Leadership Institute on Accessible Online Education
"Best Practices: Current Thinking, New Directions"

August 18-20, 2005
Georgia Tech Global Learning Center, Technology Square
Atlanta, Georgia

This institute offered an opportunity to exchange ideas and examine central issues in the current initiatives and future directions of accessible online education for over 50 invited researchers, administrators, professors, and design technologists from post-secondary campuses across the country who were interested in improving access to distance education for individuals with disabilities. The institute format included presentations on research and best practices in accessible design, panel and breakout sessions, and extensive opportunity for networking and discussion.

• Highlights of Leadership Institute
• Presentations from Leadership Institute
• Sponsors of Leadership Institute

Highlights of Leadership Institute

Participants to the Leadership Institute on Accessible Online Education examined:

• Current research outcomes in accessible distance education.
• Implications of research outcomes for higher education.
• Model programs and assessment.
• Specific technologies and assessment.
• Improving practices and influencing policy on accessible distance education.
• Solutions to barriers encountered when designing accessible course material.
• How accessible courses enhance higher education instruction.

Participants to the Leadership Institute were challenged to:

• Integrate accessible technology into the existing course framework.
• Document the results of the use of accessible education.
• Assist in developing effective policies.
• Include students with disabilities in the development and assessment of accessible technology based programs.

Presentations and Sessions from Leadership Institute

• Welcome to theGRADE Leadership Institution
  Robert Todd, GRADE Project Director, Georgia Tech CATEA
• Best Practices- Current Thinking, New Directions
  Norm Coombs
• Professor Panel: Faculty Challenges- Accommodations in the Delivery of Online Education
  Larry Dickerson, Joe Koncelik, Randall McDaniel, Sue Byrd Steinweg, Karen Wolfe
• Adopting Best Practices for Accessible e-Learning from Corporate and Government
  Debra M. Ruh
• Accessible Course Design and Course Retro-fit
  Curtis Edmonds, Joe Koncelik, Robert Todd
• Finding Your Champions- Creating Accessibility Buy-In
  Kevin Price (PPT, 1 MB)
• Voluntary Guidelines for Accessible Distance Education
  Curtis Edmonds and Robert Todd
• The State of Accessibility Policy in Distance Education
  Cyndi Rowland
• Authoring Tools- Accessibility by Exceptions or Universal Access for All
  Jon Gunderson

Sponsors

The 2005 Leadership Institute on Accessible Online Education was sponsored by the Georgia Tech Research on Accessible Distance Education (GRADE) located within the Center for Assistive Technology & Environmental Access (CATEA) at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia.

•   Provides research, training, technical assistance and information dissemination to improve the accessibility of distance education for students with disabilities at universities and colleges throughout the nation. GRADE is supported by Grant #P333A020050 from the U. S. Department of Education, Office of Post-Secondary Education (OPE).
   
•   Home of the GRADE project and one of six research centers in the Georgia Tech College of Architecture. CATEA, formerly known as the Center for Rehabilitation Technology, has been in existence since the early 80s.
   
•   One of the nation's premiere research universities; ranked among U.S. News & World Report's top 10 public universities. Georgia Tech educates nearly 17,000 students every year through its Colleges of Engineering, Management, Computing, Sciences, Architecture, and Liberal Arts. Tech maintains a diverse campus and it's the nations top producer of women and African-American engineers. The institute offers research opportunities to both undergraduates and graduate students and is home to more than 80 interdisciplinary units plus the Georgia Tech Research Institute. During 2002-2003 academic year, Tech totaled more than $660 million in research awards and expenditure.
   

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Georgia Tech Research on Accessible Distance Education (GRA⁺DE)
Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access (CATEA)
Georgia Institute of Technology (GT) College of Architecture (COA)
Email: gradeproject@coa.gatech.edu Fax: 404-894-9320 Phone: 404-894-4960 (v/tty)

Accessibility User Agreement Copyright
Developed in collaboration with IDET Communication (IDET).
Funded by the Office of Post Secondary Education (OPE) under Grant #P333A020050.
©2003-2008 All Rights Reserved, Georgia Tech Research Corporation.
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