For Faculty

Why Accessibility Matters at Texas Tech

By Kirsten Morris, Instructional Designer/Accessibility

Students are the focus of what we do at Texas Tech. Any faculty or staff here who work with students recognizes our obligation to provide the best education to them that we can. One aspect of this includes attention to the accessibility of our offerings. There are three primary federal regulations that govern accessibility at Texas Tech:

1. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): This law requires "equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities". As the overreaching law regarding accessibility, this law asks public institutions like Texas Tech to make sure that content we offer does not discriminate, but rather can be accessed equally by all students.
2. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973: Like the ADA, this law prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities but is specifically related to institutions that receive federal financial assistance.
3. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): This law refers specifically to educational institutions. It requires that schools provide a free appropriate education for students. Any costs associated with providing this education can not be passed to the student with the disability.

Together these laws create a framework defending students with disabilities. At Texas Tech, we honor this mandate and do what we can to provide the best education to all students.

One way that Tech is meeting this standard is through Student Disability Services. With more than 2,000 students registered for their services, the SDS staff are providing a wide variety of services and programs to enhance the learning opportunities for students with disabilities.

Another offering at TTU is the Online Accessibility Lab, a place where online instructors can go to receive guidance, training, and assistance with making their online instructional materials fully compliant with the laws mentioned above.

References:
A Guide to Disability Rights Laws
Student Disability Services Website