You can help make the web a more accessible place by donating to Derek Featherstone’s IronMan Challenge.
Derek is competing in the upcoming IronMan Challenge in Lake Placid, New York on July 23. His goal is to raise $25,000 for Knowbility, an outstanding accessibility non-profit. If he meets that goal, Knowbility is eligible for additional matching funds from Janus!
It’s a great opportunity to support the wonderful Knowbility accessibility programs and to recognize Derek’s amazing effort! Please take a moment to pledge. If we all chip in, we can help Derek reach his goal while helping to sustain programs that ensure that everyone – including people with disabilities – can access the technology opportunities that have changed our world.
What’s an IronMan?
For those that aren’t familiar with an IronMan triathlon, here’s how it goes: at 7am 2400 people begin a gruelling day of triathlon racing 3.8km swim (2.4 miles), 180km bike (112 miles), and then run a marathon 42.2 km (26.2 miles). Eventually most will make our way across the finish line, though some will not.
How will Knowbility spend your money?
Every dollar of the funds raised through the Janus Challenge is directly applied to Knowbility’s award-winning programs. The convenient online form even allows you to choose which program your donation supports. Here is a brief snapshot of current program activities:
- ATSTAR – ATSTAR (for Assistive Technology: Strategies, Tools, Accommodations & Resources) helps teachers, school administrators and parents effectively integrate assistive technology into the classroom for students. This online series of training modules has had over 600 participants this year, affecting thousands of K-12 students throughout the US! We’ve launched an online Forum for ATSTAR students and alumni, and are looking forward to welcoming new schools this fall.
- Accessibility Training Institutes – For technology professionals who need to know more about accessibility, Knowbility offers training aligned with emerging technologies, new guidelines and best practices
The California Web Accessibility Conference, attracting over 200 attendees from California universities, state agencies and businesses across the US is offered annually in partnership with the University of California’s Chancellor’s office.
The John Slatin AccessU is a 3 day annual conference produced in partnership with St Edward’s University. Hands-on accessibility classes are organized into 4 professional tracks: Technical, Content, Administrative and Usability.
- The Accessibility Internet Rally (AIR) – Participants, start your (search) engines! AIR is a web design contest focused on creating web sites that are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities The purpose of the AIR program is to raise awareness and skills within the technology sector about how and why to make technology applications accessible. AIR Rallys are currently run in Austin, San Antonio, and Houston and are planned for Boston and other cities around the US. Donate to support AIR in your city!
- AccessWorks – The AccessWorks program provides fee-based accessibility assessment, reporting and remediation services for customers in both the public and private sectors.
The revenue generated helps to sustain our organization and provide further opportunities for people with disabilities.
AccessWorks is now hiring disabled veterans and people with disabilities as part of an innovative on-the-job training program where they will learn how to perform accessibility remediation of PDF files and other common document formats. As an integral part of Knowbility’s accessibility practice, the trainees will provide valuable services to our customers and contribute to making the electronic world more accessible and inclusive for everyone.
Knowbility programs need your support, please make a donation! You will be helping millions of people with disabilities who deserve access to technology/
Knowbility is a non-profit based in Austin, Texas . Knowbility’s mission is to support the independence of children and adults with disabilities by promoting the use and improving the availability of accessible information technology. We envision a world of barrier-free information technology in which children, youth, and adults with disabilities have greater options to learn, work, and fully participate as producers and consumers in the information marketplace.