Accommodations and Accessibility Adapts for Fall 2020
The fall 2020 semester has required fundamental changes in many departments at Marist, including the Office of Accommodations and Accessibility. The college’s academic offerings now include multiple formats, from completely online coursework, to hybrid and in-person instruction, which can pose challenges for individuals with physical or mental disabilities.
Accommodations & Accessibility is located in Donnelly Hall, Room 226. Source: Greta Stuckey
The Marist College Office of Accommodations and Accessibility includes individuals with hearing impairments on its list of those eligible for academic accommodations. Masks challenge students who depend on reading lips to decipher communication. Without closed captions or a provided transcript, even virtual materials may put students with disabilities at a disadvantage.
According to the Associate Director for the Office of Accommodations and Accessibility Maryellen Guardino, if professors use a video, closed captions should always be available or a transcript should be provided. Guardino’s office and a number of other departments have collaborated, hoping to provide more accessible instruction for all students.
The Digital Education department instructed faculty on how to make their iLearn sites more effective. iLearn is the functional online educational platform Marist uses to keep students and instructors connected outside of the classroom. The Office of Accommodations and Accessibility has also made an iLearn site dedicated to showing staff how to improve accessibility. In addition, Guardino stated that the Learning Support Program and AIM Program (Achievement Involvement and Mentorship) have assisted her office’s efforts to facilitate a smooth transition for students using accommodations.
The COVID-19 virus and the resulting changes have been challenging, Guardino said, particularly for new students. She encouraged students who have not already received accommodations to contact the office to obtain access to the iLearn site. There are also see-through masks available for staff and faculty to request via PPE.requests@marist.edu.
Guardino added that if professors use a video, closed captions should always be available or a transcript should be provided, especially in light of YouTube’s upcoming community contribution changes which could negatively impact deaf creators.
While there have been obstacles, Guardino noted the upsides of technology driven education. With online materials, students can return to and replay content.
“I think, just make sure all your materials are accessible, and that you’re meeting the needs of all students,” Guardino said. “Having videos captioned, making sure you have a transcript for the video, making sure your PDF is readable. I think working together will help us get through this.”