[Athen] Budget cuts and Assistive Technology in campus computer labs, & Disability Service technology campus availability (Paul E. Paire)

[Paul E. Paire]

Martha,

Regarding your requirement that it be “installed on at least 1 workstation in each of our general access computer labs”, we took a different approach.  We base the number of required installs on the ADA Accessibility Guidelines  for designated wheelchair seats in areas with fixed seating, section 4.1.3(19)(a)<https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/buildings-and-sites/about-the-ada-standards/background/adaag#4.1.3%2819%29%28a%29>:
(a) In places of assembly with fixed seating accessible wheelchair locations shall comply with 4.33.2<https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/buildings-and-sites/about-the-ada-standards/background/adaag#4.33.2>, 4.33.3<https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/buildings-and-sites/about-the-ada-standards/background/adaag#4.33.3>, and 4.33.4<https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/buildings-and-sites/about-the-ada-standards/background/adaag#4.33.4> and shall be provided consistent with the following table:
Capacity of Seating in Assembly Area         Number of Required Wheelchair Locations
4 to 25                                                 1
26 to 50                                               2
51 to 300                                             4
301 to 500                                           6
over 500                                              6 plus 1 additional space for each total seating capacity increase of 100

But we tweaked it so that this would be for each type of workstation.  So if you have a lab of 25 computers, but half are Macs then you need one accessible PC and one accessible Mac.  Further if 5 of the 25 PC’s are specific for video editing, then one of the 5 video editing machines has to be accessible (insofar as you can make a video editing workstation accessible.)

We also address not just AT but reach distances, clearances, route to and around the workstation as well.

Lastly it doesn’t help to have the AT installed on the workstation if people don’t know it exists.  We have a designated ‘Accessibility Tools’ folder on the desktop and a recommend setting up a hotkey for JAWS. We also have instructions on how to use Windows Narrator/Magnifier to login to the workstation, then kill Narrator/Magnifier and launch JAWS/ZoomText once they’re at the desktop.

Our guidelines for computer lab managers: http://accessibility.temple.edu/policies-guidelines/standards-and-guidelines/computer-lab-accessibility-guidelines
Our instructions for end users: https://computerservices.temple.edu/computer-lab-accessibility-tools

-Paul

From: athen-list [mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman13.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Martha Velasquez
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2015 3:00 PM
To: Access Technology Higher Education Network
Subject: Re: [Athen] Budget cuts and Assistive Technology in campus computer labs, & Disability Service technology campus availability (Paul E. Paire)

Hello Aura,

I'm sorry to hear about the budget cuts on your campus.

The UCB settlement agreement with DRA does require that we have AT software installed on computers. We did come up with a "Basic AT package" that needs to be installed on at least 1 workstation in each of our general access computer labs.

The "Basic AT package" consists of free open source software but we also hold a campus license to Kurzweil which is now being installed on all computers as part of the campus computer image.

Here is the link to our settlement agreement: http://dralegal.org/sites/dralegal.org/files/casefiles/settlement-ucb_0.pdf

You can find the part about AT software on page 8.

Let me know if I can answer any questions. I hope this helps! Good luck!

Thanks,

Martha

On Thu, Jul 2, 2015 at 10:57 AM, Aura Mollick Hirschman <hirschma at uwm.edu<mailto:hirschma at uwm.edu>> wrote:



Hi All. In addition to Bryon's timely question, I would like to add:



My campus (and our system) is facing severe cuts, as you may have already heard. We have General Access Computer Labs/Lounges around campus that have AT software, (e.g. JAWS, ZoomText, Kurzweil, R&WG). The question came up today in a meeting with IT  as to whether we need all of these in the labs. This question is being asked in light of the budget cuts, but also given all of the new accessibility features in Windows 8 and the accessibility features in the Mac. I do not equate the Windows updates or Mac updates with providing the AT (referred to in our meeting as accessibility software) that students need, but this seems to be the way that the IT folks are thinking. We discussed individualized accommodations, ADA, and accessibility. I explained how students use AT according to their disability, skills and abilities, environment, and tasks, and how their preferences are important in determining what is reasonable for the individual.



At the meeting we agreed that we would look into student use statistics for our AT installed in the labs. This will include the last two years. We also agreed that I would gather info from other campuses on how, where and what AT is needed to insure we are meeting the needs of all of our students, considering retention, but also recruitment.



Here are some questions. How do you make AT available in your campus computer labs? If a student transitions to college after using one type of AT, like Kurzweil, through K-12, is it reasonable to expect them to change to another type of AT, such as RWG, if that is all that is available through the school? Is there any guidance out there as to what a campus should minimally offer in AT? Has this been tested in the courts? How many students do you think look at AT offerings when making their decisions to come to a campus? (none, some, many?) Any data? Feel free to respond here or get in touch by phone.



I'm also watching the responses to Bryon's recent inquiry. Thanks for reading through my wordy questions.



Aura


Aura M. Hirschman, M.S., C.R.C.
Senior Counselor/Alternative Text Program Coordinator
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Accessibility Resource Center
Mitchell Hall, Room 103
3203 North Downer Avenue
Milwaukee, WI  53211-3153

phone (414) 229-5660<tel:%28414%29%20229-5660>
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Alternative Media Supervisor
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