USM Center for Academic Innovation - Digital Accessibility

Faculty CoPs Will Address Discipline-Specific Accessibility Challenges

admin-jennifer — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 20:59:51 +0000

The William E. Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation is pleased to announce the formation of Digital Accessibility Communities of Practice (DA CoPs) to address discipline-specific accessibility challenges in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and Arts & Music. The CoPs aim to enhance the digital accessibility of courses and help ensure that disabled students can access instructional materials effectively and independently.

Digital accessibility is essential to ensuring all students can fully participate in higher education. While many faculty want to make their courses more accessible, they often lack discipline-specific guidance and peer support. These Communities of Practice, supported by the USM Digital Accessibility Work Group, will bring together STEM and Arts & Music faculty from across USM and partner institutions to:

Identify accessibility barriers specific to STEM and Music & Arts disciplines
Share effective practices and develop practical solutions to address barriers
Create resources for system-wide and statewide use
Build a sustainable network of accessibility champions

In addition to developing practical resources and tools, the initiative aims to build long-term capacity for inclusive design across STEM and Music & Arts, which utilize symbolic notation, multi-media, and graphical, tabular, and image-based content.

We are pleased to welcome more than 40 faculty to the Communities of Practice:

Bowie State University

Music & Arts CoP

Ogechi Chieke, Visual Communication & Digital Media Arts
Tewodross Williams, Visual Communication & Digital Media Arts

STEM CoP

Tyesha Burks, Natural Sciences
Lucia Santacruz Kozarinas, Natural Sciences

Coppin State University

Music & Arts CoP

Morgan Banks, Visual Arts
Hasani Claxton, Visual Arts
Michael Klima, Theater

STEM CoP

Dondra Bailey, Biology
Hany Sobhi, Organic Chemistry
Mamadou Wade, Mathematics & Computer Science

Howard Community College

Music & Arts CoP

Juliette Ludeker, English

STEM CoP

Hannah Pie, Biology

Salisbury University

STEM CoP

Tom Cawthern, Geography and Geosciences

Towson University

Music & Arts CoP

Luis Engelke, Arts & Music CoP Co-Lead, Music
Ezra Engels, Digital Services Librarian and Subject Librarian for Art
Christina Taylor Gibson, Performing Arts & Digital Humanities Librarian

University of Baltimore

STEM CoP

Wolf Pecher, Environmental Sciences

University of Maryland, Baltimore

STEM CoP

Karen Evans, Nursing
Isabell May, Scientific Writing
Marleen Thornton, Nursing
Rebecca Weston, Nursing

University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Music & Arts CoP

Eric Milikin, Visual Arts
Lulu Mwangi, Music
Julie Sayo, Visual Arts

STEM CoP

Sarah Bass, STEM CoP Co-Lead, Chemistry
Michael Brown, Information Technology

University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science

STEM CoP

Miriam Johnston, Biology, Ecology
Dong Liang, Environmental Statistics

University of Maryland, College Park

Music & Arts CoP

Sam Crawford, Sound and Media Technologies
Cynthia, Frank, University Libraries & School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation
Jessica Grimmer, Arts & Music CoP Co-Lead, Musicology, Information Science, Center for Archival Futures
Craig Kier, Voice & Opera, Conducting & Ensembles, Arts for All
Alireza Vaziri, Art

STEM CoP

Amy Karlsson, Bioengineering
Alejandra Mercado, Telecommunications
Jamie Trevitt, Epidemiology and Biostatistics

University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Music & Arts CoP

Elvin Hernandez, Fine Arts
Michael Serwornoo, Digital Media Studies

STEM CoP

Sandeep Aryal, Engineering
Purushothaman Natarajan, Agriculture, Food, and Resource Sciences

University of Maryland Global Campus

STEM CoP

Kate Goldberg, Data Analytics
Cyndi Wiley, STEM CoP Co-Lead, Web/Digital Design and Extended Reality

News Type:

Higher Education News

Areas of Focus:

Digital Accessibility

Cross Post:

News

21 Faculty Selected for Boosting Course Accessibility Fellows Program

admin-jennifer — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 15:20:25 +0000

The William E. Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation is pleased to welcome 21 faculty members to the 2026-2027 Boosting Course Accessibility Faculty Fellows program. The program aims to enhance the digital accessibility of courses across USM institutions and help ensure that disabled students can access instructional materials effectively and independently.

The selected faculty will receive funding and support to redesign their courses with accessibility in mind, including implementing universal design principles that benefit all learners. Participants will work closely with Kirwan Center staff to identify and address barriers in their course materials, learning activities, and assessments.

In addition to fostering immediate improvements in course accessibility, the initiative aims to build long-term capacity for inclusive design across departments. The selected faculty span the System and represent diverse disciplines, which will lead to accessibility improvements across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; social sciences; humanities; business; education; and health professions.

“We are delighted to welcome this distinguished group of faculty into the 2026-2027 Boosting Course Accessibility Faculty Fellows program,” said Nancy O’Neill, Executive Director of the USM Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation. “Their leadership in the design and development of accessible materials will benefit the students in their courses and model effective accessibility practices more broadly across the 51�Թ�� and beyond.”

The 2026-2027 Boosting Course Accessibility Faculty Fellows are:

Bowie State University

Jerry Diabor, Adjunct Professor, Computer Science
Elkanah Faux, Assistant Professor, Accounting, Finance and Information Systems
Ebony Toussaint, Assistant Professor, Nursing
Aislinn Woody, Instructor and Research Specialist, Nursing Education

Coppin State University

Patience Ebuwei, Assistant Professor, Health Information Management
Tammira Lucas, Assistant Professor of Marketing and Interim Director of the Center for Strategic Entrepreneurship
Mamunur Rahman, Assistant Professor of Decision Sciences

Frostburg State University

Stefanie Hay, Professor of Nursing

Salisbury University

Viktoria Basham, Lecturer, Clarke Honors College

Towson University

Audra McMullen, Professor of Communication Studies
Zach Runge, Adjunct Professor, Communication Studies

University of Baltimore

Praneet Randhawa, Associate Professor of Marketing

University of Maryland, Baltimore

Jeanine Gargiulo, Didactic Director, Physician Assistant Program

University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Milvia Hernandez, Teaching Professor, Modern Languages, Linguistics and Intercultural Communication

University of Maryland, College Park

Rasha Alkhateeb, Lecturer, English
Anna Greenstone, Instructional Designer, Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute (MFRI)
Helene Nguemgaing, Assistant Clinical Professor, First-Year Innovation & Research Experience (FIRE)
Ryan O'Grady, Senior Lecturer, Master of Library and Information Science Program

University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Jia Liu, Assistant Professor, Engineering
Madhumi Mitra, Professor of Biology and Environmental Sciences
Masoud Moghaddam, Associate Professor, Physical Therapy

News Type:

USM News

Areas of Focus:

Digital Accessibility

Cross Post:

News

Call for Applications: Boosting Course Accessibility Faculty Fellowships

admin-jennifer — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 17:56:49 +0000

The USM Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation is pleased to announce a call for applications for the 2026-2027 Boosting Course Accessibility Faculty Fellowship program. This initiative will support up to 12 USM faculty members in engaging in digital accessibility-related course redesign to reduce barriers and support access for all students, including students with disabilities. Each selected faculty member will receive a $1,500 stipend and participate in a collaborative professional development program, culminating in a redesigned course for Spring 2027.

Review the full Call for Appliations. Applicants should submit all required materials (as a single document) to the secure SharePoint folder linked in the call for applications, by Friday, September 11, 2026.

News Type:

USM News

Areas of Focus:

Digital Accessibility

Cross Post:

News

2026-2027 Digital Accessibility Communities of Practice Co-Leads Announced

admin-jennifer — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 17:28:44 +0000

The 51�Թ�� (USM) Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation is pleased to announce the appointment of four Faculty Co-Leads for the 2026-2027 Digital Accessibility Communities of Practice (CoPs). These leaders will spearhead efforts to ensure that teaching and learning across the system's 12 institutions are inclusive, equitable, and compliant with the upcoming Title II standards.

As the USM works toward the April 26, 2027, digital accessibility compliance deadline, these Co-Leads will provide the disciplinary expertise and peer mentorship necessary to transform accessibility from a technical requirement into a pedagogical strength.

Digital Accessibility in STEM Community of Practice

Dr. Sarah Bass, Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), and Dr. Cyndi Wiley, Collegiate Faculty, Teaching & Learning and Associate Professor in Web/Digital Design & Virtual Reality at University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) will co-lead the STEM Community of Practice.

STEM disciplines often face unique hurdles in digital accessibility, from complex mathematical notation to interactive lab simulations. In their roles, these Co-Leads will conduct a landscape analysis of accessibility guidance within STEM fields and lead a cohort of 24+ faculty members in identifying and solving discipline-specific barriers. Their work will ensure that the next generation of Maryland's scientists and engineers learn in an environment designed for all students.

Digital Accessibility in Music & Arts Community of Practice

Dr. Luis Engelke, Professor of Music at Towson University (TU), and Dr. Jessica Grimmer, Co-Director, Center for Archival Futures (café) and Lecturer in the College of Information at University of Maryland (UMCP), will serve as Co-Leads for the Music & Arts Community of Practice.

Recognizing that visual and auditory arts require specialized approaches to digital inclusion, these Co-Leads will foster a collaborative environment for faculty to experiment with new pedagogical approaches. By reviewing guidance from national arts organizations and implementing WCAG 2.1 AA standards in creative contexts, they will help move the needle on how the arts are taught and experienced across the USM.

A Collaborative Path Forward

The work of these Co-Leads will begin with a system-wide Community of Practice launch on Friday, October 2, 2026. Throughout the academic year, they will partner with the Kirwan Center and the USM Digital Accessibility Working Group to co-create faculty surveys, facilitate virtual meetings, and develop practical solutions that can be scaled across the state.

The appointment of these Co-Leads underscores the USM's commitment to collaborative excellence. By drawing on leadership from across the system's institutions, the Kirwan Center fosters a robust professional network that transcends institutional boundaries, ensuring that cutting-edge accessibility practices are not just shared, but deeply integrated into the fabric of academic departments.

The Kirwan Center will begin recruiting faculty participants for both Communities of Practice in August 2026. 

To learn more about the Digital Accessibility Communities of Practice Co-Leads, visit the Kirwan Center staff page.

News Type:

USM News

Areas of Focus:

Digital Accessibility

Cross Post:

News

17 Faculty Selected for Boosting Course Accessibility Mini Grant Program

admin-jennifer — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 18:39:59 +0000

The William E. Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation is pleased to announce that 17 faculty members have been selected to participate in the Boosting Course Accessibility mini grant program. This initiative aims to enhance the digital accessibility of courses across USM institutions and help ensure that all students have equitable access to course materials.

Through this initiative, we expect to see immediate improvements in course accessibility while building long-term capacity for inclusive design across departments. The selected faculty span the System and represent diverse disciplines, resulting in accessibility course models across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; social sciences; humanities; business; education; and health professions.

The mini grant program aligns with USM’s commitment to creating inclusive learning environments where all students can succeed regardless of disability status. We look forward to sharing the outcomes and best practices developed through this program across the System and beyond.

Please join us in congratulating the faculty members who have been selected for this mini grant program:

Dr. Haitham Alkhateeb, Professor of Mathematics, Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences, University of Baltimore

Prof. Ellen Anderson, Clinical Associate Professor, School of Social Work, Salisbury University

Dr. Katryna Andrusik, Assistant Clinical Professor, Counseling, Higher Education, Special Education, University of Maryland, College Park

Dr. Maria Joao Lobo Antunes, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice, Towson University

Dr. Amina Ayodeji-Ogundiran, Assistant Professor & Program Coordinator, Management, Marketing and Public Administration, Bowie State University

Dr. Thomas Cadenazzi, Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator, Engineering and Sustainable Technologies, Frostburg State University

Dr. Sarah Gunning, Associate Professor & Director, M.S. Professional Writing, English, Towson University

Dr. Ahalya Hejmadi, Collegiate Professor, Social & Behavioral Sciences & Gerontology, University of Maryland Global Campus

Dr. Nicole Hollywood, Interim Director of Assessment and Professor of Management, Office of Accreditation and Assessment, University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Dr. Yewon Lee, Associate Clinical Professor, Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education, University of Maryland, College Park

Dr. Isabell May, Associate Professor, Health Sciences/Science Communication, University of Maryland, Baltimore

Dr. Laura Rose, Associate Teaching Professor and Psychology Program Director at UMBC Shady Grove, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Prof. Sherida Morrison Santiago, Instructor, Management and Marketing, College of Business, Coppin State University

Dr. Ellen Schaefer-Salins, Associate Professor of Social Work, School of Social Work, Salisbury University

Dr. Hany F. Sobhi, Professor of Organic Chemistry, Natural Sciences, Coppin State University

Dr. Wendy Whitner, Clinical Associate Professor & Allied Health Program Coordinator, Department of Health Sciences, Towson University

Dr. Ming Xie, Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency and Disaster Health Systems, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

News Type:

USM News

Areas of Focus:

Digital Accessibility

Cross Post:

News

Digital Accessibility

admin-marcus — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 20:44:00 +0000

Digital accessibility refers to the intentional design of electronic technologies and materials so that they are usable by all people, including people with disabilities. In the case of our increasingly technology-enhanced courses, digital accessibility means equal access to educational opportunity.

Explore the USM Digital Accessibility Hub. The Digital Accessibility Hub serves as your central resource for creating inclusive digital environments where all students, faculty, and staff can thrive regardless of ability.

The Kirwan Center is exploring ways USM institutions—individually and collectively—can support faculty and other educational staff as they work to ensure that the instructional technologies and digital materials they use in their courses are accessible to all learners.

The key questions we are exploring include: How do we help faculty understand their role in and responsibility in digital accessibility for learning? What kind of support is available to them in the selection and/or creation of instructional materials? How do we create a “born accessible” culture within our academic programs? And how might we collaborate across USM institutions to share resources and best practices?

Initiative Type:

Digital Accessibility

USM Announces Formation of Digital Accessibility Working Group

admin-jennifer — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 21:00:21 +0000

The 51�Թ�� (USM) is proud to announce the formation of the Digital Accessibility (DA) Working Group, spearheaded by the Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation. This initiative brings together representatives from all 12 USM campuses, community college representatives, independent public university representatives, private college representatives, and MarylandOnline to address the critical need for accessible digital course materials across the State of Maryland.

The DA Working Group is charged with fostering cross-institutional collaboration to support faculty and staff in meeting the Department of Justice’s Title II ruling on digital accessibility. This ruling requires that all public higher education institutions make web content and mobile apps accessible and meet WCAG 2.1 guidelines for web accessibility. Web content includes content inside an institution’s learning management system and password-protected content. Public higher education institutions are required to meet these accessibility standards by April 2026.

According to a recent Chronicle of Higher Education article, 21 percent of college students report having a disability, spanning visual, hearing, cognitive, and manual-dexterity domains. The DOJ Title II ruling is important, as it is difficult or impossible for people with disabilities to access information and content when website and mobile apps are not accessible. While USM institutions have processes in place for accommodating students, faculty, and staff with disabilities, this new ruling pushes institutions to build accessibility into the digital infrastructure from the beginning, so that everyone can access and engage with materials.

The DA Working Group will develop shared resources, offer professional development opportunities, explore and evaluate faculty and staff support structures, and create best practices documents for campus-wide use.

The DA Working Group urges all Maryland faculty and staff to actively participate in this initiative by attending training sessions, utilizing shared resources, and collaborating with colleagues to ensure their web content and mobile apps meet digital accessibility standards. This work is crucial in creating an inclusive educational environment that supports all students.

For more information, please contact: cai@usmd.edu

News Type:

USM News

Areas of Focus:

Digital Accessibility

Preview Quote:

The DA Working Group is charged with fostering cross-institutional collaboration to support faculty and staff in meeting the Department of Justice’s Title II ruling on digital accessibility.

Cross Post:

Teach Access Announces Academic Hub at Kirwan Center

admin-joel — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 20:14:10 +0000

Teach Access, a nonprofit dedicated to making digital accessibility fundamental to higher education curricula, proudly announces its newest academic hub, the 51�Թ��’s (USM) William E. Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation. This collaboration aims to advance accessibility education, research, and practice by integrating accessibility-focused initiatives into faculty development, curriculum design, and institutional strategy across USM.

The Kirwan Center + Teach Access partnership will focus on several key initiatives, including:

Establishing a Kirwan Center + Teach Access Faculty Fellowship to support faculty embedding accessibility into their pedagogy and research.
Conducting joint research on effective strategies for integrating accessibility into academic disciplines.
Collaborating on credentialing initiatives to ensure students gain recognized expertise in accessibility.
Developing Open Educational Resources (OER) and contributing to OER Commons to make accessibility-related materials more widely available.

Through these efforts, Teach Access will provide the 51�Թ�� with free resources to enhance accessibility instruction across various courses and disciplines. The collaboration will amplify best practices in pedagogy, research, and institutional implementation of accessibility, ultimately preparing students to create more inclusive digital environments. In turn, the Kirwan Center will coordinate accessibility-focused initiatives across the system and leverage its existing statewide partnerships for even greater impact.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Kirwan Center and the 51�Թ�� to further our mission of integrating accessibility into education,” said Rolando Méndez, Teach Access Director of Education. “This initiative will empower faculty and students with the tools they need to champion accessibility in their fields.”

“Designing with accessibility in mind - whether software applications, lesson plans, or museum exhibitions - is a vital 21st century skill,” said Nancy O’Neill, Executive Director of the USM Kirwan Center. “We are proud to be the first state system-level academic hub for Teach Access in the country, and together we have the potential to develop accessibility focused initiatives at an unprecedented scale.”

This partnership marks a significant step toward embedding accessibility in higher education and fostering a new generation of professionals dedicated to inclusive design and innovation.

News Type:

USM News

Areas of Focus:

Digital Accessibility

Preview Quote:

Collaboration to Advance Accessibility in Higher Education Through Research, Faculty Fellowships, and Innovative Pedagogy

News Link:

/newsroom/news/2472

Cross Post:

Call for Applications for the 2025 Elkins Fellowships for SoTL

admin-jennifer — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 19:41:18 +0000

The Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation is pleased to announce this call for applications for Elkins Fellowships for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). Up to 10 Elkins SoTL Fellowships of $1,000 each will be awarded for 2025-2026 (May 1, 2025-June 30, 2026).

Proposals are due to Dr. Jennifer Potter (jpotter@usmd.edu) by 11:59 pm on Friday, March 28, 2025, for work to take place over the subsequent academic year.

News Type:

USM News

Areas of Focus:

Digital Accessibility

Cross Post:

News

NFB-MDTAP Resource Guide for Accessible Classrooms

admin-annika — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 13:24:02 +0000

Resource Guide for Making an Accessible Classroom

This resource guide was created for USM institutions in support of the digital accessibility goals. For more information or resources, please contact the MDOD IT Access Initiative via email at: mdod.nva@maryland.gov or via their website mdod.maryland.gov.

The Center for Excellence in Nonvisual Access of the National Federation of the Blind is an excellent resource for learning more about nonvisual accessibility. They can be contacted at access@nfb.org.

Most laws and guidelines in place are built on the international standards, known as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The explanation of these standards and the various versions and upcoming updates can be found on the WCAG 2 Overview page.

Document Accessibility

These resources should help consumers learn the requirements and techniques for making various electronic documents accessible for both Microsoft Office and Adobe PDF.

Video & Audio Accessibility

The first two links will give instructions as to what is needed for content to be considered accessible. 3PlayMedia has a free checklist available for ensuring new content meets these standards. The Audio Description Project has several links for learning how audio description is created and offered.

General Accessibility Questions

Maryland Department of Disabilities

MDOD has other resources listed for any questions regarding digital accessibility and offers monthly webinars on various digital accessibility topics. The Maryland Assistive Technology Program (MDTAP) is also a great resource for learning more about types of assistive technology and seeing demonstrations.

National Federation of the Blind

The National Federation of the Blind Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Accessibility hosts a variety of programs each month, called Accessibility Boutiques, which cover a wide array of topics from document and web accessibility basics to evaluation of educational technologies and other productivity software. You can learn more about them at www.nfb.org/cena. The Accessibility Switchboard provides a variety of resources and guides for learning about many areas of accessibility: www.accessibilityswitchboard.org.