Winter is Coming…Do you know about Seasonal Affective Disorder?

November 28, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Winter is Coming…Do you know about Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Greetings from the Accessibility Advisory Committee! As we all have probably noticed, it’s getting much darker. And for many, many people, this means that the symptoms of Fall Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) are becoming activated. SAD, a form of depression, is real; that’s a fact. This can make our work and personal lives significantly more difficult, but there are ways to combat it.

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, “Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is type of depression. It happens during certain seasons of the year—most often fall or winter. It is thought that shorter days and less daylight may trigger a chemical change in the brain leading to symptoms of depression.” There is also a variation of SAD that occurs in the Spring. Technically, SAD is not a “diagnosis” in the DSM-5-TR (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). The DSM describes this area as Depression with a “seasonal pattern” that begins in the fall or winter or spring. Less commonly, says the DSM, seasonal pattern may occur in the summer. Note that this is a part of Major Depressive Disorder as mentioned above. 

This is a graphic about seasonal depression

What causes SAD?

The Mayo Clinic explains that SAD can typically be caused by a variety of factors. These might include:

  • Your biological clock (circadian rhythm). The reduced level of sunlight in fall and winter may cause winter-onset SAD. This decrease in sunlight may disrupt your body’s internal clock and lead to feelings of depression.
  • Serotonin levels. A drop in serotonin, a brain chemical (neurotransmitter) that affects mood, might play a role in SAD. Reduced sunlight can cause a drop in serotonin that may trigger depression.
  • Melatonin levels.

How can we help our mental health in the winter?

A few useful measures individuals may take while feeling the stress of SAD are the following:

  • A SAD lamp (a bright, LED “happy light”).
  • Therapy
  • Medications
  • Exercise in the fresh air
  • Surrounding oneself with greenery

It’s okay to want to curl up at home during the cold season; but those with depression should seek medical assistance if they are having thoughts of self-harm or suicide or contact the Crisis Line at 866-427-4747.866-427-474

Resources

How are we doing?

Please submit feedback about the information that the Accessibility Advisory Committee shares to Miranda Levy via email at mlevy@shoreline.edu so that the committee can review together and serve the campus community better.

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Welcome Back to School and a Disability-Inclusive Environment!

September 13, 2023 by Leave a Comment

It’s that time of year, with campuses throughout the country starting school again for the Fall. As we think about the back-to-school routine, we in the Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) immediately think of accessibility for those with disabilities—students, teachers, and all school employees alike—comes to mind.

What can the school do?

Schools have an obligation to offer alternative formats (such as large print or Braille) of forms upon request. However, in this digital age, it is advisable that all required forms, such as those required when students apply for services, be as accessible as possible. Word documents are most accessible (rather than PDFs) and can be password-protected from editing. 

Where can students get assistance?

In higher education institutions, it is required that the college have a disability services office, or what we at Shoreline Community College (SCC) call Student Accessibility Services. At Shoreline, students may email SAS at sas@shoreline.edu or visit Room 5226. If students are interested in registering with SAS, they will apply for services, and meet with their assigned access specialist to determine reasonable accommodations for them in the classroom or in the Residence Hall. College-level accommodations may be significantly different than those the student may have had in a K-12 setting, or even from what they had at another institution. Faculty and staff are welcome to reach out as well for more information. It is important to recognize that SAS holds students’ confidentiality as an extremely high priority.

Is there tuition funding specifically for students with disabilities?

While students with disabilities may apply for Funding & Aid Sources, should they meet the eligibility criteria, there are some specific options for those with disabilities. University of Washington’s Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology (DO-IT) program has substantial summary of funding available on its College Funding for Students for Disabilities webpage. At Shoreline, the Michael Thompson Scholarship for Students with Disabilities is specifically for those with any type of disability who are registered with SAS. Some students also find tuition assistance through the Department of Vocation Rehabilitation or Shoreline’s own Workforce Education program.

What about reasonable accommodations for staff and faculty?

Staff and faculty with disabilities who think that they would benefit from workplace accommodations under Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act should work with SCC’s Human Resources office. Part of this process is submitting the “ADA Request Form,” which may be found on the Faculty and Staff Intranet “Other.” More information may be found by reviewing the College’s Policy 4114.

What else can we do as a campus?

As with any institution, there may be barriers to accessibility that SCC staff notice. These may be inaccessible forms online, physical barriers on the campus, or other issues. Feel free to contact the Chair of AAC, Miranda Levy, at mlevy@shoreline.edu, and she will direct your concern to the appropriate department. Working as a team, bringing the whole campus community together to solve some kinks in the system, will make our campus more inclusive and will make students and staff more comfortable being a part of Shoreline life.

Resources

Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities Information for students with disabilities from the U.S. Department of Education.

Campus Housing for Students with Health Conditions and Physical Disabilities – Some example of residence hall accommodations and modifications.

The ABCs of Back to School – Employment accommodations for teachers from the Job Accommodation Network (JAN).

How are we doing?

Please submit feedback about the information that the Accessibility Advisory Committee shares to Miranda Levy via email at mlevy@shoreline.edu so that the committee can review together and serve the campus community better.

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Accessibility Advisory Committee June Newsletter: Covid-19 and Long Covid as a Disability Under the Americans with Disabilities Act

June 20, 2022 by Leave a Comment

As the United States passes two years of Covid-19-related illness, the country and the world have felt how many parts of daily life have been affected by this virus. Federal departments including the Department of Justice (DOJ), Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Equal and Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) now recognize the impact of Covid as well as its long-lasting effects. Since 2020, there have been millions of Covid survivors in the United States alone, and according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, as many as 23 million of those survivors may have developed “Long Covid.”

What is Long Covid?

Long Covid is described as the lasting effects of the Covid-19 virus. Symptoms may include pulmonary conditions, heart palpitations, difficulty sleeping, fatigue, tinnitus, depression, anxiety, chronic pain. Covid is still considered a relatively new condition, and there is not much known about Long Covid. Subsequently, research continues as more people report reactions to the Covid vaccine as well as Long Covid symptoms.

Are People Diagnosed with Covid-19 and Long Covid Covered by Federal Legislation?

The EEOC published an introductory technical assistance page, What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws, in March 2022. This document discusses Covid and Long Covid in the workplace, including reasonable accommodations, as both the virus and the after-effects are now considered disabilities by the EEOC. The EEOC’s page cites their many pandemic-related webinars and webpages and includes a series of Frequently Asked Questions.  

The DOJ and HHS published Guidance on “Long COVID” as a Disability Under the ADA, Section 504, and Section 1557 in July 2021. This guidance sheet explains that Long COVID can be considered a disability under Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Section 1557). While the guidance sheet does not address Covid-19 as a disability, it does state that Long Covid does meet the federal definitions of “disability” when it limits one or more daily life activities.

Accessibility and Covid

Since early 2020, there has been plethora of websites sharing information about Covid-19. After a number of complaints and settlements, the DOJ published a fact sheet describing Accessibility of COVID-19 Vaccine Websites and the Americans with Disabilities Act. This fact sheet explained the DOJ’s commitment to providing equal access to information, and as a part of the settlements with the private businesses mentioned in the fact sheet, all were required to ensure that their Covid websites were accessible. Related, with the updated Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA, all Title II entities (such as colleges) now must have accessible websites.

Treatments

Though research continues on the most effective treatments, advances have been made. In their Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines Currently Approved or Authorized in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has stated that children over the age of five are now eligible to receive booster shots. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also approved the use of Evusheld for certain patients, as described in AstraZeneca’s Fact Sheet for Patients, Parents And Caregivers Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of EVUSHELD™ (tixagevimab co-packaged with cilgavimab) for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Resources:

Link to Advisory Committee

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What is the Accessibility Advisory Committee? AAC’s April 2022 Update

April 20, 2022 by Leave a Comment

This year, the members of the Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) would like to continue its goal of disability awareness and allow the campus community to get to know this long-standing College Committee. 

As an advisory committee within the participatory governance system, the purpose of the Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) is to sustain and advance the College’s commitment to accessible physical, instructional, and technological environments, and the related climate for students, staff, faculty, and visitors. The committee serves as a catalyst for continuous improvement to ensure equitable and effective access for persons with disabilities and advises the College’s Executive Team on appropriate actions that might be taken in order to make this campus as accessible as possible. The committee seeks input, involvement, and support from all members of the campus community. Among other things, AAC performs annual “night walks” to review the campus’ physical accessibility and safety, provides training for staff on disability-related topics, organizes Disability Awareness events.

AAC membership has representation from Classified staff, Exempt staff, Faculty, and Student Government. All members are passionate about disability awareness, physical accessibility, sustainability, and equity and have a diverse array of skillsets. AAC works together as a team to make decisions and to achieve our goals, sometimes bringing in non-member visitors to consult for their expertise. 

The Accessibility Advisory Committee will be sending out monthly posts on DAAG featuring resources related to accessibility and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). All College staff and students are encouraged to check out AAC’s public Sharepoint page. Also, keep an eye out for AAC’s YouTube playlist, coming very soon! There will be a number of videos, with more added regularly, featuring information about our Committee members, specific disabilities, and disability-related legislation and guidelines.

https://shorelineccwa.sharepoint.com/sites/AccessAdvisoryCommittee

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Accessibility tip of the day: ADA Compliant Astronomy Lab

April 29, 2016 by Leave a Comment

As we conclude Accessibility Action Week, today’s post is about another innovation in accessibility happening on our campus.

Jim Hughes, Shoreline Astronomy faculty, is collaborating with Astronomy faculty from Arizona State University and Spokane Colleges to create an accessible astronomy lab here at Shoreline.

ASU has developed ADA compliant descriptions for the images in Starry Night lab software so that students with low/no vision can hear (via assistive technology) what is being shown in the image. This is no easy task!

Here is an example:

“The figure shows the Sun on the right and Earth on the left. The orbit of the Moon is shown as a dotted circular path, and one location for the Moon is labeled. The illustration shows that one-half of the Moon’s surface is illuminated by sunlight. A person is placed on Earth such that it is noon (the Sun is directly overhead). Earth’s rotation is indicated by a curving counterclockwise arrow.” See example below:
orbitIf you are interested in learning more about this project, please contact Jim Hughes at jhughes@shoreline.edu.

Thanks for your enthusiasm and support this week! Our last and most exciting Accessibility Action Event is happening today!! Don’t miss it!

“Digital Accessibility in Higher Ed: Risk Assessment, Responsibility and Benefits”
with special guest Dr. Janet Sedgley, University of Montana
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., PUB Quiet Dining Room
Presentation Description:  It feels like a new buzz phrase – digital accessibility.  Those steeped in it, throw the term around daily.  Most others don’t find the term very accessible (aka approachable).  More individuals are starting to understand a little about how to create accessible Word documents and that web images require alt tags.  We have added more steps to our work processes. Why?

Let’s take a step back and get a general view of what’s happening with higher education and digital accessibility.  Is it truly an issue that needs our attention, how involved are each of us and what is higher education’s return on investment as far as digital accessibility.
Filed Under: Announcements, Faculty, Virtual Campus, Workshops & Trainings Tagged With: , , ,
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