NetSquared, an initiative of TechSoup.org - knowbility

Results of Huge Experiment

Sharron Rush — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 12:55:53 -0400

Net2 called it a "huge experiment," and we took it in that spirit when we posted our ATSTAR program as a candidate - thanks for the opportunity to jump in with you! I am sharing results so far and would love to hear from others who posted projects.

ATSTAR - Assistive Technology: Strategies, Tools, Accommodations and Resources

kcarmain — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 12:16:16 -0400

Accessibility - make it happen!

Sharron Rush — Wed, 31 May 2006 12:54:49 -0400

If you are trying to solve accessibility barriers for your software and / or Web 2.0 site, we will host a round table during the 3:15 sessions. Anyone having accessibility interest, expertise or phobia...come join me and Glenda the Goodwitch for a lively problem solving session.

Mobilizing communities around tech access for disabled

Sharron Rush — Thu, 18 May 2006 14:17:30 -0400

Project Screenshot

Supporting organization

Knowbility.org

URL

http://www.knowbility.org/air/?content=home

Location

Austin, Houston, Boston, Indianapolis, other citeis

Project Description

Since 1998, Knowbility's AIR (Accessibility Internet Rally) program has introduced tech professionals to the concept of making applications accessible to everyone - including people with disabilities. Using tech sector networks and listserves, Knowbility issues a challenge to the local technology community in cities throughout the country:

Create a team of 4 - 6 people. Come take our classes about how and why technology can and must be made accessible. Then, have the chance to win glory for your team when you demonstrate your new skills in a web design contest.

While this challenging message is distributed in the community, the AIR program teaches small local nonprofit organziations how to think about putting relevant parts of their mission-based work online. NPOs are prepared to be effective clients and to communicate their needs to their tech team. After Web 101 training for the NPOs and successive accessibility training for the tech pros, each team is assigned to their NPO "client" for one high-energy work day in a local tech center.

The result:

Dozens of nonprofit organziations that serve the arts, health, human service, environmental needs of local communities receive professionally designed web sites that they could otherwise not afford;
People with disabilities experience improved access to online resources and nonprofit servics, because the sites are designed to be accessible.
Tech pros learn useful accessible design techniques that they can incorporate into their daily work, improving accessibility throughout the greater Web
Everyone understands more about how and why to make technology accessible
Relationships are forged throughout the city between the tech sector and the nonprofit community.
Everyone has a meaningful volunteer experience, using skills in which they are expert.

AIR is a unique community collaboration that produces benefits far beyond the basic goal of raising awareness of technology access issues for people with disabilities. It has been recognized for excellence and innovation by the Peter Drucker Foundation, the US Department of Labor and many, many others. To bring AIR to your city, contact Knowbility at knowbility.org.

Must we get together to get things done?

Sharron Rush — Tue, 16 May 2006 17:29:55 -0400

The NetTuesday group in Houston met on Monday, actually. Our local NetSquared MeetUp heard from Knowbility's Kelsey Ruger, an extraordinary thinker about the power of technology to bring about social change. Katie Laird blogged it.

Many in the Houston Net Tuesday Meetup have noticed that Kelsey serves as a kind of human bridge between innovative groups of social activists, including the NetSquared group; Refresh Houston - a collection of accessibility and standards experts; and AIR-Houston - the annual accessible web design contest that benefits dozens of nonprofits from the greater Houston area.

Web 2.1 - Let's make 2.0 Accessible

Sharron Rush — Tue, 16 May 2006 16:34:44 -0400

Howdy from Austin Texas, where the nonprofit Knowbility pursues its mission. We support the independence of kids and adults with disabilities by promoting the use and increasing the occurance of accessible information technology.

I am pretty excited about attending the NetSquared conference with my good friend and key volunteer Glenda Sims - also known as the Good Witch of the Web. In early April Glenda and I and several of the accessiblity experts that Knowbility has the good fortune to work with spent a week in San Francisco to teach the California Web Accessibility Conference (CalWAC).