What are Examples of Agendas for Full-Day CBIs?

Following is an agenda of a full-day Capacity-Building Institute (CBI) that is similar to one conducted at Florida State University (FSU). Its purpose was to improve the accessibility of campus websites.

Photo of DO-IT Staff member Scott Bellman looking at a laptop computer screen with a DO-IT Scholar in classroom.
 

Full-Day Agenda (Sample #1)

Morning: Overview of Accessibility of Online Resources

8:00 - 8:30 a.m.
Check In & Refreshments

8:30 - 8:45 a.m.
Welcome Message
President
Vice President for Student Affairs

Distribute the evaluation form Pre- and Post-Test for Professional Development (found on pp. 29-30) to participants and ask them to fill out the Pre-Test (front side of the form).

Distribute CBI Agenda and the following handouts (found at www.washington.edu/doit/resources)

  • AccessCollege: An Alliance to Promote the Success of People with Disabilities in Postsecondary Education
  • AccessCollege: Systemic Change for Postsecondary Institutions
  • Universal Design in Education: Principles and Applications
  • Universal Design: Principles, Process, and Applications
  • Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology
  • World Wide Access: Accessible
  • Web Design Web Accessibility: Guidelines for Administrators
  • DO-IT Free Printed Publications
  • DO-IT Videos, Books, and Training Materials

8:45 - 9:30 a.m.
Overview of Universal Design of Online Instruction
Participants explore the big picture of accessible online teaching and learning:

  • How are students with disabilities affected by inaccessible course content?
  • What makes technologies accessible? What does universal design mean?
  • What are the legal requirements?
  • How is online access achieved for students who are blind and visually impaired, are deaf or hard of hearing, have mobility impairments, have reading disorders (e.g., dyslexia), and/or have attention deficits?
  • What standards, guidelines, and resources are available to assist in ensuring that instructional content is delivered in a way that is accessible to all students?

9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Online Accessibility Nuts and Bolts
In an interactive session, participants are led through a mock Blackboard™ course, which features a variety of accessibility problems and solutions. How do you assure that all students have access to Blackboard, your website, Adobe® PDF files, Microsoft® Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, and other resources?

10:30 - 10:45 a.m.
Break

10:45 - 12:00 p.m.
Web Accessibility @ FSU
Discussion moderated by staff from FSU, College of Information and Assessment Services
FSU faculty, staff, and administrators brainstorm the current state of accessibility of instructional technology at FSU and identify next steps for moving forward. Suggestions are recorded on a flip chart.

  • Where are we now?
  • Where do we want to be?
  • How can we get there?

12:00 - 1:10 p.m.
Lunch and Student Panel
Real students with real issues share what it is like to be a person with a disability attending a major university and using online content. Participants ask questions.
Afternoon: Steps Toward Web Accessibility

Afternoon: Steps Toward Web Accessibility

1:10 - 3:15 p.m. (with one break)
Web Accessibility Techniques
Participants further explore common web accessibility problems and solutions. They learn the state of accessibility on a variety of technologies and file formats used in delivering web content, including PDF, Flash®, multimedia, PowerPoint, Blackboard, Java™, and AJAX. Resources are provided with more detailed information including the DO-IT Knowledge Base, which is linked from the DO-IT website at www.washington.edu/doit at "Search DO-IT Knowledge Base."

3:15 - 3:30 p.m.
Break

3:30 - 4:15 p.m.
Discuss the Accessibility of FSU Websites
After a brief introduction to available FSU web accessibility evaluation tools and resources, participants discuss the accessibility of specific FSU websites in one or multiple groups. Those with promising designs demonstrate their approaches to accessibility, and participants brainstorm possible solutions to accessibility problems.

4:15 - 4:30 p.m.
Conclusion and Evaluation
Summarize content and results of CBI. Participants complete the Post-Test for Professional Development, which was distributed at the beginning of the CBI, and return to a designated location.

Following is the agenda of a full-day CBI that is similar to one conducted by the University of Washington. Its purpose was to help teachers fully include students with disabilities in their science courses by applying universal design and providing accommodations.

Full-Day Agenda (Sample #2)

8:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Registration, Continental Breakfast

9:00 - 10:45 a.m.
Introductions Distribute the evaluation form Pre- and Post-Test for Professional Development (found on pp. 29-30) to participants and ask them to fill out the Pre-Test (front side of the form).

Distribute CBI agenda and handouts (located at https://www.washington.edu/doit/resources)

  • Making Math, Science, and Technology Instruction Accessible to Students with Disabilities—A RESOURCE FOR TEACHERS AND TEACHER EDUCATORS (which includes most handouts and videos referenced in the agenda)
  • DO-IT Free Printed Publications
  • DO-IT Videos, Books, and Training Materials

View Video
Working Together: Science Teachers and Students with Disabilities (on DVD or at https://www.washington.edu/doit/videos/index.php?vid=34).

Presentation
Access Barriers, Access Solutions—Accommodations and Universal Design.

View Video
The Winning Equation: Access + Attitude = Success in Math and Science (on DVD or at https://www.washington.edu/doit/videos/index.php?vid=28).

Activity
Complete a Student Abilities Profile (at https://www.washington.edu/doit/accommodation-model#sap)

10:45 - 12:00 p.m.
Activity
Discover accommodation and universal design strategies for a hands-on science activity.

View Video
Equal Access: Universal Design of Instruction (on DVD or at https://www.washington.edu/doit/videos/index.php?vid=13).

Presentation 
Making Science Labs Accessible to All Students.

12:00 - 12:45 p.m.
Lunch

12:45 - 2:15 p.m.
Discuss
What can individual stakeholders (e.g., a student, teacher, parent) do to increase the success of students with disabilities in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics)? Consider both accommodations and universal design approaches.

Activity
Create a personal plan for implementation of universal design of your instruction. Distribute a copy of the publication Equal Access: Universal Design of Instruction (located at https://www.washington.edu/doit/equal-access-universal-design-instruction), cross out items that do not apply; insert implementation dates for others.

Report
What steps will you take to make your courses more accessible?

2:15 - 3:30 p.m.
View Video
Computer Access: In Our Own Words (on DVD or at https://www.washington.edu/doit/videos/index.php?vid=6) Note that additional technology videos in handouts focus on specific disabilities related to learning, mobility, and vision.

Presentation
Overview of Technology Access Barriers and Solutions—Assistive Technology and Universal Design.

Discuss
What can institutional stakeholders (e.g., schools, districts, state agencies) do to increase the success of students with disabilities in STEM? What systemic change efforts would you recommend? Consider both policies and practices.

3:30 - 4:00 p.m.
Conclusion and Evaluation
What did you learn and how will you apply it?
Ask participants to fill out the Post-Test for Professional Development, which was distributed at the beginning of the CBI, and return to a designated location.