July 2006
The articles published in the ALERT represent the opinions of the authors and are not an endorsement by the Association or necessarily representative of the views of the Association.
— From the President
— From the Editor
— Professional Development Calendar
— Mary Lee Vance Call for Anthology Manuscript Submissions
— Survey Research Opportunity from Tim Allen
— A World Awaits You - Non-Apparent Disability
— Delta Alpha Pi
— Distance Learning - Ten Indicators of Accessibility
From the President
Outgoing AHEAD President Jim Kessler signs off.
This is my last contribution to the ALERT as President, and to start it off, I want to say what a wonderful opportunity it has been to serve you and AHEAD. I have had the opportunity to work on issues at the local, regional, and national level with many unique people who really care about making sure that persons with disabilities have equal access to all aspects of college/university life, and to life itself.
My term was the first time that the AHEAD President served two years and I think this change was a good thing. Even though the president-elect previously had a year on the board prior to taking office, it still wasn’t the same as serving two consecutive years as president. The significant difference isn’t about getting to know the job, but of being able to start a project(s) or address a specific issue that you know can’t be completed in a year, and having the opportunity to be available to guide it along. For example, the E-Text Solutions group developed from a round table discussion with publishers at the 2004 Miami Conference and is now beginning communications with EDUCAUSE (the IT administrators in higher education) to partner in addressing accessible issues on campus. Discussions continue with representatives of the publishing industry and consumer groups (National Federation for the Blind, Learning Disability Association, etc.) on how to best address consumer issues as well as recognize proprietary rights of authors and publishers. In the past two years we have made significant progress, even as there are still a lot of details that need to be identified and addressed.
We have also begun the investigation of a professional development program that may go beyond the term of the next president. What is perhaps the most exciting aspect of these endeavors is that members of AHEAD are doing this work, which exemplifies what a member organization should be about.
I would like to welcome to the new Board, which takes office at 12:00 p.m. on July 22 at the end of the Conference, Jean Ashmore (re-elected) from Rice University, Troy Odom (appointed) from The University of Pennsylvania, and Jose Soto from Southeast Community College (appointed to fill the term of Michael Shuttic from Oklahoma State University who is the new President-Elect). This Board will be lead by Carol Funckes from The University of Arizona. They have my sincerest wishes and total support. I would also like to say “thanks” to Nancy Hart from Lane Community College, who stepped in for the past two years to fill a board position, for her time and dedication.
I will see each and every one of you, I hope, in San Diego. It is going to be a good conference. There will be lots to learn, much to share, and it will be a wonderful opportunity to see old friends and meet new colleagues.
From the Editor
Greetings all. As the new editor of ALERT, I would first like to express my thanks to Jim Kessler, Stephan Hamlin-Smith and Neal Fox for their support and for giving me this opportunity to contribute to AHEAD. I anticipate a great learning experience. Thanks also go out to those of you who wrote to me offering your assistance and welcoming me to the fold.
San Diego is almost upon us. With it arrives an occasion to celebrate gains, reflect upon matters unsettled, and most of all, to embrace change and transition as necessary and inevitable. This conference is an opportunity to further challenge ourselves, and to consider new perspectives.
Being from California, this conference for me is also a time to take in the new, and to revisit the familiar. Ensuring access to higher education for students with disabilities, as this conference highlights, demands that we be knowledgeable of the increasingly complex issues students face as they transition into higher education, and that together, we develop the tools they need to do it. The current issue of ALERT also explores this theme.
The past issues of ALERT are full of ideas for things to do in San Diego, as well as overviews of the sessions. Be sure to go back and read them if you haven’t yet.
I look forward to receiving articles and event information to include in future issues, and especially your suggestions and comments – all of which will enable me to build upon the great newsletter that Keltie Jones consistently put together for the past four years. Please contact me at alvaro@email.unc.edu. Until San Diego.
Sincerely,
Alvaro Gómez
Professional Development Calendar
Take
advantage of these upcoming events, conferences, and other opportunities
to increase and share
your knowledge.
Calls for Presentations and Articles
ALERT submission and publication dates:
The ALERT is now being published every other month. Please keep
those articles coming! Here is the schedule for submissions:
Submissions Due: |
Publication Date: |
August 16, 2006 |
August 30, 2006 |
October 18, 2006 |
November 1, 2006 |
2007 ACPA/NASPA Joint Meeting Call for Programs Available On Line!
The 2007 Joint Meeting (March 31 – April 7, 2007) represents an
extraordinary opportunity to join together as a profession to
examine current issues and harness our collective power and responsibility
to
shape education today and in the future. The Joint Meeting Program
Committee invites you to help shape a rich and stimulating meeting agenda
by submitting
a proposal for a general interest session, pre-meeting workshop,
sponsored program or roundtable. The submission deadline is September
8, 2006.
To submit: http://www.2007jointmeeting.org/submission/index.cfm
AHEAD and Affiliate Events
The AHEAD 2006 Conference will take place at Town and Country Resort & Convention Center in San Diego, California, July 18 - 22, 2006. Go to http://ahead.org/training/2006.php for current updates.
AHEAD Regional Workshop Series: Regional workshops are being planned for the 2006 - 2007 year, with the first one scheduled to take place in October. Please check back for announcements.
Other
Upcoming Conferences, Trainings, and Expositions
Check out these offerings from our colleagues in the
fields of disability and higher education:
10th International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs, July 12-14, 2006, University of Linz, Austria. For more information please go to http://personalpages.manchester.ac.uk/staff/david.g.evans/icchp2006/spld.htm
Seminar on Accessible Books for Readers with Print
Disabilities presented by The Association of
American Publishers’ Rights and
Permissions Advisory Committee (RPAC), Higher Education Critical
Issues Task Force (CITF), and School Division. This seminar
will be held on Friday,
July 28, 2006 at the The Helen and Martin Kimmel Center at New
York University. Session topics to include: End User Perspectives,
IDEA and the National
Instructional Materials Access Center, Accessible Instructional
Materials at the Postsecondary Level, Trade Books, National
Service Organizations,
Non-Print Materials and more. Contact Romina Naveira at the Association
of American Publishers by phone at 212-255-0200 x226, E-mail:
rnaveira@publishers.org or visit
http://www.publishers.org/conference/eventdetail.cfm?EventID=78 for more information.
American College Counseling Association National Conference Exploring New Frontiers in College Counseling, October 3-6, 2006, at John Ascuaga’s Nugget – Reno/Sparks, NV. For more information, visit http://www.collegecounseling.org/news/ACCA_conv/index.html
NACADA’s 30th Annual Conference on Academic Advising DIVERSE ADVISING FOR A DIVERSE WORLD, October 18-21, 2006, Indianapolis. For details see www.nacada.ksu.edu
Deaf Asia Foundation (DAF) is celebrating its cultural diversity at MATA EXPO 2006, on November 3 and 4, 2006, in Ontario Convention Center. DAF is a non-profit organization that helps the deaf community to obtain better technology assistance, media accessibility and information services. DAF enhances the awareness of deaf culture and health-related issues through media, conferences, workshops, community collaboration, and leadership development. For more information, contact info@deafasia.org or fax 951-346-5678.
Call for Submissions for Anthology on Race,
Gender, Disability and Employment in Higher Education
Mary Lee Vance, Ph.D., with the University
of Wisconsin – Superior, is seeking personal stories and scholarly
works for a new anthology.
I am soliciting submissions for an anthology tentatively titled Race, Gender, Disability and Employment in Higher Education: Real Employment Experiences by Real People, with the intention of having it published and distributed by the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) in 2007.
I am specifically seeking personal stories and/or scholarly works written by and about employees with disabilities, and their employment-related experiences in higher education. Writers are requested to identify their racial/cultural backgrounds, gender, and description of their impairments when submitting works (will be included in any published bio statements), as well as their status as either current or past higher education employees. Tentative topics may include works addressing: Challenges; Passing (experiences related to invisibility, and/or shielding ones’ identity); Coming Out (experiences related to becoming comfortable and “open” about any combination of identities); Relationships (may involve sexual orientation and other sexual experiences); Accommodations, Consequences, and Other (I am open to "other" possibilities and experiences contributors might offer). This publication has great potential to be appealing to those interested in disability studies, diversity studies, psychology, sociology and other academic departments as well as AHEAD Members, and the students served.
To be considered for the anthology, writers are invited to submit a draft manuscript outline or proposal to the editor by May 5, 2007. Final original, unpublished manuscripts of up to 8,000 words (approximately 10 to 25 typed pages in 12-point type), double-spaced, and printed on one side of the paper are due to the editor December 1, 2007. Earlier completed submissions encouraged. Target publication date is expected to be summer 2007.
Submissions must be typed as a Microsoft word document and sent electronically to the editor, along with a cover sheet with the writer’s name, address, telephone number, email address, and brief biographical paragraph which includes racial/cultural identification, gender and disability diagnosis. Submissions will not be returned. Submissions and questions are to be directed to the editor, Dr. Mary Lee Vance at mvance@uwsuper.edu.
Mary Lee Vance, Ph.D.
Director, Center for Academic and Career Advising
and Disability Support Services
University of Wisconsin - Superior
Old Main, Room 134
Belknap and Catlin, P.O. Box 2000
Superior, WI 54880-4500
Phone (715) 394-8515
Fax (715) 394-8307
E-Mail mvance@uwsuper.edu
Survey Research Opportunity from Tim Allen
Tim Allen, Graduate Student at the University of Northern
Colorado, seeks survey takers for a study on the difference between the quality
of documentation Postsecondary
Disability Service Providers receive and what they would like to receive.
As you likely know, the issue of documentation of learning disabilities is an important topic in our field today, and one that affects a number of lives. I am using the ALERT to survey AHEAD members to collect data for my dissertation, entitled Documentation and the Transition to Postsecondary Education for Students with Learning Disabilities. I believe the information gained through this project will be extremely valuable to AHEAD members because I am looking at the differences between the quality of disability documentation postsecondary disability service providers receive and what they would like to receive.
This information will be used to help school psychologists understand what documentation would help make a student's transition to postsecondary education a smoother one, hugely benefiting both the student and the postsecondary disability service providers that work with them.
Your feedback is incredibly important because it will be used to guide further research, policy, and legislation change in this area on both a state-wide and national scale.
If you agree to participate, you will complete an online questionnaire (link below) that will last approximately 10-15 minutes. The questions asked in the survey will relate to the inclusion of certain information in the documentation and the role of school psychologists in the provision of the documentation to postsecondary institutions. To thank you for your participation, at the end of the survey you may enter your name into a drawing for your choice of a number of NASP (National Association of School Psychologists) bookstore or Barnes & Noble gift certificates.
If you have any questions, feel free to email me at timallenjr@hotmail.com
To take the survey, click here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=569772086472
Latest Issue of A World Awaits You Now Available
Read about the Experiences of Students with Non-Apparent Disabilities Going Abroad!
People with non-apparent disabilities from the United States who have studied or volunteered in other countries are featured in the fourth online issue of A World Awaits You (AWAY), published by Mobility International USA and the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange. This web-based journal describes the successful experiences of individuals with disabilities in overseas cultural and educational programs.
Written for students with disabilities, their parents, and disability and international exchange professionals, this issue highlights young adults with arthritis, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, Asperger’s syndrome, bipolar disorder, brain injuries, diabetes, dyslexia, lupus, Tourette’s syndrome and other non-apparent disabilities who have studied or participated in exchanges in Canada, Chile, England, France, Lithuania, Japan and other countries worldwide. Read the new issue at: www.miusa.org/ncde/away
To request an alternative format of this latest issue of AWAY, contact NCDE, 132 E. Broadway, Suite 343, Eugene, OR, 97401. NCDE can also be reached by Tel/TTY: (541) 343-1284, Fax: (541) 343-6812, or E-mail: clearinghouse@miusa.org. NCDE is administered by Mobility International USA and sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.
Presenting Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society
Edith F. Miller, Ed.D., Professor/Disability Services Director with East
Stroudsburg University, PA explains the purpose of Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society.
Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society, the first of its kind in the nation, was established in 2004 at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania specifically to recognize the academic accomplishments of university students with disabilities. Because of the negative stereotyping associated with disability, students have frequently been reluctant to identify themselves publicly. Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society presents an opportunity to change that perception by recognizing students with disabilities for their achievements. In addition, this honor society facilitates development of skills in leadership, advocacy and education for student participants.
The three Greek letters have specific meaning. Delta – D for Disability, but also the triangle, symbol of strength. Members of Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society demonstrate strength as leaders on campus to help break down the barriers of negativism. Also, they serve as mentors and role models for other students with disabilities. Alpha – A stands for Achievement. Alpha is the beginning, and academic achievement must come first. A also stands for advocacy, because students must advocate for themselves before they can advocate for others. Members of Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society enhance advocacy skills for themselves and advocate for the rights of all individuals with disabilities to be included fully in society. Pi – P represents Pride, pride in academic achievement and in other accomplishments, not just as students with disabilities, but as members of the university community. Pi is a mathematical symbol that we learned to use in elementary arithmetic classes. Thus, Pi is an appropriate symbol for education. Members of Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society participate in activities designed to educate the community and society regarding disability issues and the need to apply the principles of universal design in learning. Members of Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society work for an “aDAPtable” world.
Membership
is open to both undergraduate and graduate students who meet the following
criteria: All students must present with a documented disability
and work with
one of the faculty members in the Office of Disability Services; students must
demonstrate an interest in disability issues. Undergraduate students must have
completed a minimum of 24 credits and earned an overall Quality Point Average
of 3.10. Graduate students must have completed a minimum of 18 credits and
earned an overall Quality Point Average of 3.30.
Dr. Edith F. Miller and Dr. Julianne Albiero-Walton, co-founders of Delta Alpha
Pi Honor Society, and two founding student members will be available in the
Exhibit Hall at the 2006 AHEAD Conference in San Diego to discuss opportunities
for other
colleges and universities to obtain charters to initiate chapters at their
own campuses. Currently, three chapters have been established at Pennsylvania
universities.
Ten Indicators of Distance Learning Program Accessibility to
Students with Disabilities
By Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph. D., Director, DO-IT and Co-Director
AccessIT, University of Washington
Represented in most distance learning courses are a variety of racial/ethnic backgrounds, ages, native languages, and learning styles. In addition, students may have disabilities that include blindness, low vision, hearing impairments, mobility impairments, and learning disabilities. However, most distance learning programs only deal with accessibility issues when a student with a disability enrolls in a course; in other words, they provide accommodations. The process of making accessibility decisions while a distance learning course is being developed is an application of universal design (UD). Applying UD can be easier and therefore less expensive than only quickly developing accommodation strategies each time a student with a disability that requires accommodation enrolls in a course.
Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 are generally interpreted to mean that, if qualified individuals with disabilities enroll in distance learning courses, these courses should be made accessible to them. Distance learning programs can benefit from following the leadership of the U.S. federal government in being both proactive (by applying universal design principles) and reactive (by providing accommodations). This approach results in more inclusive programs and minimizes the need for accommodations for specific students. Accessibility standards and guidelines have been developed by both the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
Based on a review of the literature, experiences creating distance learning courses that are accessible to potential students and instructors with disabilities, collaborating with the distance learning program administrators nationwide, ten indicators of accessible distance learning programs have been identified. The Distance Learning Program Accessibility Indicators (DLP Accessibility Indicators) can be used as a checklist for documenting programmatic changes that lead to improved accessibility of the courses of any distance-learning program. Each Indicator relates to one of four key stakeholders in the delivery of distance learning courses; in some distance learning programs, one person may perform multiple roles. The Indicators are described in the following paragraphs.
For Students and Potential Students
Distance learning programs committed to accessibility assure
that students and potential students know of the programs'
commitment to accessible design, how to report inaccessible
design features they discover, how to request accommodations,
and how to obtain alternate formats of printed materials;
the distance learning home page is accessible and all online
and
other course materials of distance learning courses are accessible
to individuals with disabilities.
__ DLP Accessibility Indicator 1. The distance learning home page is accessible to individuals
with disabilities (e.g.,
it adheres to Section 508, World Wide Web Consortium or
institutional accessible-design guidelines/standards).
__ DLP Accessibility Indicator 2. A statement about the
distance learning program's commitment to accessible design
for all
potential students, including those with disabilities,
is included prominently in appropriate publications and
websites
along
with contact information for reporting inaccessible design
features.
__ DLP Accessibility Indicator 3. A statement about how
distance learning students with disabilities can request
accommodations
is included in appropriate publications and web pages.
__ DLP Accessibility Indicator 4. A statement about how
people can obtain alternate formats of printed materials
is included
in publications.
__ DLP Accessibility Indicator 5. The online and other
course materials of distance learning courses are accessible
to
individuals with disabilities.
For Distance Learning Designers
Distance learning programs that are committed to accessibility
assure that course designers understand the program's commitment
to accessibility, have access to guidelines and resources;
and learn about accessibility in training provided to course
designers.
__ DLP Accessibility Indicator 6. Publications
and web pages for distance learning course designers include:
a) a statement
of the program's commitment to accessibility, b) guidelines/standards
regarding accessibility, and c) resources.
__ DLP Accessibility Indicator 7. Accessibility issues are
covered in regular course designer training.
For Distance Learning Instructors
In distance learning programs committed to accessibility, publications
and Web pages for distance learning instructors include a
statement of the distance learning program's commitment to
accessibility, guidelines regarding accessibility, and resources;
and training for instructors includes accessibility content.
__ DLP Accessibility Indicator 8. Publications and Web pages
for distance learning instructors include: a) a statement of
the distance learning program's commitment to accessibility,
b) guidelines/standards regarding accessibility, and c) resources.
__ DLP Accessibility Indicator 9. Accessibility issues are
covered in training sessions for instructors.
For Program Evaluators
Distance learning programs committed to accessibility have
systems in place to monitor accessibility efforts and make
adjustments based on evaluation results.
__ DLP Accessibility Indicator 10. A system is in place to
monitor the accessibility of courses and, based on this evaluation,
the program takes actions to improve the accessibility of specific
courses as well as update information and training given to
potential students, students, course designers and instructors.
Distance learning programs are encouraged to test the DLP Accessibility Indicators and send suggestions for improvements to sherylb@u.washington.edu. Distance learning professional organizations are also encouraged to take a leadership role in promoting the development of accessible courses. For more information on the DLP Accessibility Indicators read the publication Equal Access: Universal Design of Distance Learning at: http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Technology/equal_access_uddl.html. Consult the AccessIT Knowledge Base at http://www.washington.edu/accessit for more information on legal issues, accessibility guidelines and standards, and promising practices related to the creation and use of accessible information technology.
Acknowledgement
The content of this article is based upon work supported by
the U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary
Education (Grant #P333A020044) and the National Institute
on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (#H133D010306).
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 federal government.
