#43199
Speaker(s)
- Carey Applegate, Director, University of Illinois Springfield
- Sai Prratyush Danthala, Coordinator of the Digital Accessibility Remediation Team (DART), University of Illinois Springfield
- Jacob Gulso, Digital Accessibility Specialist, University of Illinois Springfield
Session Details
- Length of Session: 1-hr
- Format: Lecture
- Expertise Level: Intermediate
- Type of session: General Conference
Summary
As institutions address ADA Title II web and mobile accessibility requirements, many teams are finding that accessibility work can’t rely on one-off fixes or a small central office acting alone. This session presents a practical project-management model for shifting from reactive remediation to coordinated, proactive planning through cross-functional, campus-wide collaboration, while balancing student impact, legal risk, and institutional capacity.
Abstract
As institutions address ADA Title II web and mobile accessibility requirements, many teams are finding that accessibility work cannot rely on one-off fixes or a small central office acting alone. Campuses are often juggling legacy barriers, new content, limited capacity, and unclear ownership across multiple units. This session presents a practical project-management model for shifting from reactive remediation to coordinated, proactive planning through cross-functional, campus-wide collaboration.
The session focuses on how to turn big-picture accessibility goals into manageable work. Participants will explore how roadmaps, sprint workflows, prioritization, and shared ownership can help teams plan a semester ahead while still responding to urgent barriers. The session will also address how to break large accessibility efforts into smaller pieces of work, decide what needs attention first, and involve the right partners across campus, including disability services, IT, instructional design, procurement, communications, libraries, faculty support units, and academic leadership.
Rather than treating accessibility as the responsibility of one office, this session looks at how to build a more sustainable campus-wide practice. It will cover governance, resource alignment, communication rhythms, and role clarity in plain, practical terms, with attention to balancing student impact, legal risk, and institutional capacity. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all model, it will provide a framework participants can adapt to their own institution, staffing level, and stage of progress.
Attendees will leave with practical tools and planning prompts they can use to identify priority work, clarify who needs to be involved, build a more manageable planning cycle, and connect leadership goals to everyday execution.
Keypoints
- Digital accessibility work is more sustainable when it is shared across campus.
- Roadmaps, sprints, and clear prioritization help teams move from reactive remediation to proactive planning.
- Cross-functional collaboration and shared ownership help balance student impact, legal risk, and capacity.
Disability Areas
All Areas
Topic Areas
Accessibility and Accommodation in the Current Political/Legal Environment, Accessible Course Design, Campus & System-wide initiatives, Procurement, 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.
Sai Prratyush Danthala
Sai Prratyush Danthala is the Coordinator of the Digital Accessibility Remediation Team (DART) at the University of Illinois Springfield, specializing in accessibility, compliance, and digital transformation initiatives. With over four years of experience across academia and industry, including prior leadership at Uber, he brings strong expertise in Agile delivery, stakeholder coordination, and process optimization. His work focuses on driving data-informed decisions, improving operational efficiency, and delivering scalable, compliance-driven solutions aligned with organizational goals.
Jacob Gulso
Jacob Gulso is a process-oriented leader who advocates for equitable access to learning and meaningful mentorship, drawing on his experience as a former Disability Services Coordinator. In his current role as a Digital Accessibility Specialist at the University of Illinois Springfield, he champions inclusive design practices that empower all learners to thrive.