1. Accessibility Updates
John Jones
Director, Media Resources Center

2. Accessibility Updates
WSU’s Agreement with the NFB
Timelines
Important Concepts
Updates and Progress
The work of the Ad-Hoc Committee
Faculty Senate Accessible Instruction Committee

3. Review the Timeline
WSU Signs Agreement with National Federation of the Blind in 2016
WSU Accessibility Committee wrote Accessibility Policies in 2017
WSU Faculty Senate produces statement on Accessibility in Spring 2018
Final Target Date: all instructional content will be accessible by July 29, 2020

4. Important Concepts from the Agreement
Includes all content (required & optional/enrichment, academic and non-academic, online and face-to-face)
Requires access to the same content or an equally effective alternative
Access should be available at the same time as other students

5. Accessibility vs Accommodations
Accommodations are for individuals and are reactive
Accessibility is for populations, and is proactive
Accessibility is a lower standard
Accessibility should make content available to all, in equally effective ways, at the same time.

6. Wichita State’s faculty statement on accessibility (1/2)
“The Faculty at Wichita State University are committed to providing the highest quality instruction for all students. As a part of that commitment, we make continual efforts to seek new information and methods to teach in our subject areas. Instructional content at WSU is the responsibility of the faculty teaching each individual course; the accessibility of that content is also the responsibility of that faculty, and as we do many other critical issues, we will take accessibility into account as we consider textbooks, resources, and tools for our classes … (continued)
In response to the agreement, a faculty senate sub-committee was organized to look at accessibility issues surrounding textbooks and other class resources. On April 23, 2018, the Faculty Senate ratified the following statement regarding accessibility and course materials: “The Faculty at Wichita State University are committed to providing the highest quality instruction for all students. As a part of that commitment, we make continual efforts to seek new information and methods to teach in our subject areas.  
Instructional content at WSU is the responsibility of the faculty teaching each individual course; the accessibility of that content is also the responsibility of that faculty, and as we do many other critical issues, we will take accessibility into account as we consider textbooks, resources, and tools for our classes. 

7. Faculty Senate statement (2/2)
Accessibility is not the only consideration when choosing a text, but we understand its importance to our students, and we are committed to making accessible choices when they are available and the choice does not have a negative impact on the quality of the course in other ways. We will discuss the need for accessibility with publishers when we have the opportunity. We will learn what we can about accessible instruction – both in general as it is being made available by the university, and from other leaders in our fields of study.”
Accessibility is not the only consideration when choosing a text, but we understand its importance to our students, and we are committed to making accessible choices when they are available and the choice does not have a negative impact on the quality of the course in other ways.  
We will discuss the need for accessibility with publishers when we have the opportunity.  We will learn what we can about accessible instruction – both in general as it is being made available by the university, and from other leaders in our fields of study.” This faculty support is critical to achieve the goal of having all course content accessible by July 29, 2020.

8. Accessibility Progress Highlights
Faculty Statement on Accessibility
Accessibility Training Development
Ability Ally & Foundations of Accessibility
(revised) Accessibility Training for Faculty & Accessibility Training for Staff
Additional (optional) accessibility training in development
Blackboard Ally
Text Size Guideline Stickers
Wichita.edu web site accessibility

9. Faculty Senate Accessibility Committee Charge (proposed)
The committee works to develop practices and standards that are consistent with the university’s commitment to provide education that is accessible to all, and that are also consistent with academic integrity and academic freedom
To continue to work of the ad-hoc committee in the development of guidelines for textbook and resource adoption
To research accessibility challenges and find appropriate solutions
To promote instructional practices for access and full inclusion. 
To develop requests for necessary training and support for instructional staff in the effort to make content accessible
To participate in the work of the University Accessibility and Accommodations Committee organized by the Accessibility Coordinator (Molly Gordon)

10. Support for Faculty Instructional Design and Access
Blackboard & Accessibility Labs
Meetings & Consultations with departments, etc.
Training (online, F2F events, etc.)
ITS training (Office training now includes accessibility)
WSU Library & subject matter librarians
Other Media Resources Center teams

11. Questions? John Jones, Director, Media Resources Center
x7751