The Americans with Disabilities

Act and Online Instruction

By: Tammie Essary

Americans with Disablities Act

Enacted in 1990
Civil Rights Law
Prohibits discrimination based on disabilities
Guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with
disabilities in regards to

Employment
Public accommodations
Transportation
State and local government services
telecommunications

Americans with Disabilities Act (cont.)

Employers must provide reasonable
accommodations to their employees with
disabilities
Public accommodations must meet certain
accessibility requirements
Parks
Museums
College campuses

Online Instruction
Increasing in todays technological society
Convenient; able to be taken in homes and
places of business
Issue of instructing students with disabilities in
the online atmosphere
Secondary education does not have IEPs that
follow students from elementary to high school
College instructors do not know which students
have disabilities.

Online Instruction
(cont.)
Students must inform instructor and student
disability services office on campuses.
School is bound by ADA regardless is class is
held on campus or online.

DOJ Policy Ruling

1996
ADA requires:
State and local governments and places of public
accommodation to furnish appropriate auxiliary
aids/services here necessary
Ensures effective communication with individuals
with disabilities.
Auxiliary aids include taped texts, Braille materials,
large print materials, and other methods of making
visually delivered material available

 Covered entities under ADA are required to provide

effective communication regardless of whether they
communicate through

Print
Media
Audio media
Computerized media (internet)

Covered entities that use the Internet for

communications regarding their programs, goods, or
services must be prepared to offer those
communications through accessible means as well.

ADA
and Online Instruction
Online instruction is subject to ADA
Universities will need to provide auxiliary aids at no cost to
the students.
Universities will need to offer access to computers with these
aids and tutoring services.
Other Auxiliary Aids include:

Qualified interpreters
Assistive listening headsets
Television captioning and decoders
Telecommunication devices for deaf (TDDs)
Videotext displayers
Readers

Closure
Campuses need to ensure that they are prepared
in their online instruction to be teaching both
students with and without disabilities.
Instructors need to ensure that their online
courses are ADA compliant when instructing
known students with disabilities.

References
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), U.S. Department of
Justice, Civil Rights Division, Coordination and Review
Section. Retrieved March 7, 2015 from
http://www/2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/hq9805.h
tml
Department of Justice (DOJ) Policy Ruling from 1996.
Retrieved March 7, 2015 from
http://www.justice.gov/crt/foia/readingroom/frequent_reque
sts/ada_tal/tal712.txt
U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Title II
Highlights. Retrieved March 7, 2015 from

Texas Technology
Standards
Standard I. All teachers use technology-related terms, concepts,
data input strategies, and ethical practices to make informed
decisions about current technologies and their applications.
Teacher Knowledge: What All Teachers Know
The beginning teacher knows and understands:
1.3k laws and issues regarding the use of technology in society.
Application: What All Teachers Can Do
The beginning teacher is able to;
1.15s model ethical acquisition and use of digital information including
citing sources using established methods
1.17s identify the impact of technology applications on society through
research, interviews, and personal observations; and
1.18s demonstrate knowledge of the importance of technology to future
careers, lifelong learning, and daily living for individuals of all ages.

Texas Technology
Standards
Standard II. All teachers identify task requirements, apply search
strategies, and use current technology to efficiently acquire,
analyze, and evaluate a variety of electronic information.
Teacher Knowledge: What All Teachers Know
The beginning teacher knows and understands:
2.1k a variety of strategies for acquiring information from electronic resources
2.2k how to acquire electronic information in a variety of formats
Application: What All Teachers Can Do
The beginning teacher is able to:
2.1s use strategies to locate and acquire desired information from
collaborative software and on networks, including the Internet and intranets;
2.2s apply appropriate electronic search strategies in the acquisition of
information, including keyword and Boolean search strategies

Texas Technology
Standards
Standard III: All teachers use task-appropriate tools to synthesize
knowledge, create and modify solutions, and evaluate results in a way that
supports the work of individuals and groups in problem-solving situations.
Teacher Knowledge: What All Teachers Know
The beginning teacher knows and understands:
3.2k how to use research skills and electronic communication to create new knowledge
Application: What All Teachers Can Do
The beginning teacher is able to:
3.1s plan, create, and edit word processing documents using readable fonts,
alignment, page setup, tabs, and ruler settings;
3.11s participate in electronic communities as a learner, initiator, and contributor
3.12s complete tasks using technological collaborations such as sharing information
through on-line communications;
3.14s use technology in self-directed activities to create products for and share
products with defined audiences

Texas Technology
Standards
Standard IV: All teachers communicate information in
different formats and for diverse audiences.
Teacher Knowledge: What All Teachers Know
The beginning teacher knows and understands:
4.2k how to deliver a product electronically in a variety of media
Application: What All Teachers Can Do
The beginning teacher is able to:
4.1s use productivity tools, such as slide shows, posters, multimedia
presentations, newsletters, brochures, or reports, to create effective
document files for defined audiences;
4.4s demonstrate appropriate use of fonts, styles, and sizes, as well
as effective use of graphics and page design to communicate
effectively