Manager of Accessibility and Usability Janet Fukuda and Program Manager of Recognized Student Organizations Jelisa Dallas share insights on collaborative initiatives empowering online working adult learners

University of Phoenix is pleased to share that Janet Fukuda, M.Ed, CPACC, manager, Accessibility and Usability, and Jelisa Dallas, M.S.Ed., program manager, Recognized Student Organizations, joined the 2024 Accelerate Conference hosted by the Online Learning Consortium, November 18-21, 2024, in Orlando, Florida, to share insights on how the University of Phoenix empowers online students through inclusive support, accessibility, and advocacy.

“Our working adult students are often directed to one of our service areas of accommodations, accessibility and educational equity so that they can get support for a specific need,” shares Kelly Hermann, vice president, Accessibility, Equity and Inclusion at University of Phoenix, who oversees the three offices. “Our teams have a highly collaborative model that allows them to quickly identify student needs and appropriate resources as well as opportunities to connect and build community. Their success can inspire other institutions and student service processes.”

The conference, themed “30 Years of Magic: Envisioning a New Era of Digital Learning,” celebrated its 30^th anniversary event showcasing research and effective practices in online, blended, and digital learning.

Fukuda and Dallas led a session, “Opening Doors of Belonging: Cross-Departmental Collaboration to Empower Online Students with Comprehensive Support,” that explored how the Offices of Educational Equity, Student Accommodations, and Accessibility and Usability teams work proactively to remove barriers that might otherwise hinder academic success, sharing cross-departmental case studies, the role of technology, encouraging self-advocacy, practical applications and tools, and best practices for faculty and staff to create inclusive and accessible online content.

Fukuda manages Accessibility and Usability at University of Phoenix, where she oversees Digital Accessibility and assistive technology services, coordinates curricular accessibility, and serves as a subject matter expert for digital content creators. Since joining the University in 2020, she has worked to enhance digital accessibility, spearheading an Accessibility SME program for engineers and developers and launching an email campaign to keep product teams informed on best practices for accessibility. Fukuda holds a Master's in Education/Special Education with an Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate in Assistive Technology from Northern Arizona University, and is an IAAP Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies. Her passion for an inclusive learning environment and student independence continues to be a motivation in all she does at the University.

As Program Manager for Recognized Student Organizations in the Office of Educational Equity at University of Phoenix, Dallas has more than twelve years of experience working in education. She has designed and implemented innovative resources and programming for student development and engagement in private, non-profit, and public institutions. Dallas holds a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the workplace certificate from the University of South Florida. She currently serves on the board of the University of Phoenix African American Council for Excellence (employee resource group) and Warren/Youngstown Urban League Young Professionals.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

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