AccessSTEM

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, a qualified individual with a disability is "an individual with a disability who, with or without reasonable modification to rules, policies, or practices, the removal of architectural, communication, or transportation barriers, or the provision of auxiliary aids and services, meets the essential eligibility requirements for the receipt of services or the participation in programs or activities provided by a public entity."

Students with disabilities report special challenges in making a successful transition from two- to four-year schools. One hundred nineteen students with disabilities from nineteen two-year colleges in Washington participated in a survey conducted by DO-IT. Their top concerns about transferring to a four-year institution were in the following categories:

Excerpt from Universal Design of Instruction: Definition, Principles, and Examples by Sheryl Burgstahler:

To experience watching a multimedia product without the ability to hear, turn off the volume on your television set. Some programs, such as sporting events, are fairly easy to follow by watching the visual display. Others, such as news programs, make little sense without audio. To make this content accessible to those who are deaf, a sign language interpreter or text captioning can appear on the screen. Captioning is more common because not all individuals who are deaf know sign language and there isn't one standard version of sign language.

People who are blind cannot access the visual content of a video production unless the content is available in audio format as well. Being aware of this access issue during the design phase of a product can result in speakers or narrators voicing enough of the content to allow a person who is blind to follow along. This is particularly important for educational programming and products used with large audiences where it is generally unknown what visual impairments audience members may have.

Providing support for students with disabilities can empower them and reinforce their plans for success. Here are some ways to help:

Be proactive in making distance learning courses accessible. Don't wait until students with a disabilities enroll to address accessibility issues; consider them from the start. Applying universal design principles benefits people both with and without disabilities. Begin by thinking about the wide range of abilities and disabilities potential students might have with respect to sight, hearing, mobility, and learning styles and abilities.

To maximize success in college, encourage students with disabilities to do the following:

With the advent of graphically oriented operating systems, it is vital to have access to a mouse or an alternative pointing device. For those who lack the coordination to use a standard mouse, there are many alternatives to consider. Trackballs are a good first choice; the control surface can be easier to manipulate, and the buttons can be activated without affecting the pointer position. Some trackballs offer additional buttons that add functionality, such as double clicking, click and hold, and other commands and can be programmed to a person's specific needs.

Assistive (or adaptive) technology does not "cure" a specific learning disability. These technology tools compensate rather than remedy, allowing a person with a learning disability to demonstrate and apply his intelligence and knowledge. Adaptive technology for the person with a learning disability is a made-to-fit implementation. Trial and error may be required to find a set of appropriate tools and techniques for a specific individual. Ideally, a person with a learning disability plays a key role in selecting her technology. She should help to determine what works and what does not.