About Temple University
⢠Based in Philadelphia, one of three Pennsylvania state-related research Universities (University of Pittsburgh and Penn State University)
⢠37,000 students & 5,700 employees⢠17 schools and colleges including 8 professional schools
(including Dentistry, Law, Medicine, Pharmacy and Podiatry)⢠140 bachelorâs degree programs⢠126 masterâs degree programs⢠International campuses: Tokyo, Rome, and London
Programs in China, Korea, Greece, Israel and more
⢠1,400 students registered with the Office ofDisability Resources and Services (DRS)
Why Now?
⢠Greater reliance on technology in education.â Course management systems (Blackboard, Moodle, Canvas.)â Smart classrooms with advanced audio visual technology.â On-line administrative processes.â Dramatic increase in on-line learning. â Growing adoption of electronic textbooks and eReaders in classrooms. â Proliferation of iPadâs. â Growing use of Google Apps and other online software platforms.
⢠As technology gets more integrated and complex, compliance is becoming critical.⢠Proliferation of lawsuits.
Self Audit
⢠Hired outside consultant to review:âWebsites & Web applications (sample size=15)â Classrooms / Learning Spacesâ Computer Labs
⢠Results: We were on par with other institutions that hadnât addressed accessibility
Our Discovery
⢠Areas to address from audit:â Overall accessibility policy for information and technologyâ Computer labs (128 computer labs & 3,648 workstations)â Instructional materialsâ Learning spaces/classrooms (~700 including labs/studios)â Libraryâ Procurement of technologyâ Web based contentâ Web based systems
Other institutions: Insight & experience
⢠Joined ATHEN & EDUCAUSEâs âITACCESSâ listservs⢠Attend conferences to learn from other institutions⢠Conference call with Cal State about how they launched
their initiative⢠Spoke with San Francisco State about their procurement
process
Vision: Defined in the University policy
⢠We will be accessible ⢠The individual responsible for providing the technology or information is
responsible for making it accessible⢠If it canât be made accessible we should consider removing it⢠Established the Accessible Technology Compliance Committee (ATCC) which is
empowered to effectuate change and is responsible for:â Setting standards & guidelinesâ Setting Timetablesâ Enforcementâ Granting exceptions
Accessibility of Information and Technology Policy: Established November, 2012
Accessible Tech Compliance Committee
⢠Chair (CIO)⢠1 Staff (Director)⢠4 Faculty representatives⢠1 School / College technical (Director of Information Technology)⢠3 Computer Services (Assistant Vice President, Executive Directors)⢠1 Strategic Marketing and Communications (Director)⢠1 Disability Resources and Services (Associate Vice President)⢠1 Human Resources (Associate Vice President)⢠1 Provost Office (Vice Provost)⢠1 Library (Senior Associate University Librarian)⢠1 University Counsel (Associate University Counsel)⢠1 Facilities (Director of Architectural Services)
Accessibility Liaisons
⢠An individual within each school, college, or campus that is responsible for coordinating the accessibility remediation and compliance efforts for their respective area:â Establishes priorities of remediationâ Evaluates accessibility during the procurement process â Works with budget unit head for funding accessibility initiativesâ Attends accessibility meetings and trainingâ Provides annual reports on the individual school or, colleges,
progress towards remediation
Scope of Work
⢠Initial assessment â Hire a consultant
⢠Instructional materials â Tools for DIYersâ Farming out remediation
⢠Learning spaces & Computer Labsâ Softwareâ Hardware â Remediation of physical spaces
⢠Library and itâs components â Online catalogâ Journalsâ Alt Format for Course reserves
⢠Multimedia â Captioning/Transcriptsâ Audio Descriptions/Transcriptsâ Captioning of live & live streaming
of events⢠Web
â Web auditing solutionâ web based systems (replace/fix?)â Tools for testingâ Accessibility Q&A staff as part of the
software development lifecycle
Working groups: standards & guidelines
⢠Web group â Developed standards for web content
⢠WCAG 2.0 AA for internally developed/sponsored sites⢠Section 508 for vendor controlled content⢠Established deadlines for compliance
â Issued an RFP for a web auditing tool⢠Assistive Technology group
â Developed standards for Computer labs â Developed standards for Classrooms (evolved into Learning Spaces)
⢠Instructional Materials group*â Started working on standards (abandoned in favor of how-tos)â Developing checklists
*Need to get faculty involved in Instructional Materials workgroup
Learning space standards
⢠Worked with Disability Resources & Services to develop standards⢠Standards address:
â ADAAG specifications (i.e. reach distances & kick space for podiums)â Softwareâ Hardware (including control panels for lights & AV equipment)â Smart carts
⢠Types of spacesâ Auditorium/Theater spaceâ Classroomsâ Lecture hallâ Seminar roomâ Studio space
⢠Developed a checklist based on the standards
Computer lab standards
⢠Standards address:â ADAAG specifications
⢠Reach distances (counter/workstation heights, peripherals)⢠Route to workstation⢠Kick space for workstations⢠# of accessible workstations⢠Signs & documentation
â Assistive Hardware (e.g. keyboards, trackballs, etc.)â Assistive Softwareâ Pay to Print stationsâ Training student workersâ Deadline for compliance
⢠Developed a checklist based on the standards
Library
⢠Investigating workflows to make scanned text and video course reserves accessible.
⢠Conducting an year-long review of all 500 database platforms and alerting vendors to compliance issues.
⢠Remediating their website.⢠Library programmers working with vendors to make products accessible:
â Ensemble video player.â Contributed to Omeka (open source software for online exhibition; very
popular among digital humanists and cultural institutions.)⢠Joining HathiTrust in large part to benefit print-disabled individuals so they can
have full-text access to the 11 million books, journals, etc.
Instructional Materials
⢠Surveyed file types on Learning Management System (Blackboard)⢠Prioritized creation of checklists for the top four types of content
first:Word PowerPointExcel PDF
⢠Incorporating Universal Design aspects in checklists
Purchasing
⢠Added language to purchasing policies requiring procurement (purchase or otherwise) of accessible information and technology
⢠Added language to RFP and contracts for accessibility & remediation
⢠Developed an Exceptions Request form and process workflow
⢠Worked with purchasing department to flag all software requests
Exception Request workflow
Initial Request
ATCC Review
⢠Accessibility Liaison (or individual if there is no Accessibility Liaison) submits request to [email protected]
⢠Proof to make sure everythingâs OK (may request clarification on some items or revision to request if it is incomplete)
⢠Write up an executive summary of the request
⢠Request form and executive summary sent to ATCC for review and decision (decision is requested within 6 business days)
⢠ATCC may request clarification on some items⢠Decision is sent to Accessibility Liaison (or initial requestor)
Exceptions Request form
⢠Name & description of the product or resource⢠Who is the audience? (And indicate approximately how many of each
type)⢠What is the cost? (single year and/or recurring)⢠Accessibility Roadmap? (and if so what's the timeline for compliance?)⢠Describe how it is used.⢠Is it currently in use?⢠Which of the 508 category(ies) is relevant to the product?⢠Is it required for coursework or job function?⢠What exception category (specified in section 508) are you requesting?⢠Explain why it meets the exception.⢠Describe the reasonable accommodation you will provide.
Launching the initiative
⢠Communicate for buy in:â CIO went on a âroad showâ presenting to:
⢠Council of Deans⢠Faculty Senate⢠Business Managers⢠Collegial assemblies
â Presentation consisted of:⢠Overview of policy & project⢠Who is responsible (content creator is responsible)⢠Weâre here to help & what weâve done so far
Launched Website
⢠Website launched to act as a clearinghouse for:â Policiesâ Guidelinesâ How-to materialsâ Quick tipsâ Link to community
http://accessibility.temple.edu
Empowerment â Schools/Colleges
⢠Deans appoint âAccessibility Liaisonsâ in each school or college Purchased a tool to allow users to audit their own web content/sites/systems
⢠Distributed guidelines for computer labs and smart classrooms
⢠Bi-weekly meetings with Accessibility Liaison committee⢠Training âroad showsâ presenting the initiative and a
demonstration on making instructional materials accessible
Quick wins
⢠Survey and remediate Computer Servicesâ centrally owned/managed learning spaces & computer labs first:â Largest and most heavily used labs were remediated firstâ Received feedback on the standards and checklists to improve and clarify
requirementsâ Early remediation allowed us to determine average remediation costs
⢠Update all control panels in smart classrooms owned by Computer Services so they âtalkâ
⢠Launched new web accessibility standards at university wide web designers meeting
⢠Creative Services works with contractors to make sure new websites are accessible
⢠Hired a visually impaired student worker to assist with testing software
Things take time
⢠Instructional materials guidelinesâ 2 years and itâs still ongoingâ Reboot after the first 5 monthsâ Switched from policy to checklists with How-Toâsâ Engaging larger group of faculty to assist with determining how
to tweak them for better adoption⢠Web auditing software and remediationâ Had problems with end users logging into to the serverâ Worked with vendor for patches
Annual Report
⢠Survey completed by all Accessibility LiaisonsUnderstand how each school/college is progressing annually. Addresses:â Web sitesâ Instructional materialsâ Learning spaces â Computer labs
Budget â how much was spent?
⢠Central funding covered an initial $500,000 for:â Remediating computer labs (central and schools/colleges)â Remediating learning spacesâ Software to audit websitesâ Consulting and training
⢠Individual Schools/Colleges and Administrative Units have spent $85,000+ to date for:â Remediating computer labsâ Captioning
Note: figures do not include personnel costs
Lessons learned
⢠Sometimes it takes a while to get a workable solution⢠Deadlines are good, but be flexible⢠Communication is key (particularly top down)⢠Spread out the work (form working groups)⢠People want to help, make it easy for them⢠Donât come with all the answers, let people be a part of the
process⢠Include representatives from facilities⢠Be flexible (i.e. exceptions request form)