Coronavirus-COVID-19

As disability resource professionals and higher education leaders, we have all needed to respond to significant changes in the wake of Coronavirus/COVID-19. From supporting the transition to online education to providing resources to ensure that required accommodations are in place, the AHEAD community has come together to support each other in unprecedented ways. If you are a member, please join the AHEAD Responds to Coronavirus Community discussion format to connect with colleagues and share resources.

In the interest of supporting equity for disabled students beyond AHEAD’s membership, AHEAD is pleased to share the following resources. If you are not currently a member, we hope you’ll become part of our community.

• AHEAD Research and Data: COVID-19 Transitions

  • AHEAD Research: An Update on Access Barriers, Services, and Solutions Nine Months Into the Pandemic  (Word) (PDF)
  • Survey results: Access Barriers, Services, and Solutions (Word) (PDF)
  • AHEAD Infographic Series: COVID-19 Transitions (PDF)
  • AHEAD Infographic Series: Student Experiences (PDF)
  • AHEAD Infographic Series: DRO Experiences (PDF)
• Maintaining Access to Opportunity In the Face of the Coronavirus Crisis (Word): A diverse compilation of ideas and resources from a wide variety of disability resource professionals.
• National Center for College Students with Disabilities (NCCSD): Coronavirus-COVID-19 & College Students with Disabilities (New Window): An extensive set of resources for students, disability resource professionals, faculty, and other college stakeholders
• National Deaf Center- COVID-19 Information and Updates (New Window): information specific to addressing access for deaf students.
• Designing an Accessible Online Course (New Window): A toolkit to assist campuses across the country who are moving online virtually overnight in response to COVID-19.

• U.S. Department of Education- COVID-19 Resources:

  • Fact sheet for protecting students' civil rights during COVID-19 response (New Window)
  • Webinar (New Window) 
  • Comprehensive Guide Complies Resources to Address Common Workplace Questions (New Window)

• AHEAD Updates
• AHEAD Responds to Coronavirus Community Posts & Resources (Requires Member Login)
• Free Coronavirus-COVID-19 Webinars 
• April HUB - Dedicated to COVID-19 Resources (Requires Member Login)

The following webinars will be available without registration. Attendance is based on first-come, first-served basis. If you cannot attend the live webinar, the recording of each webinar and  any available additional resources will be available here.  Information about joining the AHEAD webinars using Adobe Connect is also available.

Supporting the Move from In-Person to Online Classes: Access Considerations

• Webinar Recording Link (New Window)
• Presented: March 25, 2020 by Brad Held, Kelly Hermann, University of Phoenix; Dawn Hunziker, University of Arizona; Rachel Kruzel, Texthelp
• Description: A discussion of AHEAD’s summary thoughts on Transitioning to Online Classes-COVID-19
• Supporting Documents:
  
  • • Supporting the Move from In-Person to Online Classes: Access Considerations (Word)
    • Power Point slides for the webinar (PowerPoint)
    • Coronavirus - Shared Resources (Word)

Transition to Online Education: The Impact on Accommodations

• Webinar Recording Link (New Window)
• Presented: April 8, 2020 by Jamie Axelrod, Northern Arizona University 
• Description: Most disability resource professionals have been supporting students and faculty through the mandatory and unexpected transition to online learning for a few weeks, now but questions remain. Join the discussion of this unprecedented transition: how to adjust accommodations, what accommodations are reasonable in this new environment, and how to connect with students studying from home?
• Supporting Documents:
  
  • • Presentation Material (PowerPoint)

Connecting Disabled Students to Disability Office Resources in a Remote Environment

• Webinar Recording Link (New Window)
• Presented: April 13, 2020 by Adam Meyer, University of Central Florida
• Description: With our transition to remote work environments, we will explore concepts that guide connecting new students to the disability resource office after your campus has moved to online teaching/learning and remote office operations. What should stay the same with your process; what might be different? How will lessons learned during this time inform long-term practices when we return to campus?
• Supporting Documents:
  
  • • Presentation Material (PowerPoint)
    • Documentation Narrative (Word)
    • AHEAD Doc Guidance (PDF)

Accessible/Equitable Test Experiences During COVID-19

• Webinar Recording Link (New Window)
• Presented: April 16, 2020 by Margaret Camp, Clemson University; Carsen Kipley, University of Arizona and Maria Ortega, Texas A&M
• Description: With classes moved online and finals coming up, questions on how to deliver accessible test experiences, determine reasonable accommodations, use assistive technologies, proctor exams, and alleviate faculty concerns in this new reality abound. Bring your questions and plan to share your resources.
• Supporting Documents: Presentation Material (PowerPoint)

Exploring Test Accommodations in a COVID-19 World

• Webinar Recording Link (New Window)
• Presented: October 15, 2020 by Carsen Kipley, University of Arizona
• Description: A moderated panel for a mid-term “check in” on exam accommodations and proctoring during the pandemic. Panelists will share their experiences determining appropriate accommodations for online exams and quizzes, working with faculty, and ensuring safety and test security in on-ground and virtual environments. Audience members will have an opportunity to share their own lessons learned while navigating new directions in test accommodations.

Access Considerations for Students with Disabilities During COVID-19

• Webinar Recording Link (New Window)
• Presented: October 17, 2020 by Paul Grossman, Hastings School of Law; Mary Lee Vance, California State University - Sacramento; Jamie Axelrod, Northern Arizona University
• Description: We will address masking and other questions pertaining to “direct threat” to health and safety posed by untested, asymptomatic, and symptomatic students with COVID-19. A paradigm for analyzing these cases will be discussed, and links to federal guidance and other useful authorities will be presented. We will also look at online (synchronous, asynchronous, and hybrid) classes and discuss the accommodations required for students with sensory impairments. Given what is known and all that is unknown, what are the practical, implementable solutions? If a student refuses to wear a mask, is this a DSS problem, a health-center problem, or a matter for security and discipline? Suggested solutions will be shared.
• Supporting Documents: PDF of Presentation Material (New Window)