The amalgamation of different ideas and perspectives has been integral to positioning America at the forefront of world economic activity, and future prosperity hinges upon technology and innovation in computing and the sciences. Ensuring a bright future requires that all individuals have access to technology and equal opportunity to pursue success in the field. Access and Inclusion team projects touch the future by preparing diverse researchers and scientists to lead the next wave of scientific discovery Time and again, the rapid progress in technology and communications we are currently living through is referred to as the "Information Revolution." However, can this revolution stand if it is not inclusive of all segments of the population upon which it seeks to impart change? Will the technologies be as robust as possible if they are not reflective of the creative energies of all people, or accessible to all users? The Access and Inclusion Team of EOT-PACI is charged with the task of ensuring that women, underrepresented minorities, and people with disabilities are incorporated into the computational science and computing community. The problem facing women and minorities is pressing because it is cyclical. From childhood we are taught to emulate those with whom we identify, and identity is often constructed around ethnicity or gender. Subsequently, when it comes time to pick an educational path and career we look to others like us and see where they have found success. The lack of women and underrepresented minorities in computing and the sciences is--consciously or unconsciously--inferred as a deterrent to pursuing studies in these fields. The problem becomes exacerbated over time as few women and minorities enter the community. For individuals with disabilities, system designs that do not consider their special needs deny them the opportunity to access information and services that are available to other users. Without realizing it, developers that do no integrate universal access capabilities into their designs may also be limiting the ability of non-disabled users to take full advantage of their systems. Ubiquitous computing--a goal of the PACI program--should include the ability to use systems in situations where one's hands or eyes are otherwise engaged. RAISING AWARENESSProjects in the Access and Inclusion team operate from the premise that increased awareness about the capabilities, differences, and needs of all users and creators of technology will help bring about an inclusive computing community. Many of the projects profiled in this section create mentoring relationships between women or members of underrepresented minority ethnic groups and like students. These relationships start early in the students' educational careers while perceptions of their opportunities are still being formed, and can progress through the early stages of their career's post-academic study. Mentoring provides support on multiple levels--it affirms that gender, ethnicity, and diverse skill sets are not barriers but rather rich background experience that one brings to their education and career; it provides examples of how to overcome obstacles that may present themselves along their paths; and it provides support and encouragement through tough times that they may encounter. Because a brokered personal relationship is not always possible, other Access and Inclusion team projects have focused on creating resources to which a student or professional can turn for guidance and inspiration, and on working with educators to raise awareness of factors that deter women and minorities from pursuing opportunities in computing. Projects in universal design and disability access also focus on raising awareness, working directly with PACI partners to insure that different abilities are considered in the ways that an individual interfaces with technology. Developing systems with the needs of disabled users in mind is also a good stress test for PACI technologies, as hidden design flaws that may have affected users broadly often come to light when they're tested for universal access. |
 CDC Creates an Inclusive Computing Community Summer Camp Builds a Bridge to Futures in Computing Pyramids of Mentoring Keep Minority Students and Women in Computing Spend a Summer with a Scientist Success A Growing Commitment to Science Enrichment Outreach Programs Keep Minority Students in the Pipeline GEMS: Girls in Engineering, Mathematics, and Science Positive Action Increases the Number of Women in Computing GirlTECH Opens World of Computer Science to Females Evaluating the GirlTECH Program 10 Tips for Getting Girls Interested in Computers Promoting Universal Design and Disability Access WHAT - WWW HTML Accessibility Tool |