Accessibility Commons^™

Are We Ready: Envisioning An Inclusive Higher Education Program For Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities At The University Of Mississippi, Bailey Beaird

Honors Theses

An inclusive higher education program (IHEP) exists for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DDs) to foster academic success, employment equipping, interpersonal skill development, and active participation and value validation in the community. Establishing an IHEP can benefit current university students, faculty, and staff, and individuals with I/DDs and their families to create a more informed, inclusive environment. The University of Mississippi (UM) does not currently have an IHEP. Therefore, my advocacy initiative seeks to provide an opportunity for individuals with I/DDs to receive a college education and experience at UM. For two and a half years, I independently researched …

Accessible Technology For All: A Content Analysis Of Ux Design In Mobile Websites And Applications, Christine A. Franco

Doctoral Dissertations

More and more, digital technologies are becoming the fabric of everyday life, imbuing almost every aspect of modern society. With an increasing reliance on technology to complete essential tasks for school, work, communication, health, finance, and more, there remain barriers to accessing these tools. These barriers are not just represented by the digital divide, the haves and have-nots, but in the myriad ways in which the technologies we use every day are difficult to use, complex, or simply inaccessible. This research study investigates the factors that impact the accessibility of technology, specifically for individuals with either temporary, situational, or permanent …

Funding Mechanisms For School Aged Children Who Qualify For Augmentative And Alternative Communication Devices, Hailey Johnson

Senior Honors Projects

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices are used by individuals of all developmental ages who have difficulties with speech. Those who qualify to use an AAC device are able to practice independence, communicate their needs, and are able to engage in more opportunities where conversation with spoken communication is necessary. This comprehensive review of AAC within the school-aged population provides a detailed look at their overall use within the public school setting, and the funding mechanisms available to users and their families for these expensive devices. Interviews with a Speech and Language Pathologist, and a parent of a child with …

Gamification Of Speech Therapy With Pronunciation Pal, Parker Zbylut

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This capstone report examines the theory and implementation behind applying game design principles to educational applications, and explores their implementation in an educational game through the Pronunciation Pal application. The gamification of learning tools aims to increase learners' engagement and attentiveness with a subject by restructuring content using game design principles of challenges, rewards and feedback. Feedback can be delivered via visuals and/or sounds, as well as regular indicators of player progress and accomplishment. In addition, a successful game implementation establishes challenges to facilitate a player's intrinsic desire to continue playing and improving at the skills presented by the game. …

Disability Services As Related To Higher Education Leadership: An Exploratory Study, Tara Wade Franklin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the past three decades, the number of students with disabilities (SWD) attending postsecondary institutions has increased, yet their completion rates remain significantly lower than those of students without disabilities. This mixed methods exploratory study investigates the role of provost leadership in supporting disability services and understanding the needs of SWD in higher education. The study focuses on Texas higher education institutions, examining the relationships between provosts and directors of disability services. Data collected through the e-survey with open-ended questions primarily came from directors of disability services. Quantitative analysis of Likert scale items explored domains such as leadership, collaboration, consultation, …

Disability Services As Related To Higher Education Leadership: An Exploratory Study, Tara Wade Franklin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the past three decades, the number of students with disabilities attending postsecondary institutions has increased, yet their completion rates remain lower than those of students without disabilities. This mixed methods exploratory study investigates the role of provost leadership in supporting disability services and understanding the needs of students with disabilities in higher education. The study focuses on Texas higher education institutions, examining the relationships between provosts and directors of disability services. The researcher collected data through esurveys and open-ended questions of 16 participants, primarily directors of disability services. Quantitative analysis of Likert scale items explored domains such as leadership, …

Supporting Ksu English Instructors In Meeting The Access Needs Of Deaf And Hard And Hearing Students, Kris Roberson

Master's Projects

The lack of instructors prepared to work with deaf and hard of hearing (DHOH) students in higher education causes course accessibility barriers (Palmer et al., 2019; National Deaf Center [NDC] of Postsecondary Outcomes, n.d) and increased stress for students and instructors (Valle-Flórez et al., 2021; Salko, 2023). These obstacles inhibit DHOH student graduation rates and workforce entry (Garberoglio, 2019). Instructors require more training to effectively support DHOH students with best practices beyond basic accommodations. This qualitative research study presents phenomenological data from six interviews conducted with participants from one large, southeastern, R2 public university (Kennesaw State University, [KSU]) and one …

A Qualitative Case Study Of Disabled Students’ Experiences With Online Course Accessibility During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jason Altmann

Dissertations of Practice

ABSTRACT

A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY OF DISABLED STUDENTS’

EXPERIENCES WITH ONLINE COURSE ACCESSIBILITY

DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Jason Altmann, Ed.D.

Department of Counseling and Higher Education

Northern Illinois University, 2024

Xiaodan Hu, Director

This dissertation presents a qualitative case study exploring the experiences of disabled students with online course accessibility during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study investigates how the abrupt shift to online learning impacted the accessibility of educational materials and support services for disabled students in a large, suburban community college.

Critical Disability Theory (CDT) framework was utilized to guide interview questions and explore the connection between the initial …

Accessibility For All: An Interdisciplinary Team's Perception Of Multisensory Community Experiences For Students With Severe Disabilities, Karrissa Ebert

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This phenomenological study sought to understand how members of a special education team account for and navigate successes and barriers faced during the planning and implementation of community experiences for students with severe disabilities. The needs and abilities of this population are vast and often difficult to accurately define, and there remain many gaps within the research. Individual interviews of six special education team members from varied professional backgrounds yielded thick, rich narratives about the successes and barriers faced while planning and implementing community experiences for their students. The dominant theme that emerged was that successful community learning experiences had …

Diverse Minds, Shared Planet: Designing, Assessing, And Adapting Curricula To Engage Diverse Learners With Their Environment And Inspire Positive Change, Mallory Rose Lampe

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

The pieces that compose this portfolio together explore how environmental education can connect diverse learners to their environment through the integration of accessible curricula to inspire stewardship and action to take care of the planet we share.

Physical Accessibility And Historic Preservation In Historic House Museums Of The Southeast, Abby Milonas

All Theses

Museums are a public good, as they provide educational recreation and preserve cultural history, and so it is crucial that they are physically accessible to as many visitors as possible. The aim of this study was to understand what architectural features of historic house museums are the least accessible and what has been done to ameliorate these challenges. The survey used in the study was developed using the guidelines for making historic buildings accessible as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards. It was distributed by email to representatives of 220 historic sites, of …

Increasing Access And Success In Online Education For Students With Disabilities, William H. Snow, Karen M. Roller, Wendy Wade, Jared W. Snow

Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision

Counselor educators are legally and ethically required to support individuals with disabilities in their courses. While this presentation focuses on visual and auditory impairments, all students benefit when accommodations and adaptations support a wide range of learning styles. The authors provide web accessibility principles and guidelines and operationalize practical suggestions for coursework. Off-the-shelf assistive technologies are readily available to support learners. Educators are encouraged to test course materials using assistive technologies to better understand how students with disabilities experience their courses.

Accessibility Of Blended Learning For Special Needs Students In Higher Education, Reem Yaseen Al-Sulaimani

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigated the experiences of visually impaired students and their faculty members with blended learning at University X. Qualitative research methods were employed to gather data through interviews with six visually impaired students and six professors. The study analyzed the data using two frameworks, Universal Design of Learning (UDL) and Community of Inquiry (CoI). The findings indicate that the course design, personalization of accessibility, social inclusion and classroom dynamics, university support and resources, and technology accessibility and digital literacy have an impact on the experiences of visually impaired students and their professors. The study provides recommendations for improving the …

Collaboration Between Occupational Therapists And Architects To Incorporate Universal Design To Increase Accessibility, Michelle C. L. Hoff, Susan Macdermott

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The design of the built environment plays a key role in occupational participation. When the built environment is poorly designed, it severely limits accessibility for an individual with a disability. In contrast, when the built environment is well designed, it can support the occupational performance of individuals of all ages and abilities. Interprofessional collaboration between occupational therapists and architects can improve environmental barriers to occupational participation within home and community settings. Interprofessional collaboration between occupational therapists and architects has involved direct input through consultations, interprofessional education experiences, and the formation of interprofessional organizations. However, barriers to interprofessional collaboration have included …

Promoting Skills In Children And Teens With Autism Spectrum Disorder Through Play And Steam, Meaghan Mcleod Mozingo, Krzysztof J. Rechowicz

Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Student Capstone Conference

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have a low employment rate. This is caused by a lack of support from employment resources and the negative stigma associated with common characteristics associated with ASD. With limited career-building activities and events, it is difficult for individuals with ASD to identify their skills, strengths, and career opportunities. Parental support is crucial when seeking employment opportunities for their children. Through the use of play, children with ASD engaged and explored their skills with science, technology, engineering, arts, and math-centered activities. This paper highlights the events and shows the proposed redesign for an additional workshop.

A Survey Of Universal Design At Museums: Current Industry Practice And Perceptions, Jennifer K. Fortuna, Kayleigh Thomas, Jenna Asper, Laura Matney, Kyra Chase, Stephanie Ogren, Julia Vandermolen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Museums are key educational and cultural resources in the community, yet many are not accessible to visitors with disabilities. Universal design promotes products and environments usable to the greatest extent possible by all people, regardless of ability. This study explores current industry practice and perceptions of accessibility and universal design in a small sample of American museums. Suggestions for how occupational therapists can help museums go above and beyond ADA guidelines are provided.

Method: An 17-item cross-sectional survey was used to collect data. Twenty-five museum associations assisted with recruitment. A descriptive numerical summary and qualitative analysis were …

Instructional Designers' Perceptions Of The Practice Of Instructional Design In A Post-Pandemic Workplace, Donna Petherbridge, Michelle Bartlett, Jessica White, Diane Chapman

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

This article explores instructional designers’ perceptions of changes to instructional design practice in a post-pandemic workplace. A thematic analysis of interviews conducted with 33 instructional designers revealed that instructional designers believe that the profession is profoundly altered post-pandemic. Findings around post-pandemic instructional design practice include adopting agile instructional design practices, increasing collaborations with others within a context of empathy, recognizing the importance of accessibility, and increasing reliance on technology to deliver both instruction and training within the context of an expanded portfolio of how instruction will be delivered in the future.

Designing For Accessibility In Online Learning: A Design Case, Mohan Yang, Victoria Lowell, Yishi Long, Tadd Farmer

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Despite laws in the United States (e.g., Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and its 2008 Amendments), students with various disabilities continue to experience access barriers to instructional content and inclusion in course activities. Online learning environments can present especially challenging circumstances for disabled students despite the advantages they could potentially bring. In this article, we present the design and development of three self-paced e-learning modules following a three-phased design process to prepare instructional design students to create accessible online learning content. The instructional design planning and development process can provide …

Are Library And Information Science Educators Teaching Accessibility? Content Analysis Of Syllabi, Kevin J. Mallary, Rea N. Simons, Clayton A. Copeland, Jackie Nikiema, Evan J. Dorman

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Library and information science (LIS) graduates are expected to serve patrons from diverse backgrounds, including disabled patrons. While serving patrons with disabilities is a core value of librarianship, graduates often feel unprepared to serve disabled patrons, suggesting that programs inadequately train students to design accessible services. This study’s authors analyzed hundreds of course descriptions and 73 syllabi from 20 North American LIS programs to determine how often accessibility and disability topics are covered and how educators teach accessibility. Findings indicate that accessibility and disability topics are mostly covered in electives, meaning students may never develop accessibility competencies during their programs. …

Where Are Disability And Accessibility In Library And Information Science Curricula?, Clayton Copeland, Rea Simmons, Kevin J. Mallary, Jackie Nikiema, Evan J. Doorman

STEMPS Faculty Publications

While serving all library patrons is a core value of librarianship, patrons with disabilities are often overlooked. A contributing factor to this reality is that many graduates of Library and Information Science (LIS) programs feel ill-equipped to serve disabled patrons. This works-in-progress poster presents preliminary results from an analysis of 241 syllabi from 76 North American LIS programs to determine how often accessibility and disability topics are covered in curricula. The analysis also considers how courses prepare students to effectively advocate for and implement accessibility within their professional practice. Preliminary results indicate that accessibility and disability topics are infrequently covered …

Coronavirus Disability Survey: Assessing The Impact Of Covid-19 On Young Adults With Disabilities, Hena Rashid

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This paper seeks to inform individuals of the importance of digital inclusivity, diminish the digital divide, and accessibility to technological services of college students who experience a form of disability. The United States has conducted minimal research on the digital disability rhetoric, promoted minimal disability-inclusive measures to protect the rights and well-being of college students, and minimal assistance to mitigate Coronavirus (COVID-19) impacts to this population subgroup. This subject can have a big impact on individuals who suffer from disability stigma, low accessibility issues, and who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Furthermore, this subject will benefit college students …

Designing And Evaluating Accessible E-Learning For Students With Visual Impairments In K-12 Computing Education, Earl W. Huff Jr

All Dissertations

This dissertation explores the pathways for making K-12 computing education more accessible for blind or visually impaired (BVI) learners. As computer science (CS) expands into K-12 education, more concerted efforts are required to ensure all students have equitable access to opportunities to pursue a career in computing. To determine their viability with BVI learners, I conducted three studies to assess current accessibility in CS curricula, materials, and learning environments. Study one was interviews with visually impaired developers; study two was interviews with K-12 teachers of visually impaired students; study three was a remote observation within a computer science course. My …

Assessing Awareness And Competence Of Best Practices In Synchronous Online Instruction During The Covid-19 Pandemic For Clemson Cooperative Extension Professionals, Christopher J. Eck, K Dale Layfield, Catherine A. Dibenedetto, Jacqueline K. Jordan, Sarah O. Scott, Weatherly Thomas, Michelle Parisi, Thomas Dobbins

Journal of Extension

Traditional delivery of Extension programming changed overnight in March 2020, when the COVID-19 outbreak forced switching traditional methods to virtual delivery. Extension professionals across South Carolina quickly adapted to online delivery. Concerns over instructor preparedness to use online tools, including functions to assure accessibility, did arise. Findings from this non-experimental, descriptive research study suggested Extension professionals used online tools (primarily Zoom). The majority were not comfortable using many of the features that would enhance instruction, including polling, file transfer, and live-streaming media platforms. Additionally, Microsoft Word and PowerPoint skills to assure accessibility for clientele were lacking.

Library Study Spaces And Accessibility, Jessica Schomberg, Elizabeth Harsma, Prajita Chauhan, Oscar Gonzalez

Library Services Publications

To understand the library study space needs of students with disabilities by thinking about study spaces through a disability lens and using theory-based interview questions to conduct a qualitative exploration of student needs related to the accessibility of study spaces. Recommendations are provided.

Asking The Right Questions: Accessibility And Library Study Rooms, Jessica Schomberg, Christopher R. Corley

Library Services Publications

This article assists administrators who want to ensure their libraries are inclusive of people with disabilities but don’t know where to start. We argue that organizations should understand not only the basic dimensions of ADA law but also dimensions of disability. They should also become familiar with multiple domains of disability and proactively incorporate reflective questions posed by researchers and advocates into the library space planning process. The article uses examples of common missteps in the development of study rooms with some reflection on how to learn from the experience.

Accessibility As A Foundation For An Equitable Digital Civic Engagement Infrastructure, Allison D. Rank, Rebecca Mushtare

eJournal of Public Affairs

Individuals and organizations in both higher education and civic engagement have become increasingly aware of their obligation to foster a sense of belonging among students and support historically under-represented populations within their work. As part of this effort, we argue the civic engagement infrastructure—a term we use to capture the full range of organizations and associated resources directed toward improving civic engagement within higher education that stem from actors both on and off campus—must pay more attention to digital accessibility. We document this need by establishing the degree higher education institutions rely on off-campus organizations and resources in civic engagement …

Tactile Materials In Practice: Understanding The Experiences Of Teachers Of The Visually Impaired, Mahika Phutane, Julie Wright, Brenda Veronica Castro, Lei Shi, Simone R. Stern, Holly Lawson, Shiri Azenkot

Special Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Teachers of the visually impaired (TVIs) regularly present tactile materials (tactile graphics, 3D models, and real objects) to students with vision impairments. Researchers have been increasingly interested in designing tools to support the use of tactile materials, but we still lack an in-depth understanding of how tactile materials are created and used in practice today. To address this gap, we conducted interviews with 21 TVIs and a 3-week diary study with eight of them. We found that tactile materials were regularly used for academic as well as non-academic concepts like tactile literacy, motor ability, and spatial awareness. Real objects and …

Creating An Online Concrete Masonry Course For Accessibility, Dolores Herrera

Architectural Engineering: Graduate Reports

An online undergraduate course in masonry design was created for an asynchronous delivery format and to fulfill web accessibility requirements. This report outlines the process of the course creation with Canvas as the host platform. Emphasis is placed on how content including lecture presentations, assignments, and course modules were developed with strong graphic software and communication skills. For accessibility, the content creation was guided by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA Standards. Lastly, the significance of learning masonry design in undergraduate structural engineering curriculum is discussed in addition to the structural engineering industry practices used to complete …

Exploring Tactile Art-Making With Deafblind Students And Their Families: An Opportunity For Creative Play, Alice Rodgers

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

The impact of a deafblind diagnosis on an individual’s mental health and the well-being of the family involved can be profound. However, current research and available literature for the mental health treatment and therapy practices of deafblind persons and their families is limited (Kyzar et al., 2016; “WFDB Global Report 2018,” n.d.). This thesis used the Leeds Family Psychology and Therapy Service principles (Leeds FPTS) and the Expressive Therapies Continuum with established deafblind teaching strategies to facilitate an original arts-based community project entitled: “Things We Like.” This project provided an opportunity for deafblind students (ages three to 22) and their …

A Look Into Transition Programs For First Year Students With Disabilities In Higher Education: How To Create A Transition Program To Support Student Success, Gillian R. Lazzarini

Masters Projects

Students with disabilities face a myriad of challenges to persistence and success in higher education (Weis et al., 2016). This is largely caused by the fact that there are different laws and policies that govern secondary education and higher education, which can result in an adverse impact on transition services for students with disabilities. Therefore, this project analyzes the transition from secondary education to higher education for students with disabilities and looks at transition programs as a tool to support student success. Students with disabilities often have issues building community, navigating support services and accommodations, as well as practicing self-advocacy …