The goal of this course is to promote equal opportunity and the full participation of students with disabilities in higher education by helping participants advance their awareness of the meaning of accessibility in education. Participants will gain competence and confidence in working with students by focusing on legislation, universal design, and assistive technologies. Thank you to Abbas (Bobby) Husain Quamar, Graduate Student Researcher in the Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology at the University of Pittsburgh, for his contributions to the course.
Disability Awareness and Support
University of PittsburghAbout this Course
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Approx. 7 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: English
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Flexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Approx. 7 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: English
Offered by
University of Pittsburgh
Leader in Education | Pioneer in Research | Partner in Regional Development
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
1 hour to complete
Introduction
Students come to our higher education classrooms with a wide variety of knowledge, skills, talents, and abilities. As educators, we want all of our students to be successful and feel supported in an inclusive learning environment. Many of our students have disabilities that they may or may not disclose to faculty and staff. Typically, the process of providing required documentation and identifying appropriate accommodations is a collaborative effort between the student and the disability services staff. Faculty are not a part of this process and may not be aware of the rationale or implications. In this week, we will begin with an introduction to students with disabilities. Week 1 highlights the key United States legislation that relates to higher education students with disabilities and describes the process of obtaining support services.
1 hour to complete
14 videos (Total 29 min), 3 readings, 1 quiz
14 videos
What is a Disability?6m
Legislation7m
Obtaining Services3m
Dr. Cooper - What was your experience in college before the ADA was passed?3m
Dr. Cooper - How can administrators improve the academic environment for students with disabilities?38s
Jonathan - What assumptions do other students make about your abilities?36s
Brandon - What would you like other students to know about living with a disability?49s
Jonathan - What do you wish you’d known when you went to college?57s
Dr. Seelman - How can faculty learn more about students with disabilities?11s
Dr. Seelman - What can be done beyond the Disability Services Office to support students with disabilities on campus?1m
Dr. Seelman - How does the UN convention impact the ratifying countries regarding higher education?1m
Director Culley - What is the process a student with disabilities goes through with Disability Services?43s
Director Culley - What role do instructors play in helping students with disabilities?29s
3 readings
Readings10m
Assistive Technology10m
Glossary10m
1 practice exercise
Week 120m
3 hours to complete
Accommodations and Assistive Technology
This week we describe the process used for deciding on reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities and the role of Disability Services in making this determination. We identify specific accommodations that students with disabilities might need in order to fully participate in life at the university.
3 hours to complete
11 videos (Total 29 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes
11 videos
Testing Center Accommodations2m
Assistive Technology2m
Screen Reader Demonstration8m
Jonathan - What was your experience with the level of support at your institution?40s
Brandon - Have faculty been understanding of your need for accommodations?1m
Brandon - How was beginning your undergraduate years different from going to graduate school?38s
Jonathan - How does assistive technology help your in day-to-day activities?38s
Bobby - What types of accommodations have faculty made for you and what do you think could be improved?2m
Dr. Cooper - How do assistive technologies impact education?1m
Director Culley - Who determines reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities?23s
2 readings
Readings10m
Assistive Technology Case Study10m
1 practice exercise
Week 220m
1 hour to complete
Accessible Design
In Weeks 1 and 2, we reviewed disability definitions and legislation, plus the disability services, accommodations, and technologies that you might find on your college campus. In Week 3, we focus on the design and development of your course materials. We use the term “universal design” to emphasize the inclusive design of instruction to make it meaningful and useful for all students. We also look at best practices for documents such as using clear fonts, organizing text with headings, and describing images with alternative text.
1 hour to complete
5 videos (Total 16 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz
5 videos
Document Design7m
Dr. Seelman - How are web accessibility standards related to students with disabilities?49s
Dr. Cooper - How can administrators improve the academic environment for students with disabilities?1m
Director Culley - Who is responsible for making emerging technology accessible to students with disabilities?24s
1 reading
Readings10m
1 practice exercise
Quiz: Week 320m
2 hours to complete
Application
Please read the following case studies and respond to the corresponding questions on the discussion boards.
2 hours to complete
5 readings
5 readings
Case Study: Accommodations for Student with Concussion10m
Case Study: Deafness10m
Case Study: Ethics10m
Case Study: Low Vision10m
Post Course Survey10m
1 practice exercise
Quiz: Week 420m
Reviews
TOP REVIEWS FROM DISABILITY AWARENESS AND SUPPORT
by MMAug 6, 2017
This course is very good. I would recommend it to my colleagues. Although it benefit to have more information on other types of accessibility. Its short, simple and well thought.
by DEDec 8, 2018
I am interested in studying this course because it provides various aspects to support people with disabilities and is directly related to my work at the university
by MZJun 10, 2018
Very good course that anybody out of the filed can understand it. It is light and easy to complete. And contain a various resources to enhance you knowledge.
by DMJun 18, 2020
This an excellent course and I thoroughly enjoyed receiving more knowledge and skills in order to assist others with disabilities in the future
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