[Athen] Accessibility vs Accommodation - what is acceptable?
Heidi Scher
hascherdss at gmail.com
Tue Nov 22 08:22:56 PST 2016
AMEN to that, Cindy! Data has to be 'qualified' and provided with
appropriate supporting information.
+++++++++++++++
Heidi Scher, M.S., CRC
Associate Director
Center for Educational Access
University of Arkansas
ARKU 209
Fayetteville, AR 72701
479.575.3104
479.575.7445 fax
479.575.3646 tdd
+++++++++++++++
On Tue, Nov 22, 2016 at 10:09 AM, Poore-Pariseau, Cindy <
Cindy.Poore-Pariseau at bristolcc.edu> wrote:
> Another thing to consider in terms of how the data is used, is how to
> ensure that readers understand that numbers do not tell the whole story.
> For example, 1 student who is blind or D/HH could be equivalent (in work
> load) to 10 students with ADHD.
>
>
>
> *From:* athen-list [mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman13.u.washington.edu] *On
> Behalf Of *Heidi Scher
> *Sent:* Tuesday, November 22, 2016 11:01 AM
> *To:* Access Technology Higher Education Network
> *Subject:* Re: [Athen] Accessibility vs Accommodation - what is
> acceptable?
>
>
>
> Hello!
>
>
>
> You've asked very good questions and have definitely put thought into
> them. I would like to offer the following viewpoint. The goal of
> accommodations is to remove barriers that a student may encounter in a
> course. To that end, faculty (or instructional designers) do not typically
> need to know the specific disability when they are notified that
> accommodations are needed. Faculty DO need to know what accommodations will
> alleviate barriers for a student, and then assistance on how to achieve
> that goal.
>
>
>
> In regards to reporting, one thing to be cautious about data is that is
> does not include any which could be used to identify a specific student.
> This is especially true if the data will be shared with entities outside of
> your immediate office. It truly does depend on the goals for data
> collection and interpretation.
>
>
>
> Kind regards,
>
>
>
> Heidi
>
>
>
> +++++++++++++++
>
> Heidi Scher, M.S., CRC
>
> Associate Director - Assistive Technology --- Center for Educational Access
>
> University of Arkansas --- 209 ARKU --- Fayetteville, AR 72701
>
> 479.575.3104 ph --- 479.575.7445 fax --- 479.575.3646 tdd
>
> +++++++++++++++
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> +++++++++++++++
> Heidi Scher, M.S., CRC
> Associate Director
> Center for Educational Access
> University of Arkansas
> ARKU 209
> Fayetteville, AR 72701
> 479.575.3104
> 479.575.7445 fax
> 479.575.3646 tdd
> +++++++++++++++
>
>
>
> On Tue, Nov 22, 2016 at 8:42 AM, Preast, Vanessa <vanessa.preast at dmu.edu>
> wrote:
>
> Thank you very much. It sounds like we have a great deal of flexibility
> to share compiled (de-identified) data about accommodations with
> instructors and other areas on campus, especially if our intention is to be
> proactive and supportive in making content accessible.
>
>
>
> I do not want to violate any laws or students’ rights. I do want to make
> recommendations to the institution that would allow us to prioritize our
> initial accessibility efforts & resources by identifying our highest need
> areas and making those areas accessible first. Thus it is helpful to know
> what information we can share with whom.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Vanessa
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* athen-list [mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman13.u.washington.edu] *On
> Behalf Of *Lissner, Scott
> *Sent:* Monday, November 21, 2016 10:52 PM
> *To:* Access Technology Higher Education Network <
> athen-list at u.washington.edu>
> *Subject:* Re: [Athen] Accessibility vs Accommodation - what is
> acceptable?
>
>
>
>
>
> Vanessa asks:
>
>
>
> · Would it be allowable for an institution to write in reports
> that they had X number of students with Y and Z types of disabilities and
> requests for accommodations of types A, B, C within Program F?
>
>
>
> o For example, perhaps a report might state that the underwater basket
> weaving program had 10 students with learning disabilities who are allowed
> extra time on tests.
>
> o If the individual students are not identified, is the institution
> allowed to report on the statistics related to the number and type of
> disabilities and the types of accommodations used?
>
>
>
> *Nothing in the ADA or Section 504 of the Rehab Act prohibit reporting. If
> the goal is resource planning (say space and proctoring resources for
> accommodated testing) it would be a good thing. If it were used to decide
> to change the program standards or policies because we have "too many of
> those students"; you might have a problem. We use aggregated data on race,
> gender, .... its not the data but what you do with it*.
>
>
>
>
>
> · Is it allowable to send an instructor a letter indicating that
> a student with X type of disability will be in his/her course next semester
> and that the instructor is strongly advised to work with the accessibility
> team to make the course content accessible so it meets the needs for the
> student with disabilities as well as benefits all students in the class?
>
>
>
> o For example, a student may need an accommodation related to
> captioning an instructor-generated video or ensuring the instructor-created
> Word/PDF documents are accessible via screen-reader. Can we help the
> instructor make captioned videos or digitally accessible documents
> available for the entire class, including the student who needs them as an
> accommodation? Does this somehow violate any rules or student rights,
> especially if there are no copyright concerns?
>
>
>
> *Without spending time on why waiting until you have an identified need
> is not a good idea. The only thing wrong with your hypothetical is
> "strongly advising" the instructor to do this rather than requiring it *
>
>
>
>
>
> · Is the group that helps students identify accommodations
> allowed to tell the course accessibility people that a certain course has
> an un-named student with X type of disability so that this team can reach
> out to the instructor to make the course more accessible? (What
> information, if any, can the student disability team share with the course
> accessibility team?)
>
>
>
> *Yes, again it can be done well or poorly.*
>
>
>
> · Is it acceptable for a report to indicate how the accessibility
> remediation efforts related to the types of disabilities common at the
> institution?
>
> o Could an institution say Program Z focused on X or Y accessibility
> remediations because they knew we had students with A or B disabilities?
> (The Underwater Basket-weaving program focused first on improving color
> contrast, font, and size in their documents because they knew they had
> students with color vision deficiency and low vision enrolled in the
> program.)
>
>
>
> *Similar to my answer above but I am not what useful purpose the
> information above serves*
>
>
>
> If there are resources that explain this sort of stuff in a brief and
> clear manner, please let me know where I should look.
>
>
>
> Try the AHEAD conference this summer.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Vanessa
>
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