Iowa Regents Institutions Disability Awareness Summit

This presentation, "Empowering Success: Collaborative Approaches to Supporting Students with Disabilities at Iowa State University," highlights the key strategies and partnerships developed by the Office of Student Assistance to enhance support for students with disabilities. Attendees will explore how collaboration with Student Accessibility Services, faculty, and other campus resources leads to personalized support for students and fosters an inclusive campus environment. Through case studies and best practices, participants will gain practical insights into empowering students with disabilities to succeed academically and personally.

In a time of abundant data, the ability to translate data into compelling and engaging stories can transform how you communicate insights and drive action.  Join me for this session, which is dedicated to finding and communicating stories in your data.  In this session, I will talk about why stories make data more memorable, how to find the story in your data, and how data visualization supports a compelling data story. By the end of the session, you will be equipped with practical insights and techniques to make your data more impactful and persuasive. No experience in data or storytelling is necessary!  

This presentation will provide a brief history of programs and services offered by the Academic Success Center (ASC) and Student Accessibility Services (SAS) to provide academic and executive functioning support for students at Iowa State University. Participants will gain more detailed insights into the current efforts between SAS and ASC to recognize opportunities for collaboration and deliver coordinated care for students, with a focus on two services that have started in the past year - Accountability Groups and the ABLE Peer Mentoring.

Larger numbers of students who require accommodations are entering higher education classrooms. The majority of these accommodations do not require much work on the part of the instructor. This presentation will focus on designing courses that proactively incorporate supports that allow all students to be successful in the classroom. These supports not only aid students in the classroom, but can be used in an employment settings to support employees with a variety of needs. 

This presentation delves into the legal aspects of accommodations in higher education, emphasizing the compliance roles of disability offices. Through detailed case studies, we will analyze how institutions have successfully navigated legal requirements and address common challenges. We’ll highlight key legal precedents and their implications for disability services, offering practical insights into ensuring adherence to regulations like the ADA and Section 504. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how to effectively manage accommodation requests and maintain compliance while fostering an inclusive academic environment.

The role of disability professionals in higher education is continuously evolving, reflecting broader changes within the field of disability services. This session will feature a dynamic discussion led by the directors of disability services from the three regents institutions: the University of Northern Iowa, the University of Iowa, and Iowa State University. The session will explore the current priorities of their respective offices, their strategies for addressing the diverse needs of students, and the innovative initiatives they have developed and championed. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how these offices are adapting to new challenges and opportunities in disability services.

TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) at Iowa State University (ISU) serves 250 income-eligible, first-generation college students and students with disabilities each year with the goal of increasing persistence and graduation rates of these students. This session will share details about how TRIO SSS provides a variety of individualized services to participants and develops programming initiatives that are customized to the needs of our target population. Our students develop academic, social, and professional skills that contribute to a holistic educational experience at ISU and remain transferrable beyond graduation.  

This session will present findings from a study involving 700 university students who began but did not complete the process of registering for disability accommodations. We analyzed the data to uncover key factors contributing to why students chose not to move forward with their accommodations. As part of this session, a student panel will share personal insights—featuring both students who have successfully registered for accommodations and those who opted not to. The panel will discuss their decision-making process, exploring the benefits and challenges of seeking accommodations and highlighting institutional barriers that may have influenced their choices. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage in an open Q&A session, allowing for consideration of how universities can improve support and accessibility, ensuring a more inclusive and effective accommodation process.