DO-IT - AccessSTEM

Making Engineering More Accessible to Faculty with Disabilities

eol — Sat, 02 Jul 2022 19:33:14 +0000

Making Engineering More Accessible to Faculty with Disabilities

A webinar discussing ways to systematically review and improve facilities, technology, events, and services to make them more accessible and inclusive to faculty members with disabilities.

AccessComputing Mentors Application

kcl — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 21:45:24 +0000

AccessComputing Mentors Application

Shape the future... be an AccessComputing Mentor.

The AccessComputing electronic mentoring community provides an opportunity for students with disabilities to communicate via email and during program activities with mentors and other students with disabilities. Your role as an AccessComputing Mentor is a mix of friend and teacher. Your goal is to inspire and facilitate personal, academic, and career achievements in the DO-IT participants for whom you mentor. These mentees are college-capable students with disabilities pursuing challenging computing degrees and career fields.

Do you have what it takes to be an AccessComputing Mentor?

The relationships you develop with your mentee become channels for the passage of information, advice, challenges, opportunities, and support. AccessComputing Mentors offer mentees these opportunities:

Information
Mentors share their knowledge, experiences, and wisdom.
Contacts
Mentors provide valuable opportunities by facilitating academic, career, and personal contacts.
Challenges
Mentors stimulate curiosity and build confidence by presenting new ideas, opportunities, and challenges.
Support
Mentors encourage growth and achievement by providing an open and supportive environment.
Goal Setting
Mentors help mentees discover talents and interests and define and attain their goals.
Advice
Mentors guide mentees in reaching academic, career, and personal goals.
Role Models
By sharing stories of achievement with mentees, mentors can become role models.

How do AccessComputing Mentors and mentees communicate?

Mentors and mentees are not matched one-to-one but rather communicate through the use of large group email-based discussion lists. Frequent email communication combined with personal contact at AccessComputing-sponsored events, facilitates personal, academic, and career achievement.

AccessComputing Mentors are subscribed to several electronic discussion lists:

doitsem - A public forum to discuss STEM issues pertaining to individuals with disabilities.
mentors - A discussion list for mentors.
AccessSTEM - A forum where mentors with academic and/or professional backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields engage with mentees who are studying, teaching, and working in STEM.
disability-specific lists - Where mentors and mentees each participate in special interest groups to discuss issues related to a specific disability area.

For more information about DO-IT’s mentoring community, consult Opening Doors: Mentoring on the Internet.

Eligibility

College students, postsecondary faculty, and professionals from a variety of challenging academic and career fields are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply

Submit the AccessComputing Mentor Application online or print the form and send in by postal mail, fax, or email. Because safety is of particular concern for young people using the Internet, all Mentor candidates are asked to complete and return a Criminal Conviction & Civil Finding History Questionnaire. Once we receive your completed application, we will follow-up via email on the next steps for the background check and signing the AV release digitally.

��ԭ�� AccessComputing

The Department of Computer Science and Engineering and DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking and Technology) at the ��ԭ�� lead the AccessComputing Project for the purpose of increasing the participation of people with disabilities in computing careers nationwide.

For further information, to be placed on the mailing list, request materials in an alternate format, or to make comments or suggestions about DO-IT publications or web pages, contact:

��ԭ��
Box 354842
Seattle, WA 98195-4842
accesscomp@uw.edu
www.uw.edu/accesscomputing/
206-685-DOIT (3648) (voice/TTY)
888-972-DOIT (3648) (toll free voice/TTY)
509-328-9331 (voice/TTY) Spokane
206-221-4171 (fax)

AccessComputing Leaders

Dr. Richard Ladner, PI
Dr. Elaine Schaertl Short, Co-PI
Dr. Raja Kushalnagar, Co-PI
Dr. Stacy Branham, Co-PI
Dr. Brianna Blaser, Associate Director
Dr. Amy Ko, Senior Personnel
Terrill Thompson, IT Accessibility Team Manager
Kayla Brown, Program Coordinator
Lyla Crawford, Internal Evaluator

Acknowledgment

AccessComputing is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant #CNS-0540615, CNS-0837508, CNS-1042260, CNS-1539179, CNS-2137312. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Equal Access: Universal Design of Campus Services

nhuang1 — Wed, 25 Aug 2021 20:18:54 +0000

EA_UD_Campus_Services.pdf

By:

Sheryl Burgstahler, DO-IT Director

As increasing numbers of people with disabilities pursue educational opportunities at all levels, the accessibility of libraries, computer labs, teaching and learning centers, and other campus services increases in importance. The goal is simply equal access; everyone who needs to use your services should be able to do so comfortably and efficiently.

Legal Issues

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and its 2008 Amendments prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities. According to these laws, no otherwise qualified person with a disability shall, solely by reason of his or her disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity of a public entity. This means that services as well as academic programs must be accessible to qualified individuals with disabilities.

Universal Design

You can make your service accessible to, usable for, and inclusive of everyone by employing principles of universal design (UD). A definition that can be used for the application of UD to services, modified from the basic definition of UD, is the design of products and environments that deliver services that support teaching and learning to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.¹ People who benefit from UD include those with a broad range of abilities, disabilities, ages, reading levels, learning styles, native languages, cultures, and other characteristics. Keep in mind that students and other visitors may have learning disabilities or visual, speech, hearing, and mobility impairments. Applying UD minimizes the need for special accommodations for those who use your services and for future employees as well. Make sure everyone feels welcome, and can

get to the facility and maneuver within it,
communicate effectively with support staff,
access printed materials and electronic resources, and
fully participate in events and other activities.

Train staff to support people with disabilities, respond to specific requests for accommodations in a timely manner, and know whom they can contact if they have disability-related questions.

A Process for Universal Design

The UD of all services is a long-term goal. Deliberate, small steps can make that goal attainable for your service department. Below you will find a series of steps to lead you through the re-design of an existing service or the creation of a new one. As you travel through the phases of implementing UD, remember to plan ahead and keep the diverse needs of potential service users at the forefront.

Identify the service and best practices in the field.
Select a campus service (e.g., a library) to which you wish to apply UDHE. Identify best practices for the delivery of this type of service (e.g., for the design of postsecondary campus libraries).
Consider the diverse characteristics of potential users.
Describe the population and then consider the diverse characteristics of those who might potentially use the service—e.g., with respect to gender; age; ethnicity; race; native language; learning preferences; size; abilities to see, hear, walk, manipulate objects, read, speak—and the challenges they might encounter in using the service.
Integrate UDHE with best practices in service design.
Integrate best practices within the field of service delivery (e.g., for the design of libraries) with UDHE practices (underpinned by relevant UD, UDL, and WCAG principles) to maximize benefits of the service to individuals with a wide variety of characteristics.
Plan for accommodations.
Develop processes to address accommodation requests (e.g., arrangements for a sign language interpreter) from individuals for whom the design of the service does not automatically provide access. Promote the process through the service’s website, publications, and signage.
Evaluate.
After implementing the service, collect feedback from individuals with diverse characteristics who use the service (e.g., through online surveys, focus groups). Make modifications based on the results. Return to step three if evidence from your evaluation suggests improvements for your design.

Guidelines and Examples

The following questions can guide you in making your campus service unit universally accessible. This content does not provide legal advice. To clarify issues, consult your campus legal counsel or ADA/504 compliance officer, or call the regional Office for Civil Rights (OCR). This checklist was developed in consultation with more than twenty postsecondary institutions as part of the AccessCollege project. It was field-tested at more than twenty postsecondary institutions nationwide. The results of a nationwide survey to test face-validity of checklist items led to further refinement of the checklist.

Planning, Policies, and Evaluation

Consider diversity issues as you plan and evaluate services.

Are people with disabilities, racial and ethnic minorities, people with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, those who are young and old, and other groups represented on your staff in numbers proportional to those of the whole campus or community?
Do you have policies and procedures that ensure access to facilities, printed materials, computers, and electronic resources for people with disabilities?
Is accessibility considered in the procurement process?
Do you have a procedure to ensure a timely response to requests for disability-related accommodations?
Are disability-related access issues addressed in your evaluation practices?

Physical Environments and Products

Ensure physical access, comfort, and safety within an environment that is inclusive of people with a variety of abilities, racial and ethnic backgrounds, gender identities, and ages.

Are there parking areas, pathways, and entrances to the building that are wheelchair-accessible and clearly identified?
Are all levels of the facility connected via an accessible route of travel?
Are there ample high-contrast, large-print directional signs to and throughout the office and to elevators and wheelchair-accessible restrooms? Do elevators have auditory, visual, and tactile signals and are elevator controls accessible from a seated position?
Is at least part of a service counter at a height accessible from a seated position?
Are aisles kept wide and clear of obstructions for the safety of users who have disabilities related to mobility or sight?
Are there quiet work or meeting areas where noise and other distractions are minimized or facility rules, such as no phone use, in place to minimize noise?
Is adequate light available?

Consult the ADA Checklist for Readily Achievable Barrier Removal² for more suggestions. For computing facilities, consult Equal Access: Universal Design of Computer Labs video and publication.³

Staff

Make sure staff are prepared to work with all service users.

Do staff members know how to respond to requests for disability-related accommodations, such as arranging for a sign language interpreter or providing a document in an alternative format?
Are all staff members aware of issues related to communicating on-site and online with people from a diverse set of backgrounds, including those with disabilities?

Information Resources and Technology

Ensure that computers on-site as well as digital resources are designed to be accessible to individuals with disabilities and that systems are in place for providing accommodations.

Do pictures in your publications and on your website include people with diverse characteristics with respect to race, gender, age, and disability?
In key publications and on your website, do you include a statement about your commitment to universal design as well as procedures for requesting disability-related accommodations?
Is an adjustable-height table available for each type of workstation provided in your center to assist those who use wheelchairs or are small or large in stature?
Do you provide adequate work space for both left- and right-handed users?
Are staff members aware of accessibility options (e.g., enlarged text feature) included in computer operating systems and of assistive technology available in the facility or by special request?
Are printed materials within easy reach from standing and sitting positions in an uncluttered area within the facility?
Do web pages adhere to accessibility guidelines or standards adopted by your institution (e.g., the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines⁴)?
Are documents available in an accessible electronic format?
Are videos used by your service captioned?
Are procedures in place for a timely response to requests for assistive technology and remediation of inaccessible documents?

Events

Ensure that everyone can participate in on-site and online events sponsored by your organization.

Is information about how to request disability-related accommodations included in publications and websites promoting events?
Are on-site events located in wheelchair-accessible facilities? Is the accessible entrance clearly marked? Is accessible transportation available if transportation is arranged for other participants?
Are online events hosted on accessible conferencing systems, and do support staff know how to present captions and arrange for other accommodations upon request?

Checklist Updates

To increase the usefulness of this working document, send suggestions to doit@uw.edu. Each item, in keeping with the UD approach, should reflect a proactive practice that makes a teaching and learning center more welcoming, accessible, and usable by individuals with a wide range of characteristics.

Communication Hints

Treat people with disabilities with the same respect and consideration with which you treat others. Here are some helpful hints when it comes to delivering a presentation, hosting an exhibit, and otherwise relating to people with disabilities.

General

Ask a person with a disability if that person needs help before providing assistance.
Talk directly to the person with a disability, not through their companion or interpreter.
Refer to a person’s disability only if it is relevant to the conversation.
Avoid derogatory slang or negative descriptions of a person’s disability. For example, “a person who uses a wheelchair” is more appropriate than “a person confined to a wheelchair.” A wheelchair is not confining—it’s liberating!
Provide information in alternate means (e.g., written, spoken, diagrams).
Do not interact with a person’s guide dog or service dog unless you have received permission to do so.
Do not be afraid to use common terms and phrases, like “see you later” or “let’s go for a walk” around people with disabilities.
Do not touch mobility devices or assistive technology without the owner’s consent.
Do not assume physical contact—like handshakes, high-fives, or hugs—is okay.
Understand that not everyone uses eye contact.

Blind or Low Vision

Be descriptive. Say, “The computer is about three feet to your left,” rather than saying, “The computer is over there.”
Speak all of the projected content when presenting and describe the content of charts, graphs, and pictures.
When guiding people with visual impairments, offer them your arm rather than grabbing or pushing them.

Learning Disabilities

Offer directions or instructions both orally and in writing. If asked, read instructions to individuals who have specific learning disabilities.

Mobility Impairments

Consider carrying on a long conversation with an individual who has a mobility impairment from a seated position.

Speech Impairments

Listen carefully. Repeat what you think you understand and then ask the person with a speech impairment to clarify or repeat the portion that you did not understand.

Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Face people with hearing impairments, and avoid covering your mouth, so they can see your lips. Avoid talking while chewing gum or eating.
Speak clearly at a normal volume. Speak louder only if requested.
Repeat questions from audience members.
Use paper and pencil, or type things out on your cell phone, if the person who is deaf does not read lips or if more accurate communication is needed.
When using an interpreter, speak directly to the person who is deaf; when an interpreter voices what a person who is deaf signs, look at the person who is deaf, not the interpreter.

Psychiatric Impairments

Provide information in clear, calm, respectful tones.
Allow opportunities for addressing specific questions.

Additional Resources

An electronic copy of the most current version of this publication as well as additional useful brochures are available online.⁵ For more information about applications of universal design, consult The Center for Universal Design in Education website,⁶ the book Universal Design in Higher Education: From Principles to Practice, Second Edition,⁷ and the book Creating Inclusive Learning Opportunities in Higher Education: A Universal Design Toolkit,⁸ both books published by Harvard Education Press.

Cited Web Resources

��ԭ�� DO‑IT

DO‑IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) serves to increase the success of individuals with disabilities in college and careers, such as those in science, engineering, mathematics, and technology. Primary funding for DO‑IT is provided by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, and the State of ��ԭ��.

Acknowledgment

This publication was created with reference to Equal Access: Universal Design of Student Services, which was developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, #P333A020044. However, the contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

2021

Disability-Related Videos

eol — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 23:29:25 +0000

Listed below are video collections that share personal stories of individuals with disabilities and universal and other inclusive design strategies that make the world more inclusive of people with disabilities.

DO-IT Videos

DO-IT Videos promote the success of people with disabilities, particularly in school and work settings. DO-IT Videos play in a custom accessible media player with audio description and transcripts provided. Enter a search term to locate content of interest to you.

DO-IT Webinars

Our DO-IT Webinars page features presentations and panels on a variety of topics, including universal design, accessibility, accessible programming, and more.

Rooted in Rights DO-IT Videos

Rooted in Rights partners with ��ԭ��’s DO-IT Program to train disabled youth how to write, shoot and edit videos to tell their own stories.

The ADA National Network Videos

The ADA National Network provides information, guidance and training on how to implement the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in order to support the mission of the ADA to “assure equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities.”

Microsoft Story Labs - Simple Things Count

Microsoft Story Labs offers seven ways to be more inclusive of people with disabilities.

Section508.gov: An Introduction to Universal Design

A four-part video series that provides an introduction to Universal Design for content creators, developers, managers and procurement professionals.

Lime Connect

Lime Connect videos showcase students and professionals with disabilities from across the U.S. and Canada to step "In the Limelight" and share their stories of living and achieving as a person with a disability.

Ted Talks

Over one thousand videos are linked from the Ted Talks Topics page. Select “Disability” and other topics to locate content of interest you.

STEM for All Multiplex

The Multiplex is an online, free, interactive platform featuring over 1000 short videos that showcase federally funded projects aimed at transforming science, technology, engineering, math, and computer science learning. These videos, first presented at annual STEM for All Video Showcase events, are collected in the STEM for All Multiplex website. Select “disability” and other search terms to locate content of interest to you.

Creating Inclusive Learning Opportunities in Higher Education: A Universal Design Toolkit

eol — Mon, 02 Nov 2020 07:09:34 +0000

Creating_Inclusive_Learning_Opportunities.pdf

Published by Harvard Education Press, we announce Sheryl Burgstahler's new book, Creating Inclusive Learning Opportunities in Higher Education. Details about the book can be found in this in-depth book review by professor Alan Hurst. Frédéric Fovet published another review of the book in Teachers College Record at Harvard.

Sheryl Burgstahler delivers a step-by-step guide for putting the principles of universal design (UD) into action for all aspects of a postsecondary campus. She offers top-down, bottom-up, and middle-out strategies for transforming a higher education environment into one where physical spaces, learning materials and activities, technology and digital resources, and campus services are welcoming and accessible to all students, while minimizing the need for accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

Complementing her edited book Universal Design in Higher Education: From Principles to Practice, this volume lays out how faculty, service providers, high-level administrators, and other stakeholders can contribute to a barrier-free environment for all students, including those with disabilities. Along with principles, guidelines, practices, and processes that underpin a framework in which to conceptualize and apply UD, Dr. Burgstahler shares the implementation model to tailor to any campus exploring ways to meet broad goals with respect to diversity and inclusivity.

Details about the book can be found in Harvard’s sales flyer and an expanded table of contents. It can be ordered online from these retailers:

Maximum Mobility and Function

eol — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 13:48:18 +0000

By:

Smyser, M.

Tips for accessibility planning in school labs.

View the article online.

UD Citation:

Article or Chapter

2020

Equal Access: Universal Design of Informal Learning

eol — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 19:41:06 +0000

Equal_Access_Universal_Design_of_Informal_Learning.pdf

A checklist for making an informal learning program or facility welcoming, accessible, and usable

As increasing numbers of people with disabilities participate in academic opportunities and careers, the accessibility of classes, services, electronic resources, and events—including informal learning activities—increases in importance. The goal is simply equal access; everyone who would like to engage in informal learning should be able to do so comfortably and efficiently. Informal learning is defined here as lifelong learning that takes place outside of the traditional classroom. The content of this publication can help informal learning leaders and staff get started in making their offerings accessible to and inclusive of people with disabilities.

Legal Issues

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments of 2008 mandate that no otherwise qualified person with a disability shall, solely by reason of his or her disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in public programs. This means that presentations, services, information resources, and other informal learning activities should be accessible to individuals with disabilities. Although the content in this publication does not provide legal advice, legal resources available to an organization and the US Office of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) can provide guidance regarding disability-related legal mandates.

Universal Design

An approach to making facilities, information, and activities accessible to and usable by everyone is called universal design (UD). Universal design means that rather than designing for the average user, you design for people with differing native languages, gender identities, racial and ethnic backgrounds, abilities, and disabilities. It requires that staff and volunteers who conduct informal learning activities are trained to support people with disabilities, understand how to respond to specific requests for accommodations in a timely manner, and know who to contact regarding disability-related issues. The universal design of informal learning offerings will make everyone feel welcome and minimize the need for accommodations for individual participants.

Following three sets of principles can ensure that online and on-site aspects of an informal learning program are accessible to, usable by, and inclusive of all visitors. The seven principles of UD ensure that products and environments are equitable, are flexible, are simple and intuitive, offer perceptible information, have a high tolerance for error, require a low level of physical effort, and offer size and space for approach and use. Four principles for IT design underpin the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) guidelines; they require IT components to be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. The three principles for the Universal Design for Learning require that inclusive pedagogy and curriculum offer multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation, and multiple means of action and expression. Details about a UD Framework underpinned by these three sets of principles can be found in A Framework for Inclusive Practices in Higher Education.

Guidelines and Examples

Addressing the following questions provides a good starting point for making your informal learning activities, facilities, and resources accessible and inclusive of everyone. This content does not provide legal advice. Contact the US Office of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) about legal mandates.

Planning, Policies, and Evaluation

Consider disability and other diversity issues as you plan and evaluate offerings and activities.

Are people with disabilities, racial and ethnic minorities, men and women, young and old, first generation, individuals with low income, and other groups represented in the project planning processes in numbers proportional to those of the whole campus or community?
Do policies and procedures ensure access to facilities, events, and information resources for people with disabilities?
Are disability-related access issues and other diversity issues addressed in data collection, evaluation plans and instruments?
Do you address issues related to the inclusion of participants with disabilities in grant proposals, perhaps by partnering with an organization with expertise in this area?

Information Resources and Technology

If your informal learning offerings use computers as information resources, ensure these systems employ accessible design, that staff members are aware of accessibility options, and systems are in place to make accommodations when requested.

Do pictures in your publications and website include people with diverse characteristics with respect to race, gender, age, and disability?
In key publications, do you include a statement about your commitment to access and procedures for requesting disability-related accommodations? For example, you could include the following statement: “Our goal is to make materials and activities accessible to all participants. Please inform organization leaders of accessibility barriers you encounter and request accommodations that will make activities and information resources accessible to you.”
Are all printed publications available (immediately or in a timely manner) in alternate formats such as Braille, large print, and accessibly-designed electronic text?
Are key documents provided in languages other than English?
Are printed materials in your facility or at an event within easy reach from a variety of heights and without furniture blocking access?
Do electronic resources, including web pages, adhere to accessibility standards adopted by your institution, project or funding source? The World Wide Web Consortium created the most commonly used guidelines, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. For example, provide text alternatives for images; make sure content can be accessed using the keyboard alone.
Do you include a statement on your website affirming your commitment to accessible design? For example, you could include the following statement: “We strive to make our website accessible to everyone. We provide text descriptions of graphics, images, and photos. Video clips are open-captioned and audio-described. Suggestions for increasing the accessibility of these pages are welcome.”
Do videos developed or used in the project have captions? Are they audio-described?
Is an adjustable-height table available for each type of workstation to assist participants who use wheelchairs or are small or large in stature?
Do you provide adequate work space for both left- and right-handed users?
Is software to enlarge screen images and a large monitor available to assist people with low vision and learning disabilities?
Do you provide a trackball to be used by someone who has difficulty controlling a traditional mouse?
Are staff members aware of accessibility options (e.g., enlarged text feature) included in computer operating systems and of assistive technology available in the facility?
Are procedures in place for a timely response to requests for assistive technology?

For more information about technology that is accessible to people with disabilities, consult Accessible Technology.

Facilities and Offerings

Ensure that facilities, activities, materials, and equipment are physically accessible to and usable by all participants, and that all potential characteristics are addressed in safety considerations.

Are all spaces welcoming, accessible, comfortable, and safe to a variety of abilities, racial and ethnic backgrounds, genders, and ages?
Are there parking areas, pathways, and entrances to the building that are wheelchair accessible and clearly identified?
Are all levels of the facility connected via an accessible route of travel?
Are aisles kept wide and clear of obstructions for the safety of users who have mobility or visual impairments?
Are wheelchair-accessible and child-friendly restrooms with well-marked signs available in or near the facility?
Is at least part of a service counter at a height accessible from a seated position?
Is adequate light available?
Are there ample high-contrast, large-print directional signs to and throughout the facility, including directions to accessible routes? When appropriate, are these signs marked in braille?

Consult the ADA Checklist for Readily Achievable Barrier Removal for more suggestions and Universal Design of Physical Spaces for guidance in making specific facilities (e.g., engineering labs, makerspaces, computer labs) accessible.

Staff

Make sure staff are prepared to work with all visitors and participants.

Are staff members familiar with the availability and use of the Telecommunications Relay Service, assistive technology, and alternate document formats?
Do staff members know how to respond to requests for disability-related accommodations, such as sign language interpreters?
Are staff and contractors in specific assignment areas (e.g., web page development, video creation) knowledgeable about accessibility requirements and considerations?
Are staff members aware of issues related to communicating with participants who have disabilities?
Do staff deliver conference presentations and exhibits that are accessible to all participants?

For further information, consult the Communication Hints section at the end of this publication, Effective Communication: Faculty and Students with Disabilities, and/or Equal Access: Universal Design of Your Presentation.

Checklist Updates

To increase the usefulness of this working document, send suggested improvements to doit@uw.edu.

Communication Hints

General

Ask a person with a disability if that person needs help before providing assistance.
Talk directly to the person with a disability, not through their companion or interpreter.
Refer to a person’s disability only if it is relevant to the conversation.
Avoid derogatory slang or negative descriptions of a person’s disability. For example, “a person who uses a wheelchair” is more appropriate than “a person confined to a wheelchair.” A wheelchair is not confining—it’s liberating!
Provide information in alternate means (e.g., written, spoken, diagrams).
Do not interact with a person’s guide dog or service dog unless you have received permission to do so.
Do not be afraid to use common terms and phrases, like “see you later” or “let’s go for a walk” around people with disabilities.
Do not touch mobility devices or assistive technology without the owner’s consent.
Do not assume physical contact—like handshakes, high-fives, or hugs—is okay.
Understand that not everyone uses eye contact.

Blind or Low Vision

Be descriptive. Say, “The computer is about three feet to your left,” rather than “The computer is over there.”
Speak all of the projected content when presenting and describe the content of charts, graphs, and pictures.
When guiding people with visual impairments, offer them your arm rather than grabbing or pushing them.

Learning Disabilities

Offer directions or instructions both orally and in writing. If asked, read instructions to individuals who have specific learning disabilities.

Mobility Impairments

Consider carrying on a long conversation with an individual who has a mobility impairment from a seated position.

Speech Impairments

Listen carefully. Repeat what you think you understand and then ask the person with a speech impairment to clarify or repeat the portion that you did not understand.

Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Face people with hearing impairments, and avoid covering your mouth, so they can see your lips. Avoid talking while chewing gum or eating.
Speak clearly at a normal volume. Speak louder only if requested.
Repeat questions from audience members.
Use paper and pencil, or type things out on your cell phone, if the person who is deaf does not read lips or if more accurate communication is needed.
When using an interpreter, speak directly to the person who is deaf; when an interpreter voices what a person who is deaf signs, look at the person who is deaf, not the interpreter.

Psychiatric Impairments

Provide information in clear, calm, respectful tones.
Allow opportunities for addressing specific questions.

Additional Resources

For more information about applications of universal design consult The Center for Universal Design in Education. Read the books Universal Design in Higher Education: From Principles to Practice, Second Edition and Creating Inclusive Learning Opportunities In Higher Education: A Universal Design Toolkit, both published by Harvard Education Press and sharing perspectives of UD leaders nationwide.

Consult AccessISL for resources specifically related to the design of accessible informal learning. You’ll find links to literature, websites, and a Knowledge Base of Q&As, case studies, and promising practices. To engage in the AccessISL community of practice to engage with others interested in making informal learning more inclusive of people with disabilities, send a request to doit@uw.edu.

��ԭ�� AccessISL

AccessISL supports efforts to develop a capacity building model for making informal STEM learning (ISL) opportunities more welcoming and accessible to individuals with disabilities. The project also prepares the ��ԭ�� for the submission of a larger accessible ISL grant as collaborators develop and test model interventions, more fully develop replication steps, and gain insight from both people with disabilities and practitioners.

DO-IT / AccessISL
Box 354842
��ԭ��
Seattle, WA 98195-4842
doit@uw.edu
www.uw.edu/doit/
206-685-DOIT (3648) (voice/TTY)
888-972-DOIT (3648) (toll free voice/TTY)
509-328-9331 (voice/TTY) Spokane
206-221-4171 (fax)

Sheryl Burgstahler, PI
Meena Selvakumar, Co-PI
Scott Bellman, Project Director

Acknowledgment

This publication is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (Grant #DRL-1906147). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding sources.

Are Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles curricula accessible to students with disabilities?

brianna — Fri, 24 Jan 2020 21:38:19 +0000

Date Updated:

05/23/22

Many different curricula are used to teach Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Principles (CSP). Most of these curricula are not fully accessible to students with disabilities, largely because the programming tools that they utilize are not accessible to students who are blind or visually impaired and typically use screen readers to access content presented on the screen. Screen readers can read text aloud to users but cannot interpret content presented in images.

AccessCSforAll developed an accessible version of the AP CSP curriculum that uses the Quorum programming language, which is designed to be accessible to students with disabilities. The accessible curriculum is based on the Code.org curricula.

For more information about accessible K-12 computer science education, consult the following knowledge base articles:

AccessCSforAll is funded by the National Science Foundation (grant #CNS-1738252 and #CNS-1738259) and led by the ��ԭ�� and the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Its purpose is to increase the successful participation of students with disabilities in K-12 computing courses.

Accessibility in the Laboratory

eol — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 20:54:08 +0000

By:

Sweet, E.

A guide to providing equal access in a science laboratory to people with disabilities.

View this Guide on the ACS Publications website.

UD Citation:

Article or Chapter

Increasing Access and Success in the STEM Disciplines: A Model for Supporting the Transition of High School Students with Disabilities into STEM-Related Postsecondary Education

eol — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 19:54:51 +0000

Increasing Access and Success in the STEM Disciplines: A Model for Supporting the Transition of High School Students with Disabi

A model for supporting the transition of Maine high school students with disabilities into Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)-related postsecondary educational opportunities within the University of Maine System.

DO-IT - AccessSTEM

Making Engineering More Accessible to Faculty with Disabilities

AccessComputing Mentors Application

Shape the future... be an AccessComputing Mentor.

Do you have what it takes to be an AccessComputing Mentor?

How do AccessComputing Mentors and mentees communicate?

Eligibility

How to Apply

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AccessComputing Leaders

Acknowledgment

Equal Access: Universal Design of Campus Services

Legal Issues

Universal Design

A Process for Universal Design

Guidelines and Examples

Planning, Policies, and Evaluation

Physical Environments and Products

Staff

Information Resources and Technology

Events

Checklist Updates

Communication Hints

General

Blind or Low Vision

Learning Disabilities

Mobility Impairments

Speech Impairments

Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Psychiatric Impairments

Additional Resources

Cited Web Resources

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Acknowledgment

Disability-Related Videos

DO-IT Videos

DO-IT Webinars

Rooted in Rights DO-IT Videos

The ADA National Network Videos

Microsoft Story Labs - Simple Things Count

Section508.gov: An Introduction to Universal Design

Lime Connect

Ted Talks

STEM for All Multiplex

Creating Inclusive Learning Opportunities in Higher Education: A Universal Design Toolkit

Maximum Mobility and Function

Equal Access: Universal Design of Informal Learning

Legal Issues

Universal Design

Guidelines and Examples

Planning, Policies, and Evaluation

Information Resources and Technology

Facilities and Offerings

Staff

Checklist Updates

Communication Hints

General

Blind or Low Vision

Learning Disabilities

Mobility Impairments

Speech Impairments

Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Psychiatric Impairments

Additional Resources

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Acknowledgment

Are Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles curricula accessible to students with disabilities?

Accessibility in the Laboratory

Increasing Access and Success in the STEM Disciplines: A Model for Supporting the Transition of High School Students with Disabilities into STEM-Related Postsecondary Education

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