Access through Adaptive Computer Technology and Website Design

October 11, 2005 - SIUC Workforce Education Off Campus Degree Program Fall Conference - Aim High for Customer Service

Your Coordinators for this event are:

Kathleen Plesko

Kathleen directs SIUC's Office of Disability Support Services. Plesko is an expert in disability accommodations in higher education settings. She will discuss and delineate the provision of mandated accommodations in real and electronic classrooms. As an important counterbalance, Plesko will discuss fundamental course requirements and how they can limit the need to provide accommodations, particularly in the area of testing. She will briefly profile the "new" disabled students, those with invisible disabilities, including cognitive and psychiatric conditions.

Michael Whitney

Michael Whitney heads adaptive technology and accessible web creation for Disability Support Services at SIUC and is also the coordinator of the Adaptive Computer Technology & Website Design HECA grant project. In addition to his MA in Rehabilitation, Whitney has completed training on designing universally acceptable web resources and an assistive technology applications certificate program offered by the State University of California Northridge. He will discuss and demonstrate some of the common adaptive technologies utilized by students with disabilities.

Bryan Dallas

Bryan Dallas heads the adaptive technology text conversion program at Disability Support Services. In addition to his MS in Rehabilitation, Dallas has years of experience implementing appropriate adaptive technologies for students with disabilities.

Expected Topics of Discussion and Presented Technologies

Our October 11, 2005 presentations are on disability awareness and accommodations in post secondary settings for Workforce Education Instructors. At one hour long, a cursory introduction to the new population of students with disabilities and possible issues related to this group attending school at satellite campuses. Goals for this presentation are as follows:

• Make the general populace aware of various disabilities and the issues (personal, societal, environmental, etc..) that are commonly attached to the disabilities
• Expose participants to the practices and guidelines we here at SIUC employ to accommodate students with disabilities
• Review required accommodations
• Discuss documentation needs
• Discuss reasonable accommodations
• Discuss pedagogical alterations
• Discuss accessible environment requirements
• Discuss the needs of disabled veterans