Multiple Perspectives 2023

Widening the Circle: Access, Universal Design & Beyond

20-21 March, 2023 at The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

This year’s Multiple Perspectives conference reflects on the upcoming 50^th anniversary of the of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.  Signed by President Nixon on September 26, 1973, Section 504 announced a wider conception of “We the People.” The last forty-nine years our paradigms have been pushed from medical models toward social models, from accessibility standards toward universal design, from accommodation toward social justice. As we approach the 50^th anniversary of Section 504, what will the next fifty years bring?

Multiple Perspective’s ongoing exploration of disability as a reflection of the human condition. A lived experience seen through multiple lenses of identities and across the social contexts of work, education, and leisure; law and medicine; government and family.

Virtual Session Recordings

The recordings of the virtual sessions can be found below. We are still in the process of editing the transcripts for accuracy and hope to have all of the transcripts finalized by mid-May. These recordings are to be used for educational purposes only and cannot be modified or published.

Building Inclusive Campus Intramural Sports and Recreation Programs

Monday, March 20th 10:15-11:45 AM EST

Speaker: Timotheus "T.J."Gordon

During the 2021-2022 school year, Timotheus “T.J.” Gordon Jr. was a Dinah F. Cohen DREAM Fellow with the National Disability Mentoring Coalition. During his time with the program, he created a new guidebook on how campus intramural sports and recreation programs could attract and include students, staff, and faculty with disabilities. In this capstone presentation, TJ explains his research and key recommendations for recreation programs. He also talks about how his experience and love for sports, along with his insights on sports and disability, led him to create this guidebook in the first place.

Journey From an Accommodations to a Universal Design Framework

Monday, March 20th, 2:15-3:45 PM EST

Speaker: Sheryl Burgstahler

Explore steps for moving from an accommodations to a Universal Design framework in order to create a campus that is inclusive of faculty, students, and staff with disabilities while also leading Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives that consider issues related to all marginalized groups in instruction and service design.     

Disability On Both Sides of the Desk: A Discussion on Access to the Academy

Monday, March 20th, 4:00-5:30 PM EST

Speakers: Brenda Brueggemann, Ian Davis, and Stephen Kuusisto

September will mark the 50th anniversary of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Over the last half century, the impact of civil legislation covering disability and higher education has been uneven. Today approximately 12% of the college students across U.S. disclose a disability which has generated support structures, policies and a rich literature on student access. However, there is little systematic research documenting how many disabled faculty and staff working in higher education, let alone what their experiences might be. First-person accounts and the few studies that have been conducted indicate that disabled faculty and staff feel isolated; often unsure of where to go to seek accommodations; and report difficulty implementing accommodations even when they have them.

Building on their lived experiences and scholarship, this panel of disabled faculty (who were once disabled students) will explore the other side of the desk. What are the barriers and facilitators for faculty access?

This plenary panel will begin with brief statements from the panelists and then engage, in multiple avenues of access, audience interaction, discussion, questions.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Accessibility/Disability Support Services Departments at Minority Serving Institutions and A Select Group of International Institutions: Summary and Key Findings of a Preliminary Survey and Follow-up Interviews

Tuesday, March 21st, 8:30-10:00 AM EST

Speakers: Glennis Daniels-Bacchus, Janet Medina, and Katherine C. Aquino

This session proposes to share key findings from a preliminary survey and follow-up interviews with Accessibility/Disability Support Services Departments at a sampling of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and select international institutions. Of the over 700 MSIs 179 were invited to participate in the survey, and follow-up interviews were conducted with institutions who agreed to participate. The focus of the survey was to explore the effects of COVID-19 through questions centered around working with students with Long COVID and/or COVID-related Mental Health Challenges. This research project, currently in its first phase, was developed in response to the Long COVID Task Force regarding what was seen as a need for increased data on and from MSIs, with the addition of colleges primarily in the Caribbean. Five colleagues, two from the College of Southern Nevada and three independent researchers, collaborated on the initial development of the survey.  The researchers plan to continue this project and expand to include all MSIs and additional international institutions in the next phase. 

An Interactive Discussion on Adult Changing Rooms In Public Facilities

Tuesday, March 21st, 2:15-3:45 PM EST

Speaker: Julie Schafrath and Julie Boulter

The presentation will look at designs, building selection, and current laws for including Adult Changing Rooms along with required Accessible Restrooms. The purpose of the presentation will be to get audience input as to how the addition of Adult Changing Rooms will impact their lives.    

From the Student Perspective: Disability and Higher Education

Tuesday, March 21st, 4:00-5:30 PM EST

Moderator: Chris Parthemos, Virginia Commonwealth University 
Panelist: Elianna Bavuso, Sophie Papp, Eva Menezes, Sabrina Durso, William Atkins IV,

This panel is presented as a partnership between Virginia Commonwealth University and The Ohio State University.

As we approach the 50th anniversary of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, it is important to pause and reflect on the last 50 years and take inventory of where we are now. There has been considerable growth over the years. The number of students disclosing disabilities has increased, and the stigma surrounding disability on college campuses has decreased. However, there is always room for more growth and improvement; a fact that disabled students know firsthand.

This panel gives disabled students a chance to influence the development of the field by sharing their experiences with disability, finding community on campus, barriers, and more. Students will also have the space to share their hopes for the next 50 years and discuss what they wish higher education professionals knew in the present day.

This plenary panel will begin with brief statements from the panelists and then engage, in multiple avenues of access, audience interaction, discussion, and questions.