Bill Overview
Title: Improving Access to Higher Education Act
Description: This bill addresses accessibility issues of students with disabilities in higher education. Specifically, the bill revises a grant program that supports institutions of higher education (IHEs) in educating students with disabilities. The Department of Education must award at least five grants to an IHE that provides professional development and technical assistance in order to improve access to and completion of postsecondary education for students, including students with disabilities. The bill also (1) revises and reauthorizes through FY2028 a program for national technical assistance centers that assist students with disabilities, and (2) reauthorizes through FY2028 a program to promote training and job placement of real-time writers to provide closed captioning of videos. Further, the bill establishes a new program that awards grants to IHEs for certain activities that improve accessibility of instruction and materials, such as distance education courses. The bill also establishes an independent commission to develop guidelines for accessible postsecondary electronic instructional materials and related technologies. In addition, the bill requires each IHE to establish an office of accessibility to develop and implement policies that support students with disabilities.
Sponsors: Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-11]
Target Audience
Population: Students with disabilities in higher education
Estimated Size: 3800000
- The bill focuses on improving access to higher education for students with disabilities.
- Approximately 15% of the global population has some form of disability, according to the World Health Organization.
- The bill targets students with disabilities who are pursuing or planning to pursue higher education.
- Higher education participation rates vary globally, but an increasing number of students with disabilities are entering higher education institutions.
- Many countries have established laws and policies to support students with disabilities, suggesting a target audience already exists.
Reasoning
- Approximately 3.8 million students in the US higher education system have reported disabilities, making them the primary target for this policy.
- The $400 million budget for year 1 must be spread across these individuals through grants, trainings, and infrastructure improvements.
- Some students might not be affected immediately due to geographic or institutional factors, and some IHEs may not receive grants right away.
- Factors like existing accessibility resources, disability services, and technological support at particular institutions could influence the varying impacts across the population.
Simulated Interviews
Full-time college student (Boston, MA)
Age: 19 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Currently, I face challenges with accessing real-time captions in lectures, which affects my learning.
- I hope the new policy improves support for students like me by providing better captioning services and training for staff.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Undergraduate student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 22 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Accessing some parts of the campus and participating in all courses can be difficult due to physical barriers.
- I look forward to potential improvements in infrastructure and course accessibility.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Graduate student (Houston, TX)
Age: 25 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The current lack of accessible materials significantly hinders my studies.
- I hope the policy pushes for better technological resources and guidelines.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 4 |
Part-time student, full-time job (Chicago, IL)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Balancing work and school is tough, and additional support would ease the learning process.
- I'm hopeful the policy will promote better educational support systems.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
College student (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 21 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While I have adjustments, more specialized support could make a big difference.
- I'm optimistic about the introduction of accessibility offices dedicated to helping students like me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
PhD candidate (New York, NY)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Online resources often lack the necessary adaptations, which hampers my progress.
- I'd like to see robust guidelines for accessible digital course materials developed.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Vocational student (Seattle, WA)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Support is currently adequate but could be improved with specialized training for teachers.
- I'm interested in how the policy will improve teacher training to accommodate students' needs better.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Full-time job, part-time student (Miami, FL)
Age: 27 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The lack of real-time captions is a barrier to my learning.
- I'm hopeful that improvements in closed captioning services will help students like me succeed.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Sophomore in college (Denver, CO)
Age: 20 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Access to customized learning materials is crucial for my academic success.
- I hope this policy facilitates the availability of the resources I need.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Half-time student, half-time job (Austin, TX)
Age: 23 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Communication barriers with faculty can be discouraging.
- I support more comprehensive accessibility offices and training for instructors.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $400000000 (Low: $350000000, High: $450000000)
Year 2: $390000000 (Low: $340000000, High: $440000000)
Year 3: $380000000 (Low: $330000000, High: $430000000)
Year 5: $360000000 (Low: $310000000, High: $410000000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The implementation timelines and administrative requirements for disbursing new grants and establishing an office of accessibility in each institution.
- The potential for technological improvements to drive down long-term costs through efficiencies in distance education and accessible materials.
- Balancing the immediate increase in costs with the longer-term potential for economic benefits.