Increasing the Participation of People with Disabilities in Computing Fields
From: IEEE Computer - 05/2007
By: Sheryl E. Burgstahler and Richard E. Ladner

The demand for qualified computing professionals is outpacing supply. Yet,
data from the Computing Research Association shows the number of newly
declared computer science majors declined 41 percent from 2000 to 2005. 

Since it's unlikely that the Caucasian males who currently dominate computing
fields will meet the demand for computing professionals, women, racial/ethnic
minorities, and people with disabilities should be encouraged to pursue
computing careers. 

Individuals with disabilities experience a lower level of career success than
those who do not have disabilities. They are less likely to complete a
postsecondary education and to pursue academic studies in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). 

This segment of the population is underrepresented in information technology
professions. Concern for including individuals with disabilities in IT fields
is not just a matter of quantity, but of quality as well. As William A. Wulf
stated, "I believe that engineering is a highly creative profession. Research
tells us that creativity does not spring from nothing; it is grounded in our
life experiences, and hence limited by those experiences. Lacking diversity
on an engineering team, we limit the set of solutions that will be considered
and we may not find the best, the elegant solution."  

Read the entire article at:
http://www.computer.org/portal/site/computer/menuitem.5d61c1d591162e4b0ef1bd108bcd45f3/index.jsp?&pName=computer_level1_article&TheCat=1050&path=computer/homepage/May07&file=broadening.xml&xsl=article.xsl&