11th Annual Conference

Multiple Perspectives on Access, Inclusion & Disability: 
"From Policy to Practice"
May 4 & 5, 2011

The Eleventh Annual Multiple Perspectives conference continues the exploration of disability as a reflection of the environment and the human condition as seen through the lenses of art, law, social construct and individual experience. Multiple Perspectives reaches across typical divisions: education & employment, scholarship & service, business & government, discipline, race, gender & ethnicity.

"We must build a world free of unnecessary barriers, stereotypes, and discrimination.... policies must be developed, attitudes must be shaped, and buildings and organizations must be designed to ensure that everyone has a chance to get the education they need and live independently as full citizens in their communities."  Barack Obama, April 11, 2008

This year's presentations will provide an opportunity for participants to step back from the daily demands of access and reflect on tools and strategies needed to transform a commitment to justice and excellence into that future.

Highlights of this year's conference included:

  • Advisory Commission on Accessible Instructional Materials in Post Secondary Education Meeting & Public Forum -- May 3-4, 2011

  • The Accessible Digital Rights Management Conference (A-DRM2) Conference -- May 3, 2011

  • Ken Campbell Memorial Lecture -- The Right to Digital Access: Current Issues Challenges, and Opportunities. Presented by Daniel F Goldstein, Esq. Partner, Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP -- May 4, 2011

  • Ethel Louise Armstrong Memorial Lecture and President's and Provost's Diversity Lecture Series -- FLAME Performance -- May 4, 2011

  • Understanding the New 2010 ADA Accessibility Standards: A Primer for Planners, Architects & Construction Managers -- May 6, 2011

Thank you to our sponsors:

  • The Ethel Louise Armstrong Foundation

  • The Ohio State University

    • The Office of Diversity and Inclusion

    • The Disability Studies Program

    • Diversity and Identity Studies Collective

    • The Office For Disability Services

    • The Ohio State University Medical Center

  • The Wexner Center For The Arts

  • Columbus Advisory Council on Disability Issues

  • ADA-OHIO

Tuesday, May 3, 2011
9:00am-3:00pm - The Accessible Digital Rights Management Conference (A-DRM2)

Steve Acker

In April 2010, publishers, standards organizations, disability service offices, lawyers, bookstores, accessibility experts and technologists met on The Ohio State University campus. We discussed opportunities and obstacles related to creating “born digital” textbooks that could be made available to students with print disabilities in a more timely manner. With generous support from the Rehabilitation Services Commission and The Ohio Board of Regents, we have begun studying the accessibility ecosystem (accessible learning materials in the student’s preferred learning environment) and promising formats to achieve the goal of accessible, born digital learning materials. We will report on our findings on May 3, 2011, just prior to the annual Multiple Perspectives Conference that commences on May 4 - 5, 2011.

Those interested in attending this one-day pre-conference should contact Steve Acker (acker.1@osu.edu). Attendees will be asked to comment on a white paper that describes our findings and help us extend recommendations into a wider array of student learning environments. Location: 140 Pfahl Hall; 2110 Tuttle Park Place; The Ohio State University; Columbus, OH 43210. Free & Open to the Public.

Tuesday and Wednesday, May 3 & 4, 2011

Federal Advisory Commission on Accessible Instructional Materials in Postsecondary Education. Public meetings & open forum to gather information for a comprehensive study to assess the systemic barriers to and identify workable solutions to improve the timely delivery and quality of accessible instructional materials for postsecondary students with print disabilities and the effective use of such materials by faculty and staff. No Registration Required. AIM Meeting Details.

8:30am-4:00pm, May 3, 2011 -- Commission Meeting
8:30am-3:15pm, May 4, 2011 -- Commission Meeting
3:30pm-9:00pm, May 4, 2011 -- Public Hearing

Location: Room 202 Pfahl Hall; Adjacent to the Blackwell Hotel & Conference Center; The Ohio State University; 2110 Tuttle Park Place; Columbus, OH 43210

 

Wednesday, May 4, 2011
9:00am-10:30am - Concurrent Sessions
Session A: Reflections on the ADAA in Action: Why We Need Disability Litigation Clinics

Marian Lupo, J.D., Ph.D., Fellow, Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization in Disability Studies, The Ohio State University

Part presentation, part workshop, this session will reflect upon the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as Amended (ADAA) in action and discuss the need for new organizational solutions.

Session B: Copyright and the Rights of the Disabled

Anne Gilliland, Head, Health Sciences Copyright Management Office, The Ohio State University

This presentation will address the state of copyright law with regard to the rights of the disabled, including situations where access has been increased and others where it has lessened. Three main goals of the presentation are: To present the strengths and limitations of U.S. copyright law in addressing the needs and rights of the disabled; to highlight some current cases and controversies in this subject area; and to highlight the work being done internationally on international law and copyright and its importance.

Session C: Crafting the Body: Re-imagining the Disability Narrative

Ashley Caveda, Bill Riley, & Molly Patterson, MFA students at The Ohio State University

In this panel, MFA students will read from their works that explore the boundaries of disability studies in creative writing by providing what Tobin Siebers calls “new modes of representation.” During the panel, audience members will hear three creative works that answer Siebers’ call for distinct modes of representation. The first reader will present a personal essay that translates her experiences as a wheelchair user to the genre of literary nonfiction. The second reader will present a piece of literary nonfiction that focuses on the construction of disability identity from the perspective of an outsider. The final panelist will read from a short story depicting the “spectacle” of disability through the lens of dark surrealism.

Session D: Transition to College: Student Voices

Sharon Reynolds, Director, Adult Literacy and Central/Southeast ABLE Resource Center, Stevens Literacy Center, Ohio University; Abagail Webb, Interim Assistant Director, Disability Services, Ohio University; Theresa Snider, Central Ohio Technical College Graduate

Utilizing videotaped presentations by traditional & non-traditional (ABLE/GED) students with disabilities, the presenters will discuss the research on the facilitators & constraints in the students’ transitions to college. Videotape will be shown in which the students discuss what has helped to make them successful college students and how they have dealt with the barriers encountered.

10:45am-12:15pm - Concurrent Sessions
Session A: Access on the Campus: Prospects & Perils of New Technology

Paul Schroeder, Vice President, Programs & Policy, American Foundation for the Blind; Frederick Bowes, III, Founder & CEO, Center for Digital Accessibility

Electronic textbooks and web-based course management and information systems should be sweeping away many of the traditional barriers that have limited opportunities for people with disabilities in higher education. Unfortunately, these new technologies are often creating new and significant access challenges, especially for people with print disabilities. The presenters will focus on: E-Book & E-Reader access; course management software; and admissions tests & other exams.

Session B: Feeling Safe, Being Safe Webcast: Emergency Preparedness with Plain Language, Multimedia Tools

Mark Starford, Director, Board Resource Center

Feeling Safe, Being Safe webcast showcases methods and multimedia tools that assist individuals with diverse capabilities to Think, Plan and Do what is necessary to be prepared and safe in an emergency. It features an easy-to-follow informational design, accessible language and digital media tools to incorporate a learning and action oriented strategy called Think–Plan–Do.  These tools serve two objectives: to increase personal emergency preparedness and create opportunities for persons with low literacy, disabilities and the elderly to be viewed as community members who are prepared and can assist others.

Session C: Access to the Co-Curriculum: Campus Housing, Student Life Programming, and Recreation

Karla Ussery, Team Leader & Chandra Bowling, Attorney, Office for Civil Rights, Dept. of Ed, U.S. Government
 

Session D: Two 45-minute presentations on PhotoVoice:
  1. Photovoice: Using the "eye/I" to Tell a Story

Katye Miller, MS, CHES Wellness Coordinator, The Ohio State University Wellness Center; Bong Joo Hwang, Clinical Therapist, Counseling and Consultation Services, The Ohio State University; and Daniel Newhart, Associate Director of Student Life Research & Assessment, Director, National Research Institute for College Recreational Sports & Wellness, The Ohio State University

The presentation will focus on OSU students with disabilities who were engaged in a 6-month project to delve deeper into their consciousness to help policy makers and community members see life through their eyes when talking about stress and academic success. The students told their stories through photography and storytelling (Photovoice). Photovoice is a method used to bring awareness, education, and positive social and policy change through the use of photography and storytelling.

2. PhotoVoice, Mental Health Recovery: Through our Lens and Pen

Betsy Nofziger, LISW-S, CPRP  Senior Program Consultant, COVA and Barbara  Schmitzer, LSW, Coordinator for Rehabilitation Readiness, COVA

PhotoVoice is a global photo essay project used to promote social change.  In keeping with its mission, COVA empowered nine participants by giving them a camera, a little bit of guidance, and a great deal of freedom.  These new photographers share their journey through mental health recovery and their return to work with photography and writing.  In doing so, they invite us to take a peek into their lives, to learn about their struggles and triumphs, and to take another step toward breaking down the stigma of mental illness.

12:30pm-2:00pm - Lunch & Information Exchange
2:15pm-3:30pm - Ken Campbell Memorial Lecture
The Right to Digital Access: Current Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities

Presented by Daniel F Goldstein, Esq. Partner, Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP
Hosted by the Columbus Advisory Committee on Disability Issues
Free and open to the public

A senior partner at Brown Goldstein Levy in Baltimore, Dan serves as counsel for the National Federation of the Blind.   He has initiated a national legal campaign to ensure access to technology. His settlement against Cardtronics, provides for tens of thousands of voice-guided ATMs, constituted a major step toward making this ubiquitous convenience accessible to the blind. His suit against Target.com set precedent regarding the application of access laws to websites, and his suit against America Online has made AOL accessible to the blind. In litigation he has helped ensure the right of the blind to vote independently and in secret.  His involvement in Arizona State suit and Justice Department complaints related to the use of e-readers; current suit against the Law School Admissions Counsel for web access and pending Department of Education Office for Civil Rights Penn State University focused on web based services and instructional technologies are setting the standard for electronic and Information technology access in higher education.  His work has gone beyond litigation to partnerships, including negotiating joint technology agreements with developers such as Amazon.com. 

Handouts for this lecture:

4:00pm-6:00pm - The Ethel Louise Armstrong Student Poster Competition and FLAME Concert -- Sponsored by The Ethel Louise Armstrong Memorial Lecture & President & Provost's Diversity Lecture & Cultural Art Series

Performance Hall, Ohio Union

FLAME is an international touring band made up of eleven people with disabilities, including autism, Down syndrome and blindness. They were recently featured in People Magazine and working on the release of “Outside the Lines," their fourth CD and first with all original music, in early December.  FLAME’s musical range is as diverse and their members, with covers of "Brown-Eyed Girl," "Black Magic Women," "Summertime," "Proud Mary," and "Another Brick in the Wall." On Good Morning America, the band stated: “We hope to change the world and the way people with disabilities are viewed through music.”

Thursday, May 5, 2011
9:15am-10:45am - Concurrent Sessions
Session A: Black Feminist Disability Studies: Learning from Our Intersection

Sami Schalk, First Year Doctoral Student in Gender Studies, Indiana University

This presentation will explore how black feminist theory and disability theory when used together could create a mutually beneficial understanding of the complexities of intersectional marginalized identities.

Session B: ADAAA Update

Donna L. Williams-Alexander, Administrative Judge, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Cleveland Field Office
 

Session C: Lessons Learned - Building Curb Ramps in the Right of Way

Robert G. Scott, Vice President; Bob Sexton, H.R. Gray

In this dynamic and interactive session, the presenters will bring together a panel of experts to discuss lessons learned when building curb ramps in the public right of way. The panel will consist of construction and design personnel, a member of an ADA advocacy organization, a representative from the U.S. Access Board, and an owner. This diverse group will provide a unique perspective on how to approach, design and construct a successful curb ramp project in your community.

Session D: Two 45-Minute Presentations on Communication:
  1. Communication Isolation as Reported by a Group of Deaf Texas Inmates

    Katrina R. Miller, Ed.D., CRC, Associate Professor, Psychology, Art Therapy, Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling, Emporia State University and Aviva Twersky Glasner, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Criminal Justice; Internship Coordinator, Criminal Justice Dept., Faculty Research Fellow Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center (MARC), Bridgewater State College

    Stories of deaf offenders’ early communication experiences at home and in school settings are explored and reviewed in conjunction to due process procedures for deaf offenders in the justice system. The Presenters will explore the specific concerns of deaf offenders, including absentee fathers, paucity of communication at home, inaccessible educational settings, development of inappropriate coping skills, and lack of awareness of deaf offender’s communication needs by justice system personnel.

  2. Improving Accessibility and Outreach to Deaf American Indians/Alaska Natives

    Damara Paris, MS, CRC, NCC, National Manager of Sprint Relay Marketing and Product Development and part-time professor in the ASL/Interpreter and Rehabilitation Counseling departments at Western Oregon University

    American Indians/Alaska Natives who are deaf, deaf-blind and hard of hearing face a variety of barriers towards accessibility and outreach. These barriers range from living on reservations that are located in rural areas, to lack of qualified interpreters and service providers who are familiar with both deafness and American Indian/Alaska Native culture. This presentation will provide an overview of the social, legal, educational, and health barriers of this population and discuss potential solutions or “pathways” towards improving accessibility of services for American Indians/Alaska Natives who experience hearing loss.

11:00am-12:30pm - Concurrent Sessions
Session A: Scars: A Love Story

Jim Ferris, Ph.D. Ability Center Endowed Chair in Disability Studies, Director, Disability Studies Program & Associate Professor, Department of Communication, University of Toledo

Scars mark us, distinguish us, set us apart. But they also hold us together and fill in some of the gaps. Scars are signs of wounds, but also signs of strength and healing. “Scars: A Love Story” is a mixed-media Chautauqua performance exploring relationships among scars, memory, narrative, and the spaces in our lives.

Session B: Guidelines for Achieving Quality Health Care for People with Disabilities

Katherine Hevener, Chair, Health and Welfare Committee, Ohio Governors’ Council on People with Disabilities

Anecdotal evidence suggests that disparities exist in the quality of health care for people with disabilities. These differences will be discussed along with best practices for serving these populations’ medical needs.

Session C: Sign Language Interpreters: Qualified? Says Who?

Linda L. Ross, Hallenross and Associates, LLC

ADA regulations regarding qualifications of sign language interpreters are fraught with problems. Certification, while a step in the right direction, is little better. What is a coordinator to do? This session will provide information to assist those employing sign language interpreters to determine what is meant by “qualified.” Participants will be able to 1) define qualified according to federal legislation, 2) explain the basics of certification, 3) discuss the relationship between certification and law, and 4) identify key information required for effective scheduling of interpreters.

Session D: Corporate Responsibility to Ensure the Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Marc Brenman, Principal, Social Justice Consultancy; Stephanie Ortoleva, Senior Human Rights Legal Advisor, BlueLaw International

The presenters will discuss Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), which has relevance for advocates for the rights of persons with disabilities and embraces three main concepts—reputation, accountability, and transparency. CSR is rarely discussed in disability rights and those rights are seldom included in CSR. Accomplishment of this goal can be reached: First, by including persons with disabilities in any international framework or program on corporate responsibility; Second, going beyond some small steps on increasing employment and producing limited specialized products; Third, international action on the responsibility of corporations regarding human rights generally, and the human rights of persons with disabilities in particular, must move away from voluntary approaches toward broader international agreements, with implementation of enforcement and monitoring mechanisms.

12:45pm-2:00pm - Lunch & Information Exchange
 
2:15pm-3:45pm - Concurrent Sessions
Session A: Disability Studies in the Arts & Humanities: Two Projects, Pre-1970

Brenda Jo Brueggemann, Professor, English & Disability Studies; Lindsey Patterson, PhD Candidate, Department of History, both from The Ohio State University

Session B: Reasonable Accommodation and Reasonable Modification: Truths; Misconceptions; and What the Law Requires

Ronnell Tomlinson, Director of Housing Enforcement and Director of ADR/Mediation, Ohio Civil Rights Commission

This session will examine the federal FHA and Ohio’s fair housing laws regarding reasonable accommodation/modification, and the problems encountered by persons with disabilities seeking requests for accommodations/modifications. The presenter will provide useful information to assist housing providers, homeowners associations, condominium associations, and apartment owners to gain a better understanding of their obligations in granting reasonable accommodations to afford a person with a disability full use and enjoyment of their housing unit as well as granting reasonable modifications. The information presented will also provide knowledge to disability advocacy groups and persons with disabilities to understand their fair housing rights and address some of the problems that can arise when seeking an accommodation or modification.

Session C: Web Accessibility in Higher Ed & the Corporation

Vincent Young, Accessibility Manager, Nationwide Insurance & Owner, Webhipster, LLC; Ken Petri, Director, The Ohio State University Web Accessibility Center

Presenters will examine the current conditions, highlight differences, and present thoughts for the future of web accessibility within higher education and the corporation. In a point-counter-point format discussion, the Web Accessibility Manager at Nationwide Insurance and the Director of the Web Accessibility Center at The Ohio State University provide a snapshot of how web accessibility is implemented within a private corporation and a public university, using their home institutions as primary, generally representative examples.

Session D: Innovative Programs to Support Students with Disabilities in Postsecondary Education

Margo Izzo, Nisonger Center Transition Services, The Ohio State University

The presentation will focus on current programming available to both high school and college students. Staff will present on the Transition Options in Postsecondary Settings for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TOPS), which is a model that delivers postsecondary opportunities including participation in college classes, internships, housing and social experiences that result in improved academic, employment and adult living outcomes. Staff will also present on Ohio’s STEM Ability Alliance (OSAA), which focuses on increasing the quality and quantity of students with disabilities that earn post-secondary degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) through student centered interventions. Students from both programs will also present on their experiences.

4:00pm-5:30pm - Concurrent Sessions
Session A: 2010 ADA Accessibility Standards

Earlene Sesker, Accessibility Specialist, U.S. Access Board
 

Session B: Taking Advantage of Technology for Including Deaf and Hard of Hearing Individuals

Ben Hall, CSC, NIC, SC:L; Emily Ott, NIC Master; Hallenross and Associates, LLC

Technology is a fact of life that has opened up opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Come explore how to literally place an interpreter on your desk. Technologies such as video remote interpreting and text interpreting as a cost effective means for providing interpreting services to deaf and hard of hearing individuals will be explored.

Session C: The Ohio AccessText Consortium: Improving Statewide Access to Publisher Files

Robert Martinengo, Publisher Services Coordinator, The AccessText Network

The Ohio AccessText Consortium is a collaborative effort between the University System of Ohio and the Rehabilitation Services Commission to provide AccessText membership to all public colleges in the state.

Session D: Internships & Success

Tykiah Wright, Executive Director, WrightChoice Internship Program & Angela Bonza, Lead Career Advisor, WrightChoice Internship Program

According to the United States Department of Labor the best predictor of substantial and sustainable employment for persons with disabilities is work experience during high school or college years. (U.S. Department of Labor 2005).  In Ohio there are 61 colleges and universities with a 10% enrollment rate of students with disabilities.  There should be a strong focus on increasing the number of students with disabilities obtaining internship, co-op, and ultimately post graduate careers.  We will discuss strategies and initiatives that focus on the employment success of college students with disabilities.
 

Friday, May 6, 2011
Understanding the new 2010 ADA Accessibility Standards: A Primer for Planners, Architects & Construction Managers

Earlene Sesker, Accessibility Specialist, U.S. Access Board

On July 26th, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released updated regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The new regulations update DOJ’s ADA Accessibility Standards which govern the construction and alteration of facilities covered by the ADA, including places of public accommodation, commercial facilities, and state and local government facilities.  If you have questions about the technical specification of the new Standards, this is the session for you.

  1. Constructing Castle: How Deafness Mattered in James Castle’s Art. Brenda Jo Brueggemann. What difference did deafness make in James Castle’s art products and practices? This multi-media presentation will be fully accessible; it will focus on the myths and magic of James Castle’s “retrospective” art and offer a disability studies and deaf studies reading of Castle’s work.

  2. Accessing the Academy: Disabled Student Activism and the Transformation of Higher Education. Lindsey Patterson. Accessible for a broad audience, this multi-media presentation examines the influence of disabled student activism in transforming the physical and cultural landscape of higher education in the 1960s and 1970s and current debates on inclusion, accessibility, and full civic membership.

2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design