1. Welcome to today’s AEM Center webinar!
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3. Test out the chat Please share with us!
Your role as a participant in this webinar (faculty, DS personnel, IT, instructional design, student, family member, etc.)
Your university, college, or other agency
A comment (question, concern, purpose for being here, etc.)
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4. Accessibility of Course Materials & Your University

5. Presenters Cynthia Curry, AEM Center Director Today’s panel:
Joanne Benica, Director, Disability Services Center, University of Southern Maine
Eric Moore, UDL and Accessibility Specialist, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Mark Nichols, Senior Director, Universal Design & Accessible Technologies, Virginia Tech
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6. AEM Center at CAST: Mission and Goals
To build the capacity of
States and districts,
Higher ed institutions,
Workforce development agencies,
Publishers and edtech developers,
Families,
and other stakeholders to increase the availability and use of high-quality accessible materials and technologies that support improved learning opportunities and outcomes for learners with disabilities.
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7. Definition of Accessible
What does accessibility mean?
What makes materials and technologies accessible?
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8. Three common meanings of “accessible”
Available
Free, open, easy to find, etc.
Equity of Access
Access to the devices and consistent high-speed broadband access is essential for digital instructional materials implementation.
Accessibility for All Students
Providing accessibility for all students must be a consideration when acquiring, developing and implementing digital instructional materials.
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9. Accessibility as Defined By U.S. DOE/Office for Civil Rights
in an equally effective, equally integrated manner, and with substantially equivalent ease of use
acquire the same information
engage in the same interactions
enjoy the same services
A person with a disability can
as a person without a disability
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10. Accessibility and Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
“The purpose of education is not to make information accessible, but rather to teach learners how to transform accessible information into useable knowledge.”
Introduction to the UDL Guidelines (CAST, 2012)
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11. UDL Guidelines
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12. Choose one. Add comments in the chat.
Poll
My institution has taken steps to improve the accessibility of our courses and programs.
Yes No
Don't know
Choose one. Add comments in the chat.
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13. The Quality Indicators for the Provision of Accessible Educational Materials & Technologies
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14. Purpose of the Quality Indicators
Describe the essential elements of curriculum and edtech procurement systems that ensure the provision of accessible materials and accessible technologies for all learners who need them.
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15. 7 Quality Indicators A coordinated system Timely manner
Written guidelines
Learning opportunities
Data collection
Data use
Allocation of resources
The Quality Indicators work together as a system, with each contributing in unique and important ways.
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16. Critical Components Under Each Quality Indicator
Definitive parts for reaching the conditions required by each Quality Indicator in:
K-12
Higher Ed
Workforce Development
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17. Option: Follow along on our website…
Policies & Systems tab
Choose: Quality Indicators for the Provision of AEM
Higher Education Critical Components
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18. Quality Indicator 1: Coordinated System
The institution has a coordinated system for the provision of *appropriate, high-quality accessible materials and technologies for all learners with disabilities who require them.
*determined by the interactive process of providing accommodations for students who need them
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19. Quality Indicator 1 Guiding Questions
Are all learners able to use the materials and technologies selected for a curriculum, regardless of format (print, digital, graphic, audio, video, apps, simulations, etc.)?
In the process of selection or creation, are
accessibility compliance standards met (i.e., Section 508 & most current version of WCAG Level AA)?
copyright and digital rights protections properly managed?
university roles & responsibilities assigned?
Focus here will be on the importance of the phrase “coordinated system” in QI 1. I’ll first ask Mark to talk about the collaborations with university relations at VT. Then I’ll ask Joanne about the coordinated effort by the University of Maine System.
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20. Quality Indicator 2: Timely Manner
The institution supports the acquisition and provision of *appropriate accessible materials and technologies in a timely manner.
*determined by the interactive process of providing accommodations for students who need them
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21. Quality Indicator 2 Guiding Questions
Does my university have a definition for “timely manner?”
Are delays to timely manner identified and corrected?
Is accessibility included across all aspects of my university’s system to prioritize the purchase, selection, and creation of accessible materials and technologies, thereby preventing delays for students who need them?
Are university roles & responsibilities assigned?
Mark, what are some of the tools and resources provided by Virginia Tech to support timely manner of access to materials for all students?
Joanne, what are steps you take at USM to provide alternative formats for students with accommodations?
Mark, can you speak to the braille and large print services provided by Virginia Tech’s Accessible Technologies team?
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22. Quality Indicator 3: Written Guidelines
The institution develops and implements written guidelines related to effective and efficient acquisition, provision, and use of accessible materials and technologies.
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23. Quality Indicator 3 Guiding Questions
Does my institution have guidelines for overall processes related to
relevant federal, state, and institutional policies?
use of accessibility language in procurement, RFPs, and contracts?
creating accessible digital materials?
identification and responsibilities of an accessibility coordinator and team?
delineation of responsibilities by relevant personnel at all levels of the university?
Cynthia will make an opening distinction between “policies” and “guidelines.” I’ll ask Mark to talk about guidelines/guidance underway at Virginia Tech (IT purchasing adding a11y language/requirements to RFPs and IT Security embedding a11y questions within HECVAT
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24. Quality Indicator 4: Learning Opportunities
The institution provides or arranges for comprehensive learning opportunities and technical assistance that address all aspects of the need, selection, acquisition and use of accessible materials and technologies.
Cynthia will make an opening distinction between “policies” and “guidelines.” I’ll ask Mark to talk about guidelines/guidance underway at Virginia Tech (IT purchasing adding a11y language/requirements to RFPs and IT Security embedding a11y questions within HECVAT
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25. Quality Indicator 4 Guiding Questions
Does my university offer training and professional learning that
targets knowledge and skills for personnel with specific responsibilities?
is offered to personnel with wide-ranging roles & responsibilities?
leverages local, state, and national resources?
uses multiple means and formats for delivery and meets accessibility standards?
Cynthia will ask Mark about VT’s Accessibility Network
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26. Quality Indicator 5: Data Collection
The institution develops and implements a systematic data collection process to monitor and evaluate the equitable, timely provision of appropriate, high-quality accessible materials and technologies.
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27. Quality Indicator 5 Guiding Questions
Does my university have strategies for collecting data on all aspects of accessible materials and technologies that include but aren’t limited to
digital materials and technologies procured that meet accessibility standards?
surveys and other sources of feedback from personnel and students?
use of data management systems that support student confidentiality, monitoring, and cross- referencing of data?
defining university roles & responsibilities?
Cynthia will ask Joanne to talk about the ticketing system at UMS
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28. Quality Indicator 6: Data Analysis
The institution uses the data collected to guide changes that support continuous improvement in all aspects of the systemic provision and use of accessible materials and technologies.
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29. Quality Indicator 6 Guiding Questions
Does my university have a plan for analyzing and using data that includes
purpose?
roles & responsibilities ?
audiences with whom data will be shared?
strategies for qualitative and quantitative analyses?
strategies for protecting student identities?
a timeline for periodic review of data and implementation of data-driven decisions?
Cynthia will ask (1) Mark to talk about VT’s preliminary findings re implementation of Bb Ally and (2) Eric to talk about the research implications for the use of a tool like Ally
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30. Quality Indicator 7: Allocation of Resources
The institution allocates resources sufficient to ensure the delivery and sustainability of quality services to learners with disabilities who need accessible materials and technologies.
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31. Quality Indicator 7 Guiding Questions
Does my university provide sufficient fiscal, human, and infrastructural resources for ensuring the provision of accessible materials and technologies?
Are resources used to address the needs of all stakeholders?
Are roles & responsibilities defined?
Cynthia will ask (1) Eric about shared support roles at UTK and (2) Mark about VT’s organizational excellence working group on campus accessibility
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32. Post-Reflection
What will be your first action toward improving access for all students at your college or university?
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33. UDL on Campus
udloncampus.cast.org
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34. Figuration: A Free Framework for Accessible Websites
Open source CSS/Javascript framework for creating accessible, cross-device, interactive websites. Figuration contains styles for text and buttons; interactive elements such as menus, tabs, sliders, and modal dialogs; column and grid layouts that adapt to the screen and device in use; color schemes that pass WCAG contrast checks; and advanced components such as HTML5 audio and video players with interactive captions.  
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35. Coming this summer!
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36. Contact Information
Follow the National AEM Center on Twitter
@AEM_Center
Cynthia Curry, AEM Center Director
@clcurry
Please download the digital handout for contact information for today’s panel of co-presenters
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37. Thank you! Please take a moment to complete our evaluation:
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38. OSEP Disclaimer
The contents of this presentation were developed under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Education, #H327Z However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government, Project Officer, Tara Courchaine, Ed.D.
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