School of Data Science Completes Disability Awareness Certification, Part of Continued Work to Enhance Accessibility

The University of Virginia’s School of Data Science recently became the first school of higher education in Virginia to achieve advocate certification by completing the VisitAble disability awareness training program. 

VisitAble, a Virginia-based company that works with a wide range of companies and organizations to promote greater awareness of disability issues and accessibility, confers certification when at least 80% of employees take and complete a comprehensive training module. The training also then must be included as part of the onboarding process for new staff going forward.

“The UVA School of Data Science set a strong example by making disability awareness a true organizational priority,” said Joe Jamison, founder and CEO of Visitable. “Their team's dedication and diligence in training staff and faculty have been remarkable. We’re excited to see the progress they’ll make in accessibility as they continue to grow and lead by example in this important area."

With more than 1 in 4 adults in the United States having a disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, developing a better understanding of the concept of disability and the diverse experiences it represents can help organizations foster more inclusive environments where everyone can thrive, according to advocates. 

The VisitAble training session is the latest effort by the School of Data Science to promote awareness and create a space where all who come to the School to learn, research, teach, and work feel welcomed and empowered to succeed, regardless of disability status.

The goal of offering the training is to establish “a baseline understanding for faculty and staff around terminology, best practices, and lived experiences so that we have a shared foundation moving forward,” said Rebecca Schmidt, director of belonging operations and strategy for the School of Data Science. 

Image

“This training is another step and builds on our ongoing partnership with AccessComputing at the University of Washington and our work with students on accessible syllabi.”

Promoting accessibility has long been a key priority for the School of Data Science, most notably during the design of its new building, which opened earlier this year. 

Arlyn Burgess, associate dean for administration who oversaw design and construction efforts, said the School employed a “holistic approach” to thinking about accessibility issues as the process unfolded. 

“We started to drill down a little bit more into, what does accessibility mean? And how do we create a space where people not only feel like they have been accommodated but that the building was designed for them?” she said.

While measures required by the building code were clear, Burgess said the design team wanted to go further and explore what resources were available at the University to help make the School’s new home as accessible to everyone as it could be.

So, the School of Data Science collaborated with UVA’s Disability Advocacy Committee, a group formed in 2013 to support the University community in its work to improve accessibility. 

The design team would share plans and ideas for the new building with the committee, who would then offer feedback.

Image

This collaborative process led to the implementation of many key features, including centrally located elevators, the proper placement of door openers at building entrances, and classrooms designed in a way that ensured the needs of professors and students with visual or hearing impairments were addressed.

Knowing that new issues would come to light after the building was occupied by faculty, staff, and students, efforts were also made to ensure adjustments could be implemented as needed, Burgess added.

“The building was designed with flexibility as a core principle. And the idea behind that was we would be able to adjust the functionality of the building based on the evolving needs of the School,” she said. 

Improving the accessibility of its website and social media channels has also been a priority for the School.  

This summer, in an event that was also sponsored by the Office of the Vice President and Provost and University Communications, the School of Data Science hosted digital accessibility expert Kevin Andrews on Grounds for a presentation on a wide range of accessibility topics and how they relate to the work of higher education professionals.

Andrews, who is blind, shared his personal perspective on the importance of prioritizing effective digital accessibility strategies and outlined a variety of strategies that communicators and developers can adopt to make their digital tools more accessible.

Image

It’s work that the School of Data Science has prioritized in recent months. In an effort led by staff in the communications office, the School is conducting a thorough review of its website and systematically refining it as accessibility issues are identified, from reordering headings to adding alternative text to images. Social media posts with photos now also include detailed captions. 

“At the School of Data Science, our marketing and communications efforts are centered on ensuring that everyone can access and engage with our content,” said Emma Candelier, director of marketing and communications. “Our ongoing review and updates to the website, social media channels, and digital communications are critical steps toward this goal. We’re committed to making our digital presence fully accessible, not just to comply with regulations, but to genuinely reflect our values of inclusivity and openness.”

While significant progress has been made, School of Data Science staff are quick to acknowledge that much more remains to be done. In many ways, it’s work that is guided by the founding principles of the School.

“Ethics, transparency, openness, responsibility — those are the pillars of what we believe data science to be here at UVA, and I think you see it in the construction of the building,” said Burgess.

Schmidt added: “When we talk about being a school without walls, part of this is removing barriers for our staff and faculty and students. We want to attract and retain the best talent, and we want to be a culture and a community that has an awareness and a fluency around accessibility and the many ways diversity strengthens our community.”