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Description
In an analysis of federal ADA law, we find that the ADA—the law that protects disabled people from exclusion in public spaces—has a fundamental inefficiency: the only way to fix accessibility issues under the ADA is to file a civil or Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit. This challenge leads to the perpetuation of inaccessibility and accessibility problems in public settings. To examine this issue on the Arizona State University Tempe (ASU Tempe) campus, I walked through 55 ASU Tempe classroom and research buildings and compiled a list of each accessibility problem present; I created digital floor plans detailing the location of each accessibility concern; and I worked with ASU professionals—such as Arizona State’s Coordinator of Accessibility (ADA) Compliance and professional staff at the Disability Resource Center—to remedy these accessibility issues. Through my research, I identified two areas of improvement regarding accessibility at ASU Tempe: the need for a streamlined tracking and fixing process of accessibility problems on-campus; and the need for an easy-to-access online form where students can report accessibility issues on-campus. I also discovered that despite the problems that need to be addressed, ASU’s professionals are committed to accessibility compliance compared to other institutions. However, despite the commitment from ASU professionals, as well as the ASU charter stating that “[ASU] is ...measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed,” expansion of accessibility for students with physical disabilities on the ASU Tempe campus remains a needed area of change. This will ultimately promote equal educational opportunity for all students, regardless of ability. Furthermore, accessibility involves a continual process of assessment and improvement in spite of budgetary limitations and widespread disability stigmatization.
ContributorsSaunders, Mackenzie Rose (Author) / Oliverio, Annamaria (Thesis director) / Delaney, Shanna (Committee member) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor, Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Libraries have historical and contemporary importance as public spaces that serve a purpose beyond storing books. In our thesis project, we wanted to ensure that the ASU Library was fulfilling this role for our student community. Based on a survey of 136 members of the Arizona State University community regarding accessibility of the Libraries, the results found that the ASU Library system could benefit from more accessible and digital content and programming. In response to our findings, we created a digital book display which highlighted resources about critical disability studies, the importance of community spaces and libraries in particular, as well as information about universal design. This book display serves as an example of what the future of book displays could be and how to create inclusive spaces in the university Library system. Access the project here: https://libguides.asu.edu/BeyondBooks
ContributorsGolding, Carly A (Co-author) / Juarez, Alexis (Co-author) / Oliverio, Annamarie (Thesis director) / Gohr, Michelle Ashley (Committee member) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor, Contributor) / Watts College of Public Service & Community Solut (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-12