Katy Washington serves as the Director in the Office of Disability Access at the University of North Texas. She has spent over sixteen years working with faculty and staff to facilitate an inclusive campus environment for disabled students in various educational settings to promote diversity, intersectionality, and access. Katy currently serves on the Board of Directors President-Elect for the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD). She advocates for equity, inclusion, and belongingness of all individuals across their identities. Katy believes that no one should have their experiences “othered” because they do not come from a place of privilege.
While the Americans with Disabilities Act or ADA was passed in 1990, the topic of accessibility, accommodations, and inclusion in higher education continues to be a current and necessary topic of discussion. Students with disabilities face unique barriers to access, equity, and inclusion at colleges and universities, while institutions have an obligation under Section 504 and Title II to make their programming accessible. According to a report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), in the 2015-2016 academic year, the most recent data available, 19% of all enrolled undergraduate students reported having a disability. Currently, several resources are available to learn more about ADA, accommodations, and access in higher education, including CITI Program’s A 21st Century Approach to ADA Compliance: Equity and Access webinar.
Learn more about CITI Program: https://about.citiprogram.org/