Dr. Cyndi Rowland Honored By Education Technology Leader

By JoLynne Lyon | November 19, 2019
Dr. Cyndi Rowland
Dr. Cyndi Rowland at the WCET award ceremony

The Center for Persons with Disabilities’ Dr. Cyndi Rowland was celebrated this month for her work in advancing educational opportunities for people with disabilities.

“If not for [Rowland’s] tireless efforts and advocacy, the online opportunities for individuals with disabilities would not be where they are today,” said Russ Poulin, executive director of the WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies, at an award ceremony during WCET’s annual meeting.

WCET is a division of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE).

Poulin then presented Rowland with the Richard Jonsen award, a high honor given by WCET to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the e-learning community.

Education provides opportunity, Rowland said in a later interview. And when education is not accessible to people with disabilities, the opportunities are also lost. “I am so pleased that the professional communities that support digital instruction have really looked at accessibility in the way that they are.”

Rowland directs WebAIM, which provides training, consulting, evaluation and certification to organizations and companies on web accessibility. She also directs the National Center on Disability and Access to Education, which addresses issues in technology and disability in education. Both WebAIM and NCDAE are part of the Center for Persons with Disabilities at Utah State University.

“I am personally honored to get the award,” Rowland said, “But really this is the honoring the work our groups do.”

WCET is a leader in the practice, policy and advocacy of technology-enhanced learning in higher education. Its members include colleges, universities, higher education organizations, and companies from every state in the US. Its annual meeting was held this month in Denver, Colorado.

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