270 likes | 397 Views
Assistive Technology & Universal Design Considerations. Library MTI – June 13, 2012 Marla Roll. Introductions. Marla Roll, MS, OTR/L Director, Assistive Technology Resource Center – (http ://atrc.colostate.edu /) Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy
E N D
Assistive Technology & Universal Design Considerations Library MTI – June 13, 2012 Marla Roll
Introductions • Marla Roll, MS, OTR/L • Director, Assistive Technology Resource Center – (http://atrc.colostate.edu/) • Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy • Co-PI , ACCESS Project – Access to Postsecondary Education through Universal Design for Learning (http://accessproject.colostate.edu/)
Agenda • Brief Overview of legislative mandates • Disability demographics in higher education • Overview of ATRC and Assistive Technology examples
Equal access Legislation: • Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 • prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for persons with disabilities. • Title II speaks to public universities • Rationale for services like RDS and ATRC • http://www.ada.gov/index.html • Revised Final ADA Regulation for Title II (Effective March 15th, 2011) • Auxiliary Aids – now speaks directly to electronic and info technology • Broadens how disability and major life activity is defined • http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/ADAregs2010.htm#titleII_final_2010 • Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 • prohibits discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance • Includes colleges and universities • http://www.dol.gov/oasam/regs/statutes/sec504.htm
LEGISLATION (CON’T) • Section 508 of the Rehab Act • primarily a procurement law • Ensures that electronic and information technology can interact with assistive technology - http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?fuseAction=AssistiveTechDevices • Standards Summary - http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?fuseAction=stdsSum • WCAG – Web Content Accessibility Guidelines • criteria for web-based information • developed by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the W3C • http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/wcag.php • http://webaim.org/
Disabilities: • Mobility Impairments • Blindness/Visual Impairments • Deafness/Hearing Impairments • Learning Disabilities • Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD) • Autism Spectrum Disorder • Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) • Mental Illness 2/3
1National Center for Education Statistics, 2008; U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2009 2Schelly, Davies & Spooner, Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability (Feb. 2011) Disabilities in Higher Education • Nationally, 11.3% of undergraduates report some type of disability1 • At Colorado State University2 • 8%–11% report a disability • Non-apparent disabilities are the largest proportion and growing • Even among students who say they have a disability, many do not seek accommodations
What is the Assistive Technology Resource Center(ATRC)? • Role on campus: the ATRC seeks to ensure equal access to technology and electronic information for CSU students and employees with disabilities • Disability groups served – Students with Physical, Sensory, Non-Apparent impairments • Experiential learning of AT for OT students
ATRC and Occupation • The ATRC’s goal is to increase student participation in school-related activities and enhance academic performance. • Reading • Writing • Note-taking • Test-taking • Accessing computers and technology
AT Suggestions AT for students who: • 1. have a physical impairment • 2. are blind • 3. have low vision • 4. are hard of hearing • 5. have non-apparent difficulties – writing, note-taking, studying, reading, organization • 6. have Cumulative Trauma Disorders
AT for Students with Physical Impairments Accessible Computing Station may include the following: • Adjustable height table • Equipment within reach from chair level • Alternative keyboards • Alternative mice • Alternate input
AT for Students who are Blind • Hardware • Refreshable Braille Keyboard • Thermo Pen • Embossers • Talking Scientific Calculator • Talking Digital Book Players • Tactile Key Indicators • Software • Screen readers – JAWS
AT for Students with Low Vision • Hardware • CCTV/ Video magnifier • Large Print and Braille Labels for keyboard • Portable Magnifiers • Digital Book Players • Key Labels • Software • Built in Accessibility Options • Zoom Text
AT for Students who are Hard of Hearing or Deaf • Hardware • FM Systems • PocketTalker • Software • Captioning • Visual Notifications on the computer screen • CART (Communication Access Real Time Translation
AT for Students with Writing Difficulty (non-apparent) Software that includes the following features: • Word Prediction • Talking Dictionary • Translator • Dictation • Text to speech • Spell check • Mapping
AT for Students with Note Taking and Studying Difficulty (non-apparent) • Portable Word Processors • Digital Voice Recorder • Live Scribe Pen • Software with note-taking, studying, and research features • Apps on iPad, Smartphones
AT for Students with Reading Difficulty (non-apparent) • Digital Book Players • Speed reading software • Converting print to electronic format • Text to Speech • Adjusting visual layout • Scanning and Reading Pens • Portable Spell Checkers
AT for Students with Organization Difficulty (non-apparent) • Low Tech • Checklists and day planners • Task sequencing lists • Alarms/timers on watch or cell phone • High Tech • Devices: computers, tablets, smartphones, PDAs • Software or Apps
AT for students with Cumulative Trauma Disorders • Hardware • Ergonomic keyboards • Ergonomic mice • Wrist pads • Adjustable tables • Document holders • Adjustable monitors • Software • Word completion and word prediction software • Voice Recognition software
UDL – What is the connection to legislation? • Legislation - speaks to individual accommodations but there are drawbacks: • Processes are more time consuming and costly to retrofit • Only addresses needs of an individual • Addresses access issues technically but not always functionally • UDL – designing for all types of users has benefits: • Building in access on the front end is more cost –effective • Has benefits for more people • UDL can decrease the need for individual accommodations
What can CSU do to ensure access for students with disabilities? • Provide accommodations • Provide assistive technology • Ensure content is designed with UDL and accessibility principles in mind • Buy accessible technology – consider accessibility in procurement
Universal Design (UD) • Build in accessibility from the start • Curb cuts in city streets • Ramps and automatic door openers • TV closed captions • Ergonomic kitchen utensils • Everyone benefits from a more flexible, user-friendly environment • Fix the environment, not the individual • Building UD and UDL concepts into digital content will ensure access to content for students using AT
Universal Design for Learning “ Universal Design for Learning (UDL)is a set of principles and techniques for creating inclusive classroom instruction and accessible course materials. teaching ” technology
UDL & Digital content: • PDF/ E- Reserves • Forms • Databases • E-Books • Others? Assistive Technology is only as good as the content it interacts with!!!
Intersection of UDL and AT : • Examples: • Captioning of multi-media – creates access for students with hearing impairments but also assists those that are visual learners or have auditory processing difficulties • Accessible PDF – ensures that students using screen readers or text to speech software will have full access • Designing digital content that is easy to navigate – assists students using screen reading software but also those who need simple & intuitive navigation due to LD or TBI • Accessible Word and Power point and HTML - ensures access for students using assistive technologies. • Provide content you teach in multiple formats – gives the user choice for how to interact with the content.
Other Resources to consider: • universal design of libraries checklist • http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/PDF/equal_access_lib.pdf • Equal Access: Campus Libraries (video) • (DO-IT Project, University of Washington) • URL: http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/index.php?vid=49 • Disability awareness modules – • http://accessproject.colostate.edu/disability/ • Tech modules • http://accessproject.colostate.edu/udl
Contact info: • Marla Roll, MS, OTR/LMarla.Roll@colostate.edu970-491-2016