Next Steps for Addressing Accessibility in the College of Arts and Letters

Karen Moroski-Rigney, Stacia Moroski-Rigney, and Daniel Trego

Presenters will propose next steps for addressing accessibility through CAL programming. First, we will describe our relationship with accessibility at work and ask attendees to think about their current relationship to accessibility in their classrooms/programs/offices. Second, we will describe what we believe to be our next steps in CAL and ask attendees to both help revise our plans and consider their own understanding of accessibility, and will leave with resources on assistive technology.

To experience this presentation, there is voiceover audio for the slides. Each slide’s audio transcript is also available in the speaker notes. 

Using Learning Goals to Guide Accessibility—A Conversation

Jessica Lemond, Brittnay Stahl, Parisa Ghaderi, and Daniel Trego

In this conversation, we share the story of a faculty member and her journey of developing accessible materials in a graphic design course. In reflecting on this experience and including student and faculty voices, we want to highlight two major takeaways: 1) accessibility is really a team effort that benefits from differently situated perspectives (e.g. student, faculty, staff, etc.); and 2) the role of learning goals in accessibility. This conversation also illustrates the need for greater access to accessibility support for instructors, and the role that students have in contributing to this support.

Extend Empathy Through Accessibility

Tyler Smeltekop, Jessica Stokes, Leslie Johnson

This session attempts to address biases in ways of thinking about accessible design, encouraging an understanding of disability and barriers to access through the lens of Universal Design. When course content and experiences are designed with an eye to removing barriers to access versus ad-hoc, time-of-need remediation for individuals, pedagogy can be elevated to a higher standard for all. Creating and selecting accessible course content can introduce new ways of engaging with pedagogy—often in ways faculty may not expect! Embrace the vulnerability that is inherent to accessibility design work, and see your work connect with others more meaningfully and deeply.

Make sure you don’t miss the roundtable discussion following Tyler’s talk, where Jessica Stokes and Leslie Johnson join the conversation to talk about imagining possibilities for greater accessibility options and better practices at MSU and elsewhere.

title slide from power point presentation, light green slide titled Teaching Accessibility: A Student Perspective

Teaching Accessibility: A Student Perspective

Presenter: Brittnay Stahl

As a student who has worked in multiple roles in accessibility for the university, I dive into my personal experiences meeting accessibility standards for students. Traditionally, the university has taken a reactionary approach when dealing with accessibility issues and concerns. This creates frustrations from both faculty and students, as a lack of education and resources makes meeting needs near impossible. Exploring these issues, I offer solutions centered around universal design practices that will better serve both faculty and students in a progressive and inclusive design approach.