[Athen] RE: Help with Budget question

[Mary J Ziegler]

Hi Lorraine,

A dedicated Assistive Technology specialist is the bridge between emerging technologies and the university's users of assistive technologies.   Such a dedicated technology person in the organization can not only assist such users, but, perhaps more importantly, watch the development of new technologies and steer the university toward more accessible solutions, thereby avoiding costly decisions that did not consider accessibility.

The DOJ/DOE Joint "Dear Colleague" Letter: Electronic Book Readers<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-20100629.html> and the Q&A<http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/504-qa-20100629.html> have excellent verbiage surrounding emerging technologies and the university responsibility surrounding them:

"Technology is the hallmark of the future, and technological competency is essential to preparing all students for future success. Emerging technologies are an educational resource that enhances learning for everyone, and perhaps especially for students with disabilities. Technological innovations have opened a virtual world of commerce, information, and education to many individuals with disabilities for whom access to the physical world remains challenging. Ensuring equal access to emerging technology in university and college classrooms is a means to the goal of full integration and equal educational opportunity for this nation's students with disabilities."

"The DCL encourages colleges and universities to take steps to ensure that they refrain from using electronic book readers, or other similar technology, that is inaccessible to individuals who are blind or have low vision to the extent that a reasonable accommodation or modification for this type of technology does not exist or is not available."

Best of luck!
Mary

____________
Mary J. Ziegler
Manager of Accessibility and Usability
MIT Information Services and Technology (IS&T)
ATIC Room 7-143
617.258.9328
maryz at mit.edu



From: athen-list-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu [mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Norwich, Lorraine S
Sent: Friday, July 12, 2013 2:42 PM
To: athen-list at u.washington.edu
Subject: [Athen] Help with Budget question

Hi

I am in the position of being able to ask the Information Services & Technology services to have a place holder for an Assistive Technology budget moving forward.  I wanted to know if you had thoughts or documentation of examples of why we need them to have this budget.  I do have some examples but more would only help the cause.  We have had a partnership with them before installing Read and Write gold where they thought the benefit of the software would extend campus wide.
Do you know of any:
Dear Colleague letters that focus on this issue?
Ideas on how to approach this?
Who and where else to ask this question?

Thanks
Lorraine


Lorraine S. Norwich, BSME, MSIS
Assistant Director of Disability Services
Boston University
19 Deerfield Street, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02215
lnorwich at bu.edu<mailto:lnorwich at bu.edu> (email)
617-353-3658 (vox)
617-353-9646 (fax)
www.bu.edu/disability<http://www.bu.edu/disability> (website)

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