Introduction

Advancements in technology and increased job specialization have resulted in career opportunities in fields that were once considered unattainable for individuals who have disabilities. Many of these careers require knowledge and skills obtained through postsecondary education. Although the number of individuals with disabilities seeking postsecondary education continues to increase, these students experience lower success rates than their non-disabled peers. Individuals with disabilities continue to be underrepresented in many challenging academic and career fields.

Federal legislation mandates that academic accommodations be made to ensure that qualified postsecondary students with disabilities have educational opportunities that are equivalent to others. Studies show that faculty and staff members who have had interactions with students who have disabilities generally have more positive attitudes about working with these students. Further, those who are familiar with accommodation strategies are better prepared to make arrangements that will ensure that students with disabilities have equal opportunities to participate in their programs.

Since 1992, DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) at the University of Washington has promoted the success of individuals with disabilities in postsecondary education and employment through direct work with students who have disabilities, and through professional development for educators, service providers, and employers. DO-IT has been recognized for its efforts through many awards, including the 1995 National Information Infrastructure Award in Education; the 1997 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring; the 1999 Golden Apple Award for excellence in education; the 2001 exemplary program award from the Association for Higher Education; and a 2001 Bright Ideas Award from the Professional and Organizational Development Network.

The DO-IT Prof Model Demonstration Project applied lessons learned by DO-IT and other researchers and practitioners nationwide to create a comprehensive professional development program for college faculty and administrators. It was funded by a three-year grant from the Office of Postsecondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education (grant #P33A990042). Prof was selected as part of the project name to represent two project characteristics: professional, the quality of project materials and strategies, and professor, its primary target audience.

DO-IT Prof serves to increase the knowledge and skills of postsecondary faculty and administrators to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to academic programs. Responding to the diverse content and scheduling needs of faculty and administrators, the DO-IT Prof project team created six models of professional development.

Model 1: A 20-30 minute overview to introduce participants to basic legal issues, accommodation strategies, and resources specific to their campus.

Model 2: A 1-2 hour presentation with special focus on providing accommodations to students with a variety of disabilities and introducing campus participants to legal issues and resources.

Model 3: Tailored workshops for in-depth training on specific topics.

Model 4: A televised instruction option using a series of videotapes for delivery on public television.

Model 5: A distance learning "anytime-anywhere" course that provides lessons and discussions delivered via electronic mail.

Model 6: Self-paced, Web-based instruction with expanded content of other models (http://www.washington.edu/doit/Faculty/).

The DO-IT Prof project team included faculty, disabled student services staff, and administrators at institutions of higher education in twenty-three states. The nationwide recruitment process was highly competitive, attracting more than one hundred applications. Project team members chose institutional partners in their states. Team members from four-year institutions chose community or technical colleges as partners; team members from community or technical colleges chose four-year schools. Participants represent schools with a wide range of demographics (e.g., racial/ethnic diversity, size, location). Project partners also include representatives from AHEAD, the National Center for the Study of Postsecondary Educational Supports (NCSPES), and the Washington Association on Postsecondary Education and Disability (WAPED).

Project team members participated in two three-day collaborative meetings in Seattle. As part of a needs assessment, they conducted focus groups with students who have disabilities, teaching assistants, faculty, and administrators on their campuses. Representatives from team and partner schools delivered professional development programs, disseminated materials, and explored strategies for providing technical assistance to faculty and administrators. Ongoing discussion and coordination of DO-IT Prof activities took place on an interactive Internet discussion list and during telephone conferences.

All project materials are offered in formats that are readily accessible to individuals with disabilities. Permission to copy and further distribute project products for educational nonprofit purposes is granted as long as the source is acknowledged.

DO-IT Prof activities help faculty and administrators fully include students with disabilities on their campuses and contribute to systemic change within postsecondary institutions across the nation. Ultimately, implementation of this and similar projects can lead to increased educational and career opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

I hope that you find these materials useful in your efforts to ensure that all students on your campus have equal opportunities to learn, explore interests, and express ideas.

Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D. Director, DO-IT

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