Accessible Computer Science Education Fall Workshop

This event is invite-only.

Hosted by Microsoft, University of Washington CREATE, and University of Colorado’s Coleman Institute

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Using research to make Computer Science education accessible to all learners

The Accessible Computer Science Education Fall Workshop will be three half-days of talks, discussions and planning for new research dedicated to making Computer Science education learning experiences more accessible for people with disabilities. At this event, we will establish a research driven coalition of civic and academic technologists and practitioners to envision what research is needed to develop tools, services, and ecosystems to make Computer Science education more accessible. Together we will develop high impact research and action plans driving toward deployments.

This event will explore and discuss a range of specific issues related to equity of access to education for people with disabilities. Themes will cover impact of societal bias in accessible education and will consider empirical studies of disability in education. Given the current pandemic, special attention will be paid to discussing and documenting new ways that researchers and practitioners can work together to ensure remote Computer Science education is inclusive to people with disabilities.

Other specific topics of discussion will include:

• Envisioning the Future of Tech for Inclusion
  For example: innovation to impact including industry, government and policy angles on accessible education
• Building a Pipeline from Research to Impact
  For example: providing training experiences to people with disabilities to enable them to enter the workforce; collecting data to reduce bias within the school to prison pipeline for students with disabilities; making technology certifications accessible
• Unblocking the Pipeline from Education to Employment
  For example: making interactive simulations accessible; innovations in text rewriting to support cognitive disabilities

The second half of each day will consist of two hours of working together on what research is needed to develop tools, services, and ecosystems to make CS education more accessible. Breakout groups will spend approximately two hours working together each day. By the end of the workshop, each breakout group will have drafted a white paper that reflects their group’s ideas for future collaboration possibilities. Breakout groups will have the opportunity to continue to refine their white papers for a few weeks after the workshop. Final drafts will be published on the event’s web page. We will break into four different working groups organized around the topics below:

• Education for Employment Pathways: how can technology and research accelerate employment opportunities through CS skills training?
• Making K12 CS Education Accessible: what critical research is needed to truly make CS education accessible for learners with disabilities?
• Making Higher Education in CS Accessible: what giant steps forward are needed to improve accessibility of CS education in higher education?
• Building Accessible Hardware and Systems: what innovations are most likely to have the greatest impact in supporting access to CS education?

Program Committee members

Andrew Begel (opens in new tab), Microsoft
Anat Caspi (opens in new tab), University of Washington
Heather Dowdy (opens in new tab), Microsoft
Richard Ladner (opens in new tab), University of Washington
Clayton Lewis (opens in new tab), University of Colorado Boulder
Cecily Morrison (opens in new tab), Microsoft
Teddy Seyed (opens in new tab), Microsoft
Roy Zimmermann (opens in new tab), Microsoft

Event hosts

Microsoft’s Event Code of Conduct

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. This includes virtual events Microsoft hosts and participates in, where we seek to create a respectful, friendly, and inclusive experience for all participants. As such, we do not tolerate harassing or disrespectful behavior, messages, images, or interactions by any event participant, in any form, at any aspect of the program including business and social activities, regardless of location.

We do not tolerate any behavior that is degrading to any gender, race, sexual orientation or disability, or any behavior that would violate Microsoft’s Anti-Harassment and Anti-Discrimination Policy, Equal Employment Opportunity Policy, or Standards of Business Conduct (opens in new tab). In short, the entire experience must meet our culture standards. We encourage everyone to assist in creating a welcoming and safe environment. Please report (opens in new tab) any concerns, harassing behavior, or suspicious or disruptive activity. Microsoft reserves the right to ask attendees to leave at any time at its sole discretion.

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