[Athen] Lab Polices for adaptive/assistive lab

[Kathleen Cahill]

Wow, I guess this must be the reason why no one else has shared their lab user policy with this list.  Thank you for the unsolicited reviews although I’m sure we can put some of your feedback to use.

First of all, the Assistive Technology Center is open 24/7, just as mainstream computing clusters are.   Students have keycard (proximity card!) access at all times.  We also set our students up to work wherever they want to, including their laptops or in specific department clusters or lab where they work.

One reason we have had to be restrictive in the past with guests is that we had a student who was having tutors, readers and guests in frequently, disturbing other users.  We could probably stand to remove some of that wording now that it is less of an issue.

While our lab is a separate facility for students with disabilities, many still prefer to use it compared to mainstream computing clusters for peace and quiet.  It is not the only place on campus for students with disabilities to use assistive technologies but it is one place on campus for them to do scanning, Braille translation and embossing.  They also can come to us staff for demonstrations of different products and software that are not available elsewhere on campus.

We’re very proud of the services we provide our students and staff!

Regards,
Kathy

Kathleen Cahill
MIT Assistive Technology Information Center (ATIC)
77 Mass. Ave. 7-143
Cambridge MA 02139
(617) 253-5111
kcahill at mit.edu


From: Sheryl Burgstahler <sherylb at uw.edu<mailto:sherylb at uw.edu>>
Reply-To: Access Network <athen-list at u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list at u.washington.edu>>
Date: Monday, April 14, 2014 at 4:33 PM
To: Access Network <athen-list at u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list at u.washington.edu>>
Subject: Re: [Athen] Lab Polices for adaptive/assistive lab

In this policy, it appears that MIT is requiring more hoops for students with disabilities to go through in order to gain access  to the MIT technology they need to use when compared with other MIT students. They also seem to be be only assured access to the specialized technology they need in a segregated rather than integrated setting and (perhaps) even have fewer total access hours each week than other students. If a student with a disability needs the equipment in ATIC to work on a project with a person who does not have a disability, must this second person come in as a guest and stay a maximum of ten minutes? Also, is the termination policy consistent with that for other MIT students?

Are these restrictions contrary to the spirit of the ADA?

Sheryl
------------------------------------------------------------
Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D.
Director, UW Accessible Technology & DO-IT, UW-IT
Affiliate Professor, Education
University of Washington, Box 354842
Seattle, WA 98195
206-543-0622          FAX 206-221-4171
http://staff.washington.edu/sherylb
sherylb at uw.edu<mailto:sherylb at uw.edu>



On Apr 14, 2014, at 8:01 AM, Kathleen Cahill wrote:

Hi Susan,

Here is the lab user agreement we ask our students to read and sign.

Kathy

Kathleen Cahill
MIT Assistive Technology Information Center (ATIC)
77 Mass. Ave. 7-143
Cambridge MA 02139
(617) 253-5111
kcahill at mit.edu<mailto:kcahill at mit.edu>


From: Susan Kelmer <Susan.Kelmer at Colorado.EDU<mailto:Susan.Kelmer at Colorado.EDU>>
Reply-To: Access Network <athen-list at u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list at u.washington.edu>>
Date: Monday, April 7, 2014 at 1:31 PM
To: "dsshe-l at listserv.buffalo.edu<mailto:dsshe-l at listserv.buffalo.edu>" <dsshe-l at listserv.buffalo.edu<mailto:dsshe-l at listserv.buffalo.edu>>, Access Network <athen-list at u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list at u.washington.edu>>
Subject: [Athen] Lab Polices for adaptive/assistive lab

For those of you with an adaptive/assistive tech lab for student use…we are in the process of writing a few new policies, and wondered what other people have in place as far as policy in their lab.  Would love to see them if you have them.

Thanks.

Susan Kelmer
Alternate Format Coordinator
Disability Services
University of Colorado
303-735-4836

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