The Office of Disability Services is asking for your assistance and cooperation in ensuring access for all students, including students with disabilities.  We would like you to consider the following items.

Course Syllabi
The inclusion of an access statement on your course syllabi will facilitate the process of accommodation for students with disabilities.  An example:

It is University policy to provide, on a flexible and individualized basis, reasonable accommodations to students who have disabilities that may affect their ability to participate in course activities or to meet course requirements.  Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact their instructors and/or the Office of Disability Services to discuss their individual needs for accommodations.

Documents/Files Posted to BlackBoard or Web Sites
Just because it is in an "electronic" format, does not mean it will be accessible to all students, especially those with visual impairments. 

John Gugerty of the University of Wisconsin, Center on Education and Work, has developed several handouts about creating accessible documents (he has given me permission to distribute this information,as long as his credit is still on it).  The steps necessary to ensure document accessibility are not that difficult.  We ask you to review these documents (found as links below)  and strongly urge you to consider utilizing the information when creating course documents.

Making PDF Files Accessible

Making PowerPoint© Files Accessible

Making Word© Documents Accessible

Use of Videos/Streaming Video/Audio Components on BlackBoard
If you plan to use videos in the classroom on BlackBoard, we encourage you to only order those available with captioning. 

If you plan to have audio files of lectures or other similar audio information available on BlackBoard, access for students with hearing impairments must be considered.  A written, verbatim, transcript may become necessary.  Please call ODS to discuss specifics.

Other Needs for Access Statements
When planning conferences, events, and activities, have someone in your office or department be responsible for handling requests for accommodations.  It would be beneficial to include an access statement on the registration brochure, invitation, or flyer.

Publications such as college bulletins, program brochures, class schedules, and instructional publications must also be available in alternative formats (Braille, large print, tape-recorded, computer disk or CD) upon request.  Document conversion can be provided through the Office of Disability Services (ODS) by calling 280-7284.  In these publications, you should also consider including some type of access statement.  Examples can be found by visiting the Disability Access Statements Examples Page

The links below will assist faculty by providing information relative to assisting students in their classrooms:

Considerations and Instructional Strategies
Accommodation Definitions
Course Exams and Accommodations
Disibility Access Statements
Faculty Reference Manual
Definitions
Disability and the Law

Universal Design

Universal design is an approach to the design of all products and environments to be as usable as possible by as many people as possible regardless of age, ability, or situation (from http://www.udeducation.org/)

The following links will provide you with more information about
Universal Design and resources for creating courses under these
principles.

http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/extension/ped/northeastADA/publications/Artic
le_60.html

http://www.facultyware.uconn.edu/files/udi2_fact_sheet.pdf

http://www.washington.edu/accessit/index.php

Use of Videos

Because we never know, or sometimes have little notice, when a student
with a disability will be enrolled in a particular course, it is highly
advisable when you are planning out a course and plan to show video
(whether on site or on line) to request the video with captioning.  

The Captioned Media Program

The mission of the Captioned Media Program (CMP) is to provide all
persons who are deaf or hard of hearing awareness of and equal access to
communication and learning through the use of captioned educational
media and supportive collateral materials.          

The Faculty Room is a space created by The University of Washington,
Do-It (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking and Technology), for
faculty and administrators at postsecondary institutions to learn about
how to create classroom environments and academic activities that
maximize the learning of all students, including those with
disabilities.
http://www.washington.edu/doit/Faculty/

Web Accessibility

As post secondary education moves toward more web based programming and
distance education, including on-line course offerings, accessibility
considerations must be brought to attention and included in these
designs.  The following web sites will provide you with resources to do just this:

http://www.w3.org/WAI/

http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/accessibility.php

http://www.cew.wisc.edu/accessibility/

http://www.washington.edu/accessit/index.php

http://www.washington.edu/accessit/AU/tutorial/