Accessibility Ambassadors: July session on Expanding Access and Inclusion in the Testing Environment
As a resource for students and faculty, the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities offers a physical testing center for registered students to take accommodated exams when departmental resources are not available.
Annually, the DRC Testing Center proctors over 11,000 exams. It also continues to engage our University community to reflect on ways the institutional structure perpetuates academic ableism for students who face barriers to completing exams under time constraints in environments that were not equitably designed. This work is in alignment with the DRC’s mission and vision to create accessible environments and expand access across our institution.
This presentation will discuss the scope of disability and address academic ableism, highlight DRC processes, and champion strategies for expanding access and inclusion in a testing environment. Our conversation will be led by Haylee Cloutier, current Testing Center coordinator; and Adam Tarshish, manager of the Testing Center and Access Assistance units.
Adam brings a unique perspective to topics of ADA disability accommodations/ inclusive design strategies, self-advocacy, mentorship, implementing accommodated exams, and the transition into and out of higher education. Adam has also given numerous professional presentations within the realms of higher education, secondary education, and the disability community/culture. Adam is currently pursuing a Master of Arts degree in organizational leadership, policy, and development, with an emphasis on higher education, in the College of Education and Human Development.
Haylee Cloutier is a testing coordinator at the DRC Testing Center. She has been a DRC staff member for over two years and previously supported the Access Assistance unit as an access specialist. Haylee brings a thoughtful perspective on mental health, access considerations related to testing, student skill building, and overall student success. This is her first presentation to a professional organization, and she is excited about future opportunities.
Expanding Access and Inclusion in the Testing Environment
Monday, July 24, 2023 noon-1 p.m.
Registration for this session is required. Let us know if you are attending. By default, we enable auto-captioning in the webinar. Please let us know what additional accommodations we can provide. Two weeks notice (July 10) will help us to better fulfill requests. This session will be recorded, captioned, and shared with the Google Group.
About Accessibility Ambassadors
Accessibility Ambassadors is a group of University employees from across all campuses who are passionate about making U of M digital resources more accessible online. They bring different skills, strengths, and backgrounds, but all want to create an inclusive and accessible community at the U of M.
They host events to teach, advocate, and discuss digital accessibility topics and strive to be resources for the University community.
To learn about more accessibility-related events at the University of Minnesota, please visit Accessible U.
For more information about the Ambassadors, join the Google Group or send an email to: accessibility-ambassadors@umn.edu.