Biography
Karla Kmetz is the Lead Instructional Designer and an Adjunct Faculty Member in the College of Education at the University of South Florida St Petersburg. She is currently earning her PhD in Instructional Technology at USF. With 7 years of experience in Education and Accessible Technologies, her professional interests include Universal Design for Higher Education and the Accessibility of Online Courses. Karla has lead or co-presented sessions at local and national conferences within this discipline, both virtual and face-to-face.
Prior to her time at USF St. Petersburg, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Disability Studies from The Ohio State University in 2008. An undergraduate research program encouraged her to pursue her interest in the accessibility of web and electronic materials and multimedia to students with disabilities. She went on to earn a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Assistive and Special Education Technology from George Mason University in 2010.
Throughout her professional career she has held positions focused on technology and supporting individuals with disabilities at The Ohio State University Nisonger Center, AmeriCorps, the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities), and Fairfax County Public Schools.
