Emerging and Diverging Competencies in College AT Support

I recently attended the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) national conference and it has me thinking about how supporting Assistive Technology in colleges and universities is diverging into two separate and distinct competencies. On the one hand, is the technical support aspect to AT, and on the other there is an emerging end-user support competency. The reason the IDA conference got me thinking about this is the way they discussed students utilizing AT. There was very little “technical” talk of keystrokes, networking problems, roaming profiles etc at the presentations. There was talk about assessing students, selecting appropriate tools and strategies, evaluating outcomes etc. While technology is an important tool to these professionals, the focus remained on the student.

The technical support competency essentially makes sure that the computers work and the AT is functioning as it should. The newer emerging end-user competency ensures that the user is getting the maximum benefit of the technology and in the world of AT this is a critical piece of support. These competencies are not unique to AT, but it is the AT aspect that is the subject of this brief article.

The Technical Support Competency

The AT tech-support competencies includes basic skill sets such as: understanding computer security, networking protocols, configuring and maintaining of desktop computers and basic web interactions. Additionally, the AT tech-support provider needs to understand resolving software conflicts, innovative uses of system level devices and their special application to AT. They also need a basic understanding of the alternative methods students with disabilities use when computing.

But in the end, the AT technical support competency is about providing a smooth-running, efficient and trouble-free computer. It has little to do with the end-user.

The End-user Support Competency

The end-user support competencies are skills related to the successful use of the recommended applications. Training computer users has grown into its own area of expertise. It is an even more critical task when the computer users have disabilities. While training students with physical disabilities requires special skills, it is students with learning disabilities that I want to focus on here.

Students with learning disabilities, obviously, may require alternative learning methods and learning to use the computer is no exception. An AT provider expected to get students with learning disabilities fluent with computers, must have some expertise in this specialized training area. And remember, we are not (necessarily) talking about using word processors or spreadsheets, but specialized programs to help the student compensate for a reading or other cognitive deficit.
Most AT support staff will probably tell you that their job is a blend of these two skill sets. I have been doing this for over fifteen years and that is what I would say. The depth of knowledge in each skill set is increasing to the point that it is becoming difficult for one person to do both well. In my own case, a few years back I began shifting basic tech-support to a systems group and I received formal and informal training in teaching technology integration to students.

How This May Affect Your Staffing

If you have an AT specialist on staff, then establish whether their strengths are technical support or end-user support. If your employee has good technical skills, then you might consider enhancing your end-user support. Most colleges have a department supporting academically struggling students and they can make a great partner in this endeavor. Their specialty is the student. They may even find some of your technology of interest for the students that they are serving.

If your AT specialist leans toward end-user support (this can be the case when a college hires a former student with a disability to work in the AT lab), then you might want to strengthen basic technical support. You usually find such support from your college IT department. Support can also be available from a smaller group, sometimes referred to as “systems support.” For example, such a group might manage computers in the library.

If you have no AT specialist, but are contemplating hiring one, then decide which competency set you need most and let that direct your job description. The important thing is that, in the very near future, blending these skill sets into one job may not be in the best interest of your students.

The Take Away

Know that there are two emerging and separate skill sets necessary to deliver high quality AT support in colleges and universities. By virtue of history, the technical side is more established, but now many experts recognize the importance of specialized support for maximizing the end-user’s benefit of the technology.

The technical set-up and maintenance of academic computing facilities is increasingly being taken over by various systems groups on college campuses. This frees DS to hire a technologist who’s expertise and training focuses on end-user success. And this is extremely important in promoting the academic success of students with learning disabilities.

Stay Focused!

This short article reminds us all to keep our eyes on the ball.

This term my e-text production service started converting a lot of PDF files into various forms of alternative-text. Things were going well and then we hit a few files that “choked” our ocr software OmniPage Pro. Opening the PDF in it’s native environment, Adobe Acrobat Pro, and stripping out some “document information” initially solved the problem. (Don’t ask me why…)

Finally a file came for which this solution did not work. It became a real technical challenge to “fix” this PDF. My staff and I searched the internet for similar problems and (hopefully) a solution. We tore apart the file in Acrobat Pro searching for its “fatal flaw.” I wouldn’t say we were obsessed, but we were pretty dedicated to solving this problem.

Then it hit me.

Actually a student worker provided the clarity with these words, “Why don’t we print it and scan it?” In that moment I realized that we (I) had lost site of getting usable text to the student and had jumped down some technological rabbit hole. Printing and scanning solved the problem in just a few minutes. Granted, you don’t want to do this with all your PDF files, but if you get one that defies cooperating with your other technology, just print it. I know that there are PDFs that will not print by design, but that is a topic for some future article.

The moral of this story is to stay focused on your original goal. In this case, getting clean usable text to a student with a print related disability. Technology has a seductive way of taking your attention from your task and redirecting it onto the process itself. You’ve been warned!

Utilizing Student Workers for AT Services

If you already utilize student workers in you AT delivery, then you can skip this article. But if you feel perpetually understaffed and shorthanded in the AT department this article may be able to help.

Many of the DS coordinators I work with have nothing but good things to say about student workers. Most say that they could not adequately deliver services if it were not for the student labor pool. Here are some of the ways my AT program makes use of student workers.

Computerized Based Notetaking (CBN)

Students with certain types of LD issues benefit from seeing notes in real time with the lecture. It is a text supplement delivered as the lecture is delivered. The notes are transmitted between two wirelessly linked laptops. The notetakers are students who are paid an hourly wage for their services. Obviously a college is a great place to find good notetakers.

Alt-Text

Providing alt-text on many campuses has grown into a small industry. And it is an industry that could not survive without student workers. In my program students handle book cutting and scanning. They manage the automated processes used for students with LD related reading issues. The do the precision editing and conversion required by our blind students. Student workers are the “face” of our alt-text program. Once students using these services get appropriate assessment and any necessary training they work directly with the student workers to obtain their alt-texts.

Basic AT Lab Management

I have worked with many DS coordinators who use technically savvy student workers to provide routine computer maintenance in their AT lab and to offer students basic technical support.

Take Advantage of Some Basic Characteristics of Student Workers

I have hired and managed dozens of student workers for my AT program over the last ten years. Most students want to work 8 to 12 hours per week during the academic term. I take advantage of this by giving the students only two to three related tasks to do. (I.E. cutting, scanning and automatic file creation.) This simplifies training and make it easy to isolate production breakdowns if or when they occur. Students, like most people, are drawn to meaningful and satisfying work. Supporting students with disabilities really qualifies for this. I always point out that no matter what career path they may ultimately take, serving students with disabilities will be a plus on their résumé.

Create a Congenial Work Environment

Over 95% of the students I have lost, I lost to graduation. Rather than adhering to an absolutely strict schedule, make objectives within the job the priority. If your students are getting good and usable alt-text files reliably, does it matter if the student workers adhered to a strict work schedule? Allow for down time. Some weeks no one needs books or journal articles converted. Pay your workers “to be available” it is a wise investment.

A Little Upfront Effort on Your Part Will Pay Handsome Dividends

Do a small departmental self-study and determine where you need help. Separate out the work the requires professional skills and then check what of the left over jobs could be handled by students.

Break the work up into jobs involving two or three tasks. Not only does this make training easier, it also makes for a very productive work flow.

Write clear job descriptions. These are not long or super detailed. List attributes you think the successful worker in this job will possess.

Either create or use your school’s existing job application. Post the job via your school’s “job board” and then review applications and interview applicants.

I realize this sounds like considerable work, but you can mange it by reserving a certain time each week for the process. Once your student workers are in place you will be surprised at how they lighten your schedule.

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Managing the Assistive Technology Process