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Coordinating Higher Education Systems

Adults in a higher education environment collaborating

Multiple indicators show a positive trend in the number of students with disabilities enrolling in higher education programs. Equitable access to learning for these students requires that all learning materials and activities be made accessible to them. This extends to textbooks, courseware, learning management systems, instructional software programs—in short, any and all curriculum resources required for use in academic programs. 

The Critical Components for the Quality Indicators for Higher Education were first released in 2018 and include actionable language for developing a coordinated system that leads to the timely provision of accessible materials and technologies in higher education settings for all students who need them.

Critical Components for Higher Education

The purpose of the National AEM Center’s Quality Indicators with Critical Components for Higher Education is to assist institutes of higher education, both at the system and campus level, with planning, implementing, and evaluating systems for providing accessible materials and technologies for all students who need them.

Guide

Critical Components for Higher Education

Both universities and community colleges will find the Quality Indicators with Critical Components for Higher Education useful for implementing statutory requirements that mandate equitable access to learning opportunities for students with disabilities.

AEM Center at CAST
2020

Guide

Higher Education Study Guide

This guide will help you develop knowledge and practical skills related to the Quality Indicators with Critical Components for Higher Education. It's also useful for preparing to work with a team on systems change at the state and/or local levels.

National AEM Center at CAST
2023

Guide

Innovation Configuration for the Higher Education AEM Quality Indicators

This guide is aligned with the Quality Indicators with Critical Components for Providing AEM and Accessible Technologies in Higher Education. Using the Innovation Configuration (IC) for the AEM Quality Indicators, campus/system representatives identify the level that best describes the implementation stage of each Critical Component, from “not started” to “robust.”

AEM Center at CAST
2023

Relevant Laws and Policies

In addition to guiding higher education institutions toward more inclusive programs, the Quality Indicators address the following laws and policies related to equal access for students with disabilities in higher education:  

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