1. To address the rapidly growing need for new tech workers with a user-centered focus and understanding of basic Accessibility principles, the leading companies in the tech sector have banded together with leading academic institutions in a collaboration: Teach Access.

2. THE TEACH ACCESS MISSION
To include and enhance the teaching
of accessible design and development principles
in undergraduate education

3. TEACH ACCESS SUPPORTERS - HIGHER ED
Here’s the list of academic members.

4. TEACH ACCESS SUPPORTERS-INDUSTRY
Here are the industry members and supporters

5. TEACH ACCESS SUPPORTERS - ADVOCACY
These friends from the disability community are involved and supportive.

6. INDUSTRY CHALLENGE More Than 3 Million Mobile Apps
More than 1 Trillion Web Sites

7. Accessibility Specialists5
5,000 :
Here’s an example. A thumbnail estimate of many enterprise-sized, name-brand companies, indicates they have well over 5,000 technical positions (engineers, QA, designers, product managers, etc.) creating new stuff every day. But it’s not unusual for these same companies to have only a handful of people whose job title includes “Accessibility.” In many of the major tech companies, that number is about five. Even if these Accessibility teams were doubled, tripled, quintupled, it would never be enough to keep up with the 5,000 technologists who are working furiously to create new apps, web sites and other technology products.
And this ratio only holds for those companies that can afford to have a dedicated accessibility team. Most don’t. Including large enterprise and small businesses. As for the thousands of start-ups...
Accessibility Specialists
Technical Positions 7

8. THE DEMAND IS INCREASING
Global legislation
Legal scrutiny
Corporate policies
User expectations
Industry is already feeling this tectonic shift.
From a legal perspective, there are more accessibility laws on the books requiring greater accountability–and potential liability–for new products and services.
From a corporate perspective, there has never been more demand for faster output, higher quality and user growth—and we expect it to accelerate
From a user perspective, a massive shift has taken place. Over the last 8 years, assistive technology has become mainstream and built into every mobile device and users now expect accessibility. They also expect it to be high quality, zero or near zero cost, and available at the same time as new technology is introduced.

9. PEAT ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY SKILLS GAP SURVEY
70 respondents from tech sector
57%: Products and services are less accessible than desired
63%: Current staff don’t have necessary accessibility skills
60%: It's “difficult or very difficult” to find candidates with needed accessibility skills

10. “What we have are a few people who know a lot about Accessibility
What we need are a lot of people
to know a little about it”
“What we have are a few people who know a lot about Accessibility.
What we need are a lot of people to know a little about it”
— Matt May, Adobe [ A member of Teach Access]
Matt May, Adobe 10

11. “What did you learn about accessibility as an undergraduate?”
This has many technology companies asking a new question during interviews or new hire orientation:
“What did you learn about Accessibility as an undergraduate?”
“What did you learn about accessibility as an undergraduate?” 11

12. Unfortunately, the answer we hear is not the one we hope for.
In a word, “nothing.”
I think we can all agree that “nothing” is the wrong answer. This is why we created Teach Access. We want to change this answer to “yes” by preparing students with the knowledge they’ll need to be successful in the Tech industry and make new products and technology the equalizer it ought to be for people with disabilities.
“Nothing” 12

13. MISSING FUNDAMENTALS Expectations for accessible product development
Knowledge of legal requirements
Common types of disability and assistive technology
Common barriers to digital accessibility
WCAG and other standards and guidelines
So what are some of the missing fundamentals that every student should know? After polling the leading Tech companies, here’s the list:
Accessibility is expected in commercial product development
Accessibility is a legal requirement
The common types of disability and assistive technology
Common barriers to digital accessibility
WCAG and related standards and guidelines

14. TEACH ACCESS OBJECTIVES
Make the teaching of accessibility a curriculum requirement
Share industry best practices
Scale successful programs nationwide
Foster initiatives and incentives that promote teaching accessibility
Reward students through experiences, preferred hiring

15. ACTIVITIES Study Away Silicon Valley Faculty grants
Vetted materials: free and open source
Accreditation: ABET, ACM, NASAD
Marketing, on-campus and off

16. CONTACT INFO
WWW
Facebook.com/TeachAccess
@TeachAccess

17. Questions?