Scheduled at 11:30 am in Independence on Friday, November 21.
#42264Speaker(s)
- Carey Applegate, Director, University of Illinois Springfield
Session Details
- Length of Session: 1-hr
- Format: Lecture
- Expertise Level: All Levels
- Type of session: General Conference
Summary
This session presents a student-led model for advancing digital accessibility in higher education. Grounded in disability justice and universal design, the Digital Accessibility Remediation Team (DART) reframes accessibility as a proactive, civil rights issue. Attendees will learn how DART integrates accessibility into institutional culture through training, leadership, and collaboration. The presentation offers practical strategies for building inclusive, student-powered initiatives that foster equity, belonging, and systemic change.
Abstract
In the evolving landscape of higher education, ensuring digital accessibility is not just a legal mandate—it is a civil rights imperative. This presentation introduces the Digital Accessibility Remediation Team (DART), a student-led initiative at a mid-sized public university in Illinois that is reshaping campus culture around disability and inclusion. DART empowers students—many of whom are international, first-generation, or disabled themselves—to lead the charge in making digital content accessible across academic and administrative units. Grounded in critical disability theory, universal design for learning, and the social model of disability, DART reframes accessibility as a proactive, justice-driven practice. Rather than treating accessibility as a reactive compliance task, DART centers it as a shared responsibility and a transformative opportunity for institutional change. Students are trained in accessibility standards and remediation techniques, while also developing leadership, communication, and advocacy skills. Their work not only remediates thousands of documents and videos but also fosters a deeper understanding of disability as a lived experience and a site of innovation. This session will explore how DART’s model—built on the principles of proactive accessibility, distributed leadership, and ethical accountability—has created a sustainable, student-powered infrastructure for digital equity. Attendees will learn how the program integrates accessibility into course design, supports faculty and staff, and cultivates a culture where disabled students are not only supported but also seen as leaders and experts. Through practical strategies, student reflections, and institutional insights, this presentation offers a replicable model for other institutions seeking to embed disability justice into the fabric of higher education. DART shows that when students are trusted with meaningful work and supported with inclusive values, they can drive systemic change.
Keypoints
- Proactive accessibility practices can be embedded into institutional culture.
- Disability justice and universal design principles should guide inclusive, sustainable change in higher educat
- Students can lead the way through training, collaboration, and distributed leadership.
Disability Areas
All Areas
Topic Areas
Accessibility and Accommodation in the Current Political/Legal Environment, Accessible Course Design, Alternate Format, Captioning/Transcription, Faculty Development & Support, Uncategorized
Speaker Bio(s)
Carey Applegate
Carey Applegate is the Director of the Office of Digital Accessibility at the University of Illinois Springfield. A longtime advocate for equity in education, her research interests include equity frameworks and digital accessibility in higher education, disability discourses in education and politics, and disability activism and social movements.