Disability Awareness and Support

About this course: The goal of this course is to promote equal opportunity and the full participation of students with disabilities in higher education by helping participants advance their awareness of the meaning of accessibility in education. Participants will gain competence and confidence in working with students by focusing on legislation, universal design, and assistive technologies. Thank you to Abbas (Bobby) Husain Quamar, Graduate Student Researcher in the Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology at the University of Pittsburgh, for his contributions to the course.

Created by:  University of Pittsburgh

• Taught by:  Mary Goldberg, Assistant Professor

  Human Engineering Research Laboratories

Commitment 1-2 hours/week Language English How To Pass Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. User Ratings 4.4 stars Average User Rating 4.4See what learners said Coursework

Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.

Help from your peers

Connect with thousands of other learners and debate ideas, discuss course material, and get help mastering concepts.

Certificates

Earn official recognition for your work, and share your success with friends, colleagues, and employers.

University of Pittsburgh Leader in Education | Pioneer in Research | Partner in Regional Development

Syllabus


WEEK 1


Introduction



Students come to our higher education classrooms with a wide variety of knowledge, skills, talents, and abilities. As educators, we want all of our students to be successful and feel supported in an inclusive learning environment. Many of our students have disabilities that they may or may not disclose to faculty and staff. Typically, the process of providing required documentation and identifying appropriate accommodations is a collaborative effort between the student and the disability services staff. Faculty are not a part of this process and may not be aware of the rationale or implications. In this week, we will begin with an introduction to students with disabilities. Week 1 highlights the key United States legislation that relates to higher education students with disabilities and describes the process of obtaining support services.


14 videos, 3 readings expand

1. Video: About the Course
2. Reading: Readings
3. Video: What is a Disability?
4. Video: Legislation
5. Video: Obtaining Services
6. Discussion Prompt: Legislation In Your Country
7. Video: Dr. Cooper - What was your experience in college before the ADA was passed?
8. Video: Dr. Cooper - How can administrators improve the academic environment for students with disabilities?
9. Video: Jonathan - What assumptions do other students make about your abilities?
10. Video: Brandon - What would you like other students to know about living with a disability?
11. Video: Jonathan - What do you wish you’d known when you went to college?
12. Video: Dr. Seelman - How can faculty learn more about students with disabilities?
13. Video: Dr. Seelman - What can be done beyond the Disability Services Office to support students with disabilities on campus?
14. Video: Dr. Seelman - How does the UN convention impact the ratifying countries regarding higher education?
15. Video: Director Culley - What is the process a student with disabilities goes through with Disability Services?
16. Video: Director Culley - What role do instructors play in helping students with disabilities?
17. Reading: Assistive Technology
18. Reading: Glossary

Graded: Week 1

WEEK 2


Accommodations and Assistive Technology



This week we describe the process used for deciding on reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities and the role of Disability Services in making this determination. We identify specific accommodations that students with disabilities might need in order to fully participate in life at the university.


11 videos, 2 readings expand

1. Reading: Readings
2. Video: Accommodations
3. Video: Testing Center Accommodations
4. Video: Assistive Technology
5. Video: Screen Reader Demonstration
6. Reading: Assistive Technology Case Study
7. Discussion Prompt: Assistive Technology Case Study
8. Video: Jonathan - What was your experience with the level of support at your institution?
9. Video: Brandon - Have faculty been understanding of your need for accommodations?
10. Video: Brandon - How was beginning your undergraduate years different from going to graduate school?
11. Video: Jonathan - How does assistive technology help your in day-to-day activities?
12. Video: Bobby - What types of accommodations have faculty made for you and what do you think could be improved?
13. Video: Dr. Cooper - How do assistive technologies impact education?
14. Video: Director Culley - Who determines reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities?

Graded: Week 2
Graded: Accessibility Assignment

WEEK 3


Accessible Design



In Weeks 1 and 2, we reviewed disability definitions and legislation, plus the disability services, accommodations, and technologies that you might find on your college campus. In Week 3, we focus on the design and development of your course materials. We use the term “universal design” to emphasize the inclusive design of instruction to make it meaningful and useful for all students. We also look at best practices for documents such as using clear fonts, organizing text with headings, and describing images with alternative text.


5 videos, 1 reading expand

1. Reading: Readings
2. Video: Universal Design for Learning
3. Video: Document Design
4. Video: Dr. Seelman - How are web accessibility standards related to students with disabilities?
5. Video: Dr. Cooper - How can administrators improve the academic environment for students with disabilities?
6. Video: Director Culley - Who is responsible for making emerging technology accessible to students with disabilities?

Graded: Quiz: Week 3

WEEK 4


Application
Please read the following case studies and respond to the corresponding questions on the discussion boards.


5 readings expand

1. Reading: Case Study: Accommodations for Student with Concussion
2. Discussion Prompt: Accommodations for Student with Concussion Case Study
3. Reading: Case Study: Deafness
4. Discussion Prompt: Deafness Case Study
5. Reading: Case Study: Ethics
6. Discussion Prompt: Ethics Case Study
7. Reading: Case Study: Low Vision
8. Discussion Prompt: Low Vision Case Study
9. Reading: Post Course Survey

Graded: Quiz: Week 4