Curricular Universal Design: Creating Accessible Writing

Assignments for Students with Disabilities

College of Staten Island Center for Student Accessibility

Division of Student AffairsChristopher Cruz Cullari, Director

Today The Center for Student

Accessibility About the College The Collaboration The Research Guide for Faculty Students Discussion

Center for Student Accessibility

Over 600 students 70% diagnosed learning

disability 15% psychological/

psychiatric disability 15% all other disability

types

Center for Student Accessibility Some of what we do includes:

Facilitate Accommodations Testing Interpreting/ CART services Other

Advisement Resource for Faculty Strategic Tutoring Technology Training First Year Connections Program Special Initiatives

College of Staten IslandCity University of New YorkCSI: 14,000 students 3000 first year students 20% have developmental

education needs

CUNY 540,000 students 270,000 matriculated 24 Institutions Largest urban system Third largest system overall

The Collaboration WAC Program Award

2010 and 2011 Recipient Faculty mini-guidebook Faculty workshops Tutor workshops Student handbook Student workshops Campaign

Overview: The Research Points of intersection: Developmental writing, disability

studies, literacy education, psycho-educational research

Overview: The Research Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing: Literacy development Learning Disabilities Research

Science and understanding Compromised holistic literacy dynamic Pedagogy Learning strategies

References and Resources

AHEAD Association on Higher Education and

Disability

Journal of Learning Disabilities Reading Research Quarterly NCTE

Committee on College Composition and Communication

Three Interwoven Processes Faculty development

and mini-guidebook Tutor training Student workshops

and handbook

Faculty Guide: The Process What the data told us Meetings with

students, faculty, and tutors.

Research Drafting

Suggestion 1 Give both written and

verbal instructions.

Suggestion 2 Ask students to

paraphrase the writing prompt/assignment and related instructions as a class activity.

Suggestion 3 Let students know

from the beginning how their work will be graded, and consider the use of rubrics.

Suggestion 4 Show models of

finished assignments when giving the initial instructions.

Suggestion 5 Break longer

assignments like research papers into small, graded parts.

Plus 1 Consider reading

strategies for reading assignments. Better reading will improve the quality of the writing.

What Faculty Say

In their own words Video

What Our Students Say “It would be great to

see different kinds of teaching methods.”

“I would like to do more on my own regardless of the professor I have.”

For Students “From Procrastination

to Productivity: Writing Strategies for College Students with (and without) LDs/ ADHD”

Strategically Speaking

Encourage students to think about how they learn best. Infuse a strategy when possible. Encourage students to approach academic work with a

plan. “What’s your plan to complete this assignment?”

Connecting to the Campus

Integration Common Causes Continued

Collaboration

Summary What’s good for a student with

a disability can be good for all students.

Universal Design in curriculum helped create a place for us at the table to advocate for our students and all students.

Thank You Christopher Cruz Cullari, Director

Center for Student Accessibility

College of Staten Island, City University of New York

2800 Victory Boulevard

Center for the Arts, 1P -101

Staten Island, NY 10314

(718) 982-2510