0:00:01.717,0:00:03.753
(Michael Young) We are committed to [br]the notion that everyone

0:00:03.753,0:00:06.349
should have an opportunity to [br]participate in higher education

0:00:06.399,0:00:08.966
whether it be from the [br]learning perspective,

0:00:08.986,0:00:10.396
or the research perspective, [br]

0:00:10.416,0:00:12.856
or an opportunity to work here[br]at this institution.

0:00:13.636,0:00:18.736
We benefit from that because we get[br]to enjoy the talents and the skills

0:00:18.786,0:00:21.176
of those people who come in, [br]and also their perspective,

0:00:21.235,0:00:25.495
which in many cases will be different[br]from the perspective of others on campus.

0:00:25.565,0:00:28.835
So accessibility becomes a very[br]important value at the university.

0:00:44.611,0:00:46.825
(Tracy Mitrano) We're a leading [br]university globally.

0:00:46.855,0:00:50.579
We want the best talent in the world[br]for our students, our staff,

0:00:50.609,0:00:55.674
and our faculty. And we want to [br]be sure if that talent has a disability

0:00:55.708,0:00:58.218
that they know that we are a[br]welcoming community.

0:00:58.427,0:01:00.039
(Pablo Molino) We're competing [br]with other prestigious

0:01:00.039,0:01:06.441
and highly accomplished institutions.[br]We want to make sure that we can target

0:01:06.461,0:01:12.874
the right candidates to join our community[br]regardless of their disability status.

0:01:12.884,0:01:15.467
(Pete Siegel) We want to do everything [br]we can to ensure that they have

0:01:15.467,0:01:21.089
the same access to smart faculty, [br]to fellow students,

0:01:21.117,0:01:23.039
and to the resources at UC Davis.

0:01:23.039,0:01:25.601
(Edward Ray) In fact, [br]we genuinely believe that

0:01:25.601,0:01:27.963
excellence is achieved through diversity

0:01:28.743,0:01:31.847
and that a commitment [br]to equity and inclusion

0:01:31.867,0:01:34.658
really enriches each of our lives.

0:01:35.258,0:01:41.070
(Linda Cahill) It would be inconceivable [br]not to have a social conscience, at least,

0:01:41.372,0:01:47.062
and be completely committed to making[br]our resources at Barry University

0:01:47.062,0:01:49.132
accessible to all students.

0:01:49.778,0:01:54.360
(Edward Ray) We believe that the use [br]of technology can be very powerful.

0:01:54.630,0:01:56.222
It connects people to each other,

0:01:56.232,0:01:59.846
but it also enhances their [br]learning capabilities;

0:02:00.056,0:02:06.010
it increases what they can do through[br]their research and creative work;

0:02:06.040,0:02:11.426
it really makes it possible for them to [br]have a more powerful impact in the world

0:02:11.466,0:02:14.551
and that's basically what we're all about.

0:02:14.666,0:02:17.856
And we want that to be true [br]for every member of our community

0:02:17.915,0:02:25.985
regardless of limitations, of physical, [br]spacial, time or other dimension.

0:02:26.767,0:02:27.987
(Hernan Londono) As an IT professional,

0:02:28.020,0:02:34.880
sometimes some of us concentrate in [br]the technical side of the house only

0:02:34.902,0:02:39.022
and we forget that finally [br]the technology is to serve the people.

0:02:39.090,0:02:42.312
(Michael Young) What the university[br]offers and makes available

0:02:42.312,0:02:43.894
has to be offered to everybody.

0:02:43.914,0:02:48.646
We can't afford to waste the talents [br]or the brilliance or the minds of anybody

0:02:48.664,0:02:53.474
and making things accessible allows [br]everybody to engage in the university.

0:02:53.645,0:02:58.545
Equal opportunity is a part of our value[br]system, but it's also required by law.

0:02:58.596,0:03:02.336
(Pete Siegel) Compliance is extremely [br]important. Compliance is the law.

0:03:03.000,0:03:06.650
But that isn't the motivator [br]for most of us at universities.

0:03:06.699,0:03:12.449
Our motivation has always been[br]to provide easily accessible tools,

0:03:12.712,0:03:15.482
excellent experiences for our students

0:03:15.506,0:03:19.366
and really to give them the sense that[br]this is a place they want to be,

0:03:19.384,0:03:22.014
a place they want to learn, [br]a place where they can thrive.

0:03:31.122,0:03:34.462
(Michael Young) Universal design is a very[br]powerful concept because what it means is

0:03:34.492,0:03:39.692
we look at the issue of accessibility[br]at the outset rather than buying something

0:03:39.692,0:03:42.852
or engaging something, or developing [br]something that we have to retrofit.

0:03:42.870,0:03:45.800
Which not only makes it cheaper [br]and more efficient,

0:03:45.810,0:03:50.340
it likely makes it much better in terms[br]of both the quality of the product

0:03:50.350,0:03:52.281
and the accessibility to those...

0:03:52.285,0:03:54.375
all the people that we want [br]to be able to use it.

0:03:54.485,0:03:56.941
(Tracy Mitrano) I think the other [br]direction that colleges

0:03:56.941,0:03:59.515
and universities could and should take is

0:03:59.515,0:04:02.366
to think about accommodation[br]

0:04:02.366,0:04:06.397
as really the beginning of the[br]conversation about disability.

0:04:06.437,0:04:08.738
It was the appropriate measure[br]that was taken

0:04:08.738,0:04:10.822
in the Americans with Disabilities Act

0:04:10.842,0:04:12.748
that was passed in 1990

0:04:12.748,0:04:15.366
and that's well over a generation ago.

0:04:15.501,0:04:20.678
I think now we really have to think less [br]about how we're going to measure

0:04:20.688,0:04:23.955
specifically this accommodation [br]or that accommodation

0:04:24.095,0:04:28.444
and recognize that we can make [br]accessibility open and available

0:04:28.474,0:04:31.424
so that individual staff, faculty [br]or students

0:04:31.424,0:04:34.094
do not have to go to get an accommodation.

0:04:34.094,0:04:37.631
It will be automatically available [br]in the webpage that they visit,

0:04:37.631,0:04:39.608
in the device that they use.

0:04:39.888,0:04:44.732
(Brady Deaton) We envision a campus[br]that has a concept of universal design

0:04:44.742,0:04:49.816
in all aspects of information technology,[br]that a student is not impeded in any way,

0:04:49.816,0:04:54.402
but in fact, that technology is utilized [br]not only directly by those who benefit

0:04:54.402,0:04:57.664
because of certain challenges [br]they may have,

0:04:57.694,0:05:01.636
but also is illustrative to [br]the broader student body

0:05:01.684,0:05:03.934
and to the faculty and to alums[br].

0:05:04.004,0:05:06.824
about what an inclusive learning [br]environment is.

0:05:06.854,0:05:08.994
(Pete Seigel) We have some things[br]we have to learn

0:05:09.004,0:05:11.204
in order to move into[br]accessibility space,

0:05:11.224,0:05:15.675
but the basic goals and the basic values[br]are things we already know and love.

0:05:15.685,0:05:18.075
Then we bring in things like [br]universal design,

0:05:18.094,0:05:22.378
the notion that if we design things[br]well right from the start,

0:05:22.388,0:05:24.882
they actually aren't more expensive.

0:05:24.882,0:05:28.506
This is something that we can fit[br]into even our very, very tight budgets.

0:05:39.313,0:05:42.383
(Eileen McDonough) We make a great effort[br]in our graduate

0:05:42.383,0:05:48.673
and our undergraduate counsel to make sure[br]that faculty and deans are aware that

0:05:48.703,0:05:52.703
in program design, in offering [br]a new major,

0:05:52.757,0:05:54.497
that they take into account that [br]

0:05:54.497,0:05:58.227
they might have to have specialized [br]software available,

0:05:58.252,0:06:02.632
and they have to build that [br]into their program development.

0:06:02.652,0:06:08.084
And then to certainly just be aware[br]of all the different ways

0:06:08.084,0:06:10.844
that students can learn,

0:06:10.844,0:06:16.124
to help faculty and deans understand [br]the concept of universal design.

0:06:16.149,0:06:19.359
(Gerry Hanley) The first step really[br]needs to be an assessment

0:06:19.359,0:06:24.859
of where we are, so we can[br]then inform our planning process,

0:06:24.894,0:06:27.804
develop plans, implement a project,

0:06:27.804,0:06:31.384
and then really assess the results of it.

0:06:31.384,0:06:34.294
(Pablo Molino) Key to our approach [br]to making sure that

0:06:34.294,0:06:38.274
our campus and our technology is[br]accessible to people with disabilities,

0:06:38.274,0:06:40.814
is to ensure we do this by design.

0:06:40.835,0:06:46.755
This is not an afterthought that we do [br]after we have implemented a new classroom.

0:06:46.755,0:06:48.599
Instead, this is something that we do[br]

0:06:48.599,0:06:52.359
from the initial conception [br]of a new project or idea.

0:06:52.537,0:06:55.877
The same way we do this for privacy [br]and security, [br]

0:06:55.877,0:06:58.107
we do this for accessibility.

0:06:58.124,0:07:00.684
(Bruce Maas) It is less costly, [br]in the long run,

0:07:00.702,0:07:06.012
to be thinking through the issues[br]of accessibility comprehensively.

0:07:06.050,0:07:10.500
Therefore, having a plan for accessibility[br]insures that from the beginning

0:07:10.520,0:07:15.800
we think through our issues with regard[br]to the delivery of our services.

0:07:15.831,0:07:22.611
Doing so in a strategic way means that we[br]can hold down costs over the long haul

0:07:22.625,0:07:27.335
and actually deliver better services[br]in the bargain.

0:07:27.355,0:07:30.655
(Brady Deaton) It is very important that [br]a university follows

0:07:30.655,0:07:33.165
a policy and a process

0:07:33.184,0:07:35.794
that is a can-do kind of process.

0:07:35.794,0:07:39.234
It assumes that we are going to [br]undertake the investments that we need,

0:07:39.248,0:07:41.778
we're going to demonstrate the values[br]that we need,

0:07:41.778,0:07:45.858
that not only address the needs of[br]students who may be challenged with vision

0:07:45.858,0:07:48.298
or hearing or other disabilities,

0:07:48.298,0:07:53.158
but also draw on the technology [br]that is not only exciting

0:07:53.160,0:07:55.730
for those people who are [br]developing the technology,

0:07:55.730,0:07:58.520
it's intellectually exciting, it provides [br]new jobs for that matter,

0:07:58.531,0:08:02.531
and it stimulates learning [br]in so many parts of the university.

0:08:02.607,0:08:06.607
So that attitude of the university[br]administration, [br]

0:08:06.623,0:08:10.623
as well as faculty and staff and students,[br]becomes very, very important

0:08:10.642,0:08:14.642
because everyone gains from this. [br]It's a win-win situation.

0:08:14.660,0:08:17.200
(Tracy Mitrano) A policy really is an [br]important way to go, [br]

0:08:17.283,0:08:20.613
because it will focus everyone's [br]attention.

0:08:20.624,0:08:23.434
It's also probably the way that [br]you have to go now

0:08:23.434,0:08:26.884
that there are legal pressures [br]on higher education in this area.

0:08:26.884,0:08:32.434
The second thing I would say about policy [br]is there are really two types in general.

0:08:32.442,0:08:35.612
One is a policy that you have [br]because you have a law,

0:08:35.612,0:08:39.612
for example, the Family Education [br]Rights Privacy Act Policy.

0:08:39.649,0:08:42.839
So you want to be clear and sure that [br]

0:08:42.839,0:08:45.109
you're going to have compliance[br]on your campus.

0:08:45.109,0:08:49.009
There's another kind of policy [br]that I would call aspirational policy

0:08:49.009,0:08:52.289
and maybe accessibility [br]fits a little bit in both

0:08:52.289,0:08:56.539
but you most certainly [br]can err on the aspirational side.

0:08:56.555,0:09:00.735
An aspirational policy is something [br]you establish for your institution

0:09:00.735,0:09:03.645
as a path moving towards something, [br]moving forward.

0:09:04.094,0:09:06.794
It does not have to have one hundred[br]percent compliance

0:09:06.820,0:09:10.390
because it's really a direction [br]that you're setting strategically

0:09:10.390,0:09:11.520
for your institution.

0:09:11.526,0:09:16.296
(Gerry Hanley) I'd say another critical [br]aspect around our strategy is

0:09:16.296,0:09:19.002
a shared governance strategy.

0:09:20.189,0:09:25.699
Because education is [br]a shared responsibility

0:09:25.703,0:09:30.533
across faculty, staff, students, [br]vendors,

0:09:30.537,0:09:35.907
all of us working together have to [br]share in that responsibility.

0:09:35.952,0:09:42.312
Now, a shared governance process means[br]if you are responsible in delivering

0:09:42.312,0:09:48.552
the service, then you have an opportunity[br]to share in governing how we're going to

0:09:48.552,0:09:51.142
manage the implementation [br]of these services.[br]

0:09:51.142,0:09:54.082
(Brady Deaton) The administrators of the[br]university must reflect the values

0:09:54.082,0:09:57.492
that demonstrate the importance [br]of this to the learning environment

0:09:57.513,0:10:00.583
and it has to be built in then[br]to every aspect of what we do.

0:10:00.583,0:10:03.623
(Michael Young) Right now we have [br]a number of projects and initiatives

0:10:03.623,0:10:06.813
underway at the UW in which [br]we're testing new technologies.

0:10:06.835,0:10:10.305
Accessibility is an important [br]consideration in these evaluations.

0:10:10.868,0:10:13.208
Many of the vendors we work with[br]have completed

0:10:13.208,0:10:16.788
Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates[br]or VPATs,

0:10:16.798,0:10:21.218
which offer a checklist of accessibility[br]criteria and vendors' self-assessment

0:10:21.239,0:10:23.099
as to how well they meet those criteria.[br]

0:10:23.157,0:10:24.827
It's a good starting point,

0:10:24.827,0:10:27.827
but we go beyond that to ask [br]a vendor specific questions

0:10:27.849,0:10:30.959
and to test their products with [br]respect to accessibility.

0:10:30.979,0:10:37.669
(Gerry Hanley) We begin with our vendors [br]saying "hey this is not only important

0:10:37.687,0:10:41.527
that this is required for working[br]with the CSU.

0:10:41.577,0:10:45.147
Every student who comes into [br]our institution,

0:10:46.234,0:10:50.024
we have to provide equally effective[br]access to those services

0:10:50.042,0:10:54.342
and you are a partner in delivering[br]those services to us.

0:10:54.382,0:11:01.742
So we will tell you what we need and then[br]we will help you inform your staff,

0:11:01.770,0:11:05.640
educate your staff, provide them[br]some consultation and guidance

0:11:05.640,0:11:10.870
in partnership with us, [br]so you can deliver the successful

0:11:10.870,0:11:11.990
service for us".

0:11:11.990,0:11:15.390
(Pat Burns) So we work with our vendors[br]to try to put pressure on them

0:11:15.419,0:11:19.319
to make things accessible.[br]We actually have a purchasing

0:11:19.319,0:11:26.499
process where we work through and ask the[br]issues about accessibility for software

0:11:26.499,0:11:29.489
and hardware that we buy as well.[br]

0:11:29.489,0:11:33.269
(Bruce Maas) Individual efforts really [br]need to be able to scale well.

0:11:33.841,0:11:37.611
If we go about things in an ad hoc [br]approach, one by one,

0:11:37.633,0:11:41.633
we're not likely to get the same results[br]as if we work together as a community

0:11:41.847,0:11:43.507
in higher education,

0:11:43.522,0:11:47.522
to work with vendors to improve [br]accessibility for everyone

0:11:47.589,0:11:49.869
with regard to the products [br]that are offered.

0:11:49.872,0:11:55.282
That's a much more pragmatic approach[br]rather than institution by institution.

0:11:55.327,0:12:01.157
(Gerry Hanley) Making accessibility [br]a priority in their development roadmap

0:12:01.177,0:12:05.417
is going to be driven [br]by the market demand.

0:12:05.451,0:12:08.921
And if an institution never says a word,

0:12:08.921,0:12:12.851
the vendor isn't going to do[br]anything about it.

0:12:12.862,0:12:16.722
So if we begin to communicate our [br]demands collectively,

0:12:16.731,0:12:20.731
then the vendor will recognize [br]the market value of accessibility.

0:12:20.769,0:12:23.259
(Joel Hartman) As we acquire IT resources,

0:12:23.269,0:12:26.119
we have to embed accessibility [br]in our contracts.

0:12:26.119,0:12:31.256
As we develop resources, we have to employ[br]universal design in our thinking about how

0:12:31.256,0:12:35.086
to make these resources available and [br]we have to continue to monitor students

0:12:35.091,0:12:38.841
to see if we're really delivering to them [br]the resources in a form

0:12:38.841,0:12:39.931
that they can actually use.

0:12:50.144,0:12:52.764
(Michael Young) Accessibility requires [br]effort on the part of everyone

0:12:52.764,0:12:56.434
in the higher education community[br]- faculty, staff, technology vendors.

0:12:56.450,0:13:00.090
If we all do our part, our institutions[br]can provide everyone

0:13:00.090,0:13:04.740
with an equal opportunity to participate.[br]And we all benefit from the perspectives

0:13:04.740,0:13:06.270
of a diverse group.

0:13:06.270,0:13:09.180
(Hernan Londonono) Having that peace[br]of mind that we are doing all we can

0:13:09.180,0:13:13.320
to provide an accessible campus is --[br]gives us a lot of pride

0:13:13.320,0:13:17.840
and we feel very happy about what, [br]what we do.

0:13:17.840,0:13:20.930
(Linda Cahill) Why wouldn't we make [br]our campus accessible

0:13:20.930,0:13:24.450
to students with disabilities and why[br]wouldn't we do everything we could

0:13:24.450,0:13:27.550
to see the technology is accessible [br]to our students?

0:13:27.579,0:13:31.339
(Tracy Mitrano) The spirit of what has [br]made higher education

0:13:31.344,0:13:33.784
the jewel in the crown of American [br]society

0:13:33.784,0:13:37.254
is part and parcel of the message[br]of accessibility.

0:13:37.315,0:13:41.115
(Ed Ray) Every way in which we touch [br]the lives of others,

0:13:41.115,0:13:46.645
whether it's in the classroom, the laboratory, [br]through live performances,[br]

0:13:46.645,0:13:50.235
through events on campus, we want everyone

0:13:50.240,0:13:54.968
who comes here and creates [br]those experiences

0:13:54.968,0:14:00.418
to be as fully engaged and as fully [br]benefited

0:14:00.420,0:14:02.910
by the activity as possible.

0:14:02.910,0:14:08.410
And that simply can't be done[br]if people have artificial challenges

0:14:08.410,0:14:10.600
or barriers to try to overcome.

0:14:10.600,0:14:14.250
(Ed Ray) I would say to those out there[br]who are just getting started

0:14:14.268,0:14:19.358
or maybe struggling to figure out [br]how to use technology to advance

0:14:19.358,0:14:22.908
accessibility on their campuses that

0:14:22.908,0:14:26.908
there's no such thing as [br]a bad time to start.