East Stroudsburg University Disability Services’ Technology Plan 2012-2015

By: Krista Hess

Phase 1 - Prepare to P lan

1.1 SCHOOL DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania was established in 1893 as a Teacher prep school called East Stroudsburg Normal School. The University went from private to public in 1920 and changed its name to East Stroudsburg State Normal School. In 1927 the school earned the right to confer Bachelor of Science degrees in Education and Health Education. It then had the title of East Stroudsburg State Teachers College. In 1960 the name changed to East Stroudsburg State College and became East Stroudsburg University in 1983.

The University is located in the Pocono Mountains and is an hour and a half away from both New York City and Philadelphia, PA. The school is located on 213 acres of land in the town of East Stroudsburg and has 63 buildings. The newest academic building sine 1973 is the Science and Technology building which was built in 2008. There are 68 Undergraduate Degrees and a 19:1 student to teacher ratio. The school is slightly diverse with 22% of students being of another race besides Caucasian.

The University’s Disability Services Department founded the first ever Disability Honors Fraternity, Delta Alpha Pi. The program assists about 400 students out of the school’s 7,387 students. The program has services such as its own Assistive Technology Department which helps students with not only alternative technologies to help them read and write, but hires note takers to help them in the classroom.

1.2 PLAN PROCESS OVERVIEW AND STAKEHOLDERS

Administration & ManagementDr. Julie Albiero-Walton Professor Academic Enrichment & Learning and

Director of Disability ServicesDr. Virginia Reiner Professor Academic Enrichment & Learning and

Disabilities SpecialistCommunicationsPhyllis Department SecretaryDiana Department SecretaryPatrick and Krista Department SecretaryCurriculum and InstructionDr. Julie Albiero-Walton Professor and DirectorJenny Wood Collier Assistive Technology SpecialistTechnology Advisory CommitteeJenny Wood Collier Assistive Technology SpecialistKrista Hess AT Graduate AssistantHardware &InfrastructureRobert D’Aversa ESU Computing Services

1.3 TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION REFORM

The office of Disabilities does and will continue to strive to assist students with their schoolwork in any way possible. The department’s graduation rate has risen in past years and with this plan the goal is to continue to as close to 100% as possible. The major process in the next three years will be to update all computer hardware and software to be compatible with our assistive technologies and the entire University.

Phase 2 - Build Communications

2.1 MISSION AND VISION STATEMENTS

Mission Statement: East Stroudsburg University’s Disability Services Department is dedicated to assisting eligible students with their classroom and assistive technology needs. By employing an assistive technology specialist and providing various equipment that students can sign-out for the semester we can make a student’s educational experience better by having their accommodation needs met.

Vision Statement: In five years time, the Disability Services Department will have an organized and compatible service with the University, which will help students with and without disabilities, with access to assistive technologies campus-wide.

2.2 ONGOING COMMUNITY COMMUNICATION

Community Communications Plan

Message: Students in need of alternative formats of textbooksAudience: Disability Services StudentsMethods: Mass email Resources: messagesTimeline: Sent to students at the beginning and end of each semester.

Beginning for those who haven’t ordered books yet. End for those who wish to get a head start on getting their texts.

Evaluation: The Technology Specialist and GA.

Message: Students who need to pick up booksAudience: StudentsMethod: Personalized Phone CallResources: phoneTimeline: Called when the student has come to check if their books are in

a week after classes start. Also, when books come in if they take a while.Evaluation: The Technology Specialist and GA with an Excel worksheet.

Message: Payroll timesheets are due with instructions of certain steps that were unsuccessful the pay period before.

Audience: Student employeesMethod: Signs around the offices and mass emailResources: printers and emailTimeline: Signs go up Monday or Tuesday of the week timesheets are

due. Emails go out on Wednesday, the day before timesheets are due to the department.

2.3 PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNITY LINKAGES Investigation of Potential Partnerships List

A. Alternative Textbook FormatsName: AccessTextNetworkContact Name: Accesstext.org/providers.phpContact Phone: (866) 271-4968Description of Potential Partnership: Students are required to buy the hard copy of the textbook. Then, they put in the order to the Technology Specialist to get an alternative text and the specialist puts in an order to AccessText. AccessText requires a membership from the school to do so. Possible Benefits to School: Less interference for professors and students in the classroom.Possible Benefits to Group or Organization: Better graduation ratesPotential Contribution to Technology Planning Effort: Encourages students to take classes they may not have before.

B. Businesses- Business Name: Texthelp Systems Inc.Contact Name: ?Contact Phone: 888-248-0652Description of Potential Partnership: The Company provides us with a

100 computer subscription to read and write gold that we pay for. They provide us with 30 day demos for PCs and Mac OS. Also, we receive a code to give to students for a discounted personal copy of R&WG.

Possible Benefits to School: Save money, students do better on homework and tests.

Possible Benefits to Group or Organization: Students are more confident in their work and with independence.

Potential Contribution to Technology Planning Effort: ?

Business Name: Learning Ally (Previously RFB&D)Contact Name: National HeadquartersContact Phone: 800-221-4792Description of Potential Partnership: Learning Ally sends a Newsletter

written almost entirely in Braille every month. We also have access to their 70,000 audio recordings of text.

Possible Benefits to School: More options for students who are blind. Possible Benefits to Group or Organization: We have more opportunities

to make sure our students graduate.Potential Contribution to Technology Planning Effort: We will keep this

partnership.

Phase 3 - Assess Current Status

3.1 SUCCESS OF PREVIOUS PLANNot applicable.

3.2 CURRICULUM AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

East Stroudsburg University founded the first ever Disability Services Honor Society in the nation. These students act as mentors to incoming students in the Disability Services Department and put forth a positive light for people with disabilities. These students are required to have a GPA of 3.1Graduation Rates: 95% of students who receive help from the Disability Services Department graduate.

3.3 STUDENT AND STAFF TECHNOLOGY SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND USAGE

The Head of the Department, the Assistant Head, Assistive Technology Specialist, and GA took the TSAT to identify their technology skills, knowledge, and usage. All four of the participants passed standard 1, Technology Operations and Concepts. Three out of the four passed Standard 2, Ethics and Safety. One had a few skills that were not checked. Only one participant left one skill unchecked in standard three, which is Teaching and Learning with Technology. Therefore, three out of the four participants easily pass as Early Technology, the fourth only needs to learn a few more skills. After this point, only two participants continued the assessment.

For Standard 1 in Developing Technology, one participant checked all skills; the other had 5 skills left unmarked. For standard 2, Ethics and Safety, one participant checked all skills and the other left two unchecked. Standard three, Teaching and Learning Technology, left both remaining participants without the skill of identifying and locating technology resources, including online curriculum resources. This was the only skill left unchecked by one participant, and the other left 5 out of 8 unchecked. This shows that the one participant can pass for Developing Technology and the other may need to go over these skills before continuing to the next level.

From here, both participants leave several skills unchecked in the Proficient section. The skills that both participants are lacking are: differentiating between formulas with absolute cell references and relative cell references in a spreadsheet, technology proficiency needs discussion and identification, evaluation of developing technologies in subject area, and using

Data Warehouse and progress spreadsheets. This section needs work from both participants, and leaves them in the Proficient level.

As for usage of technology, administration uses it mostly to communicate with each other and students. The head of the department uses the computer to do a lot of student registration and scheduling. The Assistive Technologist uses the computer for keeping track of equipment, students, book orders, and more. The computer is also used to download alternative formats of textbooks.

Students’ use of technology in the department involves signing out and being trained on Assistive Technologies and laptops. These are used for in-class work and taking exams. 3.4 TECHNOLOGY INVENTORY

Room Device Category Age of DeviceAssistive Technology Office GA Computer

Specialist Computer

InstructionalAdministrative

Both are less than 5 years old

Training Room ComputerLaptopsSmart PensScannerCCTV

OtherInstructionalInstructionalOtherInstructional

2-3 years4-5 years1 year or less6 months5+ years

Director office Computer Administrative 3 or less yearsAssistant Director Office Computer Administrative 3 +years

3.5 FACILITIES - Assistive Technology Office: Two computers. Each has a back up drive, are password

protected, and are in a locked office. - Training Room: One computer and other assistive technologies. Computer is password protected, all small technologies are in locked cabinets. The keys are in another office’s desk. The door to the room is locked. Only the locked door protects the scanner and CCTV. - Director and Assistant Director offices: One computer each. A key locks each room and computers are password protected.

3.6 DISTRICT INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN AND DESIGNThe Internet is routed from the Computing Services building to all other buildings on

campus. There is a 400-megabit per second connection with 300 megabits to resident halls and 100 megabits to the rest of campus. The megabits are shared so that when there is a need for more megabits, they are channeled to the correct area. Rosenkrans, where Disability Services is located has one gigabit or 1000 megabits per second. The Internet goes between buildings then is dispersed through the building to each machine through the through network switch. This is through a copper wire that plugs in to the switch. The Topology used at East Stroudsburg is the star, which is centered at the Computing Center. In Rosenkrans, there is a dedicated connection

from the switch to every device. Email is off campus in the cloud. Wireless access points are in the ceiling in Rosenkrans. There are around 10. Computers in the office have a dedicated connection from the switch to where it has to go. Twenty computers share one router. The networks are carved into virtual LANs, which have a capacity of 254 devices each.

3.7 TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SERVICES-The Disability Services office is supported by the University’s Computing Department.

All the computers that are in labs across campus have an Assistive Technology on them that needs to be watched. Also, they handle our many external drives and networking issues.

- The Assistive Technology office tends to act as support for the rest of the employees in the department. The GA helps with many software issues.

3.8 STAFF DEVELOPMENTTo achieve an organized and completely compatible service with the University, first

we’ll need to ensure there will be an Assistive Technology Specialist kept in the department. Also, some computers in the department are older than computers in the University’s computer labs. These will need replacements so there are no computers with XP or older Operating Systems. The computers in the offices will need updated Microsoft Office, Assistive Technology software, and Adobe suites. Also, the scanners will need to be replaced with Read and Write Gold compatible scanners.

Most importantly, the Assistant Director will need to take a basic computing course or an instructional technology course to learn the basic software and their uses better. The Director and Assistive Technology Specialist will take a remedial course to brush up on some skills and catch up on some they have missed. This way, they will be of some help with the support that is needed for all the technologies the students use in the department. Also, the Graduate Assistant that comes in to the position will either need to be an Instructional Technology Student or have a specified amount of computer literacy.

3.9 CURRENT TECHNOLOGY BUDGET ANALYSIS

Collier, Jennifer: PATTAN conference: $117 $149 $146

Franklin Electronic Publishers: $338 $34

$229Scientific Calculator: $325

$7Amazon Computing Center: $187

$297$16$30$30$12

LENOVO: $175

$515$24$77$25$30$613

APPLE COMPUTER, INC. $599$1,398$138

Shi International Corp $415$421

TOTAL: $6,307

Phases 4 & 5 - Identify Strategic Goals & Objectives and Create Action Steps for Objectives

4.1 CURRICULUM AND LEARNING

A.) Goal: Faculty will make education accessible to all students.

1.) Objective: Students will have their own laptops, if they do not have their own, provided by Disability Services to achieve accessibility in the first year.

Action: Faculty will obtain lap topsSteps: Faculty will search for grants for Higher Education Disability Services technology funding and/or gain funding from school.

Faculty and students will discuss lap top options, and choose the best financially and functionally.

Faculty will purchase laptops with funding.

2.) Objective: Disability Services faculty will demonstrate proper use of laptops by attending a Professional Development course, with 100% attendance.

Action: Train faculty to use laptops.Steps: Find an individual to teach a Professional Development course on laptops.

Plan Professional Development Course.Give Professional Development course on how to use laptops.

3.) Objective: Faculty will train students how to properly use laptops by giving a workshop within first semester of purchase.

Action: Train students how to use laptops.Steps: Confirm the success of faculty’s Professional Development course.

Create plan for student development course.Give lap top training course to students.

B.) Goal: Graduate Assistants will make education accessible to all students.

1.) Objective: Assistive Technology Specialist will train all new Graduate Assistants how to use Read and Write Gold, LiveScribe pens, Ginger, and Dragon Dictate at the beginning of every semester 100% of the time.

Action: Train Graduate Assistants how to use Assistive Technologies (AT).Steps: Assistive Technology Specialist will plan workshop for GAs to learn AT.

AT Specialist will train GAs at workshop.AT Specialist will ask GAs to mock-teach how to use one of the ATs.

2.) Objective Graduate Assistants will give workshops to train students how to use Read and Write Gold, LiveScribe pens, Ginger, and Dragon Dictate at the beginning of every semester 100% of the time.

Action: GAs will work together to plan workshopSteps: GAs will be supervised by AT Specialist during planning of workshop

GAs will plan the workshop for students to attend.GAs will contact students and advertise workshop about ATs. Gas will hold workshop.

3.) Objective: GAs will provide notetaking, reading, and scribing services when needed, 100% of the time.

Action: Provide notetaking, reading, and scribing.Steps: GAs will be trained how to provide these services.

Gas will be trained how to set up appointments, and set up appointments when needed.GAs will find notetakers or be a notetaker when requested by student with disability.

4.2 ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT

A.) Goal: All administrative staff will have a better understanding of the use of technology in their position.

1.) Objective: Faculty will take the TSAT at the beginning of every school year until all each has reached 100% mastery.

Action: Distributing TSATSteps: The Assistive Technology Graduate Assistant’s computer will have the TSAT saved on it.

The ATGA will be directed by the AT Specialist to print out 4 copies of the TSAT.The ATGA will deliver the TSAT to each faculty member in the Disability Services department.

2.) Objective: Assistive Technology Specialist will look over TSAT for skills that need to be enforced, and will plan a Professional Development course every semester.

Action: Establish skills that faculty are lacking.Steps: ATGA will collect TSAT from faculty when they are completed.

ATGA will make note of what skills each faculty member have not checked on the TSAT.ATGA will inform AT Specialist of which skills the majority of faculty are lacking.AT Specialist will inform the faculty of this GA’s findings.

3.) Objective: Faculty will take Professional Development courses in technology skills they are lacking, as established from their taking of the TSAT every semester, until 100% mastery has been reached.

Action: Give Professional Development CourseSteps: Find facilitator that has knowledge of specific skills

Plan Professional Development time and place that is most accessible for all faculty.Hold Professional Development Course.

B.) Goal: Disability Services will always have an Assistive Technology Specialist in its employ. 1.) Objective: Disability Services will replace AT specialist as soon as possible if the current one leaves 100% of the time.

Action: Employ new AT Specialist, if needed.Steps: Head of Department will create job description of AT Specialist

Head of Department will create job posting for Specialist on ESU’s Human Resources page, and other Higher Ed job websites.Head of Department will interview prospective AT Specialists to ensure their knowledge of Disabilities and ATs.

2.) Objective: The Assistive Technologist will keep up with new ATs by attending Professional Development courses and conventions twice a year.

Action: Keep AT Specialist up-to-date on new ATs and teaching with technology.Steps: AT Specialist will take ESU’s MCOM 520 to supplement knowledge of AT and technology integration.

AT Specialist and their GA will attend the AT EXPO each year.AT Specialist will be on many AT mailing lists.

3.) Objective: All Disability Services (DS) faculty will utilize Assistive Technology Specialist’s services by sending students who need technological accommodations to him/her 100% of the time.

Action: AT Specialist will accommodate students.Step: AT Specialist will send out email at the beginning of each school year to faculty with protocol for all accommodations he/she provides.

DS faculty will send students to AT Specialist if their disability requires the use of an AT.AT Specialist of AT GA will train students how to use AT if they were unable to attend workshops.

4.3 COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION ACCESS

A.) Goal: Disability Services’ computers will be compatible with the school’s, University wide.

1.) Objective: The Disability Services Department will update all computers to the newest operating system that are compatible with each other and the school within the first year, with 100% accuracy.

Action: Update all computers in department to Windows 7. Steps: Make contact with Computing Center Distinguish how to update computers in department to Windows 7 Plan time to have computers updated Have computers updated.

2.) Objective: Disability Services will update all computers to the newest version of Microsoft Office Professional within the first year, with 100% accuracy. Action: Update all computers to Office 2010. Steps: Make contact with Computing Center Distinguish how to update all computers in department to Office 2010 Plan time to have computers updated Have computers updated.

3.) Objective: Disability Services will update all computers to the newest version of Adobe Reader within the first year, with 100% accuracy. Action: Update all computers in department to newest Adobe Reader

Steps: Make contact with Computing Center to know when new versions are released

Distinguish how to update all computers in department to newest Adobe Reader Plan time to have computers updated Have computers updated.

B.) Goal: The Disability Services website will be kept up to date, expanded, and made accessible.

1.) Objective: All AT devices that are available will be on the website within the first year, and kept up to date by the Graduate Assistant every semester with 100% accuracy.

Action: Keeping track of AT devices on website.Steps: AT Specialist will give ATGA new AT devices

ATGA will input new information in to an Excel Spreadseet

ATGA will send email to Webmaster with new AT device information

2.) Objective: The GA will send updated layouts, information, and new available technologies/services to the Webmaster with 100% accuracy, every semester.

Action: Creating new website layoutSteps: When hiring ATGAs, AT Specialist will ensure they are tech savvy and/or in

the Instructional Technology program. GA will keep draft of previous webpage layouts and update them when necessary. ATGA will create new layout/look for website pages when needed, and send them to Webmaster.

3.) Objective: The website will be made accessible to those with disabilities by adding picture tags, font size options, and be made readable by the end of the first year with 100% accuracy.

Action: Make website accessible for as many disabilities as possible.Steps: ATGA will research how to make accessibility changes and do the

following:Make website ‘readable’ through text-to-speech programsAll pictures will have ‘tags’, to fit in readable formatWebpage will have text size options

Phase 6 - Action Plan Development

6.1 DETERMINE HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS AND ACTION PLANAction: Faculty will obtain lap topsSteps: Faculty will search for grants for Higher Education Disability Services

technology funding and/or gain funding from school.Faculty and students will discuss lap top options, and choose the best financially and functionally.Faculty will purchase laptops with funding.

6.2 DETERMINE NETWORK REQUIREMENTS AND ACTION PLANn/a

6.3 DETERMINE FACILITIES REQUIREMENTS AND ACTION PLANn/a

6.4 DETERMINE SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS AND ACTION PLANAction: Update all computers in department to Windows 7. Steps: Make contact with Computing Center Distinguish how to update computers in department to Windows 7 Plan time to have computers updated Have computers updated.

Action: Update all computers to Office 2010. Steps: Make contact with Computing Center Distinguish how to update all computers in department to Office 2010 Plan time to have computers updated Have computers updated. Action: Update all computers in department to newest Adobe Reader Steps: Make contact with Computing Center to know when new versions are released

Distinguish how to update all computers in department to newest Adobe Reader Plan time to have computers updated Have computers updated.6.5 DETERMINE STAFF DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS AND ACTION PLAN

Action: Train faculty to use laptops.Steps: Find an individual to teach a Professional Development course on laptops.

Plan Professional Development Course.Give Professional Development course on how to use laptops.

Action: Train students how to use laptops.Steps: Confirm the success of faculty’s Professional Development course.

Create plan for student development course.Give lap top training course to students.

Action: Distributing TSATSteps: The Assistive Technology Graduate Assistant’s computer will have the TSAT saved on it.

The ATGA will be directed by the AT Specialist to print out 4 copies of the TSAT.The ATGA will deliver the TSAT to each faculty member in the Disability Services department.

Action: Give Professional Development CourseSteps: Find facilitator that has knowledge of specific skills

Plan Professional Development time and place that is most accessible for all faculty.Hold Professional Development Course.

6.6 DETERMINE TECHNOLOGY STAFF REQUIREMENTS AND ACTION PLANAction: Train Graduate Assistants how to use Assistive Technologies (AT).Steps: Assistive Technology Specialist will plan workshop for GAs to learn AT.

AT Specialist will train GAs at workshop.AT Specialist will ask GAs to mock-teach how to use one of the ATs.

Action: Establish skills that faculty are lacking.Steps: ATGA will collect TSAT from faculty when they are completed.

ATGA will make note of what skills each faculty member have not checked on the TSAT.ATGA will inform AT Specialist of which skills the majority of faculty are lacking.AT Specialist will inform the faculty of this GA’s findings.

Action: Keep AT Specialist up-to-date on new ATs and teaching with technology.

Steps: AT Specialist will take ESU’s MCOM 520 to supplement knowledge of AT and technology integration.

AT Specialist and their GA will attend the AT EXPO each year.AT Specialist will be on many AT mailing lists.

Action: AT Specialist will accommodate students.Step: AT Specialist will send out email at the beginning of each school year to faculty with protocol for all accommodations he/she provides.

DS faculty will send students to AT Specialist if their disability requires the use of an AT.AT Specialist of AT GA will train students how to use AT if they were unable to attend workshops.

Action: Keeping track of AT devices on website.Steps: AT Specialist will give ATGA new AT devices

ATGA will input new information in to an Excel Spreadseet ATGA will send email to Webmaster with new AT device information Action: Creating new website layout

Steps: When hiring ATGAs, AT Specialist will ensure they are tech savvy and/or in the Instructional Technology program. GA will keep draft of previous webpage layouts and update them when necessary. ATGA will create new layout/look for website pages when needed, and send them to Webmaster. Action: Make website accessible for as many disabilities as possible.

Steps: ATGA will research how to make accessibility changes and do the following:Make website ‘readable’ through text-to-speech programsAll pictures will have ‘tags’, to fit in readable formatWebpage will have text size options

6.7 DETERMINE END-USER SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS AND ACTION PLANn/a

6.8 DETERMINE MISCELLANEOUS REQUIREMENTS AND ACTION PLANAction: GAs will work together to plan workshopSteps: GAs will be supervised by AT Specialist during planning of workshop

GAs will plan the workshop for students to attend.GAs will contact students and advertise workshop about ATs. GAs will hold workshop.

Action: Provide notetaking, reading, and scribing.Steps: GAs will be trained how to provide these services.

GAs will be trained how to set up appointments, and set up appointments when needed.GAs will find notetakers or be a notetaker when requested by student with disability.

Action: Employ new AT Specialist, if needed.Steps: Head of Department will create job description of AT Specialist

Head of Department will create job posting for Specialist on ESU’s Human Resources page, and other Higher Ed job websites.Head of Department will interview prospective AT Specialists to ensure their knowledge of Disabilities and ATs.

Phase 7 - Fiscal Analysis and Budget

7.1 THREE-YEAR BUDGETThe following is the budget for the plan listed above. Not included are the Assistive

Technologies the department automatically receives through partnerships and agreements. The miscellaneous item includes any troubleshooting or extra technology needs we will encounter in three years.

Item # of Items

Cost Potential Funding Source Year

Macbook Pro 13 in. 2.4 GHz and Apple Care

5 $6,410 Tech Fee & Department Budget or Grant

Y1

Trainer for Macbooks 1 ? Department Budget or Grant Y1Facilitator for TSAT tech issues 1 ? Department Budget Y1, 2, 3Assistive Technology Specialist 1 $45,000 School When

neededMCOM 520 for AT Specialist 1 $1,248 School When

neededAT EXPO 2 $412 Department Budget Y1, 2, 3Windows 7 5 $595 Department Budget Y1Microsoft Office Professional 2010 5 $1745 Department Budget and/or Grant Y1Newest Adobe Reader 5 free - Y1Miscellaneous Expenses n/a $910 Department Budget Y1, 2, 3TOTAL: $56,380

Phase 8 - Plan Review and Evaluation

8.1 PLAN MONITORING STRATEGIES

To monitor the plan, the faculty members of the department will meet every other month. They will check with one another to ensure their new software has been put in, and that professional development plans are coming together. The GAs will also be a part of these

meetings so they understand the plan. The faculty will set up an appropriate timeline for all the events to occur each year, and check off the events at each meeting.

8.2 EVALUATION STRATEGIES

To evaluate the success of the plan, a survey will go out to the students who gain accommodation through disability services. This survey will be informal and ask questions such as ‘are all your accommodations being met’, ‘have you been trained by a GA’, ‘Were you trained in a timely and informative matter’, etc. There will also be discussion at the end of each school year to see if there is too much or too little going on during the year. They will take the students’ survey answers and fix what needs to be fixed. This could include, the timing of training sessions for GAs, or training session for students.