Scheduled at 1:45 pm in Colorado F on Wednesday, November 13.
#39479Speaker(s)
- Ann Knettler, Vice President, Consulting, GrackleDocs
Session Details
- Length of Session: 1-hr
- Format: Lecture
- Expertise Level: Expert
- Type of session: General Conference
Summary
With the updates in Title II of the ADA, strategic planning for digital accessibility is more critical than ever before and changes in policy, practice, and pedagogy need to be championed at the highest level of our organizations. This session will provide tools and takeaways that can be put in place to immediately increase access, create buy-in, develop a comprehensive and sustainable digital accessibility plan, realize internal and external resources, and promote digital equity.
Abstract
A long-awaited rule, signed by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on April 8th and published on April 24th, adds digital accessibility requirements to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, affecting all government and government-funded organizations including public Higher Education institutions.
The new regulations are a legal ‘Call to Action’, requiring sustained compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1 at the AA Level for all website and app content active at the end of the short 2-3 year compliance deadline. While proactive digital accessibility is now an official legal expectation, the sheer volume of digital materials (websites, web-based systems and processes, documents, online classes, apps, forms, videos, etc.) coupled with the rising threat of being found in violation of civil rights laws that protect people with disabilities is daunting in the Higher Education community. How can we take this opportunity to demystify digital access and be a key contributor to our Institutions’ success?
Join Dr. Ann Knettler, an experienced Higher Education disability access professional, consultant, professor, speaker, and digital accessibility strategist as she explains what is and is not covered under the new regulations, identifies key internal and external resources for remediation and accessible content creation, and provides a roadmap for creating and executing an effective, sustainable digital accessibility plan. Attendees will leave with essential actions and takeaways that will protect the Civil Rights of individuals with disabilities, significantly reduce legal risk, limit liability, and provide a strategic approach to access that can be tailored to an institution’s individual needs.
Keypoints
- Strategic planning for digital access allows for measurable and meaningful barrier removal
- Innovative leveraging of internal and external resources increases sustainability and lowers costs
- Building faculty and staff buy-in for digital accessibility happens by educating and resourcing appropriately
Disability Areas
All Areas
Topic Areas
Faculty Development & Support, Legal, Uncategorized, Web/Media/App Access
Speaker Bio(s)
Ann Knettler
Dr. Ann Knettler currently serves as the Vice President of Consulting for GrackleDocs, a world leader in digital accessibility. An accessibility strategist with over 17 years of experience as an ADA and 504 Compliance Officer, Director of Disability Resources offices, and global corporate policy advisor; Ann is a sought-after speaker, educator, and consultant.
As a member of the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), Ann currently represents the Association as a member of the Council of Representatives for the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) where she has co-authored and updated policy and standards for the entire field of higher education and currently sits on their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. A published researcher, Ann regularly presents and consults globally on topics such as the depth and breadth of digital accessibility, disability rights, assessment and the use of data as an advocacy tool, disability policy and policy reform, strategic planning for organization-wide access, creating and using policy and accessibility standards, program review, ableism, and the social justice model of disability.
Ann is an active faculty member in the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Master of Public Administration Programs at Delaware State University. She received a Masters of Arts in Counseling in Higher Education with an emphasis in Mental Health from the University of Delaware and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Delaware State University. Her dissertation focuses on the lived experiences of ableism and able-body privilege by students with disabilities in higher education and the impact that experience has on their receipt of an accessible and equitable education.