at its parks.

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GUDC Completes First Part of Standards Development

Members of the Global Universal Design Commission's (GUDC's) Commercial Building Consensus Committee (CBCC) approved the first standard submitted for ballot in August 2010. Graham Hill, the Committee's Chairman, remarked, "Much work, effort and patience—and in particular, compromise—was exerted by each of the committee members to make this historic document possible."

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