Digital Accessibility Specialist

Thirty percent of our student population at Pikes Peak Community College identify themselves as persons of color. Pikes Peak Community College is looking for applicants who are culturally competent and can demonstrate evidence, understanding, and a commitment to the concepts of diversity, multiculturalism, and their application in the workplace.

Pikes Peak Community College (PPCC) is committed to serving the good of the community. We do this by educating people. We provide open access to higher education and a high quality learning environment in which students can realize new opportunities and gain critical, 21st century skills they need to succeed in the workforce or in further education. Teaching people how to work effectively with others, across boundaries, is central to our mission.

This begins with welcoming and valuing people for who they are and for the unique contributions each person adds to our campus. It also requires our faculty, staff and students to encounter, explore and understand a broad range of ideas and cultures. Our community college mission is inseparable from the ever-increasing diversity in our society.

Diverse and inclusive learning and working environments promote a free and open exchange of ideas, improve critical thinking, civic engagement and leadership skills, and deepen empathy and respect for those unlike ourselves. Our campus is enriched by a variety of voices and experiences.

Attracting, hiring and retaining a highly engaged workforce that reflects and supports the diversity of our student body are of central importance to our work. Other essential factors are expanding and strengthening opportunities for students to learn and succeed through culturally responsive instruction and diversity-infused course offerings. We ensure that diversity represents a process of continual learning and improvement by developing, cultivating and sustaining an organizational culture based on mutual respect, inquiry and civility.

Please visit the College’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion site for additional information at https://www.ppcc.edu/diversity-equity-inclusion.

The Digital Accessibility Specialist exists to support faculty and staff in the development of accessible content, and curriculum for courses/student-focused services at Pikes Peak Community College by utilizing principles and best practices in digital accessibility. Through collaboration with faculty, staff and administrators, this position will ensure that courses/student-focused services will incorporate universal design for learning principles (UDL) to reach all learners. The position serves as a point of contact in support of the college’s Digital Accessibility Committee. The position will develop and deliver training programs incorporating UDL for college faculty and staff. Will provide support and consultation services for faculty/staff in utilizing digital accessibility. Serves on the Accessibility Validation Committee (AVC) to ensure all adopted educational materials are accessible.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution OR Associate degree with two years of professional level experience performing similar duties to those described for this position.
Experience Teaching or Training.
Experience with HTML/HTML 5.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in training faculty, staff, and/or students in digital accessibility.
Experience in evaluating and assessing materials for conformance with digital accessibility standards, and/or universal design for learning principles.
Experience utilizing assistive technology in evaluating or testing software, learning platforms, technology, or learning materials to ensure they meet digital accessibility standards.
Experience in instructional design, educational technology, digital accessibility, or Universal Design for Learning.

Salary is $3,750.00 gross per month. For full consideration, all application materials must be received by 4:00 p.m. on Monday, March 9, 2020. Applications accepted until position is filled.

Application Process: Please submit electronically a cover letter, resume, transcripts (unofficial), and the names and contact information of three recent job-related references who can address your expertise and background for this position. The cover letter must specifically address each of the qualifications listed under Minimum Qualifications and Preferred Qualifications in the exact same order in which they are listed in this announcement. Incomplete applications may not receive full consideration.

This position may be eligible for a variety of employee benefits and additional perks. Information may be reviewed at https://www.cccs.edu/employee-resources/employee-benefits/ and https://www.ppcc.edu/human-resource-services/benefits/additional-perks.

Interviews will be conducted in-person.

Note: Prior submission of application materials will not be considered.

Essential Functions

Serves on the Accessibility Validation Committee to ensure all textbooks, learning platforms, software, technology, and curriculum adopted by PPCC is accessible according to WCAG AA, Section 508, and the Americans with Disabilities act. Also assists in other digital accessibility duties related to instructional services.
Consults with faculty members, department chairs, and division Deans/Associate Deans on effective strategies to incorporate UDL and accessibility in curriculum. Also consults with staff in non-instructional services departments regarding digital accessibility projects.
Serves as main point of contact and expert for the Digital Accessibility Committee. Consults with instructional services, faculty, and staff on standards and best practices for compliance with the most current version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) AA standards for instructional materials, and principles of universal design.
Develops and implements training for faculty and staff on digital accessibility and universal design for learning. Tracks delivery and impact of faculty training activities and reports on results to the college.
Researches and evaluates new developments in digital accessibility, and universal design for learning. Assists faculty in their implementation of UDL, and accessibility as appropriate. Takes a proactive role in the continuous improvement of eLearning.
Completes other projects and responsibilities as assigned by the Associate Vice President of Academic Resources.

General Duties

Work with individual faculty members and departments to design accessible curriculum and content.
Develop materials and resources that promote the principles of universal design and digital accessibility.
Provide digital accessibility-based training sessions to individual faculty/staff and small groups as appropriate.
Respond to faculty and staff questions via email, phone, and in person.
Evaluate and test textbooks, learning materials, software, and instructional technology to ensure they are accessible to all students.
Collaborate with ACCESSibility Services, ITSS, and eLearning to ensure any accessibility issues or concerns with various software and technology are solved.
Research developments in digital accessibility, UDL, and helps faculty to apply new developments to courses as appropriate.
Demonstrated evidence and understanding of the concepts of diversity and multiculturalism and their application in the workplace.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Cultural competence and demonstrated evidence, understanding, and commitment to the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion and their application in the workplace.
Knowledge of digital accessibility guidelines and standards (Section 508, WCAG, etc.) and how they apply to instructional services.
Knowledge and experience using assistive technology.
Knowledge and experience of HTML5 and troubleshooting issues with digital accessibility.
Ability to quickly learn and then present new technology tools for evaluation.
Ability to interact with diverse groups of faculty, students and staff with a wide spectrum of technical skills and ability.
Ability to train faculty and staff on digital accessibility best practices in a variety of formats.