A new center coming to Utah State University this fall will provide accessible digital materials to students with disabilities.

Cynthia Curry, director of the National Center on Accessible Digital Educational Materials and Instruction, or NCADEMI, said the facility will address, what she calls, the "longstanding and historical issues" around access to educational materials for students with disabilities. She added the role of NCADEMI is to help ensure those with disabilities receive digital educational materials in a way that they can use them.

"The standard way that a lot of educational materials are produced and provided to students, inherently have those barriers to students with sensory disabilities, physical disabilities and learning disabilities. NCADEMI is a technical assistance center that sets out to provide support and services specifically to educational agencies," she explained.

Curry said NCADEMI will help educational agencies conduct accessibility reviews of materials before they reach students and will support techniques in creating other materials. NCADMI is funded by a four-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs. It's slated to open October first.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Justice issued final accessibility rules for websites and mobile applications of state and local governments. Brenda Smith, the center's principal investigator, said the initiative will work with two existing national programs: Web Accessibility In Mind and the Center for Technical Assistance and Excellence in Special Education, or TAESE, to help schools come into compliance.

"NCADMI is a collaboration between our two projects. Our proposal was written with staff from both projects and so it really is marrying our ability to meet federal special education requirements in our previous work with state special education departments and school districts with the WebAIM content knowledge around accessibility," she continued.

Leaders say by the end of the four-year project they want to ensure they've helped the education sector at various levels tap into cultivating accessible, digital educational materials. They say the processes and systems they will foster will have the potential to be adopted and scaled nationally.


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Minnesota officials have launched a new portal, asking parents, students and others to share how they are affected by the Trump administration's aggressive approach to reduce federal education support. Fears persist about the student loan impact.

Last month, the White House followed through on its pledge to begin dismantling the Department of Education and shift responsibilities to other agencies, including management of student loans for roughly 43 million borrowers.

Mike Dean, executive director of the Minnesota think tank North Star Prosperity, worries about the potential for a rocky transition. He said more confusion could deter people from pursuing higher education.

"When you don't have that customer support on the other end, students are not going to be able to really complete the application process," Dean explained. "I think we're going to see fewer and fewer students go to college."

He pointed out the scenario unfolded when a series of glitches hampered the overhaul of the federal student aid system in 2023. The Trump administration acknowledged Congress will likely have to give its approval on ending the Education Department, meaning it is still active. But Dean noted many staffers have been laid off.

For now, advocates said students and parents should keep reaching out to as many resources as possible to get their loan questions answered. Under its Commerce Department, Minnesota does have a Student Loan Advocate to help resolve issues.

Dean emphasized it is important to ensure people who rely on aid to keep their college dreams alive.

"Education isn't just for the wealthy," Dean contended. "It's really a right for everyone, and we know our economy demands it."

There is also a bill in the Minnesota Legislature, which would require more transparency when colleges and universities send financial-aid offers to prospective and current students.

Dean added it is one way to eliminate some of the confusion swirling around the world of college loans right now. As the for the federal action, Republicans have long argued key functions of the U.S. Education Department would be better left to the states.

As Americans wait to see if Congress goes along with President Donald Trump's plans to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, the uncertainty is frustrating some Arizona college students.

Trump has said funding for some programs, including Pell Grants and student financial aid, won't be touched. But the DOE already has laid off nearly half its staff, and experts say that can't help but compromise the agency's ability to manage programs.

Joelly B. Chavez, who attends Arizona Western College in Yuma, said that if it wasn't for the help she's gotten through FAFSA, she wouldn't be able to pursue her dreams.

"It is really hard to be where we are right now as students," Chavez said. "In a place where I'm not supposed to succeed, I am somehow succeeding because of these programs. I am a first-generation student. I am an LGBTQ youth."

Chavez said no one in her family had made it past the tenth grade, and she's proud of changing that narrative.

This week, 11 Democratic senators called for an investigation into the Trump administration's plan to do away with the department, claiming it would result in "disastrous consequences."

Northern Arizona University student Sarina Cutuli also is a fellow with the Arizona Student Association, which advocates for affordable and accessible higher education. Cutuli said despite being awarded a Pell Grant, which doesn't need to be repaid, and receiving financial aid, private loans are also part of being able to cover college costs.

"I rely on my financial aid for everything," Cutuli said. "I rely on it for groceries, I rely on it for health care, I rely on it to go to school. I rely on it for housing. It's very expensive to live in Flagstaff; it's ridiculous."

Cutuli contended that if something were to happen to federal financial aid, repercussions would be felt across the board - and for years to come.

"I can guarantee you that almost every single student on this campus relies on financial aid in some way, shape or form," Cutuli said. "Even the richest families - they need financial aid, we need financial aid. We do not have enough students graduating with bachelor's degrees to actually support Arizona's economy right now."


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Student loans are among the areas overseen by the U.S. Department of Education and since President Donald Trump has followed through on his threat to gut the agency, questions are mounting about the fate of loan services.

The president signed an order Thursday he said begins the process of dismantling the department, even as questions mount about the limitations of executive power for this move.

A White House official said the skeleton agency will continue to run student loan programs and Pell grants but higher education advocates worry about borrowers running into issues.

Mike Pierce, cofounder and executive director of the Student Borrower Protection Center, feels the system was already broken.

"We expect that things will only get harder for working people with student debt and for families that are trying to pay for college," Pierce projected.

Pierce explained he hears from borrowers who have waited on the phone for several hours to talk with private companies the government contracts with. He predicted longer delays. There is also concern about updating eligibility for income-driven repayment plans. The Center said if you have service issues, contact your local member of Congress and submit what is called "casework," so a staffer can help. The White House said its actions can drastically improve program implementation in higher education.

Consumer advocates encouraged families to see if their state has a Student Loan Ombudsman, who could provide critical information. The executive order comes after the administration recently cut 50% of the Education Department's staff.

Pierce argued creating even more chaos and confusion could undercut the higher-education path for students coming from disadvantaged households.

"When these programs are run poorly, families that wouldn't otherwise be able to go to college, they're the first to miss out," Pierce contended.

The department is tasked with keeping for-profit colleges in check. Pierce noted there has been a lot of progress in weeding out problematic schools but he worries Trump's actions will lead to a resurgence of institutions engaging in predatory tactics.

Groups like Lumina Foundation have echoed similar concerns about the agency's fate and the effects on student loans and financial aid.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.


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