Danny Hilton-Chalfen, Coordinator
The UCLA Disabled Computing Program (DCP) has received three years of its four year funding commitment from the university. Now is the time to plan for the ongoing status of the DCP beyond year four. The current activities of the DCP are summarized in the 1990-1991 DCP Annual Report. The present document concerns itself with outlining the role of the DCP at UCLA, and highlights important resources that will require a renewed commitment from the university for the program to continue to address the adaptive computing technology needs of people with disabilities on campus.
The report is divided into four parts. The first part addresses the current services provided by the program. It identifies key areas of concern that will need to be addressed in coming years, and that may impact the need for program resources. The second part identifies areas that are of major importance to the campus with regard to accessibility, and that may be of concern to Section 504, 508 and ADA compliance. These are areas that the DCP has only partially addressed, or has not been able to address due to the constraints of current program resources. The third section looks ahead to the changing nature of disability support and adaptive computer technology in higher education nationwide. It identifies several key areas that UCLA will need to address if it is to retain its current status as a leader in the field. The final part recommends program resource options that will enable the DCP to meet current and anticipated demands for its services. These resources are critical to maintain the continuity of the program and insure that UCLA not only meets its mandated obligations but upholds the example it has set for other universities to follow.
The mission of the UCLA Disabled Computing Program (DCP) is to facilitate the integration of adaptive computing technology into the areas of instruction, research, and employment at UCLA, to benefit students, faculty, and staff with disabilities, and to provide campus-wide coordination and support for access to computers, local area networks, and on-line information resources by persons with disabilities.
This mission statement emphasizes the role of the DCP as a resource to assist the campus in integrating assistive computing technology into all spheres of campus life where there are potential barriers to -- and opportunities for -- the full participation of persons with disabilities. People with disabilities at UCLA require adaptive computer technology support services for two critical needs:
The DCP serves as the campus resource to make knowledge of the latest adaptive computer technology available to students, faculty and staff with disabilities to assist them in receiving equal access to campus computing facilities, and in learning compensatory tools to assist them in their instruction, research, and employment.
In the following sections I will discuss the current services the DCP provides and identify ways those services can be improved. I will also highlight important trends that we anticipate will place greater demands on program resources, and recommend program development strategies for addressing those demands.
An important part of the DCP philosophy is to assist individuals and campus departments in becoming more comfortable with the every day use of assistive technology and less reliant on ongoing DCP support for routine applications of the technology. This approach is part of the current trend on campus for everyday computing support to be provided locally by departments, enabling centralized support centers like the Microcomputer Support Office and the Disabled Computing Program to put more energy into those services that can benefit from central coordination, or are too specialized to be adequately supported locally. Technology transfer then, is a major role of the DCP, which, over time, allows the DCP to devote more effort to developing innovative technology support strategies.
Additionally, computing is widely distributed at UCLA. Therefore access to computing facilities by persons with disabilities must also be distributed. The DCP works closely with departmental computing staff to assist them in supporting their users with disabilities, and to encourage departments to become increasingly proficient in providing this support on their own.
Direct ongoing consulting and training to end users, however, will continue to be a major component of DCP services, as there has been, and, we anticipate, will always be, a lag in campus departments' ability to assume a support role. This is due to several factors: a lack of widespread familiarity with assistive technology (unlike standard microcomputer software and hardware); a lack of sufficient continuity of knowledgeable staff due to turnover; difficulty in dedicating sufficient staff time to assistive technology needs due to competing priorities and limited staff resources.
A number of factors are contributing to a greater demand for DCP services by students with disabilities. Due to advances in medical technology, and to a mainstreaming educational philosophy at the primary and secondary school levels, more severely disabled students are entering higher education than ever before. The DCP will need to acquire new knowledge to meet their needs, straining existing staff resources.
In addition, due to greater outreach efforts and improved services, more students with disabilities are enrolling at UCLA. The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) tracks the number of students with disabilities who receive support services from OSD. There has been a dramatic growth curve in the number of students served. From 1986 to 1990 the following trends were observed:
These high growth trends are reflected in the DCP's own service tracking. The 1989-90 DCP annual report documented a doubling in student demand for our services over the previous year -- four times the demand in 1986-87.
The DCP has historically supported people with all types of disabilities. However, the major areas of experience and expertise have primarily been in the following disability-related categories:
However, there are several other disability-related areas that are becoming more important at UCLA due to national growth trends in higher education, as well as to local recruitment efforts. Increasingly, we are working with hearing impaired students. In the coming year, we will begin to work with people with communication disorders. This is not a current area of expertise of the DCP and will place a greater demand on program resources than many other disability-related support needs. We also anticipate, again looking at local and national trends, the continued growth curve of students with learning disabilities, who have a wide range of service needs. We are experiencing a growing demand from students with acquired brain injury, reflecting a similar increase seen by OSD and campuses nationwide. All of these factors will strain current program resources.
These students have, and will continue to receive, direct consulting from the DCP. Student consulting frequently goes beyond the technical areas. Students need to learn how to integrate the technology into their overall academic program, a service we currently provide. The section below on Academic Retention and Achievement explores how other campus departments can become more involved in this area.
Consulting to individuals includes a wide range of specialized services. For example, the DCP loans lap top computers with voice synthesizers to blind students to evaluate the costly systems before purchasing their own for home and school use. The DCP has developed several foreign language Braille translation programs for graduate students requiring MA exams, assignments, and other texts in a format they can read.
Students receive direct training from DCP staff on adaptive computer technology. Training on specialized equipment will always be an important component of DCP services. However, we are trying to encourage students, when feasible, to utilize other resources for learning standard computer software. For example, a number of good automated software training packages exist for learning word processing, even touch typing. While a student who is blind may need extensive training on learning a word processor, a student with a learning disability may be able to be more independent in acquiring these skills, enabling DCP staff to focus their training on specialized applications.
One of the major components of student support is a close working relationship that has been established between the DCP and the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD). The DCP and OSD have frequent meetings together with students to coordinate the many details of support services. These coordination meetings have been found to enhance effectiveness of services greatly, as measured by timeliness of delivery of product (such as a brailled course syllabus), or by academic achievement (such as students reporting higher grades or successful completion of graduate qualifying exams).
The DCP/OSD liaison relationship results in greater opportunities for disabled student recruitment, retention, and academic success. In support of these efforts, the DCP and OSD have established joint activities with other departments, including Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with schools. For further discussion, see the sections on Recruitment, and on Retention and Academic Achievement, below.
Media conversion is yet another major area of DCP support to students. Blind students who read Braille often need access to course materials in Braille or on computer disk. Under section 504 students have a right to access such materials. No one has yet challenged the university in this area, but we alert the campus to the fact that new technologies have heightened expectations that print materials will be made accessible in alternative formats to the visually impaired.
The DCP uses advanced optical character recognition to convert print to Braille and other formats. We have brailled exams, course syllabi, reading assignments, etc. We anticipate that the demand for such services will continue to grow. While it is appropriate for a central resource like the DCP to develop such technological applications, it is appropriate for the media conversion to be done by local departments as it becomes a routine procedure. We do not have the resources to be a reliable source of timely alternative format production required by student course assignment schedules.
The DCP develops and maintains public access workstations to provide people with disabilities access to campus computing resources, where these are not accessible locally. Some users come from departments with small computing resources, and the expense of providing certain adaptive peripherals may be prohibitive at the local level. Public access workstations provide these users with many of their access needs, particularly in the area of compensatory tools, and access to campus-wide computing services such as OAC's 3090 mainframe computer.
These workstations also serve a vital function as the central campus resource for demonstrations, training and workshops for the campus community and the community at large. The workstations provide prototypes for departments to emulate in supporting their own users. As public access equipment is upgraded, older peripherals are made available at reduced cost to local support centers.
The workstations are located in a highly visible lab at the Microcomputer Information Center. The location itself demonstrates to the university and visitors the commitment UCLA has made to placing computer support for people with disabilities squarely in the mainstream of general campus microcomputer and networking support.
The DCP has provided coordination and guidance in a number of other areas of vital importance to people with disabilities at UCLA. However, limited program resources have restricted the level of DCP involvement. These are considered "Areas of Critical Need" because they impact access to educational programs and employment; I highlight them here to alert the university to potential 504, 508, and ADA compliance issues.
Adaptive computer technology has tremendous potential to create new employment opportunities at UCLA for persons with disabilities. The Report of the Disability Workgroup of the Chancellor's Council on Diversity contains a number of recommendations to realize this potential for prospective employees. The report recommends:
"A central inventory of adaptive loaner equipment housed under control of the DCP...as a cost effective manner to distribute resources where they are needed in a timely manner. This also allows for transfer of equipment with an individual when they transfer within the campus...(It) can serve to reduce departmental inhibitions to hire individuals with disabilities, which might result from the department's lack of previous experience or funding limitations."
The report recommends the establishment of a reasonable accommodation fund for workplace modifications, administered through the 504 office. The report states that "The best example and area of greatest potential for reasonable accommodation is the DCP." For the DCP to provide effective support for the reasonable accommodation effort for employees, the program resource needs of the DCP will need to be addressed.
Additionally, liaison relationships with the following departments will need to be established or strengthened:
The DCP provides the same support services to UCLA faculty with disabilities as to students and staff. Over the past few years, the numbers of faculty supported have been quite low in comparison with other groups. As the campus makes greater efforts to hire faculty with disabilities we may see an increase in demand for services. However, as discussions in the CACD have identified, many faculty fear self-identifying as they believe it will hurt their hiring, and promotion, opportunities.
An established computing resource like the DCP offers the university an outstanding opportunity to attract qualified students with disabilities. The DCP has worked with OSD to develop this area, but we do not have adequate resources to properly pursue this. It is recommended that the DCP liaison relationship with the following programs be enhanced toward this end.
Outreach materials for transfer center counselors need to be developed and printed. Key personnel at high schools and community colleges need to be targeted through workshops and presentations. UARS brochures can include DCP information and photos.
Over 60 community colleges across the state have computer training centers for students with disabilities. This resource represents a recruitment opportunity par excellence for UCLA. Liaison relationships with HTTC staff must be enhanced to help prospective applicants be aware of the computing resources at UCLA.
In addition, there are significant transfer issues related to the expectations students trained at these high tech center will have of equipment and services at UCLA.
Adaptive computer technology and related support services provide students with disabilities with an opportunity to be more successful academically. This in turn can provide important benefits in the area of academic retention.
The following campus departments and programs are involved in activities that can enhance students academic careers in the areas of retention and academic success. An effective liaison between the DCP and these programs will leverage existing university resources for maximum impact.
The computing resources of UCLA are increasingly integrated into all spheres of research, instructional, and administrative life. Everywhere computing technology intersects one of these areas, there is a potential obstacle as well as opportunity for a person with a disability. The goal of the DCP in this regard is to stimulate all levels of the university to fold disability access considerations into all information technology planning and implementation processes as a matter of standard practice. This is what is meant by "electronic curbcuts," just as a wheelchair ramp would be a routine consideration in the design of any building today.
We wish to alert the campus for need to consider computer accessibility in computing infrastructure planning as a proactive process. It is much more difficult to redesign a user interface, a microcomputer lab, or an individual workstation after the fact, than to plan for accessibility from the outset. With Section 508, or the "Electronic Curbcuts" legislation, along with Section 504, we anticipate that people with disabilities will come increasingly to recognize their right to equity in access to information technology resources.
Proactive computing infrastructure accessibility considerations are necessary at three levels. First, campus-wide information technology planning can take into account accessibility from the vantage point of access to backbone networks, shared on-line services, distribution of computing resources, etc. Second, computing facilities can consider accessibility when new labs are being designed or upgraded. Access here includes physical access to the lab, access to individual computer workstations, access to network menus, instructional software, etc. Third, is the level of planning individual workstations, for staff or faculty, for example. Here accessibility must be planned for application software, drive and power switches, workstation monitor and table positioning, etc.
To the extent that computing resources can be shared, that the campus computing "infrastructure" can be tapped into from multiple locations and platforms, the need for a large number of accessible workstations could potentially be reduced. But it must be kept in mind that there are many other related resources -- e.g.. colleagues, files, clients, consultants -- that are tied to a particular place, and cannot be "distributed."
UCLA has numerous information resources in both print and machine readable form. Access to these resources is critical to provide equal educational and employment opportunity to persons with disabilities. The technology exists to make many of these information resources accessible to people who are print impaired.
Imagine, for example, a blind student who wants to look at UCLA's course catalog to explore different course combinations to select a major field of study. How would they read the catalog? Or the schedule of classes? What of a blind employee who needs to read the University Policies and Procedures manual, to find out how to file a grievance. Asking someone to read them the manual presents confidentiality problems. Yet all such materials could be made available in an accessible form.
These information resources are used by people who are not necessarily students of or employed by the university. Such people include prospective students and employees, visitors to and guests of the university, people from other universities and the community using the libraries, and so forth. The "public" nature of much of the information in print and computer format at UCLA means that non-UCLA people with print-impairing disabilities will also need access to these information resources.
The UCLA Library is currently undertaking working with the Office of Academic Computing to implement the Campus Wide Information Service, or CWIS. Working with individual departments, CWIS will implement important campus information resources on-line. The library is now working with Telecommunications to put the UCLA phone directory on-line, and with Staff Personnel to put the UCLA Job Bulletin on-line. These resources will then be as easy to access as Orion, the UCLA on-line card catalog.
CWIS represents an unprecedented opportunity for the print impaired to have equal access to information resources. Once on-line, CWIS information can be read by the blind with a voice synthesizer or Braille displays, by those with low vision in large print, and by people with learning or certain orthopedic disability with these and other devices.
The DCP recommends that the campus make every effort to support and speed the CWIS effort, which is not only of great use to the campus at large, but will revolutionize information access to persons with print impairment.
We identify the following partial list of important UCLA information resources for potential conversion to on-line pubic access. Some of these resources are currently planned as part of the CWIS.
To provide expert support for the programmatic areas outlined above, the DCP will need to develop its expertise in a number of technical areas.
The field of adaptive computer technology is rapidly expanding nationwide. We have learned much from colleagues at other campuses. The DCP itself has become a national resource to many colleges and universities who are establishing services. From this vantage point, it is possible to survey where the field is heading. Many of these directions have already been covered in the previous sections of this document. The following sections outline additional directions UCLA may chose to pursue if it wishes to stay in the forefront of the field.
Adaptive computer technology is becoming a recognized specialty in a number of academic programs at universities nationwide. This is a new field that is developing quickly. Already there are academic degree programs appearing on other campuses.
I will point out a potential growth path for such academic integration, with a suggested time frame for implementation. Following this step by step path, will be a list of the academic departments for which academic courses and programs in assistive technology would be particularly relevant.
Candidates for workshops, classes and degree programs:
Another area of instructional opportunity is to provide classes in assistive technology for people who want more applied experience with the technology. For example, a UNEX class might reach teachers with disabled students in their classes, or people who want to become service providers. Another applied course might cover assistive technology skills for persons with disabilities who want skills that will enhance their opportunities both in the job market and in further education.
With passage of the recent ADA legislation, businesses are looking for guidance in the area of reasonable accommodation. Assistive technology is a major component of such accommodation. Workshops and classes in conjunction with the Management School's Executive Education Programs would be an effective means of meeting this need. The location of the DCP demo lab at the MIC, next door to the Executive Education program, is particularly convenient for such purposes.
For several years the DCP and OSD have talked about students who rely on a number of support services --readers, notetakers, transcribers -- to do their academic work. These students are not only missing opportunities to develop computer skills that could make them more effective at UCLA, but also are not acquiring skills that will make them more successful after they graduate. Part of the problem is that students are reluctant to part with trusted methods. Other students feel they need the structure of a class to learn such a new area. Another issue is that students often feel that they do no have time to learn the technology given competing demands of other courses. The irony is that such skills would give them more time for other areas.
One strategy would be to offer a for-credit class in academic computing methods that would allow students to have the time and structure to learn how to use both standard and adapted computer technology. In keeping with the academic focus of UCLA class, the course content could cover, for example, utilizing library on-line resources. The student in such a class would learn the basics of word processing, to be able to outline and write term papers and bibliographies, exams, and other assignments. The student would also learn how to use optical scanning and other technologies to access library and other print materials for assignments and research. The techniques would be tailored to the individual disability.
DCP currently has outstanding access technology resources in it's demonstration lab at the MIC. These resources, as well as the expertise of program staff, could provide an excellent training opportunity for students in a number of disciplines, listed in the above section. Developing a number of field programs would not only provide training opportunities, but could also provide clients of the DCP with additional training and consulting support. The following strategies have potential for providing students with hands-on experience with assistive technology and services as part of their degree programs:
The university has outstanding and untapped research, development and clinical potential in the area of assistive computer technology. The School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Center for Health Sciences could provide resources for a formidable program in assistive technology, or rehabilitation engineering as the field is often called.
Assistive computer-related technologies are of great importance today in rehabilitation efforts to reintegrate people with new or existing disabilities into the home, workplace, or education. The current clinical efforts of the following organizations could be significantly enhanced through such applications:
In addition, this clinical expertise would provide the basis for contributions to the field in both research and development of innovative assistive technology products and services. This R&D capability would be closely linked to the development of academic courses and graduate degree specializations, with the hiring of appropriate research faculty, as detailed in the above section on Academic Program Integration. For example, a rehabilitation engineering program, housed in the School of Engineering, or as a separate, interdisciplinary research center, could serve as a focal point for such efforts.
The DCP, with it's knowledge and experience in the field, could play a catalytic role in the integration of assistive technology and services into these campus programs. With adequate program support, the DCP could establish a liaison with these campus organizations to explore the potential for such an effort.
The experience of the DCP could provide useful knowledge to other UC campuses. Efforts should be made to provide input to the UC Task Force on Academic Computing as they review academic computer strategies and futures system-wide. Possible topics for discussion:
The DCP has worked with people with temporary disabilities (broken wrists, arms, etc) that make it impossible for them to continue to perform their daily academic tasks, including typing. There could be much more done in the way of awareness to let individuals and organizations know, including Student Health Services, about the DCP, and to provide support to people with temporary disabilities.
Employees with carpal tunnel syndrome or repetitive strain syndrome in fact have acquired a disability. These people may not be able to carry out their daily responsibility. The numbers of such people in the workplace has grown dramatically in recent years. One UCLA employee with this syndrome is a regular user of the Dragon Dictate voice recognition system the DCP has. As awareness of these problems increases, more people will seek alternative ways of doing their daily work, and there will be increased emphasis on prevention.
The DCP could establish a liaison with other campus resources, for example in the Center for Health Sciences, to promote greater awareness of computer-work related health problems, their prevention, and tools to augment such acquired disabilities. Other problem areas for which ergonomic solutions exist are eye fatigue, seating posture, and keyboard positioning.
The DCP has been developing a number of technologies and related services to benefit students and others with disabilities in becoming more independent in their work. This process can result in significant cost savings to the university. For example, DCP lap top computers are now being loaned to OSD provided notetakers for a deaf graduate student. Prior to this, a notetaker took handwritten notes, and then transcribed them onto a computer. The lap top removes the transcription process and extra cost. Blind students could also use a lap top with a voice synthesizer to take their own notes, rather than rely on a notetaker.
Other technologies include reading machines that can reduce reliance on hiring readers. This technology represents a one time fixed cost, vs. ongoing reader costs. Specially adapted computer workstations have enabled visually impaired students to write their own papers and exams, rather than rely on transcribers. They also report higher grades.
These are just some of the examples of cost savings that are a by-product of increased independence. Students acquire skills that they can take with them after graduation into the workplace. Similar cost savings could be realized in staff and faculty employment as well. With sufficient staffing, the DCP can expand its development of these cost saving tools and services.
The whole campus benefits from assistive technology, and the knowledge the DCP has acquired. The benefits of the DCP services and technology are of benefit to many more people than those with disabilities the program serves. Faculty and students conducting research are among the many who may gain from having this campus resources. Here are a few examples, taken just from the current academic year:
The program coordinator is currently funded as a full-time position. To ensure continuity of program services, efforts need to be made to secure the permanent status of the position. Indeed, without a full time coordinator, the DCP would not be a viable program.
The last DCP Annual Report documents a doubling in demand for consulting services over the previous year. We are now working with more adaptive systems, on more platforms, than ever before. Our expansion in to support for local area network access places new demands on the program.
A full time DCP technician position is crucial to meet the current demand for program services. Additionally, a full time career position is a must to retain a qualified person given competition from off-campus computing services employers.
A part time assistant position will enable the DCP technician to provide better quality support to the systems we currently work with, and to develop support for additional systems we currently decline to support given our limited resources. An assistant will help with routine training and equipment maintenance, and with many of the time consuming daily administrative tasks.
The DCP has been functioning effectively and provides a broad range of services to UCLA thanks in large part to the allocation of equipment funds from the university. Accommodating an increasingly diverse and growing disabled user population, many with immediate computer access needs due to course scheduling and employment requirements, depends on a reliable funding base for technology. the DCP has had this stable funding base for the first three years of it's phased implementation, and has a commitment for the following fiscal year.
The ongoing status of DCP equipment funding beyond year four needs to be addressed immediately. Without a permanent equipment allocation, it would be difficult for UCLA to comply with its 504, 508, and ADA commitments. We are in the lead in taking a proactive approach in the area of adaptive computer technology, and we can stay there.