Directory last updated December 1, 2020
The CDC has updated the considerations for Institutes of Higher Education (IHEs)to help institutions make decisions that protect students, faculty, staff, and volunteers and slow the spread of COVID-19.
This updated resource includes expanded considerations on care for students and staff when ill in an IHE setting and updates on considerations for ventilation, food services, contact tracing, coping and support, and Direct Service Providers (DSPs).
Additionally, this resource provides more information on recognizing signs and symptoms of COVID-19, screening, and testing. The information provided in this resource is based on what is currently known about SARS-CoV-2. As we continue to learn more and additional evidence becomes available, we will continue to update these considerations
Resource updated October 5, 2020.
As more and more institutions take cautious steps towards some level of being open, wearing a mask is part of many, if not most protocols being implemented. Questions and concerns have been raised in many venues about the impact masks will have on individuals who are D/HOH and who speech read.
The National Deaf Center (NDC) offers these suggestions in a Q&A format.
Ask the deaf person how they prefer to communicate. If cloth masks interfere with communication, these sample interview questions can help you talk about alternative accommodations. Let the deaf person lead the discussion and ensure they are comfortable with any decisions.
Note that as a federally funded program, we do not endorse or recommend specific products, agencies, vendors, or other services.
One of the challenges of clear face masks is that they tend to fog up. The Hearing Spot and Knowledge Base provide several tips for care and use of clear masks that could help. Reach out to the NDC listserv for additional tips and recommendations.
Finding and buying clear facemasks and shields can be a challenge, and people are making their own. Check with your employer or school on whether homemade masks meet their health and safety rules (review the CDC standards on cloth face coverings).
Check out this comprehensive list of tutorials and DIY instructions for creating clear face masks. Some institutions are also using 3D printers to make face shields. Consider providing face masks or shields for service providers for use when working face to face with students.
Knowledge Base, a volunteer effort by Catharine McNally & Tina Childress, provides an extensive list of clear mask and face shield vendors. Due to high demand, please contact the vendors directly for more information.
This post and more Q&A topics can be found at nationaldeafcenter.org/covid19.
With the rapid rise of telework and post secondary institutions moving to online instruction, it’s more important than ever to make sure virtual presentations are accessible. Accessible presentations allow all participants, particularly people with disabilities, to effectively engage with presented content. If you are getting questions from faculty, staff or administrators who need make presentations,\ PEAT can help.
The Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology (PEAT) offers a seven-step approach and resources to help presenters develop more accessible presentations.
The Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology (PEAT) is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).