Communities of Practice (AccessComputing News - Jan 2010)

AccessComputing engages stakeholders through a variety of ways, including Communities of Practice (CoPs). CoP members communicate using email and other electronic tools. They share perspectives and expertise and identify practices that promote the participation of people with disabilities in computing fields. Five project CoPs are described below.

• The Computing Faculty, Administrator, and Employer CoP engages computing professionals, faculty, and administrators, as well as representatives from industry and professional organizations, with the goal to increase their knowledge about disabilities and make changes in computing departments that lead to more inclusive practices.
• The Broadening Participation CoP connects collaborators who administer alliances and projects that serve to broaden participation in computing fields.
• The Disability Services CoP connects disability service professionals from community/technical colleges, four-year colleges, and universities nationwide, together with their networks of postsecondary and K-12 schools (e.g., affiliates of AHEAD) and parent groups (e.g., affiliates of PACER).
• The Deaf and Hard of Hearing CoP connects existing practitioners and networks that support individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and are interested in increasing the representation of these individuals in computing fields. It includes researchers; college educators; K-12 teachers; and representatives of networks of professional organizations, parent groups, and precollege and postsecondary institutions that have special programs for students who are deaf and hard of hearing.
• The Blind and Low Vision CoP connects practitioners who support individuals who are blind or have low vision. Members include researchers, college educators, high school teachers, schools for the visually impaired, and professional organizations.

To join an AccessComputing CoP, send your name, position/title, institution, postal address, email address, and which of the five CoPs you would like to join to accesscomp@uw.edu.