WEBVTT 00:00:16.406 --> 00:00:19.336 "College is the best time of your life." 00:00:19.336 --> 00:00:24.186 We've all heard that, and we all know that it means more than great classes. 00:00:24.186 --> 00:00:30.466 Whether it's in residence life or participating in a club or organization 00:00:30.466 --> 00:00:33.616 on campus, that's where most of their time is spent. 00:00:33.616 --> 00:00:38.496 Students have to go places, get inside, and use the materials, 00:00:38.496 --> 00:00:41.296 or they can't participate in college life. 00:00:41.296 --> 00:00:48.476 Admissions, financial aid, libraries, career centers, tutoring services, and recreation need 00:00:48.476 --> 00:00:50.766 to be accessible to every student. 00:00:50.766 --> 00:00:56.406 What we try to do is to make it as accessible as we can to them, 00:00:56.406 --> 00:00:59.916 and make it as a user-friendly atmosphere. 00:00:59.916 --> 00:01:04.486 Making services accessible involves the entire college or university, 00:01:04.486 --> 00:01:07.296 not just the disabled student services office. 00:01:07.296 --> 00:01:10.586 I think one of the key things at any institution is making sure 00:01:10.586 --> 00:01:17.396 that the administration is committed and open to working with students and meeting their needs. 00:01:17.396 --> 00:01:20.396 A good place to start is to include students 00:01:20.396 --> 00:01:23.626 with disabilities in your planning process. 00:01:23.626 --> 00:01:25.716 Communication is essential. 00:01:25.716 --> 00:01:30.086 Once we are able to communicate, once we are able to allow the student 00:01:30.086 --> 00:01:31.786 to really let us know exactly what is working 00:01:31.786 --> 00:01:34.846 and what is not working for them, we can learn a lot. 00:01:34.846 --> 00:01:37.526 Here's a couple of forms I need you to fill out. 00:01:37.526 --> 00:01:38.616 We're going to share some 00:01:38.616 --> 00:01:41.886 of the things we've learned while making campus services accessible 00:01:41.886 --> 00:01:43.306 to students with disabilities. 00:01:43.306 --> 00:01:48.526 For many of those students, it's important to have an admissions process that's based 00:01:48.526 --> 00:01:50.546 on more than grades and test scores. 00:01:50.546 --> 00:01:54.726 Today I think most selective universities have moved 00:01:54.726 --> 00:02:01.526 to an application process where we ask the student to provide a personal statement, 00:02:01.526 --> 00:02:05.466 and part of the personal statement is getting to know that person better. 00:02:05.466 --> 00:02:07.006 Hi Mr. Armstrong... 00:02:07.006 --> 00:02:08.816 Hi Agnes, Come in. 00:02:08.816 --> 00:02:12.866 Once a student is ready to declare a major and apply to a particular school 00:02:12.866 --> 00:02:17.656 within the university, it's critical to help the student understand what it will take 00:02:17.656 --> 00:02:19.316 to be successful in that field. 00:02:19.316 --> 00:02:22.636 Admissions personnel can provide information. 00:02:22.636 --> 00:02:27.546 It's a way, I think, for people to get a better sense of what it is they're getting 00:02:27.546 --> 00:02:32.506 into before they get into it and start spending a lot of money on tuition and find 00:02:32.506 --> 00:02:38.176 out that maybe this isn't something that they are able to do or wanting to do. 00:02:38.176 --> 00:02:42.296 Starting college and planning a career are challenging for all students, 00:02:42.296 --> 00:02:47.146 and institutions shouldn't make the process harder for students with disabilities. 00:02:47.146 --> 00:02:49.046 Let's look at the campus itself. 00:02:59.016 --> 00:03:02.906 Can they get into all buildings and offices and dining areas? 00:03:02.906 --> 00:03:06.646 Are dormitories designed for students with a wide range of abilities? 00:03:06.646 --> 00:03:10.036 If not, the disabled student services office can help. 00:03:10.036 --> 00:03:13.516 I think one of the keys is really establishing good relationships 00:03:13.516 --> 00:03:17.946 with other departments on campus in order to be able to provide those services, 00:03:17.946 --> 00:03:24.246 and not only does that help us in getting the things that we need to get done, like ramps 00:03:24.246 --> 00:03:26.946 and electric doors for instance, done on our campus, 00:03:26.946 --> 00:03:31.616 but it also helps to promote disability awareness amongst all 00:03:31.616 --> 00:03:33.000 of our colleagues on the campus. 00:03:36.376 --> 00:03:39.200 Some accessibility features include: 00:04:08.956 --> 00:04:13.526 Accessibility issues need to be addressed in dormitories as well. 00:04:13.526 --> 00:04:19.526 For example a single room, or have an accessible bathroom, or their room may need 00:04:19.526 --> 00:04:25.176 to be accessible physically, because if they're a chair user, or if they're blind 00:04:25.176 --> 00:04:30.836 or visually impaired, or if they're deaf or hard of hearing, we need to keep in mind things 00:04:30.836 --> 00:04:36.616 such as from the evacuation procedure to, you know, the fire alarms, 00:04:36.616 --> 00:04:40.916 how do we make those accessible for students with disabilities? 00:04:40.916 --> 00:04:45.886 For example, we have someone right now who has cystic fibrosis and diabetes. 00:04:45.886 --> 00:04:49.636 So we had to spend not only time with the residence hall staff, 00:04:49.636 --> 00:04:53.676 but also with the maintenance staff and the public safety staff 00:04:53.676 --> 00:04:55.966 in case she has an issue on campus. 00:04:55.966 --> 00:05:01.166 What happens if we lose power, and she needs to have her equipment running 24 hours a day? 00:05:01.166 --> 00:05:05.406 You know, does she stay where she is, can we provide that type of accommodation, 00:05:05.406 --> 00:05:09.496 or do we have to move her to another location, who needs to know about it? 00:05:09.496 --> 00:05:11.476 Priority dorm registration helps 00:05:11.476 --> 00:05:14.776 in planning accommodations for students with disabilities. 00:05:14.776 --> 00:05:20.476 Priority registration is important for classes as well, to ensure academic accessibility. 00:05:20.476 --> 00:05:25.376 Students with mobility impairments need time to have 00:05:25.376 --> 00:05:28.076 between their classes to get from one class to another. 00:05:28.076 --> 00:05:34.006 So having a wider choice of classes to select from helps them very much. 00:05:34.006 --> 00:05:37.756 Also, students with learning disabilities who have the accommodation 00:05:37.756 --> 00:05:44.706 of extra test time may make use of creating more time between classes in their schedules 00:05:44.706 --> 00:05:48.646 so that they can make use of the extra test time accommodation. 00:05:48.646 --> 00:05:53.200 It's also helpful when various student services are located close together. 00:05:59.000 --> 00:06:01.846 We have the obligation, within our university, everyone, 00:06:01.846 --> 00:06:05.196 every employee within the university will have that obligation 00:06:05.196 --> 00:06:09.216 to help remove the barrier in the way of student success. 00:06:09.216 --> 00:06:14.036 Staff training and communication is as important as physical access. 00:06:14.036 --> 00:06:16.536 Staff members should: 00:06:38.126 --> 00:06:41.976 And of course, attitude is the most important part of good communication. 00:06:41.976 --> 00:06:44.956 I didn't get the login Oh, I see... 00:06:44.956 --> 00:06:50.676 Just take time to listen; if you have a person with a speech impediment, 00:06:50.676 --> 00:06:54.706 not try to say what they're going to say, just give them time you know 00:06:54.706 --> 00:07:00.126 to express themselves....if a person is blind, then you think they can't hear or you have 00:07:00.126 --> 00:07:03.106 to talk loudly, and you....don't have to do that. 00:07:03.106 --> 00:07:07.326 So it's...an ever-evolving learning experience for all. 00:07:07.326 --> 00:07:10.596 It's very important that all our clients are treated the same way. 00:07:10.596 --> 00:07:13.276 You know, respectfully; and so our staff are trained, 00:07:13.276 --> 00:07:18.196 we have a very intensive training program for our staff, so hopefully they are sensitive 00:07:18.196 --> 00:07:21.956 to wherever the client's at, at that time in their life, 00:07:21.956 --> 00:07:24.576 and what their needs are, and able to accommodate that. 00:07:30.276 --> 00:07:34.826 Service offices with just a few computer workstations, such as a career center, 00:07:34.826 --> 00:07:37.456 may not find it practical to have a wide variety 00:07:37.456 --> 00:07:41.276 of assistive technology available for students with disabilities. 00:07:41.276 --> 00:07:44.966 A good plan is to purchase commonly used items to start. 00:07:44.966 --> 00:07:46.616 Consider providing: 00:08:07.446 --> 00:08:10.986 Have a procedure planned for purchasing additional hardware or software 00:08:10.986 --> 00:08:13.736 when a student makes a specific request. 00:08:13.736 --> 00:08:18.386 Services that support campus technology and those that provide services to students 00:08:18.386 --> 00:08:21.136 with disabilities can offer suggestions. 00:08:21.136 --> 00:08:25.446 It's really important to partner with units that have the skills that you need. 00:08:25.446 --> 00:08:28.656 And, for example, the disability student services office is a great place 00:08:28.656 --> 00:08:30.616 to contact on any campus. 00:08:30.616 --> 00:08:35.106 They know federal law, they know state law, they also know about accommodations, 00:08:35.106 --> 00:08:39.596 and they have equipment, and they provide great consultation 00:08:39.596 --> 00:08:41.636 so that we can provide a good service to the student. 00:08:46.636 --> 00:08:48.976 Web accessibility is essential. 00:08:48.976 --> 00:08:52.186 We get about 65 percent of our students now applying to us now 00:08:52.186 --> 00:08:57.796 on the Web....so it is important to have them functional for every applicant. 00:08:57.796 --> 00:09:01.526 Once a student's registered, they may need to fill out forms on line, 00:09:01.526 --> 00:09:08.076 financial aid, housing requests; these applications, again, if they're Web-based, 00:09:08.076 --> 00:09:13.136 need to have some sort of awareness of the issues, the barriers, and the solutions, 00:09:13.136 --> 00:09:15.216 so that everyone can access them. 00:09:16.216 --> 00:09:20.436 Providing text alternatives for graphic images is necessary for students 00:09:20.436 --> 00:09:23.656 who are blind and using speech output systems. 00:09:23.656 --> 00:09:25.946 Being sure that all content can be accessed 00:09:25.946 --> 00:09:29.876 with the keyboard alone helps those who can't use a mouse. 00:09:29.876 --> 00:09:34.166 You can follow accessibility guidelines set by your institution or state, 00:09:34.166 --> 00:09:37.196 or consider using standards adopted by the federal government. 00:09:37.196 --> 00:09:41.406 On our campus the library staff work with the computing staff 00:09:41.406 --> 00:09:44.686 to help them make their web sites accessible to students with disabilities. 00:09:44.686 --> 00:09:46.476 And we also have a user group. 00:09:46.476 --> 00:09:50.176 And this a is group of people on campus who develop web sites. 00:09:50.176 --> 00:09:53.966 They meet regularly and they have a discussion list where they can share ideas with one another 00:09:53.966 --> 00:09:55.306 about making their web sites accessible. 00:09:59.806 --> 00:10:05.406 When resources start out as paper copy, be sure to address access issues. 00:10:05.406 --> 00:10:08.286 For one thing, students have to be able to reach them. 00:10:08.286 --> 00:10:12.426 We do try to make sure our forms racks are accessible by anybody, 00:10:12.426 --> 00:10:18.056 because we have people who may not necessarily be in chairs but also can not reach. 00:10:18.056 --> 00:10:22.186 Other accessibility considerations include: 00:10:49.046 --> 00:10:52.666 Again, college life is about more than classes. 00:10:52.666 --> 00:10:57.546 Special events require planning, so that all students can choose to attend. 00:10:57.546 --> 00:11:01.876 In promotional materials, include a statement about how to request accommodations 00:11:01.876 --> 00:11:04.516 such as sign language interpreters. 00:11:04.516 --> 00:11:07.266 Locations should be accessible to wheelchair users, 00:11:07.266 --> 00:11:10.586 and everyone should be able to find the event. 00:11:10.586 --> 00:11:14.716 You forget how difficult it is for other people to find elevators in buildings 00:11:14.716 --> 00:11:18.276 and it's really important to map that out carefully on your Website, 00:11:18.276 --> 00:11:24.126 to have handouts for students, to get the information out for easy access 00:11:24.126 --> 00:11:27.286 and to use a facility that does provide that access. 00:11:27.286 --> 00:11:31.986 Do you consider yourself more of a nuts and bolts person or a big picture person? 00:11:31.986 --> 00:11:34.496 Smaller events, such as practice interviews 00:11:34.496 --> 00:11:37.466 in a career office, may also require accommodations. 00:11:37.466 --> 00:11:41.006 If it's a deaf student, it's fairly apparent what we need to do; 00:11:41.006 --> 00:11:43.626 or a student in a wheelchair who needs access, it's apparent. 00:11:43.626 --> 00:11:46.566 But...there's a lot of hidden disabilities. 00:11:46.566 --> 00:11:51.596 If a student has back injuries, for example, or some situation that prevents them from sitting 00:11:51.596 --> 00:11:56.646 in a chair for a long period of time, throughout an interview, then we need to hear about that 00:11:56.646 --> 00:11:58.916 from a student, so we can create that accommodation. 00:12:02.916 --> 00:12:05.626 And you can actually work on it, and the computer's back there. 00:12:05.626 --> 00:12:05.966 Okay 00:12:05.966 --> 00:12:10.536 What we're prepared to do is find answers...and it's our responsibility 00:12:10.536 --> 00:12:15.086 to provide this service to any student, which is let us problem-solve, let us help you track 00:12:15.086 --> 00:12:16.626 down the particular office that's going 00:12:16.626 --> 00:12:19.516 to provide you the information that you're looking for. 00:12:19.516 --> 00:12:24.166 Plan your facilities and services using principles of universal design. 00:12:24.166 --> 00:12:27.576 That means, designing for a broad range of potential users, 00:12:27.576 --> 00:12:29.796 including those with disabilities. 00:12:29.796 --> 00:12:33.836 You should be able to access the same things that everybody else is in the same manner 00:12:33.836 --> 00:12:38.146 that everybody else is, really, without causing an undue commotion to yourself, 00:12:38.146 --> 00:12:41.476 or making a spectacle of yourself. 00:12:41.476 --> 00:12:45.606 You can't just wait for a student with a disability to walk through the door. 00:12:45.606 --> 00:12:47.806 Preparation is essential. 00:12:47.806 --> 00:12:50.000 Having these in place is important: 00:13:12.816 --> 00:13:15.156 It's pretty important work. 00:13:15.156 --> 00:13:21.286 It's stuff that will make a difference in the number of people who come to college, 00:13:21.286 --> 00:13:25.846 who have disabilities; the number of people who are successful while they're here, and graduate; 00:13:25.846 --> 00:13:29.076 and the number of people who will be successful then in society 00:13:29.076 --> 00:13:32.976 and go on to bigger and better careers.