Implementing Effective Campus Accessibility Initiatives: Strategies, Processes and Resources

Scheduled at 9:00am in Colorado I-J on Tuesday, November 12.

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 engage in initiatives around 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. With ongoing assistive and education technology adoption and deployment occurring on campus, new policies and procedures being implemented, along with work to make your institution more digitally accessible, you are likely leading or involved in initiatives which intersect one or more of these topics.

This session will discuss Implementation Science including the principles, models, and best practices and apply it to the initiatives you and your campus are focused on this academic year. Subjects and topics discussed during the session will include:

- The Diffusion of Innovation Model: how organizations and cultures adopt innovation and embrace change

- The Model for Managing Complex Change: the key components for successful organizational change or adoption

- Research from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill: statistics, steps, best practices around implementation

- Other key subject essential for effective implementation: goal setting, advocacy, team building and others

Throughout the day, time will be spent developing an action plan which attendees can take back to their campus to support their work. All attendees, regardless of experience, are welcome and encouraged to attend as everyone will leave with countless resources and strategies to support these initiatives. Implementation science frameworks and models will equally support current initiatives on your campus, ones on the horizon, those needing a bit of kickstarting, or others that are yet to be determined. Come with ideas, an openness to share, and be ready to collaborate.

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

Accessible Course Design, Alternate Format, Artificial Intelligence, Assistive Technology, Captioning/Transcription, Faculty Development & Support, Procurement, Teaching about Accessibility in Curriculum, Uncategorized

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.