OUR MISSION
In conjunction with the mission of ACPA—College Student Educators International, the Coalition for Disability (CD) is committed to values that support inclusivity, engage people to have new experiences, and inspire others to become advocates through our work. In addition, the coalition is dedicated to the advancement of disability education within the field of higher education to further awareness, eliminate commonly held misconceptions, and encourage people to view disability as a tenet of diversity.
inclusion
As a Coalition, we aim to pull together students, faculty, those with disabilities, disability service providers, and allies to carry out the mission of the Coalition for Disability (CD). The CD works with other inclusion groups in ACPA, by facilitating dialogue and collaboration.
access
Primarily focused on environmental accessibility, the coalition plays an integral role in providing access for the annual national convention. The CD, through the leadership of the access chair, takes the lead ensuring that convention space, technology, and transportation are accessible to individuals of all abilities.
ADVOCACY
The Coalition for Disability values advocacy by recognizing and awarding the work of professionals in higher education that raises awareness, promotes inclusivity, and encourages advocacy of individuals with diverse abilities.
EDUCATION RESEARCH
Within the Coalition, we are dedicated toward the acquirement and dissemination of information regarding disabilities within society and, more specifically, higher education. Through annual newsletters and social media, the coalition strives to educate practicing professionals on best practices and current events.
Get Involved
ACPA members can join the Coalition for Disability and receive updates through the ACPA Member Portal.
You can join as many Entity Groups as you’d like! Joining allows you to:
- Gain access to resources, documents and newsletters within each entity Workspace in the ACPA Member Portal
- Receive email updates directly from the Entity Group leaders
- Serve as a leader within an entity group—calls for leaders typically occur in the fall semester
- Attend open business meetings at Convention
- Review conference programs for Convention
- Submit a sponsored program proposal for Convention
- Host an ACPA Webinar through the Entity Group
how to Join
- Log in to the ACPA Member Portal
- Go to the Dashboard and select My Account
- From the dropdown menu, choose My Profile
- In the My Profile page, open the Entity Involvement Profile tab
- Check the box next to any Entity you would like to join (uncheck to leave)
- Scroll down and click Save Extended Fields to confirm your selections
Once saved, you will be officially connected and will begin receiving communications from the Entity. You will also have access to the entity Workspace, where they share important documents, resources, and newsletters. To visit the Workspace, navigate to the Workspace tab at the top of the Portal.
upcoming events
News & Updates
Why is it that disability equity and inclusion is not a community issue, but an “us” issue?
By: Acacia Kapusta Oftentimes, when we hear or say the words “diversity,” “equity,” “inclusion,” or “social justice,” disability is not even a part of the definition or the efforts in Student Affairs and on our campuses. On most campuses, the Disability Resource...
What are your options if you experience discrimination in your work environment?
By Sarah E. Schoper As a person with multiple disabilities, and someone who didn’t acquire her disabilities until four years ago, what I can tell you is that discrimination will most likely happen to you whether or not you work in higher education. It will always be...
Is Financial Aid Information Equitably Available to Students with Disabilities?
By Dr. Ryan Wells, Mujtaba Hedayet, and Dr. Emily Perlow One of the greatest barriers to degree completion is the financial cost of attending college. While common, financial burdens may be especially problematic for students with disabilities, who comprise a...
OUR AWARDS
Annually each September, the Coalition for Disability collects nominations for our annual awards process. Recipients are announced in mid-December and awarded at the next ACPA Convention.
- Intersectionality Award: In line with ACPA’s mission, this award is given to a scholar and/or practitioner who promotes awareness of the intersectionality between disability and other identities. Through scholarship, community outreach, or professional services, this award winner will exhibit cultural competency and advocacy for the unique experiences and challenges that individuals with disabilities and other intersecting identities encounter.
- Alice A. Mitchell Ally Award: In honor of the founder of the Coalition for (Dis)Ability, this award will be given to a postsecondary educator or staff member who is supportive of the disability community. An ally is actively involved in promoting inclusion of individuals with disabilities in addition to promoting awareness of disability-related concerns. Allies act as advocates for the (dis(ability community.
- Disability Leadership Award: This award is given to an individual with a disability who has contributed to promoting awareness of, knowledge about, and inclusion of individuals with disabilities. Contributions may be made through research, advocacy, or professional work.
- Disability Service Provider: This award is given to an individual who is a disability service provider in a postsecondary education setting. A disability service provider promotes access and inclusion for people with disabilities by working to ensure equal access to curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular programs, activities and services.