AccessComputing

In the 12-month 2008-2009 academic year, 707,000 students with reported disabilities enrolled in 2-year and 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions. The types of disabilities reported by these students were:

Gaining work experience while earning a degree can help students learn important skills and look more attractive to graduate schools or potential employers.

AccessComputing supports summer internships through the Distributed Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, which begins taking applications in December for the following summer. Learn more about DREU here:

AccessComputing staff members work with hundreds of students with disabilities. Many capable participants are looking for summer or year-long internships in computing and IT fields. Desired positions are in a wide variety of career fields at government agencies, large corporation, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations.

A 9-week program on the campus of the University of Washington, designed to build skills in math and science for those who may be considering computing as a career and are ready to enter or are in college. Read more on the Advancing Deaf & Hard of Hearing in Computing project. See the video: Summer Academy.

Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is a disorder triggered by exposure to chemicals in the environment. Exposure can occur through air, food, water, or skin contact. Like allergies, MCS symptoms tend to come and go with various exposures, although some people's reactions may be delayed. MCS often impairs multiple bodily functions, including the nervous system and digestion; typical MCS symptoms include headaches, asthma or breathing problems, memory loss, fatigue, and depression.