Tag: collectioniv

Owen Guthrie in ED 653 challenged us to work through some of the issues linking ADA, IDEA and or work as Instructional Designers and teachers in the online environment. My post and work are linked here:

Document Accessibility, ED 653 

Owen’s original assignment is linked here: Designing for Accessibility

It was good for me to go back to it and review the learning objects in light of Chris’s assignment here in ED 654. The core readings were taken from this ebook, available through the UAF library.

Coombs, Norman (2010). Making Online Teaching Accessible: Inclusive Course Design for Students with Disabilities. Jossey-Bass. Retrieved January 14, 2012, from Ebook Library. 

From Coombs book, I recalled three concepts that we should build into our thinking about instruction and design (pages 13-14) “Effective Communication, Timeliness of Delivery, and Undue Burden.” The heart of his message is that building these priorities into our planning is cheaper and easier than retrofitting or remodeling.

I like using Audacity and SoundCloud to deliver some instructional content, and that is well, and good except it excludes a deaf or hard-of-hearing-person. Accordingly, if I remember to create a pdf transcription along with my audio (and I work from a script so not a hardship) then I have built effective communication in at the outset, and that addresses the timeliness of delivery, as well. By anticipating this possible use, I have eliminated criticism regarding reasonable accommodation and reduced the burden on myself.

Another important source of information and insight comes from the W3C (International World Wide Web Consortium). Specifically, their policies on Web Accessibility are beneficial for teachers and designers. One interesting pressure on us increasingly as we seek to extend our delivery of online education internationally is our obligation to laws in other countries. Closer to hand, however, is just good practices in search engine optimization and basic web accessibility standards. Coombs offers four principles to help us organize our thinking (page 16):

• Perceivable
• Operable
• Understandable
• Robust

“Perceivable” speaks to text and non-text alternatives, captions, and image alt tags also contribute. As well design principles that remember contrast, font, and size aid in making content perceivable are necessary. Keyboard accessibility, the pacing of video to permit subtitles to be read, and assistive navigation all contribute to improved operability. Understandability along with design elements like font and layout, also, might include paying attention to reading level analysis. Using the screen reading tools and staying current in that area, as well, can contribute to a “robust” or at least more thoughtful approach to design and instruction. I think one of the most important elements of this is not taking my abilities for granted. Certainly, as I age, I understand more about vision and sound as my sight and hearing change. Perhaps a key here is becoming learner-centered rather than self-centered in either the designer or instructor roles. However, it takes both learners and facilitators to create an online learning experience, and so I think there are obligations on the learner’s side, Coombs identifies:

• Up-to-Date Technology
• Skill in Using Adaptive Technology
• Doing Good Work

as responsibilities of the learner (page 29-30). I am glad to see someone addressing responsibilities of the learner. My experience in rural Alaska further complicates the tension between facilitator-learner interactions. Our communities are relatively poor, our educational resources uneven, our internet access is expensive and slow, and our definitions of “good work” vary widely. And yet we know that online learning is incredibly important for our future and the continued existence of these rural communities.

Making accommodations and modifications means changing the way things are usually done to take into account a person’s disability-related needs. Examples of accommodations and modifications include modifying rules, policies or practices; removing architectural or communication barriers; or providing aids, services, or assistive technology.

“(i) modifications or adjustments to a job application process that enable a qualified applicant with a disability to be considered for the position such qualified applicant desires; or

(ii) modifications or adjustments to the work environment, or to the manner or circumstances under which the position held or desired is customarily performed, that enable a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions of that position; or

(iii) modifications or adjustments that enable a covered entity’s employee with a disability to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment as are enjoyed by its other similarly situated employees without disabilities.” https://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/accommodation.html

The Family Connect website is quite rich, the site is first for blind or visually impaired individuals but they also have resources for multiple impairments. They map out precedent for specific accommodations for specific needs. For example, Blind or Visually Impaired accommodations are charted out on this page.

Certainly, this is not legal advice, and I would use something like it to inform my thinking prior to meeting with the UAF compliance officer.  Indeed I would work closely with the university every step of the way through an accommodation request whether student or employee. The teeth that the ADA gives to civil litigation are pretty daunting and as a manager I want the university to have my back.

Unreasonable

The ADA does not require modifications that would fundamentally alter the nature of the services provided by the public accommodation. For example, expecting a specialist to become a generalist, or to switch specializations would count as unreasonable burden. Or, a student requesting a scribe for test taking, failing the test, and subsequently petitioning for both a scribe and additional time, when the real problem was content knowledge, and having more time would simply make it more apparent that the student didn’t know the content.

(though I guess you could do three not-so-long blog posts. But wouldn’t that be boring?)

So, Bob is a little overbooked and is playing the boring card. I started a new job 7/24.  I am participating in the iTeach summer intensive and trying to get, my winter fish in this week.

Exploring the ADA and IDEA

Reasonable and Unreasonable Accommodations

Connecting ADA and IDEA to Instructional Design

Questions

Search and Research

Elevator Speech

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects the civil rights of individuals with disabilities comparable to other protected classes. Discrimination against persons with disabilities is prohibited by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Title II prohibits discrimination by disability by public entities, whether or not they receive federal financial assistance). The act guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, transportation, State and local government services, and telecommunications. ADA defines reasonable accommodations as modifications or adjustments to the way things are usually done that enable individuals with disabilities to have an equal opportunity to participate in academics or employment. The ADA also protects qualified persons with disabilities from discrimination in many areas of postsecondary education including admission, academics, and research. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ensures students with disabilities (infancy through high school graduation or age 21) have access to a free and appropriate public education, just like all other children. Under IDEA, parents have a say in the educational decisions the school makes about their child.

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/howto.pdf

www.disabled-world.com/disability/ada

This, of course, is not my voice or way of speaking it is harvested and edited from a variety of internet sources.  However, an elevator speech is not better for extreme creativity or overthinking. What I would add to the summary above is a couple of thoughts about online instruction and design. Perhaps emphasizing a learner-centered approach, and anticipating effective communication, timeliness of service and anticipating and preventing burden would be some key elements in my more focused summary.

Section 504: Explained & Summarized

Section 504 prohibits recipients of federal funds from discriminating because of disability. Title II of the ADA prohibits discrimination based on disability in state and local government services by state and local governmental entities, whether or not they receive federal funds, this includes public school districts. Virtually all public school systems receive federal funds, and public education is a government service. Both statutes require school districts to provide a free appropriate public education to students with disabilities protected by those laws.

1. Comparable Benefits and Services
2. Criteria and Methods of Administration
3. Reasonable Accommodations
4. Maximum Feasible Integration

Key Legal Concepts and Standards-Based Education Reform

• Using Standards as a Strategy for Reform
• Linking Curriculum, Courses, and Instructional Strategies to the Standards Set for All Students
• Using Assessment for School Accountability

These elements and statements are summarized from the PEER Project Overview.

ADA.gov Title II explained
https://www.ada.gov/ada_title_II.htm 

Certainly, as a service provider at a public university, I am obligated by this legislation to consider accessibility for our customers. Here in rural Alaska, this is an interesting challenge. Recently, in anticipation of a new (to us) student we changed our office assignments so that our financial aid person is physically located in an office with greater wheelchair accessibility. We as well had a recent visit from representatives from a deaf and hard-of-hearing, non-profit/lobby, and that caused us to stop and think. The resources available in rural communities are constrained. And yet, as the recipients of federal money we are obligated to have thought ahead and had a plan for being responsive. We spend a great deal of energy on applying for, managing and delivering services funded by grants, probably at near capacity. However, we have equal responsibilities for this kind of legislation that represents a serious management concern.

IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: History and Summary

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has been amended several times since Congress first passed it in 1975. Its primary goals are:

• To protect the rights of children with disabilities.
• To give parents a voice in their child’s education

Young persons who are not eligible for support under IDEA might still qualify for support under another law called Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. A 504 plan can provide accommodations to help young people in school.

How IDEA protects young people and parents

This legislation does not impact us in higher education directly.  However, as we try to deliver dual credit coursework and our Occupational Endorsements in our local high schools, I wonder if we might have some unanticipated obligations. We have opened up our admissions saying that young people age 13 can take courses and that 16 and older can enroll in our endorsements. One facet of that business model is to deliver endorsements provided by others, that is not locally produced, and so I wonder about where the obligation arises and where the fix will come from? Very probably the burden will be on the local campus just from a practical standpoint.