Note to Editors: A complete conference agenda is attached.
Students from all over the world are using information technology on a daily basis. At the University of Colorado at Â鶹¹ÙÍø, students with disabilities are no exception.
CU-Â鶹¹ÙÍø's Assistive Technology Lab enables students to access computer systems, information resources and on-line services such as the World Wide Web and other Internet services. The lab also provides access to alternate writing tools, as well as alternate formats for print and graphical material.
On Nov. 17-19, program coordinators at the CU-Â鶹¹ÙÍø AT Lab and Disability Services will bring together national leaders in the field of assistive technology to educate students, staff, faculty and the community on the availability and potential benefits of assistive technology in education.
"Accessing Higher Ground," a conference on Assistive Technology in Higher Education, will be held at CU-Â鶹¹ÙÍø and the Raintree Plaza Conference Center in Longmont.
According to Howard Kramer, AT Lab coordinator, computer access for students with disabilities requires more than adaptive software.
"Besides providing equipment and services for students, we want to make sure that Web pages, campus databases and distance learning opportunities are available and user-friendly," Kramer said. "Our students really like having access and use the lab continuously."
More than 20 workshops will be presented throughout the conference, several by people with disabilities, on topics including Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, and legal and policy issues and accommodations for students with learning disabilities, visual impairments and physical disabilities.
The keynote speaker, Larry Goldberg, is director of the National Center for
Accessible Media at WGBH in Boston. Goldberg has lectured and published widely on accessible media for consumers and for classrooms, including a plenary session at the International Congress on Education of the Deaf in Tel Aviv, Israel.
A hands-on workshop, "Designing University Accessible Web Sites for Persons with Disabilities," will be offered by Mike Paciello, a nationally renowned speaker and teacher on accessible Web design.
The forum will conclude with a panel discussion by assistive technology users in the university setting.
The conference is sponsored by the CU Parents Association, the Office of Diversity and Equity, the Vice Chancellor's Office for Student Affairs, the Information Technology Council and the Colorado/Wyoming Consortium of Support Programs for Students with Disabilities.
The Raintree Plaza Conference Center is RTD accessible and CU-Â鶹¹ÙÍø students and employees with a valid Eco Pass can ride the bus to Longmont for free.
For a complete agenda, workshop listing or registration form, visit the conference Web site at or contact Disability Services at (303) 492-8671 (V/TTY). Partial scholarships are also available for CU-Â鶹¹ÙÍø students, faculty and staff.
The Assistive Technology Lab, housed within the department of Disability Services, conducts workshops for faculty, staff and students. For more information, visit the Web site at or call (303) 492-8672.