[ Static ] >> You've tuned into Hub Talk a podcast about teaching, learning and technology. [ Music ] >> Welcome back to Hub Talk. I'm Collin Stap [phonetic]. >> And I'm Mill Hamlin. >> In this episode we're going to be talking accessibility. >> Yeah and, and you know to some folks accessibility might not be all that clear especially faculty here on campus or our online faculty. And when we talk about accessibility we're, we're talking about ensuring that all of our digital materials can be accessed and used by all students without having to wait or rely on other to assist them. And this is really central to the Chemeketa philosophy. >> So Bill you bring up a good point that when we're in the classroom we often think about accessibility when we get an accommodation. >> Uh-huh. >> Such as needing to probably the most common is captioning of video or things like that. Maybe making text, textbooks available electronically or, or. >> Right. >> Other things like that. But sometimes when we get those accommodations we don't always know exactly what they mean. >> Uh-huh. >> They come from the student accessibility services office. We can follow-up with them. We can follow-up with the student. But there may be instructors that haven't had a lot of experience even getting an accommodation in. >> Yeah. >> There class. Do you get them very often in your teaching? >> Well you know I've been teaching oh man what's it been? Six, seven years now and I've really only had a handful. In my online classes I've had I don't know less than five probably. And a lot of times there simply you know the student needs a little extra time on quizzes or assignments. And they don't get much more detailed than that in some cases. And you know I can work directly with the student in most cases to you know make everything go smoothly. I did have one in a face-to-face class where a student needed an interpreter and then any videos that I showed in class I would need to caption. So that was kind eye opening to me because you know I've been going along for years teaching the same way. >> Sure. >> And then all of a sudden oh I got to go make sure all my videos are captioned. And a lot of the videos I used weren't my videos but they were either on YouTube or. >> Right. >> Through the library and weren't captioned so I had to make sure to you know follow-up with anybody who could help me. >> Yeah. >> Add that. But it was a learning experience. And you know it made me realize that when I get those accommodations you know there are some things that I can do on my own. Something's I can get help with. And then as I'm creating new content down the road you know it's something to think about. >> Yeah for sure. And my, my experience is similar to yours. I haven't had the need to have an interpreter in class but most of my accommodations have been in my face-to-face classes and it has been extra time. >> Uh-huh. >> For quizzes or assignments. Sometimes it's providing an alternative space for, for completing the assignments. >> Uh-huh. >> That sometimes a student needs white noise or they, they just need a, a less cumbersome maybe space to work on their assignments. >> Sure. >> Then in the classroom. I have a couple of accommodations this term, two in my face-to-face class and one in my online. And those are the extra time and providing an alternative text. >> Uh-huh. >> So I'm sure that that's available electronically. It can be eye opening. It can be maybe even a little scary if you're new to teaching or have been teaching a while and have never had an accommodations before. >> Uh-huh. >> That it's a little unclear what you need to do or how you proceed or I think maybe even that peop -- we don't want people to think they're giving special attention to someone when really we're making sure that like you said in the, in the opening that all students have equal access to the materials without having to wait or rely. >> Right. >> On anything. >> Yeah and I think that last bit about not having to wait or rely on, on other to assist them is really key. And when we think about accommodations in either face-to-face or online classes you know that can present delays if they have to wait for captioning to be added. Obviously at that point they're relying on other folks to, to assist in accessing that material. So there're, there're ways we can, can preemptively prepare for not only making our materials accessible for students who, who need those, but for all of our students because as I, I think we'll find out it's going to benefit everybody. >> So with that kind of overview of accessibility, we wanted to spend some time providing a couple different perspectives, one from the student side and one from the faculty side. So in our next segment Collin sits down with a student Daniel Kamek [phonetic] and discusses his experience here at Chemeketa with student accessibility services and accessibility in general. >> And then in our final segment Bill sits down and interviews Heather Meriger [phonetic] who is our new accessibility advocate here in the tech hub in the Center of Academic Innovation. And she de-mystifies some myths about accessibility and talks about some easy steps that faculty can take to make their course materials accessible. So stay tuned. [ Music ] >> Okay. So we are with Daniel Kamek [phonetic] who is a student here at Chemeketa Community College. And Daniel thanks for joining us today. Can you tell us a little bit about your background, what you're studying, what you hope to do career wise when you're done at Chemeketa? >> So I am attempting to earn my associates degree in business management. And looking in to you know broaden my career in office or department somewhere down the line. >> Nice. How long have you been at Chemeketa so far? >> Since 2016 summer, summer term. >> Tell us a little bit about if you don't mind your personal situation and why accessibility matters to you as a student. >> So accessibility's huge for me. I'm, I'm legally blind so my vision is 20 600 to give you kind of an idea. So I need things really blown up and I need to be able to hear and, and, and retain lessons in the you know the instructors syllabus's and all that. So it matters to me you know time is huge because it takes longer for me to read. It takes longer to do work. So having a, a, a timeframe that's a little bit longer or. >> Uh-huh. >> You know a little bit longer to read essays or paragraphs is huge to get my work done. >> Uh-huh. >> I kind of faced that in the beginning of my, my term not having the access you know not having some of the software. Not having some of the, the things implemented in my first term. And it was a, it was, it was a hard battle. >> So you, you were mentioning that your vision is 20 600. >> Right. >> And that you have to have things magnified or, or blown up. >> Correct. >> What types of technology do you use that help you accomplish that? >> Well the main one is called Zoom Text software that enhances or it brings the visual of the screen larger and also has a reader which reads things on the screen. Different colors different things that would help you know drowned out glare you know different things like that so. >> So Zoom Text is more than just increasing the magnification say on your laptop or a computer monitor or something like that? >> Right. It, it's so it has you know you can split screens. It helps so you can blow up one section and be able to type in another. It, it has some different function on it that are really crucial to, to. >> Uh-huh. >> Be able to write papers and, and read. >> So tell us just a little bit about your like your home computer system. Like how do you -- does this run on -- do you have it on a laptop or desktop? Do you have more than one monitor? >> So I have a laptop that has the software on it. And I plug it into a 32 inch monitor so I can -- it blows it up on the monitor so there're, there're piggy tailed into, into each other. >> Okay. >> So yeah that's how my setup is. >> Okay. That is enough to help you at least get through the, the course material. >> Yes. I didn't have that my first term and it was just blowing up the screen, touch screen with, with my laptop. And it was. >> Uh-huh. So what do you do about things like say printed materials or handouts that you get in a face-to-face class or a printed textbook or things like that? >> Well just the, the normal standard. I have a magnifier that, that blows it up you know 16 times the power. So I'm able to read most handouts. Some prints are really tiny so it, it takes a little bit more photo copying and make it blown up you know. >> Uh-huh. >> So. >> So really having things digitally is much better for you because then you use Zoom Text to make the accommodation that you need to be able to read a handout or a pdf or even the syllabus, correct? >> Yes, it's a lot, a lot, a lot more beneficial than having the physical paper because I can do more with it. >> Uh-huh. >> And more in a timely manner. >> Yeah. And the Zoom Text you said has a, a speech function so it can read back to you is that? >> Correct. >> Is that how it works? >> It reads documents, it reads pdf, it reads touch -- any, any point and click read on the screen so. >> Uh-huh. Okay. What do you think some of the barriers that other students might face in online classes or in, in some of their classes here as far as accessibility? >> Well with some things I faces early on and I still do kind of once -- you know it depends on, on an instructors is, is getting my accommodation signed off on a timely manner. Some you know quizzes you know extra time for quizzes and I don't have it two weeks into the term then, then I'm unable to finish the test and it results in bad grades so. >> Uh-huh. >> That's, I've dealt with that and you know there's other accommodations as far as flexibility for sched -- or deadlines you know big assignments take a lot of reading. I might not be able to hit that goal that they have on a syllabus and if I don't have that accommodation already established then I'm already behind the ball. And. >> Uh-huh. >> And it's, it's quite the challenge already having you say the dis -- disability but the pressure adds more when you don't -- aren't able to, to function normally. >> I can only imagine. So I'm just trying to think of maybe like I'm a, I'm a pretty fast reader. So do you have any idea of a page of text like out of a text book how long it might take you to read that with Zoom Text in that? >> Yeah, well I mean I -- I can't give you an exact time. But it took me probably I mean for page per page full page it's, it's, it's 30 minutes. >> Uh-huh. >> To read a full page. You know that's -- trying to retain what's being written. And, and it's, it's a slow process to read. >> Yeah. So that's really where that extra time and that may not be what everyone understands about why extra time is needed is just that like you were saying the reading and the comprehension and retaining, taking in everything that you're reading, so the same thing with quizzes. That's why it would be so important to have extra time for quizzes then it is to be able to read and retain what the questions are formulate an answer, those types of things? >> Yes. I mean it's crucial especially I'm on you know on the time, time tested. When it -- I'm given a certain amount of time and it takes me just that time just to read what I'm supposed to answer. It's, it's, it's quite the challenge. But if I don't have the extra time to answer them my grades are -- I've, I've experiences that. It's been you know -- I got 50% on a, on a test when because I only got 50 of it done. >> Uh-huh. >> That, I can see how that would really be a challenge not personally but just that being able -- trying to overcome that challenge would be kind of unbearable sometimes I could see. So you were talking a little bit about the steps for accommodation. Can you kind of outline how that process works here? >> Well you know through my experiences I register for classes and then I get through the AIM system database we go on and we apply for our accommodations. And the you know the letter sent out. Well they, they have a couple -- instructors have a couple weeks into the term before they have to reply. And some instructors do that they wait the whole, the whole two weeks. Some, some are right on it before even the term starts they have all the accommodations ready to go. And that makes it so much more smoother especially for somebody that's you know as, as someone disabled we don't like to you know look for help. Or we don't really I mean we want to do the most we can with our, our own abilities. >> Sure. >> So it's hard to ask. It's hard to push as far as you know we're not getting help as far you know the accommodations that we asked for. >> Uh-huh. >> Because we need them. >> Uh-huh. >> And it, it makes it -- the term it kind of it gets it gets a little stressful and pressure comes on right in the beginning of, of term. It really takes a while to get things smoothed out and you're already behind the ball. And it just you know as it becomes a snowball and you know it's -- I've experienced that -- terms. >> Uh-huh. >> It's just -- it makes it difficult. >> Yeah it makes it difficult to overcome of those odds that are stacked against you I bet at the beginning of the term. Like you said if you don't have enough time for a quiz or reading and doing an assignment or things like that, it kind of sets you back a ways. >> Right. And I mean in my experience because of my vision I mean like the writing classes a huge to have accommodations ready because they're -- they take the longest. And so if I have a class that has a lot -- I mean each, each class is different. So there's some more reading than others and, and the ones that have a lot of reading is it's crucial to have those right on time because you get behind on those and then your grades go down. And you just you know -- my GPA I wish was higher but it's some of those instances that make my grades go a little lower than I wanted but. >>Sure. >>So. >> So you had some classes though that from the start of class have been more accessible and have allowed you to jump right into the material easier? >> Yes. There's been some instructors I mean I have been wonderful. They've been you know very communicative. They communicated to me email. Let me know hey if there's anything else I missed you know the accommodations are signed off. >>Uh-huh. >> And it's before term. I mean it's. >> Right. >> A couple you know. Like I said. >> So there -- in those instances sometime instructors are getting in touch with you ahead of time but there's also -- have there been instances where the course materials have been accessible like the syllabus or things like that that make it easier for you to? >> Yes. >> Read? >> There're been a few courses you know. But most courses are pretty you know I don't know how it all works as far as each person or individual how they would make it more accessible. A lot of the courses are online because most of I've taken online. You got to kind of read through there -- each one's a little bit different. They've got you know things kind done in their custom way of how they set there course -- class up so you kind of have to play through it and look around and read -- start here and so each one's kind of a little different, but for the most part been pretty accessible. >> Uh-huh. >> There's been a couple that have been kind of a little bit confusing because they do a different format and they -- and that's just part of it I guess. >> So you touched on two things. And in our next segment of this episode we're actually going to be interviewing our accessibility advocate in the Center of Academic Innovation Heather who is going to talk about how to make things accessible and , and some of the things that instructors can do to make things accessible from the get go. But then you also just talked about the difference between courses. Can you kind, kind of talk a little bit more about that? So if courses were consistent in how they're laid out and designed, would that be a benefit to you? >> It would be huge for me because I'm a, a creature of habit. So I learn something and I continue it because you know if I know that this on my, on my desk top I put all my icons in a certain place so I know exactly where to go. I you know I don't have to read it I just go up to that area. I organize it so if I had the whole the columns set in a certain area in a certain -- that would be, that would huge for me then I wouldn't have to go searching and wonder where this is. And looking at it, click this to go here and click that to go here. And. >> Uh-huh. >> You know there's been a couple courses where I'm like click, click, what? >> Uh-huh. >> So if the, the course has that you mentioned a minute ago the -- this start here, you know exactly where to start with that course, find things to get going and then go to another folder that may say weekly lessons or something -- if you know everything is organized in those areas it makes it a lot easrier I would think. >> Yes. Yes huge. Most difficult courses are the ones that have different assignments in different areas. And if you don't look at -- I mean you -- I understand reading of all, all, all, -- click on every little button to find out what's going on but it would be so much easier -- the, the I mean the instructors have some that are just plain and simple dialed in. Just here's you weekly assignments. Here's your quizzes. Click here. Boom, boom, boom you're gone and you don't miss anything. I've missed things because I've got a weekly assignment over here. I've got this other quiz over here in this section to click here to go here. And it's just like so many clicks to get to and sometimes I miss it because I don't remember. >> Uh-huh. I could image in kind of be like a scavenger hunt in a way. >> Yes. >> Maybe trying to find things. >> Yeah. >> Could be frustrating and stressful. Adding to that stress of time and you know those different types of things as well. >> Yeah. And it did enhance my you know like Nancy Drew clues maybe I you know tried to. >> That's good. No I like that. >> Clues. Clues. >> That's good. Thinking about how technology's you know changing at a rapid pace and, and kind of evolving. Since you started at Chemeketa how has technology evolved to either help or has it been a hindrance in any way? I mean I would think with Zoom Text that would be a great benefit. Did you have that when you started at Chemeketa? >> They did not have it -- I -- they had it here but they didn't have it accessible where I was at. >> Uh-huh. >> So they -- I mean then they go on and they got my computer all set up. There's been also glitches and updates so Zoom Text is not perfect. I mean it gets bogged down or it doesn't run prop -- you know I've had just a couple days ago it, it seized up and got to restart and reboot and. So it still glitches which I mean it happens so often it's not a smooth process. So once, so once I have Zoom Texts doesn't mean I'm -- it's smooth sailing. Oh he's got everything he needs. Well there're many times as you know with computers it freezes up. It I mean even though you have the best software you have everything that seems. >> Sure - >> You're up to date somewhere in that computer world it gets glitches and, and it's frozen up on me. And, and then the pressure comes because of the time. And you know I've spent two hours trying to get this thing rebooted and that just takes away. So those are issues that come up often, every term. Every term it's. >> So you. >> This happens. >> So in addition to those , the stresses of, of reading and needing that extra time, you're also having to kind of do a lot of your own computer support in a way to get Zoom Text to work. >> Right. >> Depending on what you're accessing. Do you find that you have maybe more problems if you're accessing other websites or third party software? >> Yeah a lot of the like they a lot of YouTube you know videos that you know each class in which are helpful. But it's sometimes they, they don't -- they clash with Zoom Text and you have to -- sometimes I have to do -- I turn off Zoom Text and just listen to the YouTube. >> Uh-huh. >> Because sometimes it just doesn't click. And I don't, I don't know what the answer is to that. And I don't understand the whole dynamics because each, each class is different. Some are smooth. Some just go right through all -- every YouTube I can see on Zoom Text. I just had a class right in economics. Everything was smooth. No glitches. No -- it went all -- it was on YouTube, PBS, YouTube. >> Yeah. >> And it went smooth. >> All the videos played just fine? >> Right. >> Zoom Text. >> Everything worked. There was another class prior that glitch, glitch, glitch. And it's like I have to go here and do this and that to turn Zoom Text of just so I could make sure I get my assignment done so. >> Uh-huh. >> I don't understand, I don't understand the whole dynamics but it is a continual battle. >> Yeah. So tell us just a little bit kind of changing gears. You work in student accessibility services. And that's your work study job correct? >> Yes. >> Tell us a little bit about what you do and how you help other students. >> So I mean for the most part I'm I proctor on the monitor which helps having Zoom Text so I can see students take tests, because that wouldn't be good to proctor if I couldn't see what they're doing. >> I could see that. >> But I've, I proctor students taking tests. I help I scan and I insert tests with a copier and file. I help students get on AIM to register for accommodations. Whatever little tasks they have I, I'm just a gopher too. And go her. >> Yeah. >> Go there. >> I guess, I guess the, the big the take away though is that they're, there are a lot of different types of disabilities. >> Several. Right. >> We over look or don't always think about. >> Yes. I mean even I've learned you know that there's other disabilities I, I really wasn't aware of until I worked in Accessibility, Student Accessibility Services. >> Uh-huh. >> I didn't know that there were you know so many needs. >> Uh-huh. Yeah. So have you ever thought of yourself as an advocate? >> I would think yes, I mean yes because if you're not walking in the shoes you don't really understand the different hurdles I guess in the lane. If you're not running the course in the lane it's hard to understand [inaudible] tell hey. >> Uh-huh. >> This is what it takes a little bit more. It takes a little bit of this you know maybe a little bit more understanding that well most people -- well in my experience aren't, aren't looking for handouts. We're not looking to try to you know get the upper hand. We're just trying to get somewhere where we can function normally. >> Uh-huh. >> You know where we're -- I can do a test and its normal, my normal time because of what I've got to deal with. >> Right. >> I am a person I that I will like to do it myself. I do not like to ask for help so that's probably one of my faults. Because I got a barrier I don't want people thinking that I'm just a, a taking advantage of, of any kind of extra help I guess. >> Sure. >> It's a big barrier. It is with the people that you know that don't want to burden somebody. We don't want to you know put a load on somebody or you know. >> Uh-huh. >> Inconvenience somebody we just you know it's, it's -- so it a tough thing to really it's tough to ask. >> Yeah. Well but like you said being able to walk in those shoes you know what it's like. And I would think you know working in Student Accessibility Services kind of opens the, the possibilities that you have to work with other students. And you know it gives you different types of experiences working with others. And just letting us interview you, you are now an advocate because this is going to help instructors here at the college kind of realize more about what is involved in proving accessible materials and it's more than just that accommodation letter. You really provided a lot of insight as to what a person has to go through and the challenges you have to go to. So I really thank you for your willingness to share with us you experiences. >> Well I mean this is I hope it helps. Because you know it, it is technology is getting better. And it's, it's actually opening our world up as so far as somebody is disabled. So if you know if we can use that technology to help it's going to, going to help out the future. >> Well thank you for helping us with this episode about accessibility and when we come back we will be interviewing Heather Meriger [phonetic] who is the digital accessibility advocate in The Center for Academic Innovation. [ Music ] >> So we're here with Heather Meriger [phonetic] our accessibility advocate here in The Center for Academic Innovation. Thank you for joining us Heather. >> Thank you for having me. >> So we wanted to just chat with you. Get to know you a little more and get your take on accessibility. So why don't we start with a little intro, background, and get to, get to know you a little bit. >> Okay hi. I like to tell everybody I'm a chef with delusions of grandeur. My background is hospitality. I started out in culinary arts and hospitality and was working on getting my masters in, in, in hospitality. Decided to get my PhD in instructional technology so I could be a better teacher and while I was working on my PhD I ended up getting a assistantship at the Center for Persons With Disabilities at Utah State University. And I started there and it just kind of changed my life. I learned about all of these things you know I could -- how i cold use my hospitality skills to help people actually make their lives better. And I became very passionate about the accessibility making sure that everyone had access and equal, equal and equitable access to digital materials and to the internet. And it just -- I -- my life took a left turn and I have been a passionate access, accessibility advocate ever since. >> Quite the path. So what brings you to Chemeketa then? What -- how did that play out? >> Well I was so lucky. I was brought here to be the accessibility advocate and one of the things that really drew me here was I was looking at your website and it says that Cheme -- on the website it says Chemeketa is Native American for place of peace. And they interpret it to mean everyone is welcome here and that just really spoke to me that you know I'm, I'm passionate about making sure that everyone is welcome. And it -- is, is included in that, in that message. >> That's great. So with your experience in accessibility, is there like a niche or a specialty or -- I'm just trying to think about it in terms of are we talking about you know ADA accommodations in terms of physical spaces? Or you more in the digital realm? Where does, where does most of you work lay? >> Well my passion is in the digital realm. >> Okay. >> There's a lot of rules and regulations about how you know -- every -- and there's kind of -- they've, they've kind of gotten into the groove about what needs to happen in the physical world. >> Uh-huh. >> But the well internet is the Wild West. >> Okay. >> And the digital materials are the Wild West. We're just starting to learn. And it changes so quickly. And the -- part, part of the problem is that you know when the ADA was written the internet was just new. Digital, digital materials were very new. But and so they were not written explicitly into the ADA so there're aren't specific rules. Although they are part of the spirit and the White House and American Disabilities Act, The department [inducible] all clarified that accessibility -- the digital world does count. >> Uh-huh. >> As part of the ADA. And they are working to change those rules. There's an awful lot of information and a lot of people need help. Getting that information and understanding it. >> Sure. >> There's a lot of, lot of things that can be done. If you look at how you know people using screen readers. People looking who are deaf. people who you know with cognitive or learning disabilities. All of these people if there's, there's lots of things that you can do yourself to make those materials accessible and easier for them to use. And that's what I'm here to help you do. >> Great. Yeah. And at an institution like Chemeketa with so many online classes I'm sure that we'll become part of your daily life very quickly. >> Absolutely. Looking forward to it. >> Yeah. So you've touched on this a little bit but maybe you could give us a little bit more in terms of why accessibility in education and online education and just in general is so very important. >> Because education is so very important. And having access to that education. Students who have to wait, who have to -- who don't who can't access the materials who they get online and their materials are not available. They have to be, they have to wait for somebody else to help them. They have to rely on others. And that's not what education is about. That's not -- they're not having the same experience as their peers. And education is essential for getting a job, for existing in this world anymore. You can't just get by without that education. Statistics show that you know without that education you are less likely to -- you're going to earn a lot less. You're less likely to keep and maintain a job especially graduate degrees, higher education is essential anymore. High school diploma will not do it for if you want to have a good. >> Right. >> Like. >> Yeah so obviously accessibility extremely important. And thinking about it from a faculty perspective here on campus without online faculty, hybrid faculty and frankly even our campus based faculty, I wanted to run some questions by you in an effort to maybe debunk some myths about accessibility that might be out there. That might be presenting barriers to faculty trying to incorporate better strategies around accessibility. So my first question then is I think probably fairly common among faculty, and that is isn't creating accessible course materials up to an office like student accessibility services here on campus? >> Well that has been the model for quite a long time; it's called the accommodation model. And it doesn't work. >>Okay. >>It creates second class citizens. It makes those students head out. They don't have independence. They, they have to you know wait on those materials. A lot of times it takes time for that machine to get rolling and by the. >> Sure. >> Time they get those materials they're two, three weeks months late in those classes. That means they can't participate with their peers. They're not having an equal experience. >> Uh-huh. >> They are not you know they lose that sense of respect and pride. And they feel like you know they don't count. >> Uh-huh. >> It also the accessibility service -- disability -- student accessibility services they're working on a lot of projects, a lot of people. And. >> Yeah. >> It's it -- things that you can do to make that easier and let them have the material -- work on the things that they need to do, the resource -- you know it's a better much better distribution of resources if you can take care of things that you can take care of. >> Gotcha. So, so we're kind of leaning less on this more traditional accommodation model and more on collaborative. >> Absolutely. >> Effort between. >> Everyone has a role. >> Okay. >> A faculty -- you know the, the, the faculty has a role to you know they make sure that their students are active participants in their course. It gives you know -- they -- it promotes them as inclusive and equitable with their peers. And it, it also is a best practice. A lot of the things you do for accessibility also make things better for all of your students. >> Okay. >> For example students you know using captioning not doesn't just help students with access -- who are deaf it helps students who are English as a second language. It helps multi mobile learners. >> Oh yeah. >> It actually they've shown that a lot of students 70% of students who are not who of not have hearing impairments use captions when they're looking at instructional videos. >> Wow. >> Because it helps to set that material. >> Sure. It also helps in places where you can't have sound or you know -- and a lot of these same techniques that you use to make things accessible also make things much more accessible for mobile tech. People you know a lot of people are using their phones. A lot of tablets. Materials display differently. And those same -- in the same way that you make them accessible for people using a screen reader you're also making them accessible for people using their tables and their phones. >> Yeah. >> This is -- Student Accessibility Services absolutely still has a role. >> Sure. >>You know there are a lot of things that you don't have -- the hard things, the things that are not simply for you to be able to take off, that's what they can take care of. And that gives them the time and the resources to do that. So the students aren't waiting as long to have to get those materials. And students also have a role you know it's. >> Okay. >> Up to them to work with student accessibility services and, and you to advocate and let you -- let them know what they need. And so everyone needs to take responsibility and, and work together to really create a inclusive learning environment. >> Great. Yeah. So I'm, I'm hearing that it's as a faculty member I'm not going to be relying pearly on student accessibility services to, to handle accommodations or help my students when needed. It's obviously something I'm going to be taking a very active role in but my next question then surrounding maybe a myth about accessibility would be well if I'm going to be doing this type of work, it seems like it's going to be fairly hard work. Is, is that in your experience. >> Actually. >> Difficulty. >> No it's actually kind of almost the opposite. A lot of the tools that you're going to be using will make your life easier. >> Oh okay. >> A lot of the stuff is already built into things like Word, and Google Docs whatever you're using. >> Uh-huh. >> A lot of the things you know we're asking you to do is se styles and headings. That's a function of Word that you can put in and you click it. You don't have to format all of your material individually. You can make your styles you click a button and you can change them. You don't have to do everyone individually. >> Oh wow. >> Using the list function actually makes it easier for screen reader and all you have to do is click a button a toggle, and it makes the list for you or makes you know lays out the list for you. It makes it a lot easier than tabs, space, space, space, asterisks put it in. So it actually a lot of the tools make it easier. We're not asking you to do the coding. We're not asking you to get in there and you know change get into the code and fix things. We're asking you to use the tools that are already available and make it easier for you. >> Okay. >> It's also make -- going to make you a better teacher because as you're working on things like alt -- putting in alt, alternative text for graphics it's going to make you stop and think okay is this graphic actually showing what I need it to be? Is it actually portraying what, what you know what's important to. >> Sure. >> The course. And it also --it just makes -- it's going to make you a lot more thoughtful and give you attention to help clarify what you're actually portraying and what message you're sending to students. And that's all students so. >> Excellent. Yeah. Alright. So kind of piggy backing off of one of your last points there as far as using images, and, and different types of media in my course materials. If I have to make those materials more accessible is that going to limit me in any way? My creativity? Or just the way I create my documents and materials for my class? Will that limit me? >> Actually no it's almost the opposite. >> Okay. >> A lot of the things -- using you know using graphics, using videos, using alternate means of representation are actually a key part of universal design for learning which is a part of accessibility. Writing multiple option you know multiple ways for people to look at things and learn things is, is, is, is, really you should be doing anyway. It just -- basically you're create -- it's helping you to be mindful of best practices. When you're making those graphics, just make sure -- you know when you're putting on those graphics, just make sure to add the alt tell, alternate text so that a screen reader can tell you know tell the student who can't see that picture what it looks like. Using headings will allow a student who can't see to be able to understand the different sections of your paper. And graphics you know and again it's going to help you help pick those graphics that really portray your message. A lot of the, as I said a lot of the materials are really actually you know -- you're encouraged to be creative. You're encouraged to try new and interesting ways because that adds interest. It going to help all students especially students you know who are multi mobile learners or. >> Yeah. >> Who it en -- enhanced by having seeing a picture and seeing and the, and the -- with the text so. >> Great. So on to my fourth question then kind of piggy backing on the last point you made there. With regard to accessibility and, and accommodations and helping my students who need that type of support, what if I don't have any students who have submitted accommodation request or I haven't in the past so why would I necessarily want to put the work into creating accessible course materials? >> Well just because somebody doesn't' r register with the accessibility services doesn't mean that they don't have a disability. A lot of, a lot of students have disabilities that are undiagnosed. A lot of students they, they went through their high school programs with an IEP and feel like it stigmatized them a bit. You know they. >> Ok okay. >> A lot of students are really reluctant to come and say I need help because they feel like it puts a kind of the red letter on them. It helps -- it makes them feel different. >> Sure. >> And not one of tier peers. So a lot of them try and struggle through on their own. So they -- statistics say that almost 10% 8.5 to 10% of students do have some type of disability. >>Wow. >> And so you do have people in your class whether you know it or not. Cognitive disabilities and learning disabilities in a lot of cases are not obvious. Things like dyslexia. >> Uh-huh. >> Can go undiagnosed for years. A lot of the students, a lot of the things you're doing you know that help all these students will also help all of your students. Things like clear writing and consistent layout. They don't help just students with disabilities, they help all students. Using multi mobile representation again a lot of students learn differently. And or -- and it help to kind of reinforce that you're learn -- they're learning their information. >>Uh-huh. >> And it's frankly it's -- just all your doing really is doing best practices for learning and instruction. So there's you know a lot out there. A lot of you know people tend to focus on the physical disabilities. >> Uh-huh. >> But there are awful lot of other, other things that come up and you, you help everyone when you help -- when you are thoughtful about how you create materials. >> Right. And it sound like if you are working in this mindset ahead of time you're almost doing the work as you go rather than having to you know go back and fix things or. >> Absolutely. >> Or address accommodations as they come up. You're, you're being a more proactive. >> And, and it's going to you're know you're going to end up with a better product. Just think about it. >> Uh-huh. >> You know even in the physical you go you build a bathroom. Then you have to go back and refit it for accessibility. >> Sure. >>It's never going to look as good. >> Right. >> It's never going to work as well. And it's going to take -- be a lot more you know it's going to take a lot more time and effort and expense to get it, get it right. >> Right. >> You do it the right in the first place it's going to be -- it's -- you're going to be home free. >> Yeah. >> And it's going to look a, a lot better and it's going to promote you as practicing those good pract -- those good methods. >> Yeah. >> And being an inclusive and caring member of the community. >> So that brings us to our last question Heather in terms of kind of myths around accessibility or at least questions faculty might have, we've talked about this not necessarily being all on the shoulders of student accessibility services. It's not necessarily something that is hard or limiting and it is something I would want to work on even if I don't have any documented accommodations requests. But I still sometimes might feel that you know I'm kind of working on this stuff on my own. Or I'm working in on my online class and I don't know where to start. Or I don't know what resources I have available. Can you speak a little bit to, to that feeling faculty might have? >> Oh absolutely. That's why they brought me in. That's what I'm here for. I am here to help. >> Yeah. >> Our entire group is here to help. We, we have resources. We're creating -- we're going to be doing some workshops and webinars. We have an open door policy you can call us at any time. And we're more than happy to answer your questions. I've currently right now working on a campaign to kind of lay out kind of the best practices eight things that you can do very simply, very easily. Things to you -- as, as a faculty without ever having to open a line of code or even think about anything that you're not doing anyway. >> Okay. Fantastic. >> Yeah I'll be, I'll be talking more about that in later episodes I hope. >> Of course. Yes. >> We will have that on our websites. We'll be doing premiering it at the tech fair. So please come by and we'd love to yeah love to talk to -- more about it. And I said my names Heather. You can call me any time. >> Great. Thanks for joining us today Heather and this initial insight into accessibility. And like you said I'm sure we'll be having you on our, our podcasts quite a bit over the next year. >> Thank you so much. I'm really excited to be here. Looking forward to working with all of you. Thank you so much. [ Music ] >> Web Talk is produced by The Center for Academic Innovation at Chemeketa Community College. Visit our website faculty hub.chemeketa.edu to find helpful resources about teaching, learning and technology and integration, along with video tutorials and more podcast episodes just like this one. [ Music ]