Assistive Technology Specialist

Position Announcement

Assistive Technology Specialist

Student Disability Services

Student Disability Services within the Division of Student Life invites applications for the position of Assistive Technology Specialist. This is an exempt, 12-month, full-time, non-tenure track staff position.

The mission of Student Disability Services (SDS) is to partner with the campus community in creating equitable access to eligible students while promoting disability-inclusive diversity. Staff is comprised of 23 professional and administrative employees.

The Position: Reporting to the Director of Student Disability Services, the Assistive Technology Specialist assesses, recommends, and provides assistive technology solutions for students with disabilities. The position is also responsible for securing and producing instructional materials in an accessible format, managing departmental technology, overseeing the software licenses and equipment distribution, and serving as a resource to other departments.

Responsibilities :

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY:

* Engage students with disabilities to assess and determine the most appropriate and effective assistive technology to fully participate in the university's programs.

* Provide individualized training to ensure effective use of assistive or adaptive technology as needed.

* Document interactions with and assessments of students in departmental database.

* Manage a comprehensive software and hardware equipment inventory. Install and maintain assistive technologies for the department and designated campus partners.

* Assess assistive technology needs and make projections for budget allocations.

* Coordinate and manage technology needs of the department.

* Research and recommend emerging technologies to ensure equitable access and enhanced learning experiences for students with disabilities.

ACCESSIBLE MEDIA

* Manage and coordinate the entire accessible media request and delivery process.

* Engage students in an interactive process to determine the most appropriate and effective accessible media format.

* Collaborate with publishers, third-party vendors, and campus partners to fulfill requests for instructional materials in an accessible format.

* Obtain and convert appropriate instructional material into accessible format, ensuring timely delivery of requested media.

* Caption or transcribe audio-visual materials.

* Research and evaluate new technologies to maintain the highest level of production and accessibility for students.

* Provide individualized training to students to ensure effective use of accessible media compatible with available technologies.

* Serve as subject matter expert in accessible media and digital technology for Student Disability Services.

CONSULTATION & TRAINING:

* Serve as subject expert in assistive technology and accessible media for the campus community.

* Provide instruction to faculty, staff, and students through training sessions or workshops, online modules, video demonstrations, and more.

* Work with other departments to promote an inclusive and accessible educational environment for all.

* Assist with developing and revising policies, procedures, and strategic planning initiatives.

SUPERVISION

* Recruit, hire, train, and manage student and temporary staff, ensuring high-quality, efficient, and standardized service delivery.

DATA COLLECTION & ASSESSMENT:

* Collect statistics to report semester and annual data for the department;

* Conduct a purposeful and intentional assessment of assistive technology and accessible media services and propose an implementation plan for improved and enhanced service delivery.

This position might require occasional weekend and evening work, as well as overnight travel.

The University and Region: is the state's flagship, land-grant university. We are a Research 1 university, housing 14 colleges and 900+ programs of study. With an enrollment of 36,000 students, our undergraduate and graduate programs are repeatedly ranked among top national programs. The city of Knoxville is a hidden gem with a beautiful and walkable downtown, a diverse music scene, active neighborhoods, unique restaurants, and a robust offering of outdoor and cultural activities. UTK is located within easy driving distance to Asheville, Nashville, Atlanta, and the Great Smoky Mountains; and a day's drive to Memphis, Chicago, and Washington D.C. Knoxville and the surrounding counties have a statistical area population of over 850,000 people. The Knoxville region houses many leading corporations, including Bush Brothers & Company, Discovery Inc., Tennessee Valley Authority, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.