Overview
Most university students majoring in computer science, IT and similar fields graduate today without ever wondering how a blind person will use their software, let alone having the skills to create software accessible to people of varying abilities, such as aging users or the disabled. A 2006 research study commissioned by the IBM Human Ability and Accessibility Center (HA&AC) showed that relatively few two- and four-year colleges teach student developers accessibility skills, and that in general, college faculty do not feel equipped to teach these topics.
This lack of skill among university graduates perpetuates inaccessible software development and represents an employment hurdle for people with disabilities when businesses lack accessible information technology (IT) environments. If a company's IT is inaccessible, people with disabilities are excluded from many employment opportunities. Accessible IT provides an environment where blind, deaf, or other limitations are almost transparent, and people with disabilities can flourish professionally in many roles. Companies need to hire developers with inclusive IT design skills so that software, web applications and all the other points of contacts are created to be accessible to everyone, regardless of age or ability. An accessible IT infrastructure not only enables companies to hire the best talent in an increasingly competitive global market, but it also helps expand the reach of a business to other markets, such as older consumers.
To address this issue, the HA&AC recently undertook an effort to help professors teach university students about the importance of designing software for people with disabilities and the older users. The initiative involves the launch of an open repository called ACCESS, (IBM Accessibility Common Courseware Exchange for Software Studies), announced at a special session with the U.S. Department of Education at the 22nd Annual Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference, sponsored by California State University, Northridge (CSUN).
The ACCESS repository allows university professors who register with the IBM Academic Initiative Web site to post and share information about accessibility and assistive technologies. The resulting courseware and teaching and training tools are available to the academic community at no charge. Universities around the world have an opportunity to contribute turnkey lessons, tools, and courseware to this open repository. ACCESS is a first step in a grassroots effort to advance the education of student developers to ensure a strong foundation for the future of accessibility.
Are you a professor with an interest in accessibility topics that you feel should be taught to undergraduates at a particular point in the curriculum, and you are looking for someone to collaborate with? Do you already have an exercise that you developed for use in your class that teaches students about accessible design? Are you willing to share it? It's easy — just join IBM's Academic Initiative and fill out the form under Open Courseware Exchange. Help IBM and universities around the world change the way future student developers are educated about accessibility.