1 00:00:01,048 --> 00:00:05,071 (Michael K. Young) We are committed to the notion that everyone should have an opportunity to 2 00:00:05,071 --> 00:00:10,030 participate in higher education, whether it be from the learning perspective or the research perspective 3 00:00:10,045 --> 00:00:13,550 or an opportunity to work here at this institution. 4 00:00:13,565 --> 00:00:20,356 We benefit from that because we get to enjoy the talents and the skills of those people who come in, 5 00:00:20,373 --> 00:00:26,582 and also their perspective, which in many cases will be different from the perspective of others on campus. 6 00:00:26,890 --> 00:00:26,890 So accessibility becomes a very important value at the university. 7 00:00:26,890 --> 00:00:27,828 (Tracy Mitrano) We're a leading university globally. We want the best talent in the world 8 00:00:27,828 --> 00:00:54,008 for our students, our staff, and our faculty. 9 00:00:54,008 --> 00:00:55,943 And we want to be sure if that talent has a disability 10 00:00:55,943 --> 00:00:57,879 that they know that we are a welcoming community. 11 00:00:57,879 --> 00:01:03,076 (Pablo Molino) We're competing with other prestigious and highly accomplished institutions. 12 00:01:03,076 --> 00:01:10,091 We want to make sure that we can target the right candidates to join our community 13 00:01:10,091 --> 00:01:13,075 regardless of their disability status. 14 00:01:13,075 --> 00:01:17,042 (Pete Siegel) We want to do everything we can to ensure that they have the same access 15 00:01:17,042 --> 00:01:21,009 to smart faculty, to fellow students, and to the resources at UC Davis. 16 00:01:21,009 --> 00:01:25,063 (Edward Ray) In fact, we genuinely believe that excellence is achieved through diversity 17 00:01:25,063 --> 00:01:32,007 and that a commitment to equity and inclusion really enriches each of our lives. 18 00:01:32,007 --> 00:01:38,004 (Linda Cahill) It would be inconceivable not to have a social conscience at least, 19 00:01:38,004 --> 00:01:45,088 and be completely committed to making our resources at Barry University accessible to all students. 20 00:01:49,025 --> 00:01:55,075 (Edward Ray) We believe that the use of technology can be very powerful. 21 00:01:55,075 --> 00:02:02,017 It connects people to each other, but it also enhances their learning capabilities; 22 00:02:02,017 --> 00:02:05,448 it increases what they can do through their research and creative work; 23 00:02:05,448 --> 00:02:08,879 it really makes it possible for them to have a more powerful impact in the world and that's basically what we're all about. 24 00:02:15,043 --> 00:02:23,489 And we want that to be true for every member of our community, 25 00:02:23,489 --> 00:02:30,659 regardless of limitations, of physical, spacial, time or other dimension. 26 00:02:30,659 --> 00:02:37,239 (Hernan Londono) As an IT professional, sometimes some of us concentrate in the technical side of the house only 27 00:02:37,239 --> 00:02:41,159 and we forget that finally the technology is to serve the people. 28 00:02:41,159 --> 00:02:46,039 (Michael K. Young) What the university offers and makes available has to be offered to everybody. 29 00:02:46,039 --> 00:02:52,014 We can't afford to waste the talents or the brilliance or the minds of anybody 30 00:02:52,014 --> 00:02:54,616 and making things accessible allows everybody to engage in the university. 31 00:02:54,616 --> 00:02:57,219 Equal opportunity is a part of our value system, but it's also required by law. 32 00:02:57,219 --> 00:03:00,889 (Pete Siegel) Compliance is extremely important. Compliance is the law. 33 00:03:00,889 --> 00:03:06,959 But that isn't the motivator for most of us at universities. 34 00:03:06,959 --> 00:03:14,499 Our motivation has always been to provide easily accessible tools, excellent experiences for our students 35 00:03:14,499 --> 00:03:19,189 and really to give them the sense that this is a place they want to be, 36 00:03:19,189 --> 00:03:24,659 a place they want to learn, a place where they can thrive. 37 00:03:24,659 --> 00:03:34,379 (Michael K. Young) Universal design is a very powerful concept because what it means is 38 00:03:34,379 --> 00:03:40,439 we look at the issue of accessibility at the outset rather than 39 00:03:40,439 --> 00:03:43,087 buying something or engaging something or developing something that we have to retrofit 40 00:03:43,087 --> 00:03:49,639 which not only makes it cheaper and more efficient, it likely makes it much better 41 00:03:49,639 --> 00:03:53,579 in terms of both the quality of the product and the accessibility to those -- all the people that we want to be able to use it. 42 00:03:53,579 --> 00:03:56,299 (Tracy Mitrano) I think the other direction that colleges and universities could and should take 43 00:03:56,299 --> 00:04:02,999 is to think about accommodation as really the beginning of the conversation about disability. 44 00:04:08,359 --> 00:04:13,939 It was the appropriate measure that was taken in the Americans with Disabilities Act that was passed in 1990 45 00:04:13,939 --> 00:04:20,084 and that's well over a generation ago. 46 00:04:20,084 --> 00:04:23,546 I think now we really have to think less about how we're going to measure 47 00:04:23,546 --> 00:04:27,009 specifically this accommodation or that accommodation 48 00:04:27,009 --> 00:04:29,508 and recognize that we can make accessibility open and available 49 00:04:29,508 --> 00:04:32,007 so that individual staff, faculty or students do not have to go to get an accommodation. 50 00:04:32,007 --> 00:04:38,004 It will be automatically available in the webpage that they visit, in the device that they use. 51 00:04:38,004 --> 00:04:42,039 (Brady Deaton) We envision a campus that has a concept of universal design in all aspects of information technology, 52 00:04:42,039 --> 00:04:48,014 that a student is not impeded in any way, 53 00:04:48,014 --> 00:04:52,091 but in fact, that technology is utilized not only directly by those who benefit because of certain challenges they may have, 54 00:04:52,091 --> 00:04:59,095 but also is illustrative to the broader student body and to the faculty and to alums 55 00:04:59,095 --> 00:05:05,009 about what an inclusive learning environment is. 56 00:05:05,009 --> 00:05:08,027 (Pete Seigel) We have some things we have to learn in order to move into accessibility space, 57 00:05:08,027 --> 00:05:13,074 but the basic goals and the basic values are things we already know and love. 58 00:05:13,074 --> 00:05:18,037 Then we bring in things like universal design, the notion that if we design things well right from the start, 59 00:05:18,037 --> 00:05:24,028 they actually aren't more expensive. 60 00:05:24,028 --> 00:05:31,093 This is something that we can fit into even our very, very tight budgets. 61 00:05:31,093 --> 00:05:43,096 (Eileen McDonough) We make a great effort in our graduate and our undergraduate counsel 62 00:05:43,096 --> 00:05:52,041 to make sure that faculty and deans are aware that in program design, in offering a new major, 63 00:05:52,041 --> 00:05:58,059 that they take into account that they might have to have specialized software available, 64 00:05:58,059 --> 00:06:06,025 and they have to build that into their program development. 65 00:06:06,025 --> 00:06:13,075 And then to certainly just be aware of all the different ways that students can learn, 66 00:06:13,075 --> 00:06:17,072 to help faculty and deans understand the concept of universal design. 67 00:06:17,072 --> 00:06:26,008 (Gerry Hanley) The first step really needs to be an assessment of where we are 68 00:06:26,008 --> 00:06:28,513 so we can then inform our planning process, develop plans, implement a project, 69 00:06:28,513 --> 00:06:31,019 and then really assess the results of it. 70 00:06:31,019 --> 00:06:36,041 (Pablo Molino) Key to our approach to making sure that our campus and our technology is 71 00:06:36,041 --> 00:06:41,074 accessible to people with disabilities, is to ensure we do this by design. 72 00:06:41,074 --> 00:06:48,000 This is not an afterthought that we do after we have implemented a new classroom. 73 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:54,002 Instead, this is something that we do from the initial conception of a new project or idea. 74 00:06:54,002 --> 00:06:57,004 The same way we do this for privacy and security, we do this for accessibility. 75 00:06:57,004 --> 00:07:02,095 (Bruce Maas) It is less costly, in the long run, to be thinking through the issues of accessibility comprehensively. 76 00:07:02,095 --> 00:07:09,057 Therefore, having a plan for accessibility insures that from the beginning 77 00:07:09,057 --> 00:07:16,048 we think through our issues with regard to the delivery of our services. 78 00:07:16,048 --> 00:07:23,001 Doing so in a strategic way means that we can hold down costs over the long haul and 79 00:07:23,001 --> 00:07:28,006 actually deliver better services in the bargain. 80 00:07:28,006 --> 00:07:36,024 (Brady Deaton) It is very important that a university follows a policy and a process 81 00:07:36,024 --> 00:07:40,002 that is a can-do kind of process. 82 00:07:40,002 --> 00:07:42,502 It assumes that we are going to undertake the investments that we need, 83 00:07:42,502 --> 00:07:43,752 we're going to demonstrate the value that we need, 84 00:07:43,752 --> 00:07:45,003 that not only address the needs of students who may be challenged with vision or hearing or other disabilities, 85 00:07:45,003 --> 00:07:52,036 but also draw on the technology that is not only exciting for those people who are developing the technology, 86 00:07:56,059 --> 00:08:01,069 it's intellectually exciting, it provides new jobs for that matter and it stimulates learning in so many parts of the university. 87 00:08:01,069 --> 00:08:08,037 So that attitude of the university administration, as well as faculty and staff and students, 88 00:08:08,037 --> 00:08:13,068 becomes very, very important because everyone gains from this. It's a win-win situation. 89 00:08:13,068 --> 00:08:16,041 (Tracy Mitrano) A policy really is an important way to go 90 00:08:16,041 --> 00:08:22,027 because it will focus everyone's attention. It's also probably the way that you have to go 91 00:08:22,027 --> 00:08:27,081 now that there are legal pressures on higher education in this area. 92 00:08:27,081 --> 00:08:33,061 The second thing I would say about policy is there are really two types in general. 93 00:08:33,061 --> 00:08:38,759 One is a policy that you have because you have a law, for example the Family Education Rights Privacy Act Policy, 94 00:08:38,759 --> 00:08:45,029 so you want to be clear and sure that you're going to have compliance on your campus. 95 00:08:45,029 --> 00:08:49,899 There's another kind of policy that I would call aspirational policy and maybe accessibility fits a little bit in both 96 00:08:49,899 --> 00:08:55,689 but you most certainly can err on the aspirational side. 97 00:08:55,689 --> 00:09:01,329 An aspirational policy is something you establish for your institution as a path moving towards something, moving forward. 98 00:09:01,329 --> 00:09:06,004 It does not have to have one hundred percent compliance 99 00:09:06,004 --> 00:09:10,319 because it's really a direction that you're setting strategically for your institution. 100 00:09:10,319 --> 00:09:12,779 (Gerry Hanley) I'd say another critical aspect around our strategy is a shared governance strategy. 101 00:09:12,779 --> 00:09:25,098 Because education is a shared responsibility across faculty, staff, students, venders, 102 00:09:25,098 --> 00:09:34,389 all of us working together have to share in that responsibility. 103 00:09:34,389 --> 00:09:42,189 Now, a shared governance process means if you are responsible in delivering the service, 104 00:09:42,189 --> 00:09:48,024 then you have an opportunity to share in governing how we're going to manage the implementation of these services. 105 00:09:48,024 --> 00:09:52,629 (Brady Deaton) The administrators of the university must reflect the values that demonstrate the importance of this 106 00:09:57,949 --> 00:10:00,779 to the learning environment and it has to be built in then to every aspect of what we do. 107 00:10:00,779 --> 00:10:04,139 (Michael K. Young) Right now we have a number of projects and initiatives underway at the UW 108 00:10:04,139 --> 00:10:09,269 in which we're testing new technologies. 109 00:10:09,269 --> 00:10:13,079 Accessibility is an important consideration in these evaluations. 110 00:10:13,079 --> 00:10:18,569 Many of the vendors we work with have completed Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates or VPATs, 111 00:10:18,569 --> 00:10:23,649 which offer a checklist of accessibility criteria and vendors' self-assessment as to how well they meet those criteria. 112 00:10:23,649 --> 00:10:28,269 It's a good starting point, but we go beyond that to ask a vendor specific questions and to 113 00:10:28,269 --> 00:10:33,569 test their products with respect to accessibility. 114 00:10:33,569 --> 00:10:42,309 (Gerry Hanley) We begin with our vendors saying (a) this is not only important, that this is required for working with the CSU. 115 00:10:42,309 --> 00:10:48,099 Every student who comes into our institution, we have to provide equally effective access to those services 116 00:10:48,099 --> 00:10:55,086 and you are a partner in delivering those services to us. 117 00:10:55,086 --> 00:11:03,093 So we will tell you what we need and then we will help you inform your staff, educate your staff, 118 00:11:03,093 --> 00:11:10,699 provide them some consultation and guidance in partnership with us, 119 00:11:10,699 --> 00:11:13,037 so you can deliver the successful service for us. 120 00:11:13,037 --> 00:11:19,018 (Pat Burns) So we work with our vendors to try to put pressure on them to make things accessible. 121 00:11:19,018 --> 00:11:26,049 We actually have a purchasing process where we work through and ask the issues about accessibility 122 00:11:26,049 --> 00:11:31,529 for software and hardware that we buy as well. 123 00:11:31,529 --> 00:11:37,879 (Bruce Maas) Individual efforts really need to be able to scale well. 124 00:11:37,879 --> 00:11:43,091 If we go about things in an ad hoc approach, one by one, we're not likely to get the same results 125 00:11:43,091 --> 00:11:45,595 as if we work together as a community in higher education, 126 00:11:45,595 --> 00:11:48,099 to work with vendors to improve accessibility for everyone with regard to the products that are offered. 127 00:11:48,099 --> 00:11:55,269 That's a much more pragmatic approach rather than institution by institution. 128 00:11:55,269 --> 00:12:02,003 (Gerry Hanley) Making accessibility a priority in their development roadmap 129 00:12:02,003 --> 00:12:11,059 is going to be driven by the market demand. 130 00:12:11,059 --> 00:12:14,164 And if an institution never says a word, the vendor isn't going to do anything about it. 131 00:12:14,164 --> 00:12:17,269 So if we begin to communicate our demands collectively, then the vendor will recognize the market value of accessibility. 132 00:12:20,049 --> 00:12:26,067 (Joel Hartman) As we acquire IT resources, we have to embed accessibility in our contracts. 133 00:12:26,067 --> 00:12:31,019 As we develop resources, we have to employ universal design in our thinking about how 134 00:12:31,019 --> 00:12:35,093 to make these resources available and we have to continue to monitor students to see if 135 00:12:35,093 --> 00:12:43,309 we're really delivering to them the resources in a form that they can actually use. 136 00:12:43,309 --> 00:12:53,061 (Michael K. Young) Accessibility requires effort on the part of everyone in the higher education community... 137 00:12:53,061 --> 00:12:59,209 faculty, staff, technology vendors. If we all do our part, our institutions can provide everyone 138 00:12:59,209 --> 00:13:04,529 with an equal opportunity to participate. And we all benefit from the perspectives of a diverse group. 139 00:13:04,529 --> 00:13:07,709 (Hernan Londonono) Having that peace of mind that we are doing all we can to provide an accessible campus is... 140 00:13:07,709 --> 00:13:12,959 gives us a lot of pride and we feel very happy about what, what we do. 141 00:13:17,067 --> 00:13:22,199 (Linda Cahill) Why wouldn't we make our campus accessible to students with disabilities and 142 00:13:22,199 --> 00:13:27,439 why wouldn't we do everything we could to see the technology is accessible to our students? 143 00:13:27,439 --> 00:13:32,049 (Tracy Mitrano) The spirit of what has made higher education the jewel in the crown of 144 00:13:32,049 --> 00:13:36,939 American society is part and parcel of the message of accessibility. 145 00:13:36,939 --> 00:13:43,139 (Edward Ray) Every way in which we touch the lives of others, whether it's in the classroom, 146 00:13:43,139 --> 00:13:50,017 the laboratory, through live performances, through events on campus, 147 00:13:50,017 --> 00:14:00,029 we want everyone who comes here and creates those experiences to be as fully engaged and as fully benefited by the activity as possible. 148 00:14:00,029 --> 00:14:08,179 And that simply can't be done if people have artificial challenges or barriers to try to overcome. 149 00:14:09,889 --> 00:14:16,319 I would say to those out there who are just getting started or maybe struggling to figure out how to use technology 150 00:14:16,319 --> 00:14:23,629 to advance accessibility on their campuses that there's no such thing as a bad time to start.