Role of Disability Support Services (DSS)
in Providing and Promoting Accessible Online Learning --
A Team Effort

Online Learning for Students with Disabilities:

1. Expands the possibilities for the learning environment – need to be open, creative and flexible to meet the challenges
2. Requires rethinking our assumptions about teaching and learning
3. Universal Design Instruction (UDI) – increases access to learning for all students – not just students with disabilities
4. Forces us to think creatively to meet new and unusual circumstances with unforeseen variables
5. DSS is used to working with unique needs and thinking on a case-by-case basis
6. Our collective thinking will create ways to successfully bring access to Online Learning for All Students
   

Disability Support Services (DSS):

1. Teaming with students to determine appropriate accommodations to ensure equal access to course materials and educational opportunities and experiences
   
2. Teaming with faculty to determine the nature of the course materials and assignments, brainstorming solutions to inaccessible materials and assisting with modifications if necessary
   
3. Teaming with faculty and students to arrange accommodations – assistive technology and access issues, such as document conversion, alternative testing, transcripts of audio portions
   
4. Teaming with IT/Distance Learning and offices of Professional Development:
   1. to provide opportunities for faculty who are designing online course materials to learn and encourage the use of universal design principles
   2. to promote purchase of assistive technology and accessible online course delivery software, with pressure on vendors to make their products accessible
   3. to establish and promote compliance with College Web Standards requiring accessible web design, as well as accessibility of instruction to all students, including those with disabilities

Disability Support Services:

1. Teaming with students to determine appropriate accommodations to ensure equal access to course materials and educational opportunities and experiences
   • Understanding Disabilities - Accessibility in Distance Education (ADE)
   • Students provide documentation to DSS – don’t accept it as a faculty member – refer students to DSS for assistance
   • DSS evaluates documentation and determines accommodations
   • Seeing increases in students presenting multiple disabilities
   • Evaluates student readiness – computer and assistive technology
     1. Can sometimes use the local Division of Rehabilitative Services (DORS) services
     2. Is the student’s Assistive Technology (AT) compatible?
     3. Does the student know how to use their AT?
   • Many accommodations same as on-campus
     1. Alternative formats
     2. Modifications of test environment
     3. Chronic illnesses
   • Conduct issues – students with psychiatric disabilities on discussion boards or chat rooms – may feel that they are being targeted
   • Testing center access – students have requested testing in the home due to physical restrictions – explore further
   • Accommodations authorized from "home" university may be different from what the student is asking for - must be resolved through collaboration with the home university
     
     
2. Teaming with faculty to determine the nature of the course materials and assignments, brainstorming solutions to inaccessible materials and assisting with modifications if necessary
   • Accessible Design and Good Teaching Practices
   • Build with Universal Design Instruction principles in mind
     1. Accommodating will then be easier and possible
     2. Access and learning for All Students will improve
   • Basic Principles of Web Accessibility
   • Examine your purpose, what you are measuring and the desired outcome
   • Find alternatives to course requirements, NOT waive them
   • Find "Meaningful Alternatives" – for content inaccessible for some students.
     1. brief text description
     2. captions or transcripts for audio
     3. HTML of Flash
   • "How-To" - Accessibility in Distance Education
   • Assistive Technology specialists needed to assist faculty and staff is building accessible courseware. It is unreasonable to expect content experts to also be experts on accessibility. We need to teach UDI and basic accessibility principles, then provide expertise for advanced applications.
     
     
3. Teaming with faculty and students to arrange accommodations – assistive technology and access issues, such as document conversion, alternative testing, transcripts of audio portions
   • Be sure to put a statement in your syllabi:
     1. "Any student who may need an accommodation due to a disability, please contact me via [email, phone, other….]. Disability Support Services (DSS) will need to authorize your accommodations. Contact DSS at [email, phone, other….] at least [give reasonable timeline] prior to the beginning of the class to allow sufficient time to make arrangements."
     2. State who is responsible for providing equipment and software
     3. Describe level and extent of computer skills required to be successful in your course
   • DSS – often in problem-solving mode. Having expanded electronic formats has solved some problems, but created others:
     1. Less scanning required – materials available in Word
     2. Incompatible formats difficult: .pdf, image-based text, PowerPoint
     3. Test banks – usually not in Word, so have to recreate
     4. Testing software with “time-out” feature
     5. Graphics conversions
     6. Syllabi – use of tables and unnecessary formats, critical information in headers and footers
     7. Italics and colors – information not available to JAWS, screenreaders, and scanners
     8. Works cited format – does not transcribe equally into Braille – don’t expect that indenting and formatting will be perfect if the students tries to do the work independently – be tolerant
     9. Test site and modifications of test delivery/formats
   • DSS to arrange for aides – interpreters, scribes, readers – onsite
   • Off site needs to be determined via agreements or contracts for services as your course or program is established
   • Dealing with “hybrid” courses
     
     
4. Teaming with Information Technology (IT)/Distance Learning and offices of Professional Development:
   1. to provide opportunities for faculty who are designing online course materials to learn and encourage the use of universal design principles
      • Incorporate UDI into trainings for students and faculty/staff on developing coursework
      • Once Web Standards are established – incorporate into standard trainings
      • Provide AT specialists to support content specialists
      • Resources:
        1. Teaching and Learning/Universal Design
        2. Accessible Web Design
        3. Designing Your Website for Accessibility
   2. to promote purchase of assistive technology and accessible online course delivery software, with pressure on vendors to make their products accessible
      • IT tech support needed to establish and maintain accessible computer stations on campus where online students can access instruction
      • IT tech support needed to keep AT current and functional
      • Labs and libraries need accessible stations
      • Accessible stations need upgrading to keep pace with available technology for students without disabilities
   3. to establish and promote compliance with College Web Standards requiring accessible web design, as well as accessibility of instruction to all students, including those with disabilities
      • Montgomery College - Development of Web Standards
      • Montgomery College - Web Standards
      • Policies and procedures written into DL
        1. Who is an “eligible student”?
        2. What level of computer readiness is required?
        3. Who provides equipment?
        4. Who provides services – included contracted courses
      • "Distance Education: Access Guidelines for Students With Disabilities," California Community Colleges, 8/1999
        http://www.htctu.net/publications/guidelines/distance_ed/disted.htm
      • Don’t argue over the law – rulings require all electronic media and all instruction to be accessible to students with disabilities

Those of us without disabilities now are “Temporarily Able-Bodied.” Build for tomorrow and keep an open, creative and flexible mind to meet the challenges of the future.