TBR Puts Focus on Accessibility

Representatives of universities and colleges in the Tennessee Board of Regents system recently participated in a two-day summit to discuss how higher education institutions can better serve students with physical impairments.

The event featured speakers from national organizations, such as the United States Department of Justice and National Federation for the Blind.

During the summit, speakers addressed federal standards for accessibility and how technology may be used to accommodate students with disabilities. Eve Hill, Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, provided the keynote address. Dan Goldstein, counsel for the National Federation for the Blind, discussed legal precedents regarding accessibility and the obligations faced by higher education. Tim Creagan of the United States Access Board helped attendees better understand the standards. And Scott Lissner, president of the Association on Higher Education and Disability, presented a model plan for consideration.

The second day of the summit focused on developing institutional plans for accessibility to instructional materials and technology and how the system might work collaboratively to address needs.