Multiple Perspectives 2024

The Journey from Statute to Seamless Access

The Twenty Fourth Annual Multiple Perspective On Access, Inclusion & Disability Conference APRIL 8TH & 9TH 2024 The Ohio State University - Columbus, Ohio

This year marks the 50^th anniversary of the of Section 504 or the Rehabilitation Act.  Signed by President Nixon on September 26, 1973, Section 504 launched the United States on a journey towards seamless access.  The first leg, moving from statute to regulation, took nearly 4 years, and included a lawsuits, protests, and the longest occupation of a federal building in US history. The regulations provided a foundation for the ADA and continue to propel us towards seamless access. As we celebrate fifty years, what are the lessons learned along the way?  What are the next steps in our ongoing journey?

Conference Highlights

The Eclipse - Audio Described!

Monday, April 8th at 2:00-4:00pm

Don't miss the 2024 Solar Eclipse traveling through Ohio on April 8th.  To make the eclipse accessible for everyone at OSU, the Office of Student Life Disability Services (SLDS) will be providing audio description!  We will be meeting from 2 to 4 p.m. on Monday April 8^th, Eclipse Day, outside the Blackwell Hotel on campus, 2110 Tuttle Park Place.  If you have a visual impairment and would like to experience the eclipse, please contact Lisa Vogt at vogt.142@osu.edu to reserve your spot!  A limited number of pairs of eclipse glasses will be available for use, and a waiver will need to be signed.  Let's experience this rare event together!  Fill out the survey below to notify us of your interest in this event.

Ken Campbell Lecture on Disability Law and Policy: Inventing the Independent Disabled Person: Tales From the Extraordinary Life of Ed Roberts 

Presented by Scot Danforth

Monday, April 8th 2024 at 3:45 PM EST

• Free & Open to the Public 
• In Person at the Blackwell Inn on OSU’s Columbus Campus
• Available via Zoom

This presentation tells the story of what Ed Robert’s suicide survival, his decision to live well, and to take full title of his  body and undefined future was the foundation for the notion of independent living as well as the beginning of a lifelong, intensive personal practice of self-creation. He crafted a dynamic, outrageous, impactful, disabled man in a mid-century America that hadn’t even begun to imagine people with disabilities living active, integrated lives. Ed’s decision launched the influential idea we now know as independent living, the lifechanging concept that powered the disability rights movement.

Scot Danforth is a Professor and the Assistant Dean of Research at Chapman University’s Attallah College of Educational Studies. A widely published disability studies scholar his work examines political and ethical issues to foster inclusive education. Cofounder of the Disability Studies in Education Special Interest Group within the American Education Research Association and past coeditor of Disability Studies Quarterly.

Ethel Louise Armstrong Lecture: Building Inclusive Spaces: Being an Ally for your Neurodivergent Peers and Students

Presented by Siva Priya Santhanam, Victoria VanUitert, endever*, and Noor Pervez

Tuesday, April 9th 2024 at 3:45 PM EST

• Free & Open to the Public 
• In Person at the Blackwell Inn on OSU’s Columbus Campus
• Available via Zoom

Neurodiversity is an integral part of diversity in university settings, and by embracing neurodiversity, we promote an inclusive and empathetic space for everyone. In this workshop-style presentation, you will understand complex issues that influence the academic and social well-being of neurodivergent students. Based on my own research and clinical experiences, I will share strategies for increased cross-neurotype understanding and communication, and you can take away specific strategies on how you can be an ally for your neurodivergent peer or student within the university setting.