November 21, 2024: Getting Started with Digital Accessibility
1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. EST

Is your campus or department starting out on your journey toward improving Digital Accessibility? In this conversation, we will discuss the basics of digital accessibility for your institution’s public-facing website and course materials, where to begin, and which stakeholders need to be involved. Our speakers will provide a brief introduction to digital accessibility. Then, we’ll open the conversation by sharing some of our efforts and inviting others to share their questions and expertise from other institutions in a group discussion.

This session will require a Zoom account, if you do not have one, you may create one for free at zoom.us. Zoom automated live transcription will be available.

Note: To encourage open and candid discussions, these sessions will not be recorded. Participants will have the option to turn cameras and microphones on during the sessions or respond in the chat. (Why Keeping the Camera Off Creates Inclusive Virtual Meetings)

Objectives:
-Share ideas and strategies with other participants
-Network with professionals from other institutions
-Identify 1-2 areas to explore for improving Digital Accessibility in your work

Speakers:
Megan Grandmont-Melendy, Technology Trainer and Communication Specialist, Wentworth Institute of Technology
Lori Strauss, Website Director, Wentworth Institute of Technology
Sarah Walkowiak, Instructional Designer, Wentworth Institute of Technology
Misty Woodbury, Interim Director, Teaching & Learning Collaborative, Wentworth Institute of Technology

December 5, 2024: Demystifying Legal Requirements and Compliance for Digital Accessibility
1:00 p.m-2:30 p.m EST

Recent updates to the Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA) Title II and Health and Human Services(HHS)§504 regulations include web accessibility requirements that are applicable to public institutions and potentially other institutions that receive federal funding. This session will include an overview clarifying how these regulations apply to higher education with extended time for discussion and questions at the end.

This session will require a Zoom account, if you do not have one, you may create one for free at zoom.us. Zoom automated live transcription will be available.

Note: To encourage open and candid discussions, these sessions will not be recorded. Participants will have the option to turn cameras and microphones on during the sessions or respond in the chat. (Why Keeping the Camera Off Creates Inclusive Virtual Meetings)   

Objectives:
-Share ideas and strategies with other participants
-Network with professionals from other institutions
-Describe requirements and recent changes to digital accessibility legal compliance for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) regulations that affect higher education

Speaker:
Judith Risch (she/her/hers), Title IX & Equity Access Services Special Advisor, Grand River Solutions

December 12, 2024: Digital Accessibility Strategies for STEM-focused Course Materials
1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. EST

In this session, we will discuss the importance of disability inclusion in STEM and how we approach digital accessibility for technical STEM content in a mini-panel style of short presentations followed by Q&A. We will share efforts to create a culture of inclusion that values disability as diversity and accessibility as a mindset, as well as math accessibility tools and challenges to make math content fully accessible. The discussion segment includes time for those who would like to share and discuss successes and challenges from their institution with the group.

This session will require a Zoom account, if you do not have one, you may create one for free at zoom.us. Zoom automated live transcription will be available.

Note: To encourage open and candid discussions, these sessions will not be recorded. Participants will have the option to turn cameras and microphones on during the sessions or respond in the chat. (Why Keeping the Camera Off Creates Inclusive Virtual Meetings)

Objectives:
-Share ideas and strategies with other participants
-Network with professionals from other institutions
-Identify challenges and potential solutions for making digital STEM course content accessible

Speakers:
Jeffrey Kuan, Owner and Founder @Tailor Swift Bot
Sara Shunkwiler, Instructional Designer | Disability Inclusion Advocate, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
Katherine Springer (she, her), Course Support Specialist, Center for Learning Design and Technology, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University