WHEREAS, Fifty-one percent (51%) of students with disabilities, including those who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing report experiencing barriers to accessibility and communication in educational institutions, impacting their academic success and engagement [1] [2];
WHEREAS, The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act ensure equitable access to accommodations, a burden of seeking access still exists for students who are unaware of the need to “self identify” as outlined in Title II of the ADA [3] [4];
WHEREAS, Insufficient funding and low hourly wages limit the availability of Certified Hearing Interpreters and Certified Deaf Interpreters for American Sign Language and other signed languages, as well as the availability of other communication support services for students who depend on these resources [1], and barriers to student accessibility and success exist; and
WHEREAS, The lack of comprehensive Deaf or Hard of Hearing cultural understanding and training among staff, faculty, and students can lead to unintentional biases and exclusion of deaf and hard of hearing students from academic and social activities; Now, there be it
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges collaborate with California Community Colleges their districts to create and implement a comprehensive communication strategy to ensure that students from the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community are fully informed of their right and responsibility to notify their respective college of any accommodations they may need in order to effectively participate in the classroom;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate for additional funding of $60,000 from the SSCCC budget—allocated by state and federal funding— be utilized to better supplement the annual wages of certified interpreters, as well as invest in other interpreting services utilized by the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community within the California Community Colleges to address community needs;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges prioritize the hiring of a qualified staff member to serve in a dual-capacity as both an in-house administrative professional and a certified ASL interpreter to ensure enhanced accessibility for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community within the Student Senate; and
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges create and publish a toolkit titled “Understanding and Promoting Deaf Culture” to provide resources, best practices, and guidance for supporting and including the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community within California Community colleges.
Citations:
[1] National Deaf Center nationaldeafcenter.org/news-items/new-data-about-deaf-college-students-emerging-challenges.
[2] The ASL Interpreter Shortage and Its Impact on Accessibility in College Settings https://nationaldeafcenter.org/news-items/the-asl-interpreter-shortage-and-its-impact-on-accessib ility-in-college-settings/
[3] U.S. Department of Education, and Office for Civil Rights www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/504-discipline-guidance.pdf.
[4] Americans with Disabilities Act Title II Regulations https://www.ada.gov/law-and-regs/regulations/title-ii-2010-regulations/#subpart1