Initiative for Web Accessibility

DSS is working with the State of Alaska ADA Coordinator's Office, the Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, ATLA, and others to provide training through a series of workshops aimed at web developers and application designers across the State. The pilot training was held in Anchorage in May 2008 with trainings twice per year since. Visit the Alaska Web Accessibility Training site to learn more.

Additionally, DSS is working with the UAA Web Pros to implement the 2010 Chancellor's Web Standards and Design project and with the GOALS project to evaluate our institutional capacity to ensure accessible online offerings. Learn more about UAA Web Accessibility Efforts or Learn more about UAA Web Publishing

Building Awareness through Reel Eyes

Reel Eyes is a showcase of films by and about individuals with disabilities. Both mainstream productions and documentaries are shown at multiple locations across the state each year in March and April. The event has taken place annually since 2004.

Film showings are complemented with opportunities to earn credit. Options for students to earn credit have been offered at multiple levels and through a variety of disciplines.  Visit the Reel Eyes webpage to learn more

Supporting Students with Disabilities

Disability Support Services partnered with the Center for Human Development on the grant funded College Access Project for Rural Alaska (CAPRA, 2005-2009). The million dollar project provided training and technical assistance to adjunct and full-time faculty on the smaller campuses to improve knowledge, understanding, and classroom delivery to accommodate students with disabilities. Much of the Accessibility site was built through a no-cost extension at the close of CAPRA to offer sustainable access to the Universal Design training materials.

Disability Support Services is currently partnering with the Center for Human Development on TAPESTRY which is a model demonstration project aimed at creating a comprehensive postsecondary transition program for students with intellectual disabilities.

Sharing Resources: Technology and Expertise

Disability Support Services is commited to serving as a resource for the community. In addition to providing state of the art technology for students attending UAA, the Adaptive Computing Lab is opened up to the community for workshops and the lab's production services are available for educational institutions or entities serving individuals with documented disabilities.

UAA Accessibility Interns and Service Learning Courses provide a much valued resource within the community. Partnerships have resulted in improved content for areas such as Alaska Fish and Game, the Northern Light, Alaska Career Information Systems, the Arctic FASD Training Center, the Alaska Court System, ANCSA at 40, and more.

DSS at UAA also provides Alternate Format Material production and/or TypeWell meaning-for-meaning realtime communication access for the Anchorage School District, the Mat-Su Borough School District, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation as well as UAA and UAS campuses.