UA’s Office of Disability Services is marking the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act this month with events geared toward students, faculty and staff.
Passed into law on July 26, 1990, the act paved the way for greater accessibility for individuals with disabilities in the workplace, public spaces, transportation and schools. As the largest minority group in the world, an estimated 10-11% of the general population lives with a disability. Around 8% of UA students are registered with ODS.
The Office of Disability Services works with students with disabilities and faculty to ensure that all students can successfully complete their courses of study, regardless of ability. Seven dedicated accommodations specialists serve caseloads of between 500 and 600 students apiece, and the ODS testing center is the largest accommodated testing center in the SEC. ODS staff also train faculty on accessible teaching practices and offer consultations.
“I think it’s important for people to understand that the majority of disabilities on our campus are invisible,” said ODS Assistant Director of Accommodations Brittany Gregg. “So a lot of times when people think of disability, they think of things that are readily apparent, like someone who is deaf or blind or uses a wheelchair. But on our campus, the majority of students who are registered with our office have conditions that you aren’t going to notice just by looking at them or even interacting with them.”
Maintaining an accessible campus and learning environment is an ongoing project. For example, the recently updated Title II of ADA now requires all university digital content to meet accessibility standards, which the University is working to promote across campus. Universal design principles in course construction promoted by Title II, like varied media and flexible assignments, can benefit all students, not just students with disabilities.
“There’s a lot to understand about disability that is often not really discussed openly,” Gregg said. “It is important that we don’t make assumptions just based on how someone appears. They may be struggling with something that just isn’t visible to us. That doesn’t mean they don’t need accommodation.”