Director of the Accessibility Office

Bucks County Community College•Newtown, PA

4d•$65,618 - $70,000

About The Position

The Director of the Accessibility Office provides oversite and direct services for students with disabilities in support of their access to college learning. The Director is an administrative role that also works with the facilities department to ensure the College physical locations meet ADA compliance and to address concerns, the oversight and implementation of Assistive Technology (AT), the purchase of accessible software, supporting the IT Department, Marketing, and other college constituents to ensure that Section 508 compliance is met. Along with the provision of direct services, the Director initiates and oversees actions to ensure the college does not discriminate against students and the public with disabilities and who are otherwise qualified to participate in college programming and activities. This position requires ongoing research, professional development, and training to be up to date on all legislation, court decisions, government rulings, and the application thereof to ensure civil rights compliance of the college for and concerning individuals with disabilities. The Director provides accessibility support, guidance, and training for all members of the professional campus community and also supports community and educational partners with training, as requested. The Director will oversee Accessibility Office functions at all physical campus locations and online learning. The Director also supervises staff who provide direct service to students in need of accommodations.

Requirements

Master’s degree in special education, Counseling, Rehabilitation Counseling, Psychology, Higher Education, or related field
At least 5 years of experience working with people with disabilities in a higher education setting.
Evidence of having worked with matters regarding Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and the ADA, showing an understanding of the relationship of these laws to higher education.
Experience with addressing and/or removal of physical barriers in various settings.
A proven understanding of the transition process from high school to college, along with the knowledge of the differences between the laws of K-12 and higher education.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Experience with students and project advocacy within an organization.
Supervisory and management experience over budgets, personnel, and/or a department or unit.
Experience working with adaptive technology for accommodative purposes.
Data management experience.
Professional training and presentation experience.

Responsibilities

Determine the eligibility of students for reasonable accommodation by evaluating relevant medical, psychological, and other documentation, as well as performing student intake interviews.
Oversee other staff who are responsible for determining eligibility.
Suggest reasonable accommodation that includes adaptive technology when needed and means for securing such for students.
Oversee the preparation, documentation, and timely dissemination of official “Faculty Accommodation Memos” for eligible students to provide to instructors when requested by the student.
Provide direct support to students as needed and represent the college at functions and with community agency partners as needed.
Work closely with Student Services and Academic Support departments regarding service response and coordination for students with mental health disabilities.
Work with the Instructional Research team to document enrollment of students with disabilities for each semester.
Collect data relating to student caseload to show potential needs for future semesters.
Advocate for students, both for individuals and for the population, in order to educate our community of learners’ differing needs, as well as to expedite delivery of needed services.
Monitor program services, unit budget, and student service usage in order to assess effectiveness and financial impact.
Review, monitor, and implement federal laws and regulations, related court decisions, and US Department of Education Office for Civil Rights rules to ensure compliance with civil rights laws.
Consult with state and local resources, such as Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Bureau of Visual Services, PA Transition Team, regarding disability mandates and resources.
Develop and update web content for the accessibility office web page as needed and in accordance with the applicable policies, procedures, and best practices that are set out by the Office for Civil Rights.
Review all accessibility complaints and work with faculty/academic administration to solve issues as they arise.
Review all the data and keep up to date records for students registered with the Accessibility Office.
Research and review all potential assistive technology that could be used to support students with access to courses and programming at the college.
Administer tests that must be given in alternative formats, such as orally, scribing, in Braille, etc.
Attend or otherwise participate in professional development activities and represent the college and/or present subject matter expertise at relevant events.
Create marketing and information materials for students, staff, faculty, and community members.
Work with Tutoring, Counseling, KEYS, or Military Connected Services to support students with a team approach, as needed.
Attend advising meetings for student support, as needed.
Connect with community partners, such as the IU and stakeholders to support transition events and information.
Present at community events, like transition fairs, as requested by community partners.
Develop and administer programming for students to support wellbeing and accessibility.
Develop and administer programming for the community at large to build awareness of accessibility.
Develop and administer the Honor Society for students with disabilities.
Other duties as assigned.