A behind-the-scenes look at access setup: A case study of the deaf professional / designated interpreter model in engineering education research

摘要

Since the advent of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), providing access and accommodations to disabled students has become increasingly commonplace at many US colleges and universities. However, these processes do not always translate well into the professional and necessarily fluid context of engineering education scholars. This paper is a case study describing our experiences in realigning processes to provide access for one particular deaf scholar at one particular small institution, along with some reflection on how this case study might benefit others. The notion of a “turnkey solution” is a myth for disability accommodations in many professional positions, and that perpetuation of that myth can create barriers to full participation by disabled scholars in our field.