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Celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day on May 22, 2025

Poster for Global Accessibility Awareness Day on May 22nd, from 6 PM to 8 PM, at Engineering IV, Room 130, with workshops and food.

Join us on Thursday, May 22 from 6:00-8:00 pm at the Cal Poly TECHE Lab (Building 192 Engineering IV, Room 130) as our campus celebrates Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) for the 10th year in a row! Explore innovative disability technologies created by students in the EMPOWER and Tikkun Olam Makers (TOM) Clubs.

  • Attendees will be able to try out 3D printed assistive devices, discover how 3D printing is transforming the world of accessibility, and help assemble an adaptive device that will be delivered to someone who would benefit from using it. Don’t miss this hands-on opportunity to see how student-led innovation is making a real impact.
  • This event is free and open to the public. Pizza will be available for attendees.
  • Please complete this RSVP form so we can ensure we have enough food and supplies for all attendees. 

Accessibility details:

  • There are 9 disabled parking spaces in the H-2a lot next to Bonderson and Engineering IV (Building 192). 
  • Navilens codes will be on display at various spots throughout the event location as a way of providing navigational assistance and information for blind/low vision attendees. The information stored in these Navilens codes is also useful to sighted individuals. Download the free Navilens app to your iOS or Android device so you can experience this unique assistive technology firsthand. 
  • Presentations will include live subtitles.
  • For access needs (e.g., ASL interpreter) or questions about event accessibility, please list them in the RSVP form above or email John Lee at jlee245@calpoly.edu. For ASL interpreter requests, please notify us at least 5 days in advance. 

GAAD flyer:

  • Download our GAAD 2025 flyer and display it in your area or share it with others via email and social media. 
  • Image description for GAAD 2025 flyer: A workshop flyer featuring multiple sections with text and images. At the top are the "Empower"  and TOM (Tikkun Olam Makers) logos. Below the logos, the text announces "Join us for Global Accessibility Awareness Day." In the top corners, details are provided in rounded rectangles. On the left: "May 22nd" and "6PM - 8PM." On the right: "Engineering IV" and "Room 130.” Below the main headline are three rectangular sections promoting different workshops: "3D Printing Workshop" with a close-up of a 3D printer, "Project Showcase" with an illustration of a wheelchair user and symbols for other disabilities, and "TOM Product Build Workshop" with an image of a hand using an adapted writing device. At the bottom, "Food Provided!!" is written with pizza slice icons on either side, and a line inviting readers to visit "accessibility.calpoly.edu" for more information.

Cultivate Inclusion

Welcome to the Cal Poly Accessibility website, a support resource to help the University create a more inclusive experiences on Canvas sites, websites, Zoom meetings, documents, presentations, and applications by promoting accessibility.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2018) reports that about 1 in 4 adults in the United States have some kind of disability. It is important to know that many disabilities are not visible, and students are not required to disclose that information. According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, only about 24% of students with Specific Learning Disabilities officially disclosed that fact when they got to college. Reasons include fear of discrimination, low self-esteem, and lack of self-advocacy skills. Staff or faculty members may also have an invisible disability.

The CSU Accessible Technology Initiative (ATI) was established to help campuses implement the electronic and information technology aspects of the policy.

Cal Poly works collaboratively with the Chancellor’s Office and other CSU campuses to develop plans, identify resources, and establish standards and practices for achieving the goals of the ATI.

 

Department of Education Videos on Accessibility

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights announced a new video series covering a variety of topics on digital access in education, including how people with disabilities use technology, applicable Federal regulations, and identifying and remediating barriers to access.

 

See all the Department of Education accessibility videos

 

Ongoing Opportunities

The "Why" and DIY of Video Captioning

This training is part of the Disability Tapas weekly presentation series. Training time is 1 ½ hours.

If you have any questions, contact John Lee at jlee245@calpoly.edu.

 

President Armstrong's Message about Accessibility

Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong recorded this short video message for Cal Poly's first-ever celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), which was held on Thursday, May 19th, 2016. The video includes English subtitles:

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