2020 Year End Focus: Accessibility Internet Rally

For your end of year giving, support technology access for people with disabilities
As communities learn to manage remote participation in school, work,  commerce and civic and social engagement, accessibility has never been more important.  Since 1998, AIR has raised awareness and improved skills in accessible design in the context of a fun, friendly web raising competition.  The program engages entire communities in the issue of ensuring equal access to technology for people of all abilities. Please consider a tax deductible gift as this challenging year comes to a close.



AIR programs are typically supported by business sponsors and foundation grants In 2019, $65K in sponsor dollars and grant fund covered costs for training, NPO coaching, technology infrastructure, and other program management costs. Since COVID, those funding sources are few and far between for small nonprofits like Knowbility. As we learn to teach, learn, socialize, evangelize, and innovate in an all-new context, we turn to our community for a new way to fund AIR activities this year. Please donate if you can.



Evangelizing Accessibility from the Grassroots
The Internet is not equally accessible to people with disabilities and AIR shows web pros how to change that. In these times when we are all working, learning, shopping, and participating in civic and social activities remotely, accessibility has never been more important. And yet, the most recent State of Accessibility Report (SOAR ) found that more than 80% of public websites are not accessible.

Through the years, the Accessibility Internet Rally (AIR) program has served as the Johnny Appleseed of accessibility, spreading seeds of good design with creativity and joy. AIR introduces web professionals and students to digital accessibility with a fun, friendly web raising competition that benefits community organizations, musicians, and artists. Produced at least once a year in cities as far-flung as Austin, Dallas, Houston, Denver, LA, San Francisco, and Boston, we are now learning to stay home and spread the word in a new way. 

Thousands of people have been introduced to accessibility in the AIR competition or AccessU - and you may be one of them! Many have gone on to work in accessibility for companies like Pearson, Adobe, Microsoft, Visa, Google, Apple, and Facebook. You will find former AIR participants at startups, digital agencies, and schools as well.  AIR alumni work for large accessibility consultancies like Deque and LevelAccess.  AIR is people-centered and focused on the lived experiences of people with disabilities. We use heirloom seeds rather than industrial methods to change the world of digital accessibility. 

And it all began as a community collaboration in Austin, Texas.  The need for accessibility has never been greater - please help us continue to spread the word and change design practices to meet the needs of all people.

Please give what you can
No gift is too small. We understand that there are competing needs in these hard times. But if you care about equal access to digital information and interactions, please chip in what you can. Together we can continue to improve understanding and commitment to accessibility. Together we can create an inclusive digital world for people of all abilities.  Thank you.