[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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