Accessibility Resources
The University of Memphis is a community driven by the University values of diversity and inclusion to create a campus environment that is not only compliant, but accessible to individuals with disabilities. As such, the University created a committee of individuals from across the campus to thoughtfully consider and eliminate potential and existing barriers to equal access and participation in University programs, activities, and the physical environment. This committee is the University Accessibility Committee (UAC), and it is made up of 4 subcommittees:
- Digital & Learning Environment Subcommittee
- Physical Environment Subcommittee
- Campus Events Subcommittee
- Policy & Procedure Subcommittee
Below are various accessibility resources put together by the UAC to assist students, faculty, staff, and guests with navigating the accessibility of the University of Memphis.
Requesting Disability Related Accommodations
Students
Student with disabilities who wish to request accommodations should contact Disability Resources for Students at 901-678-2880, drs@memphis.edu, or start the accommodation request process by completing the Student Introduction Form at https://yukon.accessiblelearning.com/Memphis/ApplicationStudent.aspx.
Employees
Employees with disabilities, including graduate assistants and student workers, who wish to request workplace accommodations can start that process at https://memphis.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_abo9eFcVVIqTWZv. For more information about disability-related workplace accommodations, please visit https://www.memphis.edu/hr/ada.php.
Visitors
Visitors wanting to ask questions about accessibility or to request accommodations should contact the department that they will be visiting or the coordinator of the event they will be attending. For example, to request accommodations for athletic events, you would contact Athletics Director of Events.
Report an Accessibility Concern
If you experience barriers to your participation in University events, programs, academics, or other offerings, you may file an accessibility concern report at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?UnivofMemphis&layout_id=98.
Physical Access Resources
- View building floor plans, accessible entrances, elevator, accessible restrooms, and unisex restrooms by visiting Floor Plans & Accessible Features@https://umwa.memphis.edu/campusmap/index.php/welcome/index/main.
- Find accessible parking by visiting Parking Map @ https://www.memphis.edu/cpd/pdf/parkingmap.pdf
- Departments may use the WORQ Order System @ https://www.memphis.edu/pp/worq.php
to have physical access issues in the building and classrooms addressed - Gender Neutral Accessible Restrooms can be located by visiting Accessible Gender Neutral Restrooms @ https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&cx=011570977296401323067:2xqep_d2aj0&q=https://www.memphis.edu/multiculturalaffairs/pdfs/gender-neutral-restrooms.pdf&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwi4tryjz4T3AhWXg4kEHWEJBDEQFnoECAUQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3b3fKQ-zZalpv3LLoHiLFS
Planning Accessible Events
Advertise the Event Through Multiple Means of Communication
Use both print and accessible electronic means (e.g., website, email, Tiger Zone) of communication to advertise your event. Advertise far enough in advance (at least two weeks) to allow students to request accommodations and event organizers to arrange accommodations for the event.
Create Accessible Flyers
Students with disabilities may use accessible software, like screen readers or text-to-speech readers, to assist them with navigating electronic materials. For these types of software to be useful electronic documents need to be created with accessibility in mind. To learn how to do this, please go to http://webaim.org/techniques/acrobat/.
Include an Accessibility Statement on Flyers, Email Announcements, Etc.
Including an Accessibility Statement indicates to potential participants that they are welcome to participate and that the University of Memphis intends to be inclusive. This is a simple way to communicate and demonstrate inclusivity.
Recommended Accessibility Statement
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. If you anticipate any barriers to your participation and would like to request an accommodation, please contact NAME OF EVENT ACCESSIBILITY COORDINATOR at EMAIL ADDRESS or via telephone at (000) 000-0000. Requests made by DATE will generally allow us to provide seamless access. Nevertheless, we will make every effort to meet requests made after this date.
Assign an Accessibility Coordinator
Every event should have a person assigned as the contact and coordinator for accessibility (Accessibility Coordinator). This person will be listed as the contact for accommodation requests in the Accessibility Statement. This should NOT be Disability Resources for Students (DRS) unless we are co-sponsoring and co-planning the event. If DRS is not involved in the planning, we will not have the information needed to make appropriate arrangements. Nonetheless, DRS may be consulted by and assist the event’s accessibility coordinator, as needed.
Make Every Effort to Make Requested Arrangements
Legally, we cannot require individuals to make a request by a certain date, and we must make every effort to make accommodation arrangements that have been requested prior to events. However, as long as you have made an effort to use multiple means of communication to advertise your event and have advertised at least two weeks in advance of the event, you are not obligated to accommodate if a student waits until the last minute to place a request, and there is not sufficient time to make the requested arrangements. For example, if a deaf student would request the presence of a sign language interpreter the day prior to the event, we are obligated to try to schedule an interpreter, but it may not be possible to secure an interpreter on such short notice.
Contact Disability Resources for Students
If you have any questions regarding this document, event accessibility, or the appropriateness of requested accommodations, you are encouraged to contact Disability Resources for Students for guidance at 901-678-2880 or drs@memphis.edu.
Digital Access Resources
University Libraries
Locating a Permalink via the University Libraries’ Homepage
Libraries Accessibility Committee Contact Information:
- Co-Chair, Carl Hess, chess2@memphis.edu
- Co-Chair, Ashley Roach-Freiman, amroach@memphis.edu
- Jessica McClure, jmcclre3@memphis.edu
- Robert Watson, rowatson@memphis.edu
- Dr. Kenneth Haggerty, khggerty@memphis.edu
- Shae Stoddard, sstddard@memphis.edu
- Marie Peeples, mlpeples@memphis.edu
- Caitlin Harrington, chrrngt4@memphis.edu
- Brigitte Billeaudeaux, bbilledx@memphis.edu
- Casey Parkman, ckprkman@memphis.edu
McWherter Library Map and Floor Plan - https://www.memphis.edu/libraries/about/mcwherter_floor_plans.php
Book retrieval forms as accommodation - https://www.memphis.edu/libraries/circulation/itempickup.php
Assistive Technology Lab (unless DRS is covering this)
Requesting accommodation for library events and instruction sessions
Instruction Sessions: Barbara Thomas, brthomas@memphis.edu
Library Events: Jill Green, jdgreen6@memphis.edu
Disability Concerns at University Libraries: Leslie Collie, ljcollie@memphis.edu
Accessibility Design in General
Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation (CIDI)
By Georgia Tech College of Design: CIDI is recognized as a leader for services and research in accessibility. We are dedicated to an inclusive society through innovations in assistive and universally designed technologies, with a goal of addressing the full range of needs for accessibility. We are committed to the promotion of technological innovation and development of user-centered research, products, and services for individuals with disabilities.
Digital Accessibility Design
WebAIM
Web Accessibility in Mind: Expanding the potential of the web for people with disabilities by empowering individuals and organizations to create accessible content. WebAIM (Web Accessibility In Mind) has provided comprehensive web accessibility solutions since 1999. These years of experience have made WebAIM one of the leading providers of web accessibility expertise internationally. WebAIM is a non-profit organization based at the Institute for Disability Research, Policy, and Practice at Utah State University.
SiteImprove
The University of Memphis utilizes SiteImprove to manage the overall web health, equity, and wellness of all sites under the memphis.edu domain. Siteimprove Academy training is available and required upon entrance to our content management system to maintain web content. Another valuable resource, the Siteimprove Community offers more detail and specifics and discussions to our web maintainers. There are numerous communities to take advantage of; Accessibility, Search Engine Optimization, and Quality Assurance groups, to name a few.
For more information about SiteImprove or accessibility in regard to the UofM website, please contact webservices@memphis.edu.
Social Media Accessibility
Digital.gov
Digital.gov features a Social Media Policy Toolkit, a shared service of the Federal Social Media Community of Practice lead by teams including The Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy. The toolkit is intended to help agencies evaluate the accessibility of their social media programs for persons with disabilities and identify areas that need improving.
Review the following pages for platform-specific accessibility information:
Accessibility Page on Facebook
Accessibility Page on LinkedIn
Canvas and Accessibility
Accessibility in Higher Education
National Center for College Students with Disabilities (NCCSD)
The National Center for College Students with Disabilities (NCCSD), established December 1, 2015, is a federally funded project under the U.S. Department of Education (P116D150005), through the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). Our home is at the Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD).
NCCSD Clearinghouse And Resource Library
The Clearinghouse is one product of the NCCSD. Other services and activities include answering calls from students, families, and professionals, maintaining a social media presence and conducting research. We welcome your feedback about this site and encourage you to look at the evolving list of reviewers who have helped us create and edit this site.
Campus Disability Resource Database
The CeDaR Database was developed by the National Center on College Students with Disabilities (NCCSD at the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), through funding from the U.S. Department of Education. Many thanks to our colleagues at the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts, Boston for their technical expertise, guidance, and support in the development and maintenance of this database. The NCCSD was authorized by Congress through the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 and began in 2015. Congress asked the NCCSD to create a database with disability services information, so prospective college students with disabilities and their families could make better choices and have contact information for the schools of their choice. Participation in the database was voluntary. The database has the names and contact information for offices (or individuals) who provide disability services and accommodations. Over 500 campuses provided additional information about disability resources at their institution. Providing (or not providing) information does not imply a college is “better” or “worse” for students with disabilities. Students and families should use the information to help them ask questions and make decisions.
In support of the THEC Accessibility Task Force recommendations submitted to the legislature in 2014, the Tennessee Board of Regents Office of Student Success and Office of Academic Affairs have been engaging campuses in dialogue, training, and assessment activities to make our educational resources more accessible to more students. Below are resources for campus use in discussing accessibility, training faculty and staff to make materials accessible, and assessing each campus' educational materials to meet accessibility standards.
TBR Accessible Instructional Materials and Technology Conformance
Database of instructional materials that are in compliance with accessibility standards published by Tennessee Board of Regents.