www.adcet.edu.au/cats/
Creating Accessible Teaching and Support
(CATS)
Tony Payne Deakin University(on behalf of the
CATS project team)
• Project findings
• CATS web resource
• Australian university guidelines
• Self assessment & planning tool
• Scholarship in disability practice
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Australian context
• Complaints based DDA introduced in 1992
• Education Standards introduced in 2006
• Success rates vary widely
• Universities funded directly - no student allowance
• Similar issues but different language used
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It all started in 2002 when a blind student in my university didn’t get his readings on time…
and he made a complaint to the Human Rights Commission…
and it made national television!
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A little planning saves a lot of fan cleaning!
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To address issues raised by the complaint a national project was funded to:
•Review literature
•Audit higher education sector disability related practices
•Consult with students and staff across Australia
•Develop guides to good practice for university staff
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There are no good project managers, only lucky ones but …
the more you plan, the luckier you get!
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Good practice is individualised and not systemic
Legislative requirements not well understood
Inclusive approaches not widely used
Limited evidence base for accommodations
Information & resources not widely used
Outcomes are poor
Key project findings
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“The future is already here …
it's just not evenly distributed.”
William GibsonImages Copyright www.istockphoto.com
Students said that they need …
• Knowledgeable disability staff
• Policies that are reflected in practices
• Accessible web sites and libraries
• Readings on time & accessible
• Communication direct with lecturers
• Employment services and jobs
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If there are several possible interpretations of a communication…
the least convenient is the correct one!
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Staff said they were…
Under resourced & time poor
Unclear as to rights / responsibilities
Unaware of inclusive teaching practices
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A major issue for academics was …
concern about equity for other students
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Staff said they wanted:
Clearer policies around what is “reasonable”
Practical, inclusive, teaching and assessment practices
Just in time information and guidance
Evidence base for assessment accommodations
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We found evidence for the value of:
Consultation with students
Embedding of policies
Sound pedagogical practices
Inclusive approaches to teaching and support
Clear expectations of staff and students
Clear procedures – eg learning access plans
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The gap between what we know and what we don’t know
is much less than the gap between what we know and what we do.” Don Berwick
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Based on this findings we:
• published three booklets for staffworking with disabled students
• developed a web based resource providing good practice guidance
• provided professional development in universities across Australia
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If at first you don't succeed…
remove all evidence you ever tried!
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The Australian Learning and Teaching Council then funded phase 2:
• Improve access to practical information and resources
• Introduce national guidelines for policy and practice
• Develop a self assessment tool and performance indicators
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It takes one cow nine monthsto produce a calf …
it cannot be done in one month by nine cows
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Key survey findings
54% are confident in working with disabled students
82% first seek information from a person
56% found that training had changed the way they work
75% prefer succinct, printableWeb based fact sheets
Only 13% frequently refer to printed information or booklets
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www.adcet.edu.au/cats
So we built a Website…
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What we don't know is very likely to hurt us!
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Resources have been heavily used with over 160,000 fact sheets downloaded but…
has practice improved?
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“The great aim of education is not knowledge but action.”
Herbert Spencer
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Next we developed guidelines for practice covering:
• Course Design and Delivery
• Recruitment and Admission
• Teaching and Assessment
• Library and ICT Access
• Physical Access & Safety
• Student Services & Housing
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What is not on paper has not been said !
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Underlying principles
Consultative - students & staff
Comprehensive - cover all activities
Inclusive - meet needs of all students
Systemic - embedded within university-wide processes
Explicit - clearly identify requirements and processes
Resourced - adequate resources for implementation
Equitable - recognise the rights & responsibilities of all
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We then developed a self assessment toolthat generates a Report and Action Plan
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Good Practice StatementAdmission, selection and enrolment procedures are non-discriminatoryand orientation programs are inclusive in design and application
Guideline 1The University provides explicit information about opportunities for people with a disability, the support services available to them, any special entry procedures, course requirements and student rights and responsibilities.
YES YES, but…. NO, but…. NO
Add Evidence
Evidence
Action Required
Self-assessment example
Questions to consider …Self rating
Print Report
Project Officer
Self-assessment process
Academic Dean
Facilities Management
Library Services
InformationCollector
Indicator 5.5
InformationCollectors
Indicator 5.7InformationCollectors
Indicator 5.6
Self Assessment Learnings
• The process is more important than outputs
• It is vital to engage all sections and levels
• Managers and academics have to own the issues
• Staff will find their own solutions
• Leadership is vital
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What have we achieved?
• Better understanding of what is needed to improve outcomes
• Web based resource that for university staff
• Guidelines that for more effective policy & practice
• A self assessment tool that encourages self reflectionand motivates change
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If we want staff to engage with us in challenging teaching and support practices, we need to be able to say to them don’t just take my word for it… here is the evidence.
Inspired by Professor Keithia Wilson
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Scholarly practice
• Develop “conscious competence”
• Work with academic colleagues
• Engage with disabled people
• Read the literature
• Contribute to an evidence base of effective strategies
• Practice critical self reflectionImages Copyright www.istockphoto.com
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Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Martin Luther King, Jr.Images Copyright www.istockphoto.com
Creating Accessible Teaching and Support
Turning the extraordinary into the ordinary Images Copyright www.istockphoto.com