2019 Concurrent Sessions

1.3:  Panel Discussion Community College's Open Access and Otherwise Qualified  

Karen Alexander, Chemeketa Community College
Mindy Diaz, Joliet Junior College
Iris Hansen, Lone Star College
Michelle Mitchell, Lehigh Carbon Community College
Amy Robertson-Gann, Northwest Arkansas Community College

The panel will explore the implications of ‘otherwise qualified’ within community colleges with open enrollment. For transition purposes, individuals with intellectual disabilities utilize community colleges. Because these students can lack a clear course plan, the panel will explore viable solutions for meaningful engagement.

1.4:  So You Want to Live on Campus? Navigating Residence Life While Living on the Autism Spectrum

Marsha Camp, M.Ed., University of Vermont
Patricia Violi, M.Ed., University of Nevada, Las Vegas

In the next five years, college campuses across the country will see an influx of students on the autism spectrum applying to live in residence halls. This session will give you tools to guide students, families, and campus partners in determining appropriate living situations and accommodations, providing on-going training for Residence Life staff and monitoring potential issues that may arise in the residence halls.

 

1.5:  Transition Programming

A look at three successful transition programs

1. Creating Paths to the Future: Guiding Successful Transition to Adulthood
   Holly Darnell, MS OTR/L, Colorado State University
   Megan Wolff, MOT OTR/L, Colorado State University
   
   PATH is a process that facilitates creating and implementing achievable goals to aide the transition to adulthood, employment, and higher education. We will will review the PATH Empowerment program: how it was created to facilitate successful transition for youth with disabilities and how we have implemented modified PATH planning within this process.
   
   
2.  Pre-Enrollment Transition Coaching
   Alexander Morris-Wood, M.S., Beacon College
   
   

   For students who learn differently, the journey to college is filled with anxiety, fears, and questions, impacting students' social-emotional functioning in a collegiate environment. Beacon College developed a pre-enrollment transition program to develop student and parent college readiness skills during the year leading to matriculation. Through pre-enrollment transition programming, students develop social, emotional, independent living, and executive functioning skills, as well as the necessary compensatory strategies to adjust to college life.

3. Easing into College: The early student gets the WORM!
   
   
   Traci Tuttle, Ed.D., Muskingum University
   Melissa Choate, M.A., Muskingum University
   
   

   Transition to college for students with disabilities includes the added responsibilities of finding the disability services office, learning how to request accommodations, and possibly living independently for the first time. An early move-in transition program could be a viable option if designed and supported appropriately. This presentation will review the research behind the design and initial results of one program.

1.6:  Planning Accessible Campus Events

Jim Kessler, AHEAD

Learn what it takes to build accessibility into event and conference planning. From the initial communications (printed PR materials and emails, event physical spaces including parking) to onsite communications, campus events pose a number of potential barriers that careful planning can remediate. An important part of supporting campus-wide accessibility involves serving as a resource to campus event planners.

1.7:  Increasing Access to Study Abroad for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students
Justin Harford, B.A., Mobility International USA
Michelle Morris, B.A., Meridian International Center
Becca AbuRakia-Einhorn, M.A., Gallaudet University, Office of Research Support and International Affairs, Education Abroad

Universities and third-party providers of international educational experiences consistently list making study abroad inclusive and accessible as a top priority. The international education field is making great strides when it comes to certain minorities and special interest groups. However, en bloc, traditional group study abroad programs are still largely inaccessible to deaf and hard of hearing students. So, how can we leverage both the technological and legal resources of the United States and the host country to support these students abroad? Participants will leave able to advise deaf and hard of hearing students and make necessary adjustments to their programs.

 

1.8:  New Strategies That Prepare Students with Mental Health Challenges for Career Success
Bjarne Tellmann, J.D., Pearson, Inc.
Christopher Schnieders, M.A., Saks Institute for Mental Health Law, Policy and Ethics
Andrew Imparato, J.D., Association of University Centers on Disability

Systemic and individual barriers often face students with mental health challenges when they access the professional workplace, but new research results and novel solutions that can be implemented during college years are in reach. Professionals with mental health challenges are leaving the exile and stigma behind as they share their strategies. New corporate partnerships are a resource hiding in plain sight and can offer the power of mentoring. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, this session provides a window to professional employment and how students with mental health challenges can prepare now for success.

 

1.9:  Cripping Campus: Disabled Student Activism and Leadership in Disability Cultural Centers in Higher Ed
Elizabeth (liz) Thomson, M.A., University of Illinois Chicago
Toni Saia, M.A., University of Arizona
Kim Elmore, M.A., National Center for College Stucents with Disabilities (NCCSD)
Nell Koneczny, M.A., University of Illinois at Chicago
Zoie Sheets, B.A., University of Illinois at Chicago

If university campuses want to affirm diversity and inclusion, they must actively incorporate disability culture and disabled voices in their campus communities. To that end, this session will feature disabled students’ voices and lived experiences in the context of creating a disability cultural center (DCC) and/or being a student leader within one. Presenters will emphasize the needs to foster disability culture and access on campus and to center disabled voices, including those from multiply marginalized communities, early and often in the process of disability cultural center development. Panelists will 1) share their experiences, 2) offer concrete next steps to support student activism and leadership, and 3) answer questions.

 

1.10:  Hilton or Residence Hall?  Managing the Increase in Housing Accommodation Requests
Karen Andrews, M.Ed., University of California Irvine
Richard Gubash, M.S., University of California Santa Cruz
Amanda Kraus, Ph.D., University of Arizona
Mary Lee Vance, Ph.D., California State University Sacramento

An accommodation for the rumor that a dorm is haunted? A single room due to anxiety? An emotional support cat and a roommate who is allergic? Campuses with residential housing facilities are encountering an increase in housing accommodation requests. We will moderate a panel discussion with DS leaders from various campuses, exploring trends and discussing possible solutions. Join us to explore this increasingly complex issue and hear some creative solutions.

 

1.11: Above the "Baseline - Building Better Practices for Complex Requests
Kirsten Behling, M.A., Tuffs University
Andrew Cioffi, MEd, Suffolk University

Disability service offices are seeing more students with more involved requests for accommodations today. With the complexity of issues comes the need to think outside of the box in regards to accommodations. This session will explore the development of policy and implementation protocol for non-standard and challenging accommodations. Topics include accommodations for attendance and participation, emotional support animals, meal plan accommodations, social interpreters, and personal care attendants.

 

1.12:  Making the Connection: DSS Professionals and Our Position as Partners and Resources in Making Sexual Assault Response Services Accessible
Josh Crary, M.A., Roxbury Community College
Val Erwin, M.Ed., Bowling Green State University

People with disabilities experience sexual assault and domestic violence at much higher rates than nondisabled people. While current research demonstrates that one in four college women are assaulted, for those who identify with a disability the rate is one in three. Accessibility professionals have a critical stake in partnering with Title IX administrators and campus resources to ensure that all policies, processes, and resources are accessible to survivors with disabilities. This workshop will provide participants with new strategies in partnering with other critical departments involved with Title IX work and developing a lens for trauma-informed work within accessibility services.

 

1.13:  What They Aren't Saying: Faculty (Un)Willingness to Accommodate Students with Hidden Disabilities
Elizabeth McCarron, Ed.D., Bentley University

Faculty resistance to academically accommodate students with hidden disabilities creates barriers to students' pursuit of knowledge and their academic success. When students' disabilities are hidden, faculty may question the need for, efficacy of, and fairness of accommodations. This session explores why faculty may feel differently than disability services staff regarding accommodations for students with hidden disabilities. Participants will learn about the four faculty types, how and why their willingness to accommodate and actions differ, and strategies for addressing the issue.

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Thursday, July 11, 2019
2:00 pm -3:00 pm

2.1:  The State of the Nation: Challenging Accommodation Trends in Our Community

Katherine Hamilton, Sonocent
Amer Latif, B.Sc., Sonocent

Sonocent is offered by more than 1,000 education professionals at over 500 institutions in North America. Using that wealth of experience, we explored what would help disability service and AT professionals improve accommodations. We will present the findings, highlighting the trends faced by Disability Support Services today. Our open forum will cover best practice and recurring barriers in offering accommodations. Together we will analyze the data by type of institution, state, and student demographics and will provide the collated results in a white paper to all attendees.

 

2.2:  Words Matter: Using Language to Guide a Social Justice Approach

Adam Meyer, Ph.D., University of Central Florida

Our written and verbal language paints a picture of disability office operations and expectations while shaping the perceptions others have around disability. Many disability offices emphasize social justice and social model frameworks in their campus disability and accessibility delivery. How can our language best support this focus? This session will explore ways in which we can allow language to further our social justice goals and to frame stakeholder understanding of disability.

 

2.3:  Community College Opens Doors; but What About Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities?

Michelle Mitchell, M.Ed., Lehigh Carbon Community College
Karen Ladley, M.Ed., Lehigh Carbon Community College

We will discuss how a local community college and its neighboring partners collaborated to create belonging in our higher education environment through inclusive education. Our program development has provided access for all types of student abilities, leading to wonderful partnerships and universally designed curriculum. Join us to explore our journey from germination to harvesting SEED (Success, Engagement, Education, Determination) and how you can create something similar at your institution.

 

2.4:  ASD Transition Supports that Work!

Sonia Thakur, M.A., Humber College
Jeff Szmyr, M.Ed., Humber College

This session introduces a range of programming to support students living with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) as they transition into, and proceed through, higher education. The four types of programs showcased are designed to help students better engage academically and socially in their academic pursuits. This session will also offer space for conference participants to exchange their own best practices to support students with ASD at their respective institutions in pursuit of equity and excellence in higher education.

2.5: Online Course Accessibility

Two universities share their innovative programs for advancing accessibility in online learning.

1. Online Course Accessibility with Grassroots Efforts (Accessibility Champions Program)
   Jennifer Knott, Ed.D., Columbus State University
   Ann Newland, Ed.S., Columbus State University
   
   

Columbus State University designed a grassroots program to accomplish the accessibility policy goals of providing training to faculty in online course evaluation to ensure accessibility. The incentivized Online Course Accessibility Champions program requires attendance at two accessible course design workshops, participation in two accessibility work sessions, and remediation of a course to meet CSU online course accessibility guidelines. Champions are charged with returning to their departments and training at least five additional faculty members. CSU champions number 23 and 11 departments benefit from the program.

 

2. Where Accessibility Meets Accommodations in Online Learning
   Mary Ziegler, M.A., MIT
   Kathleen Monagle, Ed.D., MIT

 Accessibility in open online courses results in instruction and curriculum that learners can access independently. Yet experience demonstrates that courses that meet WCAG accessibility guidelines may continue to include scenarios where colleges and universities may still need to provide an individualized accommodation in the online learning environment. MITx Accessibility shares the development of its process, designed in collaboration with MIT Student Disability Services, combining accessibility and individualized accommodations to provide an accessible online learning portfolio.

2.6:  Individualization, The Interactive Process and Fundamental Alteration

Jamie Axelrod, M.S., Northern Arizona University
Paul Grossman, J.D., Hastings Law School

In this session, we will look at three key issues that commonly arise in OCR letters and court cases: individualization, the interactive process, and fundamental alteration determination. It turns out that focusing your office practices on these important concepts will help you make more informed and helpful decisions when working with students and faculty.

 

2.7:  The Journey From Worst to First: Rebuilding DS to Support Students in Health Sciences

Christine Low, M.S.W., Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Some of us choose disability services. Others enter the field without the knowledge base or experience to hit the ground running. The speaker will share her journey, as someone new to the field, in developing a successful graduate health science disability office. Using case examples and highlighting available resources, we will review setting priorities, identifying stakeholders, forming collaborative partnerships, and adopting best practices in determining accommodations.

 

2.8:  Improving Access to STEM Education for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students: Critical Resources for Teachers, Parents, Students and Employers
Donna Lange, M.S., RIT/NTID
Denise Kavin, Ed. D., RIT/NTID

DeafTEC at RIT/NTID, an NSF National Center of Excellence, is broadening participation in STEM careers for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals by providing them, as well as their teachers, counselors, employers, and co-workers, with resources that will help them succeed both in the classroom and on the job. This presentation will provide an update on the many forward-thinking resources of DeafTEC including: a national STEM dual credit program, professional development workshops, best practices for teaching, curricular materials for job readiness and STEM careers, an online course for employers, an ASL STEM Dictionary, and a wealth of other online resources.

 

2.9:  Universally Designing Student Services - What Are We Doing Right? What Can We Do Better? How?
Kirsten Behling, MA, Tufts University
Jennifer Williams, PhD, East Carolina University

UDL is not a new concept, but it may be to those who work in student services. College is about more than the classroom experience, and in our role as disability services providers, we must make sure students' entire college experience is inclusive. This session will share a new student services UDL audit tool and multi-media tips for how to add UDL into the non-academic side of the college experience.

 

2.10:  Trauma and Learning: A Community College's Approach to Serving Students Living with Traumatic Life Experiences
Maricela Becerra, M.A., Berkeley City College
Windy Franklin-Martinez, Ph.D, Taft College

Students living with trauma are not new to our campuses, but the impact of trauma on learning is poorly understood, resulting in a population of students who are under-identified and underserved. The importance of learning more about this population is threefold: 1) the increasing number of college students living with trauma, 2) the effects of trauma on learning, and 3) the strategies helpful in addressing student need.

 

2.11:  Note-sharing Versus Lecture Capture: Reconceptualizing Notes-based Accommodations
Margaret Camp, MEd, Clemson University

Note-taking, or 'copy of class notes', is a commonly-requested accommodation, but there is surprisingly little oversight once the accommodation is put in place. In fact, many of us have not really examined the nature of the barrier that predicates this accommodation and whether or not the accommodation really addresses that barrier. Modern technologies and universal design provide some fresh options that can replace traditional methods and empower students to be independent. In this session we will grapple with many questions surrounding the accommodation and brainstorm options that work for today's classrooms.

 

2.12:  Building Accommodations in the Creative Classroom
Lindsay Green, B.A., Marymount Manhattan College
Katey Earle, M.A., Stevenson University

We will discuss ways in which accommodations can be made in courses that are creative based. Painting, Acting, and Ceramics may be classes in which basic accommodations do not fit; however, a student may need an accommodation to have access in the classroom. We will workshop these hurdles and come up with creative ways to make the classroom accessible for all.

2.13:  Reasonable Student-Staff Ratios: It's More Than Just a Number

Sally Scott, Ph.D., AHEAD

The 2016 and 2018 AHEAD Benchmark Surveys included questions about individual work with students and student-staff ratios in DS offices. Come discuss findings related to how we structure student appointments, average work loads, and perceptions of effectiveness. We will discuss the implications of these findings for your office and share strategies for using this data on your own campus.

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Thursday, July 11, 2019
3:30 pm -5:00 pm

A1:  OCR Year in Review

Mary Lou Mobley, J.D., Office of Civil Rights U.S. Department of Education
Stephanie Leiter, J.D., Office of Civil Rights, Department of Education
Paul Easton, J.D., Office of Civil Rights, Department of Education

The Office of Civil Rights assists individual with disabilities who face discrimination and guides institutions in developing solutions to civil rights problems by investigating complaints, initiating compliance reviews, and providing technical assistance. This session reviews recent, illustrative OCR decisions.

 

A2:  Everyday Ableism - Exploring Disability Bias and Microaggressions
Amanda Kraus, Ph.D., University of Arizona

When we understand disability in a context of social justice and ableism, a cultural experience shaped by dynamics of power and privilege, we can begin to unpack the many ways disabled people are targets of bias and microaggressions. Emerging research on bias challenges us to appreciate bias as unintentional or even well-intended, behaviors and attitudes. As disability services professionals, it is important to have awareness of disability bias and the many ways bias manifests in higher education.  This workshop will include discussion of research on bias and microagressions and relate it to practice.

 

A3: Universal Design For Learning: Accessible To ALL
Patty Eaton, Ed.S, Rose-Hulman Institute of Tech
Janie Szabo, M.S., Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

This concurrent session will allow participants to explore accessible design and pedagogical practices with an instructional designer and accessibility director. Participants will be encouraged to engage in activities, self-reflection, and discussions regarding the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework and resources for implementation in various higher education learning environments. This session will be interactive and will require mobile, tablet or other computing device per participant.

 

A4: The Dance of Coaching: How to Support Parents Who Want to Cut In?
Christina Fabrey, M.Ed., Prescott College
Jodi Sleeper-Triplett, MCC, JST Coaching and Training

Parents send their students to college with expectations of success and concerns of failure.  Now that their student is an adult, who will hear their concerns and share their progress? In this workshop, participants will learn to employ coaching strategies to improve parent communication while preserving the provider/student relationship. In this interactive session, participants will share case examples and participate in coaching practice.

A5: Online Access & Accommodations: We've Been There, Done That

Kelly Hermann, M.S.Ed., University of Phoenix
Linda Sullivan, M.A., Harvard University
Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D., University of Washington, DO-IT
Ana Quiroz

Are you stumped by online courses and digital access?  Do you wish that you could hear from other DS providers about what they have done to tackle this challenge?  Your wish is granted.  Come join members of the Online Learning SIG to hear some tried and true tales from the field from DS providers just like you.

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Friday, July 12, 2019
11:00 am -12:30 pm

3.1:  Comprehensive Accessibility Training Means Everyone, Including Students

Carolyn Speer, Ph.D., Wichita State University

The agreement Wichita State has with the National Federation of the Blind defines instructors broadly to include anyone providing course content to students. This means the entire campus community, including students, needs to be trained in accessible presentation. This, along with other training requirements listed in the agreement, has presented a monumental training challenge for the university. The manager of the office involved in creating, delivering, and promoting this training state-wide will be on-hand to discuss how this was done and its effectiveness.

 

3.2:  Embracing Your Diversity and Identities to Navigate Your Role As a Leader and Change Agent

Katy Washington, J.D., Ph.D., University of North Texas
Enjie Hall, M.R.C., University of Toledo
Zebadiah Hall, M.B.A., Cornell University
Tay McEdwards M.S.Ed., Oregon State University
Melanie Thornton, M.A., CPACC, University of Arkansas

As a disability services professional, have you felt you are having the same conversations with campus stakeholders over and over again to no avail? Or worse, do you find that you do not even have a seat at the table to raise disability-related issues in the campus dialogue? Last year, panelists started a vulnerable and honest conversation about how their diverse identities and life experiences shaped them into the leaders they are today.  In the second installment, the panelist will share how each are leveraging their intersectionality to gain influence on campus while recognizing and addressing instances of microagressions, ableism, and privilege.

 

3.3:  What to Do: Part Time Students Spending Full Time on Commuter Campus

Jennifer Osinski, M.Ed., Bucks County Community College
Michelle Mitchell, M.Ed., Lehigh Carbon Community College

Commuter community colleges are seeing an increase in the number of students who take one or two courses per semester but spend 30+ hours a week on campus. Cognitive overload, mandated developmental classes, and institutional restrictions for students on academic alert contribute to making commuter campuses a place to “hang out.” We will explore the issue and strategize solutions through case studies and collaborative brainstorming.

3.4:  Neurodiversity and the College Campus

Jane Thierfeld Brown, Ed.D., College Autism Spectrum & Yale Child Study
Lorre Wolf, Ph.D., Boston University

Neurodiversity is sometimes used as a term to refer to Autism. However, neurodiversity can be recognized in many forms on college campuses. ADD/ADHD, Autism, Psychiatric Disabilities, and many other brain related impairments can affect students in multiple and complicated ways. A focus on simple cognitive strategies designed for DS practitioners will help attendees learn to foster development of self-regulatory skills to support students’ success. Reactions and responses to other students will also be discussed.

 

3.5:  Research Panel

Join three researchers in an exploration of their research and implications for service.

1. Navigating Open, Distance Learning with a Visually Impairment: Challenges and Support Recommendations
   Lerato Tladi, Ph.D., University of South Africa

This paper reports on the experiences of visually impaired students enrolled for formal studies at an open, distance learning institution in South Africa during Semester II of 2016. A total of 98 students, 14 blind and 84 partially sighted/low vision, were surveyed telephonically regarding their experiences throughout the student walk, from application to examinations. The results indicated various challenges experienced by visually impaired students, some of which were exacerbated by the lack of institutional support. Suggestions for improvement are provided from the respondents' and the researcher's perspective.

 

2. The Utilization of Assistive Technology of Racial and Ethnic Minority Students Enrolled in MSIs.
   Julie Ancis, Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology
   Irina Nikivincze, Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology

All students tend to underutilize textbooks and some rely solely on lectures, notes, and presentations. The underutilization of accessible instructional material is particularly a problem for racial and ethnic minority students with print-related disabilities. The audience will learn the way in which factors such as self-efficacy and academic support influence Assistive Technology and textbook use. We will also explore how disability resources practitioners can influence utilization and  help students succeed in college.

3. Adapted Notes for Extreme Accessibility
   Kathleen Becht, Ph.D., University of Central Florida 

Students who struggle with college level text may never even crack their textbooks. Identifying supports for students with significant reading disabilities, at the college level, is an ongoing endeavor. The presenter will discuss the results of a study exploring students' content learning given two note framework styles derived from the course text: two-column text-aligned and two-column text-leveled note framework. Implications for student supports, student engagement, and student success will be discussed.

 

3.6: ADA and Legal Education: Where Disability Law Meets Law School

Kathryn Pelham, J.D., Stetson College of Law

Unique challenges arise when the ADA is implemented in the law school setting. In this interactive workshop, we will discuss current issues facing law schools, brainstorm the best practices to develop solutions for accommodating students with disabilities and address compliance issues.

 

3.7:  A New Approach to Clinical Accommodations: Dissecting Decisions

Jan Serrantino, Ed.D., Coalition for Disability Access in Health Science and Medical Education
Lisa Meeks, Ph.D., University of Michigan, School of Medicine

Using the flow chart from The Guide to Assisting Students with Disabilities: Equal Access in Health Science and Professional Education, participants will work in small groups to answer critical questions about the reasonableness of an accommodation, whether or not an accommodation constitutes a fundamental alteration of the program, and whether a student with a specific disability or presentation of symptoms would fail to meet the technical standards of a program.

3.8:  Scotia Goes to College and Other Stories About How to Stay Out of the Legal Dog House on Campus

Marilyn Bartlett, J.D., Ph.D.

The speaker will discuss recent case law, the ADA-AA and Sec. 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and service animals, emotional support animals and therapy animals on campus. Upon completion of the legal discussion, participants will be given a series of scenarios to resolve using their knowledge. This will be followed by a Q&A.

 

3.9 :  Worth A Thousand Words (But Please Use Less!) Audio Description and Non-Visual Access
Jane Ehrenfeld, EyeDescribe
Jim Kessler, AHEAD

Students with visual impairments enroll in courses that have visual aspects to their curricula. Universities have public performances and galleries.  Audio description is a viable service to provide access to and effective communication of course content. Word mapping, a related tool for non-visual access, allows a student to independently navigate and more fully participate in the co-curriculum.  This interactive session will look at the history of audio description and will discuss the who, what, where, when and why is it used.

 

3.10: Improving Math Success: Learning Strategies, Apps, Memory Aids, 3-D Accommodation and Substitutions
Paul Nolting, Ph.D., Hillsborough Community College
Aimee Stubbs, Ed.S., St. Petersburg College

Students indicate that math is their most difficult course. Participants will learn math study skills, apps, test anxiety reduction, mindfulness, processing deficits, classroom/3-D accommodations, testing accommodations, bypassing prerequisites and substitution strategies to support students. In addition, they will learn strategies for working with intellectually challenged students, how to design math success plans based on case studies, and how to conduct workshops. The presentation will include demonstrations, group discussion, and questions and answers.

 

3.11:  Program Review of the DS Office: Beyond Basic Numbers
Jean Ashmore, M.S., Rice University Emeritus
Ann Knettler, M.A., Delaware State University

This session will do a deep dive into what can be an uncertain process: planning for and executing a comprehensive review of the DS office.  Evaluating any service starts with an understanding of professional standards, establishing program and student outcomes, and well articulated purposes for the review. Build confidence through session information and colleague sharing to plan your own strategy to perform a useful program review.

3.12:  Perspectives on Disability Services from Students with Psychosocial Disabilities
Kim Elmore, M.A., NCCSD

Panelists from across the U.S. will share their experiences as college students with psychosocial disabilities. Topics of discussion include transitioning to college, using accommodations, interacting with disability resource professionals, building community, facing challenges, and creating successes. Students will discuss ways disability resource professionals can better outreach to students with psychosocial disabilities, enhance services, and help create a more welcoming campus.

3.13:  The Triple A (AAA) of OER: Accessibility, Availability, and Affordability

Kelsey Hall, M.S., AT for Education
Lance Eaton, M.A., Brandeis University
Kevin Corcoran, M.B.A., Connecticut State Colleges & Universities
Jeremy Anderson, The American Women's College (Bay Path University)

This panel draws together individuals with backgrounds in accessibility, instructional design, and educational technology to provide insights on how to advance all forms of accessibility for OER. To answer this challenge, panelists will discuss the "why, "how," and "what" of accessible OER. They will begin by exploring the reasons to strive for accessibility, as well as the common challenges and limitations individuals and institutions might encounter in this work. Finally, the panel will share examples of strategies they use across institutions to advance agendas for accessibility, particularly as they relate to OER.

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Friday, July 12, 2019
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

4.1:  Digital Accessibility at Four Colleges in Western Massachusetts: Proven Strategies

Rob Eveleigh, A.L.M., Amherst, Hampshire, Mt Holyoke, and Smith Colleges

Four small liberal arts colleges in Western Massachusetts are working together to better address the growing challenges associated with campus-wide digital accessibility. This presentation will look at successes, challenges, and lessons learned in the parallel and collaborative development and implementation of four digital accessibility programs at Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges.

 

4.2:  Disability Justice and Ableism in Higher Education
Arlene Kanter, J.D., LL.M., Syracuse University

It is now more than 25 years since the adoption of the Americans with Disabilities Act and more than 45 years since the enactment of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Both of these laws prohibit discrimination against students, faculty and staff with disabilities, including by colleges and universities. Yet even after all these many years, disability remains virtually invisible from diversity conversations, curriculum, and scholarship in higher education in the United States. We will discuss the reasons for this absence of disability in diversity initiatives within higher education in the U.S. and in other countries, followed by a discussion of what we can and must do about it.

 

4.3:  When Two Rights Make a Wrong: Understanding the Complexity Disability Laws Place on Dual Enrollment Program

Mindy Diaz, A.T.C., Joliet Junior College

The discrepancy between the IDEA and ADA can be problematic and may influence the experience for students with disabilities in dual enrollment programs. Understanding the changes in protections as students transition from high school to college is essential to create a successful pathway. Transition goals can support dual enrollment to set students up for success.

 

4.4:  College Students with Autism

Jane Thierfeld Brown, Ed.D., College Autism Spectrum & Yale Child Study
Michelle Rigler, Ed.D., University of Tennessee Chattanooga
Lorre Wolf, Ph.D., Boston University
Margaret Camp, M.Ed., Clemson University

We recognize that the most authentic information comes first-hand from students themselves, but in the absence of student panelists, practitioners Jane Thierfeld Brown, Michelle Rigler, Lorre Wolf, and Margaret Camp will share insights from multiple campuses regarding the college experience for students on the autism spectrum. Bring questions and discussions related to the transition from high school to college, developing work readiness skills, creating inclusive experiences and spaces for neurodiverse students, working with parents, facilitating social skills, the development and functions of comprehensive ASD programs, and other topic areas.

 

4.5:  Veteran Research Panel

Explore best practices in serving veterans with disabilities

1. Research on Accommodating Student Veterans with Disabilities at a Research Extensive Institution
   Jamie Bojarski, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University

This session will cover the stories of 14 student veterans with disabilities as they made their transition to a research extensive institution. I will share the disability barriers the students experienced across campus and the impact of those barriers. Lastly, we will discuss best practices for accommodations and other campus partners.

2. Teaching Student Veterans with Hearing Loss
   Donna Lange, M.S., RIT/NTID
   Hira Paulin, M.S., RIT/NTID
   Michael Sauter, M.S., Saddleback College
   Terence Nelson, M.S., Saddleback College

Military veterans bring experiences that can be incredible assets to a classroom, along with others that can be barriers to success. Hearing loss, a commonly overlooked disability in the veteran population, is often one of the barriers and can have a significant impact on learning. We will share results from student veteran focus groups and surveys that provide insight to the unique educational needs of veteran students. You will learn the student veteran's Top Ten List of ways to make classes more welcoming, simple Universal Design practices that benefit student veterans, and connections between Veteran Services and Disability Services that support student veterans and faculty.

 

4.6: At the Intersection of Disability and Conduct

4.7:  Technical Standards: A Foundation for Equitable Access

Barbara Blacklock, M.A.; L.I.S.W., University of Minnesota

This session will focus on the top ten things you need to know to review, revise and utilize technical standards to facilitate access in health science programs. The speaker will highlight why technical standards are important, how they differ from essential course requirements, and how they can be used to facilitate access in health science programs.

 

4.8:  Title IX- Accommodating Pregnant & Parenting Students

Ida Dilwood, M.P.A., University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
Amanda Allee, Ph.D., University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

Presenters will share their collaborative approach to supporting pregnant and parenting students with accommodation under Title IX through a centralized approach, similar to supporting requests for disability accommodations.

 

4.9:  Back to the Basics: Assistive Listening Devices for Disability Service Providers
Tia Ivanko, M.A., National Deaf Center
Dave Litman, M.A., National Deaf Center

This session is an opportunity to go ”back to the basics” to obtain information, tools, and resources to support the range of deaf students using assistive listening devices (ALDs). Participants will be provided with an overview of assistive listening technologies including a framework for differentiating between institutional responsibility and personal responsibility, standard practices for purchasing, and tips on maintaining systems.

 

4.10:  Increasing Diversity: Including Students with Intellectual Disability in Higher Education

Cate Weir, M.Ed., UMass Boston
Clare Papay, Ph.D., UMass Boston

As a result of changes to the Higher Education Act in 2008, there is a clearer path to and through college for students with intellectual disabilities than ever before. In this session, presenters will share information on the current landscape in higher education for these students. Strategies for establishing and/or improving college access for students with intellectual disability will be shared, with a focus on the most effective engagement of disability services offices and approaches to successful collaboration. There will also be a discussion of emerging issues in this area, such as accreditation of programs.

4.11:  Accessible Wayfinding on Campus: Exploring an Inter-Professional Collaboration Experience with Student Developers
Kelsey Hall, M.S., AT for Education
AnnMarie Duchon, M.Ed, Umass Amherst

The ever-changing landscape on college campuses can impact an individual's navigation. An inter-professional collaboration came to fruition at UMass Amherst with the charge of developing an accessible, open-source wayfinding application for efficiently, effectively, and safely navigating campus. Join us to find out more about this project's past, present, and future.

 

4.12:  Supporting D1 Student-Athletes with Disabilities at a Research 1 Institution
Michael Brown, M.S.W., Virginia Tech
Mary Anne Steinberg, Ph.D., Virginia Tech

When people think of college athletics, they envision stadiums packed with fans watching the best compete. What happens after the game? How do these athletes thrive on the court and in the classroom? This session reveals how one university's Disability Services and Student-Athlete Academic Support Services collaborate to ensure positive achievement for student-athletes with disabilities on and off the field.

4.13:  Writing for the AHEAD Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability (JPED)
Roger Wessel, Ph.D., Ball State University

Researchers and practitioners in the disability, technological, career, and higher education fields, among others, regularly submit manuscripts to AHEAD's Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability (JPED). This session is designed for those who are considering writing articles. It will include a review of current topics, a description of what the JPED Editorial Board looks for in successful articles, and a walk-through of the manuscript submission process.

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Friday, July 12, 2019
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

B1:  Legal Year in Review

Paul Grossman, J.D., Hastings College of Law
Jo Anne Simon, J.D., New York State Assembly

The legal year is shaping up as a mixed bag with some new opportunities, some very dangerous curves, and some long over-due policy  clarifications. Will the dog finally bark? AHEAD's legal experts will analyze ten court cases and OCR letters from the past year of great significance AHEAD members. Prepare to enlighten your dean and house counsel as well as develop some new policies concerning self-injurious students. As usual, this session is supposed to include thirty minutes dedicated to participant questions and answers. Maybe, this year, it will happen.  If not, the presenters promise to stay late and speak with anyone who has an individual question. Hypotheticals only, please.

 

B2:  Know Your WHY to Excel at Your WHAT
Adam Meyer, Ph.D., University of Central Florida
Lance Alexis, Ed.D., Middle Tennessee University
Ann Knettler, M.A., Delaware State University

Long hours, strained resources, and increasing responsibilities make it easy to lose sight of core purposes of a disability office. However, if you do not know WHY you exist and intentionally incorporate your WHY in all you do (language used, documentation processes, accommodation determinations, faculty interactions, etc.), you cannot be effective in establishing, promoting, and accomplishing your office’s purpose. This session will explore strategies for developing your overall purpose and integrating it into your practice.

B3:  Building a Campus-wide Universal Design Framework from the Ground Up
Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D., University of Washington

UD has emerged as a paradigm to address diversity and equity in the design of a broad range of applications, including educational software, instruction, and student services. Engage with the speaker and other participants about how applying a UD framework to all aspects of campus life can influence the expectation that technology procured, developed and used on campus will be accessible too. Develop a UD framework tailored to your campus that provides a guide for making teaching and learning, student services, IT, and physical spaces inclusive of everyone.

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Saturday, July 13
9:00 am - 10:00 am

5.1: Campus-Wide Accessibility Testing: Creating & Testing with a Fluent Assistive Technology User Pool

Kyle Shachmut, CAGS, Harvard University
Amy Deschenes, M.S., Harvard University

Ensuring digital accessibility depends on following WCAG standards and including people with disabilities in usability testing. This session will discuss how we built a pool of fluent assistive technology users and have recruited them to participate in user testing. This testing helped build stakeholder understanding of accessibility and improved overall accessibility of campus technology products.

 

5.2:  Collaboration Across Campus

Melissa Zgliczynski, M.Ed., SUNY Empire State College

This presentation will explore strategies and best practices for Disability Services professionals working with faculty, staff, and offices across their institution. Barriers to collaboration will be addressed and effective communication practices will be discussed. The presenter will also share ideas for professional development opportunities Disability Services can provide to increase the understanding of issues related to students with disabilities among faculty and staff at their institution.

 

5.3:  Transferring Community College Credits and Accommodations to Four-Year Institutions

Jennifer Osinski, M.Ed., Bucks County Community College
Deborah Bergen, M.Ed., Bucks County Community College

An important part of the transfer process for students with disabilities is understanding how to transfer accommodations to a new school. Most community colleges have transfer services to assist students, but they don’t usually address transferring accommodations. We will discuss the general transfer process, how to transfer accommodations, and how the transfer center and disability resource office can collaborate to support students.

5.4:  Point/Counterpoint: Aides in the Classroom

Jane Thierfeld Brown, Ed.D., College Autism Spectrum & Yale Child Study
Paul Grossman, J.D., Hastings College of Law

An increasing number of students request permission to bring personal aides and attendants into college classrooms to assist them with behavior and focus, understanding, and communication. This is especially true with students on the autism spectrum, students with developmental disabilities, and some students with TBIs. Colleges are not required to provide these aides, but are they required to permit their accompanying presence in the classroom? May colleges require that students to have these skills without the benefit of an aide or attendant? In other words, are the students who need this form of support “otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities?" If institutions say “no” to aides and attendants for these purposes, are they  denying equal access? If colleges are required by law to say “yes,” what restrictions or limitations may they place on the role of the aide and attendant?  We will look at the legal, ethical, and social issues surrounding this growing request.

5.5:  Using Data to Gain Support for Your Growing Needs

Michelle Shaw, M.A., Florida Atlantic University
Tom L. Thompson, M.A., TMLS Consulting

DRS professionals are seeing their student populations and roles on campus grow but have not seen an increase in funding, staff or space. They often face difficulties educating their supervisors and colleagues about the scope, importance and value of their work. In this session, you'll learn how to use data to "tell your story" and increase resources.

 

5.6:  Plan, Don't Panic: Campus Crisis and Disaster Planning for Disability Service Providers

Spencer Scruggs, M.S., Florida State University
Chris Stone, Ed.D., University of North Carolina Wilimington

From universities and colleges affected by the California wildfires to hurricanes that ravaged higher education institutions along the east and gulf coasts of the United States, campus disaster preparation has never been more relevant. Disability Services Offices must be prepared to take a leadership role in determining and enacting strategies to ensure the safety and security of students with disabilities during these events. The panel  will share inclusive policies and experiences of leadership in natural disaster preparation for campuses.

 

5.7:  Building Bridges: Best Practices for Working with Administrators and Faculty

Grace Clifford, M.A.Ed., Case Western Reserve University

 

5.8:  Advancing Inclusive Teaching: A Framework for Collaboration Between Faculty and Disability Services Providers
Emily Tarconinsh, M.S., University of Connecticut
Allison Lombardi, PhD, University of Connecticut
Joan McGuire, PhD, University of Connecticut

Incorporating the tenets of Universal Design for Instruction (UDI), a template is presented for disability services professionals to adapt on their campuses to promote collaborative work with faculty committed to inclusive pedagogy. Participants will learn about and practice these selected strategies: (a) syllabus design, (b) course mapping, (c) self-assessment, and (d) instructional scenarios.

 

5.9:  Ghosted in the Classroom : A Proactive DS Approach to Accommodation Management
Cheryl Jobe, B.Sc., University of Missouri
Becca Terry, B.A., University of Missouri

As disability service providers, we face requests for flexibility with attendance and deadlines. Our goal is that we are appropriately accommodating students while being mindful of the course requirements and expectations. Criteria to evaluate each student’s request is essential. This interactive session will explain a process that moves the conversation from reactive to proactive and describes how we developed a standard that can be used with all students. We will use case studies to explore options and best practices, highlighting key points of consistency and communication and ways to prepare for these requests in DS offices.

 

5.10:  Supporting Students with Physical Disabilities in their Transition to Employment
Larry Markle, M.A., Eskenazi Health
Claire DiYenno, M.A., Le Moyne College
Roger Wessel, Ph.D, Ball State University
Thalia Mulvihill, Ph.D., Ball State University

Despite higher education becoming more accessible for students with disabilities, these students are often still unable to accomplish one of the most basic goals for earning a college degree: successfully obtaining gainful employment after graduation. This program will provide an overview of a qualitative study which examined the experiences of students in an internship program designed specifically for students with physical disabilities. We will discuss the benefits of collaboration between disability services and career services in supporting a successful transition to employment for students with physical disabilities.

 

5.11:  Invisible Identities: A Panel Featuring Trans* Students with Disabilities
Teryn J. Robinson, M.Ed., Consultant
Tay McEdwards, M.S.Ed., Oregon State University

As politicians seek to define identities of trans* people, people already vulnerable to significant psychological distress, expect to see more trans* students with disabilities. Join us for a panel with local disability services professionals, trans* and disabled college students, and LGBTQ+ advocates to discuss campus climate for trans* students with disabilities and build our competencies to better serve these students.

 

5.12:  ACCESS: An Evidence-Based Treatment Program for Improving the Educational and Social-Emotional Functioning of College Students with ADHD

Arthur D. Anastopoulos, Ph.D., UNC Greensboro

This presentation will start with an overview of existing treatments for college students with ADHD, followed by a detailed description of a promising new treatment program known as ACCESS: Accessing Campus Connections and Empowering Student Success. Findings from a large multi-site randomized controlled trial demonstrating the efficacy of ACCESS will be presented. Educational, clinical, and research implications will be discussed.

5.13:  Program Review and Evaluation Practices of Disability Resource Offices

Jean Ashmore, M.S., Rice University Emeritus
Ann Knettler, M.A., Delaware State University
Sally Scott, Ph.D., AHEAD
Katy Washington, J.D., Ph.D., University of North Texas

In the Spring of 2019 AHEAD members were surveyed about practices in the evaluation and review of disability service programs. The researchers who developed the survey will report out on findings with implications for members and our association. Come discuss these findings, share campus practices, and learn new strategies for evaluation and review on your own campus.

5.14:  The Accessibility Scavenger Hunt
Chris Lanterman, Ed.D., Northern Arizona University
Lauren Copeland-Glenn, B.A., Northern Arizona University

Can accessibility be improved on your campus? Would you like to engage facilities professionals in productive conversations about campus accessibility? Are you looking for an alternative to disability simulations for your student groups and faculty? The Accessibility Scavenger Hunt (ASH) offers you a template for designing an experience at your campus to address these questions. As part of the ASH, you and a group, including individuals with disabilities, will explore spaces and features in and around the conference site for the degree to which they enable or constrain individuals with disabilities. Following the exploration, you will participate in a conversation to process the experience with your colleagues. An integral element of the ASH is the participation of individuals with disabilities in these explorations. Thus offering personal perspectives from lived experiences…not the presumed experiences that often result from simulations. Bring your phone so that you can tweet images and comments to discuss after the exploration!

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Saturday, July 13, 2019
11:30 am -12:30 am

6:1  Navigating Captioning and YouTube Media

Lauren Kinast, M.A., National Deaf Center
Stephanie Zito, M.A., National Deaf Center

YouTube is a common instructional resource, but more often than not it is not accessible for deaf students. Institutions are experiencing similar challenges in ensuring compliance with both accessibility and copyright laws. This session will address the complexities of captioning YouTube and offer viable solutions.

 

6.2:  The Care and Feeding of a Disability Coordinator: Supervision in the Real World

Kathy Loder-Murphy, M.A., Rutgers University
Mary Liz McNamara, M.Ed, New York University

Disability coordinators in higher education settings are often simply stressed out: juggling large caseloads, frequently making difficult decisions, and always balancing competing interests in a changing and challenging landscape of regulations, expectations, and budgets. Learn how to help the coordinators in your office thrive with the creative and engaging supervision methods acquired from years of experience by two current supervisors in disability services offices.

 

CANCELLED - 6.3:  Providing Access on the Inside

Karen Alexander, M.A., Chemeketa Community College
Jonathan Tucker, Ed.D., National Louis University
Jordan Bermingham, M.S., Portland State University

Incarcerated individuals may have the opportunity to enroll in education classes while on the inside, but do they have access? This session will provide an overview of the programs and needs of students living inside the prison systems, identify and support social justice, and offer examples of how to advocate for a marginalized and often forgotten population.

 

6.4:  Is That My Job?  Academic Advisors' Commitment to Accessibility and Success
S. Renée Jones, Ph.D., Middle Tennessee State University

Institutions have an obligation to their students beyond access to education.  There must be a deliberate plan to ensure their success and retention.  Ensuring that accessibility leads to success for all students should be the goal of higher education institutions. Academic advisors can help to mitigate some of the challenges experienced by students with disabilities and move them toward success.

 

6.5:  Research Panel

Join researchers in an exploration of their research and implications for service.

 

6.6:  Putting All the Puzzle Pieces Together to Provide Access

Enjie Hall, M.R.C., University of Toledo
Kera Manley, M.A., Otterbein University
L. Scott Lissner, The Ohio State University

Participants will learn to critically think through accommodations requests to determine reasonableness. We will discuss the art of asking follow-up questions and making observations to gather information directly from students, resulting in a need to request third-party documentation only if necessary.

 

6.7: A Rose by Any Other Name: Centering Disability (Studies) to Cultivate Student Success
Tammy Berberi, Ph.D., University of Minnesota Morris

The Higher Learning Commission’s recent report, “Defining Student Success Data: Recommendations for Changing the Conversation,” echoes a call for change: the time has come to stop wishing for more college-ready students and to become a student-ready college (December 2018). This shift from individual to environmental deficit makes way for universal design as an institutional ethos. In effect, how can insights from disability studies and universal design shape a renewed approach to holistic services? And its complement, what individualized and interpersonal approaches can support student persistence and an expanded notion of success?

6.8:  Disability Rights are Civil Rights: Infusing Disability Justice Into Average DS Offices
Jen Dugger, M.A., Portland State University
Randall Ward, M.A., Purdue University

While disability cultural centers  are popping up across the country, many DS professionals struggle with having the resources to consider such an option. This session will explore promising practices and initiatives, using resources you already have to reframe the DS office as a unit for social justice on campus.

 

6.9:  All Aboard the Hot Mess Express: A Group Model for Executive Functioning Impairments
Grace Clifford, M.A.Ed., Case Western Reserve University
Jennifer DeSantis, M.A.Ed., Case Western Reserve University

Campuses are supporting increasing numbers of students with executive functioning (ef) impairments at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional student level. Representatives from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) Academic and Disability Resources offices will discuss the benefits of a group model for supporting this student population. They will also discuss the considerations for creating an EF group including: key components, structure, curriculum, and assessment.

 

6.10:  Moving the Conversation Forward: Accommodating Graduate and Professional School Students
Joanna Boval, M.A., UC San Diego
Timothy Montgomery, M.A., University of California San Francisco

Drawing on the positive feedback from a similar presentation given at the AHEAD conference last year, the co-chairs of the Graduate and Professional School Special Interest Group (GPS SIG) will continue the conversation around the unique challenges faced by post-bac students with disabilities. These challenges include stigma, performance anxiety, high stakes exams, small group cohorts, and labs. Using case studies, the audience will be invited to participate in facilitated discussion to determine promising practices.

 

CANCELLED - 6.11:  The Intersection of Student Veterans & Disability
Dan Standage, M.A., Student Veterans of America

During the last decade, more than one million veterans of the U.S. military have attended college, and research reports nearly 40% of them screen positive for PTSD. Many have other disabilities, yet a recent study indicates that most faculty and staff feel inadequately prepared to recongize when a student veteran exhibits signs of psychological distress. This session will address common myths and misconceptions about military-connected students, provide cultural context, and answer questions from attendees. Best practices for serving student veterans with disabilities will be discussed by the AHEAD-Veterans SIG.

 

6.12:  Scrutinizing Disability Documentation Across the Lifespan
Nora Pollard, Ph.D., Educational Testing Service
Loring Brinckerhoff, Ph.D., Educational Testing Service
Morgan Blisard, M.S.Ed., Educational Testing Service

As individuals with disabilities move through their educational and professional careers, they may repeatedly need to provide disability documentation to verify their current functional limitations and need for accommodations in college and/or in the world of work. Different institutions and agencies may have very different criteria for disability documentation. During this presentation, ETS representatives will discuss documentation requirements, legal considerations under the ADA AA, and describe ETS's changing expectations regarding disability documentation. Using case studies, they will review instances in which the disability documentation may be acceptable in one setting but not in the subsequent setting.

6.13: Excellence with Equity: EIT Strategies & Best Practices

Gavin Steiger, M.Ed., University of Houston -- Clear Lake
Courtney Jarrett, Ed.D., Ball State University

Accessibility is everyone's job, right? That's the mission we strive for on each of our campuses. It's true for accessible technology too. How we approach EIT is often determined by institutional make-up, student population, resources, etc. The presenters, DS professionals at three institutions of varying sizes and missions, will provide session attendees with an overview of how they do EIT work at their schools. Presenters will share best practices for effective, excellent, and equitable EIT work in higher education.

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Saturday, July 13, 2019
2:00 pm -3:00 pm

7.1:  Effective Use of Database and Workflows in Providing Document Conversion Accommodations

Annissa Corsi, M.Ed., University of Arizona
Clay Herr-Cardillo, M.A., University of Arizona

Our office processes almost 700 requests for books and other online reading materials every semester. The combination of an online database, relationships with other campus departments, and a team of student workers allows us to provide accessible reading materials to students in a timely manner. This presentation will layout the details behind our request process - the workflows and timeline used in requesting reading materials, resources we use both on and off campus, and how we utilize student workers and our online database. It will also highlight tips and best practices from what we learned.

 

7.2:  Inclusive Leadership

Donna Korbel, University of Connecticut

As disability service providers, we are regarded as champions for access and inclusion for all individuals with disabilities on our campuses. This creates a unique platform for us to create a truly inclusive environment; however, it cannot happen without deliberate efforts.  This session will explore the qualities that effective, inclusive leaders practice to ensure that all members of the campus community feel welcomed and included.

 

7.3:  Working With What You’ve Got: Doing More with Less

Nicole Monsibais, J.D., Our Lady of the Lake University
Brandy Lerman, M.Ed., Houston Community College

Presenters will share experiences, strategies, and scenarios to assist in fostering and maintaining an effective support system while leveraging existing resources. Participants will identify areas of constraints within their own offices and gain insights to develop creative service methods. Highlights include: strategic scheduling, intentional collaboration, learning to craft a ‘smaller ask’ to increase administrative approval of requests, and using additional staff, policies, and/or procedures that optimize limited support and increase efficiency in service.

 

7.4:  “Blind People Can’t Be Data Scientists”: Tales from the Trenches of Faculty Training
Christine Scherer, M.A., Northwestern University

Faculty are critical allies in our mission to create accessible campuses and courses. However, most faculty are unfamiliar with accessibility and may react with confusion, hesitation, or even hostility. In this presentation, I will share some stories from my own experiences in faculty training, with a focus on the attitudes towards accessibility that faculty may bring and how to use different training strategies effectively. Audience members will be invited to share experiences with faculty, and as a group, come up with solutions and strategies for effective training that turns faculty into accessibility advocates.

 

7.5:  STEM Research Panel

Join researchers from the University of Central Florida as they explore accessibility in STEM programs.

1. Postsecondary STEM curricula: Preparing for diverse learners
   Erin Scanlon, Ph.D., University of Central Florida
   Jacquelyn Chini, PhD, University of Central Florida

To investigate how the postsecondary STEM community supports variations in learners' skills, interests, and needs, we analyzed research-based physics and chemistry curricular materials through an accessibility lens, operationalized via the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework. Overall, we found little enactment of the UDL principles in the curricular materials. The ways in which the curricular materials currently support diverse learners and suggestions for future curricula will be discussed.

2. More than a diagnosis: perspectives from students with ADHD enrolled in STEM
   Westley James, Ph.D., University of Central Florida
   Erin Scanlon, Ph.D., University of Central Florida
   Jacquelyn Chini, Ph.D., University of Central Florida

To address the lack of support for students in postsecondary STEM courses, we must hear from those most affected. In this talk we will share the perspectives and experiences of five students diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). From these perspectives and experiences, we gain insight into campus climate and culture regarding disability, and specific practices STEM instructors can implement to increase accessibility.

7.6:  Piloting an Electronic Registration Process: No Meeting, No Problem?
Adam Crawford, M.S., The Ohio State University
Caitlyn McCandless, M.A., The Ohio State University

Six weeks into the autumn semester, the presenters were seeing four-week wait times for new student appointments, with no signs of slowing down. Determined to reduce this backlog, the presenters decided to pilot an alternative registration process, which did not require an in-person meeting. This session will share the results from the pilot program.

 

CANCELLED - 7.7:  Transformers: From Accommodations Factory to Accessibility Center and Beyond
Shawna Foose, M.A., Tulane University
Harry Cole, BA, Tulane University

Six years ago, the Tulane University Goldman Center for Student Accessibility embarked on a bold mission: to shift from a medically modeled accommodations factory to a socially modeled steward of inclusion and accessibility for both Tulane and the greater New Orleans community. Join members of the Goldman team to explore this compelling case study and learn more about how to address common challenges, leverage limited resources, and celebrate success on your journey to becoming a more socially modeled DS office. Considering that all DS departments are unique and with varying levels of resources, we will provide key strategies and takeaways that participants can use to design their own blueprint for the future.

 

7.8:  DS' Role in BIT & the FERPA Myths Interfering in Supporting Students in Crisis
Christopher Stone, Ed.D., University of Carolina Wilmington
Maranda Maxey, M.A., Appalachian State University

This session supports colleagues' understanding of disability services role in their campus intervention mechanisms (e.g, Early Intervention, Student Behavior Intervention Team, Critical/Threat Assessment). Presenters will discuss their institutions' models including the roles and group composition. They will dissect The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the legitimate "need to know" rationale for sharing information outside the DS provision area, what FERPA actually says, and common misinterpretations of its expectation of confidentiality.

7.9:  Making Online Course Components Accessible: What Instructors Need to Know
Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph. D., University of Washington

There is no shortage of things we would LIKE instructors to know about the accessible design of their online content. However, faculty members often claim that they do not have the time nor the expertise to make changes. What content can we present and methods can we employ to provide professional development so instructors will take action.

 

7.10:  Critical Decision Making in DRS: Process, Principles & Practices
Tom Thompson, M.A., TMLS Consulting

Disability Resources professionals face similar and unique challenges in deciding the type and scope of accommodations. In this session you will learn about decision-making that is grounded in a solid process and principles (legal parameters). We will review current practice on some campuses.

 

7.11:  ASSESS THIS!: Exploring Lessons Learned from a 12-Month Access Assessment Project
Emily Quinn, M.Ed., University of Tennessee - Chattanooga
Joshua Mason, M.Ed., University of Tennessee - Chattanooga
Tyler Johnson, B.S., University of Tennessee - Chattanooga

Assessment can be a vital, powerful tool for furthering and fulfilling the mission of any organization. This presentation explores a practica "case study" example of the uses, challenges, and benefits of assessment for a Disability Resource Center. Participants will consider strategies to simplify and utilize assessment to develop a plan of action to improve access on their campuses.

 

7.12:  Collaborative Efforts for Student Transition to Post-Secondary Education
Richard Kilgore, Masters, University of North Carolina Wilmington
Scott Crouch, Masters, Vocational Rehabilitation
Aimee Helmus, Masters, Cape Fear Community College
Shannon Mitchell, Masters, New Hanover County Schools

Within the Wilmington, NC community, intentional collaboration has been established to support successful transitions for students with disabilities. With encouraged partnerships through the Workforce Innovations Opportunity Act (WIOA), several stakeholders have teamed together and designed a program to implement action into the transition conversation. Through open discussion, strategically planned activities, goal oriented focus groups, and effective education, students are becoming the experts in their transition.

 

7.13: Assistive Technology to Support Executive Functioning

Rachel Kruzel, University of St. Thomas

Many students with learning and attention-related disabilities experience difficulty starting, maintaining focus on, and finishing tasks. Executive function is an umbrella term for cognitive processes that regulate, control, and manage mental skills, such as planning, working memory, attention, problem solving, verbal reasoning, inhibition, mental flexibility, task switching, and initiation and monitoring of actions. Executive function allows us to complete tasks quickly and efficiently. College students are expected to have executive skills, yet these skills are rarely explicitly taught in the classroom. Using Dr. Thomas Brown's model of executive function, this session will explore the processes and assistive technology tools available to support the areas of activation, focus, effort, emotion, memory, and action. Assistive technology available to assist individuals with executive functioning range from low-tech to high-tech and are useful over multiple devices, platforms, and in multiple circumstances.


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Saturday, July 13, 2019
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm

8.1:  Best Practices for Notetaking Accommodations: Research, Practices, Policies, and Technology

Paul Harwell, Ph.D. Candidate Higher Ed Administration, Harvard University

Note-taking accommodations are among the most common and traditional options utilized in the field. Notetaking technology has become a hot topic in recent years, but there are several ways to support notetaking for students with disabilities. In this session, I will discuss research on notetaking, best practices in notetaking accommodations, and share suggested policies and technologies to consider.

 

8.2:  Finding Your Why:  Staying Inspired, Managing Burnout, and Leading Your Team

Melanie Lee, MS, University of Utah

In any helping role, inspiration can wane and burnout can loom. Identifying the core values that drive your motivation can ground you in the why that gets you to work every day. Rooted in the work of Simon Sinek, explore the personal values that inform the work you do and find and redefine your why. Learn ways to incorporate it with your team and the overlapping values which drive the mission of your DS office.

 

8.3:  Faculty Collaboration in Health Sciences

Brandy Lerman, M.Ed., Houston Community College, Coleman College for Health Sciences
Amy Robertson-Gann, M.S., Northwest Arkansas Community College

Every Disability Services Provider eventually learns the balancing act between meeting faculty members halfway and ensuring that students are appropriately accommodated. However, in health science programs, extra consideration regarding ‘threats to patient care’ can significantly heighten the intensity of that balancing act. We will discuss tools, strategies, and approaches we've used successfully in two-year programs to enhance both understanding and working to be understood.

8.4:  Coaching Strategies for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Amy Rutherford, M.Ed., LPC-MHSP, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Jaime Butler, M.S., University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

 

8.5:  Research Panel

Join three researchers in an exploration of their research and implications for service.

1. 248: The Case for Proactive Advising
   Caitlin Rothwell, M.A., Catholic University of America
   Amanda McCleary, M.S.W., Catholic University of America

Why proactive advising? All disability support offices want to reach students before a moment of crisis. But how can this be done with scarce resources? 248 is a proactive advising model that builds working relationships with students starting on day one. Through this model, students meet with a disability support staff member 2, 4, & 8 weeks after receiving an accommodation letter. Meetings ensure students understand and utilize accommodations and supports, while identifying and improving areas of weakness. Initial results show that completing 248 increases academic skills, GPA, and retention. Learn about how 248 works in the university setting and the benefits of implementation for both students and disability support staff.

2. Faculty Perspectives on Inclusive Courses: Teaching College Students with Intellectual Disability
   
   
   Allison Taylor, Ph.D., Institute for Community Inclusion
   Daria Domin, M.S.W., Institute for Community Inclusion

A priority of postsecondary programs for students with intellectual disability (ID) is to provide access to typical college courses to their students. In this presentation, results will be shared from a study that explored the experiences and perspectives of faculty teaching college courses that were attended by students with ID. Additionally, recommendations will be made for how to orient and support faculty who are teaching students with ID in their classes. 

3. Understanding the Experiences of College Students with Disabilities Persisting at a Four-Year University
   Christa Bialka, Ed.D., Villanova University
   Madison Davis, B.S., Villanova University
   Katelyn Kempf, B.A., Villanova University

This qualitative study examines the experiences of college students who persisting at one four-year university. In addition to understanding their successes and struggles. To gain additional insight into the practices that are used to support college students with disabilities, this study also includes the voices of individuals who the students identify as supporting their success, e.g., advisors, instructors, disability support staff. The theoretical framework used to guide this research melds Tinto's (1975, 1993) theory of university integration and retention with experiences specific to college students with disabilities.

 

8.6:  Proactively Addressing Campus-Wide Physical & Program Accessibility

Gabriel Merrell, M.S., Oregon State University

In this session, we will define the somewhat abstract concept of program access through a lens of campus-wide physical access. We will talk through the opportunities and challenges of the major aspects of your college's physical environment, such as department offices, classrooms, events, and programs, with a focus on how to create systemic opportunities to improve accessibility. Topics will vary and go in-depth depending on audience interest and engagement.

8.7:  Disability Cultural Centers and AHEAD: Interactive Panel with Disability Cultural Center Leaders
Susan Mann Dolce, Ph.D, University at Buffalo
Lesley Ellis, Ph.D. (ABD), University of Washington
Dean Adams, Ph.D., University of Illinois at Chicago
Diane Wiener, Ph.D., Syracuse University
Toni Saia, M.A., University of Arizona

Interactive panel with Disability Cultural Center leaders doing trail blazing work across the country. Learn what is happening right now at a variety of Disability Cultural Centers from individuals doing day-to-day Disability Cultural Center work. Discuss how Disability Cultural Center work fits with the AHEAD mission and administrative structure. Ask questions, tell us what you think, get inspired!

 

8.8: Develop an Accessibility and Assistive Technology Plan Now... Why? How?

Marilyn Harren, M.S., Texas State Technical College
Tiffany Kennell, B.S., Chemeketa Community College

Best practices for developing an Accessibility Plan based on suggestions from the Dudley Decree. Do you have a process and plan in place? This topic will address issues of accessibility, assistive technology, and suggestions to put in practice now for all students using assistive technology and alternate formats. Participants will be able to build an accessibility plan and understand options for what a plan may include.

 

8.9:  Program Standards for Disability Services: Practical Recommendations for Standards Implementation
Manju Banerjee, Ph.D., Landmark College
Loring Brinckerhoff, Ph.D., Educational Testing Services
Adam Lalor, Ph.D., Landmark College

The 2004 AHEAD program standards establish excellent guidance for daily operations of disability services (DS) offices. But adherence to standards while balancing day-to-day tasks, shifting priorities, and lawsuit anxieties can be overwhelming. Two 30+ year veteran DS professionals and one DS researcher will share operational tactics and recommendations for successful implementation of standards to manage your DS scope of work.

 

8.10:  How to Read YOUR State Law Regarding Animals on Campus

Jane Jarrow, Ph.D., Disability Access Info Support

You understand the differences between 504, ADA, and the FHA when it comes to the place of animals on campus. But, each state is different, and state laws often go beyond federal requirements, making it hard to know what can (and should!) be put into your policies. This presentation will highlight the issues that arise in a careful reading of state law and arm participants with the understanding needed to sort out conflicting terminology and admonitions.

8.11:  A Neighborhood Model of Accessibility: Re-Envisioning the Work of Accessibility Services
Sarah Kloke, M.S.W., University of Toronto
Michael Nicholson, M.S.W., University of Toronto

Higher education is seeing an increase in students registering with accessibility offices. The University of Toronto experienced a 56% growth in students registering for accommodations, including a 76% increase in students living with mental health issues. How do disability offices respond to these increases while collaborating with faculty to provide effective accommodations that reflect specific course requirements? This presentation outlines one innovative model in addressing these issues within Canada's largest university and provides a space for thinking about effective adaptations at your institution. By exploring a neighborhood model of accessibility at the University of Toronto, attendees will hear from the perspective of staff, students, and academic offices how this model deepened our understanding of an effective academic accommodations process.

 

8.12:  Bridging the Employability Gap: A Partnership of Four Postsecondary Institutions in Canada
Boris Vukovic, Ph.D., Carleton University
Julie Caldwell, M.B.A., Carleton University
Tara Connolly, M.A., Carleton University
Dean Mellway, M.S.W., Carleton University

Carleton University is leading a partnership with three other postsecondary institutions in Ottawa, Canada to advance employment and entrepreneurship development for students and graduates with disabilities. This city-wide demonstration project is transferable to other regions and postsecondary institutions. We will present the major objectives to bridge the employment gap and elaborate on research-informed pathways to employment for students with disabilities in higher education.

 

8.13:  PDF Accessibility: Know the Standards, Mitigate Your Risk

Paul Rayius, B.Me., Florida State University

Deficiencies in web and electronic document accessibility have become increasingly apparent over the past few years and, as a result, more lawsuits have been filed and fines have been levied. Colleges and universities are at risk when students, faculty, and/or staff cannot access electronic content required for application, class work, or to complete work-related duties. We'll look at some of the cases, the outcomes, and discuss prevention strategies for your campus.

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