Teach Access Announces 2024-2025 Digital Accessibility Grant Winners

Teach Access, a national non-profit disability advocacy organization, has announced the winners of its 2024-2025 Grants program in celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) on May 16. The program supports 25 faculty members from diverse U.S. institutions in developing digital accessibility concepts for their existing course curricula. Teach Access aims to bridge the digital accessibility skills gap between education and industry through its free programs and resources.Since its founding in 2016, Teach Access has educated over 500,000 students on digital accessibility. The organization has awarded more than $350,000 in grants since 2018. The Teach Access grants are an integral part of the organization's programs, with each winner receiving a $2,000 grant to incorporate teaching about accessibility into their courses. The grant recipients contribute their teaching materials to the Teach Access Curriculum Repository, making the impact of the grants even more significant.Kate Sonka, the executive director of Teach Access, commended the dedication of the 2024-2025 grant recipients, stating that their curricular enhancements will inform and inspire students about the fundamentals of accessibility, ultimately creating a more inclusive digital landscape. The 25 winners of the Teach Access grant program include faculty members from institutions such as SUNY Buffalo State University, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Johns Hopkins University.Reflecting on the impact of receiving support from Teach Access, Karen Caldwell, assistant professor at SUNY Potsdam's School of Education and Professional Studies, and Laura Perry, director of academic technology & support at SUNY Potsdam, highlighted how the Teach Access Grant and resources inspired and informed their collaboration to embed accessible design principles into various course topics. They found that students were able to recognize and apply their learning beyond the boundaries of their semester-long courses.Teach Access focuses on colleges and universities nationwide, including community colleges and four-year institutions. The organization is committed to recruiting educators from Minority Serving Institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs).Looking ahead, Teach Access plans to call for proposals for its next grant round in February 2025. The organization encourages faculty members from all disciplines to apply and incorporate accessibility concepts into their courses. By doing so, Teach Access aims to ensure that the future workforce understands accessible design principles, creating a world where technology is inclusive for all individuals, regardless of ability.To learn more about Teach Access and its initiatives, please visit their website at https://teachaccess.org/.