1. CADSPPE Focus Group Outcome Access to Information for Students With Print Disabilities Gladys Loewen, November 2004

2. Goal of Focus Group To establish a clear picture of the issues facing disability service providers in supporting students with print disabilities To identify strategies to guide CADSPPE in promoting full access to print information

3. Participants = 22 CADSPPE members who provide direct support to students with print disabilities in higher education Members of the NEADS Steering Committee on Access to Information 1 student Producers of alternate format

4. Vision Statement “ To ensure equal and timely access to academic information in post-secondary educational environments.”

5. Discussion Topics Identify signs of success in the provision of alternate format materials in campus learning environments –In other words: “I will know that we have been successful in achieving our vision of offering alternate format materials in all campus environments when…”

6. Topics Cont. Identify barriers to achieving the signs of successes in the provision of alternate format materials in learning environments Identify goals/tasks that can be implemented in moving CADSPPE towards the vision statement

7. Topics Cont. Identify strategies for achieving the goals previously identified Determine who should be responsible Identify key recommendations for CADSPPE

8. Signs of Success Students have information at the right time and place Students can purchase or receive resources in the appropriate format at the same price in the same place at the same time When Disability Service Centres and self identification are no longer necessary

9. Signs of Success Cont. Courses are not offered unless UD is practiced and course delivery is flexible When Universal Design (UD) principles are infused in post-secondary environments When everyone is happy (student satisfaction)

10. Barriers to Achieving the Signs of Success Attitudes within and around the post-sec environment (faculty, administration, publishers, etc) Systemic barriers that we cannot control, yet we are subjected to and affected by them (legal, institutional, federal, etc)

11. Barriers cont. Students who have to produce their own materials lose critical study time Priority of time, funding and resources for production, retro-fitting, and sharing nationally

12. Goals That Can Be Implemented Downloading responsibility to students to produce their alternate format is not acceptable. Students are there to learn, not to produce Develop universal standards for production across institutions so materials can be shared

13. Goals Cont. Use existing networks and services (national databases, library loans, etc) Require publishers to provide an accessible electronic file for all textbooks sold in post- secondary bookstores Train CADSPPE members to take responsibility for sharing, maintaining standards

14. Goals Cont. Expect CADSPPE members to shift to the paradigm of UD as their philosophical framework Offer training for faculty on inclusive teaching strategies

15. Recommendations to Achieve Goals Use national library system; work to make it better and usable for post-secondary i.e. AMICUS, CWIP (Canadian works in progress) CADSPPE to develop a plan for action (5 year plan) to promote action Establish a listserv to share transcription ideas, successes, experiences

16. Recommendations Cont. Develop a national best practice guide Promote UD to CADSPPE members to change the approach to service delivery. Showcase successes and initiatives Create national guide of resources and procedures for production, sharing, accessing resources

17. Who Is Responsible? CADSPPE Board NEADS CAER Individual students and disability service providers

18. Responsibility Cont. Institutional Administrators, faculty Publishers Legal environment Federal Government –Library and Archives Canada –Council on Access to Information for Print Disabled Canadians

19. Key Recommendations for CADSPPE Establish action plan as part of a 5 year plan Implement the actions Explore how UD can make a difference in the way disability service providers approach their jobs Focus on changes to the environment, not individual accommodations

20. Next Steps Circulate the proceedings of the Focus Group Provide NEADS with copy of proceedings for its Access to Information Project CADSPPE Board of Directors and members will discuss and establish future actions

21. We are embracing a systemic change and plan to continue promoting universal access.