Smart Accessibility at Western Michigan University: The Application of a Systems Model for Improving Campus-Wide Accessibility for Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired. Albert Walker, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008 This paper is a case study about removing accessibility barriers in higher education. The applied model is called "Smart Accessibility." Smart Accessibility asks: "does using adaptive equipment and services enable accessibility students to perform competitive academic degree work on an even playing field?" If not, fix it! All accessibility students need full and timely access to academic resources. Optimal academic degree achievement requires total university awareness. Emphasis is upon system comonents, relationships, designing new procedural pathways, improving expectations, and professional behaviors. Smart Accessibility integrates current adaptive computer technologies, wireless systems, improved communications, academic library tutorials, faculty web pages, university e-mail, and digital access to classroom presentations and visual information. The model presented can be generalized easily for use at other universities, institutions, and rehabilitation centers.
