Embedding Access into Campus Culture: Strategies for Student Belonging

October 7 | 1pm–3:00pm (Central Time)

Session Description: This session invites faculty and student support professionals to reimagine accessibility not as an individual accommodation request but as a shared institutional responsibility. Moving beyond a compliance-based framework, the session explores how access-centered design and practices can be embedded into the fabric of both classroom instruction and wraparound student services. Participants will explore actionable strategies to ensure equivalent access for all students—including the use of accessible course documents, closed captioning, screen reader–compatible files, and inclusive classroom policies. The session will highlight early-semester scaffolding practices, collaborative communication with disability resource offices, and the proactive role of student support teams in normalizing help-seeking resources that reduce stigma to ensure that all students feel welcomed, valued, and supported across their educational journey. 

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
1. Differentiate between compliance-based accommodations and access-informed practices grounded in Disability Justice to reframe accessibility as a shared institutional responsibility.
2. Recognize systemic barriers that impact disabled students and explore intentional inclusive instructional and support strategies that promote equivalent access.
3. Apply accessibility tools such as closed captioning, screen reader–compatible documents, accessible syllabi, and flexible policies to reduce barriers in academic and student support settings.
4. Develop early-semester practices and cross-functional approaches that build trust, encourage help-seeking, and support student self-advocacy.
5. Strengthen cross-campus collaboration to create sustainable structures of belonging and support for all learners.

Presenter Bio: Brenda E. Avilés serves as a District ACCESS Advisor for Disability Services at Collin College. Bringing over twenty years of experience in higher education across various roles in public and private institutions, Brenda integrates her personal insights informed by both professional practice and lived experience navigating her own disabilities and parenting a disabled college student. Currently, she’s a doctoral candidate in the Higher Education program at the University of North Texas (UNT). Her research explores the work of Disability Resource Professionals at the nexus of disability culture and accessibility to critically examine how sociopolitical frameworks within campus support systems shape the identities and experiences of disabled college students.

Tanya Schildknecht is a seasoned Disability Services Advisor for the district of Collin College, where she supports all students with disabilities. With over 25 years in Disability Services in higher education and more than 30 years of experience in the Deaf community, Tanya brings a deep, firsthand understanding of accessibility, inclusion, and student-centered advocacy. She holds a degree in Interpreting and Transliterating from Columbus State and has worked across the US as an interpreter for agencies and government entities. Her experience spans settings as varied as courts, hospitals, prisons, and even scuba diving classes, reflecting her belief that access should exist everywhere, for everyone. Tanya has presented widely on topics including ADA/ADAAA, WCAG 2.2 compliance and disability awareness, and she brings a wealth of knowledge to conversations around accessible classroom practices. She holds two national certifications and is an active member of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) and the National Association of the Deaf (NAD). Passionate about equity in education, her work centers on removing barriers and ensuring that all students have the tools and support they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.