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by Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph. D
As increasing numbers of people with disabilities pursue educational opportunities at all levels, the accessibility of campus services and student organizations increases in importance. The goal is simply equal access. Everyone should be able to access services and programs comfortably and efficiently.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities. According to these laws, no otherwise qualified person with a disability shall, solely by reason of his or her disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity of a public entity.
To make student organizations accessible to everyone, employ principles of universal design. Universal design means that rather than designing a facility and services for the average user, you design them for people with a broad range of abilities, disabilities, ages, reading levels, learning styles, native languages, cultures, and other characteristics. Keep in mind that students may have learning disabilities or visual, speech, hearing, and mobility impairments. Preparing your program to be accessible to them will minimize the need for last-minute, unexpected changes. Make sure everyone can get to the facility and maneuver within it, access materials and electronic resources, and participate in events and other activities.
Train staff to respond to specific requests for accommodations in a timely manner and know whom they can contact on campus if they have disability-related questions. Having a knowledgeable staff can make your resources more accessible. Consider hosting a training at the start of each semester, hosted by the disabled student services office.
The following questions can guide you in making your student organization universally accessible. Consider those that apply to your situation. Your disabled student services office may also be able to assist you in increasing the accessibility of your unit. This content does not provide legal advice. Consult your campus legal counsel or ADA/504 compliance officer regarding relevant legal issues. Consultation with your regional Office for Civil Rights (OCR) can also help clarify issues.
Consider diversity issues as you plan and evaluate student organization activities.
__ Are people with disabilities, racial and ethnic minorities, men and women, young and old students, and other groups represented in planning and review processes and advisory committees in numbers proportional to those of the whole campus or community?
__ Do you have policies and procedures that ensure access to facilities, printed materials, computers, electronic resources, and activities for people with disabilities?
__ Do you have a procedure to ensure a timely response to requests for disability-related accommodations?
__ Are disability-related access issues addressed in your evaluation methods?
__ Are you planning a variety of activities that appeal to an audience with a range of abilities, interests, and perspectives?
Ensure physical access, comfort, and safety within an environment that is inclusive of people with a variety of abilities, racial and ethnic backgrounds, genders, and ages.
__ Are there parking areas, pathways, and entrances to the building that are wheelchair-accessible and clearly identified?
__ Are all levels of the facility connected via an accessible route of travel?
__ Are there ample high-contrast, large-print directional signs to and throughout the office?
__ Do elevators have both auditory and visual signals for floors? Are elevator controls accessible from a seated position and available in large print and Braille or raised notation?
__ Are wheelchair-accessible restrooms with well-marked signs available in or near the office?
__ Is at least part of a service desk or counter at a height accessible from a seated position?
__ Are aisles kept wide and clear of obstructions for the safety of users who have mobility or visual impairments?
__ Is adequate light available?
__ Are there quiet work and meeting areas where noise and other distractions are minimized?
__ Are telecommunication devices for the deaf (TTY/TTD) available?
Consult the ADA Checklist for Readily Achievable Barrier Removal at http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/checkweb.htm for more suggestions. For computing facilities, consult the Equal Access: Universal Design of Computer Labs video and publication at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/equal.html.
Make sure staff and volunteers are prepared to work with all students.
__ Are all staff members familiar with the availability and the use of a TTY/TTD, the Telecommunications Relay Service and alternate document formats?
__ Do staff members know how to respond to requests for disability-related accommodations, such as sign language interpreters?
__ Are all staff members aware of issues related to communicating with students with different characteristics regarding race and ethnicity, age, and disability? (See "Communication Hints" at the end of this publication for content in this area.)
Is the student organization Webmaster knowledgeable about accessible web page design? Consult the video and publication World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design for further information (http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/www.html
).
Ensure that publications and websites welcome a diverse group, are accessible to all visitors, and technology within the service area is accessible to everyone.
__ Do pictures in your publications and websites include people with diverse characteristics with respect to race, gender, age, and disability?
__ In key publications and on your website, is there a statement included about your commitment to universal access and procedures for requesting disability-related accommodations? For example: "Our goal is to make all materials and services accessible. Please inform staff of accessibility barriers you encounter, and request accommodations that will make activities and information resources accessible to you."
__ Are all printed materials within easy reach from a variety of heights and without furniture blocking access?
__ Do electronic resources, including webpages, adhere to accessibility guidelines or standards adopted by your institution or your organization? Section 508 Standards for Accessible Electronic and Information Technology (http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/) and World Wide Web Consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (http://www.w3.org/WAI/) are most commonly used. For information about making your website accessible to everyone, consult the World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design video and publication at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/www.html.
__ Are videos used by your organization captioned? Audio described?
Ensure that everyone can participate in events sponsored by your student organization.
__ Are events located in wheelchair-accessible facilities? Is the accessible entrance clearly marked?
__ Is information about how to request disability-related accommodations included in publications promoting events sponsored by your organization?
__ Is accessible transportation available for events where transportation is arranged for others?
This checklist was field tested at more than twenty postsecondary institutions nationwide (see http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Academics/admin.html). The results of a nationwide survey to test face-validity of checklist items led to further refinement of the checklist. To increase the usefulness of this working document, send suggestions to sherylb@u.washington.edu.
An electronic copy of the most current version of this publication as well as additional useful brochures can be found at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/. A 14-minute video, Equal Access: Student Services, demonstrates key points summarized in this publication. It may be freely viewed online at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/ea_student.html and purchased in DVD format from DO-IT. Consult http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/ for access to this and other videos that may be of interest. Permission is granted to reproduce DO-IT videos and publications for educational, noncommercial purposes provided the source is acknowledged.
The Student Services Conference Room at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Conf/ includes a collection of documents and videos to help make student services accessible to everyone. They include checklists for career services, distance learning, computer labs, recruitment and admissions, registration, housing and residential life, financial aid, libraries, tutoring and learning centers, and student organizations. The Conference Room also includes a searchable Knowledge Base of questions and answers, case studies, and promising practices. For more information about applications of universal design consult http://www.washington.edu/doit/Resources/udesign.html.
The contents of this publication and the accompanying video were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, No. P333A020044. Any questions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the federal government. However these contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
Copyright © 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, University of Washington. Permission is granted to copy these materials for educational, noncommercial purposes provided the source is acknowledged.
DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) serves to increase the successful participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs such as those in science, engineering, mathematics, and technology. Primary funding for DO-IT is provided by the National Science Foundation, the State of Washington, and the U.S. Department of Education.
To order free publications or newsletters use the DO-IT Publications Order Form; to order videos and training materials use the Videos, Books and Comprehensive Training Materials Order Form.
For further information, to be placed on the DO-IT mailing list, or to request materials in an alternate format, contact:
DO-ITDirector: Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D.
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