1. Integrating UDL Into the Course Development Process – Part 1
Assistive Technology Initiative (ATI)
Korey Singleton, Ph.D., ATP, RET
ATI Manager
August 18, 2017

2. What we’ll cover… Introductions Trends in Higher Education
EIT Accessibility: What Does It “Look” Like?
Universal Design
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Roles and Responsibilities

3. ATI’s Role...
…ensuring equivalent access to electronic materials, software, and IT resources for individuals in the Mason community through video captioning, alternative text, web accessibility, and assistive technology. We also support students, faculty, staff, and visitors with disabilities and different learning styles through the provision of assistive technology resources.

4. ATI Staff & Reporting Structure
University President
VP, CDE
Associate Director/ADA Coordinator, CDE
ATI Manager
IT Accessibility Coordinator
Program Support Specialist
Acc Media Coordinator
Accessible Media Specialist
Student Worker(s)
ATI operates under Compliance, Diversity, and Ethics Office
Reports up through ADA Coordinator to VP for CDE, who reports directly to University President
More information about us available at
Webinars/Presentations:
ATI Office consists of an Accessible Media Coordinator, an IT Accessibility Coordinator, an Accessible Media Specialist, a Program Support Specialist, and a student worker. Those positions report to the ATI Manager, who reports to the ADA Coordinator in the Compliance, Diversity, and Ethics office. The VP for Compliance, Diversity, and Ethics reports directly to the President.

5. Collaborative Partnership
CDE DS
Accommodations for
Students w/
Disabilities
Accommodations for
Employees w/
Disabilities
Electronic & IT
Accessibility
& Compliance

6. Trends in Higher Education
Trends, Disability Support, Recent Litigation, Common Issues

7. Trends in Higher Education
Disability Rates in Higher Education Increasing
Increasing # of SWDs enrolling in higher education (U.S. GAO, 2009).
Greater variation in types of disabilities…(Digest of Education Statistics, 2011).
SWDs have lower participation and completion rates in higher education than their nondisabled peers (Mamiseishvili & Koch, 2011).
Growing Role of Online Learning in Higher Education
Increasing role of online learning in higher education (Allen & Seaman, 2013).
Increasing adoption of newer and more innovative EIT (Kim, 2011).
Inaccessible EIT can adversely impact the ability of a SWD to access course content (Bühler, Fisseler, & others, 2007; Fichten, Asuncion, Barile, Ferraro, & Wolforth, 2009).
Growing number of legal challenges against higher education institutions for implementing inaccessible EIT (Zou, 2011; Szpaller, 2012).

8. Existing Disability Support Model in Higher Education
“Existing strategies for supporting SWDs in higher education rooted in ‘medical model’ (Burgstahler, 2012).” Disclose Documentation Accommodation
Extended time
Notetaking support
Interpreter

9. Recent Litigation (Re: EIT Accessibility)…
UC-Berkeley (again) 2016
Miami (OH) (2016)
CU-Boulder (2015)
Harvard/MIT (2015)
EdX (2015)
Atlantic Cape CC (2015)
Univ. of Phoenix (2015)
Univ. of Cincinnati (2014)
Univ. of Montana (2014)
Youngstown State (2014)
Maricopa CC (2014)
Florida St. Univ. (2014)
Louisiana Tech (2013)
SCTCS (2013)
UC-Berkeley (2013)
Penn St (2011)
Ohio St. (2010)

10. Common Issues from Litigation…
Inaccessible LMS, University Wide Applications and teaching supplemental applications
Timely delivery of alternate formats for textbooks
Document accessibility (Word, PPT, PDFs)
Captioning for videos
Inaccessible library resources (databases, search, print resources)
Additional classroom resources (e.g., iClicker, podiums)
Inaccessible university websites/web resources
ATMs
Access to auxiliary offices (financial aid, registrar)

11. EIT accessibility: What Does iT “Look” Like?
Types of Impairment, Assistive Technology, Demos/Examples

12. Types of Impairment and Assistive Technology
4/14/2018
Types of Impairment and Assistive Technology
Sensory (Loss of vision, hearing, or both)
Screen readers and refreshable braille devices for people who are bling or have other print disabilities
Open or closed captioning for people who are deaf
Learning/Cognitive
Organizations, readability
Physical
Alternatives input tools, such as speech-to-text software, for people who cannot use a computer mouse
Notes
I have listed 3 classifications here..,while there’s certainly a great deal of variation that exists under these 3 classifications, they do broadly cover much of what we are discussing here today.
When we discuss inaccessible EIT, make no mistake that 99% of the discussion (from a legal standpoint) centers around equivalent access for individuals with some degree of vision and/or hearing loss...Now, there’s only one case that I can think of which actually involved individuals with learning impairments (that was UC Berkeley and involved more timely access to printed materials in alternative formats like Braille, audio, or large print)...
So, if we move beyond thinking about the discussion in terms of disability and more about the types of assistive technology that an individual uses in order to access a computer, things start to make a bit more sense.
How instructional materials and/or our electronic resources are designed play a significant role in one’s ability to access information or participate in the programs or services that we offer...
If I am blind, I need a screen reader to access a computer and to read electronic documents
If I am deaf or hard of hearing, I need captions and transcripts for audio and video
If I have a learning impairment, I benefit from information being presented in a consistent manner and chunked so as to allow me an easier time processing that information
If I have a physical impairment which impacts my ability to use a mouse or a keyboard, I also benefit from how a document or website is structured since I too would require an alternative means for accessing a computer.

13. Anatomy of an Accessible Document
Document courtesy of Portland Community College:

14. Jaws Screen Reader Demo
E.g., Navigating a Word Document (a screen reader user’s perspective)
Video courtesy of High Tech Center at Taft College:

15. Before and After Demo - Websites
E.g., Improving a website using Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0,

16. Understanding Web Accessibility
E.g., Labeling Images/Graphics
Graphics should have meaningful labels:
E.g.: “Photo of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan reading to children at Central Elementary School.”
Not: “Image”
The labels can be visible to everyone, or they can be hidden in the programming of the web page. Designer’s choice!

17. Understanding Web Accessibility
E.g., Color Contrast
Meaningful information should be conveyed through more than just color.
For example, individuals unable to identify color would not know which fields were required. A simple fix would be to add an asterisk(*) next to the required fields.

18. Understanding Web Accessibility
E.g., Keyboard Navigation
Users should be able to “tab” through the page and get to all information and functions.
Pages should not require users to manipulate a mouse for navigation.

19. Universal Design
Meaning, Examples

20. Definitions: Accommodation vs. Accessibility vs. Inclusive Design
Inclusion
User-centered
Accessibility
Compliance
Accommodations
Individual in nature
Targeted
Universal Design or UD

21. Equality vs. Equity

22. Why Universal Design?
Term borrowed from the movement in architecture and product development that calls for curb cuts, automatic doors, video captioning, speakerphones, and other features to accommodate a vast variety of users, including those with disabilities.

23. Think about your users...