Adventures and
Pitfalls in Going
Electronic
A TALE OF FOUR UNIVERSITIES
BREE CALLAHAN–UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
CHAD PRICE–ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
HEIDI SCHER–UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
JAMIE AXELROD—NORTHERN ARIZONA
UNIVERSITY
UW Campus Info
University of Washington (UW)
◦ Disability Resources for Students (DRS) serves 1350 students
◦ UW total student population 42k
◦ DRS serves 3.2% of student population
◦
◦
◦
◦
7 fulltime staff, 2 part time staff and 12 student staff
Quarter system
Medical, Dental and Law Schools
3 campuses in region
ASUCampus Info
Arizona State University
◦ Disability Resource Center (DRC) services 2600 students
◦ ASU total student population 82K
◦ DRC services 3.3% of student population
◦ Staffing: 4 offices, 31 full time staff, 3 half time staff, multiple student
workers
◦ Semester system (3 sessions per semester A,B,C)
◦ 14 schools/colleges, law school, multiple campus locations
UA Campus Info
University of Arkansas
◦ Center for Educational Access (CEA) serves 2117 students with
disabilities
◦ UofA total student population 25k
◦ CEA serves 8.5% of student population
◦ Staffing: 13 full-time staff, 3 graduate assistants,
25-30 hourly
employees (conversion specialists, transcriptionists, golf cart drivers, lab
assistants, proctors), 1 part-time computer support specialist,
*Others providing services: interpreters, notetakers
◦ Semester system
◦ 8 colleges, law school
NAU Campus Info
Northern Arizona University
◦ Disability Resources (DR) serves 573 students
◦ NAU total student population 21k
◦ DR serves 2.8% of student population
◦ 6 full-time staff, 1 part-time Graduate Assistant and & 15 student staff (front
desk and alternative format production)
◦ Semester system
◦ Residential Campus, Online Campus, Competency Based Degree program
◦ 28 regional campuses
Where we were prior to 2012
Excel Spreadsheets (all)
Hard copy files (UW, NAU)
Paper everything (UW, NAU)
Multiple MS Access Database Modules (ASU)
◦ Deaf/Hard of Hearing
◦ Testing
◦ Transportation
Web based in-house system (case notes only) (ASU)
Needed something different
Dealing with more students
Bogged down with paper
Needing more efficiency
Ask to do more work by administration
Need for increased reporting
Looking at ways to improve office procedures and process to be less
burdensome
Shopping for a System
Features we were looking for:
• Web based
• Accessible for users
• Customizable fields, labels and school
branding
• Integrated Service Areas
• Students can access/request online
• Automated communication to faculty
• User Management
• Appointment Scheduling
• Automated Communication to groups
of students
•
•
•
•
•
E-Application
Modules for Service Areas
Integrated Reporting
Bring us coffee in the AM
Do our work for us 
• NAU had similar desires but didn’t
want a cloud-based solution.
Systems explored
Simplicity's Accommodate
◦ http://www.symplicity.com/accommodate
Clockwork
◦ http://microscience.on.ca/clockwork/
Accessible Information Management (AIM)
◦ http://accessiblelearning.com/
◦ UW chose for: Alternative Format module & was more user friendly for us
◦ UofA chose for: Alternative Testing modules, Alternative Format, Notetaking, Faculty Notification Letters email capabilities
AIM Modules
Accommodations
◦ Letters of Accommodation delivered to faculty
Appointments
◦ Synchronized with exchange server
Alternative Testing
◦ Testing contract submitted, student schedules exams, faculty uploads exam
in system.
Note Taking
◦ Note takers sign up online, paired with students, upload notes to the course
for students to view.
AIM Modules Con’t.
Equipment Management
◦ Scan or input serial numbers and attach to students profiles for management
Alternative Format*
◦ Connect requests to course information
Deaf and Hard of Hearing*
◦ Student can submit requests and staff can track and pair interpreters to
assignments
* optional modules
Clockwork Modules
Accommodations
◦ Students request letters of accommodations online & select
accommodations
◦ Letters of Accommodation delivered to faculty via faculty interface
Appointments
◦ Synchronizes with exchange server
Alternative Testing
◦ Testing contract submitted, student schedules exams, faculty uploads exam
in system.
Note-taking
◦ Note-takers sign up online, paired with students, can upload notes to the
course for students to view. (we don’t currently use all these features).
AIM Implementation
All in concept
◦ UW launched all 6 modules 2013-2014 school year
◦ DHOH and Alternative Format in Winter Qtr
ASU - Piece-meal concept
◦ Fall 2013: Launched Accommodations, Alternative Testing, Notetaking, and Equipment modules
◦ Spring 2014: Alternative Format & DHOH
◦ Current: Working on Appointments
UofA - Piece-meal concept
◦
◦
◦
◦
Spring 2013: Accommodations, Alternative Testing, Note-taking, Letter requests
Fall 2013: Letter email process, Equipment management
Spring 2014: Alternative Format, Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Summer 2014: Appointments
Clockwork Implementation
Piece-meal concept
Summer 2012- implemented database (used accommodation email
feature at that time) Database includes exam scheduling and
notification system.
Spring 2013- implemented online exam scheduling module. This allows
students to schedule exams via web portal and allows faculty to upload
exams via web portal.
Fall 2013- Implemented online registration module
Fall 2014 implemented note taking module.
Features we use
Automated sync options
◦ Booklists for Alternative Format
◦ ASU: Follett, UW: U Bookstore
◦ Student Registration Information
◦ ASU, NAU, UA: PeopleSoft, UW: homegrown
◦ Student Demographic & Academic Information
◦ UW: homegrown; NAU: PeopleSoft
◦ Single Sign-on to (placed behind campus portal)
◦ UW, UA: Shibboleth; ASU, NAU: CAS
What we learned
Preparation is key
◦ Templates – how are you communicating information
◦ Know campus partners to help implement: IT, Bookstore, Enrolment
Management, Web Services
◦ Collect all electronic information you have
It is easier said than done
◦ Moving from paper to electronic is painful
◦ Understand your data security policies on campus
Review your student file retention policies
◦ Do you have an electronic file policy/process?
What we learned Con’t.
Need resources for students/ faculty/ staff
◦ Online orientations, how-to guides
Don’t be afraid to change current process
◦ Review office procedures and process
◦ Review language used in communications
Communication Plan
◦ Need to share upcoming changes with faculty/students
◦ Consider holding orientations for faculty/students
Assessment
◦ Quarterly surveys of system usage and feedback
Impact
• Streamlined, less cumbersome process for office and for students (UW,
UofA, ASU, NAU)
•Re-allocated time to work with students (UW, UofA, ASU, NAU)
•Enhanced student experience (UW,NAU)
• Engagement and independence have increased with the online capabilities
(UofA, ASU, NAU)
• Increased control of accommodations (UofA, ASU, NAU)
•Serves growing online student population (UW, UofA, ASU, NAU)
More Impact
Mixed responses from students and faculty
◦ Students: interaction with office changed (ASU, NAU)
◦ Faculty: either like it or they don’t (UW, ASU, NAU)
◦ Faculty: increased engagement in the overall accommodation process (UofA,
ASU, NAU)
Generate more reporting information quickly (UW, UofA, ASU, NAU)
On Going Efforts
Campus outreach
◦ Academic Departments
◦ Advising
Continual training
Constant review of processes
Was it worth it?
UW: YES!!
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Spend less time with administrative busy work
More time for campus outreach
Quick reporting options for us and administrators
Clear and consistent workflows
Better quality program delivery: Alternative Format, DHOH, Equipment
management, Note Taking, Letter of Accommodations delivery and
management
Was it worth it?
ASU: Absolutely, YES!
◦ Increased consistency across campuses
◦ One University, many places
◦
◦
◦
◦
Focus on transformational versus transactional interactions with students
Quick and simple reporting
More effective tracking of services and students
Integrated communication across service areas
Was it worth it?
UofA: YES!!!
◦ Spend less time with administrative “busy work”
◦ Increased direct student contact & campus outreach
◦ Quick reporting options
◦ Clear and consistent workflows
◦ Improved case management
◦ Better quality program tracking and delivery
◦ Faculty notification letters electronic delivery and management,
Alternative testing, Alternative format requests and tracking,
Equipment management, Deaf & hard of hearing services
Was it Worth it?
NAU: YES!!!
◦ Spend less time with administrative “busy work”
◦ Increased direct student contact & campus outreach
◦ Quick reporting options
◦ Clear and consistent workflows
◦ Improved case management
◦ Better quality program tracking and delivery
◦ Faculty notification letters electronic delivery and
management, Alternative testing.
Questions?
Contact Information
Chad Price
Arizona State University
crprice@asu.edu
(602) 496-4321
Jamie Axelrod
Northern Arizona University
Jamie.axelrod@nau.edu
928-523-8773
Bree Callahan
University of Washington
breec@uw.edu
(206)221-2453
Heidi Scher
University of Arkansas
hascher@uark.edu
(479) 575-3104