Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to footer content

Accessible Technology Initiative (ATI) Project

Instructional Materials

The CSU is committed to ensuring that all campus Information Resources and Technologies are fully accessible for persons with disabilities. This commitment reflects a goal to provide the most effective learning environment for all students--rather than simply to ensure compliance with various federal and state laws.

Instructional Materials (IM) are considered to be forms of communication and must therefore be delivered in a manner that is equally effective for persons with disabilities. Communication is considered to be equally effective when it is:

  • comparable in quality to those received by students without disabilities
  • comparable in timeliness of delivery and availability
  • provided in a manner and medium appropriate to the significance of the message and the abilities of the person receiving the material

Fresno State-Technology Information for Learning and Teaching provides resources for creating an accessible syllabus, making Microsoft Office documents accessible and more: /cfe/resources/accessibility/accessibility-tutorials.html

Further information regarding training and resources is available at the Cal State ATI- Instructional Materials site: http://www.calstate.edu/accessibility/instructionalmaterials/index.shtml

Fresno State Instructional Materials Plans

  • Develop an ad hoc committee of Chairs, Department Administrative Assistants, and representatives from Academic Affairs to review and revise existing policies and to create a dissemination plan for late-hire faculty.
  • Establish procedures for bookstore tracking of success of late-hire faculty textbook adoptions.
  • Work with the University Curriculum Committee (UCC) and Personnel Committee to define and establish a process for reviewing accessibility requirements and faculty compliance.
  • Work with the UCC and Senate Personnel Committee to develop formal documentation of the nature of faculty responsibility for selecting and authoring accessible curricular materials.
  • Develop additional specific mechanisms to encourage faculty authoring and adoption of accessible instructional materials.
  • Provide specific guidance for faculty development and implementation of accessible materials.

Details on the Fresno State ATI Instructional Materials Accomplishments can be found on the Annual Reports and Campus Plan.

Click here to link to Annual Reports

In October of 2007 (for Spring 2008 classes), the Kennel Bookstore started implementing Standing Orders. This was the result of a recommendation from the ATI Instructional Materials sub-committee. The first semester of implementation had about 200 Standing Orders. Currently there are approximately 800 standard orders, which is close to 30% of all text book adoptions (per Susan Bartel, Kennel Bookstore, April 2011).

In April 2008, Academic Policy 237 was enacted. This policy requires on-time ordering of instructional materials and outlines procedures for identifying and ordering instructional materials for late hire faculty (www.csufresno.edu/facultyaffairs/documents/apm/237_000.pdf).

Faculty members have been encouraged to post their syllabi and other course materials to Blackboard in accessible format. In August 2010, and again in January 2011, Technology Innovations for Learning and Teaching (TILT) hosted a syllabus redesign conference that focused on creating accessible course syllabi attended by 58 faculty.

In 2007, Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) expanded efforts to ensure that students with disabilities are identified and able to request alternate media materials in a timely manner. This includes outreach efforts and the implementation of a new student accommodation database.

TILT has provided information and resources to assist faculty in captioning media. Similarly, TILT trainings and consultations stress the importance of accessible media.

Since the 2008 academic year, 87 faculty have participated or are participating in the TILT eScholars program or the Online Degree Program. Participants design course modules, course content, or fully online courses. Fully accessible instructional materials are emphasized.

Accessibility Resources