Overview
The 2018 refresh of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 required the adoption of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, level AA, as the standard of expected accessibility by any college or university receiving federal funds. The creation and publication of accessible digital content aligned to these standards (including web pages, documents, images, videos, and audio) can be challenging across a large institution. The Quality Indicators and Critical Components for the Provision of Accessible Educational Materials and Accessible Technologies from the National Center on Accessible Educational Materials can serve as the foundation for strategically planning institution-wide campaigns and outreach to ensure the timely provision of accessible materials and technologies aligned to WCAG standards. This session will unpack the various campaigns, including the Choose Accessible Learning Materials (C.A.L.M.) initiative, and communities of practice working to transform the digital accessibility footprint and inclusivity across Virginia Tech campuses.
Learning Objectives
- List five ways the AEM quality indicators can be strategically used to improve digital accessibility.
- Explain how the six C.A.L.M. campaigns have been used to market accessibility and develop buy-in and targeted outreach.
- Name three strategies for developing communities of practice that connect stakeholders across campuses for proactively addressing digital accessibility.
Primary & Secondary Strands
Education & Learning: Early Intervention - 12/Higher Education; Leadership
Target Audience
- Accessibility Professional
- ADA Coordinator
- Administrators
- AT Specialists
- Alternative Media Specialist
- Caregivers
- Communication Specialist
- Consumers/Individuals with Disabilities
- Consultants/Trainers
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Disability Services
- Educators
- Faculty/Instructors - Higher Education
- Family Members
- Government/Non-Profit Agencies
- Instructional Technologist
- Media Specialist
- Occupational Therapists
- Paraprofessionals
- Physical Therapists
- Rehab Therapists
- Speech-Language Pathologists
- Special Education Educators
- Teachers of the Visually Impaired
- Teachers of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing
- Transition Coordinator
- Visual Impairment Specialists
- Vocational Rehabilitation
Experience Level
Introductory
Primary Life Cycle Addressed
Higher Education
Session Delivery Format
In-person presentation with live-stream
Course Schedule
This course was given at the ATIA 2023 Virtual Event on Thursday, February 2 from 9:45 AM - 10:45 AM (EST)
Continuing Education Credits
For Satisfactory Completion and Continuing Education information, please visit: ATIA Learning Center CEUs
This course is offered for the following CE Provider Credits:
ACVREP; AOTA; CRC; IACET
For: 0.10 CEU Units or 1.0 CEU Hours.
End date of current CRC CEUs offering: March 6, 2025
Please refer to the CRC AT in Education & Higher Education Series (2024-2025) page for further information on how to submit your CRC CEUs for this course to CRCC.
Speaker/s:
Dale Pike
Virginia Tech, Executive Director, Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies
Biography
Dale Pike is the Executive Director and Associate Provost for Technology-enhanced Learning & Online Strategies (TLOS) at Virginia Tech. TLOS provides support for technology-enhanced learning environments (physical classrooms and labs and online environments such as the learning management system and web conferencing platforms), faculty digital fluency (partnering with faculty to help them define and support an evolving professional capacity to thrive in ever-changing environments), and learning experience design (the intentional consideration of required outcomes, faculty expertise, and environment in the design of learning experiences). The nature of our work requires constant exploration of the horizon, so all of our processes incorporate an innovation pipeline methodology to continuously improve our work.
Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
Salary from employment
Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: No
Mark Nichols, M.Ed
Virginia Tech, Senior Director Universal Design and Accessible Technologies
Biography
Mark Nichols is the Senior Director for Universal Design and Accessible Technologies at Virginia Tech. He works within the Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies (TLOS) unit of the Division of IT. Mark joined Virginia Tech in 2017 and previously spent 15 years within K-12 overseeing Assistive Technology services. Mark is an active member of the National AEM Advisory Committee, Chair of the Virginia Higher Education Accessibility Partners (VHEAP), and Secretary/Treasurer of the UDL Higher Education Network with the UDL-IRN. Mark has a personal interest in the maker movement and connections to the AT field.
Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
Salary from employment
Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: No