Membership Purpose

Teach Access is a unique collaboration (of leading educational institutions, the technology industry and advocates for people with disabilities) whose mission is to make the fundamentals of digital accessibility, including design principles and best practices, a larger part of undergraduate education. Students in fields such as design, computer science and human computer interaction can and must be better prepared when entering the workforce to create technologies that are truly inclusive—meeting the demands of technology users of all ages and abilities as well as meeting regulatory requirements. Only then will technology achieve its true potential for connecting and enabling everyone in the world.

Membership Benefits

  • Access to Digital Accessibility experts in academia and the tech industry
  • Access to Industry Guest Speakers, both virtually and in-person
  • Access to “train-the-trainer” instruction for faculty on the latest trends, techniques, and best practices used by industry-leading technology companies.
  • Access to curated faculty and student training materials designed by, for, and with leading faculty and industry experts in Digital Accessibility.
  • Invitation to participate in Teach Access task forces and working groups
  • Opportunities to present on behalf of Teach Access at international conferences, seminars, workshops and as a collegiate guest lecturer.
  • Acknowledgement on the TeachAccess.org web site and in marketing materials
  • The opportunity to identify your organization as a member and use the Teach Access logo to indicate Teach Access membership in your recruiting, promotional and marketing materials.
  • Participation in “Study Away Silicon Valley” program.

Additional Requirements

Industry Member

  • Annual $10,000 contribution, used to fund:
    • Annual in-person workshop for all members
    • Full and partial travel grants in cases where self-funding is not possible
    • Support for Digital Accessibility Training Academy for university faculty
    • Development and curation of learning materials and a curriculum repository
    • Maintenance of TeachAccess.org website and social media communications
    • Development and management of grants to further fund TeachAccess.org and its initiatives
  • Include “Knowledge of Accessibility preferred (or required)” in your organization’s front-end and user interface developer, designer, product manager, and UX researcher job description templates.
  • A “fiscal sponsor” will be engaged to oversee the funds until such time as Teach Access becomes a 501 (c)(3) or similar entity.

Academic Member

As individual, engage in at least one activity which promote the missions of Teach Access. Activities may include:

  • Include accessibility fundamentals in a mainstream undergraduate programming, design or digital technology-related course each academic year.
  • Share back with Teach Access’s members when and how they are teaching or using materials about accessibility in undergraduate programming, human computer interaction, UX research, and design related courses.
  • Share via appropriate campus venues, notice of the availability of Industry Guest Speakers by Teach Access industry members
  • Collaborate with other members in creating teaching materials and curricula.
  • Build awareness about accessibility through campus conversations, presentations and workshops.
  • Sponsor or encourage the establishment of a Teach Access student ambassador program (where appropriate, based on the Stanford/Teach Access model).

Non-profit Organizations/Advisors

Recognizing that certain key Digital Accessibility experts and advocates are not able to contribute financially through their host organization or employer, Teach Access enables involvement for select NPOs and individuals, with the following expectations:

  • Contribute actively to the Teach Access mission
  • Participate in at least one Teach Access Task Force
  • Optional attendance at the annual in-person workshop
  • Assistance reviewing, curating and enhancing Teach Access learning materials each academic year, contributing to the curriculum repository

Individuals

With our focus on making important advances and changes in how technology is taught, we don’t have a membership model for student or individual membership – our efforts are targeting the leadership of our collaborating organizations and other change agents at universities and corporations.

But we would be happy to add you to our public mailing list for updates. Just contact us to request that we add you to the list. And keep watching our website, Facebook page and Twitter feed for news and other ways you can support our mission.

Membership Requirements for all

  • Participate actively in quarterly conference calls
  • Participate actively in at least one Teach Access Task Force
  • Attend the annual in-person workshop
  • Assist in reviewing, curating and enhancing Teach Access learning materials each academic year, contributing to the curriculum repository.
  • Educate colleagues about the Teach Access mission through internal presentations and distribution of information.