Teaching for Accessibility and Accommodation of Students with Disabilities

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Teaching for Accessibility and Accommodation of
Students with Disabilities

• Social Justice - Equity Accessibility
• Karen Roland, Employment Equity
• Accommodating Students with Disabilities
• Carla Abreu-Ellis, Student Disability Services
• Principles for Accommodation Universal
  Instructional Design in Higher Education
• Dr. Donald Leslie, Professor
• School of Social work

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FOSTERING INCLUSION

• The Ontario Human Rights Code A Public Policy
  in Ontario
• To recognize the dignity and worth of every
  person.
• To provide for equal rights and opportunities
  without discrimination that is contrary to law.
• To create a climate of understanding and mutual
  respect.

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The Opportunity to Succeed Achieving
Barrier-Free Education For Students with
Disabilities

• Key barriers identified included
• inadequate funding
• physical inaccessibility
• cumbersome and time-consuming accommodation
  processes
• negative attitudes and stereotypes and
• a lack of understanding the rights and
  responsibilities of all parties.
• Sourcehttp//www.ohrc.on.ca/english/consultations
  /ed-consultation-report.pdf

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Ontario Human Rights Commission Guidelines on
Accessible Education

• Creating a Welcoming Environment
• How to Achieve Accessibility
• accessibility planning based on standards and
  best practices
• monitor progress
• develop a student accessibility policy
  complaint process
• review and identify accessibility barriers
• Source http//www.ohrc.on.ca/english/publication
  s/accessible-education-guide.pdf

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Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities,
Act, 2005 (AODA)

• PURPOSE
• Everyone who lives in this province
• should have the same opportunities to
• participate in all aspects of community
• life.. Honourable Madeleine Meilleur
• The Act builds upon, and also goes
• beyond, current obligations existing in law.
• Bill 118 http//www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Stat
  utes/English/05a11_e.htm

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AODA Accessibility Standards

• The AODA states that an accessibility standard
  may apply only to a person or organization that,
• provides goods, services or facilities
• employs persons in Ontario
• offers accommodation
• owns or occupies a building, structure or
  premises or
• is engaged in a prescribed business, activity or
  undertaking or meets such other requirements as
  may be prescribed.

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AODA Accessibility Standards

• An accessibility standard shall set out measures,
  
• policies, practices or other requirements for the
  
• identification and removal of barriers with
• respect to
• Goods
• Services
• Facilities
• Accommodation
• Employment
• Buildings, structures, premises or,
• such other things as may be prescribed, and for
  the prevention of the erection of such barriers

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AODA Accessibility Standards

• The AODA has established a process to
• develop, implement and enforce
• accessibility standards.
• Standard development committees
• Transportation
• Customer Service
• Information Communication
• Built Environment
• Employment

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AODA Customer Service Standards (Draft Proposal)

• In achieving accessible customer services,
• person/organizations providing goods or
• services shall incorporate the following core
• principles
• Equity (inclusive)
• Independence (supportive)
• Dignity (respect)
• Responsiveness (requirements/delivery)
• Sensitivity (needs)

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EQUITY

• Sometimes equality means treating people the
  same, despite their differences, and sometimes it
  means treating them as equals by accommodating
  their differences
• Judge Rosalie Abella
• Chair, Royal Commission on Equality in Employment

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Teaching for Accessibility and Accommodation of
Students with Disabilities

• Accommodating Students with Disabilities
• Carla Abreu-Ellis, Student Disability Services

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Student Disability Services

• Is committed to working with all students,
  faculty members, and administrative staff at the
  University of Windsor to address various issues
  of disability and accessibility
• Provides accommodations and services for students
  with disabilities

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Recognized Disabilities

• Low Vision/Blind
• Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing
• Acquired Brain Injury
• Mobility Impairments
• Learning Disabilities
• Chronic Medical Conditions
• Psychiatric Disabilities
• ADD/ADHD

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Disability Statistics 2005/2006 Academic Year
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Staff

• Advisors
• Learning Strategist
• Assistive Technologist
• Exam Coordinator/Secretary
• Student Learning Coaches (ADHD and LD)
• Social Work Interns

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Rights and Responsibilities

• Students
• The right to be free of discrimination
• The right of equal treatment
• The right to accommodations which are reasonable,
  necessary, and appropriate
• The right to confidentiality

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Rights and Responsibilities

• Students
• Self-identity to the Student Disability Services
• Provide documentation
• Self-advocate
• Participate fully and actively in the
  accommodation process

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Rights and Responsibilities

• Student Disability Services
• Review all documentation to ensure its validity
  and make recommendations regarding appropriate
  services and accommodations
• Provide resources to faculty to support them in
  accommodating and working with students with
  disabilities
• Work with students and faculty to clarify
  accommodation needs

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Rights and Responsibilities

• Faculty
• Work toward understanding the nature of the needs
  of students with disabilities and the
  accommodations required
• Adhere to students requests for accommodations
  and services that are substantiated by the
  Student Disability Services
• Work with students and the Student Disability
  Services to accommodate students with
  disabilities

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Shared Responsibility
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Services Support

• Exam Accommodations
• General extra time, quiet space, supportive
  chairs, alternate format (e.g. braille, audio
  tape)

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Services Support

• Exam Accommodations
• Appropriate access equipment is available for use
  during tests/exams (e.g. CCTV, computers,
  specialized software)

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Services Support

• Exam Accommodations
• Individualized rooms when required

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Services Support

• Security
• Exams are kept in a secure location
• Trained proctors monitor tests/exams
• They are aware of all Senate By-Laws governing
  the administration of exams

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Services Support

• Classroom Accommodations
• Priority seating
• Note takers
• Captioned Films and videos
• Sign Language Interpreters
• Use of an FM System
• Modified environment (e.g. classroom change to a
  more accessible room)

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Facilities

• Student Disability Services

Special Needs Computer Annex
The  Leddy Library is home for the Computer Annex
(room G104)  on the  basement  floor  of the main
building. 
Room 122 Dillon Hall Phone [phone] ext.
3288
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A Students Perspective

• Amber

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Resources for Faculty

• Presentations for departments
• Student Disability Services Website
  www.uwindsor.ca/sn
• Faculty Handbook
• Special Needs Policy
• Audio Recording Policy
• Special Needs Advisory Committee
  www.uwindsor.ca/snac
• Campus Accessibility www.uwindsor.ca/accessibility
  
• Web accessibility and LD awareness media and
  training
• Assistive Technology and Learning Strategy
  workshops

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Teaching for Accessibility and Accommodation of
Students with Disabilities

• Principles for Accommodation Universal
  Instructional Design in Higher Education
• Dr. Donald Leslie, Professor
• School of Social work

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Principles for Accommodation in Higher Education

• Best Practice is to make the learning process
  fully accessible.
• Requires blending of teaching and service
  approaches.
• Universal Instructional Design (UID) developed
  through Special Needs input.
• UID stresses the use of a range of teaching
  modalities in an attempt to address different
  learning styles that exist among all students,
  including those with disabilities.

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Universal Instructional Design Principles

• Focus on essential learning components of each
  course.
• Provide equitable learning opportunities.
• Make use of available supports and resources.
• Emphasize adult learning principles to create a
  welcoming, positive environment.
• Information should be explicitly presented and
  readily perceived.
• Ensure multiplicity in design, delivery and
  evaluation.
• Maximize flexibility.

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Principles of Accommodation

• Ensure sensitivity in all interactions
• with students with disabilities
• Use sensitive and appropriate language and labels
  in lecture and teaching notes
• not political correctness, but rather respectful
  and inclusive
• provide opportunities for confidential requests
  for accommodations
• changes in approach should not be identified as
  pertaining to the needs of any particular
  student
• each student with a disability is unique and
  their needs should be individually understood.

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Principles of Accommodation

• 2. Ensure a clear understanding of the
  accommodation process.
• Acknowledge and pay attention to the students
  perspective and view of potential accommodations.
  
• The student with a disability is the expert in
  coping with his or her challenges and utilizing
  his or her strengths.
• Be open to consultation with the student and the
  Disability Services Specialists.
• Maintain the course and program standards while
  exploring different ways of meeting these
  standards.
• Students should not be blamed for difficulties in
  removing systemic barriers.

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Principles of Accommodation

• 3. Ensure the creation of a safe and welcoming
  environment.
• Remember, the faculty member is working on their
  own turf, in their area of expertise.
• Treat the student with courtesy and respect.
• Take adequate time to understand the individuals
  request and their situation.
• Do not jump to solutions before understanding the
  nature of the issues involved.
• Demonstrate a willingness to work collaboratively
  and constructively to determine and implement
  appropriate accommodation.
• The student is not asking for special treatment,
  but is only asking to receive different
  treatment, as is his or her right under the Human
  Rights Act.

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Principles of Accommodation

• 4. Ensure adequate and appropriate
  implementation of accommodation.
• Accommodation in the learning environment is a
  human right.
• Effective accommodation involves seeking
  different ways of accomplishing standards and/or
  requirements.
• Effective accommodation requires a collaborative
  process.
• Uses innovative ways of modifying the learning
  and evaluation processes.
• The decision that a student with a disability is
  unable to perform the core responsibilities
  appropriate to a discipline or program should
  never be made lightly.
• Ideally, the student should make this decision
  after exhaustive exploration of all accommodation
  possibilities.
• All accommodation activities should be under the
  students control in so far as possible.

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Creating a welcoming environment

• Inclusion of individuals with disabilities rests
  upon a foundation of respect, which accepts these
  individuals as being different from not lesser
  than
• It is essential that the provision of this
• welcoming environment become part of
• academia and the organizations culture.