Wendy Torres, Ed.D

@techsnacks.bsky.social

282 Followers 134 Following

Believer ✝️ Proud mother of 2 blessings, Senior Instructional and Digital Accessibility Specialist at Coppin State University, Adjunct, USMC Veteran, ASAN, A11y🇵🇷 Yes, accessibility is a civil right.❤️ Love to teach🎓

Wendy sits with the Catalyst Award smiling.
2026 Catalyst award
A 20 year old Wendy graduating with her bachelors in education, smiling at the camera .
Xavier, his mom and his sister smiling
MATINEE CRIP CAMP A DISABILITY REVOLUTION Winner – Sundance Join us for a cozy movie! ‘Crip Camp’ is about a free-spirited summer camp for teens with disabilities in the 1970s that inspired a movement for disability rights. MARCH 26TH 1–3 PM DRINKS & SNACKS PROVIDED LOCATION: Room to Breathe Grace Hill Jacobs Building W 2500 N Ave
An animated dog holding a pink lizard toy in her hands while wearing roller skates. This is from the show Bluey
Screenshot of a social media post by civil rights leader John Lewis dated March 7, 2020. The post reads: “55 years ago today, we were beaten, tear gassed, and trampled by horses. I thought I saw death. I thought I was going to die. I don't know how I made it back, but I know we cannot rest. We cannot become weary. We must keep pushing and pulling and find a way to get in the way.” Below the text is a historic black-and-white photograph from the 1965 Selma voting rights march showing state troopers violently attacking civil rights marchers with batons while protesters fall or attempt to shield themselves. Buildings and a sign reading “Haisten’s Mattress & Awning Company” appear in the background.
Wendy Torres smiling beside large gold “DR” balloons at a celebration, standing among white and purple balloons with colorful artwork in the background.
A four-panel cartoon from PhD Comics. In the first panel, two academics sit with coffee. One says, “I had a dream the other day that my research made the world a better place.” In the second panel, a group of people read printed papers, with the caption, “I dreamt that my papers were read by millions of people…” In the third panel, hands of different skin tones shake over an image of the Earth, with the caption, “…and that my ideas were so revolutionary, they inspired peace and equality for all.” In the final panel, back with the two academics, one asks, “Then you woke up?” The other replies, “Nope. Still dreaming.”
Alt text: Screenshot of a social media post by Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, shown with a blue verified checkmark next to her name and a small circular profile photo of her in front of a U.S. flag. The post contains a long statement about the detention and court-ordered release of a five-year-old child and his father. The statement reads: “I am relieved that a federal judge has ordered the immediate release of five-year-old Liam Conejos Ramos and his father. The court’s ruling makes clear what never should have been in question: this child’s detention was unlawful, unjustified, and deeply harmful. In his opinion, the judge delivered a pointed reminder that the Constitution is not optional. He rejected the use of administrative warrants, condemned the government’s disregard for basic constitutional principles, and made clear that traumatizing a child has no place in a nation that claims to be governed by the rule of law. What I witnessed at the Dilley Detention Center deeply was alarming. A preschooler who was lethargic, not eating, and asking only for his mother and his school does not happen by accident — it is a direct consequence of this administration’s actions. Unfortunately, Liam is not the only child subjected to this treatment. Let me be clear: this ruling does not erase the trauma inflicted on Liam or his family. Accountability must follow. I will continue to conduct oversight to ensure the Constitution is upheld.” The background of the post is white with black text, formatted in multiple paragraphs.
Statement from Michael and Susan Pretti Parents of Alex Jeffrey Pretti "We are heartbroken but also very angry. Alex was a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends and also the American veterans whom he cared for as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital. Alex wanted to make a difference in this world. Unfortunately, he will not be with us to see his impact. I do not throw around the 'hero' term lightly. However, his last thought and act was to protect a woman. The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting. Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump's murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. He had his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down, all while being pepper sprayed. Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man. Thank you.
The cartoon sponge bob square pants looking confused
Four-panel comic set outdoors in winter. Two adults wearing coats, scarves, and gloves stand outside holding cups of coffee and talking. Panel 1: One character says, “I’m telling you, he keeps a list of people he likes and dislikes…” Panel 2: The other character responds, “He’s got elves slaving away all year doing menial tasks for little or no pay…” Panel 3: The first character continues, “He always wears the same vest and he only shows up once a year.” Panel 4: The second character reacts with surprise and says, “Santa Claus is a professor!!” The first character replies, “Ho, Ho, Ho? It’s the null hypothesis!” The joke humorously compares Santa Claus to an academic, using traits associated with faculty work and research culture.
A black long-sleeve shirt displayed flat on a plain background. The shirt features a large block of stylized text printed in gold and white. At the top, in bold gold capital letters, it reads “TORRES.” Below, various decorative fonts and banner elements present a series of descriptive phrases. The text includes statements such as “Completely unexplainable,” “Notices everything but won’t say it,” and two gold arrow banners that read “The most loyal friend and dedicated lover” and “Has zero tolerance for stupidity.” Additional lines describe traits like being “Professional at lies detecting,” “Tends to hold feelings inside,” and “Their mind will always be 10 steps ahead of yours.” More text reads “The sweetest until provoked,” “Lives by their very own way,” and “A warrior’s mentality with a poet’s soul.” At the bottom, a final line in smaller text states, “Not a fighter but will knock your lights out.” The design is centered on the chest area and uses a combination of serif, script, and block fonts with small star graphics for emphasis.
A young child trying to be patient but nervously patting the table while they wait.
Wendy with her two kids Xavier and Jasmine smiling at the camera. It is a bright sunny day outside.
Wendy with purple hair wearing glasses and a black Frostburg State University “Doctor of Education” hoodie sits at a table with a laptop, resting their head on one hand and looking at the camera with a thoughtful expression.
Infographic titled ‘12 everyday temporary disabilities.’ Subtitle: ‘If you checked even one box → you’ve experienced accessibility barriers.’ It lists 12 scenarios with icons: 1) Couldn’t read your screen in bright sunlight. 2) Couldn’t follow a video in a noisy place. 3) One hand busy (carrying something), so can’t type. 4) Lost internet connection—page wouldn’t load. 5) Text too small or too light to read. 6) Keyboard not working—stuck on login form. 7) Too tired to process a wall of text. 8) Buttons/links too close together on mobile. 9) Tried zooming in but the layout broke. 10) Confusing navigation—couldn’t find the info. 11) Slow site, couldn’t wait—gave up. 12) Images with no description/explanation.’
A large group of Coppin State University Division of IT members pose together indoors in front of a backdrop with the Coppin logo and 125th anniversary branding. Most are wearing navy blue Coppin polo shirts with the anniversary logo, while one person in the front row wears a navy and gold shirt that says “AYYY COPPIN.” The group is diverse in age, gender, and background, with some people smiling broadly and others posing more formally. A flower arrangement in Coppin colors is visible on the right side of the image.
Logo for the Faculty Spotlight initiative at Coppin State University. It features a navy blue and gold eagle emerging from behind a laptop screen. The laptop displays a gold accessibility icon on a navy background. The design is framed by a shield outline, with the words “Faculty Spotlight” in bold navy text below.
Wendy and Xavier smiling at the zoo. Xavier is smiling boldly and towering over his mother.
Xavier when he was about three with an 11 year old Jasmine. Xavier is hugging his sister in an embrace and Jazzie smiles proudly.
Promotional graphic for UDL-Con International 2025. The session, titled “Game On: UDL Choose Your Own Adventure for Equity and Accessibility,” is presented by Wendy Torres. It is scheduled for Tuesday, July 22, 2025, from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM. The image highlights that the session had high attendance, featuring a photo of Wendy Torres and a badge that reads “Highly Attended Session.” The background is blue with yellow abstract shapes and dotted lines, and the UDL-Con logo appears in the top left corner.
Promotional graphic for the Anthology Together 2025 (#AT25) conference. The top left corner has the Anthology Together logo with a gradient border in blue, green, and black. To the right, text reads: “I’m presenting at #AT25.” Below, there is a centered professional photo of Wendy Torres standing confidently with arms crossed in a city street, wearing a black blazer and purple-tinted hair. At the bottom left is the Coppin State University logo and name. To the right, text reads: "Wendy Torres: Accessibility Quest: Gamifying Inclusive Course Design July 14–16, 2025, Fontainebleau Las Vegas.
Sun logo with the accessibility icon in the center. Around the logo are the words Accessibility Summer Camp
A childhood photo of best friends Sofia and Jasmine at their preschool graduation. Both girls wear shiny light blue gowns and caps. Jasmine holds a purple purse while Sofia gently rests her arm around her friend. They smile brightly, surrounded by small chairs and classmates in the background—marking the start of a lifelong friendship.
mother [muth-er] noun Someone who sees the best in her kids even when they drive her crazy. Master multitasker, expert calmer-downer, lie detector, mediator, finder of all things. The hardest job in the world. One who does the work of twenty, for free. See also: superhuman, therapist, chauffeur, bodyguard, spy
Jasmine joyfully tosses her graduation cap into the air in front of a building entrance. She smiles widely, wearing a black Bowie State University sweatshirt and the same BSU kente stole. She is a Afro-latina woman with braids.
Stairs leading outside the McDonald’s with no ramp, elevator or accessible door.
Wendy, with vibrant purple curls, and her son Xavier pose for a playful selfie at an indoor shopping center. Both are making silly faces at the camera—Wendy with a slight smirk and Xavier with puckered lips and a hand under his chin. Sunlight filters in, and a fountain can be seen in the background.
We moved! The Online Learning Consortium is now on Bluesky 🦋 Effective immediately, OLC will no longer be posting here on X. Give us a follow on Bluesky to keep the conversation going, as we continue to advance digital learning leadership everywhere.
Jasmine( my daughter’s friend) is standing with the my daughter Jasmine with the President of Bowie State University. Both Jasmines are wearing their Dean’s list medals. Jasmine( my daughter’s friend) is a Latina woman with shoulder length hair wearing a red shirt and black pants. Jasmine( my daughter) is in the center wearing a gold shirt and black pants. She is an Afro-Latina woman. On the end is the president of the college wearing her gold and black academia regalia . She is a black woman with short black hair.
Illustrated promotional poster for UDL-CON 2025 featuring Wendy Torres, a Latina woman with purple hair wearing a red blazer, holding a stylus. The background includes a colorful adventure-themed path with icons such as a lightbulb, open book, and a mobile device, symbolizing learning and accessibility. Bold text reads: “Game On: UDL Choose Your Own Adventure for Equity and Accessibility.” The event location is Washington, DC, and Wendy’s title, “Senior Instructional Digital Accessibility Specialist, Coppin State University,” appears at the bottom.
Wendy standing as confident Latina woman with wavy purple hair. She stands in the middle of a city street, wearing a black blazer and black top. She has her arms crossed and is looking directly at the camera with a slight smile. She is wearing a necklace, earrings, and a smartwatch. The blurred city background includes buildings, cars, and pedestrians.
Jazzie and Xavier smiling at the camera. They are great siblings and actually enjoy each other.
An Ai image of an action figure in its packaging. On the package the words fierce Latina advocate appears. In the package there is an action figure of a Latina woman with a blue dress, black jacket and boots. Her accessories include a laptop, accessibility VPAT document, a design for everyone poster, a lanyard that says speaker, a mug that says design for justice,digital equity for all, faculty innovation leader podium and a brown book that says digital equity for all.
OLC Innovate education reimagined Empowering Change: Our Journey to Drive Digital Accessibility with Faculty Wendy Torres Senior Instructional and Digital Accessibility Specialist Coppin State University https://tinyurl.com/OLCEmpower25 Creative Common licensed.
I am presenting. Empowering Change:Our Journey to Drive Digital Accessibility with Faculty Engagement Mrs. Wendolyn Velez-Torres
A picture of Wendy and Jasmine. Jasmine is a 22 year old woman wearing box braids and a pink station shirt. Wendy is a Hispanic woman with purple curly hair wearing a lacy burgundy shirt. Wendy is pointing toward Jazzie smiling .
Jazzie posing at Disney world With a people in a Stitch costume behind her.
Define success on your own terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you're proud to live. Anne Sweeney
"Do what you feel in your heart to be right — for you'll be criticized anyway." Eleanor Roosevelt
"If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” - SHIRLEY CHISHOLM
We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced. -Malala Yousafzai
Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness. Oprah Winfrey
I'm no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I'm changing the things I cannot accept. Angela Davis
"You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it." Maya Angelou
Nearpod Accessibility Statement At Nearpod, a Renaissance company, our mission is to accelerate learning for all children and adults of all ability levels and ethnic and social backgrounds, worldwide. An accessible environment is a key step towards providing an inclusive learning experience for all students. Renaissance has made great strides to implement Web Content Accessibility (VVCAG) 2.1 Level AA guidelines across the suite of products. As the work continues, the organization has also partnered with Allyant. a leading accessibility solutions company, and has hired a full-time Accessibility Analyst to guide every phase of development. As we look towards the future, accessibility will be a critical part of Nearpod's product roadmap. Below is a list of what has been accomplished to date and initial roadmap steps with the goal of reaching compliance in 2025. • Allyant Accessibility Audit (Complete) — January 2024 • Cross-Functional Development Analysis (Complete) — March 2024 • Initial Accessibility Remediation in Product and VPAT updated — August 2024 • Second Phase of Accessibility Remediation (In Progress)— December 2024 • Achieve compliance on WCAG guidelines: 2.1.2 WCAG 2.0 A, 2.4.4 WCAG 2.0 A, 3.3.1 WCAG 2.0 A.
Make meaningful strides towards keyboard compliance on WCAG guidelines: 2.1.1
WCAG 2.0 A and 4.1.2 WCAG 2.0 A. • Third Phase of Accessibility Remediation (In Progress) — July 2025 Make progress towards compliance on remaining WCAG guidelines While we intend to share updated roadmap information as it becomes available, roadmap priorities may evolve as market conditions and needs evolve. These initial dates should be considered a guideline for development. In addition to the above, Nearpod will continue to update the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template(VPAT@), a form created in partnership with the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), to provide evidence of a product's compliance.
“But for some students [their disability] is not apparent. Students may not want to disclose a disability due to the stigma attached. And either way, I expect that if they give me homework, that I can actually do it.” -Ann Wai-Yee Kwong ( blind student at Berkeley University) When you are designing content, who are you okay with excluding?” -Lawrence Angrave Teaching Professor University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Angrave , L. (2017). Why does Accessibility Matter? [Educause 2017 Conference]. Educause 2017 Conference
Wendy wearing a voluntold shirt holding a dlac sign that says the community advancing digital learning
Surround yourself with people who fight for you in rooms you aren’t in.
"Inundated with complaints from the Disability community, South Carolina's Attorney General is distancing himself from a 17-state lawsuit that challenges federal civil-rights protections for Disabled Americans." My love language this Valentine’s? Mobilizing and organizing. Love is action.✊ Lets keep the pressure on, fight for Section 504 and for Medicad! If you are in any of the (now 16) States asking the court to get rid of Section 504 and its new rules that protect Disabled people from discrimination in health care and human services, call your Attorney General and tell them to drop out of the lawsuit that seeks to overturn Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. More info here: https://lnkd.in/gW49-BxN Use this search tool to find your elected officials, and tell them cuts to Medicaid of any kind–through FMAP changes, work requirements, block grants, or per capita caps–are unacceptable. Do not vote to cut Medicaid in any way! (Medi-Cal in California): https://lnkd.in/eh9Ttf6V
I’ll be celebrating 25+ years of digital learning at the digital learning annual conference!
Ratings & Reviews The 5 Calls App is a game changer! Highly recommend! Mon • clifdp If you don't like what this administration is doing, now is the time to make your voice heard. Call your state Senators and Reps! An easy way to do that is with the 5 Calls App. It simplifies the process by giving phone numbers for members of Congress, listing current issues, and providing scripts for when you call their offices. It really is a game changer. I highly recommend downloading it if you haven't already.
Against a purple background with colourful Reframing Autism knotwork logos in the top left and bottom righthand corners there is a text box titled Supporting Autistic Learners. Beneath are two columns. Under the one titled 'What I find hard' are bullet points listing: * Feeling disconnected from or criticised by my teacher * Being rushed to finish my work or not finishing * Being asked a question and put on the spot to reply * Having my questions dismissed or shut down * Being given work that is above or below my capability * Unfair expectations and no accommodations * Having my focus disrupted by students talking * Overwhelming sensory or emotional experiences. Beneath a column titled 'What can help' are bullet points listing: * Feeling safe, connected and supported * Time to finish my work before I move on * Extra time to process information and respond * Being able to ask lots of questions as they arise * Using technology to support my learning * Having regular one-on-one check-ins * Having step-by-step instructions in view * Knowing the real-world relevance of content * Being given the reason for unexpected changes * Learning that draws on my passions * Sudden changes with no obvious reason for them. The Reframing Autism logo is on bottom left.]
A Disabled by Society graphic with the title 'Being Accessible Is Not About Doing the Right Thing, It Is:' Below are nine colourful icons, each with a corresponding statement. They read: 1. Creates Equity – a green icon with three figures standing on platforms of different heights. 2. Inclusive Design – a yellow icon showing a hand holding media elements, including music notes, speech bubbles, and play icons. 3. Removes Barriers – a pink icon featuring a construction barrier. 4.  Represents Everyone – an orange icon with a pair of hands holding people. 5. Supports Independence – a purple icon of a person in a wheelchair using a computer. 6. Fostering Belonging – a light blue icon showing speech bubbles and figures interacting. 7. Includes Everyone – a pink icon with diverse people. 8. Good Business Sense – a yellow icon with an upward-trending graph. 9. A Human Right – a green icon of a hand holding balanced scales.
Now, more than ever, Americans need to double down on accessibility. 85 million of your friends, co-workers and neighbors are counting on you. -Sheri Byrne-Haber
Three panel comic. First panel shows a woman with black hair sitting at a desk. A speech bubble from her advisor says “Cecilia , I think it is time to schedule your thesis defense.” Cecilia looks up surprised and says “What?”. Panel two shows what is going on in Cecilia’s brain. One side of the brain is cheering saying “Finally! Yay! Wooh!” The other side of her brain is saying “We’re not ready! Panic! Aaahh!” Panel three shows Cecilia sitting,pondering. She says “My brain isn’t quite sure how to react.” Her professor says “My brain says ‘You’re welcome.’ “
I am presenting! OLC innovate education reimagined. Presentation: Empowering Change: Our Journey to Drive Digital Accessibility with Faculty Engagement Mrs. Wendolyn( Wendy) Torres Coppin State University Flyer also includes a picture of Wendy- a Latina woman with curly purple hair wearing a gold shirt and navy blue blazer.
Sometimes when we talk about accessibility, it's easy to get caught up in talking about guidelines, tools, and legal requirements. But accessibility is about people. It's about the college student accessing an exam study guide with a screen reader. It's about the worried parent navigating their phone one-handed while holding their sick baby. It's about your parents or your grandparents (or maybe you) zooming text so they can read the news comfortably. It's about the commuter relying on captions to watch a video on a train. It's about the job applicant navigating and completing an application using just a keyboard. It's about the child with colorblindness learning from a fun educational game that uses thoughtful color choices. Accessible design is human-centered design. It's about meeting people where they are and ensuring equal access to information, resources, and opportunities. As you start work on your next project, take a moment to ask yourself, who am I building this for?