Webinar: Disability Compliance and Disability as Social Justice: Two Coins or One?

Presenters: Scott Lissner, The Ohio State University and Adam Meyer, Ph.D., Central Florida University

As disability resource professionals we often say that we want to operate from a “social justice perspective” and to move our campuses “beyond a compliance narrative,” revealing a perspective that compliance and social justice are different goals. But are they? Is social justice inherently different than compliance, and compliance distinct from social justice? Many of us work with limited budgets, increasing demands, and a perceived lack of influence on campus. While we dream of universally designed environments and a culture that anticipates and embraces difference, we may simultaneously perceive that the “practical side” of our work limits opportunities to pursue social justice goals. We may be driven to focus on what is legally required when pursuing social justice may be exactly the conversation that will excite institutional action. This session will explore compliance and social justice in the context of disability and access. Practical office operational considerations will be explored.