Join us this fall for the first annual Success through Access Conference hosted by Boise State University’s Educational Access Center and Office of Information Technology.
The Success through Access Conference spotlights resources, services, and processes available to improve accessibility and universal design for students, faculty and staff and provides a foundation of success for all. The theme of the 2018 conference is Improving Student Success through Universal Design.
Conference At a Glance
When: Wednesday, October 10, 2018 from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm
Where: Boise State Student Union Building
Who should attend: Anyone with an interest in accessibility, student success, or universal design
Cost of attendance: Free! Pre-registration encouraged
Keynote address by Sheryl Burgstahler, Founder and Director, DO-IT Center and University of Washington Access Technology Center
Breakout workshops on a variety of topics from captioning and media creation to smart pens and reading technology to research and innovation
Resource exhibition area featuring technology demonstrations and available campus resources
After reviewing descriptions, the schedule, and speaker information, submit your registration to let us know what events you plan to attend. We look forward to seeing you at the conference!
Conference Details
Keynote Address
Improving Student Success through Universal Design
Students in on-site, online, and hybrid courses across the nation are becoming increasingly diverse with respect to race; ethnicity; gender; age; computer knowledge; ability to communicate in English, pay attention, engage socially, hear, see, and move; and other characteristics. The keynote speaker will share the universal design approach for addressing the needs of individuals with a broad range of characteristics participating in courses, accessing student services, using technology, and maneuvering in physical spaces, all for the primary purpose of maximizing the academic and career success of all students.
About Dr. Sheryl Burgstahler
Dr. Sheryl Burgstahler founded and directs the DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) Center and the Access Technology Center (ATC). These two centers promote (1) the use of mainstream and assistive technology and other interventions to support the success of students with disabilities in postsecondary education and careers and (2) the development of facilities, computer labs, academic and administrative software, websites, multimedia, and distance learning programs that are welcoming and accessible to individuals with disabilities.
The ATC focuses efforts at the University of Washington; the DO-IT Center reaches national and international audiences with the support of federal, state, corporate, foundation, and private funds. Dr. Burgstahler is an affiliate professor in the College of Education at the University of Washington in Seattle. Dr. Burgstahler has published articles and delivered presentations at national and international conferences that focus on universal design of online learning, websites and multimedia, computer labs, instruction, student services, and other applications in education; and the management of electronic communities, work-based learning activities and transition programs for youth with disabilities. She is the author or co-author of eight books, including Universal Design in Higher Education: From Principles to Practice, second edition.
Dr. Burgstahler and her projects have received many awards, including the Professional Recognition Award for the Association for Higher Education and Disability, the National Information Infrastructure Award in Education, the President’s Award for Mentoring, the Golden Apple Award in Education, the Harry J. Murphy Catalyst Award, the Frances Pennell Economic Opportunity Award, and induction of DO-IT into the Susan Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame.
Workshop Descriptions
There are several different breakout workshops available on a variety of topics related to accessibility and universal design. Review the descriptions here to begin planning your conference day.
Session 1: 10:50 am – 11:20 am
Creating an Accessible Powerpoint using Assistive Technology Solutions
The purpose of this presentation is to gain more knowledge about designing instruction for students with disabilities. PowerPoints are utilized university-wide by faculty members either in the classroom or in their online courses. A broad understanding of functional limitation considerations for users with disabilities and how they access the PowerPoint (PPT) electronically is presented.
During this break-out session, Brenda Janot from the Idaho Assistive Technology Project discusses some of the barriers disability users encounter while accessing a PowerPoint online. Attendees will acquire knowledge about how Assistive Technology (AT) solutions can be implemented to assist users with varying capabilities access the content. Learn more about screen readers and speech and language apps for the computer and iPad. Hands-on assistive technology devices are available for demonstration. The aim of this presentation is to provide instructors with information about why accessibility matters and learn how to incorporate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) best practices into their PowerPoint presentations.
Ensuring Access across the Student Experience
Faculty and staff from diverse Boise State departments and units will share their perspectives on the broad spectrum of ways members of the Boise State community can improve students’ experiences by making relatively small changes in how we do our work. This lively and wide-ranging conversation will touch on topics as wide-ranging and yet essential to student life as mental health, employment, technology, and the learning environment.
Panelists include:
Deana Brown, Assistant Professor and Librarian
Patrick Delana, Director, Undergraduate Studies, College of Business and Economics
Mike Gibson, Assistive Technology Coordinator, Educational Access Services
Leslie Madsen, Director of the IDEA Shop and Associate Professor of History
Matt Niece, Director of Counseling Services, University Health Services
Gayla Thomas-Dabney, Director of Equity and Inclusion, Institutional Compliance
Accessible University Web Redesign
From RFP to launch, the Boise State University Web Redesign Project prioritized web accessibility as a key strategic requirement. Come learn how accessibility played into vendor selection, feature set, requirements, development, quality assurance and ongoing maintenance and enhancements.
Led by Director of Web Strategy at Boise State, Teri Williams, you’ll leave this session with a greater understanding about how accessibility concerns were addressed within the context of a large web project.
Session 2: 11:30 am – Noon
Screen Magnifiers
Join Earl Hoover to explore how Screen Magnifiers such as Zoom Text and Zoom help low vision students access digital information. It will also examine how color filters help with some vision conditions. Participants will learn how to increase or decrease magnification, invert screen colors and/or use color filters, select larger pointers, and other helpful features of screen magnifiers.
Taking Action with Video Captions: What You Need to Know to Get Started
Captioning videos—it’s not only a requirement at Boise State University, but it’s also the right thing to do. When we caption videos, all of our students benefit in ways that can enhance their learning. Yet, the mere prospect of adding captions to videos can be very intimidating due to the time and effort required. Fortunately, there are tools and resources available that can make your life easier when captioning.
In this session, Brian Martin from the Boise State IDEA Shop reviews the various options you have for creating video captions and find a solution that works for you. You will also have the opportunity to create your own captions using tools such as YouTube and TechSmith Relay. Finally, you will learn some tricks and techniques that can save you time when creating your own captions. When you leave this session, you will have the confidence and knowledge to begin captioning your own videos and make them accessible to everyone.
Ensuring Access – A Process Driven Approach to Evaluating Accessibility
Most universities have issued statements or adopted policies which affirm their commitment to providing accessible technology for all, and in particular those with disabilities. But delivering on this promise can be complicated.
In this presentation Daniel Gold and Michael Ellis discuss how Boise State developed a process for reviewing the accessibility of all new software and web application purchased for our campus. We’ll discuss how our process works today, how it has evolved, and what considerations we addressed along the way.
Session 3: 12:10 pm – 12:40 pm
Introduction to Audio Description
What is audio description? While most people are familiar with closed captioning, audio description is another important accessibility requirement for video content. Audio description narrates the relevant visual information in a video to make your content accessible to blind and low vision users.
Join Jeremy Barron from 3Play Media to learn the basics of how to add audio description to online video, legal requirements for audio description, video player compatibility, view examples and demos, discuss how to create audio description, and review benefits of audio description outside of accessibility.
After attending this session, you’ll have a greater understanding of:
What is audio description?
Accessibility laws and compliance
Video player compatibility
Methods for DIY audio description
How to publish audio description
Tools & features to make the process easier
10 tools in 30 minutes: what all Universal Design practitioners need in their utility belts
Developing a robust approach to Universal Design can be a daunting task, especially with ever-changing standards, technology, and user needs. Fortunately, there’s a world of free and low-cost tools that can help – you just have to know where to find them.
Join experienced Universal Design practitioners Janet Szczesny and Stephen Kemsley from ProQuest as they highlight the top 10 most essential tools and techniques that they rely on for Universal Design success. These tools range from practical browser plugins that can be used for accessibility evaluation to creative approaches for developing empathy in your organization for users that benefit from Universal Design.
You’ll come away from this break-out session with a printed list of practical tools that you can start working with right away. Whether you’re new to Universal Design or a seasoned practitioner, we’re confident you’ll learn tips that can help make your Universal Design practice easier and more effective.
An Ally to Inclusive Learning: Accessible Content Benefits all Learners
Making sure your digital course environment is accessible for students with disabilities is essential, but did you know more accessible content can benefit all of your students? Following some simple accessibility best practices can improve the usability and flexibility of your course content to help ensure all students have equitable access to learning materials regardless of need, ability, and device.
Join Sam Karell from Blackboard as he reviews some of the current research around accessibility, walks through some simple steps you can take to make documents more accessible, as well as introduce the ways Ally works seamlessly with the learning management system to support instructors identify and correct accessibility issues.
We’ll demo Ally’s more accessible, alternative formats, and how Ally allows students to choose a format that works best for them, such as HTML for phones, electronic braille for braille readers, and audio for listening. We’ll also discuss some simple course design strategies to activate Universal Design for Learning using the alternative formats, and share activities that help students develop metacognitive awareness and effective learning strategies.
You’ll leave this session with simple accessibility strategies, and learn the different ways accessible content can benefit all learners. You’ll also learn how Ally’s Instructor Feedback supports accessibility best practices in the course workflow, explore recent research related to accessibility, UDL, and multimodal literacy theory, and learn about UDL activities that take advantage of alternative formats to spark metacognitive awareness and develop learning strategies.
Session 4: 12:50 pm – 1:20 pm
Creating Accessible Teaching Materials: The Least You Need to Know
In education, accessibility is primarily associated with the legal obligation to provide students with disabilities reasonable accommodations that afford equal access to course content and learning activities. More broadly, accessibility refers to electronic accessibility, particularly in regard to digital content and online courses.
Led by Kevin Wilson from the Boise State IDEA Shop, this workshop assists faculty to design, develop, and deliver teaching materials that are usable by a widely diverse range of students. By incorporating accessibility into the design of teaching materials, we can often meet the unique needs of students with disabilities while also benefiting students without disabilities, enhancing the learning environment for all students. This workshop focuses on a few simple, easy strategies for creating accessible documents, images, and presentations.
Introduction to Text Reading Apps: A Tool for All
Individuals with print reading disabilities have benefited from text reading software for many years. These third party proprietary applications cost hundreds of dollars and required expensive computer hardware to run. Many individuals depended on educational institutions and government agencies to provide these tools due to the prohibitive costs associated with the software and hardware.
With the development of mobile computing devices such as smartphones and tablets text reading apps are now available at low or no cost to any user regardless of reading ability. In this presentation, Mike Gibson will introduce attendees to the text reading features built-in to modern computing devices and highlight favorite low cost third party apps.
DIY Video Captioning to Save Time and Money
In this presentation, Allison Gonzalez from the Boise State Educational Access Center offers a demonstration of TechSmith Relay to teach participants how to caption videos that were created for their departments or their course. Participants will learn effective and efficient strategies to reduce cost and save time.
Session 5: 1:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Nonvisual Access to Physical and Digital Environments
Join Laine Amoureux as you dive into the tools and strategies that blind or visually impaired individuals utilize to access both physical and digital environments and gain a solid foundation in the concepts of Universal Design that best support assistive technology users to access the digital spaces we share when visual information is unavailable.
By the end of this session you will be able to
Name at least two (2) tools that blind or visually impaired people use to access digital content.
Describe how screen reading technology accesses, and presents, information to blind users.
Explain what digital structure is most important to support strategies, that can be implemented to bridge the digital divide for individuals with visual, print and mobility disabilities.
Three Easy Ways Faculty Can Get Started With Accessibility
In this presentation, Corey Nelson from the Boise State School of Nursing demonstrates three methods faculty can engage with accessibility in their courses.
First, a demonstration of the accessibility checking tool in Microsoft Word. This will help faculty understand how students who rely upon a screen reader and how faculty can improve any documents they create.
Second, an example of how text within documents and courses that utilize color can affect students who may be color blind. Will provide some alternative strategies to color text in order to emphasize important words or phrases.
Third, the importance of choosing videos that utilize quality captions. Videos with captions not only benefit students who have a hearing disability, but many other students as well.
Session 6: 2:00 pm – 3:00pm
20 Tips for Faculty in Making Online Components of the Courses Accessible to All Students
The importance of making a course accessible to all students who are qualified to enroll, including those with disabilities, can be argued on equity, ethical, and legal grounds. Doing so, however can be challenging. In this workshop, Sheryl Burgstahler shares the approach of universal design in this context along with concrete steps and resources to guide faculty members as they work to design accessible courses.
3D Printed Models: an opportunity for deeper understanding for all
Want to make the world and learning more accessible to everyone? Dip your toes into translating visually-presented concepts out of textbooks and PowerPoint slides into hands-on tools for learners. In this hands-on workshop, Deana Brown from the Boise State Albertsons Library and Brian Stone from the Boise State Department of Psychology lead participants through a round of “What is it?”, where participants are challenged to understand a basic concept from the perspective of a student and an instructor.
With the aid of a 3D printed model and an auditory description, you’ll get to see if your guess matches up with your model! This workshop is based on ideas and content for the new course being taught by the presenters this fall, “Perception, Design, Accessibility”. In this project based service learning course, each team will design, create, and test 3D printed objects and contribute to the science of learning, perception, and design.
Resource Exhibition
Visit the Resource Exhibition to see technology demonstrations and learn more about available campus and vendor resources.
Conference Schedule
Schedule is subject to change and updates are posted as soon as possible. Verify workshop time and location on the day of conference.
Time
Hatch AB
Hatch C
Hatch D
Brink
9:00 - 9:30 am
Introduction and Welcome by Boise State Leadership
9:30 - 10:30 am
Keynote Address by Sheryl Burgstahler
10:30 - 10:45 am
Break
Break
Break
Break
10:50 - 11:20 am
Resource Exhibition
Creating an Accessible PowerPoint using Assistive Technology Solutions
Ensuring Access across the Student Experience
Accessible University Web Redesign
11:30 - 12:00 pm
Resource Exhibition
Screen Magnifiers
Taking Action with Video Captions: What You Need to Know to Get Started
Ensuring Access - A Process Driven Approach to Evaluating Accessibility
12:10 - 12:40 pm
Resource Exhibition
Introduction to Audio Description
10 tools in 30 minutes: what all Universal Design practitioners need in their utility belts
An Ally to Inclusive Learning: Accessible Content Benefits all Learners
12:50 - 1:20 pm
Resource Exhibition
Creating Accessible Teaching Materials: The Least You Need to Know
Introduction to Text Reading Apps: A Tool for All
DIY Video Captioning to Save Time and Money
1:30 - 2:00 pm
Resource Exhibition
Nonvisual Access to Physical and Digital Environments
Three Easy Ways Faculty Can Get Started With Accessibility
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Resource Exhibition
20 Tips for Faculty in Making Online Components of the Courses Accessible to All Students
3D Printed Models: an opportunity for deeper understanding for all
3:00 - 3:30 pm
Resource Exhibition
Conference Speaker Bios
Laine Amoureux
Amoureux AT Consulting LLC
Laine Amoureux MS ATHS CPACC, owner of Amoureux AT Consulting LLC, a small , blind woman owned, local business has a masters in Assistive Technology and Human Services from California State University and is an International Association of Assistive Technology Professionals, Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies.
After nearly 10 years of experience, providing assistive technology assessment and training to people who are blind or visually impaired, at the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Amoureux AT Consulting LLC was established in an effort to begin assisting in the creation of accessible physical and digital environments. Laine’s experience as a person who is blind, education and experience combine to create a unique perspective for anyone who seeks to create an accessible digital space for their consumers, students, employees and customers.
Laine Amoureux MS ATHS CPACC, owner of Amoureux AT Consulting LLC, a small , blind woman owned, local business has a masters in Assistive Technology and Human Services from California State University and is an International Association of Assistive Technology Professionals, Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies.
After nearly 10 years of experience, providing assistive technology assessment and training to people who are blind or visually impaired, at the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Amoureux AT Consulting LLC was established in an effort to begin assisting in the creation of accessible physical and digital environments. Laine’s experience as a person who is blind, education and experience combine to create a unique perspective for anyone who seeks to create an accessible digital space for their consumers, students, employees and customers.
Jeremy Baron
Co-Founder and Chief Customer Officer, 3Play Media
Jeremy Barron is a Co-Founder and the Chief Customer Officer at 3Play Media, a technology company which provides premium closed captioning, transcription, audio description, and subtitling solutions to make video accessible, searchable, and more engaging.
3Play Media has over 2,500 customers across industries, including Harvard, MIT, Oracle, Viacom, NBCUniversal, Stanford, Cisco, US Department of State, P&G and more. As Chief Customer Officer, Jeremy oversees the company’s Customer Success and Technical Support teams and is responsible for overall customer happiness.
Jeremy frequently speaks on the topic of closed captioning, video accessibility and video SEO. He holds a B.A. from Colby College and a MBA from MIT Sloan.
Jeremy Barron is a Co-Founder and the Chief Customer Officer at 3Play Media, a technology company which provides premium closed captioning, transcription, audio description, and subtitling solutions to make video accessible, searchable, and more engaging.
3Play Media has over 2,500 customers across industries, including Harvard, MIT, Oracle, Viacom, NBCUniversal, Stanford, Cisco, US Department of State, P&G and more. As Chief Customer Officer, Jeremy oversees the company’s Customer Success and Technical Support teams and is responsible for overall customer happiness.
Jeremy frequently speaks on the topic of closed captioning, video accessibility and video SEO. He holds a B.A. from Colby College and a MBA from MIT Sloan.
Deana Brown
Assistant Professor/ Librarian, Albertsons Library, Boise State University
Deana has worked in public and academic libraries since 2004. She has a B.S. in Fine and Applied Arts (Photography and Visual Design) with a minor in Arts Administration from the University of Oregon, and a Masters of Library Science from Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas.
This might seem like an odd combination, but Deana sees them as a perfect fit. Art is all about problem solving and telling stories, and so are libraries!
Deana has worked in public and academic libraries since 2004. She has a B.S. in Fine and Applied Arts (Photography and Visual Design) with a minor in Arts Administration from the University of Oregon, and a Masters of Library Science from Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas.
This might seem like an odd combination, but Deana sees them as a perfect fit. Art is all about problem solving and telling stories, and so are libraries!
Patrick Delana
Business Communication Lecture, College of Business and Economics, Boise State University
Patrick Delana is a lecturer of business communication at Boise State. He holds a Ph.D. in History/European Studies from the Claremont Graduate School. He has taught in the BUSCOM program since 1996 and joined the faculty full-time in 2005. He also provides presentation coaching services in the Executive MBA program.
Prior to joining the faculty full-time, Delana worked for POPULUS, a marketing research firm that served national clients including The Corporate Executive Board, Darden restaurants and Motorola. He has provided consulting and copy-writing services to Washington Group International, Hewlett Packard, Cooper Norman CPAs, Syringa Networks and and Temel, Inc/ZETA Interactive.
Patrick Delana is a lecturer of business communication at Boise State. He holds a Ph.D. in History/European Studies from the Claremont Graduate School. He has taught in the BUSCOM program since 1996 and joined the faculty full-time in 2005. He also provides presentation coaching services in the Executive MBA program.
Prior to joining the faculty full-time, Delana worked for POPULUS, a marketing research firm that served national clients including The Corporate Executive Board, Darden restaurants and Motorola. He has provided consulting and copy-writing services to Washington Group International, Hewlett Packard, Cooper Norman CPAs, Syringa Networks and and Temel, Inc/ZETA Interactive.
Michael Ellis
Enterprise Business Analyst, Level II, Office of Information Technology Project Management Office, Boise State University
In 2012, shortly after Michael earned a Master’s in Public Administration with a certificate in Community and Regional Planning from Boise State University, his internship with the City of Boise, Mayor’s Office turned in a full time position as the Mayor’s Constituent Services Coordinator. In April of 2013, Michael migrated from the Mayor’s office to the Boise’s Fire Department where he served as the department’s Technical Analyst. In four years Michael managed scheduling, records management, GIS, and analytic systems for the department.
Michael directed two major change management systems: Scheduling and Records Management for the department. Additionally, when the county changed dispatching systems, Michael was in charge of developing and rolling out training to the entire department. He sat as a member of the City’s Incident Management Team, where he served as a GIS specialist working on emergent and planned events. After four years with Boise Fire, Michael moved to Boise State where he has been an Enterprise Business Analyst for the Project Management Office for the past 18 months.
While at the University, Michael’s duties have shifted and now his primary responsibilities include: performing nearly all Business Cases for Project Requests, all software review requests and all accessibility reviews for the university. Michael enjoys being a part of this community and is eager to continue his tenure at Boise State!
In 2012, shortly after Michael earned a Master’s in Public Administration with a certificate in Community and Regional Planning from Boise State University, his internship with the City of Boise, Mayor’s Office turned in a full time position as the Mayor’s Constituent Services Coordinator. In April of 2013, Michael migrated from the Mayor’s office to the Boise’s Fire Department where he served as the department’s Technical Analyst. In four years Michael managed scheduling, records management, GIS, and analytic systems for the department.
Michael directed two major change management systems: Scheduling and Records Management for the department. Additionally, when the county changed dispatching systems, Michael was in charge of developing and rolling out training to the entire department. He sat as a member of the City’s Incident Management Team, where he served as a GIS specialist working on emergent and planned events. After four years with Boise Fire, Michael moved to Boise State where he has been an Enterprise Business Analyst for the Project Management Office for the past 18 months.
While at the University, Michael’s duties have shifted and now his primary responsibilities include: performing nearly all Business Cases for Project Requests, all software review requests and all accessibility reviews for the university. Michael enjoys being a part of this community and is eager to continue his tenure at Boise State!
Mike Gibson
Assistive Technology Coordinator, Educational Access Center, Boise State University
Mike Gibson is assistive technology coordinator in the Educational Access Center at Boise State. He holds a bachelor’s in communication from Boise State and an Assistive Technology Certificate from California State University, Northridge.
Prior to arriving at Boise State in 2007, Gibson was a blindness product specialist for HumanWare and a Technology Coordinator and Instructor at the Colorado Center for the Blind.
Mike Gibson is assistive technology coordinator in the Educational Access Center at Boise State. He holds a bachelor’s in communication from Boise State and an Assistive Technology Certificate from California State University, Northridge.
Prior to arriving at Boise State in 2007, Gibson was a blindness product specialist for HumanWare and a Technology Coordinator and Instructor at the Colorado Center for the Blind.
Daniel Gold
Interim Director, Office of Information Technology Project Management Office, Boise State University
Daniel Gold is the Interim Director of the Project Management Office within the Office of Information Technology at Boise State University. Since joining the University in 2013, his work has largely focused on increasing the success of key IT initiatives through fostering academic partnerships and providing a strategic framework for the continued growth and evolution of technologies on campus.
Before coming to Boise State, Daniel spent a decade creating innovative knowledge management and product support strategies for Dell Inc. Daniel has a Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning and is a PMI-certified Project Management Professional with fifteen years of experience managing both public and private sector projects.
Daniel Gold is the Interim Director of the Project Management Office within the Office of Information Technology at Boise State University. Since joining the University in 2013, his work has largely focused on increasing the success of key IT initiatives through fostering academic partnerships and providing a strategic framework for the continued growth and evolution of technologies on campus.
Before coming to Boise State, Daniel spent a decade creating innovative knowledge management and product support strategies for Dell Inc. Daniel has a Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning and is a PMI-certified Project Management Professional with fifteen years of experience managing both public and private sector projects.
Allison Gonzalez
Lead Access Coordinator, Educational Access Center, Boise State University
Allison is the lead access coordinator in the Educational Access Center at Boise State University. She works with students who have disabilities to determine and implement reasonable accommodations in the academic setting. Allison also oversees the Deaf Services program to coordinate interpreters and captioning for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
Allison is a board member on the Idaho Bureau of Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind, as well as the Idaho Partnership on Higher Education and Disability. Allison earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Idaho State University in Educational Interpreting and is currently pursuing a Master’s of Counseling Degree from Boise State University.
Allison is the lead access coordinator in the Educational Access Center at Boise State University. She works with students who have disabilities to determine and implement reasonable accommodations in the academic setting. Allison also oversees the Deaf Services program to coordinate interpreters and captioning for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
Allison is a board member on the Idaho Bureau of Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind, as well as the Idaho Partnership on Higher Education and Disability. Allison earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Idaho State University in Educational Interpreting and is currently pursuing a Master’s of Counseling Degree from Boise State University.
Earl Hoover
Statewide Assistive Technologist, Idaho Commission For The Blind And Visually Impaired
Earl completed his AA at Boise State University in the Fall of 2015 and received his BA from Boise State in Spring 2016. His major was in Relational & Organizational Communication. Earl then went on to complete his Master of Education in Rehabilitation Counseling & Human Services at the University of Idaho, graduating Spring 2018, and earned his CRC credential as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor.
Earl has 14 years experience living with Blindness and has utilized many low vision and non-vision products and technologies throughout his own experiences. Additionally, he has lived with relying upon a wheel chair for two and a half years due to MS. Earl completed his final year at Boise State, and his first year at the University of Idaho in his wheel chair.
Earl has taught Assistive Technology (AT) as a private contractor for clients, as well as for Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ICBVI). As he completed his Internship as a counselor, the Statewide Assistive Technologist position opened at ICBVI and Earl found that both his skills with AT and with VR counseling would be a great fit for both the commission and himself. He loves the job he does and the people he gets to work with.
Earl completed his AA at Boise State University in the Fall of 2015 and received his BA from Boise State in Spring 2016. His major was in Relational & Organizational Communication. Earl then went on to complete his Master of Education in Rehabilitation Counseling & Human Services at the University of Idaho, graduating Spring 2018, and earned his CRC credential as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor.
Earl has 14 years experience living with Blindness and has utilized many low vision and non-vision products and technologies throughout his own experiences. Additionally, he has lived with relying upon a wheel chair for two and a half years due to MS. Earl completed his final year at Boise State, and his first year at the University of Idaho in his wheel chair.
Earl has taught Assistive Technology (AT) as a private contractor for clients, as well as for Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ICBVI). As he completed his Internship as a counselor, the Statewide Assistive Technologist position opened at ICBVI and Earl found that both his skills with AT and with VR counseling would be a great fit for both the commission and himself. He loves the job he does and the people he gets to work with.
Brenda Janot
Program Library Coordinator, Idaho Assistive Technology Project, Boise Assistive Technology Resource Center
Ms. Brenda Janot is the Program Library Coordinator for the Idaho Assistive Technology Project and Assistive Technology Consultant for Idaho SESTA (Special Education Support & Technical Assistance). Formerly, Ms. Janot was the Blackboard Online Coordinator for New Mexico State Personnel Office in Santa Fe, New Mexico serving over 20,000 state employees. In this role she facilitated the Civil Rights online mandatory course and made a contribution to Ethics in State Government, Sexual Harassment and ADA Reasonable Accommodation Process trainings.
In her current position, she performs school-based and vocational rehabilitation consultations across disabilities. She holds a Masters of Education Technology (M.E.T), Adult Online Teaching Certification, as well as Assistive Technology Applications Certification. Ms. Janot is a member of the Idaho Digital Accessibility Consortium (IDAC). She is a PHD Doctoral Candidate at the University of Catalonia, Barcelona Spain pursuing an online doctoral degree in Education and ICT (eLearning).
Ms. Brenda Janot is the Program Library Coordinator for the Idaho Assistive Technology Project and Assistive Technology Consultant for Idaho SESTA (Special Education Support & Technical Assistance). Formerly, Ms. Janot was the Blackboard Online Coordinator for New Mexico State Personnel Office in Santa Fe, New Mexico serving over 20,000 state employees. In this role she facilitated the Civil Rights online mandatory course and made a contribution to Ethics in State Government, Sexual Harassment and ADA Reasonable Accommodation Process trainings.
In her current position, she performs school-based and vocational rehabilitation consultations across disabilities. She holds a Masters of Education Technology (M.E.T), Adult Online Teaching Certification, as well as Assistive Technology Applications Certification. Ms. Janot is a member of the Idaho Digital Accessibility Consortium (IDAC). She is a PHD Doctoral Candidate at the University of Catalonia, Barcelona Spain pursuing an online doctoral degree in Education and ICT (eLearning).
Sam Karell
Accessibility Strategist, Blackboard
Sam Karell is an Accessibility Strategist at Blackboard, where she provides support to educational leaders in minimizing barriers and maximizing learning using technology, data, and solutions. Her focus is on transforming the educational experience by building collaborative partnerships with higher education institutions to promote inclusive learning environments for all students, with particular focus in Universal Design for Learning and change management practices.
Driven by student access and success, Sam brings 10 years of experience in higher education and accessibility to her role at Blackboard. Formerly, she worked in disability services at the University of Washington where she partnered with students, faculty, and staff in removing access barriers on campus. Sam holds a Bachelors degree from the University of Washington and is currently completing her Masters of Education from Central Washington University.
Sam Karell is an Accessibility Strategist at Blackboard, where she provides support to educational leaders in minimizing barriers and maximizing learning using technology, data, and solutions. Her focus is on transforming the educational experience by building collaborative partnerships with higher education institutions to promote inclusive learning environments for all students, with particular focus in Universal Design for Learning and change management practices.
Driven by student access and success, Sam brings 10 years of experience in higher education and accessibility to her role at Blackboard. Formerly, she worked in disability services at the University of Washington where she partnered with students, faculty, and staff in removing access barriers on campus. Sam holds a Bachelors degree from the University of Washington and is currently completing her Masters of Education from Central Washington University.
Stephen Kemsley
Lead User Experience Designer, ProQuest
Stephen Kemsley is a Lead User Experience Designer at ProQuest. Stephen’s career has been focused on understanding and meeting the needs of students and educators. He holds a B.A. in Psychology from Michigan State University and an MBA in Marketing from Indiana University.
At ProQuest, Stephen designs products with an accessible-first mindset, believing that combining universal design principles with in-depth user research helps create better user experiences for everyone. He regularly conducts accessibility audits for WCAG 2.0 and Section 508 compliance and loves learning about clever new ARIA techniques.
Stephen Kemsley is a Lead User Experience Designer at ProQuest. Stephen’s career has been focused on understanding and meeting the needs of students and educators. He holds a B.A. in Psychology from Michigan State University and an MBA in Marketing from Indiana University.
At ProQuest, Stephen designs products with an accessible-first mindset, believing that combining universal design principles with in-depth user research helps create better user experiences for everyone. He regularly conducts accessibility audits for WCAG 2.0 and Section 508 compliance and loves learning about clever new ARIA techniques.
Leslie Madsen
Director, Instructional Design and Educational Assessment (IDEA Shop), Boise State University
Leslie Madsen is director of Instructional Design and Educational Assessment (the IDEA Shop) and an associate professor of History at Boise State. She holds a Ph.D. in cultural studies from UC Davis. Her work focuses on making higher education more affordable and accessible to all students through the careful application of emerging technologies.
Leslie Madsen is director of Instructional Design and Educational Assessment (the IDEA Shop) and an associate professor of History at Boise State. She holds a Ph.D. in cultural studies from UC Davis. Her work focuses on making higher education more affordable and accessible to all students through the careful application of emerging technologies.
Brian Martin
Instructional Design Consultant, Instructional Design and Educational Assessment (IDEA Shop), Boise State University
Brian Martin has been an instructional designer for 10 years and has worked with video production for over 20 years. He received a Masters of Science in Instructional Design and Technology from California State University-Chico in 2007, after which, he designed online curriculum and multimedia experiences for students at University of Phoenix.
Brian is currently an Instructional Design Consultant with the IDEA Shop at Boise State University, where he works with faculty to integrate technology effectively into their teaching. He specializes in video production and emerging technologies such as 360-degree video.
Brian Martin has been an instructional designer for 10 years and has worked with video production for over 20 years. He received a Masters of Science in Instructional Design and Technology from California State University-Chico in 2007, after which, he designed online curriculum and multimedia experiences for students at University of Phoenix.
Brian is currently an Instructional Design Consultant with the IDEA Shop at Boise State University, where he works with faculty to integrate technology effectively into their teaching. He specializes in video production and emerging technologies such as 360-degree video.
Corey Nelson
Instructional Technologist II, School of Nursing, Boise State University
Corey has worked as an instructional technologist with the School of Nursing since 2014. He assists nursing faculty with the management, quality assurance, and accessibility needs for nursing courses within the Blackboard Learning Management System.
Corey recently graduated from Boise State with a master’s degree in Technical Communication in December 2017. He enjoys working with faculty and content experts to create smart, intuitive, and accessible courses to meet the needs of all students with a desire to learn.
Corey has worked as an instructional technologist with the School of Nursing since 2014. He assists nursing faculty with the management, quality assurance, and accessibility needs for nursing courses within the Blackboard Learning Management System.
Corey recently graduated from Boise State with a master’s degree in Technical Communication in December 2017. He enjoys working with faculty and content experts to create smart, intuitive, and accessible courses to meet the needs of all students with a desire to learn.
Matt Niece
Director, Counseling Center, Boise State University
Matt Niece is the Director of Counseling Services at Boise State, a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC), and a state registered supervisor. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Boise State University, and both a master’s of mental health counseling and a doctorate in counselor education and counseling from Idaho State University.
For the past 10 years, Dr. Niece has been serving the communities of Boise, Meridian, and Nampa through work at various counseling agencies. Dr. Niece also maintains a private practice in Boise, and has been adjunct faculty for Boise State University, College of Idaho, College of Western Idaho, and currently with Idaho State University at the undergraduate and masters level. His clinical interests include working with students, faculty and staff who struggle with anxiety and depressive issues especially in regards to relationships and major life transitions, counseling student-athletes, self-worth, LGBTQIA+, and group therapy.
Professionally he is driven to advocate for all clients, the counseling profession and the efficacy of integrated health services. Outside of work one might find him taking advantage of the endless outdoor activities that the Boise valley has to offer, wood working, or traveling with his friends and family.
Matt Niece is the Director of Counseling Services at Boise State, a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC), and a state registered supervisor. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Boise State University, and both a master’s of mental health counseling and a doctorate in counselor education and counseling from Idaho State University.
For the past 10 years, Dr. Niece has been serving the communities of Boise, Meridian, and Nampa through work at various counseling agencies. Dr. Niece also maintains a private practice in Boise, and has been adjunct faculty for Boise State University, College of Idaho, College of Western Idaho, and currently with Idaho State University at the undergraduate and masters level. His clinical interests include working with students, faculty and staff who struggle with anxiety and depressive issues especially in regards to relationships and major life transitions, counseling student-athletes, self-worth, LGBTQIA+, and group therapy.
Professionally he is driven to advocate for all clients, the counseling profession and the efficacy of integrated health services. Outside of work one might find him taking advantage of the endless outdoor activities that the Boise valley has to offer, wood working, or traveling with his friends and family.
Dr. Brian W. Stone
Assistant Professor, Cognitive Psychology, Department of Psychological Sciences, Boise State University
Dr. Stone is a cognitive psychologist with a focus on sensation and perception. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Georgia studying how vision, haptics, and cognition interact to drive action with tools and body parts. His dissertation focused on how touch and proprioception affect our perception of objects in total darkness.
Current work explores haptic learning and perception in people with blindness and visual impairment to improve accessibility in higher education. He co-teaches a course related to universal design for learning that utilizes 3D printing to bring visual instructional materials to the tactile medium.
Dr. Stone is a cognitive psychologist with a focus on sensation and perception. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Georgia studying how vision, haptics, and cognition interact to drive action with tools and body parts. His dissertation focused on how touch and proprioception affect our perception of objects in total darkness.
Current work explores haptic learning and perception in people with blindness and visual impairment to improve accessibility in higher education. He co-teaches a course related to universal design for learning that utilizes 3D printing to bring visual instructional materials to the tactile medium.
Janet Szczesny
Lead User Experience Designer, ProQuest
Janet Szczesny is a Lead User Experience Designer at ProQuest. She has been an advocate for universal design since receiving her Masters of Science in Information Science from the University of Michigan.
In her current role, she combines UX design, user research, and accessibility to create products that all users can engage with. She regularly provides guidance to development teams throughout the company on accessibility standards and coordinates accessibility documentation efforts.
Janet Szczesny is a Lead User Experience Designer at ProQuest. She has been an advocate for universal design since receiving her Masters of Science in Information Science from the University of Michigan.
In her current role, she combines UX design, user research, and accessibility to create products that all users can engage with. She regularly provides guidance to development teams throughout the company on accessibility standards and coordinates accessibility documentation efforts.
Gayla Thomas-Dabney
Director of Equity and Inclusion, Institutional Compliance, Boise State University
Gayla Thomas-Dabney is the Director of Equity and Inclusion in the Office of Institutional Compliance at Boise State University since October 31, 2016. Prior to reporting to Boise State University, she served in the role as the Director Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/ADA/Title IX, reporting directly to the President, and was a key leader in the work of diversity and inclusion at the University for 8 years.
She has worked for the Department of Defense, City Government, and served in the United States Navy for 24 years, in which she retired with honorable service as a Senior Chief Petty Officer.
Gayla is a member of the National Association for Chief Diversity Officers in Higher Education, will graduate with her doctorate in Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University, holds a Master’s in Business Administration (M.B.A.) from Webster University, a Bachelor of Science in Workforce Education Training and Development from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and certifications in Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, Title IX, ADA, Diversity and Inclusion change agent, mediation/dispute resolution-conflict management. She is a native of Jacksonville Florida, and resides in Boise Idaho with her husband and family.
Gayla Thomas-Dabney is the Director of Equity and Inclusion in the Office of Institutional Compliance at Boise State University since October 31, 2016. Prior to reporting to Boise State University, she served in the role as the Director Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/ADA/Title IX, reporting directly to the President, and was a key leader in the work of diversity and inclusion at the University for 8 years.
She has worked for the Department of Defense, City Government, and served in the United States Navy for 24 years, in which she retired with honorable service as a Senior Chief Petty Officer.
Gayla is a member of the National Association for Chief Diversity Officers in Higher Education, will graduate with her doctorate in Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University, holds a Master’s in Business Administration (M.B.A.) from Webster University, a Bachelor of Science in Workforce Education Training and Development from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and certifications in Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, Title IX, ADA, Diversity and Inclusion change agent, mediation/dispute resolution-conflict management. She is a native of Jacksonville Florida, and resides in Boise Idaho with her husband and family.
Teri Williams
Director of Web Strategy, Communications and Marketing, Boise State University
Teri Williams is the Director of Web Strategy at Boise State University. She provides leadership and vision in setting the overall direction of the university’s web properties. Since joining Boise State in 2010 she has been instrumental in developing a unified, world-class web presence for Boise State. Prior to joining Boise State, Teri served as the Web Manager for Micron Technology.
Originally from California she feels most at home in Boise. Teri enjoys spending time with her grown children and traveling with her husband of 30 years. Most summer weekends she can be found glamping in and around Idaho.
Teri Williams is the Director of Web Strategy at Boise State University. She provides leadership and vision in setting the overall direction of the university’s web properties. Since joining Boise State in 2010 she has been instrumental in developing a unified, world-class web presence for Boise State. Prior to joining Boise State, Teri served as the Web Manager for Micron Technology.
Originally from California she feels most at home in Boise. Teri enjoys spending time with her grown children and traveling with her husband of 30 years. Most summer weekends she can be found glamping in and around Idaho.
Kevin S. Wilson
Instructional Design Consultant, Instructional Design and Educational Assessment (IDEA Shop), Boise State University
Kevin holds a B.A. in English with a Writing Emphasis from Boise State and an M.A. in English from the University of New Hampshire. For many years he was an adjunct faculty member in the Boise State English Department, teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in technical communication both online and face-to-face.
Kevin began working for the IDEA Shop in 1998 and has held a variety of job titles, including technical communicator, information design specialist, and, currently, instructional design consultant.
Kevin holds a B.A. in English with a Writing Emphasis from Boise State and an M.A. in English from the University of New Hampshire. For many years he was an adjunct faculty member in the Boise State English Department, teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in technical communication both online and face-to-face.
Kevin began working for the IDEA Shop in 1998 and has held a variety of job titles, including technical communicator, information design specialist, and, currently, instructional design consultant.
Conference Sponsors
Success through Access Conference is made possible thanks to the generous support of our campus and corporate sponsors.
Blackboard
Blackboard provides innovative and flexible technologies and services that enable institutions to drive student success throughout the entire student journey.
—About Blackboard
Boise State Educational Access Center
The Educational Access Center provides leadership to the Boise State University community and guides achievement of the university’s goal of creating a high-quality educational experience for all students. The Educational Access Center empowers students to accomplish their educational goals by advancing access and facilitating independence.
—About Educational Access Center
Boise State Office of Information Technology
The Office of Information Technology supports the Boise State University campus information technology infrastructure including phones, networks, hardware orders, software, reporting, cybersecurity, and project management.
—About Office of Information Technology
Elsevier
Elsevier is a global information analytics business that helps institutions and professionals advance healthcare, open science and improve performance for the benefit of humanity
—About Elsevier
Idaho Partnership on Higher Education and Disability (IPHED)
Established in December 2005, IPHED is a network of professionals from higher education institutions in Idaho interested in supporting the needs of students with disabilities at Idaho’s public and private postsecondary institutions.
—About IPHED
ProQuest
ProQuest is committed to supporting the important work happening in the world’s research and learning communities. The company curates content that matters to the advancement of knowledge, assembling an archive of billions of vetted, indexed documents.
—About ProQuest
3Play Media
3Play Media provides captioning, transcription, and subtitling solutions to increase the value of online video by making it accessible, usable, searchable, and SEO-friendly.
—About 3Play Media
Most universities have issued statements or adopted policies which affirm their commitment to providing accessible technology for all, and in particular those with disabilities. But delivering on this promise can be complicated.
Developing a robust approach to Universal Design can be a daunting task, especially with ever-changing standards, technology, and user needs. Fortunately, there’s a world of free and low-cost tools that can help – you just have to know where to find them.
