Implementing Effective Campus Accessibility Initiatives

Presented at 9:00am in Colorado I-J on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.

Speaker(s)

• Rachel Kruzel, Higher Education Specialist, Texthelp

Session Details

• Length of Session: 3-hr
• Format: Lecture
• Expertise Level: Beginner
• Type of session: Pre-conference

Summary

Many campuses are undertaking initiatives around assistive technology adoption and implementation and/or digital accessibility. But how do professionals effectively and efficiently create a plan to get these initiatives up and off the ground while also striving to see the impact as quickly as possible? This session will discuss strategies, processes and resources through the lens of implementation science to best help you and your team leverage your efforts when it comes to this work on campus.

Abstract

Implementation Science and the corresponding models supporting this field of work, provide best practices and approaches to effectively roll out initiatives and change within an organization. This includes the process of adoption and implementation of assistive/educational technology or campuswide accessibility initiatives. This session will discuss Implementation Science including the principles, models, and best practices as it applies to technological adoption through a Universal Design for Learning framework or an institutional accessibility initiative. Subjects and topics discussed during the session will include: • The Diffusion of Innovation Model which focuses on how organizations and cultures adopt innovation or embrace change. • The Model for Managing Complex Change which illustrates the key components for successful organizational change or adoption. A lack of any of these elements can cause specific and predictable friction during rollout. • Research from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill will provide statistics, steps, best practices around implementation. • Effective goal setting and how this underutilized step can change the way offices and campuses work towards outcomes with the ability to measure impact. • Strategies around advocacy to ensure financial and human capital resources are at adequate levels to ensure a positive outcome of this initiative. • Best practices around team building and finding key players to support your initiative to maximize effective and efficient implementation.

Whether you’re just starting to implement a tool or initiative or needing strategies to kickstart plans already underway, attendees will leave with countless resources and strategies to support them moving forward.

Keypoints

1. Implementation science provides strategies and resources to help campuses effectively implement initiatives.
2. An action plan including goal-setting with a team can support efficient and effective implementation.
3. Campuswide AT and digital accessibility can benefit from implementation focused resources and strategies.

Disability Areas

All Areas

Topic Areas

Administrative/Campus Policy, Assistive Technology, Captioning/Transcription, Uncategorized, Universal Design for Learning

Speaker Bio(s)

Rachel Kruzel

Rachel Kruzel, ATP, is the Higher Education Specialist for Texthelp where she supports higher education institutions across the United States and Canada as they explore, adopt, and implement technology based literacy, STEM, and accessibility based solutions to help create more inclusive, equitable, and accessible campuses and learning spaces for all students and campus members. She is a RESNA Certified Assistive Technology Professional and spent over ten years working as an Assistive Technology and Accommodations Specialist in Disability Resource Offices prior to coming to Texthelp. During her time in higher ed, she built and developed assistive technology programs at both schools she worked at, as well as coordinated the provision of accommodations. Rachel is a national expert in the areas of assistive technology, digital accessibility, accessible course materials, and accommodation provision around testing and notetaking. Rachel presents both regionally and nationally on these topics and others, as well as consults with students, parents, schools, and organizations.