Skip to main content

This job has expired

Director of Accessibility Services

Employer
Hood College
Location
Maryland, United States
Salary
Salary Not Specified
Date posted
Feb 15, 2023


Under the general direction of the Dean of Student Success, the Director of Accessibility Services is responsible for the development, delivery, and evaluation of all reasonable accommodations and related academic support services for students with disabilities. They work closely with faculty, administrative staff, the Coordinator for Title IX, Investigation, and Campus Accessibility (Title IX Coordinator) and students to provide leadership, training, and consultation on curricular and environmental accessibility, advocating for services to maximize learning and inclusivity where necessary. The Director is knowledgeable of national, state, and local trends; legislation; and best practices related to accessibility services and serves as a critical member of the Student Success Center team providing direct academic support for students.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Advocacy and Constituent Support (65%)
  • Responds to inquiries from prospective or current students about services and accommodations, including assistance animals, available to students with disabilities.
  • Meets with students and families to perform intake sessions covering eligibility, process of developing and implementing accommodations plan, and documentation collection.
  • Reviews disability-related documentation, including psychoeducational and neuropsychological reports to determine eligibility and appropriate accommodations under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Refers students to disability assessment specialists when circumstances suggest documentation is out of date or incomplete.
  • Develops and implements individualized student accommodation plans based on diagnostic evaluation, other disability documentation, and the student self-report.
  • Advises and assists students throughout plan implementation, including planning of appropriate courses and course loads, and in the development of self-advocacy skills.
  • Represents Accessibility Services on committees and at summer orientations, open houses, and other campus and community events.
  • Coordinates disability-related student supports which may include peer mentoring, honor society, or support groups.
  • Collaborates with other student services departments to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access, including Residence Life on housing accommodations, and Registrar on assignment of class locations.
Academic Support (25%)
  • Supports faculty and staff in providing reasonable accommodations to enhance learning environment for students with disabilities.
  • Develops and presents training for faculty/staff on best practices for supporting students with disabilities, including effective use of assistive technology (Kurzweil, Dragon Nuance, JAWS ).
  • Serves as a knowledgeable resource to the campus community on disability.
  • Attends professional association conferences, webinars, and related opportunities to keep current on disability law and best practices in the field.
  • May teach one or more classes each year, such as GNST 101 Seminar for Academic Success and/or FYS 101 First Year Seminar.
  • Serves as an engaged member of the CAAR team to provide student support services as needed, such as academic coaching for students on probation with disabilities.
Administrative Support (10%)
  • Prepares and revises information sheets, brochures, handbooks, catalog, and Hood College Accessibility Services webpages in coordination with the Title IX Coordinator.
  • Prepares annual outcomes assessment for the Office of Accessibility services, and prepares reports for appropriate campus personnel regarding utilization, student outcomes, and needs assessment.
  • Collaborates to ensure the effective and efficient operation of the Testing Center by the Administrative Assistant.
  • Maintains confidential student files.
  • May supervise one or more graduate assistant and/or student worker.
Competencies
  • Thorough knowledge of Federal, State, and local laws as well as other applicable legislation pertaining to college students with disabilities.
  • Background in formal assessment of individuals with exceptionalities—tests of intelligence, language development, academic achievement, and social and emotional development in order to verify specific disabilities and to determine eligibility for services.
  • General knowledge of counseling theory and practice as well as disability management counseling.
  • Ability to understand the implications of behavior elicited by a specific learning disability.
  • Ability to understand and interpret different diagnoses, psycho-educational and neuropsychiatric reports of students with learning disabilities such as ADHD/ADD, and psychiatric/psychological disabilities and apply this information for determining appropriate reasonable accommodations.
  • Demonstrated ability to understand the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, language, disability and backgrounds of college students.
  • Ability to demonstrate a high level of diplomacy, sensitivity, and problem-solving.
Qualifications

We seek a candidate who values diversity, equity and inclusion in all that they do. Candidates must have strong organizational skills and a proven ability to work collaboratively with partners across campus in support of Hood College’s mission as a student-centered, liberal arts institution.

To perform this job successfully, the individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

Master’s Degree in Special Education, Counseling, Psychology, Social Work or related field required. Professional experience in a disability services program working with a diverse college student population strongly preferred.

Technology Skills

Proficient in MS Office tools (Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), e-mail and Internet. Ability to learn new applications quickly including organization-wide information systems and department-specific software applications.

Knowledge of current adaptive/assistive technology such as Kurzweil, Dragon Nuance, JAWS, etc. Proficiency with Student Information Systems, Microsoft Productivity Suite Products, E-mail and Internet required.

Language Skills

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to present information effectively and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

Mathematical Skills

Proficient with statistical and financial concepts. Must have the ability to apply those concepts to tracking, projections, goal setting and interpreting reports. Must be able to draw conclusions from reports and make cost effective decisions regarding programs. Ability to work with basic mathematical concepts. Ability to compile and interpret basic statistics on student populations receiving service.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a number of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Ability to work independently and as a member of a group in developing and executing project plans. Ability to work in theoretical arena and apply logic as appropriate.

To Apply

We invite qualified candidates to apply on-line via our electronic application which requires submission of a résumé and three professional references.

If you need assistance with the on-line application process, please email humanresources@hood.edu or call (301) 696-3592.

Hood College is committed to diversity in its faculty and staff and subscribes to a policy of hiring only individuals legally eligible to work in the United States. EOE/AAP/M/F/Vet/Disability Employer

Hood College does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, disability, religion, or age in recruitment, admission and access to, or treatment, or employment in its programs, services, benefits, or activities as required by applicable laws including Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and complies with the law regarding reasonable accommodation for disabled applicants and students. Inquiries about discrimination or reasonable accommodation should be referred to the Title IX and Section 504 Coordinator at Alumnae Hall, 401 Rosemont Avenue, Frederick, MD. 21701 (AD 312), (301) 696-3592. For complete information on Hood College’s nondiscrimination policy, please visit http://www.hood.edu/non-discrimination/.

Get job alerts

Create a job alert and receive personalized job recommendations straight to your inbox.

Create alert