"I'm sorry, but on behalf of the School of Youdontbelonghere I need to tell you that we're not willing to lift a finger to help create access to our knowledge and the opportunity that comes along with it."
That's essentially the message from a school on campus today. We asked for a file format that we could work with so we could add captions to video material for a Deaf student enrolled in the course. (Note: The student is now FIVE weeks behind.) They didn't even ask what was involved in "doing their part". They didn't even ask how long it would take.
I'm as guilty as the next person of the bad practice of making assumptions but when denying someone access to a University course...? I'd like to think that before making that decision, I might ask a few more questions.
Dang people! We all got-ta work together to make this happen. We can't just expect that we're gonna share our brilliance with the world - or at least with the part of the world that's easiest to share it with based on our own privilege - and ignore our responsibilities to "those other people". When a U student with a disability asks for access to information for a course, it's not acceptable to say "Not it." We ALL have responsibilities to make the U a place that welcomes the diversity that people of all abilities bring with them.
