Tom Lo Guidice,Ph.D Professor Emeritus (2010)

1. Developing Systemic Change through DARCS (Department Accessibility Resource Coordinators)Universal Design and the DARC System Tom Lo Guidice,Ph.D Professor Emeritus (2010) University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Teaching and Learning Center

2. Frank Lloyd Wright “An Idea is Salvation by Imagination”

3. Agenda • Review of the concept of Universal Design • Definition and use of DARCS (Department Accessibility Resource Coordinators) • Introduction to the Problem of establishing a DARC system on a comprehensive campus • Analysis of Forces for and away for a DARC system • Lessons Learned for the Platteville campus and lesson learned for other campuses

4. Said another way This is about two Stories: 1.The Struggle to move to move away from the a denominating practice of accommodation 2.The struggle to move toward shared leadership based on Universal design (DARC System)

5. Some Critical Questions • How does this session help you understand where your campus stands in the paradigm shift from individualized accommodations to accessibility through universal design?   • How might you implement a version of this (or a part of this) on your campus? • How does this session inform the 2-5 year outlook on your campus?

6. One More Question What are 3-5 pearl(s) of wisdom from this session? (Theoretical pearls, lessons learned from experience, research approaches, and resources to use, etc.)

7. This Session is a combination of • Presentation and • Audience participation (

8. The University of Wisconsin -Platteville • Comprehensive campus of 7000 students –majority first generation-with lead programs in criminal justice, engineering, business , agriculture , teacher education • History of students with disabilities-accommodation-approach with introduction of universal design in 2001 • Effort to establish students with disabilities office liaisons beginning 2003 • Process of establishing DARCS starting 2007

9. Accommodation Approach Serving 270 identified students with passports for accommodations in design, Delivery, Assessment

10. Universal Design (UD) • The design of (educational) products and environments • to be usable by allpeople, • to the greatest extent possible, • without the need for adaptation or specialized design • while maintaining rigor and academic and disciplinary standards. • Goal: to increase access for people with divergent needs and preferences.

11. UD in the built environment • Starts in Architecture (Ron Mace) • An architect asks: • How can I effectively and creatively fulfill the requirements of the job with a design that is inclusive of the widest possible range of people? • What are some common examples of UD in the built environment? • The use of Gems and Bloopers as an Awareness /Public relations tool

12. Individual Actions in Your Classroom or Job Setting • Think-Pair-Share with a partner steps you can take to remove barriers • Think about removal of barriers • Pair with a partner • Share with a quad • Share a few ideas with the full group

13. UD requires more than individual Action DARCs

14. Moving Toward a DARC System Our problem was to move to a functioning Departmental Accessibility Resource Coordinator (DARC) system Please see ACCESS ed posterette

15. DARC Manager • Through a system of leadership • College and Unit Liaisons , • Students with Disabilities office and • Teaching and Learning Center (DARC Manager).

16. ACCESS-ed • The Project is developing, infusing, and testing a process to deliver a campus infrastructure that can self-sustain a universal design (UD) environment that will benefit all students.

17. To achieve the goal of transitioning a campus to an emphasis on universal design to meet the needs of all students, especially students with disabilities or other special needs, a multifaceted change process in the form of a campus DARC strategy favors a combined bottom-up and top-down approach to the dissemination of the ideas, information, and UD strategies.

18. A Departmental Accessibility Resource Coordinator (DARC) network requires a manager or management team and a steering committee on each participating campus.  With guidelines developed by the ACCESS-ed staff, the manager(s) and/or steering committee facilitate the development of the DARC network. • Goals and Objectives for the Departmental Accessibility Resource Coordinator (DARC) • To promote an accessible campus climate environment for all students, other consumers and staff with disabilities. • To facilitate a support system approach toward universal design concepts in education/instruction. • To promote universal design concepts in education/instruction within departmental structures.

19. The DARC Manager • Facilitates creation of a DARC network • Maintains campus links to ACCESS ed links • Communicates goals of the project • Provides training events • Supports DARCS • Assists in data collection

20. DARC Roles and Responsibilities • Promotes an accessible campus environment • Supports UD concepts in education/instruction • Implements UD to benefit all students • Helps build faculty and staff movitivation to implement UD • Participates in training and awareness activities • Helps in collection of data

22. Force Field Analysis (using the mind tool) • In groups of three • 1. describe your plan or proposal for change (see middle of tool) • 2. List forces for change in one column, and forces againist change in another column • 3. Assign a score to each force,form 1 (weak) to 5 (strong) • 4. Share with another group of three

23. Forces at UW-Platteville • Partnering of a research and comprehensive university (5) • Chancellor and Provost priorities (2) • Board of Regents Inclusive Excellence Initiative (2010) (3) • Core of Supporters for Teaching and Learning Center (5) • Total 15 • Ebbing and receding support of faculty and administration (5) • Limited Understanding of accommodation and universal design (3) • Change in Faculty Liaisons and DARCS (3) Total 11

24. Forces at Your Institution Toward Forces Away • Your institution • Your institution

25. Some Activities at UW-Platteville Gems and Bloopers Awareness in all colleges and student Center Training events each term e.g. Universal Design book club Leadership meeting each term College projects each year e.g. Universal Design Syllabus Maker Webinar

26. Accomplishments • DARCS in each college –all departments in BILSA, (Business , Industry, Life Science, and Agriculture) Three departments in (LAE) Liberal Arts and Education and Five departments in EMS (Engineering, Mathematics and Science) • Increasing number of faculty reporting use of UD in the classroom • Increased attendance at training events • Leadership team appeal and positive response from Provost for continuation of ACCESS ed/DARC system as Teaching and Learning leadership changes

27. Other Resources are Available • From University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee ACCESS ed website http://access-ed.r2d2.uwm.edu/ • & • University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Teaching and Learning Center Links • http://www.uwplatt.edu/tec/links.html

28. What are the implications for your campus? Shift from Accommodation to UD Use of DARC for your Campus Your 2-5 year Plan Pearls

29. Tom Lo Guidiceloguidice@fastmail.fm Thank You