Practical Application of the AHEAD Guidance on Disability Documentation Practices, a Presentation and Panel Discussion

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Since its launch in 2012, the AHEAD Guidance on Documentation Practices encouraged discussion and reconsideration of the role of third-party documentation in the higher education disability accommodation process. Since then, many schools have wondered how to actually apply the guidance to make updates to office protocol. Through presentation, followed by a panel discussion, this webinar will revisit the guidance and offer practical information on how the suggested documentation practices can be applied in your disability office. Panelists with various office policies regarding documentation will explore what the guidance does--and does not--say in terms of utilizing the student narrative, professional judgement, and third-party information. Students’ need for disability documentation when applying to take professional licensing exams or graduate school entrance exams will also be addressed. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions during this 2-hour session.

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Description

Contributors

Adam Meyer

Adam Meyer, Ph.D. is the Director of the Student Accessibility Services office and of Inclusive Education Services at the University of Central Florida. He was previously the Director of disability resource offices at Eastern Michigan University and Saint Louis University. Adam has served on the AHEAD Board of Directors and on AHEAD Standing Committees. He presents regularly on documentation, the social model of disability, leadership and office operations, initial student interviews, office data, and budgetary basics. Adam worked in the intellectual disability field for nearly 10 years prior to working in higher education.
William (Bill) Eidtson

William (Bill) Eidtson, Ed.D., a former special education teacher, is Director of Academic Skills and Student Accessibility Services at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College. In his academic skills role, Bill coaches and advises students in evidence-based strategies and techniques aimed at making them successful learners throughout medical school and beyond. As Director of Accessibility Services, Bill works to ensure that all students can access Geisel’s learning environment and educates faculty and staff about the vital role of disability services in medical education. He is a board member for the Coalition for Disability Access in Health Science and Medical Education. Prior to joining Geisel, Bill was Director of Faculty and Staff Development at the NYU College of Dentistry (NYUCD) and Executive Director of NYUCD’s Academy of Distinguished Educators, of which he is a lifetime fellow.
Maria Schiano

Maria Schiano is the Director of Accessibility Services at County College of Morris (CCM) in New Jersey. She was appointed to AHEAD’s Board of Directors to serve as a Director-At-Large as the Community College representative. She also holds the role of the AHEAD Affiliates liaison, which helps connect affiliate groups across the country. Maria has served as the President of New Jersey AHEAD for the past three years. She holds her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Women’s Studies from Brooklyn College and her Masters in Social Work from New York University. She has over 18 years of higher education experience, specializing in disability services and access, LGBTQ + services and promoting equity and inclusion through a social justice lens.
Melanie Thornton

Melanie Thornton is the Coordinator of Access and Equity Outreach at the University of Arkansas - Partners for Inclusive Communities. In this position, she provides professional development and technical assistance on topics related to disability, diversity, digital access, leadership, and design. Previously, she worked at the Disability Resource Center at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock where she served as the Associate Director and Director of Project PACE, a Department of Education model demonstration grant. She led the campus community in increasing capacity related to Web accessibility and inclusive curricular design. Melanie has also served as a trainer for Project ShIFT, a project designed to develop the leadership skills of professionals across the country and supporting them in infusing disability studies perspectives into their practices. Melanie has presented at state, national and international conferences on topics related to disability and access and has worked as an independent consultant in a variety of capacities for 10 years.
Jewls Griesmeyer Krentz

Jewls Griesmeyer Krentz is the Associate Director of Learning Support Services at Linfield University School of Nursing where she oversees disability services, academic coaching, and tutoring. She enjoys finding creative and collaborative ways to promote equity and inclusion for students and university communities. Jewls applies a holistic, social justice approach to working with disabled students. Before joining Linfield in 2022, she had been an Access Counselor and Consultant at the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at PSU since 2013. At the DRC, Jewls specialized in working with blind and low vision students and supervised classroom assistants and graduate-level interns at the DRC. Jewls serves on the Board of Directors of the Oregon Affiliate of the Association of Higher Education and Disability (ORAHEAD), co-chairs the Blind and Low Vision Knowledge and Practice Community at Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), and serves as a mentor for the AHEAD Start Academy for new(er) disability services professionals. Jewls has presented multiple times at regional and national conferences, including AHEAD, ORAHEAD, and the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE), and is actively engaged in ongoing research projects. Jewls received her Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling from PSU in 2008 and is a PhD candidate in Adult and Higher Education at Oregon State University. Her doctoral work focuses on international and immigrant students with disabilities, disability identity, and intersectionality. Jewls is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) and Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC). Prior to coming to PSU, Jewls had a private counseling practice and served as a commissioner on the city of Portland Commission on Disability.

Thank you

Description

Contributors

Adam Meyer

William (Bill) Eidtson

Maria Schiano

Melanie Thornton

Jewls Griesmeyer Krentz