Join the Race to Web Accessibility!

Knowbility is a national nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization formed by high tech leaders in 1999. Its mission is to create barrier free IT, connecting people with disabilities to all of the opportunities of the New Economy. Sharron Rush, Executive Director of Knowbility, is currently exploring the possibility of bringing a successful collaborative event to the Rocky Mountain region in August of this year.

The Rocky Mountain Accessibility Internet Rally (Rocky Mountain AIR)is planned as an annual web competition and community development event. The Rally challenges professional web designers to learn about the benefits, tools and techniques of accessible web design and use what they learn in a friendly website competition. Company teams compete for prizes as they create web sites for a variety of nonprofit organizations in one day!

The event is a fun, friendly competition that produces the following results:

Over 100 web professionals increase their awareness of the societal and business benefits of accessible web design and they are given the tools to achieve it.

Over 20 nonprofit organizations increase their ability to market their mission effectively using the World Wide Web. They receive professionally designed sites and the skills to maintain them.

Increased community volunteerism on the part of high tech participants who learn about a variety of community groups.

Increased public awareness of the ways in which IT promotes independence for people with disabilities.

Increased willingness for high tech companies and/or their employees to mentor students with disabilities who are learning high tech skills. Companies also provide internships and long term employment, increasing the pool of skilled workers in the region.

Details of how the event is organized and the opinions of the participants may be viewed at www.main.org/AIR-Austin

The Rally is unique and has been very successful in Austin, Texas for the last two years. We have built a strong network, which includes hundreds of web professionals who have learned about the issues. Increased awareness of the need for accessibility leads to local action, including the development and strengthening of programs that provide greater IT educational and employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

The Rally has won several awards and is now gaining national attention. Board Chair Steve Guengerich is participating in the National Labor Skills Summit in Washington DC to share information about the Rally as a best practice for developing an underutilized workforce. Despite current low rates of unemployment, people with disabilities who are able and ready to work are unemployed at a rate of more than 60%.

To create a Rocky Mountain AIR, the following support is needed:

An advisory board of local community leaders to guide the organization of the event.

Funding for an event coordinator, training materials, judges fees, awards, peripheral social and networking events, and team recruitment efforts.

A computer training facility with the capacity to host 150 – 200 designers.

Volunteers to teach the nonprofit and designer training. Knowbility has developed curriculum for both courses and will provide materials online, in print, and in CD ROM format.

Volunteers for organizational and logistical support.

Sponsor benefits include identification on all banners, souvenirs and promotional materials. A special pull-out section of the Business Journal is published the week of the event to highlight the issues, the sponsors and the participants. Sponsors are invited to display company materials at special tables at all networking and social events as well as the Rally itself and the awards ceremony.

If you have an interest in participating as a sponsor, an advisor, a designer, a nonprofit, or a volunteer, please contact Sharron Rush at Knowbility. (512) 478-4596 srush@knowbility.org Thank you for your consideration.