Maryland Institute for Digital Accessibility (MIDA)

Funded by the University of Maryland.

Digital technologies (such as software apps, websites, digital documents, and operating systems) are often designed without considering the needs of people with disabilities. Remediating existing accessibility issues can be a time-consuming and expensive process that still fails to include the disability community and often leads to delays in access.

The new Maryland Initiative for Digital Accessibility (MIDA) combines the expertise and passion of researchers, designers, developers and educators from multiple disciplines at the University of Maryland with a united goal of making digital technologies accessible for all. MIDA aims to involve the disability community, private and public partners, and anyone interested in accessibility issues, in technology development projects, public outreach programs and advocacy. We will collaborate with others to proactively build in accessibility when developing new technologies – known as the “born-accessible” approach.

MIDA has five high-level goals:

1. Building a community of faculty, staff, and students across the University of Maryland (UMD) who are passionate about digital accessibility
2. Creating opportunities for UMD to engage with external stakeholders including disability rights groups, technology companies, and policymakers
3. Developing technology projects to improve accessibility and demonstrate the born-accessible approach to design
4. Fundraising to further support MIDA’s mission
5. Increasing awareness of digital accessibility through public events and programming at UMD.

Funding for MIDA is provided by the UMD Grand Challenges program, UMD College of Information Studies, UMD College of Education, UMD Division of IT, and Adobe.

Duration:
5/1/23 - 4/30/25

Principal Investigator(s):

• Jonathan Lazar
• Paul T. Jaeger
• J. Bern Jordan
• Galina Madjaroff Reitz
• Katherine Izsak

Additional UMD Investigator(s):
UMD: CMNS, ENGR, EDUC, ARHU, BSOS, SPHL, University Libraries, University Career Center, Division of Information Technology (DIT), ADA Compliance Office, and TerpsEXCEED Program

Additional Non-UMD Investigator(s):
Ana Palla, Glunoza Yakubova

Partnering Organization(s):
National Federation of the Blind, National Association of the Deaf, American Association of People with Disabilities, Easterseals, Teach Access, Disability Rights Maryland, The Maryland Image Center, Maryland Library for the Blind and Print Disabled, The Maryland Department of Disabilities, the Maryland Department of Information Technology, Blind Industries and Services of Maryland, The Down Syndrome Association of Maryland, Gallaudet University, Melwood, the US Access Board, Adobe, Microsoft, Meta, Vispero, Google, Paramount

Project Website:
https://mida.umd.edu/

Research Funder:

• UMD Funded

Total Award Amount:
$500,000

Research Areas:

• Accessibility and Inclusive Design
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Information Justice, Human Rights, and Technology Ethics

Center and Lab Affiliation:

• Maryland Initiative for Digital Accessibility (MIDA)