NSF Award
2417014
People with disabilities are underrepresented in computing fields, yet their perspectives and expertise can benefit these fields greatly. The overarching goal of the AccessComputing Broadening Participation in Computing Alliance is to increase the participation of people with disabilities in computing careers by serving as a catalyst and national resource to help make computing education and career opportunities more welcoming and accessible to people with disabilities. Through this extension, AccessComputing will continue its work partnering with over 100 academic institutions, professional organizations, and companies to achieve this goal. Together with other Broadening Participation in Computing Alliances, AccessComputing will continue working to benefit computing fields in terms of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. These benefits positively impact the nation by enabling its computing workforce to respond to national needs.<br/><br/>In order to meet the project goals, AccessComputing has four strategies: (1) Individual engagement in computing: Implement evidence-based practices to increase the number of individuals with disabilities moving through critical junctures on their pathways to computing education and careers; (2) Organizational capacity development and collaboration: Increase the capacity of postsecondary institutions, broadening participation in computing (BPC) projects, professional organizations, and industry to fully include individuals with disabilities in computing fields and promote accessible, inclusive, and universal design practices; (3) Curriculum development and dissemination: Develop the capacity of faculty to integrate accessibility content into computing courses to increase knowledge and skills of future computing professionals; and (4) Alliance impact and sustainability: Foster relationships among stakeholders to promote systemic changes, expand online resources, develop the next generation of leaders in BPC and accessibility, and develop products and initiatives that will continue after NSF funding ends. The project develops community in a multi-tier organizational structure with an expanded group of partners and collaborators who represent a diverse set of stakeholders that play critical roles in promoting and impeding the success of people with disabilities. The fifth extension of AccessComputing includes new activities related to pathways to research careers, making and hacking, AI, conference accessibility, and integrating accessibility into structural change efforts. Outcomes for individuals, institutions and other organizations, and the alliance itself will be analyzed to determine the impact and sustainability of alliance efforts.<br/><br/>This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
