AccessComputing

Learning management systems (LMS) such as Blackboard, Canvas, Desire2Learn, and Moodle allow instructors to provide online courses within the context of a consistent standard interface. One accessibility benefit of using an LMS is that many students with disabilities have the greatest success in accessing web content when it is presented using a consistent layout. If an educational institution standardizes on a particular LMS package, students at that institution will likely encounter the same online course interface for many of their classes throughout their academic career.

Founded in 1997, the National Youth Leadership Network (NYLN) "is dedicated to breaking isolation and building community through supporting youth with disabilities to reach their full potential." NYLN organizes people with disabilities, who are 16-28 years old, to create positive change for people with disabilities. Youth involved with NYLN build leadership skills and are active in disability rights issues.

The Career and Technical Education Program (CTE) at Seattle Public Schools serves a wide variety of students with different learning needs.

The first set of formal guidelines for identifying how to develop accessible web content was the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), developed through the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C's) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI™). WCAG 1.0 became an official W3C® Recommendation on May 5, 1999. The WCAG 1.0 lists fourteen guidelines and, additionally, provides a list of checkpoints for each guideline. There are a total of sixty-five checkpoints.

Many students become interested in computing because they like video games. With funds from an AccessComputing minigrant, the Texas School for the Deaf hosted a weekend Discovery Retreat called What’s Your Game? An Introduction to Video Game Development.

To determine whether a software application is accessible, the application should be evaluated according to a set of guidelines or standards that defines software accessibility.

Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format developed by Adobe Systems. PDF makes it possible to distribute documents with original formatting intact. PDF files are created by scanning an original print document or by using a variety of popular software applications.

Staff of the NSF Engineering Research Center for Neurotechnology (CNT) have created an outreach blog designed to explain neuroscience and sensorimotor neural engineering to under-represented youth.

The Saturday Computing Experience was an eight-week program that had been held at the University of Washington for local high school students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The program introduced students to computers and computer programming with the goal of encouraging them to consider college majors and careers in computing fields. Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for three years, the inaugural Saturday Computing Experience was held in spring 2011. Approximately ten students participated each year.

In an effort to increase computer science awareness among youth with disabilities, the University of Alabama, Auburn University, and United Cerebral Palsy of Birmingham collaborated to host two Computer Science Fun Days. The participants engaged in fun, interactive computer and robotics activities and learned about numerous opportunities in the field of computer science.