The ADA and Your Institution

1. Tom Babinszki The Hadley School for the Blind The ADA and Your Institution

2. What is the ADA? • Americans with Disabilities Act • Do not confuse with Section 504 • Section 504 applies to organizations which receive federal funds.

3. What is a disability? • Mental or physical • A person has a record of disability, regarded as disabled, or has a disability. • Therefore,documentation is not required.

4. Settlement: Arizona State University Resource: http://www.ada.gov/arizona_state_university.htm Similar settlements with other universities Trial program to use Kindle in university environment is not accessible to blind people. Use of inaccessible readers is not permitted. Institutions are not allowed to promote inaccessible readers.

5. Settlement: Law School Admission Council Resource: http://www.ada.gov/lsac.htm Inaccessible web site needs to be remediated. Cost: $300 per hour Regular monitoring

6. Allow Participation • Same activities: Design activities so that students with disabilities can equally participate. Activities should be inclusive; it is not about cutting activities due to accessibility. • Same curriculum: Curriculum should be accessible, or offer alternatives. • Same extracurricular activities: Extracurricular activities should be treated similarly to the curriculum. • Qualification can be set for activities: For example, language skills for an advanced language class or eyesight for visual art

7. Web Sites • Visual information should have text or audio alternatives. Pictures should have a text equivalent; videos should have audio description. • Audio information should have a text alternative. All audio should be captioned or transcribed. • Should be easy to operate with the keyboard. Should be usable without the mouse. • Distinguishable: Sufficient contrast. Color should not be the only means of providing information. • Should be easy to understand. Formatting should help the user understand the structure. Instructions should be clear. Reading materials should be easy to understand unless academically more complex reading is required.

8. Hard Copy Materials • Alternative eletronic format: When paper based information is provided, it should also be available electronically. • Alternative accommodation as needed: If paper based information cannot be made available electronically, other ways should be provided, for example, personal readers or audio format.

9. Alternative Accommodation • Enrollment Application: Accessible application materials, assistance to apply. • Entrance exam: If third party exams are required, these must be accessible. Students should be able to request reasonable accommodation as needed. • Curriculum: Provide equivalent information, or alternative access. Alternative access should not be more difficult or complicated than it is for other students. • Final exam: Allow sufficient time and the use of assistive technology as needed.

10. Scenario • Software tool is accessible. • School wants to ensure accessibility. • Blind students can use the required mobile device. • The required software does not work with the screen reader. • Testing with focus groups • Discussion with disability related organizations

11. Physical Access • Make your building accessible. • Provide ways to get to your building. • Keep all events and activities accessible.

12. Legal Implications • Thousands of ADA law suits • Many are related to buildings. • Common sense and human approach avoid law suits. • It is not about fear, but about inclusion.

13. Resources • ADA web site: http://www.ada.gov • Settlements: http://www.ada.gov/settlemt.htm • For ADA questions, call: 800-514-0301 • Tom Babinszki: babinszki@hadley.edu • 847-784-2804