AHEAD conference 2004

AHEAD 2004 Conference Notes
This page contains descriptions for selected sessions held during the AHEAD 2004 Conference along with downloadable notes for each session.

The notes presented here were taken by volunteer note-taker attendees at the Conference who used AlphaSmart 3000’s generously donated by the AlphaSmart company. Please note that AHEAD takes no responsibility for content, format, or availability of these materials.

To make finding specific notes easier, you may want to use the "Find on this page" function in your web browser. This is usually under the EDIT menu. You can then search for session names, phrases within the descriptions, or by presenter.

Accessibility: More than Ramps and Automatic Doors - Duke University’s Collaboration Dance to Accessibility! (Word doc, 32KB)
Emma Swain, PhD; Duke University
Jim Baker, MA; Duke University

Inconsistent policies and procedures can have implications for student access to programs. Students can become confused, programs can question which accommodations are reasonable and there can be a lack of confidence from administrators and faculty. Putting consistent polices and procedures in place at Duke University resulted in a collaboration dance that can be replicated at other colleges and universities.

Accessing Distance Education: Helping Students by Helping Faculty (Word doc, 31KB)
Jeff Finlay, MA; University of Maryland University College

Students with disabilities who want to take advantage of “learning any time, anywhere” often find their courses are inaccessible. Many institutions employ offsite part-time adjuncts to teach Web-based courses, and these instructors are ill-equipped to deal with accommodation issues. UMUC’s Accessibility in Distance Education Web site attempts to provide guidance for these faculty members, both at UMUC and elsewhere.

A Hassle-Free Guide to Applying for Accommodations from Educational Testing Service (Word doc, 29KB)
Ruth Loew, PhD; ETS
Loring Brinkerhoff, PhD; ETS

This session will explain how to apply for accommodations for Educational Testing Service (ETS) graduate and professional tests viewing this process both from the test-taker’s perspective and from that of the disability service provider. Participants will walk through two case studies, and a new ETS publication, “Tips for Test-Takers with Disabilities,” will be distributed.

AHEAD’s Participation in the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (Word doc, 26KB)
Christy Lendman, EdD; Lendman Educational Consulting

AHEAD has been a member of the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities since 1990. This session will discuss current issues being addressed by the NJCLD. These include the initiation of a documentation roundtable to explore the disconnect between documentation provided by K-12 and documentation that is accepted by postsecondary institutions.

A Model to Collaboratively Match Assistive Technology to the Functional Limitation of Students with Disabilities (Word doc, 29KB)
Jennifer Zvi, PhD; California State University Northridge
Sue Cullen, MS; California State University Northridge

Case studies and simulations are presented to demystify the process by which documentation is reviewed in order to match the appropriate assistive technology based on the student’s functional limitations. The model provides for a basis of common dialogue between the diagnostician and the professional who will provide the assistive technology to accommodate the disability. This represents a framework of best practices to combine learning strategies and assistive technology.

An E-text Partnership: How Print May Be Converted to E-text, How E-text is Read, and How Higher Education May Collaborate with Bookshare.Org to Build a Nationwide Repository of E-text. (Word doc, 32KB)
Jim Marks, MA; University of Montana
Jim Kessler, MA; University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Margaret Londergan, MS; Indiana University
Gustavo Galindo, BA; Bookshare.org

Participants in this session will learn best practices in preparing e-text through seeing the scanning processes developed by Indiana University, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and the University of Montana-Missoula. They will learn how these universities are helping build a national repository of college textbooks by partnering with Bookshare.org. Details about Bookshare.org will be shared including students’ experiences, types and numbers of books available, and access choices. Different ways of reading the e-text will be discussed and demonstrated. We will also discuss how disability services in higher education can use Bookshare in legal compliance with copyright laws.

Appalachian Flatfoot Dancin’ (Promising Practices in Community College) (Word doc, 25KB)
Judy Stoneham, MS; Blue Ridge Community College
Curtis Edmonds, JD; SE-DBTAC

Double toe, step rock step....disability services in the community college can seem like classic clogging. With 80% of students with disabilities who attend college choosing community colleges, state budget freezes, and costly technology, how can community colleges improve Educational Technology for these students? The session provides ideas and answers. A new training handbook will be presented and discussed for use with faculty.

Asperger’s Syndrome: Explanations and Accommodations (Word doc, 57KB)
Jane Thierfeld Brown, EdD; University of Connecticut School of Law
Lorraine Wolf, PhD; Boston University
Ruth Bork, MEd; Northeastern University
Stephen Shore, MS; Boston University

Students with Asperger’s Syndrome, an Autism Spectrum Disorder, present unique challenges for faculty, staff, other students and service providers. This disorder manifests itself in pervasive difficulties for the student throughout their higher education experience. Our panel, which includes a doctoral student with Asperger’s Syndrome, will address how students are affected on campus, in classes, and useful accommodations.

Asperger’s Syndrome/High Functioning Autism: It’s Not Just a Guy Thing (Word doc, 40KB)
Dena Gassner, MSW

In this presentation, participants will receive an introduction to Asperger’s Syndrome/High Functioning autism. We will then discuss how autism related issues impact higher risk for social/sexual vulnerability. The presenter will share her own past experiences as a college student with the group, to illustrate issues covered in the session.

Assessment and Remediation of Executive Functions in College Students with Mild TBI (Word doc, 39KB)
Carmen Armengol, PhD; Northeastern University
Ruth Bork, MEd; Northeastern University

Mild TBIs are common among college age people, but their impact on academic performance have not been fully recognized. Common cognitive consequences include decreased abilities in planning, organization, self-regulation, problem-solving flexibility, and allocation and maintenance of attention. Emotional regulation is often affected. Measures of these functions and rehabilitation strategies appropriate for the college setting are discussed, along with illustrative cases.

A Survey of Disability Service Providers: Who are we and Where are We Going? (Word doc, 30KB)
Wendy Harbour, MEd; Harvard University

In 2003, AHEAD undertook the first international survey of its own members. The purpose of the study was to gather demographics, details about compensation, and specifics about how disability services offices are structured. Looking for ideas and themes behind statistics, this session will give an overview of survey results and what they might mean for professionals, AHEAD, and higher education.

Barriers to Mathematics for Individuals Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision (Word doc, 29KB)
Telina Daniels, MEd; Salt Lake Community College
Alfred Martinez, BA; Salt Lake Community College

College enrollments of students who are blind or visually impaired are greater than ever. With this, the failures in mathematics are more obvious than in the past. These students are coming to colleges and universities with inadequate math skills. Moreover, qualified individuals are not available at these higher institutions to train and/or annotate math. How can colleges address this barrier?

Bewitched, bothered and bewildered…” are they (Word doc, 34KB)
Richard B. Walter, PhD, EdS
Linda R. Walter, MEd, LDTC

Mislabeled, misdiagnosed, undertreated and poorly understood: Discomfort Anxiety is the category for the three most common emotional problems in students (and society) and plagues DSS providers daily. Do your students procrastinate, fail to complete assignments, cut classes, make excuses, want incompletes, prefer to socialize rather than work, attribute their problems to others and whine about how hard college is? Then this workshop is for you! You will learn to identify these problems from their behavioral symptoms and deal with them appropriately rather than enabling students and incorrectly reinforcing these self-defeating behaviors.

Budget and Personnel Strategies for Managing a DSS Program (Word doc, 34KB)
Trey Duffy, MEd; University of Wisconsin, Madison

This session offers effective and proven strategies for (i) assessing the appropriate funding levels for a DSS program; (ii) designing budgets that separately track fixed costs (i.e., salaries) from variable costs (interpreting, notetaking, etc.); (iii) predicting and tracking costs for Deaf services (and others as well); (iv) determining fair pay and work standards for interpreters/captioners; (v) use of student workers to administer critical services; (vi) cost effective personnel recruitment tactics; (vii) innovative search and screen approaches; and (viii) reliable performance evaluation tools.

Career Options: Social Security Administration (SSA) Benefits and Work (Word doc, 31KB)
Jennifer Ingram, BA; Social Security Administration
Lottie Burr, BA; Social Security Administration

SSA will review the various work incentive programs that allow disabled beneficiaries to work and become more financially independent. We will focus especially on those programs that help “youth” to go to work, while retaining SSA benefits and/or medical assistance.

Challenges of Access for Hard of Hearing Students (Word doc, 28KB)
Ruth Warick, PhD; University of British Columbia

More students who are hard of hearing are identifying themselves and service providers need criteria to determine effective service delivery responses. This session will explore decision-making criteria and service delivery challenges related to exam accommodations, classroom captioning, use of assistive technology and other access means. Research findings on these topics will be presented and discussion will be encouraged.

C’mon Baby, Let’s Do the (New Legal) Twist (Word doc, 33KB)
Sue Kroeger, PhD; University of Arizona
Laura Todd Johnson, JD; University of Arizona

In today’s disability service environment where ADA caselaw provides less than clear guidance and where there is a lack of disability philosophy, the relationship between disability services and legal counsel is critical. This session will explore how caselaw combined with new conceptualizations of disability and principles of universal design can create several new twists in that relationship, resulting in smoother provision of services to disabled students and employees as well as long-term systemic change in campus environments.

Copyright Law and Alternative Format Materials: A Non-Fiction Account of Publishers, the Law, and You (Word doc, 41KB)
Elizabeth Delfs, JD; Pearson Education, Inc.
Sam Goodin, MS; University of Michigan
David Sweeney, PhD; Texas A&M University
Richard Harris, MA; Ball State University

A quick review of key technologies related to alternate format that have heightened concerns about the legal issues including: A crash tour through the maze of state and federal laws effecting alternative textbooks; incentives and penalties within the Law for Publishers; the practical limitations of the publishing industry: what they are and why should you care; intellectual property law and Copyright holders; working effectively with resistant publishers; what legal and business changes are coming?; how to Invite a Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Into Your Life.

Creating Accessible Campus Services for Students with Disabilities: Tools for Professional Development (Word doc, 39KB)
Sheryl Burgstahler, PhD; University of Washington, DO-IT Program
Deborah Casey-Powell, MS; South University
Bea Awoniyi, MS; Iowa State University
Al Souma, MA; Seattle Central Community College

A discussion of ways postsecondary staff and administrators can make their programs and services accessible to students with disabilities. Professional development materials and information that can be used to increase the knowledge and skills of postsecondary staff and administrators in providing equal access to campus facilities, student services, and electronic and information resources for all students will be presented.

Creating Accessible Distance-Learning Web Sites - The WGBH National Center for Accessible Media and the League for Innovation in the Community College (Word doc, 47KB)
Geoff Freed, BA; WGBH National Center for Accessible Media
Stella Perez, MA; League for Innovation in the Community College

As distance learning becomes widely accepted in higher education, it is important to remember that on-line materials should be accessible to students with disabilities. This session will cover the basics of Web accessibility, access policies and technology. Learn how a screen reader works, how captions and audio descriptions can be added to multimedia, and how to ensure that your Web site is accessible to everyone.

Creating and Maintaining Effective Programs for Students with Psychological Disabilities (Word doc, 27KB)
Aaron Cohen, PhD; University of California, Berkeley

Designed to give service providers information about how they can best serve students with psychological disabilities, this session will address basic questions about understanding the effects of psychological disabilities on students, determining eligibility, providing appropriate support services, and working effectively with other campus entities, including counseling centers and instructors.

Creative Transition Planning - Helping Students Get Serious, Get Focused, and Get Motivated! (Word doc, 33KB)
Rick Jeffries, MEd; Valencia Community College

This session highlights the creative approach to Transition Planning developed by Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida. This unique program at Valencia includes improv comedy shows, one-act plays, mock college days and more to reach out to all students including students with disabilities. The programs encourage students to focus on their future and get motivated towards postsecondary education. The session includes discussion of current transition trends, issues, programs, results and new ideas about how to increase the success of your transition programs.

Dancing Alone: Surviving and Thriving in a One-Person Office (Word doc, 31KB)
Kathy McGillivray, MA; Bethel College and Seminary
Virginia B. DeMers, MA; Ringling School of Art and Design

This session will address some of the unique challenges faced by professionals who run a disability services office alone. Topics covered will include creative budget management, assessing campus culture and politics, locating consultants, policy development, creating a new disability services office and negotiating with administrators. An extensive resource list will be distributed and ample time for questions will be provided.

Dancing to a Different Beat: Student Athletes with Learning Disabilities (Word doc, 33KB)
Timothy King, PhD; University of Arkansas
Mary Aman, PhD; University of Central Florida
Philip Kalfin, PhD; University of Central Florida

This presentation describes the support services provided by athletic academic advisors for student athletes with disabilities, and outlines the probable deficiencies associated with lack of training and unfamiliarity with learning disability terminology, as well as solutions to remedy the problem.

Databases, Logistics and Program Assessment: No Longer Just for Generals (Word doc, 29KB)
Toni Page, MS; Gateway Community College
Steve Robillard; SR-PS, Inc.
Suzanne Tucker, MEd; Southern Connecticut State University
Becky Baggett; University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

OK so you’ve got a database, now what? Learn how to use it for more than legal protection and compliance. See how to integrate your data into the day to day business of serving students, assess program and student performance, coordinate resources, plan to meet future needs, coordinate auxiliary campus services and functions, and improve interdepartmental communication and cooperation.

Demonstration Project Supports for Disability Services in Higher Education and Opening an Assistive Technology Lab (Word doc, 30KB)
Bruce Reed, PhD; University of Texas-Pan American
Sylvia Jackson, MS; University of Texas-Pan American
Yvette Flores, MS; University of Texas-Pan American
Hector Requenez, MS; University of Texas-Pan American

This presentation will discuss the history of Demonstration Projects to Ensure a Quality Higher Education for Students with Disabilities funded by the Office of Postsecondary Education. It will highlight Project Enhance, a national demonstration project located at The University of Texas-Pan American. It will include recommendations to improve disability support services at minority institutions and lessons learned from establishing its assistive technology lab.

Determining the Effectiveness of Disability Services (Word doc, 32KB)
Rod Romboy, MS; Salt Lake Community College

How can effectiveness of disability providers be determined? If we are part of a college, how do we contribute to student learning? What can we measure, should we measure, do we measure? A model outcome assessment plan developed by the Disability Resource Center at Salt Lake Community College will be presented.

Developing a Support Group for Students with ADHD: Challenges and Rewards (Word doc, 35KB)
Betty Benson, MEd; University of Minnesota
Sheila Wassink, MA; University of Minnesota

Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often need ongoing support to achieve and maintain academic success. These students can challenge disability service providers with their need for support and one-on-one staff time. This session will outline an alternate strategy for serving students with ADHD: creating a student support group, managing the group, and providing skills and training for first-time facilitators.

Disability Issues in Education: A Conversation with Dr. Thomas Hehir (Word doc, 26KB)
Thomas Hehir, EdD; Harvard Graduate School of Education

A follow-up to the morning’s plenary session, Dr. Hehir will participate in a roundtable discussion on important topics in education such as transition, service provision and students with disabilities in educational programs.

Dispelling Myths About the Persistence of Community College Students with Disabilities (Word doc, 28KB)
Catherine Fichten, PhD; Dawson College
Shirley Jorgenson, Dawson College
Alice Havel, PhD; Dawson College
Daniel Lamb, BA; Dawson College
Jennison Asuncion, BA; Dawson College
C. James; Dawson College
M. Barile; Dawson College

Dawson College is a large junior/community college in the province of Quebec. We will present findings and implications of a pioneering Canadian archival study that investigated the academic outcomes of a large sample of Dawson College students with and without disabilities. Results show that students with disabilities had similar grades and graduated at the same rate as other students.

Diversity on Campus: What Should the DSS Office Do to Include Disability? (Word doc, 34KB)
Richard Harris, MA; Ball State University
Larry Markle, MA; Ball State University

The Holy Grail for postsecondary education in the last ten years has been the emphasis on DIVERSITY. But seldom does diversity on campus include disability. Should the DSS office address this oversight? If so, how? The presenters will give examples on how to impact the process and how to include students with disabilities in the diversity mix.

Exploring Learning Difference: A Successful Transition Model for Students with Learning Disabilities (Word doc, 27KB)
Connie Chiba, PhD; University of California, Berkeley
Rick Low, PhD; University of California, Berkeley

This session describes a successful transition course for students with learning disabilities, “Exploring Learning Differences: Strategies for Success” and the results of a follow-up survey of the over two hundred students who have taken the course over the past eight years. Survey results indicate that the course provides students with a network of mutual support that facilitates their understanding and acceptance of disability and adjustment to college.

Exploring the Equity and Excellence Universal Design for Learning Tool Kit (Word doc, 31KB)
Cate Weir, MEd; University of New Hampshire
Andrew Christensen, MEd; University of Massachusetts, Boston
Maria Douroudis, MS; University of Massachusetts, Boston

This presentation, a companion to “Universal Design: It’s A Big Universe! How Do I Start?” allows an opportunity for hands-on examination of the resources developed and used in the OPE-funded project, “Equity and Excellence in Higher Education,” including written manuals and portable classroom technology. Project staff will be available to discuss the artifacts and their uses.

Federal Courts Year in Review (Word doc, 40KB)
JoAnne Simon, JD; Law Offices of JoAnne Simon
Paul Grossman, JD; Office for Civil Rights

A discussion of recent leading federal court decisions under the ADA, Section 504 and other relevant statutes and their impact on the rights and responsibilities of students with disabilities and institutions of higher education.

Findings and Implications of Research on Factors Associated with Degree Completion and Post-school Success of University Students with Disabilities (Word doc, 40KB)
John Gugerty, MS; University of Wisconsin, CEW
Anne Reber, PhD; Texas A&M University
George Thompson, PhD; University of Georgia
Karen S. Kalivoda, PhD; University of Georgia

Presenters will share data from a five-state followup of former students with disabilities served through DSS programs. Topics include: post-school status of former students with disabilities who received services from DSS providers, and services/other factors associated with recipients’ academic performance levels, post-school employment and wage levels.

Framing Your Postsecondary Practices Around Self-Determination (Word doc, 28KB)
David Parker, MS; University of Connecticut
Mary Sarver, PhD; University of South Florida
Stan Shaw, EdD; University of Connecticut

Research supports the importance of self-determination, or autonomy, in adults with disabilities. Self-determination (the ability to identify and achieve one’s goals) contributes to greater academic success and financial independence. What internal and external factors do postsecondary students with “hidden” disabilities utilize to achieve self-determination? This session will define self-determination, summarize relevant research, and discuss universal implications for all campus professionals.

I Can See What You Hear (Word doc, 40KB)
Marcia Kolvitz, PhD; Postsecondary Education Consortium
Patricia Billies, MA; Northeast Technical Assistance Center
Debra Wilcox-Hsu, PhD; Midwest Center for Postsecondary Outreach

New technologies make it easier to deaf and hard of hearing students to access classroom as well as co-curricular activities. This presentation will look beyond traditional interpreting and notetaking. Technologies such as speech recognition for notetaking, video remote interpreting, distance captioning, wireless technologies and speech to text systems will be discussed. Each technology will be presented in context for its use.

I’m Dancing As Fast As I Can: From Courtroom to Practice (Word doc, 40KB)
Jean Ashmore, MA; Rice University
Sam Goodin, MA; University of Michigan
Jane Jarrow, PhD; Disability Access Information and Support

While the attorneys can explain the results of significant legal cases, too often DSS providers are left to figure out how to turn yesterday’s court decision into tomorrow’s practical procedure. Three experienced service providers will show participants how significant legal precedents can guide day-to-day decision making, and how to implement programming driven by legality, while still fueled by mission.

Improve Reading and Writing for College-Age Learning Impaired through Computer Technology (Word doc, 30KB)
Kevin Reinhardt, MA; Seneca College of Applied Arts
Sherri Parkins, BA; Seneca College of Applied Arts

Four programs that we use to develop the independent communication skills of the students will be highlighted in this presentation: WordQ, ReadPlease, Microsoft Word and ViaVoice. We will demonstrate and describe how these assistive technologies are employed in our program and the research into the reading and writing outcomes for our students.

Increasing Institutional Collaboration with the DSO: A Matter of Education (Word doc, 38KB)
Charles Salzberg, PhD; Utah State University
Beth Price, MS; Utah State University
Becky Morgan, MS; Utah State University
Diane Hardman, MA; Utah State University

This session offers participants an opportunity to hear from a panel of DSO directors who have implemented a customizable training program including both workshop and web-based models for educating academic faculty and graduate teaching assistants about their joint responsibility to students with disabilities. Customization of the ASD curriculum and their participation in an on-line national network will be discussed.

Interpreting Diagnostic Assessments of Adolescents and Adults with Learning Disabilities (Word doc, 36KB)
Janet Medina, PhD; McDaniel College

This session is intended to help individuals who work with adolescents and adults with learning disabilities better understand how to interpret psychoeducational assessments. Emphasis will be placed on translating psychological jargon to lay terms, providing a basic explanation of several widely-used diagnostic tests, and matching test results to academic accommodations.

It May Take Two (Laws) to Tango! (Word doc, 40KB)
Michael Masinter, JD; Nova Southeastern University
Brian Rose, JD; Rutgers University

Sometimes, issues of policy and practice cannot be decided solely on the basis of the rules under Section 504/ADA. This session will highlight some of the overlaps and (potential) conflicts with other laws in the context of reviewing

• FHA involvement in residence hall issues
• Institutional obligations for Study Abroad programs
• Federal court skepticism regarding conditions often acknowledged in higher education

LOL: Learning On Line - A Notetaker Training! (Word doc, 29KB)
Patricia Billies, MS; Northeast Technical Assistance Center
Josie Durkow,MSW ,MSW; Camden County College
Maureen Brady, BA; Camden County College
Patricia Rahalewicz, BA; Rochester Institute of Technology

Online training of student notetakers is now available-it’s comprehensive, it’s interactive and it’s free! Training teaches effective notetaking strategies and promises improved notes. Designed for notetakers for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, this training teaches skills that apply for all notetakers.

Making Campus Web Pages Accessible: Policy and Administration (Word doc, 48KB)
Lyla Crawford, MS; University of Washington, DO-IT
Sheryl Burgstahler, PhD; University of Washington, DO-IT
Curtis Edmonds, JD; Georgia Institute of Technology
Marsha Allen, BA; Georgia Institute of Technology

A growing number of postsecondary institutions are developing policies and/or guidelines for assuring their web content is accessible to people with disabilities. This panel will discuss considerations that should be made while developing campus polices and procedures, successful strategies that have been employed, and useful resources to help you design effective policies and practices.

Managing Disability Information and Statistics (Word doc, 28KB)
Susan Rood, MA, MS; Longwood University

How many students with a specific disability do you have on campus this semester? Is this an increase over the past two years? Have members of your institution ever asked for “hard numbers”? This session will demonstrate one database management system used for recording, using and managing student records appropriately.

New Moves, New Grooves: The Future of Faculty Training (Word doc, 28KB)
Margo Izzo, PhD; Ohio State University
David Sweeney, PhD; Texas A&M University
Alexa Murray, MA; Ohio State University

As more students with disabilities enroll in college, many faculty and administrators have questions about the accommodations and teaching processes. Come and find out about innovative web-based training materials, called the Faculty and Administrator Modules in Higher Education (FAME), that inform faculty and administrators on making education accessible for all.

New Views for Supported Education: A Model for DSS Professionals (Word doc, 33KB)
Lorraine Wolf, PhD; Boston University
Lyn Legere, BA; Boston University

Supported Education was initially developed to assist adults with persistent mental illnesses return to community college settings. Boston University has adapted this traditional model to meet the needs of a growing body of younger students in a competitive four-year setting. We will introduce a training manual under development, discuss different models of service delivery, including the use of non-professional staff and provide a sample case review.

Office for Civil Rights (OCR) Year in Review
Paul Grossman, JD; Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education

A presentation on selected postsecondary disability letters that the OCR has issued in the past year. Letters will be used in this interactive session to share information, model solutions, and to develop audience discussion on a broad range of topics.

Paradigm Shift: Disability “Do-It-All” to Campus Facilitator (Word doc, 33KB)
Mike Shuttic, MA; Oklahoma State University

Centralization of services offers some advantages. However, disability issues cut across departments—academic, administrative, and student affairs. Central coordination is only as effective as the decision-making autonomy that exists. Such is never true for a DSS office. Thus, effectiveness is driven by DSS’s ability to coordinate, cooperate, and facilitate. This session will identify areas of impact and strategies.

Partners in the Dance: Developing Collaborative Relationships with Health Care Faculty (Word doc, 40KB)
Nancy Milligan, MS; Eastern Michigan University
Donald Anderson, MA; Eastern Michigan University

This presentation will discuss sand describe how Higher Education Institutions’ Disabled Student Service Offices can develop collaborative relationships with faculty members particularly in the Health Professions. These partnerships can create vital links to the faculty community to promote a greater understanding and compliance of academic accommodations within their institutions.

Promoting Independence In Individuals With Spelling Deficits Using Technology (Word doc, 29KB)
Tracy Smith, MEd; Auburn University Montgomery

A hands-on session on using Microsoft Word and low-tech devices to accommodate students with spelling deficits. Participants will learn simple customizations for Word features.

Psychiatric Disabilities in Young Adults: An Overview of Major Diagnoses and Medication Management (Word doc, 35KB)
Lorraine Wolf, PhD; Boston University
Philip Simkowitz, MD, PhD; Harvard Medical School

This presentation will include an overview of the major diagnostic classes of psychiatric illness seen in the college age range, their associated symptoms, and commonly used medications. Particular emphasis will be on deficits and medication side effects which might disrupt academic functioning.

Reverse Study Abroad: Attracting Disabled Foreign Students to U.S. Postsecondary Institutions (Word doc, 26KB)
Harvey Bodansky, MS

American colleges and universities attract a substantial number of students from abroad. Location, climate, accessible accommodations and the quality of programs are attractive to foreign and American students. This session will discuss issues, challenges and opportunities to accommodating these students and benefits to foreign students with disabilities who study in US programs.

Service Provider Salsa Lessons to Attract Faculty Partners (Word doc, 41KB)
Anita Stockbauer, BA; University of Nevada, Las Vegas

In order to do the service provider salsa, you need to attract a partner. This is the place to twirl around the proven practices used to educate your campus faculty and staff about the steps to follow in serving students. You will leave with some great moves, a floor plan of steps, and a room full of new partners.

Speech to Text Communication Access: From Notetaking to CART (Word doc, 42KB)
Tom Thompson, MA; William R. Harper College
Sharon Downs, MS; University of Arkansas
Shannon Aylesworth, BA; University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

DS coordinators must make accommodation decisions about the communication access needs of Deaf/HH students and other students. This panel of practitioners, trainers and DS Coordinators will provide an overview of services including notetaking, text interpreting, speech recognition and stenographic services. They will also discuss developing resources, payment guidelines, ethical guidelines and decision making for choosing an appropriate accommodation.

Staff Development in Disability Equality (Word doc, 43KB)
Judith Jesky, BA; Disability Resource Centre, United Kingdom
Kirsty Wayland, BA; Disability Resource Centre, United Kingdom

For three years, the Disability Resource Centre at the University of Cambridge in the UK has been offering disability related training for all staff. Take up has been mixed, but good feedback has been reported by staff and students with disabilities. This session reports on lessons learnt in providing bespoke and relevant training to busy academics.

Strategies for Accommodating Students with Disabilities in Online Education (Word doc, 29KB)
Curtis Edmonds, JD; Georgia Institute of Technology

Attendees will learn tricks and tips for making materials commonly used in online distance education accessible for students with disabilities. The program will focus on Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, and Adobe PDF files.

Student and Faculty Perceptions of Inclusive College Instruction (Word doc, 40KB)
Sally Scott, PhD; University of Connecticut
Joan McGuire, PhD; University of Connecticut

Two complementary studies were conducted tapping the perspectives of college students with cognitive disabilities and outstanding college teachers to gather information about strategies for inclusive college instruction. Parallels and contrasts from the results of the two studies will be highlighted and discussion will focus on faculty support for inclusive instruction including resources on Universal Design for Instruction.

Students with Disabilities’ First Year Experience: A Multi-Modal Approach (Word doc, 28KB)
Mary Helen Walker, MA; University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Misty Sykes, MA; University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Traditional college freshmen with disabilities were given the opportunity to transition into higher education as a group. The group experiences and opportunities included: academic advising from the DSS office, freshman seminar experience targeted to the disabled population, advocacy and assertiveness training support group, individual time and stress management counseling, 4 social activities, and peer mentoring. Students were given the College Adjustment Scale as a pre- and post-test measurement.

Surveying the Employment Concerns of College and University Students with Disabilities (Word doc, 35KB)
Mary Hennessey, MEd; Kent State University
Richard Roessler, PhD; University of Arkansas

The presentation reviews the findings from a national survey of the employment concerns of college students with disabilities. Results discuss the strengths and weaknesses in career-related supports and services for students with disabilities. The presentation also includes strategies to preserve priority strengths and ameliorate the priority weaknesses in regards to career preparation and placement.

The Deaf Services Dance: Practical Steps to Coordination (Word doc, 26KB)
Carole Collier, MEd; University of Iowa

Share strategies and practical plans of service provision for Deaf and hard of hearing students. Examine choosing, obtaining and keeping service providers. Discuss scheduling methods and working with faculty. Hear what students want YOU to know. Learn about innovations used at University of Iowa. Get some models of materials including faculty presentations. Participate in creative scenarios as time allows.

The Technology Tango: Learn the Steps or Trip Your Partners (Word doc, 46KB)
James Bailey, MS; University of Oregon

Technology has had an extraordinary impact on higher education and an even greater impact on students with disabilities. Disability Services coordinators need adaptive technology service plans that they understand and feel confident managing. This presentation shows DS coordinators how to inventory a school’s needs, resources and institutional philosophies to create a manageable adaptive tech support delivery plan.

Tools for Enhancing Students with Disabilities Self-Determination and Self-Advocacy Skills (Word doc, 40KB)
Peg Lamb, PhD; Holt Schools/Lansing Community College
Margo Izzo, PhD; Ohio State University

Students who have high levels of self-determination and self-advocacy skills have improved post-school outcomes. Yet they often enter college programs with limited development of these skills and little experience and confidence in advocating for themselves. What interventions can disabilities professionals provide to address these concerns? This session will provide specific tools describing models, curricula, and strategies to foster these skills.

Tools for Fostering Classroom Access for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students (Word doc, 28KB)
Gary Long, PhD; Rochester Institute of Technology
Donald Beil, MS; Rochester Institute of Technology
Rosemary Saur, PhD; Rochester Institute of Technology
Susan Foster, PhD; Rochester Institute of Technology

This presentation will feature a website and materials developed at NTID/RIT for Project Access which fosters the access of deaf/hh students in RIT classroom. The content of the website, “ClassAct” (www.rit.edu/classact), will be presented and will be available for participant use. Materials developed through the Project Access Summer Institutes will also be presented and available to those attending.

Transition Issues in Helping Students with Disabilities Make a Successful Transition from High School to College (Word doc, 45KB)
Cheryl Chesney, MEd; Virginia Commonwealth University
Mike Uretsky, MS; Dublin Coffman High School

Students with disabilities confront many issues as they make the transition from high school to college. This presentation will examine issues faced by high school students with disabilities as they prepare for college and begin their experiences at a postsecondary institution. Participants will identify challenges of college life and learn about major accommodations and assistive technology to help support disabled students’ academic progress.

Two to Tango: Achieving Cooperation between Academic Affairs and Disability Services (Word doc, 34KB)
Doris Bitler, PhD; George Mason University
Walter Rankin, PhD; George Mason University
Deborah Wyne, MEd; George Mason University

At George Mason University, we are fortunate to belong to a community of professionals who share the goal of providing a quality education for all students. This spirit of collaboration is exemplified by the relationship between the Disability Resource Center and the CAS Undergraduate Academic Affairs Office, working together to develop equitable policies and procedures that benefit all GMU students.

Universal Design: It’s A Big Universe! How Do I Start? (Word doc, 30KB)
Andrew Christensen, MEd; University of Massachusetts, Boston
Cate Weir, MEd; University of New Hampshire
Maria Douroudis, MS; University of Massachusetts, Boston

Universal Design: How to do it? Where to start? This presentation highlights the OPE-funded project,“Equity and Excellence in Higher Education,” which supported faculty at seven colleges to incorporate Universal Design on their campuses. Participants will learn about the model of professional development used in this project, and explore the project’s “toolboxes” and their uses in supporting more inclusive teaching.

Win/Win Projects for Regional Campuses: Let’s Share our Deaf/Hard of Hearing Services! (Word doc, 33KB)
Ginny Chiaverina, MEd; University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Bambi Riehl, BA; University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

Stressed out because of the shortage of interpreters/captionists at your campus? Struggling to retain staff interpreter/captionist positions due to declining enrollment or budget cuts? The presenters will describe two University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) projects that have been used to balance the UWM Deaf/Hard of Hearing Program and simultaneously meet the needs of other regional campuses.

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