Towson University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation or gender identity in its programs and activities.
The Office of Civil Rights (OCR), a division of the Department of Education, recently released a webinar on providing accessible course content during this shift to online learning in light of COVID-19.
Online learning can be a powerful and useful tool to continue educating students in light of COVID-19 as long as it is accessible for everyone.
OCR indicated that the term accessible means that “individuals with disabilities can acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same programs and activities as their non-disabled peers with substantially equivalent ease of use.”
Online courses must be accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities, unless equally effective alternative access is provided in another manner.
Materials should be accessible for the following:
Individuals with disabilities may use assistive devices to enable them to access information posted online as part of their online courses.
Examples of assistive technology include:
The university complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, and other applicable federal and state regulations that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. The Rehabilitation Act and the ADA require that no qualified person shall, solely by reason of disability, be denied access to, participation in, or the benefits of, any program or activity operated by the university.
Under Section 504 and the ADA, the term “disability” means, with respect to an individual, (A) a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual; (B) a record of such an impairment; or (C) being regarded as having such an impairment. Major life activities include, but are not limited to, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working. A major life activity also includes the operation of a major bodily function.
If you have questions or concerns regarding course accessibility, you may contact ada AT_TOWSON or anyone of the people designated below:
Office of Inclusion & Institutional Equity (University Wide)
Lauren Evens
ADA Coordinator & ADA, Civil Rights, and Title IX Compliance Specialist
Phone: 410-704-0203
Email: levens AT_TOWSON
Accessibility and Disability Services (Students)
Susan Willemin
Director of Accessibility and Disability Services
Phone: 410-704-2638
Email: swillemin AT_TOWSON
Office of Technology Services (Technology Accessibility)
Matthew Wynd
Director, Information Technology Support Centers
Phone: 410-704-6187
Email: mwynd AT_TOWSON
Office of Human Resources (Employees)
Nathan Barker
Employee & Labor Relations Manager
Phone: 410-704-6015
Email: nbarker AT_TOWSON
Facilities Management (Physical Accessibility)
David Mayhew
Director of University Architecture
Phone: 410-704-4459
Email: dmayhew AT_TOWSON