The DCC has three priorities areas: disability community, education and advocacy. Learn about how we approach our work in these areas and how often they are intertwined.
Community
The DCC strives to build community across disability experiences and roles at UT. We recognize the collective wisdom that disabled people have and want to provide spaces where that wisdom can be shared and celebrated.
The DCC builds community across and within disability groups. Many of our programs are open to all, regardless of disability experience while some are designed for people who share a specific disability experience like autism or chronic illness.
Many people have never met another disabled person or someone with their disability. The DCC aims to change that by creating opportunities to bring people together to connect, celebrate and share experiences.
The DCC takes a similar approach to roles at UT. Many of our events are open to all members of the UT community, but we also recognize the unique needs and experiences of these groups and offer specific events for students, alumni, faculty and staff.
Why does disability community matter?
Disability community provides belonging, validation and representation around an identity often overlooked or invisible on campus. We recognize that disability is only one part of a person’s identity, and we strive to create community where the complexity of human experience is valued and respected.
What does disability community look like?
- Students who see disabled faculty and staff know they can succeed in those roles.
- Incoming students with a new diagnosis realize they are not alone after joining a disability student organization.
- Staff feel more comfortable seeking accommodations or talking about access needs after hearing experiences from other staff.
- Alumni help students build their professional networks.
The benefits of disability community are endless.
What about people who don’t have a disability?
You are welcome and invited to be part of our community. Disability and accessibility touch each person in some way, now or in the future. No diagnosis or proof of diagnosis is ever required to participate in DCC programs or activities.
Education
The DCC provides education on a broad range of disability topics, frequently in collaboration with campus partners, academic departments and student organizations. We encourage all members of the UT community to engage with our education efforts, as disability and accessibility are complex and ever-evolving topics. We value the lived experiences of disabled people as sources of knowledge alongside traditional academic and professional perspectives.
Current education efforts supported by the DCC include trainings and presentations, educational events and discussions, best practices guides, accessibility consultations and a library. The DCC supports education around a range of topics including disability experience, disability identity, disability culture, accessibility best practices, disability legislation, universal design for learning, disability history and more.
Looking for trainings offered elsewhere on campus? We maintain a list of Disability Trainings provided by campus partners.
Advocacy
The DCC helps individuals and groups solve problems, address barriers and improve campus life for everyone.
Most of our society, including our University, was built without input from disabled people. Inaccessible design creates real barriers across many areas of life that are often not noticed or experienced by people without disabilities but that impact disabled people’s ability to fully participate in campus life. The DCC recognizes the value of lived experiences and ideas of disabled people and strives to elevate disabled people’s ideas for improving accessibility and disabled people’s experiences on campus. The DCC does this by connecting members of the campus community to existing resources and bringing people together who have a shared interest or concern about accessibility on campus.
Our involvement in campus organizations and committees helps us understand the experiences, questions and concerns of the UT community and informs our work to improve processes, services and programs.
We participate in:
- President’s ADA Accessibility Committee
- ADA Prioritization Committee
- Faculty and student advisory committees (in partnership with Disability and Access)
We partner with:
- Student Government
- Student organizations
- Campus partners
For off-campus concerns, we can help connect you to community organizations or government agencies.
UT’s History:
The UT community has a strong history of disability advocacy, dating back to the 1980s. In recent years, members of the UT community have successfully advocated for the establishment of the Campus Testing Center, Disability Cultural Center and PTS Pick Up Shuttle Service.