AccessComputing Expands Efforts With NSF Funds

Date
Thursday, September 25, 2008

The Alliance for Access to Computing Careers (AccessComputing) has received a National Science Foundation extension grant of $2 million. This funding will be used to expand efforts to increase the participation of people with disabilities in computing fields nationwide. Drs. Richard Ladner of the UW Department of Computer Science and Sheryl Burgstahler of UW Technology Services co-direct AccessComputing projects, partnering with Gallaudet University, the Rochester Institute of Technology/National Technical Institute for the Deaf, and Landmark College.

AccessComputing engages individuals with disabilities as well as those who support, serve, guide, educate, and employ them. Specifically, the extension project will

  1. increase the capacity of postsecondary institutions, precollege educators, veterans associations, other projects that broaden participation in computing, and industry to fully include individuals with disabilities in computing fields;
  2. create synergistic and lasting relationships among stakeholders to foster systemic changes toward inclusiveness in computing education and careers;
  3. implement evidence-based practices (e.g., mentoring, internships) to increase the number of individuals with disabilities moving through critical junctures to computing careers; and
  4. expand an online resource center to share research and promising practices worldwide.

For more information about AccessComputing, visit

https://www.washington.edu/accesscomputing/.