Digital Accessibility Work Group
Work Group Leaders
|
Institution
|
Representative
|
Title
|
Department
|
|
BSU
|
Jarryd Sampson
|
Accessibility and Assistive Technology Coordinator
|
Disability Support Services
|
|
CSU
|
Wendy Torres
|
Senior Instructional Technologist & Disability Support Specialist
|
Innovation, Development, Education, and Assessment
|
|
FSU
|
Rita Thomas
|
Manager, Instructional Design & Technology
|
Office of Information Technology
|
|
SU
|
Hailey Cristea
|
Instructional Designer
|
Instructional Design and Delivery
|
|
SU
|
Candace Henry
|
Director of Disability Resource Center
|
Disability Resource Center
|
|
SU
|
Ellen Schaefer-Salins
|
Associate Professor
|
School of Social Work
|
|
TU
|
Teresa Valais
|
Senior Instructional Designer
|
Faculty Academic Center for Excellence in Teaching
|
|
UB
|
Constance Harris
|
Director of Online Learning
|
Center for Excellence in Learning, Teaching, and Technology
|
|
UMB
|
Brittany Hopkins
|
Instructional Designer
|
Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning
|
|
UMBC
|
Mariann Hawken
|
Instructional Technology Director
|
Division of Information Technology
|
|
UMCP
|
Ana Palla
|
Senior IT Accessibility and UX Specialist
|
Academic Innovation & Technology
|
|
UMES
|
Tracey DiRusso
|
Acting Director & Instructional Technologist
|
Center for Instructional Technology and Online Learning
|
|
UMGC
|
Beth Mulherrin
|
Associate VP for Learning Resources & Access Services
|
Integrative Learning Design
|
|
UMCES
|
Julie Halick
|
Associate Director of Digital Learning, Technology and Innovation
|
Office of Professional Studies
|
|
WWCC
|
Brian Bergen-Aurand
|
Director of Learning Services
|
Academic Affairs
|
|
SMCM
|
Amy Baker
|
|
Office of Accessibility Services
|
|
CC
|
Ron Hansen
|
Director of Instructional Systems
|
Innovation, Learning, and Effectiveness
|
|
CCBC
|
TobyLarue Haynes
|
Online Learning Technical Trainer
|
Online Learning
|
|
SMCM
|
Kelly O’Grady
|
Director of Accessibility Services
|
Office of Accessibility Services
|
|
MD AHEAD
|
Michael Shaw
|
Board Member, MD AHEAD
|
|
|
Maryland Online
|
Julie Porosky Hamlin
|
Director
|
MarylandOnline
|
Work Group Charge
The Digital Accessibility Work Group, convened by the University System of Maryland Kirwan
Center for Academic Innovation, is charged with fostering cross-institutional collaboration to support faculty in
meeting the Department of Justice's Title II ruling on digital accessibility. The work group in its initial
composition will bring together representatives from USM institutions, Maryland community colleges, and Maryland
organizations focused on online learning and accessibility to address the critical need for accessible course
materials that meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards.
Purpose and Scope
The work group will serve as a collaborative body to identify campus needs related to
digital accessibility, develop shared resources, and establish best practices for creating accessible course
materials. Through monthly meetings from March 2025 through April 2026, the work group will focus specifically on
supporting faculty in making their course materials fully accessible, both in remediating existing materials and in
creating content and tools using a “born-accessible” approach. This approach “involves building
accessibility into digital technologies and content from the beginning, meaning that only technologies that are
accessible are released to users” (MIDA, 2024, para. 1).[1]
Primary Responsibilities
The work group will:
- Assess and document campus needs related to digital accessibility, with particular attention to faculty support
requirements and resource gaps.
- Develop and curate a comprehensive collection of resources to support faculty and to support the supporters of
faculty in creating and remediating accessible course materials and in reviewing/assessing/evaluating for
accessibility.
- Share and coordinate professional development opportunities, including campus-based trainings and workshops that
can benefit faculty across the state.
- Explore and evaluate innovative approaches to faculty support, such as cross-campus remediation work sessions,
course remediation problem identification, and professional development recognition through certificates or
badges.
- Review and assess tools that can assist campuses in meeting requirements, providing informed recommendations
about their effectiveness and value.
- Create best practices documentation for incorporating accessibility considerations into the initial development
of course materials.
- Provide regular updates and recommendations to campus leadership regarding digital accessibility needs and
solutions.
- Consider the creation of a statewide or regional group to focus on institutional capacity building and
“born accessible” efforts beyond the Title II rule requirements.
Membership and Structure
The work group consists of representatives from each USM institution, Maryland community
colleges, and Maryland organizations focused on online learning and accessibility. Members serve as liaisons between
the work group and their respective institutions, responsible for sharing information, resources, and
recommendations with their campus leadership and relevant campus working groups.
