Re: Questions about the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP)

I am wondering why we havecorporate memberships at all.  It appears like 
a conflict of interest.

If an organization really represents accessibility professionals then 
the professionals should support it individually. Microsoft having one 
individual membership, pay one individual dues, and getting one vote.  
Also, as manyemployees of Microsoft can join as want to join, but the 
represent themselves, but Microsoft should not pay their dues or give 
them released time to work for the association. Sorry, Microsoft, you 
are just an exemplar, I could have used Apple or Freedom Scientific.

Most accessibility professionals are IT people which means our mean 
salary is pretty good. It is certainly good enough to support an 
organization well, and we could do it without corporate sponsorship.  
Who can trust an organization when it says a corporate sponsor develops 
an accessible product?  Quite simply, nobody really trusts this type of 
certification. Even if members of a sustaining company recuse themselves 
from decisions regarding their product lines, the unspoken threat of 
removal of support suffices to keep the non-profit organization in line.

I have stayed away from IAAP discussions because of this organizational 
deficit.  It is possible to be financially independent and support an 
organization with high standards.  IAAP ought to try.

Wayne