AccessComputing hosts a variety Communities of Practice (CoPs) for diverse groups of stakeholders. Communicating via email and other electronic tools, CoP members share their perspectives and expertise and identify practices that promote the participation of people with disabilities in computing fields.

Each of the CoPs are described below.

Broadening Participation CoP

Is populated with Alliance collaborators who administer alliances and projects that serve to broaden participation in computing fields. Members

  • discuss how to recruit participants with disabilities and accommodate them in their programs and activities and to, overall, make their offerings more accessible;
  • recruit their participants with disabilities into AccessComputing Alliance e-mentoring, internships, academies, and workshops to complement their activities;
  • identify, recruit, and accommodate eligible Alliance participants;
  • co-sponsor events and discuss potential new projects and share funding possibilities;
  • disseminate Alliance information and information about their projects and results through the Knowledge Base; and
  • help plan and recruit participants for capacity-building institutes.

Computing Faculty, Administrator, and Employer CoP

Helps computing professionals, faculty, k-12 teachers, and administrators as well as representatives from industry and professional organizations increase their knowledge about disabilities and make changes in computing departments that lead to more inclusive practices. Participants

  • gain and share knowledge and help identify issues related to the under-representation of people with disabilities in computing fields;
  • help identify, field test, and validate Computing Department Accessibility Indicators to make computing departments more accessible to students with disabilities;
  • introduce Alliance staff to administrators of professional computing organizations so that staff can help these organizations make their websites accessible, their conferences accessible to attendees with disabilities, and their conference programs inclusive of disability-related topics;
  • help plan, attend and/or recruit others to attend Capacity-Building Institutes;
  • identify campus computing events to which students with disabilities might be invited;
  • discuss how to include accessibility topics in computing curriculum;
  • discuss issues and help locate Ph.D. graduates with disabilities to recruit as faculty;
  • provide connections with computing faculty and industry for internships; and
  • help Alliance staff target articles to computing publications.

Disability Services CoP

Consists of disability service professionals from community/technical colleges, four-year colleges, and universities nationwide, together with their networks of postsecondary and K-12 schools (e.g., affiliates of AHEAD) and parent groups (e.g., affiliates of PACER). Members of this CoP

  • recruit high school and college students with disabilities for Alliance academies and workshops, e-mentoring communities, internships, and other activities;
  • deliver presentations to computing faculty in order to share information about accommodations and campus services for students with disabilities;
  • identify and validate Accessibility Indicators for computing departments;
  • work with computing professors and administrators to invite students with disabilities to career fairs, computing lectures, and other events; work with groups to make sure activities are accessible; and help bring speakers with disabilities and exhibits that focus on disability-related topics;
  • develop transition and bridge workshops in computing and/or help other Community of Practice members develop such activities;
  • help plan, and recruit participants for Capacity-Building Institutes; and
  • provide content for the AccessComputing Alliance Knowledge Base.

Universal Design in Higher Education CoP

This CoP is comprised of individuals interested in exploring universal design (UD) and its applications in higher education. Participants on this CoP discuss the following topics:

Veterans CoP

Is populated by veterans with disabilities, service providers, and volunteer mentors. Members

  • interact regularly to improve service to veterans with disabilities and their families;
  • discuss how to recruit veterans with disabilities and accommodate them in their programs and activities;
  • devise solutions that increase the accessibility of their program offerings;
  • develop internships, academies, and workshops to complement their program activities;
  • identify, recruit, and accommodate eligible AccessComputing participants;
  • co-sponsor events, discuss potential projects, and share funding possibilities;
  • help plan and recruit participants for CBIs;
  • share common concerns in their practices;
  • identify problems, goals, and resources;
  • assess change; and
  • form collaborations.

You and your colleagues can join AccessComputing CoPs by indicating which of the CoPs you would like to join and sending the following information to accesscomp@uw.edu:

  • Name
  • Position/ Job Title
  • Institution
  • Postal Address
  • Email Address