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by Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph. D
As increasing numbers of people with disabilities pursue educational opportunities, the accessibility of tutoring and learning centers and other student services increases in importance. The goal is simply equal access; everyone who needs to use your services should be able to do so comfortably and efficiently.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 guarantee equal access for individuals with disabilities to all services and programs offered by and through postsecondary institutions. 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. This means that postsecondary student services as well as academic programs must be accessible to qualified students with disabilities.
To make your tutoring and learning center accessible, employ principles of universal design. Universal design means that rather than designing your facility and services for the average user, you design them for people with a broad range of abilities, disabilities, and other characteristics. Keep in mind that students, employees, and visitors may have disabilities such as learning, visual, speech, hearing, or mobility impairments. Designing your program to be accessible to all will make it more usable by everyone and minimize the need for special accommodations for those who use your services and for future employees as well. Make sure everyone feels welcome, and can
Train staff to work with students who have disabilities, respond to specific requests for accommodations in a timely manner, and know whom to contact if they have disability-related questions. Staff who tutor or teach students should understand the learning issues faced by students with disabilities, especially those that affect gaining and demonstrating knowledge.
The following checklist can guide you in making your tutoring and learning center universally accessible. Your disabled student services office may also be able to help 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 services.
__ Are people with disabilities, racial and ethnic minorities, men and women, young and old students, and other groups represented in the center's service 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, and electronic resources for people with disabilities?
__ Is accessibility considered in the procurement process?
__ Is your staff prepared to respond to requests for accommodations in a timely manner?
__ 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?
__ Ensure that facilities, activities, materials, and equipment are physically accessible to and usable by all students, and that all potential student characteristics are addressed in safety considerations.
__ 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 counter or desk accessible from a seated position?
__ Are aisles kept wide and clear of obstructions for the safety of users who have mobility or visual impairments?
__ Are there quiet work or meeting areas where noise and other distractions are minimized?
__ Is lighting adjustable by the individual?
__ Are facility rules in place (e.g., no cell phone use) that minimize noise?
__ Are telecommunication devices for the deaf (TTY/TDD) 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.
Tutors and learning facilitators are encouraged to be responsive to the needs of all students. However, students with disabilities may have some additional instructional needs that they should discuss with their tutor or facilitator. The student with a disability is the best source of information regarding necessary accommodations. In postsecondary settings, it is the student's responsibility to request special accommodations if desired (usually to a disabled student services office), but a tutor or facilitator can make a student comfortable by inquiring about special needs or challenges. Following are examples of typical academic accommodations for students with different types of disabilities.
All students benefit from working with information and handouts made available in accessible, electronic format. In addition, the following accommodations should be considered.
Keep in mind that it will take the disabled student services office time to convert learning materials to alternate formats (e.g., audiotape, Braille, large print). Consult this office for further information regarding accessibility for students with disabilities and a fuller understanding about campus services.
Make sure all staff are prepared to work with all program participants.
__ Are all staff members familiar with the availability and use of a TTY/TDD, the Telecommunications Relay Service, assistive technology, and alternate document formats?
__ Do all 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 who have disabilities? (See "Communication Hints" at the end of this publication.)
__ Are staff members aware of the benefits of universal design of instruction and accommodations for students with different types of disabilities?
__ Do staff members have ready access to a list of on- and off-campus resources for students with disabilities?
If your learning center uses computers as information resources, ensure these systems employ accessible design, that staff members are aware of accessibility options, and systems are in place to make accommodations.
__ Do pictures in your publications and website include people with diverse characteristics with respect to race, gender, age, and disability?
__ In key publications and on your website, do you include a statement about your commitment to universal access and procedures for requesting disability-related accommodations? For example, "Our goal is to make all of our 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 publications available (immediately or in a timely manner) in alternate formats such as Braille, large print, and electronic text?
__ Are key documents provided in a language(s) other than English?
__ Are printed materials within easy reach from a variety of heights and without furniture blocking access?
__ Do electronic resources, including web pages, adhere to accessibility guidelines or standards adopted by your institution or your center? 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.
__ Do you ask vendors about accessibility features (e.g., captioned video, compatibility with assistive technology) before purchasing computers and software?
__ Is an adjustable-height table available for each type of workstation to assist students who use wheelchairs or are small or large in stature?
__ Do you provide adequate work space for both left- and right-handed users?
__ Are large-print key labels available to assist students with low vision?
__ Is software to enlarge screen images and a large monitor available to assist students with low vision and learning disabilities?
__ Do you provide a trackball to be used by someone who has difficulty controlling a mouse?
__ Are staff members aware of accessibility options (e.g., enlarged text feature) included in computer operating systems and of assistive technology available in the facility?
__ Are procedures in place for a timely response to requests for assistive technology?
For more information about assistive technology, consult the Adaptive Technology videos and publications at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Resources/at.html.
Ensure that everyone can participate in events sponsored by your learning center.
__ Are events such as group meetings and presentations located in wheelchair-accessible facilities? Is the accessible entrance is clearly marked?
__ Is information about how to request disability-related accommodations included in publications promoting activities?
__ Is accessible transportation available if transportation is arranged for other participants?
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. The Equal Access: Computer Labs and Real Connections: Making Distance Learning Accessible to Everyone videos and publications are particularly relevant to tutoring and learning centers. 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 you 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.
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.
The contents of this publication and the accompanying video were developed under a grant from the Department of Education, No.P333A020044. 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, University of Washington. Permission is granted to copy these materials for educational, noncommercial purposes provided the source is acknowledged.
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