Calling All Members:
First Year STC Special Needs SIG

By Cindy Reid

As STC members, one of the benefits we receive is the ability to participate in SIGs (Special Interest Groups). While we have a wide variety of SIGs to choose from, from time to time a new SIG presents itself.

This year the Special Needs SIG (SN SIG) is a new arrival. The SN SIG fills a gap that many technical communicators have been curious about, stumped by, or directly affected by, perhaps as an individual with a disability.

Three Objectives

Not surprisingly, the driving force behind this SIG is a desire to communicate effectively to all people.

In order to reach the stars present in its logo, "Achieve Your Potential," the SN SIG created the following Objectives, outlined here for brevity:

1. Assist technical communicators with special needs.
2. Help technical communicators make their products accessible to end users with special needs.
3. Demonstrate strategic leadership in the advocacy of improved accessibility for technical communicators and end users with special needs.

For Everyone

Mike Murray, President, STC Orlando Chapter, and a member of STC's Special Needs SIG, additionally writes to us with this summary of what the SN SIG is all about, while simultaneously sending out a call for new members:

"The Special Needs SIG is in no way limited to STC members who have disabilities. Yes, we can provide and have provided valuable assistance to technical communicators who have disabilities, but we are also seeking to arm all technical communicators who are interested with information that will help them design technical communication products that are more accessible to our end users who have disabilities.

We are also actively seeking Patrons as well as Active members. Since SIG membership drives our budget, we must expand our membership this fall if we are to be able to complete our initiatives for the year, including a number of important undertakings we have already begun for the 50th annual conference in Dallas. Thus, while we certainly welcome Active members to join us in our tasks, we also need Patrons who are willing to enroll in our SIG when they send in their membership renewals this November."

Interested?

As our professional and personal experiences grow, perhaps this is a SIG that interests you.

If you would like to learn more about the Special Needs SIG, join right away, or know of interested new members, please visit and pass along to others the SN SIG's web site: http://www.stcsig.org/sn/index.shtml.