Fall 2005 Issue 12
In this issue...
Notes From the Director
CSD Web Page Makeover
The Center for Students with DisABILITIES (CSD) is launching a new web site! I had the good fortune of meeting Dr. Ann Jenkins, President of Accessible Web Design, LLC at DisAbility Awareness Week (DAW) 2004. Ann expressed much interest in our web page, and in helping to improve web accessibility at the University of Houston.
Dr. Jenkins was one of the keynote speakers at this year’s DAW Web Accessibility Conference. The conference was held in the University Center on October 12. Two extremely knowledgeable keynote speakers – Dr. Jenkins and Steve Guengerich, Founding Chair of Knowbility – shared their wisdom and expertise. Several breakout workshops for students, web designers, and managers were offered and then repeated. Sample breakout workshop topics included “Managing Accessible Web Services” and “Writing Accessible Code.” Feedback received fromm conference participants was very positive for having gained information about web accessibility.
Our new web site was designed by Dr. Jenkins and her colleague, Sherry McCollom. It should be posted by the time you receive this newsletter, and the address will remain the same (http://www.uh.edu/csd/). We hope you will find it to be more readable, accessible, and easier to navigate. The new site won second place in this year’s AIR-Houston competition, held at UH on October 22, 2005. The purpose of AIR-Houston is to train professional web developers about web accessibility. To learn more about this competition, go to Knowbility’s web site at http://www.knowbility.org/.
But this story continues to get better... Dr. Jenkins is going to continue to improve and maintain our web site – all for free! We are extremely grateful to her for her willingness to share her time and expertise to enable CSD to have a better web site. Maintaining an accessible web site is an obvious goal of this department.
One of the most exciting features is the information contained in the Accessibility Statement page. It includes a matrix of accessibility features required by Section 508 Web Accessibility Standards. This link is located at the bottom right-hand corner of the home page. It is a quick reference that web designers may follow to improve the accessibility of their web pages.
The new web site will be a work in progress. Additional information will continuously be added. Please do check it out and let us know what you think of it. Your feedback will be taken into consideration for improvements/revisions.
NAMI on Campus - New at UH!
The NAMI on Campus Program will be implemented at UH during the spring 2006 semester. This program consists of two components:
- Family to Family Education: This program will begin on Tuesday, February 7, and will be held each Tuesday night for 12 weeks from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. It will be held in the classroom at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center. Some of the information included in the curriculum will include current information about major mental illnesses and medications, and research related to the biology of brain disorders and the most effective treatments to promote recovery. Space is limited, and a telephone interview with one of the instructors is required. Please contact Carolyn Hamilton, President of NAMI Metropolitan Houston at namimetrohouston@sbcglobal.net if you would like more information, or to register for this class.
- Peer Support: This is a student-run student-based support network that provides support, education, and advocacy to students who have mental health issues at UH.
Please contact Cheryl Amoruso at (713) 743-5400 or camoruso@uh.edu if you are interested in the Peer Support Program.
What’s New...
The Center for Students with DisABILITIES (CSD) has recently replaced all of the old and outdated student computers with brand new Dell PC's. This much needed equipment is a welcome improvement for CSD students.
The Center can now accommodate fifteen (15) separate computer workstations. Each workstation is connected to high speed internet and Windows XP operating system. Some workstations are equipped with adaptive input and output technology such as:
- Jaws for visual impairments;
- Dragon Naturally Speaking for individuals who are unable to use their hands or who have poor fine motor control; and
- Magic, a screen reader with magnification software.
Additionally, all workstations have adjustable tabletops. There are 21-inch monitors in two of the sound-proof rooms.
For more information about specific types of adaptive technology for different disabilities please see CSD’s Current Computers and Locations. CSD computer labs are available 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday during the Fall and Spring semesters. Assistance is provided by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, email mhenry@uh.edu.
From the Front Desk...
As finals are approaching, I want to share a few tips with you:
- Arrive at CSD at least 5 to 10 minutes early to secure your belongings in a locker.
- Remind your instructors that you are taking your exam(s) at CSD and to please send the exam on time.
- Always turn in your RITA (Request for Individualized Testing Accommodations) form at least 24 hours in advance, to assure that you are on the schedule and your exam is here.
If you have any questions regarding your exams or testing accommodations, please call our main number at (713) 743-5400 or email kmbutler@uh.edu.
Spotlight On...
DisAbility Awareness Week (DAW)
The Wheelchair Campus Tour during DAW was very successful this year. Every year students, administrators, and students who have disabilities tour the campus in wheelchairs in order to identify areas that need to be made more accessible to wheelchairs.
On October 13, 2005, participants in the DisAbility Awareness Week (DAW) Wheelchair Campus Tour rolled out of the Center for Students with DisABILITIES in search of areas ripe for universal design improvement or addition. Participants experience what it is like to navigate the University of Houston main campus using wheelchairs. Some of the problem areas identified were an occasional lack of automatic door openers and potholes in sidewalks.
All participants filled out a Campus Accessibility Needs Questionnaire as they progressed along the route in order to provide feedback on the areas they believe needed improvement. These surveys are compiled and prioritized annually to determine how the funds earmarked for campus accessibility improvement are disbursed.
This year participants noted many accessibility improvements that have been made since the preceding year’s event. Some improvements noted were the addition of many automatic door openers in areas that did not previously have them. Additionally, student break rooms/study areas have been made more comfortable and easier to navigate. CSD looks forward to this event again next year when the DAW Wheelchair Campus Tour event will emphasize that universal design really does equal university accessibility for everyone.
Professor’s Corner...
This is a new column designed to help students understand the professor/instructor’s point of view regarding accommodations.
Dr. Arthur K. Smith, University Professor, Chancellor/President Emeritus
During the fall 2005 semester I had two students with disabilities in my POLS 4396 course on The Cuban Revolution. They were both visually impaired; one frequently came to class with his guide dog; and both students sat in the front row of desks and used mini-recorders. The dog slept unobtrusively, but both students were active participants in class discussions. After I received the Request for Individualized Testing Accommodation (RITA) forms from the students I made arrangements with CSD for them to take their midterms and final exams at the Center using a proctor/reader. This arrangement worked very well. My experience with these two students with disabilities in this course was entirely satisfactory, and I am convinced that CSD performs a vital service for this University.
Professor W. W. Barnes, Political Science
To make the accommodation process as easy as possible, remember that communication, as always, is the key. Direct communication insures that I understand your accommodations and you understand my requirements and we can work out the details together.
Student Accommodation Forms (SAFs) need to be presented as early in the course as possible (the first week is best). Since this is likely your first interaction with the faculty member, first impressions of punctuality, efficiency, and cooperation are important. Remember that reasonable accommodations may include special arrangements on assignments, extended due dates, and exemptions from attendance policies. The further in advance you work those out, the more credibility you have.
Retroactive accommodations are certainly possible but should be avoided because they raise understandable questions. If you hand me a RITA form, please have your part already filled out.
Generally, in my classes, I neither check roll nor have attendance requirements but make sure you clarify that in each course. This may vary by individual class even under the same instructor.
M. Emma Ticio, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Spanish Linguistics
The beginning of the semester is a hectic time for everyone: students, administrators, and professors. I always include a paragraph in my syllabi where I request that any student who has a disability who is attending my classes, present his/her documentation to me during the two first weeks of classes. This simple act benefits both parties: students benefit because they receive their accommodations from the very beginning of the course, and professors are able to determine the best way to accommodate the student.
Students who have ‘forgotten’ to present their SAFs early in the semester are subject to the possibility that their SAF will not be accepted. Additionally, I am concerned that there are some accommodations that are extremely vague in their wording, i.e., occasional exceptions to absentee policies or due date. There is a limit to the number of absences that are acceptable and this must be agreed upon by the professor and the student at the time the SAF is presented. When assignments are not turned in on the due date, there is a limit to the length of time it takes the student to turn them in to the professor/instructor. Therefore, the student must communicate with the professor/instructor. When we communicate with each other, at the beginning of the semester it will make things easier and avoid future misunderstandings.
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