Presented at 3:00 pm in Virtual D on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.
#41336Speaker(s)
- Kaela Parks, Portland Comm. College
- Andy Freed, Director of Learning Technologies and Innovation, Portland Comm. College
Session Details
- Length of Session: 1-hr
- Format: Lecture
- Expertise Level: All Levels
- Type of session: General Conference
Summary
Portland Community College has embarked on an ambitious journey to ensure instructional materials meet expectations for accessibility. Every program dean in the college was provided data on course shell accessibility, accommodation use patterns, faculty training, and student participation and success rate data from institutional effectiveness. Program deans work with their faculty and present a plan to college leadership. Our intent is to ensure engagement and accountability.
Abstract
This session will outline Portland Community College’s strategic response to the requirement for instructional material compliance with WCAG by April 2026. We will discuss how our Accessible Digital Environment Committee and Academic Affairs leadership team have worked together to advance digital accessibility initiatives.
Our strategy provided each program dean with targeted consultation sessions and planning templates containing data related to course shell accessibility, accommodation use, faculty training, and student participation and success rates. Deans were also asked to verify third-party platforms and systems, and to identify discipline-specific training needs.
In partnership with faculty, online learning, and accessible education staff, deans developed digital accessibility program plans for the 2025-2026 academic year. By developing digital accessibility plans at the program level, we can ensure accountability while addressing discipline-specific nuances.
Building on a robust foundation of institutional policy and practice, our objectives are to promote engagement and ensure accountability. This session will present insights from various institutional roles—deans, managers, faculty, coordinators, and technicians—and provide resources that may assist others seeking to implement similar strategies at their own institutions.
Keypoints
- Instructional faculty must be provided with training and technical support that is discipline-specific.
- Academic leaders must be accountable for faculty involvement in digital accessibility efforts.
- Accessible education and instructional technology personnel must work strategically.
Disability Areas
All Areas
Topic Areas
Accessibility and Accommodation in the Current Political/Legal Environment, Accessible Course Design, Faculty Development & Support, Uncategorized
Speaker Bio(s)
Kaela Parks
Kaela Parks, Ed.D . is the Dean of Accessible and Inclusive Education at Portland Community College. She is a former Co-Chair of the AHEAD Standing Committee on Technology, a past Chair of the NASPA Disability Knowledge Community, a past President of ORAHEAD, and a current member at large on the AHEAD Board of Directors. She was lead trainer for a FIPSE demonstration project aimed at supporting adjunct faculty on rural campuses in the implementation of Universal Design, and was co-editor of the publication titled "Beyond the ADA: Proactive Policy and Practice for Higher Education." She frequently offers trainings and presentations on a variety of disability and accessibility related topics.
Andy Freed
Andy Freed is the Director for Learning Technologies & Innovation at Portland Community College. He is a co-chair for the Accessible Digital Environment Committee and has worked on several college efforts to improve access to education, including developing a college Accessible Technology Policy, providing training for faculty on creating accessible content, and co-leading the college's Digital Accessibility project.