Lobo

Technol
ogical
Accessi
bility
and
Univers
al
Design

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Table of Contents

Novembe
r 20, 2016
By:
Tahsin
Zaman
Report
for the
UNM
Dean of
Students

Introduction.1
Methodology.......1-4
Discussion.......5-6
Final Recommendation...6-7

Abstract
If universal design is to work, it must be accessible to everyone including the disabled. I started
my research by looking up places such as colleges, high school, and elementary to see statistics
on technological accessibility issues. Though I am a college student, I always experience the
problem when going to a computer lab or library on campus and trying to find an empty
computer to do my work. The next thing I have to do is to see what places on campus have
computer labs and see how accessible they are to students. Walking far away from one building
to another just to do finish your project should not be necessary. More places such as Dane Smith
Hall should have a computer labs with all kinds of accessibility and resources. It needs to be
universally designed for everyone. The issue here is a student shouldnt have to walk one mile all
the way from their dorm just to reach a computer. There should be labs close to where they are
and labs at their own department.

Introduction
Our parents didnt have computers back then and the only way they could research or study was
either they reference their textbook or go to a library to find what they need. Homework,

projects, and even exams are done virtually online in todays day and age. It is easy to research
things you need by using a google search. A problem most schools have from college to high
school is they dont always have access to computers nearby to do homework or a test. Education
is now provided digitally for efficiency and that way students can get more in depth learning
skills. UNM is one of the most sophisticated universities here. They have a moderate amount of
computer labs. But the problem is students dont have enough resource accessibility options
around here. It should be made especially for people who are handicapped and visually impaired.
The problem is computers are too far to walk to access. The expansion of accessible
technological resources here at UNM should happen if student are aiming to succeed in their
education in order to get a degree.

Methodology
For the universal design for UNM computer lab expansion, below is my four step
plan:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Research
Interview Students at UNM
Observation of the Zimmerman Library, Lobolab, and Dane Smith Hall
Data Analysis
Results

1. Research
Computer Labs should be accessible to everyone especially the disabled. I went ahead and
researched online how schools get around using technology for their educational purposes. Is

technology beneficial to everyone in their education? I researched for articles about schools use
for technology and their statistics. The statistics can be found in my results section. I was hoping
to find things about if technology has any negative sides. Technology can also not help students
as much because of the way student are motivated to learn. I did find enough information to
come up with my recommendation and statistics. I happened to find UNMs accessibility site
where they give information about accommodation for students needing assistance using
technology for their work.

2. UNM Students Interview

I went out to interview a couple of student who use these computer labs at UNM on November
22. Joseph Felix and Raul Delacruz both shared the same opinions and both had their own. Like
any student, they use these labs to do their online homework, tests, and write essays. Below are
some of the question I asked them:
-

Are the computer labs here a UNM easy to access?

Is technology beneficial to everyones education?

3. Observation of the Zimmerman Library, Lobo Lab, and Dane Smith Hall
Next I went to visit the Zimmerman Library to see if I could access a computer myself. I
started to wonder if there was more UNM had to offer for resources that I didnt about. I
went to go find what other resources Zimmerman provides, so I went to the front desk to ask
what they offer. After that, my next stop was the Lobolab and I asked the front desk what else

they have to offer. I did the same at my last destination which was Dane Smith Hall at their
computer labs. I managed to get a lot of information from different people who work at
Zimmerman, Lobolab, and Dane Smith Hall. They all happened to give me the same
information.

4. Data Analysis
So far my data research was a success. I was able to find out what I needed. The data I have
found throughout my whole entire research, they are accurate and have a lot of findings. I
was able to find a couple of flaws and I managed to see them for myself. I was able to come
up with a solution after looking through my data.

5. Results
According to my research, (found on www.ed.gov), technology has improved learning and
teaching in the classroom. Students are more motivated to learn in this day and age using
these kinds of devices such as laptops, tablets, or even their smartphones. They get more
engaged with their learning using an iPad or any tablet. Also with the technology today,
students can easily access them whenever they need to. Using technology, student can
receive things such as homework from their teachers being sent electronically. Also
according to the U.S. Census Bureau (www.census.gov), nearly 1 in 5 people have a
disability here in the U.S. When I visited the Zimmerman Library, I found out that the front
desk will loan you a laptop just by showing your ID. This will be beneficial for disabled
people.
During my interview, both Raul and Joseph had another point about accessibility. This is
where one of the flaws came into play and that is that the computers labs dont carry all the

programs students need such as AutoCad, Mathlab, or VHDI Circuit Board. The other flaw
was the Lobolab only contain Macs. Both students mentioned that they should have labs
where it should have both Macs and Windows so people can use what they are used to and
have a preference.
So is are the computer labs universally designed well? Zimmerman looked like they dont
have a problem with students trying to get access. One time I did visit the Lobolab once and
not a lot of student utilize their computers do to the fact that they are only just Macs. The
way I can solve this problem is negotiate a plan with each department and persuade them to
have their classrooms be turned into computer labs. Or also if the department buildings have
extra rooms, they should consider using them as computer labs. Below is the annual averages
of 2013 of people with disabilities and the averages of students using technology in their
education.
Age
Disabilities
No Disabilities
16 and older
17%
64%
16 to 19
13%
26%
20 to 24
31%
62%
25 to 34
36%
77%
35 to 44
31%
79%%
44 to 54
26%
80%
55 to 64
23%
67%
65 and older
6%
22%
(Found on http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2014/ted_20140626.htm)

Tech Usage (Since 2013)

Students who say that technology is helping their education

Students who stay motivated in their courses
Student who use technology their daily lives
Students who tend to skip classes due to resources online

(Found on http://www.novadesk.com/blog/bid/55691/Educause-Statistics-on-Technology-inthe-Classroom and http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERS1208/EIG1208.pdf)

Discussion
So far accessibility is not a problem at UNM but getting to the closest computer is a problem.
Below are my three recommendations:

Technology expansion and special accommodations

Each department expands needs more technology resources and accommodations in the
labs I visited. Also more computers and laptops should be expanded by putting them in

rooms that are not being used in each department. They need to be arranged and ready for
students to use anytime. UNM needs to fund money in order to purchase more
technology resources for students so they dont have to hunt for faraway places for
computers to do work on. Also for accommodation such as handicapped students, UNM
should provide special keyboards for the visually impaired that should have braille on
them. This will help them finish what they need to do in their classes to be successful.
Provide students who live on campus computers in their dorms
With computers in available in dorms, students dont have to leave their dorm and they
can finish their work in the comfort of their home. This would benefit the visually
impaired and disabled students so they dont have to walk to reach a computer.

Financial solutions for students

UNM should provide more financial opportunities especially for technology use. They
should give money to students who cant afford a laptop and use it throughout their
college career. This will help any student who doesnt have the money besides paying
their tuition.

Final Recommendation
My recommendation I suggest is expansion of technology and special accommodations. Having
more computers and printers will improve educational productivity for students. Accommodation
dont need to be arranged for them, when they walk into a lab or their department, everything
will already be provided in front of them. This universal design will give them a great learning
experience.

Thank you for your time and I will look forward to your response soon. If you have any question
for more information about this report, contact me at 505-306-0838 or email at
tzaman@unm.edu.

Work Cited
"Employment of People with Disabilities in 2013 : The Economics Daily : U.S. Bureau ofLabor
Statistics." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,
n.d. Web. 24
Nov. 2016.

http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2014/ted_20140626.htm
http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERS1208/EIG1208.pdf
"Use of Technology in Teaching and Learning." Use of Technology in Teaching and Learning |
U.S. Department of Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2016.
http://www.ed.gov/oii-news/use-technology-teaching-and-learning
Moffett, Lauren. "Educause Statistics on Technology in the Classroom." Classroom Technology.
N.p., 26 Sept. 2012. Web. 25 Nov. 2016.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/technology-in-education/
Herold, Benjamin. "Technology in Education: An Overview." Education Week. N.p., 5 Feb.
2016. Web. 25 Nov. 2016.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/technology-in-education/
US Census Bureau Public Information Office. "Nearly 1 in 5 People Have a Disability in the
U.S., Census Bureau Reports - Miscellaneous - Newsroom - U.S. Census Bureau." US Census
Bureau Public Information Office. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2016.
https://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/miscellaneous/cb12-134.html
Felix, Joseph. Personal interview. 22 November 2016.
Delacruz, Raul. Personal interview. 22 November 2016