1 Impact of Campus Climate and Disabilities Assessment on Institutional Change Susan A. Vogel, Ph.D. Northern Illinois University Steven Sligar, Ed.D.

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Impact of Campus Climate and Disabilities Assessment on Institutional Change

Susan A. Vogel, Ph.D. Northern Illinois University

Steven Sligar, Ed.D. East Carolina University

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Topics included in Questionnaires Concerns regarding physical safety

Knowledge about legal mandates Knowledge about accommodations and willingness to provide them

Practices regarding classroom and institution environment

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Topics included in Questionnaires (cont.) Fairness of providing teaching,

examination, and policy accommodations Topics of interest

Preferred methods for acquiring information

Barriers to academic success

Strategies to reduce or eliminate barriers

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Impact at NIU Classroom environment

Increased awareness of disability and the law

Increase in availability of assistive technology

Information and training of computer lab staff regarding assistive technology

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Impact at NIU (continued) Provision of information (formal and

informal)

Architectural accessibility

Enforcing Section 508

State legislative changes and Section 508

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Direct Impact at Northern Illinois University

• Provided a unique assistive technology environment, workshops, speakers, improved signage, a Handbook and 1-on-1 training for computer lab assistants on use of assistive technology for students with disabilities

• Developed comprehensive Web site on disabilities in higher education (http://www.niu.edu/success)

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Indirect Impact at NIU

Revision of NIU’s web presence and enforcement of Section 508 (all

institution’s Web sites, online information,

distance education, etc).

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Indirect impact at NIU

Provided data that contributed to passage of the Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act (www.dhs.state.il.US/IITAA/IITAAStandards.html) to ensure that university Web sites, information systems, and information technologies are accessible to those with disabilities.

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Other possibilities• Increased awareness and knowledge about disabilities,

accommodations, Disability Services, and legal mandates

• A more welcoming and safe environment for all

• Services, strategies, procedures, and policies if students’ behavior might be harmful to themselves and/or others

• Identification and reduction/elimination of barriers

• Enhanced compliance with newest legal mandates

• Increased support services, space, staff, resources, etc.

• Increased retention and graduation rate

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Characteristics of Change

Narrow vs. far-reaching

Single vs. multi-faceted

Direct vs. indirect

Rate (immediate vs. slow process)

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Characteristics of Change (cont.) The “Ripple Effect”

The “River Effect”

Anticipated vs. unexpected

A process

Stick with it!

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Factors that contribute to change Highest level administrative support

Available resources

Campus leadership team

The leadership team members

Responsibilities of each

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Factors that contribute to change … Rate of response

Protection against unforeseen changes

Dissemination plan from the inception

Making CCD an institution priority

Making campus climate all-inclusive

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Relevant Research to Date

Vogel, S. A. (2011). Campus Climate and Disabilities Questionnaires: Faculty, Administrators and Staff, Students without Disabilities, and Students with Disabilities. Lincolnshire, IL: Campus Climate and Disabilities, LLC.

Vogel, S. A. (2010). Using Campus Climate and Disabilities. Lincolnshire, IL: Campus Climate and Disabilities, LLC.

Eitola, C., Fishman, K., Greenberg, A., Moore, C. D., Schrijver, A., & Totino, J. (2011). Success with ACCESS: Use of Community-based participatory research for implementation. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, (24)1, 61-65.

Vogel, S. A., Holt, J. K., Sligar, S., & Leake, E. (2008). Assessment of campus climate to enhance student success. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 21(1), 15-31.

Vogel, S. A., Leyser, Y., Burgstahler, S., Sligar, S., & Zecker, S. (2006). Faculty knowledge and practices regarding students with disabilities in three contrasting institutions of higher education. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 18(2), 109-123.

Vasek, D. (2005). Assessing the knowledge base of faculty at a private, four-year institution. College Student Journal, 39(2), 307-315.

Vogel, S. A., Vogel, G., Sharoni, V., & Dahan, O. (2003). Learning disabilities in higher education and beyond: An international perspective. Baltimore, MD: York Press. (Available from Campus Climate and Disabilities, LLC)

Leyser, Y., Vogel, S. A., Wyland, S., Brulle, A., Sharoni, V., & Vogel, G. (2000). Students with disabilities in higher education: Perspectives of American and Israeli faculty members. International Education, 29(2), 47-67.

Leyser, Y., Vogel, S. A., Brulle, A., & Wyland, S. (1998). Faculty attitudes and practices regarding students with disabilities: Two decades after implementation of Section 504. Journal of Postsecondarv Education and Disability, 13(3), 5-19.

Vogel, S. A., Leyser, Y., Wyland, S., & Brulle, A. (1999). Students with learning disabilities in higher education: Faculty attitude and practices. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 14(3). 173-186.

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