The DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) Center is based at the University of Washington (UW) in

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

. Founded in 1992, DO-IT’s mission is to increase the successful participation of

people with disabilities Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, se ...

postsecondary education Tertiary education, also referred to as third-level, third-stage or post-secondary education, is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank, for example, defines tertiary education as including univers ...

and careers, in

STEM Stem or STEM may refer to: Plant structures * Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang * Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other structure * Stipe (mycology), the stem of a mushro ...

(

science Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...

technology Technology is the application of knowledge to reach practical goals in a specifiable and reproducible way. The word ''technology'' may also mean the product of such an endeavor. The use of technology is widely prevalent in medicine, science, ...

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

) fields and careers, and in

computing Computing is any goal-oriented activity requiring, benefiting from, or creating computing machinery. It includes the study and experimentation of algorithmic processes, and development of both hardware and software. Computing has scientific, e ...

fields and careers throughout the U.S. It directs the national AccessSTEM program, and co-directs the national AccessComputing Alliance focused on engaging people with disabilities in computing fields. The Center is a unit of Accessible Technology Services of UW-IT at the University of Washington, a collaboration between the College of Engineering, the College of Education and UW-IT. Primary funding for DO-IT and its projects is provided by the

National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National I ...

, the State of Washington, and the

U.S. Department of Education The United States Department of Education is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government. It began operating on May 4, 1980, having been created after the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was split into the Department ...

. It promotes

accessibility Accessibility is the design of products, devices, services, vehicles, or environments so as to be usable by people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design and practice of accessible development ensures both "direct access" (i. ...

and

universal design Universal design is the design of buildings, products or environments to make them accessible to people, regardless of age, disability or other factors. It addresses common barriers to participation by creating things that can be used by the ma ...

learning Learning is the process of acquiring new understanding, knowledge, behaviors, skills, value (personal and cultural), values, attitudes, and preferences. The ability to learn is possessed by humans, animals, and some machine learning, machines ...

environments and instruction, including

Web accessibility Web accessibility, or eAccessibility,European CommissionCommunication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament and the , European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: eAccessibility, EC(2005)1095 ...

, through the online Center for Universal Design in Education (CUDE) and by creating, collecting and distributing publications, training materials, and tutorials for use by educators and faculty throughout the U.S. The Center works with international institutions and organizations to adapt its practices and programs for international application. For example, the

DO-IT Scholars Program The DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) Center is based at the University of Washington, University of Washington (UW) in Seattle, Washington (state), Washington. Founded in 1992, DO-IT’s mission is to increase t ...

has been replicated in

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

as DO-IT Japan, a summer program hosted by the

University of Tokyo , abbreviated as or UTokyo, is a public research university located in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1877, the university was the first Imperial University and is currently a Top Type university of the Top Global University Project by ...

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

, through the leadership of

Seoul National University Seoul National University (SNU; ) is a national public research university located in Seoul, South Korea. Founded in 1946, Seoul National University is largely considered the most prestigious university in South Korea; it is one of the three "S ...

and Korea Nazarene University, also hosts a similar summer study program in collaboration with the DO-IT Center.

History

The DO-IT Center was founded at the University of Washington in 1992 by Dr. Sheryl Burgstahler with a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Since its inception, DO-IT's mission has been to increase the successful participation of people with disabilities in postsecondary education and careers at local, regional, national (within the United States) and international levels. In 1992, with funding from NSF, DO-IT launched the first

. In 1999, the U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) funded the DO-IT Prof project, which created professional development materials and trained faculty and academic administrators in the U.S. to more fully include students with disabilities in their courses."AccessCollege: Systemic Change for Postsecondary Institutions"
DO-IT Center. Retrieved 2013-02-10. In 2005, OPE and the NSF funded DO-IT’s AccessCollege project. AccessCollege staff worked with a team of faculty and administrators representing twenty-three two- and four-year institutions in the U.S.; the project included creation of the web-based Center for Universal Design in Education (CUDE), publication of the book ''Universal Design in Higher Education: From Principles to Practice'', and the training manual ''Building Capacity for a Welcoming and Accessible Postsecondary Institution''.

Programs

In 2006, with funding from the NSF, the DO-IT Center partnered with University of Washington's Department of Computer Science and Engineering to launch the AccessComputing Alliance, a nationwide program to increase the participation of people with disabilities in computing fields. In 2006, AccessComputing partners included

Gallaudet University Gallaudet University ( ) is a private federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing. It was founded in 1864 as a grammar school for both deaf and blind children. It was the first sc ...

in Washington, D.C.,

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...

, the NSF Regional Alliances for Persons with Disabilities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (hosted by the

University of Southern Maine The University of Southern Maine (USM) is a public university with campuses in Portland, Gorham and Lewiston in the U.S. state of Maine. It is the southernmost of the University of Maine System. It was founded as two separate state universitie ...

New Mexico State University New Mexico State University (NMSU or NM State) is a public land-grant research university based primarily in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest public institution of higher education in New Mexico and one of the state's tw ...

and University of Washington), and American Computing Machinery’s Special Interest Group on Accessible Computing. As of 2013, 32 postsecondary institutions and organizations are partnered with AccessComputing. The program provides summer research programs and internships open to all U.S. students.AccessComputing
DO-IT Center. Retrieved 2013-02-10) The DO-IT Center's programs are centered on the concept of identifying the "critical junctures" students with disabilities face on their path to postsecondary education and careers, and providing resources, projects and programs to help students successfully navigate these critical junctures (e.g., projects to develop STEM interests in students with disabilities at the "critical juncture" between high school and the transition to a four- or two-year postsecondary institution). DO-IT programs for students include AccessComputing, AccessSTEM, the

(for Washington State students), postsecondary preparation activities, and work-based experiences and internships.

Programs for Students with Disabilities

The Center serves students with a wide range of disabilities, including (but not limited to): * visual disabilities -

blindness Visual impairment, also known as vision impairment, is a medical definition primarily measured based on an individual's better eye visual acuity; in the absence of treatment such as correctable eyewear, assistive devices, and medical treatment� ...

low vision Visual impairment, also known as vision impairment, is a medical definition primarily measured based on an individual's better eye visual acuity; in the absence of treatment such as correctable eyewear, assistive devices, and medical treatment� ...

, and

color blindness Color blindness or color vision deficiency (CVD) is the decreased ability to color vision, see color or differences in color. It can impair tasks such as selecting ripe fruit, choosing clothing, and reading traffic lights. Color blindness may ...

physical disabilities A physical disability is a limitation on a person's physical functioning, mobility, dexterity or stamina. Other physical disability, disabilities include impairments which limit other facets of daily living skills, daily living, such as respiratory ...

cognitive disabilities There are a variety of disabilities affecting cognitive ability. This is a broad concept encompassing various intellectual or cognitive deficits, including intellectual disability (formerly called ''mental retardation''), deficits too mild to pr ...

learning disabilities Learning disability, learning disorder, or learning difficulty (British English) is a condition in the brain that causes difficulties comprehending or processing information and can be caused by several different factors. Given the "difficult ...

deafness Deafness has varying definitions in cultural and medical contexts. In medical contexts, the meaning of deafness is hearing loss that precludes a person from understanding spoken language, an audiological condition. In this context it is written ...

and

hearing impairment Hearing loss is a partial or total inability to hear. Hearing loss may be present at birth or acquired at any time afterwards. Hearing loss may occur in one or both ears. In children, hearing problems can affect the ability to acquire spoken l ...

s *

traumatic brain injury A traumatic brain injury (TBI), also known as an intracranial injury, is an injury to the brain caused by an external force. TBI can be classified based on severity (ranging from mild traumatic brain injury TBI/concussionto severe traumatic b ...

mental disorders A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitti ...

. The DO-IT Center runs a number of programs for students with disabilities. These programs include the nationwide AccessComputing program, the nationwide AccessSTEM program, the

for Washington State residents, activities with mentors, work-based learning experiences, and internships. The DO-IT Center describes its programs as helping students with disabilities: * move through "critical junctures" on their path to postsecondary degrees and careers * develop self-determination, self-advocacy, and postsecondary education work-readiness skills * learn to select and use

assistive technology Assistive technology (AT) is a term for assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities and the elderly. Disabled people often have difficulty performing activities of daily living (ADLs) independently, or even with ...

applications software Application may refer to: Mathematics and computing * Application software, computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks ** Application layer, an abstraction layer that specifies protocols and interface methods used in a c ...

, and Internet resources * network with peers and adult mentors * gain requisite knowledge to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. The DO-IT Center website provides online resources for students with disabilities and their parents, educators, employers, and technology specialists. These resources include the DO-IT Knowledge Base, a searchable, comprehensive online database of articles, case studies and promising practices related to accessibility of technology, postsecondary education, graduate school, and careers. Other DO-IT resources include information about

financial aid Student financial aid in the United States is funding that is available exclusively to students attending a post-secondary educational institution in the United States. This funding is used to assist in covering the many costs incurred in the p ...

, and resources for

veterans A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military. A military veteran that has ...

Center for Universal Design in Education (CUDE)

The online Center for Universal Design in Education (CUDE), directed by DO-IT and established in 2005, develops and collects web-based resources to help U.S. and international educators apply

to all aspects of education, including applying principles of

Universal Design for Instruction Universal instructional design (UID) or universal design for instruction (UDI) is an educational Conceptual framework, framework for applying universal design principles to learning environments with a goal toward greater accessibility for all stude ...

and Universal Design for Learning to instruction, and applying universal design to student services, information technology, and physical spaces. CUDE is funded by grants from the U.S. Department of Education and the National Science Foundation.

DO-IT Resources for Educators & Faculty

The DO-IT Center provides extensive information, resources, training materials, and tutorials to educators, faculty, and others interested in accessibility and increasing the participation of students with disabilities in postsecondary education. Articles, training materials, and tutorials address a wide range of accessibility issues, including: *

Universal design Universal design is the design of buildings, products or environments to make them accessible to people, regardless of age, disability or other factors. It addresses common barriers to participation by creating things that can be used by the ma ...

* Universal design of instruction *

Accessibility Accessibility is the design of products, devices, services, vehicles, or environments so as to be usable by people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design and practice of accessible development ensures both "direct access" (i. ...

Assistive Technology Assistive technology (AT) is a term for assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities and the elderly. Disabled people often have difficulty performing activities of daily living (ADLs) independently, or even with ...

* Accessible Web design * Accessibility in

Distance Learning Distance education, also known as distance learning, is the education of students who may not always be physically present at a school, or where the learner and the teacher are separated in both time and distance. Traditionally, this usually in ...

* Accessibility in STEM curricula, classes, labs, and careers * Accommodation strategies * Multi-modal methods for presenting classroom material * Variety of

learning styles Learning styles refer to a range of theories that aim to account for differences in individuals' learning. Although there is ample evidence that individuals express personal preferences for how they prefer to receive information, few studies have f ...

(e.g. auditory, visual, kinesthetic, experiential, or a combination of styles) * Evidence-based practices for increasing the participation of students with disabilities.

Impact

The DO-IT Center's AccessSTEM/AccessComputing/DO-IT Longitudinal Transition Study (ALTS) reports positive outcomes for students with disabilities who participate in DO-IT programs, including greater-than-the-national-average participation in STEM fields.2011 Report of the AccessSTEM/AccessComputing/DO-IT Longitudinal Transition Study (ALTS)
DO-IT Center. Retrieved 2013-03-08. DO-IT ALTS participants had a 100% high school completion rate compared to the 70% high school completion rate for youths with disabilities reported by the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2). Since 1992, the Center's programs for educators and faculty, which include DO-IT Prof, DO-IT Admin, and AccessCollege, have: * provided more than 1,000 training sessions to over 25,000 faculty, administrators, and teaching assistants in the U.S. to help them apply universal design to instruction and accommodate students with disabilities * distributed more than 400,000 publications and videos related to universal design for instruction and accommodating students with disabilities * reported an increase in grades for students with disabilities in courses taught by faculty trained under the AccessCollege program, in comparison to both students with disabilities taught by the same faculty before training and students with disabilities in similar courses taught by untrained faculty. The AccessComputing program supports training,

experiential learning Experiential learning (ExL) is the process of learning through experience, and is more narrowly defined as "learning through reflection on doing". Hands-on learning can be a form of experiential learning, but does not necessarily involve students ...

, and other computing and

information technology (IT) Information technology (IT) is the use of computers to create, process, store, retrieve, and exchange all kinds of Data (computing), data . and information. IT forms part of information and communications technology (ICT). An information te ...

-related activities for students with disabilities throughout the U.S. From 2006 - 2013, DO-IT awarded 63 AccessComputing minigrants. Examples of AccessComputing minigrants include providing funding for: * the purchase of educational software and adaptive technology products for Auburn University's Computer Literacy Academy for Children * accessibility training and awareness events and conferences at

University of Wisconsin-Madison A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...

* research activities and workshops at the Landmark College Institute for Research and Training (LCIRT) at Landmark College * an additional orientation program for incoming freshman with disabilities at the University of Minnesota, Duluth (UMD) in 2006 and the 2011 Gearing Up for Success Pre-orientation at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) for first year students with

Autism Spectrum Disorders The autism spectrum, often referred to as just autism or in the context of a professional diagnosis autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental disorder, neurodevelopmental condition (or conditions) ...

* the 2009 Expanding Access to Computing: Teaching & Design for All Abilities event, led by the Commonwealth Alliance for Information Technology Education (CAITE) and held in conjunction with the Massachusetts STEM Summit.

Awards

Awards for the DO-IT Center include: * 1995 National Information Infrastructure Award in Education * 1997 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring * 1999 KCTS 9 Golden Apple Award for excellence in education * 2001 AHEAD (Association of Higher Education and Disability) Recognition Award for outstanding work for students with disabilities * 2007 Robert Greenberg Innovation Award for Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities * 2011 Hakuho Award for Outstanding Educators and Organizations and the Incentive Award of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Japan) - presented concurrently with DO-IT JapanHakuho Foundation
Retrieved 2013-03-08.

References

External links

DO-IT Center website
{{DEFAULTSORT:DO-IT Center Disability organizations based in the United States Educational psychology organizations Educational technology research centers Applied learning Educational organizations based in the United States Special education