ADA Self-Evaluation Support

Recommendations & Resources

Welcome to our webpage with resources in support of the ADA Title 2 Self-Evaluation. The Self-Evaluation survey was distributed to each of 40 university units. The responses were used to create workplans for each unit to address any challenges or barriers to access for disabled people. The sections below mirror the categories in the survey and work plans. Each campus unit has a folder with their report, the original survey questions and answers, and their work plan. Each section includes:

  • a brief description;
  • a list of recommendations made for that section (with interpretive and contextual information, where appropriate); and
  • a list of actions to take or resources to review - including trainings- to satisfy that workplan section's recommendation(s).

A few notes before you dive in:

  • For someunits, specific sections and their recommendations do not apply. Specifically, sections like "Medical Facilities", "Student Health Services", and "Capital Projects" apply only to units whose programs cover such activities. Please indicate "N/A" for every one of these limited sections which fall completely outside of the scope of work of your unit.
  • Please notify the UC Berkeley Programmatic Access Project Manager with any questions regarding the actions or resources, or if you encounter disability access barriers. Equal access is a top priority at every step.
  • All training needs to be tracked. Your department is responsible for maintaining records of which staff received training and the area(s) in which they were trained. Here is a training tracker; please use this or any other tool if it helps you, then enter the information into column 'I' on your work plan.
  • This is a slide deck on this process. 

Accessible Publications and Written Materials

Description

This section addresses accessible written and print materials, as well as best practices in portraying disabled people in those materials.

Recommendations

1. Ensure that all printed publications are available in alternative formats, upon request, and that patrons will know this.

  • Print the following text in 18 font on stickers and place them on printed publications: "To request this document in an alternative format, including large print, braille or electronic formats, please contact [responsible staff] at [email/phone]." 

2. Ensure that all printed publications and notices follow the University’s style guide.

3. Make it a practice to review all publications and notices before publishing to confirm they do not portray persons with disabilities in a demeaning or offensive manner.

4. Train your staff to ensure that all publications and correspondence use accepted terms and forms when referring to people with disabilities/disabled people.

5. For documents that are regularly distributed, keep a few copies in large print format available.

There are several simple steps you can take to create publications in an accessible format

Additional Resources:

Making Your Printed Materials ADA Accessible

Accessibility Guidelines for Print Materials

General guidelines on printed material

A Guide to Understanding What Makes a Typeface Accessible 

 Communicating with People with Disabilities. 

Guidelines for Writing About People With Disabilities.

Accessible Telephone Communication

Description

This section addresses telephonic communication with deaf or hard of hearing people. 

Recommendations

1. Embed a link to 'CA Relay Service 711' in email signature blocks and in website contact information sections, and add it to business cards, letterhead and other printed materials that contain contact information.

2. Request that your office telephone lines be tested to determine whether they are accessible to persons who are deaf and hard of hearing.

3. Be aware of how you can get auxiliary aids for communication if someone requests them.

Additional Resources

Information Technology Accessibility

Brief Description

This section addresses ensuring that our digital domain is accessible to disabled people. The UCOP Information Technology Accessibility Policy requires that our technology platforms and the content thereon meet WCAG 2.0 AA standards.

Recommendations

  1. Ensure that your employees know what the UCOP ITA Policy is and what it requires

  2. Ensure an 'Accessibility' link is added to the home page footer of all division websites that links to the Web Accessibility page

  • Accessibility link example. The Accessiblity link lets users of your website(s)contact DAC if they encountered a barrier using it. It also leads to our accessibility policy, and other information on how we promote accessible IT.

3. Ensure employees who develop, design or administer websites know how to create accessible sites, assess them, and remediate them as needed:

4. Ensure that employees who create content for websites and third party platforms (such as YouTube or Apple Podcasts) know how to make content accessible:

5. Ensure employees know that all such content (video or audio clips, PDFs, JPegs, Word and Google Docs) should be accessible when included in email communications, as well.

Additional Resources:

  1. Campus Captioning [DAC], 
  2. Campus Captioning [Web Access]
  3. WebAIM Captions, transcripts, and Audio Descriptions.
  4. Captioning Tools UCOP 
  5. Requesting Communications Access at Cal
  6. FAQ on CART
  7. UCOP: Making Videos and Remote Sessions Accessible – and other new W3C WAI resources (video) March 2021. This video explains in humorous ways making videos accessible. 
  8. UCOP: Does Auto Captioning Effectively Accommodate Deaf People? (video)- By the National Deaf Center. Video is 57 minutes long. This video contains an interesting test on automatic speech recognition in the classroom.

Accessible Press and Public Information and Assistive Listening Devices

Description

This section addresses accessibility for people with disabilities, specifically people who may be deaf or hard of hearing, when an office needs to utilize a Public Information Officer. PIOs are typically used in emergency-related situations. Based on the responses for this section, many survey respondents were either unclear on the use of the term “PIO”, or it did not apply to their unit’s standard operations.

Recommendations

  1. For all instances where your office utilizes a Public Information Officer to communicate with the press, ensure that captioning is provided, and that an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter is visible and within the screen shot when television cameras - or any other type of camera for live-broadcast media - is in use.
  2. If your office plays any videos for the public, ensure that they are consistently captioned and, ideally, audio-described.. 18/40.
    • Document Resource: Link to Communications Access website.
    • Video ResourceEffective Communications video: Episode 3.
  3. Ensure that your office has assistive listening devices available for those who may come in to engage with any of the programs, services or activities offered by your office or, minimally, that you know where else to get these on campus. 20/40.
    • Document and Video Resource
      • Assistive Listening devices can be rented from the Disability Access and Compliance Lending Library.
      • Assistive Listening Systems 101 | National Deaf Center

Digital Communications and Platforms Accessibility

Description

This section addresses digital accessibility on specifically identified platforms: web, web-based forms, touch screen systems, computers, electronic devices, email communications, and attachments (documents, and video attachments).

Recommendations

  1. Familiarize your office with the University’s electronic accessibility initiatives and information
  2. Ensure that electronic/digital accessibility is integrated into all formats for which your office is responsible, including:
    • web-based forms.
    • touch-screen systems.
    • Computers.
    • electronic devices.
    • email communications and Attachments:.
      • Accessible PDFs.
      • Accessible power point slides.
      • Accessible Google Slides.
      • Jpeg.
      • Word documents.
  3. Ensure that all videos attached to emails or included on websites/web pages are, able to be audio described upon request in case of visual impairment/blindness.
    • Recommended 38 times out of 40 surveys.

Recommended Resources

Tips on Creating Accessible Web-Based Forms(note: most respondents indicated that they use Google Forms, which are generally considered accessible to screen-reading technology).

FAQ on Accessible Touch Screen Technology

FAQ on Computer Accessibility

Accessibility in Gmail

Instructions on How to Create and Check Accessible PDFs

How to Make Accessible Images

Accessible Word Documents

  1. University of Washington
  2. UC Berkeley

Audio Descriptions

  1. UC Berkeley Audio Description reference
  2. Audio Description Resource Guide

Inclusive Hiring and Employment

Description

This section addresses accessibility and reasonable accommodation throughout the employment life cycle: from recruitment to interview, self-ID, reasonable accommodations in employment and associated processes.

Recommendations

  1. Consider taking actions to consistently and affirmatively recruit persons with disabilities for available positions.
    • No Recommended Action: All job listings are advertised using UC Path.
  2. Ensure that all job listings are accessible to people with disabilities.
    • No Recommended Action: All job listings for UC Path are accessible.
  3. Confirm all job listings consistently contain a statement of non-discrimination against persons with disabilities.
  4. Confirm candidates for employment are offered the opportunity to request reasonable accommodation for interviewing.
    • No Recommended Action: All hiring managers and recruiters are required to notify applicants that they can request reasonable accommodations during the application process on the People and Culture Recruitment Resources website.
    • Document Resource: Deciding whether to Disclose a Disability During an Interview.
  5. Ensure that your office’s interview panel members are trained regarding disability awareness and appropriate interactions with people with disabilities.
    • No Recommended Action: This requirement is met by the People and Practice website: Interviewing Guiding Principles.
    • Disability Etiquette. Pdf.Disability Etiquette PDF.
  6. Affirm with all responsible decision-makers that the decision to hire is always based upon which candidate is best qualified to perform the essential functions of the job - with or without reasonable accommodations.
  7. Develop a uniform process for determining the essential functions of a position.
    • Video Resources:
      • Disability Management: Navigating the Process Webinar..
      • Disability Management: Understanding the Process Webinar.
  1. Offer Staff and Employees an opportunity to self-identify as a person with a disability, e.g. through a confidential workplace survey.
    • No Recommended Action: This requirement is met at the campus level every January.
  2. Develop practices to ensure that all employee events (e.g. retreats, holiday parties, group trainings), are fully accessible.
    • Video Resource: Disability Access and Compliance: Planning Accessible Events.
  3. Offer training on accessibility best practices and/or campus disability policies and procedures to staff and employees.
    • Video Resource: Disability Management: Navigating the Process Webinar.
  4. Develop practices to ensure that all opportunities for advancement and education are available and accessible to Staff and Employees who may have a disability.
    • Video Resource: Disability Management: Navigating the Process Webinar.
  5. Familiarize all Staff and Employees with the UC Berkeley PPSM-81 Reasonable Accommodations and be sure that any pertinent staff be aware of how to implement this policy, if needed.
  6. Develop practices to ensure that any documentation related to the reasonable accommodations process is kept confidential and not commingled with personnel files. 17/40.
    • Video Resource: Disability Management: Understanding the Process Webinar.
  7. Develop practices to ensure that any reasonable modifications used to create access are approved before they are put in place, and documented to ensure staff implements them appropriately.
    • Video Resource: Disability Management: Understanding the Process Webinar.
  8. Familiarize all work study employees with UC PACAOS 140: Guidelines Applying to Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability, and ensure that each Staff and/or Employee area has a Notice of Non-Discrimination posted. Policies Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations and Students (PACAOS)).

Discrimination, Non-Discrimination and Grievance Procedures

Description

This section addresses familiarity with the University’s established grievance procedures.

Recommendations

  1. Familiarize your staff and employees with grievance procedures for students, Faculty, staff, and disability-related (https://dac.berkeley.edu/topics/grievance).
    • Video Resource: Non discrimination and Grievances Webinar/Video
  2. Make sure that if your office provides information regarding these procedures, the information is communicated in a way that is accessible to people with disabilities.
    • Video Resource: Non discrimination and Grievances Webinar/Video

Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals

Description

This section addresses familiarity with the University’s established policy on service and support animals on campus.

Recommendations

  1. Familiarize and train your staff and employees regarding the University’s policy, practices and resources regarding service and emotional support animals on campus

Resources

  1. Animals as Accommodations | Disability Access & Compliance.
  2. DAC Service Animals Slide Deck
  3. Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals | ADA National Network
  4. Disability Access and Compliance: Service Animals Video.

Purchasing: Generally, and Information Technology

Description

This section addresses accessibility in the purchasing process, as well as accessibility of outside vendors.

Recommendations

  1. Familiarize all Staff and Employees responsible for purchasing with the University’s UCOP Internet Technology Accessibility and Compliance policy and the UC Accessibility Requirements | Supply Chain Management.
  2. Develop office practices to ensure that, before a decision is made to purchase new hardware, software, equipment and/or furniture, it is reviewed to ensure the equipment or products are accessible to users with disabilities.
  3. Review how your office - or the office which handles purchasing on your behalf - ensures that: all public documents related to bidding and contracting are available to persons with disabilities in alternative format(s; and all meetings related to bidding and contracting are held in accessible locations.
  4. Review all contracts to ensure that they have language in place holding contractors and vendors to applicable State and Federal disability civil rights mandates.
  5. Ensure that your office only refers students or the public to any third parties and/or outside vendors whose services and/or products are accessible to people with disabilities.

Physical Space Accessibility

Description

This section addresses accessibility in the temporary built environment.

Recommendations

  1. Develop practices to ensure that your physical office space set up is accessible, e.g. clear floor space, and provide guidance to any staff who may have responsibility for maintaining these areas.
  2. If there is any construction being done to your office areas, make efforts to ensure that there are accessible routes and spaces available for people with disabilities throughout construction.
  3. Check with UC Berkeley Disability Access & Compliance regarding accessibility of the spaces that are open to the public. (Coordinating Committee for the Removal of Architectural Barriers | Disability Access & Compliance)

Accessible Events: Planning and Hosting

Description

This section addresses planning and hosting accessible events. It is recommended that the University update its checklist to provide more comprehensive guidance to University event planners.

Recommendations

  1. Familiarize your staff and employees with the Event Planning guidance that is available on the Office of Disability Access & Compliance (DAC) website, and work with DAC to develop a comprehensive Events Accessibility checklist. (Planning Accessible Events).
    • Video Resource: DAC Planning Accessible Events.
  2. Ensure that Security staff receive training in best practices for interacting with people with disabilities.
  3. Ensure that all event advertisements for activities and events contain written notice that identifies contact information to request reasonable accommodations, and that service animals are welcome.
    • Video Resource: DAC Planning Accessible Events Webinar.
  4. Provide training to staff about how to ensure that event content is fully accessible (e.g. presentations, exhibits), as well as best practice guidelines for presenting content to persons with disabilities.
    • Video Resource: DAC Planning Accessible Events Webinar.
  5. Ensure that there are processes in place to ensure that people with disabilities are able to participate in public speaking at all events (e.g. roving/portable microphones).
    • Video Resource: DAC Planning Accessible Events Webinar.
  6. Develop processes to ensure that displays, exhibits, or other materials offered are fully accessible.
    • Video Resource: DAC Planning Accessible Events Webinar.
    • Document Resources:

Disability Access and Compliance: Planning Accessible Events

DAC Accessible Events resources

Describing Graphs in data.

Guidelines For Audio Describing Meetings And Presentations

UC Berkeley’s About Audio Description | Web Access

Audio Description project: Samples of Audio Description

American Bar Association: Commission on Disability Rights, Planning Accessible Meetings and Events

Mid-Atlantic ADA Center. Helping you navigate, plan, and create accessible and inclusive meetings, events, and conferences: Accessible Meetings, Events & Conferences Guide | ADA Hospitality

Disability Accessible Evacuation and Safety Plans

Brief Description

This section examines familiarity with existing emergency and evacuation plans and resources, as well as best practices for evacuating people with disabilities.

Recommendations

  1. Determine whether there is a Building Safety Plan for the buildings where your department operates. 5/40.
  2. Partner with UC Berkeley’s Office of Emergency Management to develop an evacuation plan that includes plans on how to safely and quickly evacuate people with disabilities (and training for best practices on how to evacuate people with disabilities, if applicable).
  3. Ensure that all Staff and employees are aware of: your Building Safety Plan, evacuation procedures for persons with disabilities, and designated waiting areas are within your building for disabled people to wait for rescue by first responders.
  4. Offer your Staff and employees training on best practice to evacuate people with disabilities.

Campus Law Enforcement

Description

This section examines law enforcement’s best practices interacting with people with disabilities.

Recommendations

  1. Ensure that University first responders and law enforcement are trained regarding: the disability civil rights mandates that the University is held to under State and Federal laws and the best techniques for communication with persons with disabilities (including people with mental disabilities).
  2. Ensure that University law enforcement personnel are trained in how to safely transport large medical devices such as motorized wheelchairs.
  3. Ensure that University law enforcement personnel are trained in best practices for dealing with service animals.
    • Video Resource: Disability and Compliance – Service Animal Video.
  4. If the University has any areas designated as holding areas for persons who have been detained by University law enforcement, ensure that those have been evaluated by a Certified Access Specialist (CASp) and that communications systems in these areas are accessible to persons with disabilities.

Recommended Resources

Location, Accessible Transportation to your Office/Department, Transportation Services

Description

This section examines whether areas for implementation and offering of the University’s programs, services and activities are located along accessible, public transit routes.

Recommendations

  1. Confirm that offices can be accessed by persons with disabilities from accessible routes.
  2. Ensure that transportation services offered by your office are fully accessible to persons with disabilities.

Facilities & Real Estate Management

Description

This section addresses accessibility in the temporary built environment, specifically during construction and/or building maintenance.

Recommendations

  1. Develop practices to ensure proper maintenance of accessible features during construction and/or building maintenance.

Recommended Resources

U.S. Access Board: Chapter 3: Clear Floor or Ground Space and Turning Space

Capital Projects

Description

This section examines use of accessibility checklists for construction projects.

Recommendations

Recommended Resources

Accessible Websites and Mobile Applications; Platforms and Content

Description

This section examines accessibility of digital content, electronic informational kiosks, as well as how complaints regarding the inaccessibility of this digital information would be received.

Recommendations

  1. Ensure that your Department has a protocol for content creators and/or webmasters that helps them ensure only accessible content is uploaded to website and mobile application platforms.
  2. Ensure your Content Creators and Website Administrators understand how to ensure Sites are compliant with WCAG 2.0 and especially that all embedded video is captioned. Ensure all your websites are enrolled in SiteImprove (free service) and are audited yearly.
  3. Consult with DAC to evaluate whether all electronic informational kiosks are accessible to people with disabilities..
  4. Ensure Accessibility Statement link is present at the bottom of websites to ensure people are able to file a complaint about a lack of digital accessibility or requests for reasonable accommodation.

Recommended Resources

Nondiscrimination and Addiction as Disability

Description

This section examines respondent familiarity with the UCOP policy prohibiting discrimination against people based on their current or past status as a drug or alcohol addict.

Recommendations

  1. Familiarize your staff and employees with the UCOP policy prohibits discrimination against people based on their current or past status as a drug or alcohol addict (University Of California Policy On Substance Abuse | UC Berkeley: Division of Student Affairs).
  2. Disability Access and Compliance: Non-Discriminatino and Grievances.

Physical Education & Recreational Sports

Description

This section examines accessibility in the context of physical education and athletic facilities.

Recommendations

  1. Conduct a review to determine whether adaptive equipment is available for persons with disabilities.
  2. Confirm facilities have been evaluated or surveyed by a Certified Access Specialist (CASp) and, if so, what recommendations were made regarding readily achievable barrier removal and/or recommended changes to those built environments.

Recommended Resources

Medical Services

Description

This section examines accessibility at medical facilities and in the provision of medical services.

Recommendations

  1. Reach out to DAC to request a facilities access report and determine what barriers, if any, can be removed easily.
  2. Confirm all staff at any medical facility who interact with the public receive disability awareness and etiquette training.

Great Lakes.

  1. If applicable, ensure that any medical facility has high and wide based seating available in waiting rooms to accommodate patients that have difficulty getting out of low chairs, or who are large and may not fit into standard chairs.
  2. If applicable, ensure that your medical facility has a plan in place which assures that patients with disabilities are not required to wait longer than other patients because necessary accessible equipment is in use.
  3. If applicable, ensure that your medical facility has a policy in place which ensures that a patient with a disability will be treated despite the fact it may take longer to treat them than it would other patients.
  4. If applicable, ensure that your medical facility has a space where a wheelchair user can be examined on an examining table rather than being examined while in their chair.
  5. If applicable, ensure that at your medical facility, all services provided are available to a patient with a disability without assistance from friends or family members of the patient. 1/40.If applicable, ensure that at your medical facility, your staff can ensure timely, accurate communication with persons who are deaf or hard of hearing.
  6. If applicable, ensure that your medical facility or facilities have assistance available, if needed, to transfer a patient from their wheelchair to an examining table.
  7. If applicable, where health education is provided, make sure that instructional materials are available in alternative format, if needed, to create access for persons with disabilities.

Recommended Resources

Student Housing

Description

This section examines accessibility in University housing.

Recommendations

  1. Ensure that all University Officials, Staff, and Managers are trained regarding the University’s responsibilities and obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act, and all disability-related California statutes.
  2. Ensure that students are aware that they may request reasonable accommodations in student housing at any time during the year, and that they are informed of this in accessible formats.
  3. Ensure that all Staff are aware of the University’s policy prohibiting students with disabilities from having to bear additional costs for reasonable accommodations within student housing.
  4. Familiarize all Staff with the University’s policy, and Federal Laws, prohibiting students with disabilities from having to bear additional costs for reasonable accommodations within student housing (Resources for Housing Accommodations: | Disabled Students' Program).
  5. Familiarize Staff with the University’s process for receiving student reasonable accommodations requests.
  6. Ensure that all student residential facilities have evacuation plans in place that include identification of and plan for the evacuation of residents with disabilities (including training for persons responsible for implementing evacuations).
  7. Ensure that communications systems that are available to people (employees, students, guests, etc.) in residential facilities are accessible with disabilities.
  8. Ensure that sign-in procedures include the option to self-identify as a person who may require evacuation assistance in the event of an emergency.
  9. Ensure that all exits at residential facilities are clearly marked.
  10. Ensure that all alarms systems at residential facilities are both audible and strobing so that they are accessible to persons with both visual and hearing impairments.
  11. Ensure that elevator communications systems are accessible to people with disabilities.

Recommended Resources

Student Health Services

Description

This section examines accessibility at medical facilities and in the provision of medical services.

Recommendations

  1. Ensure that all medical facilities have been reviewed for physical access by a Certified Access Specialist (CASp).
    • No Recommendation: Access 2020 Transition Plan confirmed all medical facilities have been reviewed for physical access by a Certified Access Specialist
  1. Ensure that all staff at medical facilities who interact with the public receive disability awareness and etiquette training.
  2. Ensure that, at all facilities, waiting room furnishings are arranged in such a way that there is space for persons who use mobility devices and/or have a service animal to sit.
  3. Ensure that, at all facilities, high and wide based seating is available in waiting rooms to accommodate patients that have difficulty getting out of low chairs, or who are large and may not fit into standard chairs.
  4. Ensure that, if paging systems are used at any facility, the facility ensures that persons who may be deaf or hard of hearing also receive notifications.
  5. Ensure that all facilities offering medical services have a plan in place which assures that patients with disabilities are not required to wait longer than other patients because accessible equipment is in use.
  6. Ensure that all facilities offering medical services have a policy in place which ensures that a patient with a disability will be treated despite the fact it may take longer to treat them then it would other patients.
  7. Ensure that all facilities offering medical services have a space where a wheelchair user can be examined on an examining table rather than being examined while in their chair.
  8. Ensure that medical equipment is accessible to persons with disabilities.
  9. Ensure that, during medical examinations, all services provided are available to a patient with a disability without assistance from friends or family members of the patient.
  10. Ensure that, in instances where a patient requests a family member or friend to assist, medical providers have been trained to speak directly to the patient, rather than directing pertinent questions to the party providing assistance.
  11. Ensure that medical facilities and personnel are trained to ensure timely, accurate communication with persons who are deaf or hard of hearing.
  12. Ensure that, during medical examinations, assistance is available, if needed, to transfer a patient from their wheelchair to an examining table.
  13. Ensure that, if health education is provided, there are instructional materials available in alternative format, if needed, to create access for persons with disabilities. 1/40.

Recommended Resources

Atypical Educational Settings and Equipment

Description

This section examines accessibility in diverse educational settings, and in curriculum that may utilize specialized equipment.

Recommendations

  1. Develop a practice of requesting internship hosts and laboratory PIs to provide information regarding the accessibility of their built and digital environments.
  2. Develop a plan to ensure a prompt, adequate response to a student with a disability who requests and/or requires reasonable accommodation with an internship host and/or laboratory PI.
  3. Ensure that accessibility of equipment is consistently considered in the process of purchasing.
  4. Establish policies or procedures to ensure that equipment is adaptable or usable by persons with disabilities.
  5. Establish policies or procedures to ensure that there is adequate clear floor space (for persons with mobility limitations) to maneuver around any specialized equipment.
  6. Establish policies or procedures if a student with a disability requests a reasonable accommodation to utilize specialized equipment.
  7. Ensure that instructors of online courses receive training on best practices for giving accessible presentations.
  8. Develop protocols to ensure that on-line instructional materials are consistently checked for accessibility (e.g. e-books and pdfs that are accessible with screen readers, video materials that are captioned and audio-described).
  9. Ensure that all videos used for instructional purposes are captioned.
  10. All online presentations be captioned; minimally, online course materials should contain notifications regarding an attendees ability to request a reasonable accommodations including, for example, captioning.
  11. Develop protocols to ensure that any website a student is required or requested to visit (e.g. faculty website, a research resource), is evaluated for accessibility.

Recommended Resources

How to Talk and Discuss About Accessibility with Vendors (similar to link in Purchasing, above, but still applicable)

Faculty

Description

This section examines Faculty practices around ensuring maximum curriculum accessibility.

Recommendations

1. Partner with the Disabled Students Program to provide guidance to Faculty on how classrooms may be set up to ensure maximum accessibility.

Action Required:

Visit the Disabled Students Program website: Teaching and Inclusive Design and Classroom Accessibility

2. Ensure language is inserted into all syllabi stating that students requiring disability accommodations can arrange this with the Disabled Students Program

Action Required:

Visit the Disabled Students Program website: Teaching and Inclusive Design

3. Ensure that all Faculty are informed on how to make curriculum physical and digital (for example: web, PDFs, videos, etc.) materials accessible to students with disabilities.

Action Required:

Visit the Disabled Students Program website: Accessibility Responsibilities and Faculty FAQ - Alternative Media

4. Offer Faculty training on best practices on how to present so that all educational materials are accessible to students with disabilities, including in the online classroom setting.

Action Required:

Visit the Disabled Students Program website: Teaching and Inclusive Design

5. Develop practices to ensure that if students are referred to any outside websites as part of curriculum and/or reference materials, that these websites are vetted for accessibility.

Action Required:

Visit the Disabled Students Program website: Teaching and Inclusive Design

6. Develop practices to ensure that all videos presented in class, required for viewing, or recommended as supplement to curriculum materials are vetted for captioning.

Action Required:

Visit Captioning of Audio and Video Services – Academic Accommodations (Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost website) and visit Video Captions and Transcripts (Accessible Course Content website)

7. Develop practices to ensure that, if students are required to engage in activities outside the classroom, that these activities are fully accessible to students with disabilities.

Action Required:

Visit the Disabled Students Program website: Accessible Off-Campus Events

8. Partner with the Disabled Student Program to establish best practices on how to respond to a student who requests a reasonable accommodation.

Action Required:

Visit the Disabled Students Program website: Teaching and Inclusive Design

Additional Resources

Create and verify PDF accessibility (Acrobat Pro)

How to Make Images Accessible

PDFs from Microsoft Word

Best Practices for Creating Accessible PowerPoints and Inclusive Presentations

How can you make your presentation accessible?

508 Accessible Videos – How to Caption Videos

U.S. Access Board: Guide to the ADA Accessibility Standards - Clear Floor or Ground Space and Turning Space

Free Web Accessibility Checkers

WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool

CynthiaSays.com Accessibility Website Scan

Library Services

Description

This section examines accessible practices within the context of Library services (both the main Library, and archival material that functionally services as Library material throughout the University).

Recommendations

  • Ensure that Library Staff are trained in disability awareness, person-first language, and the legal mandates to which the University is held.
  • Ensure that Library Staff are trained in how to assist guests with disabilities.
  • If the Library offers any electronic information systems or resources to its guests, ensure that these ensure that these systems or resources are accessible to persons with disabilities.
  • If applicable, ensure that notification systems are able to also inform guests who have disabilities.
  • If the Library utilizes any electronic communications systems within the Library for use by guests, ensure that this communication system is accessible to persons with disabilities.
  • Where applicable, ensure that all physical materials (for use by the public) are on accessible routes, are within reach ranges, and have clear space for approach or, minimally, that Staff are situated nearby to provide assistance (and are trained on how to do so).
  • If the Library offers any software for use by its employees or guests, put measures in place to ensure that this software complies with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
  • If the Library utilizes notification systems, ensure that these communication systems are accessible to persons with disabilities.
  • Consult with the Disability Access Center to ensure that all physical materials are on accessible routes, are within reach ranges, and have clear space for approach.
  • Ensure that there are practices in place to insure that persons with disabilities may obtain library materials in alternative formats.
  • Ensure that Library staff understand how to instruct or assist a guest with visual impairments in conducting a research project.
  • Ensure that the Library has an emergency management plan which includes addressing the issues relative to persons with disabilities.
  • If the Library moves services online, ensure it takes measures to ensure that it's collection and resources are available and accessible to students with disabilities.

Recommended Resources

Best Practices for Interacting with People with Disabilities

Museum Services

Description

This section examines accessible practices in ensuring that museum exhibits and materials are available to persons with disabilities.

Recommendations

  • Ensure that there is guidance available to all Staff regarding accessibility of museum materials.
  • Offer training to all museum staff in best practices to communicate with persons who have disabilities.
  • In order to facilitate maximum accessibility, consider utilizing alternative forms of communication for exhibits, e.g. audio-descriptors, braille, large print text, tactile exhibits, and/or haptic technology.
  • Implement measures to ensure that public digital interfaces are accessible to persons who have disabilities.
  • For printed materials offered to the public, be prepared to make alternative formats available to people who may be blind or have vision impairments.

Recommended Resources

Disability and Inclusion: Resources For Museum Studies Programs

Miscellaneous Services, Programs and Activities

Recommendations

  1. Consider adding outreach to people with disabilities and/or disability inclusion efforts into your office’s programs, services and activities. Ways to do this include, but are not limited to: adding affirmative language to outreach materials; and partnering with other organizations and entities (e.g. non-profit organizations, student groups, community organizations).
  2. When your office provides programming, services or activities through another entity (e.g. a partner outside of the UC or a workshop), ask that entity how those programs, services and/or activities are accessible to people with disabilities. Be sure that all outreach materials for these programs, services and/or activities include a statement of non-discrimination, and information on how to request a reasonable accommodation.
  3. Offer Faculty, Staff and student tutors training on best practices with working with students with disabilities. (https://dsp.berkeley.edu/).
  4. When offering services that facilitate visits, workshops, residential experiences, or events at Berkeley or other (non-UC Berkeley) locations, develop a checklist to ensure that these activities are accessible to participants with disabilities.

Recommended Resources

Disability Etiquette: Tips On Interacting With People With Disabilities

American Bar Association: Commission on Disability Rights, Planning Accessible Meetings and Events

Community Disability Resources on Campus

Description

This section examined general familiarity with campus disability-related resources.

Recommendations