Introducing ADA Accommodation Statement Settings
The REPORTER System was recently updated with new functionality supporting the automated inclusion of ADA Accommodation information. The new functionality is currently available as an optional instance setting, but will become a required setting in late July. The information and resources included below should be reviewed in their entirety as they will detail how the new option works, what considerations Course Owners should make, and relevant resources for addressing accommodation requests.
In addition to being familiar with the recent changes, all REPORTER Course Admins and Courses Liaisons need an understanding of how to handle ADA Accommodation requests received. The support of REPORTER Course owners continues to be a crucial part of upholding NC State’s commitment to ensuring activities are welcoming and inclusive for all attendees.
All course admins and course liaisons should be familiar with the new feature, and prepared for its required enforcement beginning no later than July 30, 2021.
Course Admins should read each of the following sections in their entirety prior to the coming update:
When editing or creating a REPORTER instance, there are numerous instance setup options grouped into collapsible sections. Among them, is a section entitled “Policies”, which includes settings for selecting a “Cancellation Policy” and, if a cost exists, a “Refund Policy”. With these changes, the policies section in the Instance setup is expanded by default and includes new setup fields that capture information needed for ADA Accommodations.
Opened in REPORTER via… Left Menu: Activity Management > Course/Instance > Edit Course > Edit instance
The Event Coordinator in the new ‘ADA Accommodation Statement’ section should be the person who participants should contact with ADA accommodation requests. The contact information provided for the Event Coordinator will be included in the ADA Accommodation statement provided to participants using the system-wide, standardized template:
“In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, NC State will honor requests for reasonable accommodations made by individuals with disabilities. Please direct accommodation requests to: Event_Coordinator_Name, Email or Phone Number. Requests can be served more effectively if notice is provided at least 10 days before the event.”
In preparation for this roll out, we have defaulted the Event Coordinator name and contact information in the ADA Accommodations policy section to match the Instance Contact for each instance. Action is needed on your part if your Event Coordinator will be different from your Instance Contact. If your Event Coordinator will be different, you will need to update the information in the fields on those instances prior to July 30.
That ADA Accommodation Statement will be presented to participants in the following areas:
- In the Registration Policies window accessible via link in the cart prior to checkout (see example)
- On the ‘Order Summary’ page presented to registrants immediately after registration, just after the Order Summary Notes (see example)
- In the Registration Confirmation email as it’s own paragraph, coming just after the registration confirmation details field (see example)
- In the calendar appointment details if the participant uses the ‘Add to Calendar’ link (see example)
- In the ‘View Details’ window that can be opened from the My Courses dashboard and account profile (see example)
- In the instance details seen when viewing a course or instance’s deeplink (see example)
The changes described here will be implemented in two updates over the next month:
- In first update (June 25):
- New policy fields added to instance setup
- Course Admins now have the option to include the ADA policy
- Once turned on, the statement will be included in the places specified here
- While off, the statement will not be included anywhere by default, but the contact fields will still be required when saving an instance.
- Second update scheduled for July 30:
- The ADA statement will be turned on by default for all instances
The Event Coordinator contact fields have been updated on all existing instances to match the instance’s “Contact Information”. Course Admins can now edit their instances and update the new fields. As a Course Admin, it is important to consider the information currently included for the Instance Contact, and whether that should be the same as or different from the contact for accommodation requests.
By breaking up these changes into two updates with an initial opt-in setting, we are giving Course Admins the opportunity to decide which instances are ready to use the new feature and which need to be updated. Course Admins should use the time between releases to review their existing instances and remove any repetitive details before beginning use of the new feature.
The following considerations should be addressed by Course Admins in preparation of the changes:
- Check for conflicts or repetition: Determine if there is anywhere in REPORTER that you are currently including ADA accommodation information that will become redundant or conflicting
→ Do your instances currently include ADA information in Registration Confirmation Notes, or other fields that will result in a duplication of or conflicts with the ADA accommodation information being newly included?
→ Do your existing refund or cancellation policies already include some of this wording? Are additions or updates needed for those policies?
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- Confirm Contact for requests: Determine if there is anywhere in REPORTER that you are currently including ADA accommodation information that will become redundant or conflicting
→ Who should participants contact if they need to request an ADA accommodation related to your instance?
→ Is that contact different depending on the instance? or instance format?
→ Does your department need to touch base to ensure all Course Admins are using consistent information and processes?
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- Plan accommodation process: Determine the workflow or plan of action upon receipt of accommodation requests (note – help resources for this are included below)
→ Have you reviewed all the coming changes in REPORTER related to ADA accommodation language and processes?
→ Have you completed training and reviewed relevant resources?
→ What and Who is needed to determine how best to address accommodation requests? Do you need to reach out to any campus offices for assistance with that planning?
In addition to the new development being released, numerous resources are now available to help Course Admins in establishing accessible events and handling ADA accommodation requests.
Recommended Training: Supporting Accessibility as a REPORTER Course Admin (OIT-REP-Access)
✸ New Online, Self-Paced Training » Link to register →
All REPORTER Activity Admins are advised to register for and complete this training.
Resource Guide: Supporting Accessibility and ADA Accommodations
✸ New Dedicated REPORTER Support Page » Visit Page →
Activity Admins are advised to bookmark or save this support page, it provides links to numerous campus resources that REPORTER admins can utilize both for planning accessible events and supporting accommodation requests.
Virtual Event 2021 (Virtual) Accessibility Excursion
✸ You can participate in the digital excursion through the Articulate course page →
Presented by numerous departments, learn more at https://diversity.ncsu.edu/accessibilityexcursion/ →
“This adventure will introduce you to digital accessibility, why it’s essential, and the tools we have on campus to ensure the digital materials you create can be used and understood by everyone. In general, he excursion should take between 30-60 minutes to complete and you can stop and come back anytime.“
All Course Admins should be familiar with the new functionality and prepared for the required change by July 30, 2021. Should you have any questions regarding these changes, please contact us at reporter_support@ncsu.edu.
Additional information about the origination of this development and when the releases will occur can be seen in the original release announcement.