DisAbility & Identity: Wendy Maruyama, Artist and Professor Journeying from art student to world-renowned artist How do we talk about disability as an identity?

"Talking about Deafness and disability has never been easy.  I realize as time goes on, my being Deaf was the first identity that I was consciously aware of.  And I have cerebral palsy.  The days before where I had gone to speech therapy, physical therapy, then of course being Japanese American, we were the only Asian American kids on the block.  Then there is the issue of being female in a male-dominated field..." -Wendy Maruyama, Furniture Maker, Artist and Professor

What is the legacy of embracing identity?

"The thing that she instilled in me and generations of students is 'Don't ever settle on the thing that you did as the final product.  Keep pushing." - Adam John Manly, Artist


Take a moment to explore Wendy Maruyama's journey from childhood to world-renowned artist and scholar with the video linked here and below:  Wendy Maruyama segment on Craft in America: Identity.  (8.5 minutes)


The journey toward success for people with disabilities has strong partnerships on campus.  UMBC students with disabilities may request accommodation through Student Disability Services (link).

UMBC employees with disabilities may request work-related accommodation through Accessibility & Disability Services (link).

More information on how UMBC provides accommodation for members of the Deaf or Hard of Hearing community is linked here.

Wendy Maruyama's website, featuring more information about her life and work is linked here.

Image illustrating the post: Photo of small paper/wooden block figure standing in the crook of a tree, gazing at the ascending trunk.
]]> How do we talk about disability as an identity? "Talking about Deafness and disability has never been easy.  I realize as time goes on, my being Deaf was the first identity that I was... https://youtu.be/jF6lJNx5NRA https://dev.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/89375/guest@my.umbc.edu/ce893f5b1cd2fa54582c98651f171541/api/pixel art artist cerebral craft deaf disability faculty female furniture hearing identity japanese maruyama mfa palsy professor wendy wood working Office of Accessibility & Disability Services https://dev.my.umbc.edu/groups/accessibility https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xsmall.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/original.jpg?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xxlarge.png?1565792941 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xlarge.png?1565792941 https://assets3-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/large.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/medium.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/small.png?1565792941 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xsmall.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xxsmall.png?1565792941 Office of Accessibility & Disability Services https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/089/375/6c13c56c7cb2d14a10002f86d7819677/xxlarge.jpg?1577984850 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/089/375/6c13c56c7cb2d14a10002f86d7819677/xlarge.jpg?1577984850 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/089/375/6c13c56c7cb2d14a10002f86d7819677/large.jpg?1577984850 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/089/375/6c13c56c7cb2d14a10002f86d7819677/medium.jpg?1577984850 https://assets3-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/089/375/6c13c56c7cb2d14a10002f86d7819677/small.jpg?1577984850 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/089/375/6c13c56c7cb2d14a10002f86d7819677/xsmall.jpg?1577984850 https://assets2-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/089/375/6c13c56c7cb2d14a10002f86d7819677/xxsmall.jpg?1577984850 4 0 false Thu, 02 Jan 2020 13:02:40 -0500 Thu, 02 Jan 2020 22:51:19 -0500 RAC Renewal and Accessible Paths to Aquatics Stair-free routes to the pool 12/20/19-3/22/20

Facilities Management has shared that the RAC Renewal Renovation project is scheduled to begin as soon as the 2019 fall semester ends on 12/20/2019.  This post is excerpted from their "projects" website, which has illustrations and a map of the shifted accessible routes.

The eighteen-month project will start in the center fieldhouse portion of the building and end in the three-court gym portion of the building in July 2021.

During construction, the front lobby continues as the main building entry and the elevator will remain accessible.

Multi-phased construction sequencing will allow for continued use of a pool and scheduled recreation programs.

Phase 1 construction will close selected area of the RAC between 12/20/2019 and 3/22/2020.

As you review the Phase 1 closure plans below, note the following items:


A photo of the head of the True Grit dog statue illustrates this post.  The link to full website, and a downloadable map pdf of the modified accessible routes for the RAC area are available below on the myUMBC page.
]]> Facilities Management has shared that the RAC Renewal Renovation project is scheduled to begin as soon as the 2019 fall semester ends on 12/20/2019.  This post is excerpted from their "projects"... https://fm.umbc.edu/projects-2/rac-renewal-project-need-to-know-12-20-2019-3-9-2020/ Document https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/attachments/ede034461abc29d9c8d35cc6f19d1c19/69eaee08/news/000/089/094/65e0bce9207bd3a5a51e0d2b568a6214/RAC CONSTRUCTION AND ACCESSIBLE ROUTES 12.13.19.pdf?1576258537 https://dev.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/89094/guest@my.umbc.edu/d697939c923cc4b256f22b6087567255/api/pixel accessible aquatics athletic center disability elevator meet pool rac recreation renovation retriever route swim update Office of Accessibility & Disability Services https://dev.my.umbc.edu/groups/accessibility https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xsmall.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/original.jpg?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xxlarge.png?1565792941 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xlarge.png?1565792941 https://assets3-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/large.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/medium.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/small.png?1565792941 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xsmall.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xxsmall.png?1565792941 Office of Accessibility & Disability Services https://assets3-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/089/094/f50159600a269c5e390ca491668a8506/xxlarge.jpg?1576000721 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/089/094/f50159600a269c5e390ca491668a8506/xlarge.jpg?1576000721 https://assets3-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/089/094/f50159600a269c5e390ca491668a8506/large.jpg?1576000721 https://assets2-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/089/094/f50159600a269c5e390ca491668a8506/medium.jpg?1576000721 https://assets2-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/089/094/f50159600a269c5e390ca491668a8506/small.jpg?1576000721 https://assets2-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/089/094/f50159600a269c5e390ca491668a8506/xsmall.jpg?1576000721 https://assets2-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/089/094/f50159600a269c5e390ca491668a8506/xxsmall.jpg?1576000721 5 0 false Tue, 10 Dec 2019 13:28:30 -0500 Fri, 13 Dec 2019 21:08:46 -0500 International Day of Persons with Disabilities Nothing About Us Without Us

Each year on December 3rd, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities is honored as the United Nation's commitment for promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. The day raises awareness of the political, economic, social and cultural aspects of disability that affects people around the world.

More than 1 billion people in the world have a disability. At fifteen percent (15%) of the world’s population, persons with disabilities account for the world’s largest minority. Furthermore, one out of every seven people is affected by disability. 

Working toward an accessible future is everyone's responsibility. We must work together to create a future which insists that people are not excluded due to their health impairments. Report barriers when you encounter them via our accessibility concern form here: https://accessibility.umbc.edu/report-campus-accessibility-concern/ and work with us to overcome barriers.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' message is linked below.


]]> Each year on December 3rd, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities is honored as the United Nation's commitment for promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. The... https://youtu.be/dviENsW7usY https://dev.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/88931/guest@my.umbc.edu/9e4fc16b662b3c116df3f702fe381313/api/pixel access accessibility accommodation day disability international nations person service technology umbc united Office of Accessibility & Disability Services https://dev.my.umbc.edu/groups/accessibility https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xsmall.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/original.jpg?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xxlarge.png?1565792941 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xlarge.png?1565792941 https://assets3-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/large.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/medium.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/small.png?1565792941 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xsmall.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xxsmall.png?1565792941 Office of Accessibility & Disability Services https://assets2-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/931/2112d611b91169765b3351a25333dfa1/xxlarge.jpg?1575416279 https://assets3-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/931/2112d611b91169765b3351a25333dfa1/xlarge.jpg?1575416279 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/931/2112d611b91169765b3351a25333dfa1/large.jpg?1575416279 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/931/2112d611b91169765b3351a25333dfa1/medium.jpg?1575416279 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/931/2112d611b91169765b3351a25333dfa1/small.jpg?1575416279 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/931/2112d611b91169765b3351a25333dfa1/xsmall.jpg?1575416279 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/931/2112d611b91169765b3351a25333dfa1/xxsmall.jpg?1575416279 2 0 false Tue, 03 Dec 2019 18:45:21 -0500 East Side Campus Access, Parking and Routes Accessible Paths from the Commons Garage, Transit and More
Accessible routes and parking in the Commons Garage area have been available since the Interdisciplinary Life Science Building (ILSB) opened this Fall after three years of construction.  The attached document highlights how the accessible routes have expanded and shifted since the construction fencing came down this past summer.  If your event, classes, work, or other interests bring you to the East Side of Campus, take a look at the downloadable document to become familiar with updated options. 

Want to know more general information about accessible parking?  Parking Services has Accessible Parking and Medical Permit Parking options. If more information is needed, their website is linked below.  Not driving?  The Transit stops are shown as red bus icons, with a blue outline for additional MTA options.

Need to know more about accessible routes? The focused map section in the document is excerpted from UMBC's Accessible Route Map, which is posted on UMBC's Visitors Guide  Campus Maps website.
]]> Accessible routes and parking in the Commons Garage area have been available since the Interdisciplinary Life Science Building (ILSB) opened this Fall after three years of construction.  The... https://parking.umbc.edu/disabled-parking/ Document https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/attachments/1e84e44d127f4c4ddf3804b05a0cebc7/69eaee08/news/000/088/715/c04ee68bad31e814e67c402f57dbf1d2/Commons Drive Garage update posting November 2019.pdf?1574369994 https://dev.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/88715/guest@my.umbc.edu/1526c3fc492b1cc86e27f22d7de210f5/api/pixel access accessible commons construction disability entrance flat garage ilsb map medical parking route update van wheelchair Office of Accessibility & Disability Services https://dev.my.umbc.edu/groups/accessibility https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xsmall.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/original.jpg?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xxlarge.png?1565792941 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xlarge.png?1565792941 https://assets3-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/large.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/medium.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/small.png?1565792941 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xsmall.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xxsmall.png?1565792941 Office of Accessibility & Disability Services https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/715/654f780abbc8466543d01ea059e1de54/xxlarge.jpg?1574370135 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/715/654f780abbc8466543d01ea059e1de54/xlarge.jpg?1574370135 https://assets2-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/715/654f780abbc8466543d01ea059e1de54/large.jpg?1574370135 https://assets3-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/715/654f780abbc8466543d01ea059e1de54/medium.jpg?1574370135 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/715/654f780abbc8466543d01ea059e1de54/small.jpg?1574370135 https://assets2-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/715/654f780abbc8466543d01ea059e1de54/xsmall.jpg?1574370135 https://assets3-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/715/654f780abbc8466543d01ea059e1de54/xxsmall.jpg?1574370135 2 0 false Thu, 21 Nov 2019 16:29:07 -0500 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 15:00:59 -0500 Sensory Disability and Apps as Assistive Technology Navigating sight, sound and more
When Nobel Laureate Jose Saramago wrote the novel Blindness in 1995, he highlighted how losing sight can bring out the best (and worst) in people. Technology has evolved  since those days before smart phones and ubiquitous personal technology.  Today, the drive for ideal inclusive technology is advancing to assist people with disabilities in all aspects of daily life, not just work and school. This progress, not unlike the book's quest to triumph over adversity, is a quest to overcome privilege toward universal design.   For the uninitiated these tools might be hiding in plain sight.  A broad sampling of this progress from several major developers include:

Google apps that create accessibility in the digital world and beyond, such as: 
  • Live Transcribe (link), which provides speech captioning  
  • Lookout, which helps people with visual impairments learn about their surroundings.

Additionally voice guidance in Google Maps helps people with visual impairments get to their destinations with more confidence with this linked article.

Explore Wakana Sugiyama's experience with this linked video.
 

 Microsoft's accessibility supports include:  
Apple's embedded assistive technology include:
  • Voiceover, color filters and Magnifier for accessing visual content
  • LiveListen for assistive listening
  • FaceTime for ASL communication
  • Voice Control and Switch Control as mobility options.
UMBC's Blackboard learning management system has Ally as a support for accessible online course materials.  Instructional Technology has training for faculty and staff posted on their myUMBC site.   

Thumbnail image:  Black and white photo of sculpture depicting a line of four squatting humans with each person's hands covering the eyes and ears of the person in front of them.


]]> When Nobel Laureate Jose Saramago wrote the novel Blindness in 1995, he highlighted how losing sight can bring out the best (and worst) in people. Technology has evolved  since those days before... https://accessibility.umbc.edu/website-accessibility/ https://dev.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/88463/guest@my.umbc.edu/5b7724d220eac71b0bbd0e6d7d456753/api/pixel accessibility accommodation app apple blackboard blind captions deaf disability google handicap hearing impairment live lookout maps microsoft mobility transcribe translator Office of Accessibility & Disability Services https://dev.my.umbc.edu/groups/accessibility https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xsmall.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/original.jpg?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xxlarge.png?1565792941 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xlarge.png?1565792941 https://assets3-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/large.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/medium.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/small.png?1565792941 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xsmall.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xxsmall.png?1565792941 Office of Accessibility & Disability Services https://assets3-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/463/ee3bbef5592bed79ec82b11d78038df5/xxlarge.jpg?1573688765 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/463/ee3bbef5592bed79ec82b11d78038df5/xlarge.jpg?1573688765 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/463/ee3bbef5592bed79ec82b11d78038df5/large.jpg?1573688765 https://assets2-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/463/ee3bbef5592bed79ec82b11d78038df5/medium.jpg?1573688765 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/463/ee3bbef5592bed79ec82b11d78038df5/small.jpg?1573688765 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/463/ee3bbef5592bed79ec82b11d78038df5/xsmall.jpg?1573688765 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/463/ee3bbef5592bed79ec82b11d78038df5/xxsmall.jpg?1573688765 0 0 false Wed, 13 Nov 2019 22:52:42 -0500 Thu, 21 Nov 2019 17:15:03 -0500 Designing Courses Inclusively for Students w/Disabilities Faculty know-how w/Blackboard Ally & UMBC Instructional Tech Instructional Technology is hosting a series of events for National Distance Learning Week, and many of concepts and skills that are imparted directly support better outcomes for students with disabilities.  These same strategies also work for faculty and staff with disabilities who use Blackboard to communicate with their classes, senates or groups.  Blackboard Ally has features and tools to support how content is shared with distance learners which can include a higher proportion of students with disabilities.

Universal Design for Learning, Accessible Content and Blackboard Ally is a one-hour session on Tuesday November 5, 2019 at noon, which includes lunch if you RSVP, and it also has an online option via Blackboard Collaborate.  Details are here: https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/instructional-technology/events/76798

Additional course offerings next week can also increase accessibility of course materials, such as the adoption of Open Educational Resources, during which faculty share their experience with OER, use cases and resources.

We want more accessibility in course design, and we hope to see you there!

Accompanying thumbnail image:  hand holding sign stating "we want more"
]]> Instructional Technology is hosting a series of events for National Distance Learning Week, and many of concepts and skills that are imparted directly support better outcomes for students with... https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/instructional-technology/events/76798 https://dev.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/88083/guest@my.umbc.edu/6b393f1bd61092430ccfd0c2ea205b59/api/pixel academic access accessibility accommodation ally blackboard cripple disability distance faculty handicap instruction learning staff student training Office of Accessibility & Disability Services https://dev.my.umbc.edu/groups/accessibility https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xsmall.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/original.jpg?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xxlarge.png?1565792941 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xlarge.png?1565792941 https://assets3-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/large.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/medium.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/small.png?1565792941 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xsmall.png?1565792941 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/480/1109171419a1b66ae0d9168429adfb61/xxsmall.png?1565792941 Office of Accessibility & Disability Services/Instructional https://assets2-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/083/317dd83cdefa95e3cb5b3f6f8ed3a72b/xxlarge.jpg?1572643288 https://assets1-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/083/317dd83cdefa95e3cb5b3f6f8ed3a72b/xlarge.jpg?1572643288 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/083/317dd83cdefa95e3cb5b3f6f8ed3a72b/large.jpg?1572643288 https://assets2-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/083/317dd83cdefa95e3cb5b3f6f8ed3a72b/medium.jpg?1572643288 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/083/317dd83cdefa95e3cb5b3f6f8ed3a72b/small.jpg?1572643288 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/083/317dd83cdefa95e3cb5b3f6f8ed3a72b/xsmall.jpg?1572643288 https://assets4-dev.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/088/083/317dd83cdefa95e3cb5b3f6f8ed3a72b/xxsmall.jpg?1572643288 0 0 false Fri, 01 Nov 2019 17:45:41 -0400 What's it like living with a disability? Minda Dentler, Business school student When Minda Dentler was a baby she contracted polio, which paralyzed her legs. Adopted by an American family, she grew up watching other kids run and jump. It wasn't until she was at university that she finally felt the wind through her hair -- and now she is an Ironman world champion. Dentler gives her Brief but Spectacular take on living with a disability.

https://youtu.be/DAS7SacuRHY

The captioned video is three and a half minutes covering her experience and spectacular journey from hating recess to loving the wind in her hair. The transcript is available here: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/brief/318333/minda-dentler

As we raise awareness about the intersection of Disability with campus life, UMBC has an Adaptive Sports Committee, which works with students and also hosts adaptive sports events like wheelchair basketball (see postings here: https://www.facebook.com/umbcadaptivesports). If you, or your student group are interested in participating, reach out to the organizer via yomiyuf1@umbc.edu for more details.
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Are your PowerPoint presentations accessible to every student in your course? Instructors routinely upload PowerPoint presentations into their course, but this doesn't mean that every student has the same opportunity to access the materials, based on an individual's abilities. 

Instructional Technology is conveniently offering this online, one-hour course on November 13th at noon.  Click on the Visit Website button below to register through myUMBC.

Microsoft PowerPoint is widely used to distribute content and information. Unfortunately, students with disabilities are often faced with an array of challenges when accessing PowerPoint presentations. According to the Quality Matters rubric for assessing courses, “course design [and content] should reflect a commitment to accessibility and usability for all learners, ensuring they can access all course content and activities.” 

Join us to learn how you can make your PowerPoint Presentations more accessible. Remember: accessible content is good content! 

Objectives
Upon completion of the workshop, participants will be able to:
  • Update to the latest version of Microsoft Office through UMBC's Office 365 license 
  • Utilize headers, formatting tools, and text styles rather than stylizing text
  • Modify alt text on images and shapes for screen-readers
  • Explain the importance of layout stylization and its impact on accessibility, like creating table headers, or splitting text into multiple columns 
  • Review accessibility through the Read Aloud, Check Accessibility, and Ally tools   

About Ally
Ally is a tool used for instructors to receive feedback on the accessibility of their content, coupled with instructions on how to improve the accessibility of their content. Additionally, Ally automatically creates alternative versions of files which allows students to choose the type of file they want that best suits their needs. To learn more about Ally, visit our extensive FAQ collection. 

Accessible Content Ally Badge
Instructional Technology will be awarding the Accessible Content Ally Badge to instructors who complete all of the following trainings:
  • Making Word Docs Accessible -- 1 training OR 1 webinar
  • Making PowerPoints Accessible -- 1 training OR 1 webinar
  • Making PDFs Accessible -- 1 training OR 1 webinar
  • Any Ally Orientation -- 1 training OR 1 webinar
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Are your Microsoft Word documents accessible to every student in your course? Instructors routinely upload Word docs into their course, but this doesn't mean that every student has the same opportunity to access the materials, based on an individual's abilities. Come see what this is about with Instructional Technology's training on Thursday October 31st at 11:30 in ENG 102.  Follow the link below to reserve your space and get it on your calendar.

Microsoft Word is widely used for document creation and distribution. Unfortunately, students with disabilities are often faced with an array of challenges when accessing Word documents. According to the Quality Matters rubric for assessing courses, “course design [and content] should reflect a commitment to accessibility and usability for all learners, ensuring they can access all course content and activities.” 

Join us to learn how you can make your Word documents more accessible. Remember: accessible content is good content! 

Objectives
Upon completion of the workshop, participants will be able to:
  • Update to the latest version of Microsoft Office through UMBC's Office 365 license 
  • Utilize headers, formatting tools, and text styles rather than stylizing text
  • Modify alt text on images and shapes for screen-readers
  • Explain the importance of layout stylization and its impact on accessibility, like creating table headers, or splitting text into multiple columns 
  • Review accessibility through the Read Aloud, Check Accessibility, and Ally tools   

About Ally
Ally is a tool used for instructors to receive feedback on the accessibility of their content, coupled with instructions on how to improve the accessibility of their content. Additionally, Ally automatically creates alternative versions of files which allows students to choose the type of file they want that best suits their needs. To learn more about Ally, visit our extensive FAQ collection. 

Accessible Content Ally Badge
Instructional Technology will be awarding the Accessible Content Ally Badge to instructors who complete all of the following trainings:
  • Making Word Docs Accessible -- 1 training OR 1 webinar
  • Making PowerPoints Accessible -- 1 training OR 1 webinar
  • Making PDFs Accessible -- 1 training OR 1 webinar
  • Any Ally Orientation -- 1 training OR 1 webinar
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National Disability Awareness Month is a national campaign held in October that raises awareness about issues for people with disabilities, and celebrates the many and varied contributions of Americans with disabilities.

NDAM's roots go back to 1945, when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." In 1962, the word "physically" was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with various types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to "National Disability Awareness Month."

Americans with disabilities make up almost one-fifth of our population. Since the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by the 41st Present George H.W. Bush on July 26th 1990.  There have been huge strides in accessibility and inclusion. People with disabilities still face discrimination and lack of understanding. 

However, the fight is not done.

The Presidential Proclamation of 2015 states: “America is at its strongest when we harness the talents and celebrate the distinct gifts of all our people.  This October, as we observe the 70th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, let us pay tribute to all who fought for better laws, demanded better treatment, and overcome ignorance and indifference to make our Nation more perfect.  In their honor, and for the betterment of generations of Americans to come, let us continue the work of removing obstacles to employment so every American has the chance to develop their skills and make their unique mark on the world we share.”

Disability Awareness Events:
Oct 1 All Day MP 212 - Open House with Office Accessibility & Disability Services
Oct 7 at Noon, MP 222 - Mission Possible! Disability & Accessibility Scavenger Hunt
Oct 14 at Noon, Online: Make Your PDFs Accessible
Oct 23 at Noon, UC 310 - Campus Accessibility Project Update and Discussion
Oct 25 at Noon, Online - Make Your PDFs Accessible
Oct 30 at Noon, Sondheim - Trick or Treat: Accessibility Walk, Tap, and Roll
Oct 31 at 11:30 ENG 102 Make Your Word Documents Accessible 

We hope to see you there!
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