Return to Table of ContentsMay 1998
DeSouza joins disability leaders in Washington When Norma V. Cantu, assistant secretary for the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), called a meeting of organizations serving students with disabilities, it was a given that UMass Boston's Carol DeSouza would attend.
DeSouza is Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) coordinator, acting director of the Ross Center for Disability Services, and president of the International Association of Higher Education and Disability.
On March 24, DeSouza was joined in Washington, D.C., by leaders of the following organizations: Council for Exceptional Children, National Institute for Literacy, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, American Council for the Blind, and National Parent Network. Also in attendance were regional representatives of the Office of Civil Rights and the Office of Special Education.
At the meeting, DeSouza reported on disability-related issues for higher education. She suggested ways that higher education personnel and ADA compliance officers can be resources to the OCR. DeSouza also discussed the benefits of maintaining dialogue and establishing connections with content experts and disability rights attorneys.
Her comments also covered priorities and concerns for ensuring equal educational opportunities for individuals, especially at the postsecondary level. She highlighted the intersection of "academic autonomy" in teaching and testing, as well as defining appropriate academic modifications.
The OCR will consider using UMass Boston as a site for disabilities training sessions, DeSouza said.