OEOC Celebrates Disabilities Awareness Month with Webinars

With 2020 marking the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the University of Arkansas will observe Disabilities Awareness Month in October with a series of webinars throughout the month on topics to raise awareness of disabilities.

The Office for Equal Opportunity and Compliance will offer four virtual sessions over the month on topics ranging from campus culture to accessible course design and improving digital access. For more information, please visit oeoc.uark.edu/training.

The schedule of webinars is:

Wednesday, Oct. 7, 1 p.m.: Ten Tips for Everyday Digital Access (Register here)

• This webinar is designed for those who are new to digital accessibility. The webinar will cover important steps that everyone can take to create a more accessible digital world. Some of the areas of accessibility to be covered include emails, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint and social media.
• Presenter: Melanie Thornton, University of Arkansas, Partners for Inclusive Communities

Tuesday, Oct. 13, 1 p.m.: Disability Harassment in the Workplace (Register here)

• While the recent #MeToo and #TimesUp movements shed light on workplace sexual harassment, employers remain less familiar with risks associated with workplace disability harassment. This webinar will focus on the growing trend of disability harassment in the workplace, including the difference between workplace harassment and bullying; harassment in the disability context; identifying types of adverse conduct; exploration of selected case law and practical applications.
• Presenter: Sashi Nisankarao, Southwest ADA Center

Wednesday, Oct. 21, 1 p.m.: Designing an Accessible Online Course (Register here)

• Design is powerful in its ability to include some and exclude others. When the design of a course is approached in a thoughtful and inclusive way, it creates an educational environment where all students have an opportunity to learn and demonstrate their mastery of the course content. This webinar will explore some of the barriers students with disabilities face in taking online courses and some solutions for removing those barriers.
• Presenter: Melanie Thornton, University of Arkansas, Partners for Inclusive Communities

Tuesday, Oct. 27, 1 p.m.: Creating a Campus Culture of Access and Inclusion (Register here)

• How can we move beyond compliance to creating a campus where disability is valued as an aspect of diversity and access and inclusion are provided proactively? We'll explore some of the common barriers faced by faculty, staff and students with disabilities on a college campus and look at ways we can work together to remove those barriers.
• Presenter: Melanie Thornton, University of Arkansas, Partners for Inclusive Communities; and Julie Petty, University of Arkansas, Partners for Inclusive Communities.

For more information, contact OEOC at 479-575-4019.