[Georgia_ahead] FW: Modernizing Federal Disability Policy

[Bonnie Martin]

Scott Lissner, who is the ADA Coordinator at OSU, recently sent this to
the DSSHE-LIST.  Personally, I am skeptical of a report from the Feds
that comes out of a one day meeting.  However, this generated a good
discussion and there are some good resources/contacts at the end of the
report, in addition to what Scott states below.  Could be that this
information will be helpful to those of us who are seeking federal
grants---to know the direction and terminology that is currently being
used. 

 

Outcomes assessment is always a struggle in our field-it might be
helpful to have federal guidelines on how to measure success for
individuals with disabilities and apply that consistently when we can
(then again maybe not :-)). When our mission is providing access, not
ensuring success, do we need to measure student success? It helps to be
able to show how disability services contribute to the overall mission
of a college to garner departmental support from college administrators
(read that funding and staff).  Access is necessary whether a student
passes or fails, makes an A or D, or is able to graduate and obtain
gainful employment. This report stresses the need for individual success
rather than programmatic success. 

 

Recent DSSHE postings on measuring outcomes generated discussion and no
consensus. CAS standards are respected yet the terminology is not a
"fit".  AHEAD standards do not have the respect and recognition that CAS
has.  Many take exception to taking standards used for student services
success and trying to find creative ways to make disability services fit
by measuring non essential program services (i.e. leadership initiatives
within disability services).  Most see our mission as ensuring access so
students with disabilities can participate in established programs
across campus and see such internal programs as counterproductive to
student participation outside of disability services. Others state it
can provide additional opportunities with specific disability emphasis.
Bonnie Martin

Disability Services

Georgia Perimeter College 

 

________________________________

From: Disabled Student Services in Higher Education
<DSSHE-L at LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU> [mailto:Disabled Student Services in
Higher Education <DSSHE-L at LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU>] On Behalf Of "Lissner,
Scott" <Lissner.2 at OSU.EDU>
Sent: Saturday, August 04, 2007 4:19 PM
To: DSSHE-L at LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU
Subject: Mordernizing Federal Disability Policy

 

Modernizing Federal Disability Policy: GAO Report Released August 2007 

Social and legal changes have promoted the goal of greater inclusion of
persons with disabilities in the mainstream of society. However, the
Government Accounting Office's (GAO's) reviews of the largest federal
disability programs indicate that such programs have not evolved in line
with these larger societal changes and, therefore, are poorly positioned
to provide meaningful and timely support for persons with disabilities.
Furthermore, program enrollment and costs for the largest federal
disability programs have been growing and are poised to grow even more
rapidly in the future. For these reasons, GAO added modernizing federal
disability to its high-risk areas in January 2003. 

GAO convened a forum in April 2007 to address issues related to
modernizing federal disability policy. The forum brought together a
diverse array of experts, including employers; advocate groups,
researchers, and academia; and federal officials. This report summarizes
the ideas and themes that emerged at the forum 

Comments expressed do not necessarily represent the views of any
individual participant or the organizations they represent, including
GAO. However, GAO does make some concluding observations. 

To view the report 

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07934sp.pdf <
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07934sp.pdf> 

For more information, contact Daniel Bertoni at (202) 512-7215 or
bertonid at gao.gov < mailto:bertonid at gao.gov> . 




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