Introduction (Access to Computing in Higher Education 2009)

Photo of student in a wheelchair working at a computer workstation.

A series of activities were undertaken to better understand the under-representation and increase the participation of students with disabilities in computing and information technology (IT) academic and career fields. These activities were funded by the National Science Foundation (grant #CNS-0540615 and #CNS-0837508). They were coordinated by the Alliance for Access to Computing Careers (AccessComputing) led by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) at the ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´ (UW).

AccessComputing institutional partners are Gallaudet University, Landmark College, and Rochester Institute of Technology. AccessComputing alliance partners are the Alliance for Students with Disabilities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (AccessSTEM); EAST Alliance for Students with Disabilities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (EAST); Midwest Alliance in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Midwest); Reaching the Pinnacle (RTP); National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT); National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP); Commonwealth Alliance for Information Technology Education (CAITE); Computing Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institutions; Empowering Leadership: Computing Scholars of Tomorrow; and Advancing Robotics Technology for Societal Impact Alliance (ARTSI).

Goal and Outcomes

AccessComputing works to increase the participation of people with disabilities in computing and IT fields. Collaborators apply evidence-based practices to:

  • increase the number of students with disabilities successfully pursuing degrees and careers in computing fields
  • increase the capacity of postsecondary computing departments to fully include students with disabilities in computing courses and programs
  • create a nationwide resource to help students with disabilities pursue computing fields
  • help computing educators and employers, professional organizations, and other stakeholders develop more inclusive programs and share effective practices nationwide

Capacity-Building Activities

AccessComputing collaborates with project partners in a variety of ways, to:

  • conduct a Capacity-Building Institute (CBI)
  • share results of the CBI with other institutions and individuals
  • provide an electronic forum to continue discussion of veterans issues, and provide support of efforts to increase services and supports for veterans
  • extend resources to other programs and promising practices via an online searchable AccessComputing Knowledge Base

Audiences for These Materials

This publication was created for people who:

  • participated in the Access to Computing in Higher Education Capacity-Building Institute held in April 2009 in Seattle
  • want to conduct a CBI at their institution, in their region, or at a national or international forum
  • seek to increase their understanding of issues surrounding the underrepresentation and participation of students with disabilities in computing studies and careers
  • are motivated to join an electronic community to discuss these issues
  • would like to access resources for making their campus courses, services, and activities more welcoming and accessible to students with disabilities
  • have promising practices for serving students with disabilities in computing to share with others