Assistive Technology Initiative

About Us

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Computer Icon Whether you have a disability or not, the ATI is committed to ensuring equivalent access to all information and communications technology (ICT) resources on our campuses. We provide direct assistive technology assessment, training, and support services to individuals with disabilities in the Mason community who require immediate technology solutions. We also work closely with our campus strategic partners to develop and implement a broad, comprehensive ICT accessibility plan. Contact Us for more information!

ATI Services

Informal assistive technology (AT) assessments and training (walk-ins or referrals)
Provision of accessible media (closed captioning and audio description for instructional and front-facing video resources)*
Provision of accessible textbook and tactile graphics for students, staff, and faculty with print-related disabilities
Document remediation for any Word, PowerPoint, or PDF documents hosted on front-facing websites or used in the classroom
Web Accessibility testing, training, and support (for all Mason websites and classroom web-based tools)
Training and support on creating accessible instructional materials (documents, videos, etc.).
Course accessibility audits (online, face-to-face, and hybrid)*
Technical assistance for ITS and Library personnel on ICT accessibility and/or AT-related issues
Maintenance of Assistive Technology Labs in campus libraries
Provision of other resources for accessible technology

What’s New

Blackboard Ally is here!

Starting in Fall 2020, Blackboard Ally will be available in all Mason courses! Blackboard Ally is an accessibility tool that is designed to help institutions build a more inclusive online learning environment and improve access to instructional resources. Overall, it creates a more engaging and user-friendly experience for students by enabling to select the alternate formats (e.g., electronic braille, PDFs, audio/MP3, etc.) that best support their specific learning needs.

How can Ally help me?

Ally for Instructors

Ally for Students

Contact the ATI Office for more information!

ATI Virtual Office Hours

In response to COVID-19, ATI staff will not host in-person meetings or assessments during the fall 2020 semester. We do not, however, anticipate any disruptions to support services for students, staff, and faculty members with digital accessibility needs.

ATI staff members are available via phone and email from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

To schedule a virtual meeting, please email ati@gmu.edu or call 703-993-4329 to connect with an ATI staff member.

Additional Questions regarding COVID-19 Response

For more information on Mason's response, visit Mason’s COVID-19 website.

Students

Should you have any additional questions regarding student accommodations, please visit Disability Services' COVID-19 Response Page.

Faculty

Should you have any additional questions regarding employee-related accommodations, please visit Employee Accommodations.

Mason C.A.RES Guide

To assist with the provision of accessible instructional resources, use the Mason C.A.RES. (Creating Accessible RESources) Guide. Among other things, this resource provides guidance on:

Making your Blackboard course more accessible and usable
How to ensure multimedia (i.e., audio and/or video) used online is accessible
How to create accessible documents (i.e., Word, PPT, PDF)
and more...

For more information, visit the Mason C.A.RES. Guide

George Mason University