Accessibility of Technology at UM

Brandon Skaggs

JOUR 271 Sec 7

2/19/2013

SDS Story #2

Multimedia and the internet have changed the way educators are now teaching.  They are using these as tools in and outside of the classroom, but what are students with disabilities to do if the online material is inaccessible to them?  It is difficult universities to deal with this problem, but UM seems to be trying to create a solution.

The Director of Student Disability Services here at UM, Stacey Reycraft, has gotten with the Deputy CIO for the Academic Technology dept, Jimmy Ball, to enforce “The Accessibility of Technology” policy at UM.  

This policy will set standards for all online coursework.  If these websites or online assignments don’t fit the requirements set by the policy the instructor will have to modify the material to meet the set standard requirement according to the policy.

“Funding is an expected obstacle,” Ball said.  Other than that, the policy is being integrated into the online coursework.  “Today Blackboard Learn meets accessibility requirements,” said Ball.

“The University is really good about helping us,” said Reycraft.  She is dealing with the online accessibility directly since the Student Disability Services is responsible for reformatting and accommodating certain students as needed.  This policy is to help the dept. by organizing online coursework appropriately.  

“It hasn’t affected any students negatively yet,” said Chip Adkins, a sophomore here at UM.  Students who aren’t disabled have had no problems with the policy, in fact it seems to make online coursework simpler for them.

The policy began revising and organizing the school’s websites on August 31st, 2011.  The set date for it to be fully integrated and all websites compliant is September 1st, 2013.  “In the IT training offered in the spring of 2013, we plan to introduce accessibility topics to faculty to promote available solutions,” said Ball.

The policy can be found here.  and for further information on the Student Disability Services you can go here.

Sources:

Stacey Reycraft, sds@olemiss.edu

Jimmy Ball, jb@olemiss.edu

Chip Adkins, cdadkins@go.olemiss.edu