March 11, 2021
Access for All Committee promotes Universal Design for Learning Opportunities
Submitted by Aliah K. Mestrovich Seay
In K-State Research and Extension, we pride ourselves in responding to the needs of communities across Kansas. Over the past year, we have been more and more aware of how different people learn in different ways. We want to intentionally remove barriers to accessing our programs so that all Kansans can benefit from our programs, services, and materials. As a response to community needs, the KSRE Access for All Committee has been formed and is composed of administrators, specialists, and staff with specialized skill sets.
Universal Design for Learning is a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. The committee’s approach to access is based on these principles, which support equitable programming. Our mission is to provide educational resources and individualized support as well as community engagement. This committee collaborates with, but is not the same as, the KSRE Disability Accommodations Committee which responds to disability accommodations requests from our community members.
Some of our goals in 2021 are to better understand the needs of our KSRE system in regards to access and to promote accessibility through educational resources and KSRE professional training opportunities. We will be asking you for your input in the form of a climate survey in the coming weeks. We appreciate your feedback. If you have any questions about the work of the Access for All Committee, please contact Aliah Mestrovich Seay at aliah@ksu.edu.