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ATI: Accessible Technology Initiative
By now everyone has heard about the ATI. We all assume it
has certain implications for the Institution—divisions,
departments and individuals—but maybe we're not quite sure what those
are. The ATI was launched in January 2006 and focuses on
three aspects of information technology and electronic resources:
Web accessibility, instructional materials accessibility, and
procurement of accessible electronic and information technology.
There are five people on campus who will be leading
the implementation of the ATI on our campus:
- Ron Bergmann - campus executive and sponsor of the ATI project;
- Shon Lee - lead, Web accessibility;
- Doug Borcoman - lead, instructional materials accessibility;
- Emmit Williams - lead, procurement of accessible electronic and information technology;
- and I am the 508 compliance officer.
Our tasks have and will include:
- The timely adoption of textbooks by faculty;
- Strategies for the early identification of students
with disabilities who require curriculum access and the use
of alternative media;
- Use of a campus learning management system (LMS)
for delivering technology enabled courses;
- The incorporation of accessibility requirements in
the purchase of digital or multimedia instructional materials;
- Assisting the faculty in the creation of accessible
technology mediated courses;
- A communication process and training plan to
educate students, staff, and faculty about the campus
Instructional Materials Accessibility Plan (IMAP);
- An evaluation process to measure the effect of the plan;
- The creation of milestones and timelines that conform to
the plan.
The good news is that we have made some significant
strides in some of these areas. Our main Web sites are among the
most compliant in the state, and our procurement plan is in step
with those of our sister campuses. There is still much work to
be done, and the ATI team is working diligently with
the Chancellor's Office (whose staff has been significantly
increased) to create a compliant campus environment. As they
progress, they will continue to communicate the needs and
requirements of this worthwhile initiative to the entire campus.
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