On Thursday, October 26, 2023, Dr. Emily Tarconish, Ph.D., Teaching Assistant Professor, Special Education, presented to faculty, staff, and students two projects that aim to expand access in postsecondary settings. The first project, The Disabled Scholars Coalition, gathers and produces resources related to disability and accessibility for postsecondary education faculty and researchers. Currently in the development stage, this information will be housed on a website that includes information about accommodations for postsecondary faculty and staff, exemplary institutions and practices, funding opportunities geared toward disabled faculty and researchers, and a listserv through which members can share experiences and ask questions. The second project, Experience Accessible Champaign-Urbana, used data and feedback from disabled community members to build a 200-item accessibility evaluation. Currently, students from UIUC use this tool to evaluate local businesses and results are displayed via a searchable business database that anyone can use to identify businesses that meet their accessibility needs. Future directions for these projects and research were discussed.
