Tracy Mitrano, policy adviser for Cornell Information Technologies (CIT), has joined the policy group of the newly formed National Center for Disability and Access to Education. Her task there will be to help formulate policies that might be adopted by higher education institutions to make the educational experience accessible to students with disabilities, in particular where modern educational technology is involved. Mitrano attended the National Summit on Disability and Distance Education held May 11-12 in Washington, D.C., at which the new center was launched. More than 60 national leaders in education, government and industry convened and called for increased training opportunities for technology providers, focused research on distance education technology and students with disabilities, consistent information technology policies at the state and institution levels, and assistance on implementing technology policies that will provide equal access and equal opportunity for all students. Mitrano was brought to the invitation-only event for her expertise in policy development and her connection to EDUCAUSE, a national nonprofit association whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology. She is co-director of EDUCAUSE/Cornell Institute for Computer Policy and Law, as well as director of the Cornell University Computer Policy and Law Program, which addresses similar issues at the local level. She will begin, she said, by working collaboratively with Student Services, CIT, the Employment and Disability Institute and other campus agencies to create a university-level policy tentatively titled "Disability Access to Web and IT Resources," which she hopes can become a model for other universities.
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