ada compliance for online programs - ctdlc.org · pdf fileada compliance for online programs...

ADA Compliance for Online Programs What do I do now??

Ms. Cynthia Brown-LaVeist

Director, Morgan Online

Morgan Online

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

• Organizational Steps towards ADA Compliance

• ADA Implementation Outcomes

• Next Steps

• Questions

Americans with Disabilities Act

• Americans with Disabilities Act of 19901 requires accessibility to public accommodates and services to physically and mentally disabled Americans.

• ADA Related – Section 508 Guidelines

• In 1998, Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to require Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology (EIT) accessible to people with disabilities.2

– Assistive Technology Act of 1998• Provides Federal Funds for State Assisted Technology Programs3

– Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)4

• The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an industry group seeking to establish programming and design standards for all elements of Internet based communications. W3C offers Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), a set of recommendations developed to make Web accessible to people with disabilities Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 covers a wide range of recommendations for making Web content more accessible.

1. https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-104/pdf/STATUTE-104-Pg327.pdf2. Http://www.section508.gov/content/learn/laws-and-policies3. http://www.section508.gov/4. http:/w3c.org

http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG/

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-104/pdf/STATUTE-104-Pg327.pdf

http://www.section508.gov/content/learn/laws-and-policies

Organizational Steps towards ADA Compliance

• As a director of an online program, how do you move towards ADA Compliance?

– Ask some questions?

1. Does your campus have written policies and/or practices regarding ADA compliance? We use Quality Matters (QM) as a best practice for the development of our online courses. The QM rubric addresses accessibility, in regards to the design of an online/Hybrid course. Our Office of Student Disability Support Services webpage and student handbook states our commitment to accessibility.

2. Does your campus have an Office of Student Disability Support Services and a Director for Student Disability Support Services? Thankfully yes! We have a director and an Office of Student Disability Support Services.

3. What technologies on campus are used on campus in the delivery of online courses?Blackboard LMS, Panopto Lecture Capture, Adobe Connect, etc.


• As a director of an online program, how do you move towards ADA Compliance?– Ask additional questions?

4. What assistive technologies are students bringing to use on campus?Recorders and screen readers such as JAWS.

5. What assistive technologies does the university provide to students? The Office of Student Disability Support Services has a lab with assisted technologies. (JAWS, etc.) Morgan Online has implemented Readspeaker/Doc Reader and is working to provide closed captioning for its lecture capture product (Panopto) and Adobe Connect.

6. What student services (physical and technical) on campus are used for our online program?All of your standard physical student services (Admissions, Graduate School, Career Counseling, etc.) along with technical student services (Smartthinking, etc.)


• As a director of an online program, how do you move towards ADA Compliance?

– Ask additional questions?

7. How big is your online program footprint? (i.e. what online program/course areas need to be continuously reviewed for ADA compliance?)Students access our online programs and student services via Morgan State Webpages in general and specifically through the Morgan Online Portal. Morgan State Online and Hybrid/Blended courses taught in Blackboard LMS.

Our Online footprint actually extends to our Face to Face courses, as the majority of our face to face courses are really Web Assisted Face to Face courses that use Blackboard LMS.

Organizational Steps towards ADA Compliance Morgan Online Footprint

Target Audience:

• Adult Learners

Online/Hybrid Classes per semester:

• 40-50 online/hybrid classes

Online Programs:

• Community College Leadership (Ed.D.)

• Community College Leadership (M.Ed,) (Fall 2016)

• Electrical Engineering (B.S.E.E., M.S.E.E)

• MBA (Fall 2016)

• Project Management (Cert., M.S.)

• Sustainable Urban Communities (Cert) (Fall 2016)

Contact Information:

Dr. Maurice Taylor

VP, Academic Outreach and Engagement

[email protected]


Director of Morgan Online

[email protected]

443.885.4720

Morgan Online is your pathway to flexibility and convenience while still offering the excellence and opportunity for achievement found in traditional classroom-based courses.

Student Enrollment by Academic Year: 2008 – 2016*

0 7 46 122 141 223380

135 184

532

867 9441076

15381720

0200400600800

100012001400160018002000

Hybrid Online


* Data source for the report is Apex 2015-2016. The numbers represent 3 semesters enrollment. (Fall 2015, Winter 2016 and Spring 2016 (Post Drop- 2/18/16))

Online and Hybrid Course Enrollment by Academic Year: 2008 – 2016*

0 0 30 63 151 176 275509

162 247

920

1710 1767 1807

26722858

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

Hybrid Online


* Data source for the report is Apex 2015-2016. The numbers represent 3 semesters enrollment. (Fall 2015, Winter 2016 and Spring 2016 (Post Drop- 2/18/16 ))


Initial Thoughts On Footprint

• Limited Exposure: Our approximately 300 disabled students are exposed to only our Online and Hybrid Courses.

• Accessibility to our LMS is key, since students obtain their online courses there.

Final Thoughts On Footprint

• Extensive Exposure: Our approximately 300 disabled students are exposed to all of our classes. (Online, Hybrid, Face to Face)

• Accessibility to our LMS is only the beginning. The MSU Website, Morgan Online portal must be accessible as well.

Vs.


• As a director of an online program, what actions do you take to move towards ADA Compliance?

– Engage in Small Team or Committee Building• Create a small team/committee to receive input on implementation• Train small team/committee in ADA (QM Accessibility and Student

Disability Services indicated training)• Hold ADA implementation discussions with small team/committee.

Determine strategies for implementation.

– Engage in Relationship Building with Stakeholders• Given the online footprint of our program we need to know:

– University Legal contact for existing and new policies– Student Disability Services Director and team– Webmaster– Students– Information Technologies Specialist (Blackboard LMS, Adobe Connect, etc.)– Instructional Designers– Instructors


• As a director of an online program, what actions do you take to move towards ADA Compliance?

– Engage in ADA Implementation Planning• Training

– What campus-wide training is needed for ADA?– How often is ADA training available on campus?– Who needs what training regarding ADA compliance? (Directors, Instructors,

Administrators, etc.)– Learn what other schools have done to comply?

• Technologies– What existing technologies need to be upgraded for ADA compliance?– What new technologies need to be purchased for ADA compliance?– Who pays for ADA technology upgrades?– Are we ready to help students with assisted technologies with online courses?

• Course Development/Instructional design– How does the design of our courses indicate compliance with ADA?

• Student Disability Support Office– How do we partner with Student Disability Support Office to ensure that we comply

with ADA?– How do we gage how well we are complying with students?

ADA Implementation Outcomes

• Partner with Student Disability Support Services Director – Administer technology survey to students.– Provide assistance with students.– Recommend implementation strategies and technologies.

• Morgan Online Small Team– Engage in Small Team or Committee Building

• QM Peer Reviewer, Morgan Online Director, Interim Director Academic Technology Services, Instructional Designer and Blackboard Administrator were the small team members.

• Small Team received QM Accessibility and Student Disability Support Services indicated training.

• Small team determined strategies for ADA implementation.


• Relationship Building with Stakeholders– Identified Legal contact for existing and new policies

– Met with Student Disability Services Director and team.

– Received campus wide Site Improve (Accessibility) training from MSU Webmaster.

– Received input from students on assisted technologies.

– Reviewed accessibility technology upgrades with MSU Information Technologies Specialist (Blackboard LMS, Adobe Connect, etc.)

– Reviewed accessibility upgrades to MSU Online/Hybrid course design with Instructional Designer.

– Ongoing ADA discussions with instructors.


• Faculty Training

– Campus Wide ADA Compliance Training Session held at MSU Faculty Institute by the Student Disability Support Services Director.

– Quality Matters Training. QM Rubric aligns with ADA compliance. (Peer Reviewers and Instructor training)

– IT Document Accessibility Class.

– Blackboard Teach Online Group. All online instructors are members of the Teach Online Group. Atomic Learning modules for accessibility are provided for on demand learning.


• Course Design Structure Update

– Blackboard DE_Template updated to provide accessibility information. All online/Hybrid courses are based upon the Blackboard DE_Template.

• Technologies for Accessibility

– Blackboard/ReadSpeaker/DocReader

– Adobe Connect Conferencing (Closed Captioning on Demand)

– Panopto (Closed Captioning on Demand)

– Site Improve for MSU Website, Morgan Online Portal


MSU Blackboard LMS (DE_Template) - http://www.blackboard.com/accessibility.aspx


Read Speaker for Blackboard LMS- http://www.readspeaker.com/education/blackboard/


Doc Reader for Blackboard LMS- http://www.readspeaker.com/education/blackboard/


Siteimprove – Accessibility Review of Webpage WWW.Morgan.edu/Online


Panopto - http://support.panopto.com/documentation/viewing/accessibility-features


Adobe Connect - http://www.adobe.com/accessibility/products/adobeconnect.html


• Instagram Morgan_Online– Instagram (Owned by Facebook)– https://www.facebook.com/accessibility

• Twitter @Morgan_Online– https://blog.twitter.com/2013/improving-

accessibility-of-twittercom

• Facebook @Morgan_Online– https://www.facebook.com/accessibility

• LinkedIn Morgan Online

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/morgan-online/9a/208/6b8

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/morgan-online/9a/208/6b8

ADA Implementation OutcomesAssisted Technology Survey

ADA Implementation OutcomesAssisted Technology Survey Preliminary Results

1. What technologies have you used in the past for your courses?Voice Recorder, TI calculator, tablet, laptop, phone for textbooks, computers on campus

2. What alternative file formats do you use?.pdf, .docx, .DWG, .PPT, .SHP, .SHX, .DBF, .PRJ, XML, .SBN, .SBX, .jpg, .png, .psd, .skp, .skb, .AI, .EPS

3. Have you had difficulties accessing course materials? (Blackboard or other)No, Yes, my phone cannot view bb items, Yes, I have a hard time finding audio textbooks.

4. What are your most frequently used accommodations? Extended time, note taker, recorded lectures

5. If applicable, have you used any software programs? (Kurswell, JAWS,etc.)Sketchup, AutoCAD, ArcGIS, Photoshop, Illustrator, Microsoft Office, Rhino

Next Steps

• Expansion of the Blackboard DE_Template to Face to Face (Web Assisted) Courses

• Faculty training to make documents accessible.

• Continue closed captioning efforts

• Conclude the student survey

Questions


Director, Morgan Online

[email protected]

443.885.4720

www.morgan.edu/online

ada compliance for online programs - ctdlc.org · pdf fileada compliance for online programs...

Documents