Facilitating Inclusive Institutions of Higher Education, an assistive technology approach for CLD students with disabilities.

This session aims to assist Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) in fulfilling its commitment to provide equal access to curriculum and instruction for students with disabilities, specifically those from culturally and linguistically diverse(CLD) backgrounds. The 2020 U.S. Dept. of Educ, Nat’l Ctr for Educ Statistics (NCES) reported that 19% of undergraduate students in 2017-18 as having a disability. Concomitantly, IHE often indicate that students do not self-disclose having a condition that substantially affects major life activities, particularly given the subliminal impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic. IHE provides accessibility and accommodations for persons with disabilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. This session highlights the use of Universal Design for Learning Technologies, which is a scientific-based framework that guides the development of innovative flexible learning environments that accommodate individual learning styles. Session participants will engage with low-tech and high-tech assistive technology innovations and consider accommodations needed to support students with disabilities, particularly as they begin their transition to colleges and university classrooms post-pandemic