According to the data collected by the Disability Services at Wentworth Institute of Technology in 2010 – 2013, approximately 12% of students in each incoming class have disclosed a disability (defined as a “condition or function judged to be significantly impaired relative to the usual standard of an individual or group” (http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/types/).
Of these 12%, types of disability included mental health issues, including ADHD (44%), learning disabilities (31%), medical disabilities (13%), autism spectrum disorders (9%) and sensory disabilities (3%).
The law mandates that higher education institutions provide accommodations to people with disabilities in most, if not all aspects, by removing barriers to access within employment, use of facilities, services and communications. These accommodations may include ramps and elevators, allergen-free food in the cafeteria, time extensions for exams, closed captions and transcripts for recorded lectures, and websites compatible with electronic screen readers. When properly designed and implemented, such accommodations have potential to not only remove barriers to access for people with disabilities, but also enhance and improve experience for all users. For example, a well-designed ramp is essential for people using wheelchairs but can also be used by those with strollers.
Taking accessibility compliance one step further, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) aims to benefit all learners in a diverse classroom (including but not limited to learners with disabilities, multiple learning styles, cultural differences, language diversity and life experiences) through a variety of instructional, assessment and engagement techniques. These techniques may include:
- Using a Learning Management System (LMS), such as Blackboard, to post reading and other instructional materials prior to class
- Recording live lectures and posting the recordings for later review
- Providing transcripts and captions with video recordings
- Using electronic textbooks
- Including text descriptions of images
For more information on Accessibility and UDL, please contact us at LIT@WIT.EDU
Resources:
Web Accessibility Law in Higher Education. http://ncdae.org/blog/web-accessibility-law/
National Center on Universal Design for Learning. http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/whatisudl