Finding Space

9: Small Fixes, Big Impact. A Smarter Way to Meet Title II

In this episode of Finding Space, we’re reminded that meeting the updated ADA Title II digital accessibility requirements is not something instructors have to do alone. Maggie Sokolik [https://writing.berkeley.edu/people/maggie-sokolik], Director of College Writing Programs, shares a practical, collaborative approach: offer a hands-on workshop for your entire department, start small, and build accessible habits together. You’ll hear what “remediation” really means (in plain language), how tools like Ally in bCourses can support your work, and a powerful tip to reduce overwhelm: close old courses and project sites if students still have access—or make them accessible. Small steps. Shared effort. Real access for students. Resources: * Accessibility in Teaching & Learning Resource Hub [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/resources/accessibility-teaching-learning] * Ally (Accessibility Checker in bCourses) [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/services-programs/ally-bcourses] * Ally Course Accessibility Report in bCourses (tutorial video) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-CTPSELsmQ] * SensusAccess [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/services-programs/sensusaccess/getting-started-sensusaccess] (primarily alt media conversions) * Digital Accessibility Program [https://dap.berkeley.edu/home] (DAP) * Digital Accessibility of Library Collections [https://www.lib.berkeley.edu/help/digital-accessibility] * Workshops [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/events-workshops], Consultations [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/get-help], Finding Space podcast [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/finding-space-podcast] * Centering Disability in Teaching [https://teaching.berkeley.edu/teaching-strategies/advancing-equity-and-inclusion/centering-disability-teaching] * Accessible PDF Files [https://berkeley.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8666d79aff7b30c0caab55c9f&id=cfa613dad7&e=13cc1daca8] (including STEM documents, LaTex, & handwritten notes) * Accessible Documents (Microsoft Word & Google Docs) [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/accessible-documents-microsoft-word-google-docs] * Accessible Slides (Microsoft PowerPoint & Google Slides) [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/accessible-slides-microsoft-powerpoint-google-slides] * Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) [https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/] * Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 [https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/] Review transcripts on our show webpage [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/finding-space-podcast]. Share your feedback with us at findingspace@berkeley.edu [https://open.spotify.com/episode/findingspace@berkeley.edu]. Finding Space is brought to you by Research Teaching, and Learning (RTL) [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/home] in UC Berkeley's Division of Undergraduate Education.

8: ADA Title II Update - Top 5 Things Instructors Can Do Now to Meet the New Requirements

In this episode, we focus on what the updated Title II of the ADA means for higher education—and, more importantly, how faculty can get started without feeling overwhelmed. We’re joined by Anne Marie Richard [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/about-us/rtl-leadership], Assistant Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Chief Academic Technology Officer, for a grounded and practical conversation about the federal updates to Title II that go into effect in April 2026. Together, we walk through five concrete actions instructors can take now to begin aligning their courses with the new requirements—while honoring the real constraints, pressures, and care faculty and staff are already carrying. This conversation centers access and inclusion not as extra work, but as work deeply connected to our shared values and commitments. This episode reminds us: you’re not expected to do this alone. We highlight resources available to support instructors and share how to connect with our team for consultations and next steps. In this episode, we explore: * What’s changing under the updated Title II requirements * Five actionable ways faculty can begin now * Why accessibility work is values-aligned, not just compliance-driven * How institutions can support instructors through this transition Resources: * Accessibility in Teaching & Learning Resource Hub [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/resources/accessibility-teaching-learning] * Ally (Accessibility Checker in bCourses) [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/services-programs/ally-bcourses] * Ally Course Accessibility Report in bCourses (tutorial video) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-CTPSELsmQ] * SensusAccess [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/services-programs/sensusaccess/getting-started-sensusaccess] (primarily alt media conversions) * Digital Accessibility Program [https://dap.berkeley.edu/home] (DAP) * Digital Accessibility of Library Collections [https://www.lib.berkeley.edu/help/digital-accessibility] * Workshops [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/events-workshops], Consultations [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/get-help], Finding Space podcast [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/finding-space-podcast] * Centering Disability in Teaching [https://teaching.berkeley.edu/teaching-strategies/advancing-equity-and-inclusion/centering-disability-teaching] * Accessible PDF Files [https://berkeley.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8666d79aff7b30c0caab55c9f&id=cfa613dad7&e=13cc1daca8] (including STEM documents, LaTex, & handwritten notes) * Accessible Documents (Microsoft Word & Google Docs) [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/accessible-documents-microsoft-word-google-docs] * Accessible Slides (Microsoft PowerPoint & Google Slides) [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/accessible-slides-microsoft-powerpoint-google-slides] * Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) [https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/] * Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 [https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/] Review transcripts on our show webpage [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/finding-space-podcast]. Share your feedback with us at findingspace@berkeley.edu [https://open.spotify.com/episode/findingspace@berkeley.edu]. Finding Space is brought to you by Research Teaching, & Learning (RTL) [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/home] in UC Berkeley's Division of Undergraduate Education.

7: Pedagogy of the Pause — with Emily Nusbaum

In this episode, core Disability Studies instructor Emily Nusbaum shares how she builds collective access into her courses—from day one. Instead of treating accommodations as individual, private transactions, Emily invites her students to co-design access practices together: shared note-taking, flexible ways to participate, an open Zoom room, and an access statement that frames support as everyone’s responsibility. Through stories from her classroom—students using wheelchairs and service animals, a learner attending from a grandparent’s apartment while caregiving, and a student who says they finally felt cared for—Emily shows how small shifts can transform the culture of a course. We talk about why slowing down isn’t a weakness, how “participation points” can reinforce ableism, and why accessibility is fundamentally relational, not just procedural. This episode offers concrete, realistic starting points for instructors who want to move beyond compliance toward a culture of collective access and disability justice in their teaching. In this episode, we explore: * What collective access means in a university classroom * Practices that help students feel genuinely “cared for” * Rethinking participation, engagement, and assessment * Using shared note-taking, open Zoom rooms, and access statements * Why accessibility is a relational practice, not just a checklist Resources: * Sample access statement [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1e0bi0Ra1WaS0SkhXT_-QdZaAYvs1ZSyx0VpFm8Fd2yI/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.8g7v99k245cg] from Emily’s syllabus Review transcripts on our show webpage [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/finding-space-podcast]. Share your feedback with us at findingspace@berkeley.edu [https://open.spotify.com/episode/findingspace@berkeley.edu]. Finding Space is brought to you by Research Teaching, and Learning (RTL) [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/home] in UC Berkeley's Division of Undergraduate Education.

6: Roll Model — with UC Berkeley alum Ryan Manriquez

In this episode, alum, Ryan Manriquez, shares how a terrifying emergency-evacuation failure in graduate housing became a catalyst for change—prompting system-wide guidance, individualized evacuation planning, and a renewed focus on not leaving anyone behind. Ryan also highlights the role of the Disability Cultural Center, mentorship, and representation in creating real access. We discuss why accommodations don’t lower academic standards—they enable students to meet them—and how small shifts by faculty and staff signal belonging every day. Resources: * Guidance on Instructor Preparedness for Classroom Disruptions and Emergencies [https://teaching.berkeley.edu/resources/guidance-instructor-preparedness-classroom-disruptions-and-emergencies] - — Practical steps for faculty before, during, and after an incident; includes evacuation, communication, and continuity tips. * Video: Accessibility Renovations at UC Berkeley — with Ryan Manriquez [https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/video/renovations-at-uc-berkeley-improve-accessibility-to-campus-oldest-building/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h] Review transcripts on our show webpage [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/finding-space-podcast]. Share your feedback with us at findingspace@berkeley.edu [https://open.spotify.com/episode/findingspace@berkeley.edu]. Finding Space is brought to you by Research Teaching, and Learning (RTL) [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/home] in UC Berkeley's Division of Undergraduate Education.

5. Lead Culture from Where You Are: Cultivating Collective Care

In this episode, Marisella Rodriguez (Associate Director of Equity & Inclusion, ⁠Center for Teaching and Learning⁠ [https://teaching.berkeley.edu/]), Carmen Varela (Executive Director, ⁠Disabled Students’ Program⁠ [https://dsp.berkeley.edu/home]), and UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons (⁠Office of the Chancellor⁠ [https://chancellor.berkeley.edu/]) discuss how leadership, collective care, and disability justice intersect across roles and responsibilities on campus. Together, they explore how culture is shaped not just by policy, but by everyday decisions, values, and human connection—and why meaningful change starts with all of us. Join the conversation: What role can you play in leading culture and cultivating collective care on campus? Correction: During the conversation, Carmen mentions that the Section 504 protests took place in the 1960s. The protests actually occurred in the 1970s. Review transcripts on our ⁠show webpage⁠ [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/finding-space-podcast]. Share your feedback with us at ⁠findingspace@berkeley.edu⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/episode/findingspace@berkeley.edu]. Finding Space is brought to you by ⁠Research, Teaching, and Learning (RTL)⁠ [https://rtl.berkeley.edu/home] in UC Berkeley's Division of Undergraduate Education.