Assistive Technology
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The Assistive Technology Act was signed into law following the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) to help states sustain and strengthen their ability to provide individuals with access to assistive technology. The Assistive Technology Act defines assistive technology as “any item, piece of equipment, or product system…that is used to increase, maintain or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.”
Assistive Technology can help students who have difficulty speaking, typing, writing, remembering, seeing, hearing, learning, and many other things.
Students who are approved by Disability Services to use Assistive Technology as an accommodation, have a variety of technology and software available for their use during their academic journey at UCCS.
How can AT be used for Accommodations?
What is offered for Assistive Technology?
Disability Services has a variety of assistive technology options to choose from to aid in note-taking, reading & writing.
Check out some of the options available from the AT lab.
AT Loans:
Equipment and Software is available for loan with a related accommodation. Ergonomic keyboards, notetaking software and amplification systems are some of the many tools we offer to students free of charge during their yea at UCCS.
Alternative Format of Text Accommodation:
Students registered with Disability Services and are approved for a “Textbooks in Alternative Format” accommodation can have textbooks converted into their required formats if those books are not already available in the marketplace or through the TAAP program.
TAAP Program:
TAAP: Students receive all required physical or digital course materials without placing individual orders or paying out of pocket. Books are available for pick up at the UCCS store or access them online through Canvas via Vital Source. This guide provides instruction on how to access books in TAAP and use the accessibility features.
To learn more about what the TAAP program is please visit the TAAP Webpage.
Document Remediation:
Students with a testing accommodation who need tests, assignments, homework or quizzes in an accessible format can have them converted & remediated. Please contact the AT Specialist for those requests: altmedia@uccs.edu.
One-on-One Training Sessions:
The campus community is welcome to request training in assistive technology, universal design, accessibility remediation and other related topics. Contact the Assistive Technology Specialist or use the Accommodate student portal to schedule a time to connect and learn more!
One-on-One Training Sessions:
Equipment and Software is available for loan with a related accommodation. Ergonomic keyboards, notetaking software and amplification systems are some of the many tools we offer to students free of charge during their yea at UCCS.
AT Loans:
Equipment and Software is available for loan with a related accommodation. Ergonomic keyboards, notetaking software and amplification systems are some of the many tools we offer to students free of charge during their yea at UCCS.
AT Loans:
Equipment and Software is available for loan with a related accommodation. Ergonomic keyboards, notetaking software and amplification systems are some of the many tools we offer to students free of charge during their yea at UCCS.
About the Assistive Technology Lab:
Students registered with Disability Services are welcome to use the lab during library hours. Students just need to swipe in with their mobile student ID.
There are benefits to having access to the AT lab which includes but not limited to, a quiet place to study with limited distractions, large adjustable tables, and free access to windows computers.
If a student has an approved accommodation for certain software and technologies they can use the windows computers in the lab to access those resources. Students can work with the Assistive Technology Specialist on any specialized technology they may need access to on the AT lab computers.
Peer Note-Taking
In some rare cases, students with documented disabilities may be eligible to receive class notes from a classmate as an accommodation through Disability Services. Below are the steps for students who qualify for this accommodation.
How to Request Class Notes
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Submit
Submit a Semester Request in Accommodate for the term to send Faculty Accommodation Letters to your faculty. See here for semester request step-by-step instructions.
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Review
Review each course and the class format to determine if supplemental notes are needed. (Ex: peer notes for an online or asynchronous courses typically are not needed.)
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Fill out Request
Fill out the Request Peer Note-taker Form with the classes you are requesting peer notes.
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Contact Disability Services
Contact Disability Services if you encounter any problems or concerns at dsnotes@uccs.edu
Once your request is placed, Disability Services will anonymously email the class roster. After a Peer Note-taker is assigned, you will receive an email notification from Accommodate each time notes are uploaded.
Peer Note-taker Policies
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Coordinate
Disability Services coordinates the peer note-taker accommodation and keeps all parties' identities anonymous.
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Inform
Inform Disability Services if you require notes in a particular file format so that they can be accessed with assistive technology.
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Attend All Courses
Attend all of your courses to determine if notes and/or PowerPoint slides will be available to the class, mitigating your need for supplemental notes.
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Take Own Class Notes
If you are able to do so, you are encouraged to still take your own class notes and use peer class notes as a supplement.
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No Sharing
Notes received are not to be shared in any way.