Texas A&M University Helps Students with Disabilities Develop Knowledge, Skills, and Experience Needed for Successful Careers

To get into Texas A& M University, students with disabilities face the same challenge as anyone—they must qualify academically. Once they are qualified to attend the large and prestigious university in College Station, Texas, students with disabilities can seek support and accommodations through the Department of Student Life's Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office. An important part of that support is learning about accessible technology—including assistive technology or "adaptive technology" that provides access to information through computers.

Computer assistive technology includes screen magnifiers, screen readers, and voice recognition software for blind and visually impaired individuals, keyboard filters and alternative input devices for those with mobility impairments, and special software programs for those with learning and language disabilities. Students can also get accommodations including extended time testing, interpreters, note-taker services, scribes, reader services (e.g., books on tape, electronic text), and registration assistance.

Knowledge and Experience Benefits Employers

Graduating students will take their new degrees and their knowledge and experience with assistive technology into the workplace. In the workplace this knowledge will not only benefit them, but it will benefit their employers. "Many employers do not realize that assistive technology, like technology in general, is becoming more and more powerful and less and less expensive. It's really relatively inexpensive in comparison to the productivity it allows," explains David Sweeney, program coordinator for adaptive technology services in SSD.

"Since training in the use of assistive technology is by far the biggest cost for employers who provide it for their employees," says Sweeney, "college graduates who already know how to use the tools when they join the workforce will help keep the costs to employers down. And, their knowledge can help open doors and increase productivity for others, as well."

Accessibility Becoming More Integrated with Standard Office Tools

"Another point that is probably even more important than the fact that assistive technology is becoming steadily better and less expensive," says Sweeney, "is that accessibility is becoming more integrated with mainstream software and hardware tools."

Built-in accessibility features—once only available as add-on programs—are now standard in Windows XP. The ability to choose and customize display, mouse, keyboard, Internet, speech and sounds and audio options in Windows XP is a big part of computer accommodation for many people with disabilities. Windows XP accessibility utilities—Microsoft Magnifier, Narrator, and On-Screen Keyboard provide a minimum level of functionality for some users. These utilities enhance workplace flexibility by allowing users basic access to other Windows-based computers in the workplace—not just one computer equipped especially for them.

Investing in More Universal Design

People with disabilities in the workforce benefit their employers in another way, says Sweeney. They can help the world move toward universal design. "Universal design is a concept borrowed from the field of architecture," he explains, "and has grown in significance in the area of information technology in recent years. The object of universal design," he says, "is to remove barriers—and one of the assumptions of that is that the barrier is external to the person and external to the person's disability—the barrier is in the product, or the structure, or the environment. Designers of everything from public buildings to Pocket PCs who think in terms of removing barriers and therefore providing easier, better, more effective access will be more successful in selling their products," says Sweeney. "The race to gain customers depends on access for all technology companies and the best way to get customers is to make getting, owning, and using your products easier."

Graduates Make Good Employment Prospects

"With solid academic preparation, college graduates with disabilities make excellent employment prospects," says Anne Reber, Ph.D., assistant director, Student Life Services and head of SSD. "In addition to their academic qualifications, students with disabilities often develop other important skills in the course of managing life with a disability that can come in handy on the job—problem-solving skills, for example. In addition to their academic studies, students with disabilities must learn to navigate an environment that sometimes puts barriers in their way. The students have to learn about themselves—their strengths and weaknesses and how to emphasize their strengths so they can accomplish their goals," Reber says.

Employers Benefit from More Diverse Workforce

A company that employs people with disabilities transmits a positive message to customers and their own employees. "When a business focuses on a person's abilities and not their disabilities—'they're here because they have something to contribute'—that's a compelling public message," says Reber. "Likewise, tapping the skills of a more diverse workforce helps a company better understand and communicate with their widest possible customer base. Employees with disabilities can also help teach their coworkers about dealing effectively with customers with disabilities. Knowing how to treat the customer is, of course, a crucial workforce skill for any business," says Reber.