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Assistive Technology & Universal Design Considerations

This resource provides an overview of legislative mandates and the role of the Assistive Technology Resource Center (ATRC) in promoting equal access for students with disabilities in higher education. It discusses various disabilities, legislative acts including the ADA and Section 504, and highlights assistive technology solutions for different impairments. The ATRC aims to foster enhanced participation and academic performance among students, addressing needs related to reading, writing, note-taking, and more, making education accessible for all.

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Assistive Technology & Universal Design Considerations

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  1. Assistive Technology & Universal Design Considerations Library MTI – June 13, 2012 Marla Roll

  2. Introductions • Marla Roll, MS, OTR/L • Director, Assistive Technology Resource Center – (http://atrc.colostate.edu/) • Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy • Co-PI , ACCESS Project – Access to Postsecondary Education through Universal Design for Learning (http://accessproject.colostate.edu/)

  3. Agenda • Brief Overview of legislative mandates • Disability demographics in higher education • Overview of ATRC and Assistive Technology examples

  4. Equal access Legislation: • Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 • prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for persons with disabilities. • Title II speaks to public universities • Rationale for services like RDS and ATRC • http://www.ada.gov/index.html • Revised Final ADA Regulation for Title II (Effective March 15th, 2011) • Auxiliary Aids – now speaks directly to electronic and info technology • Broadens how disability and major life activity is defined • http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/ADAregs2010.htm#titleII_final_2010 • Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 • prohibits discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance • Includes colleges and universities • http://www.dol.gov/oasam/regs/statutes/sec504.htm

  5. LEGISLATION (CON’T) • Section 508 of the Rehab Act • primarily a procurement law • Ensures that electronic and information technology can interact with assistive technology - http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?fuseAction=AssistiveTechDevices • Standards Summary - http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?fuseAction=stdsSum • WCAG – Web Content Accessibility Guidelines • criteria for web-based information • developed by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the W3C • http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/wcag.php • http://webaim.org/

  6. Disabilities: • Mobility Impairments • Blindness/Visual Impairments • Deafness/Hearing Impairments • Learning Disabilities • Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD) • Autism Spectrum Disorder • Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) • Mental Illness 2/3

  7. 1National Center for Education Statistics, 2008; U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2009 2Schelly, Davies & Spooner, Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability (Feb. 2011) Disabilities in Higher Education • Nationally, 11.3% of undergraduates report some type of disability1 • At Colorado State University2 • 8%–11% report a disability • Non-apparent disabilities are the largest proportion and growing • Even among students who say they have a disability, many do not seek accommodations

  8. What is the Assistive Technology Resource Center(ATRC)? • Role on campus: the ATRC seeks to ensure equal access to technology and electronic information for CSU students and employees with disabilities • Disability groups served – Students with Physical, Sensory, Non-Apparent impairments • Experiential learning of AT for OT students

  9. ATRC and Occupation • The ATRC’s goal is to increase student participation in school-related activities and enhance academic performance. • Reading • Writing • Note-taking • Test-taking • Accessing computers and technology

  10. AT Suggestions AT for students who: • 1. have a physical impairment • 2. are blind • 3. have low vision • 4. are hard of hearing • 5. have non-apparent difficulties – writing, note-taking, studying, reading, organization • 6. have Cumulative Trauma Disorders

  11. AT for Students with Physical Impairments Accessible Computing Station may include the following: • Adjustable height table • Equipment within reach from chair level • Alternative keyboards • Alternative mice • Alternate input

  12. AT for Students who are Blind • Hardware • Refreshable Braille Keyboard • Thermo Pen • Embossers • Talking Scientific Calculator • Talking Digital Book Players • Tactile Key Indicators • Software • Screen readers – JAWS

  13. AT for Students with Low Vision • Hardware • CCTV/ Video magnifier • Large Print and Braille Labels for keyboard • Portable Magnifiers • Digital Book Players • Key Labels • Software • Built in Accessibility Options • Zoom Text

  14. AT for Students who are Hard of Hearing or Deaf • Hardware • FM Systems • PocketTalker • Software • Captioning • Visual Notifications on the computer screen • CART (Communication Access Real Time Translation

  15. AT for Students with Writing Difficulty (non-apparent) Software that includes the following features: • Word Prediction • Talking Dictionary • Translator • Dictation • Text to speech • Spell check • Mapping

  16. AT for Students with Note Taking and Studying Difficulty (non-apparent) • Portable Word Processors • Digital Voice Recorder • Live Scribe Pen • Software with note-taking, studying, and research features • Apps on iPad, Smartphones

  17. AT for Students with Reading Difficulty (non-apparent) • Digital Book Players • Speed reading software • Converting print to electronic format • Text to Speech • Adjusting visual layout • Scanning and Reading Pens • Portable Spell Checkers

  18. AT for Students with Organization Difficulty (non-apparent) • Low Tech • Checklists and day planners • Task sequencing lists • Alarms/timers on watch or cell phone • High Tech • Devices: computers, tablets, smartphones, PDAs • Software or Apps

  19. AT for students with Cumulative Trauma Disorders • Hardware • Ergonomic keyboards • Ergonomic mice • Wrist pads • Adjustable tables • Document holders • Adjustable monitors • Software • Word completion and word prediction software • Voice Recognition software

  20. UDL – What is the connection to legislation? • Legislation - speaks to individual accommodations but there are drawbacks: • Processes are more time consuming and costly to retrofit • Only addresses needs of an individual • Addresses access issues technically but not always functionally • UDL – designing for all types of users has benefits: • Building in access on the front end is more cost –effective • Has benefits for more people • UDL can decrease the need for individual accommodations

  21. What can CSU do to ensure access for students with disabilities? • Provide accommodations • Provide assistive technology • Ensure content is designed with UDL and accessibility principles in mind • Buy accessible technology – consider accessibility in procurement

  22. Universal Design (UD) • Build in accessibility from the start • Curb cuts in city streets • Ramps and automatic door openers • TV closed captions • Ergonomic kitchen utensils • Everyone benefits from a more flexible, user-friendly environment • Fix the environment, not the individual • Building UD and UDL concepts into digital content will ensure access to content for students using AT

  23. Universal Design for Learning “ Universal Design for Learning (UDL)is a set of principles and techniques for creating inclusive classroom instruction and accessible course materials. teaching ” technology

  24. UDL & Digital content: • PDF/ E- Reserves • Forms • Databases • E-Books • Others? Assistive Technology is only as good as the content it interacts with!!!

  25. Intersection of UDL and AT : • Examples: • Captioning of multi-media – creates access for students with hearing impairments but also assists those that are visual learners or have auditory processing difficulties • Accessible PDF – ensures that students using screen readers or text to speech software will have full access • Designing digital content that is easy to navigate – assists students using screen reading software but also those who need simple & intuitive navigation due to LD or TBI • Accessible Word and Power point and HTML - ensures access for students using assistive technologies. • Provide content you teach in multiple formats – gives the user choice for how to interact with the content.

  26. Other Resources to consider: • universal design of libraries checklist • http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/PDF/equal_access_lib.pdf • Equal Access: Campus Libraries (video) • (DO-IT Project, University of Washington) • URL: http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/index.php?vid=49 • Disability awareness modules – • http://accessproject.colostate.edu/disability/ • Tech modules • http://accessproject.colostate.edu/udl

  27. Contact info: • Marla Roll, MS, OTR/LMarla.Roll@colostate.edu970-491-2016

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