POSITION IDENTIFICATION
TITLE Associate Director, Disability Resource Center-Access Technology Center
CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 5136
GRADE 44
CLASSIFICATION Exempt
IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Deputy Compliance Officer
GENERAL FUNCTION
The Associate Director, Disability Resource Center-Access Technology Center (ATC) is responsible for collaborating with members of the campus community to proactively create usable, equitable, and inclusive learning environments through the utilization of technology. The Associate Director, Disability Resource Center-Access Technology Center serves as the primary contact for access technology referrals for students, faculty, and staff with disabilities experiencing barriers in their full participation in University programs and services by evaluating requests for access technology and assessing alternative methods of accommodation in conjunction with the student or employee and the appropriate disability resource referral source. The Associate Director, Disability Resource Center-Access Technology Center consults regarding the evaluation, installation, and ongoing maintenance of access technology devices provided by the University and used by students, faculty, and staff with disabilities. The Associate Director, Disability Resource Center-Access Technology Center ensures effective daily operation of access hardware and software on all campuses, including problem determination and resolution. The Associate Director, Disability Resource Center-Access Technology Center consults, develops, implements, and maintains a system-wide training agenda in the area of access technology for students, faculty, staff, and administration. The Associate Director, Disability Resource Center-Access Technology Center oversees access technology in labs and supervises student staff and graduate assistants.
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Education: A Bachelor’s degree in disability studies, access technology, rehabilitation engineering, special education, vocational rehabilitation, physical therapy, or other related professional field is required. Professional-level certification in the areas of assistive technology, rehabilitation engineering, vocational evaluation, or work adjustment from a nationally recognized organization affiliated with one or more of these fields is preferred. A Master’s degree in access technology, disability studies, rehabilitation engineering, special education, occupational education, vocational rehabilitation, physical therapy, or other related professional field is preferred.
Experience: Two years of experience working in school, clinical, and/or adult-based programs serving persons with disabilities involving the technical and clinical aspects of assistive technology applications is required.
Experience in at least one of the following technical roles performed by the Access Technology Center is required, experience in multiple areas is preferred.
- Experience with alternative format document creation and remediation including textbook conversion, accessible PDFs, Braille, tactile graphics, E-Text, etc
- Experience with video and audio captioning and transcription including caption creation and timing, video editing and format conversion, embedding caption files, etc.
- Experience working with various assistive technologies and training consumers in their use on multiple computer and mobile platforms including text-to-speech software, dictation software, notetaking technologies, screen reader software, FM Systems, etc.
- Experience with reviewing publisher software, online platforms, websites, and e-textbooks for accessibility including screen reader compatibility and WCAG 2.1 standards compliance.
Experience training graduate assistants and/or student workers in the technical roles (alternative format document creation and remediation, video and audio captioning and transcription, assistive technology training, and accessibility reviews) of the Access Technology Center is preferred.
Experience working as part of a team is required. Experience training individuals with and without technical backgrounds is preferred. Experience serving adult consumers is preferred.
Skills: Demonstrated supervisory skills are required, effective oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills are required. The ability to perform individual assessments and evaluations is required. The ability to perform microcomputer system diagnosis and administer access technology software and hardware is required. The ability to develop knowledge of, respect for, and skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds is required.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBLITIES
1. Through an interactive process provides collaborative consultation with students, faculty, staff, and community members to proactively create usable, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable learning environments through the utilization of technology and universal design.2. Makes budgetary decisions regarding the procurement of assistive technology including small tech devices, software, etc. in collaboration with the Director.
3. Ensures that faculty, staff, and students can effectively utilize access technology resources in computer labs and classroom environments by providing resources and coordinating problem determination and resolution with other departments on campus.
4. Evaluates procedures for alternative format production, adjusting as needed, ensuring training competence for staff in the ATC department.
5. Conduct reviews of publisher software, online platforms, websites, and e-textbooks prior to purchase, ensuring accessibility (to include screen reader compatibility).
6. Assures that the access technology needs of students and employees with disabilities are evaluated by serving as the primary contact for all access technology assessment referrals, reviewing requests for access technology, and assessing alternative methods of accommodation in conjunction with the student or employee and appropriate University disability resource entity.
7. Coordinates the effective utilization of access technology resources by assessing the availability of specific access technology necessary for those with disabilities in general, reviewing and recommending the purchase of specific access technology, including pricing and vendor information, assisting in access technology hardware and software purchase decisions, coordinating movement and installation of access technology equipment and inventory transfers to departments, and maintaining an accurate inventory of access technology equipment on all campuses.
8. Works to ensure that individuals can effectively utilize access technology resources provided by the University by developing and maintaining access technology training programs for students, faculty, and staff with disabilities, as well as those without disabilities, and for User Support Specialists (centralized and distributed) in order to utilize and troubleshoot access technology hardware and software.
9. Facilitates the use and availability of access technology by developing, implementing, and maintaining access technology standards, protocols, and policies for the University, supervising student staff and graduate assistants, implementing and maintaining a program of training and employee evaluation, collecting data and providing documentation for quality assessment and improvement, obtaining and administering grants, developing funding development initiatives as required, and serving on University committees related to access technology, disability, and inclusive excellence.
10. Serves as backup to the Director in determining accommodations for students by utilizing the interactive process, reviewing documentation, collaborating, and providing ongoing advisement with students, faculty and/or staff.
11. Contributes to a work environment that encourages knowledge of, respect for, and development of skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds.
12. Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses, and attending training and/or courses required by the Director of the Disability Resource Center.
13. Contributes to the overall success of the Disability Resource Center by performing other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
SUPERVISION
The Associate Director, Disability Resource Center-Access Technology Center is supervised by the Deputy Compliance Officer and supervises student workers and graduate assistants.
OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES
REVISED JULY 2022
