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Our final installment from the 2019 Ally Tour comes from our visit to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville where we learned about the important role empathy plays in both their course design and support for diverse students. We have an open conversation with the Instructional Design and Learning Technologies Team, who have been leading SIUE’s Ally roll-out. In this we cover their journey with Ally and how they are supporting diversity, inclusion and equitable learning experiences for all students. Office for Accessible Campus Community & Equitable Student Support (ACCESS) - Southern Illinois University Edwardsvillehttps://www.siue.edu/access Laura Million - Instructional Designer Niki Glick - Trainer Angela Beyer - Instructional Designer Jodie Nehrt - Instructional Designer Emily Keener - Instructional Designer Mathew Schmitz - Assoc Director of Online and Blended Ed Jonathon Coons - Instructional Designer The Ally Tour Blog:http://tour.ally.ac #AllyTour2019 #BbAlly on Twitter @Ally_Tour_2019 on Instagram

In this episode, we visit the College of DuPage the second-largest community college in the United States. John Scott had the opportunity to speak with an amazing team that together contribute a wide range of skills and experience. The conversation brings to light the team's tenacity to serve student diversity, supporting each unique pathway to success. Helping faculty build in Universal Design for Learning practices and strategies for adoption and benchmarking were shared. Other interesting areas covered include the importance of student self-advocacy and the ever-growing role of mobile-first experiences for learning. Center for Access and Accommodations - College of DuPage https://www.cod.edu/student_life/resources/access_accommodations/index.aspx Lara Tomkins - Instructional Technologist Becky Benkert - Instructional Designer Michael Maxse - Instructional Designer Kelli Kerns - Accommodations Specialist Susan Landers - Manager of Learning Technologies cod.edu The Ally Tour Blog:http://tour.ally.ac #AllyTour2019 #BbAlly on Twitter @Ally_Tour_2019 on Instagram

As a University as well as a hospital, the Medical University of South Carolina doesn’t only look after its students but also its many patients. During this fifth episode, we learn how a medical University faces some unique accessibility challenges, ranging from complex medical images, to linking to medical journal articles. We hear from Melissa Hortman and Alex Walters how MUSC approached this and how liaising with key stakeholders such as librarians, as well as using Ally’s ‘hidden gem’ feature the Library Reference, helped contribute towards a successful accessibility journey.

During the fourth episode of the Ally Tour, we learn from the team at Gaston College, North Carolina, how a serendipitous encounter at a conference turned into a success story of bringing accessibility and inclusiveness to their college. We hear from Karen Duncan and Kim Gelsinger how the importance of working with deans, building a great team and making sure processes are in place, allows for all students to be able to navigate their courses successfully.

As the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement, advocacy for minorities and people with disabilities is at the core of UC Berkeley. During the third episode of the Ally Tour, we learn more about Berkeley’s rich history of inclusion and equity, and how accessibility fits into the bigger picture. We hear from Lucy Greco and Joseph Feria-Galicia about their involvement with Ally, and how faculty and students reacted.

In this second episode of the Ally Tour, we speak with the team at Lesley University and how they’ve experienced their inclusivity journey. Built on the core principle of social justice, Lesley University truly embraces an accessibility and inclusivity mindset. About 3 years ago, the school’s general counsel office embarked on a mission on how to be more proactive with making digital content more accessible. Since then, the team has rolled out various accessibility initiatives successfully and Ally helped them do this in a more streamlined and holistic way.

After receiving a complaint from the Office of Civil Rights, a Community College faces the tall task of becoming accessible in three years. How did they respond in the face of adversity? In the first episode of the Ally Tour, we hear from the team at Atlantic Cape Community College in New Jersey their journey on the pathway to inclusion. Now three years later, inclusivity has become a core part of their campus culture. Their story is an inspiration for the many institutions out there facing similar challenges in becoming more inclusive, and a lesson about how in the end, it really is about student success.

The 2019 Ally Tour Trailer is an overview of our plans to visit as many institutions around the globe as possible for 2019. It includes some of the activities we are planning carrying out and how to follow the tour. Join the tour along with the rest of the Ally Community at tour.ally.ac. You can catch the latest updates on Instagram and Twitter at #AllyTour2019. And listen to stories of inclusion from our Community Champions on the Ally Tour 2019 Podcast series available on SoundCloud or in your favorite podcast app. We’ll look forward to seeing you at the next stop on the road to IncluCity.