{"id":133824,"date":"2021-07-23T10:48:38","date_gmt":"2021-07-23T16:48:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=133824"},"modified":"2022-02-10T14:41:05","modified_gmt":"2022-02-10T21:41:05","slug":"31-years-after-ada-access-and-inclusion-efforts-continue-at-uccs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=133824","title":{"rendered":"31 years after ADA, access and inclusion efforts continue at UCCS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"President
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990. 31 years later, UCCS works to exceed the standards it set forth for access and inclusion.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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31 years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law, enshrining protections for people with disabilities across employment, transportation, public accommodation and communications. At UCCS, the work to advance access and inclusion continues \u2014 from cross-campus advocacy efforts to international faculty research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some efforts focus on student support services, like the work of Disability Services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUCCS feels strongly about providing the best possible education for all of its students,\u201d said Ida Dilwood, Director of Disability Services and the University Testing Center. \u201cUCCS has made continued progress toward reaching the intent of the ADA and protecting the rights of people with disabilities. Disability services is here to support and provide accommodations for students while ensuring the integrity of academic programs and services, but we all should think beyond the ADA and create a campus that is truly accessible for all students, staff and faculty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other efforts focus on advancing research and scholarship in the field of disability services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“UCCS is home to outstanding researchers who are actively working to improve access and inclusion for people with disabilities,\u201d said Scott Kupferman, Associate Professor of Teaching and Learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UCCS research activity spans from researching university support for veterans with disabilities to cybersecurity career opportunities for young adults with autism. Kupferman\u2019s own research in the College of Education centers on access to educational and assistive technology for students with disabilities in partnership with technology companies such as Apple and Microsoft. On an international scale, Kupferman recently completed a U.S. Department of State project with scholars in Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates related to international disability policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese research activities directly inform our university’s efforts to not just meet, but exceed the standards set forth in the ADA,\u201d Kupferman said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about UCCS\u2019 work to strengthen access and inclusion for all individuals, including those with disabilities, below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Universal Design for Inclusive Teaching<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Universal design is a teaching approach that works to accommodate the needs and abilities of all learners and eliminate unnecessary hurdles in the learning process. It involves creating a flexible classroom dynamic in which information is presented in multiple ways, students engage in learning in a variety of ways and students are provided options when demonstrating their learning.\u202f<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Faculty Resource Center at UCCS currently offers a credential for faculty members who implement universal design strategies in their teaching through the Universal Design for Inclusive Teaching program. Participants in the program are paired with a Faculty Resource Center instructional designer to redesign a course for inclusive teaching. Faculty work through three modules: inclusive teaching essentials, designing courses with accessibility in mind, and inclusive teaching practices. Digital badges are awarded upon successful completion of requirements. Each badge involves a 24 to 36-hour time commitment. Learn more about Universal Design for Inclusive Teaching on the Faculty Resource Center website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital Accessibility Working Group<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UCCS\u2019 Digital Accessibility Working Group works to implement digital accessibility across campus so that websites, mobile applications and electronic documents can be easily navigated and understood by a wide range of users, including those users who have visual, auditory, motor or cognitive disabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The group works on a wide range of digital accessibility standards:<\/p>\n\n\n\n