UA Wayne College Receives iPad Grant from WCCF
The University of Akron Wayne College has received a $5,000 grant from the John Kaylor Memorial Fund, a component of the Wayne County Community Foundation, for its iPads for Access program. The grant will allow the College to purchase six iPads along with the necessary educational applications and accessories.
The iPads for Access program is administered by the UA Wayne College Office of Accessibility Services and will improve ease of access to classroom content, activities and materials for students with disabilities. The accessibility services office works to ensure that the programs, services and activities of the College are accessible to, and usable by, students with disabilities.
According to Dr. Jane M. Fink, Personal Counselor/ADA Coordinator for UA Wayne College, the number of actively registered students with disabilities at the College has consistently grown over the past several years, from 20 students in 2007 to 86 students in 2012. She hopes this iPad purchase will be just the beginning, and that funding will be secured for a more comprehensive program to serve a greater number of students with disabilities in the future.
“We’re excited about receiving funding to start this pilot program and plan to choose student participants at the beginning of fall semester,” Fink said. “We want to choose students who will gain the most benefit from the program and we will offer them initial and ongoing training as well as support. When selecting students, we will consider several criteria, including the type of disability as well as the student’s technological experience and skill.”
Founded in 1972, Wayne College is a regional branch campus of the University of Akron and is authorized by the state of Ohio through the Ohio State Board of Regents to offer general education courses, including associate degrees and baccalaureate-oriented preparation; technical education programs; and continuing education experiences for those who live in the College’s service area of Wayne, Medina and Holmes counties. Wayne College serves 2,509 credit students per year and approximately 3,000 noncredit students through the continuing education / workforce development program.