Lansing Community College Accessibility Initiative – Best Practices in Getting it Right the First Time

Handouts Media

Presented at 10:00am in Virtual B on Wednesday, November 18, 2020.

#32362

Speaker(s)

  • Andrew George, Access Consultant, Lansing Community College

Session Details

  • Length of Session: 45 minutes
  • Format: Lecture
  • Expertise Level: Intermediate
  • Type of session: Pre-conference

Summary

This presentation aims to discuss the experience related to Lansing Community College's goal to significantly improve digital accessibility over a two year period. Particular attention will be given to securing buy-in from stakeholders and the management of a campus-wide accessibility project.

Abstract

In 2017, Lansing Community College embarked on a massive project to ensure all of our courses, documents, forms and materials are accessible. Beyond being a legal requirement for the college, ensuring our students and employees had the materials they needed to succeed is simply the right thing to do and in line with our mission as an institution. During this presentation you will learn how we established the Accessibility Initiative Team, including the roles that each member played. We will talk about how we built campus buy-in from the top down and the bottom up. Participants will learn best practices for obtaining support and building momentum when faced with such a large project.

Keypoints

  1. Cultivating buy-in for a campus-wide accessibility program is a challenge necessary for success.
  2. Institutions that have undertaken campus-wide accessibility programs can share successes/potential pitfalls.
  3. Sustaining accessibility institution-wide requires significant planning and coordiation.

Disability Areas

All Areas

Topic Areas

Administrative/Campus Policy, Uncategorized

Speaker Bio(s)

Andrew George

Andy George is an Access Consultant at Lansing Community College (LCC). A disability advocate from a young age, he has worked to support and empower loved ones with disabilities for as long as he can remember. Andy holds bachelors' degrees in Psychology and Secondary Social Studies Education from Michigan State University and a master's degree in Educational Leadership-Higher Education/Student Affairs from Eastern Michigan University. He has worked to support LCC students for nearly 7 years in Testing Services, the StarZone (LCC's financial aid and registration one-stop), and in his current role in the Center for Student Access. In addition to his higher education experience, Andy has also worked as a postal worker, a costumed historical interpreter, and a professional Girl Scout.

Andy is a native Michigander and lives in Lansing with his lovely wife Brittany.

Handout(s)