developed by catea with funding from nidrr under grant # h133d010207 © 2005 all rights reserved,...

Developed by CATEA with funding from NIDRR under grant # H133D010207© 2005 All Rights Reserved, Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta, GA.

“We are the champions my friend

And we'll keep on fighting to the endCause we are the

championsWe are the champions

No time for losers Cause we are the

champions” Queen


Finding Your Champions: Creating Accessibility Buy In

Presented by:

Kevin Price

Southeast Disability & Business Technical Assistance Center


Located at…

Serve 8 states in the

Southeast Region

AL, FL, GA, KY

MS, NC, SC, TN

…at Georgia Tech

Southeast DBTAC


U.S. Department of Education

Since 1991

Grant Number H133D010207

Funding

DBTAC Mission

• Facilitate widespread use of accessible education-based electronic and information technology

• Facilitate voluntary compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)

Southeast DBTAC Approach

• Educational Leadership Team (ELT)

– Finding the leaders in the field and working with them

– Approach used since 1991 for ADA Network

– In 2001, Accessible Information Technology aspect was added but approach didn’t change


Cham-pi-on ('cham-pE-&n)Both a Noun and a Verb

Noun: defender

somebody who defends, supports, or promotes a person or cause

Verb: defend

to defend, support, or promote a cause or person


Why are Accessibility Champions Needed?

• Peers go to trusted peers for effective dissemination of information

• Accessibility champions provide leadership and communicate in the same language as their peers


Characteristics of the Champion

• Provides leadership • Shares common values – You can’t legislate

attitudes• Moves forward with resources at hand• Approaches challenging situations creatively • Shares a sense of energy and excitement in

finding new opportunities in promoting cause• Connects with both peers and people outside

peer group (peer pressure)


The Table

• “Busyness” rampant in society• Person engaged with the accessible

online education issues• Giving an opportunity to be involved

with their skill set


Setting the Table

• Defining the issues that are important• Packaging the ideas

– Resources/ideas are easy to find– Easy to understand– Use different “languages”


New Champions: Finding People for the

Table

• Seek out champions by listening to what they are saying and doing

• Use a variety of communication methods • Use peers to send message• Bring people with different skills and from

different fields to the table• Don’t know whether they are champions

until at the table


• Share the values concerning accessibility for people with disabilities

• Family and personal disability concerns• Special invitation• Peer relationships/pressure• Personal recognition

General Motivators to the Table


Bringing Administrators

to the Table

• Awareness of benefits/costs• Timing of involvement• Receiving resources by coming to table• Consistent message from peers and other

reliable sources (repetition)• Benefit from visible demonstration • Avoiding possible future litigation


Bringing Tech People

to the Table • Awareness of time required• Creativity is not inhibited• “Cool Factor”• Administrative pressure• Save from retrofitting information design in

future• Invested in a particular technology/program• Universal Design (cell phones, slow

connections, etc.)


Bringing Service People

to the Table

• Invitation given without “technical” jargon• Show tangible benefits in high tech society• Personal stories of success


Bringing Faculty to the Table

• Accessibility can be achieved without degradation of learning experience

• Support given through peers and other sources

• Simple to use tools and information disseminated and available

• Legal responsibility communicated in tactful way


Bringing People with Disabilities

to the Table • Invitation to be involved to improve own

access • Bring experience of day to day access• Provide realization of influence in

championing cause• Environment for peer support


Serving the Table

• Communicate with the participants on their level of understanding and experience

• Be sensitive to motivating factors of audience• Dialogue with participants on what they need• Solicit feedback and provide follow up

mechanisms


Feeding the Champion• Provide resources including a point of

contact• Provide mechanisms for

communications of new ideas. (E-mail, newsletter, blogging, discussion lists, etc.)

• Develop peer/mentor relationship for discussing new ideas

• Provide training/ongoing meetings• Continue to be sensitive to motivating

factors


Setting Multiple Tables

• Importance of maintaining own local table by developing future champions

• Be involved through networking with other organizations and internal groups

• Find future champions through supporters while being involved with other tables

• Spreads the network of champions necessary for system change


Contact the Southeast DBTAC• By telephone

800-949-4232 (v/tty)

Southeast region only

404-385-0636 (v/tty)

711 (relay)• By fax

404-385-0641• By e-mail

[email protected] • By Internet

www.sedbtac.org

Have questions?

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.sedbtac.org/

developed by catea with funding from nidrr under grant # h133d010207 © 2005 all rights reserved,...

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