Breaking Down the Barriers

Plastered on walls in most public buildings, it’s a familiar sign that many of us pass by without a second glance. But, for individuals with disabilities, this can serve as a constant reminder that most buildings are not built with accessibility in mind. Often, college campuses are no exception.

College is a time when students get to taste independence, living away from their families and the familiar confines of their hometowns for the very first time. This can prove especially demanding as they become immersed in a more rigorous and often less personalized academic environment. These circumstances can feel even more taxing for students with disabilities, who have an extra set of challenges to contend with on top of the difficulties that come with adjusting to a brand-new environment.

Universities usually provide accommodations for students with disabilities through a designated disability services office. The flaw in this model is that it tries to fit individuals with disabilities into a system that may not be well-designed for them, often to unsuccessful results. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, people with a disability are less likely to have completed a bachelor’s degree than people without.

To improve, accessibility must be integrated into every aspect of the university experience. Facilities and academics should be constructed with this concept in mind rather than it being relegated to a consideration after the fact. This eBook will explore four areas that are critical to breaking down barriers, both physical and digital, to enable a truly accessible campus environment where all students have an equal opportunity to succeed.

Be Proactive

Professors should anticipate student needs and plan for individuals with diverse characteristics by putting together an inclusive curriculum rather than accommodating students after the fact. Course content should be built with accessibility in mind from the very beginning rather than making the materials accessible later.

One size doesn’t fit all

All students have their own unique learning styles, so it’s important to diversify teaching methods using auditory, visual and kinesthetic techniques to engage all types of learners and subvert the typical lecture format. Incorporating more interactive elements like class discussions, audiovisual materials and even movement exercises all involve different skills that appeal to all kinds of students.

Flexibility is key

Curriculum materials should be accessible in multiple ways in order to reach all students. Because audio and video materials have become mainstays of the modern learning process, it’s critical to provide transcripts and captions for students with hearing impairments, as well as for those who prefer to learn by reading. In particular, live captioning has the potential to greatly impact students by allowing active comprehension and engagement in real-time.

Fair Evaluations

Tests and exams should include questions that require a variety of types of responses, such as multiple-choice or essays. It’s important to consider modified testing methods as well, such as having questions read aloud to students or alternative testing locations. Employing different kinds of questions and testing styles appeals to all students’ strengths and ensures a fair balance during decisive evaluations that affect student grades and GPAs.

The University of Colorado Boulder runs a Universal Design service as a resource for implementing best practices in course design. They offer educators workshops, one-on-one consultations, as well as a detailed accessibility checklist for self-assessment.

Beyond the classroom, the concepts involved in universal design should extend to all educational activities, such as tutoring and learning centers. This way, no one is left behind, and students of all abilities have an equal shot at success.

Compatibility with Assistive Technologies

These kinds of programs make all functionality available from a keyboard for those who are unable to use a mouse. Individuals with disabilities can use assistive technologies that mimic the keyboard, such as speech input, to “read” a webpage and access the content within.

Refreshable Braille displays

Braille displays actually let blind or visually impaired users read text content, while screen readers let users hear the text on the screen. Braille displays are appropriate for deaf-blind computer users as well.

Alt text for images

The best way to identify images for those who are visually impaired is by including an alt text descriptor, which is a short written description of the image. This allows people using screen reader programs to browse visual web content and understand what the images on the screen represent.

Transcription

Providing a text transcript makes audio information accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing as well as to students who prefer to learn by reading and those who are not native speakers of the language of instruction. Having a text-based document to clarify audiovisual materials increases student engagement and boosts comprehension, resulting in better grades and higher levels of success.

Captions

Captions are especially important when people need to see what’s happening in the video and simultaneously get the audio information in text. Laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act require universities to provide closed captioning for video content, including recorded lectures and online courses. The benefits extend to all students, not just those with hearing impairments. In fact, a study conducted at San Francisco State University found that students who used captioned videos achieved a full GPA point increase over students who did not.

Inclusivity in Action

Brigham Young University-Idaho prioritizes students with disabilities, particularly those who are deaf or hearing impaired. They have a specific office dedicated to these students that coordinates transcription and caption services for audiovisual course materials.

Descriptive Link Text

Links should provide enough information so that they are clear even when read out of context. It’s best to use text that explains the link destination instead of a more general “click here,” for those who may be using assistive technologies to read the page.

Notify Users

Including a statement about the specific measures that have been taken to make a website accessible informs visitors that this is a top priority. It’s also helpful to provide contact information so people can get in touch regarding suggestions or concerns.

One of the best ways for colleges to ensure that everyone is on board is by implementing a web accessibility policy. All students require access to the massive amount of information that universities make available online. Having a well-defined policy is critical to ensuring consistent, organized, and universally accessible electronic resources. It can also serve as a measuring stick for institutions to gauge where they are at and where they want to be.

Inclusivity in Action

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has crafted a thorough web accessibility policy. It states that all new web pages and other resources provided by the university must be in line with accessibility standards, and reasonable efforts must be taken to ensure that legacy web pages and resources are also in compliance.

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recognizes access to information and communications technologies, including the web, as a basic human right. Implementing these accommodations ensures fair and equitable access to the wealth of information that is available online and extends these benefits to everyone.

The University of North Georgia has a dedicated ADA committee that includes students with disabilities as key contributors to determine priorities, provide direct feedback and help implement changes quickly and effectively on campus.

Students with disabilities require physical access to classrooms, libraries, and dining areas – basically, everywhere a student would want to go. Plans for access should be included in building and landscape architecture, including ramps and doors with automatic openers, countertops at various heights in student service areas, and dorm rooms with accessible bathrooms. The condition of these facilities should be continuously monitored, as something as small as a broken button or handle can mean all the difference to a person with a physical limitation.

Hofstra University in Long Island, NY, was specifically designed with wheelchair users in mind. They are renowned for its unique disabilities program and campus, which features a wheelchair-accessible transit system in addition to academic and career coaching, assistive technology and accessible housing.

Universities, particularly those in smaller towns, aren’t just places where students engage in higher learning. They are often central to the entire community, with libraries, coffee shops, and concert halls open to the public at large. It is especially important for accessibility to trickle down to all locations on campus, not just those involved directly in academics, as these schools are venues for community gatherings, speakers, performances and other events. Beyond just school, physical accessibility to campus facilities affects the quality of life for entire communities.

Administration

As is often the case, change must begin at the top with those who hold the most power and authority to become difference-makers. Student affairs professionals can play an important part in holding students accountable for being accepting and open to differences. They can impact the entire college community by spearheading initiatives, modeling openness and developing inclusive and accessible programming.

Faculty

Classrooms are at the heart of student learning, and faculty members play key roles in promoting inclusion on campus. It’s especially important for professors to understand the perspective of students from underrepresented groups, such as those with disabilities. As the demographic composition of campuses continues to change, it will become even more important for faculty to teach in more inclusive ways and hold each other accountable for these efforts.

Many schools already offer a variety of services like academic and career counseling, tutoring, alternate exam formats, additional exam time, sign language interpreters, and transcribed or captioned video content. But to fully commit to a culture of inclusivity, professors and staff must fully buy in, as they have direct and consistent contact with students. Some small steps forward include attending conferences on the subject of increasing accessibility or introducing inclusivity as a criteria in teaching evaluations.

The Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard University has created guidelines for educators teaching in diverse classrooms, which include tips on course design, teaching tactics and strategies to overcome biases.

Students

Students who have significant influence among their peers have the power to shape a culture of inclusivity. To foster an open and accessible university environment, the collaboration between student clubs and groups must be encouraged so that students from all walks of life mingle with one another and learn that their similarities far outnumber their differences. Some colleges provide diversity training for the incoming first-year class or create mentorship programs where students can discuss their experiences with upperclassmen of a similar background.

DREAM (Disability Rights, Education Activism, and Mentoring) is a national organization for and by college students with disabilities. Their mission is to advocate for disability culture and community and serve as a center for students to connect with one another. Starting a DREAM chapter on campus is a great way to foster connections between the disabled community and their allies and peers.

The Next Steps program at Vanderbilt University is specialized for students with intellectual disabilities and features inclusive academics as well as social and career development. The program is known for its peer mentor system, where participants are paired up with other students to provide additional support and build meaningful relationships.

When leadership, faculty, and students alike come together to build an inclusive environment, the result is much more powerful than mere statements. Prioritizing accessibility and establishing firm links between all levels of stakeholders are necessary for achieving change and promoting an open conversation around campus.

Paradigm Shift

The current prevalent model in higher education views disability primarily as a disservice or inconvenience. The onus is on the student to inquire about services that are offered, and information is not always readily available or clearly communicated. There is often significant associated stigma as well, leading to students not seeking out resources for fear of being labeled or judged. Indeed, while 94% of high school students with learning disabilities receive some form of assistance, just 17% of college students with these kinds of difficulties can say the same. This dominant pattern must shift in order to provide students with disabilities equal access and opportunity to thrive.

The DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) Center at the University of Washington is at the forefront of many positive initiatives. They have developed a list of campus accessibility indicators that span all aspects of university life, providing a measuring stick for schools to determine what they do well and where improvement is needed.

The good news is that things are changing for the better, as the number of students with disabilities enrolling in college programs is on the rise. A national study conducted from 2001 until 2009 found that 46% of young adults had enrolled in a postsecondary institution, compared to just 26%in 1990. As more students with disabilities seek higher education, universities are responding by making inclusivity a major organizational priority.

One particularly promising factor is the key role of technology in enabling accessibility. As eLearning and audiovisual content become the norm in universities, tools like transcription and captioning solutions that provide equitable access are allowing more students than ever before to engage with course materials and succeed academically.

But, to truly get to where we want to go, all stakeholders need to be on board to enact lasting change in all aspects of university life. By focusing on accessibility in academics, online and the physical environment and promoting this idea at all levels, universities can take positive steps towards cultivating a truly inclusive campus that empowers all students to succeed.

After all, isn’t that what college is all about?

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