1. Dr. Rheanna Plemons, Associate Registrar Western Kentucky University
Publications for All
Dr. Rheanna Plemons, Associate Registrar Western Kentucky University

2. Disabilities in Post-Secondary Education
Undergraduate students in the United States with documented disabilities: % % %
Autism
Hearing Impairment
Cognitive/Intellectual Disability
Vision Impairment
ADHD
Mental Illness
Health Impairment
Traumatic Brain Injury
Learning Disability
Mobility Limitation

3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKVogLEB2_Y 5:56 start

4. Accommodation Problems
Student disability offices provide educational support, if the student surfaces.
Extra time on tests
Interpreters
Scribes
Mobility Assistance
Specialty programs provide more detailed assistance (i.e., Autism and Down syndrome programs).
Registration
Schedule Building
Reminders about important dates
ADA compliance programs check websites.
What about academic affairs and enrollment management offices?

5. Sen. Tom Harkins (D – Iowa)
“If the U.S. is to have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020—as President Barack Obama has proposed—students with disabilities must be part of the plan.”
80% of high school students with disabilities lists higher education as a goal
60% actually enroll in higher education
41% complete college

6. “Sometimes it’s the informal accommodations…that are more helpful to students than the formal ones.”
Dr. Laysha Ostrow John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Student Self-Service Programs
What important information do you advertise in your office?
Schedules
Advising Tools
Forms
Applications for Graduation
Catalog/Bulletin

7. Publication

8. Professional vs. Accessible Publications
Professional publications are…
Easy to read and understand.
Simple, clear, and direct.
Include relevant graphics.
Accessible publications are…
Understood by the widest possible audience.
Non-discriminatory.
Easily converted to alternate formats.
Oregon Health & Science University. (2010). How you say it matters: Creating professional and accessible publications.

9. Paper Use thick paper. Thin causes text to mix.
Choose cream or lightly colored paper instead of white.
Matte paper is preferred over glossy paper (brochures, postcards, etc.).

10. Colors Avoid using red/green or bright blues to make points.
Use symbols in conjunction with colors. X – Incomplete √ - Complete
Foreground and Background must contrast.
Avoid using a dark background with light text.
People with astigmatism (approx. 50% of the population) find it harder to read white text on a black background. ~Jason Harrison, University of British Columbia

11. Fonts
Rounded letters with adequate spacing (letters should not run together)
This is an example of letters running together.
12pt or 14pt minimum
Avoid using all caps.
Use sans serif fonts: Arial, Comic Sans, Calibri, Verdana, Tahoma, or Trebuchet
Italics makes letters lean together.
Underlining causes parts of letters disappear.

12. Spacing Wide margins and headings
Add space between lines (1.5 preferred)
Avoid using hyphens to separate words not typically separated
This automatically happens in some publication software packages (Publisher, etc.).
Left Margins (block style text)

13. Writing Style Be concise. Use simplistic sentences.
Limit lines to characters.
Use bullets or numbers instead of prose.
Consider flowcharts to explain a process.
Use boxes to emphasize or highlight text.

14. Watch your language.
Use person first language to put the person before the disability
Ex. Say “person with a disability” instead of “disabled person.”
Avoid slang or regional references.

15. Disability Statements
Include on all University publications (i.e., announcements, brochures, flyers, syllabi, bulletins/catalogs).
Example: This document is available in alternative formats upon request by contacting (Office Name) at (phone number).
Include TDD number, if available.

16. Alternative Formats Large print version Screen-reader friendly version
No columns
High quality graphics
18 point font minimum
Screen-reader friendly version
Remove text boxes, tables, graphics, etc. and put information in the body of the text.
Test in Adobe (Read Out Loud)
Braille
Read documents to students
Explain process/form in more detail

17. Additional Help Microsoft Word Accessibility Checker
ADA Compliance Website Scans
Colorblind Scans (
AccessCollege: Student Services ( ble-student-services-comprehensive- presentation)
Form a focus group
Student Disability Services