AIR Is Moving to Spring — and It’s Better Than Ever
Accessibility Internet Rally (AIR)
AIR (Accessibility Internet Rally) is moving to spring — and we couldn’t be more excited about what that means for you.
After 25+ years, we’re making the biggest structural change to AIR yet. Starting in 2027, the competition runs from January through May, culminating in an awards ceremony at AccessU (our annual accessibility conference) where your work gets the spotlight it deserves.
This isn’t just a calendar shift. We’ve used this transition to rethink and upgrade almost every part of the program, from how developer teams are matched to the support available for nonprofits from day one.
2027 Timeline
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration Opens | Week of September 28, 2026 |
| Registration Closes | December 21, 2026 |
| Matching Process | January 4–15, 2027 |
| Indy Team Meetup | January 19, 2027 |
| Kick-Off | January 26, 2027 |
| Development Cycle | 8 weeks development + 2 weeks migration & implementation |
| Site Submission | April 6, 2027 |
| Judging | 3 weeks |
| Awards Ceremony at AccessU | May 11, 2027 |
About AIR
AIR is a global, online competition that pairs Teams of web professionals with Clients to build websites that are accessible to everyone — especially people with disabilities.
AIR doesn’t just teach accessibility. It creates advocates for digital inclusion—among developers and the nonprofits they support. Long after the competition ends, participants become ambassadors for accessibility, helping to shape a more equitable digital world.
Every year, AIR transforms digital spaces by launching dozens of inclusive websites—and you can be part of that change.
New to AIR?
Start with How AIR Works or learn how it all started by reading about the History of AIR.
Who can participate?
Anyone with an interest in making the web more accessible is welcome. AIR is built around three groups:
- Nonprofits, artists, musicians, writers and community foundations and groups — $150. Register as a client to improve the accessibility of an existing website, or get a new one built from the ground up. You don’t need to have a website to enter.
- Web designers, developers, project managers and QA testers — $150 per team of 4–6, or $25 to enter as an individual and be matched. Build your accessibility skills on a real project.
- Experienced accessibility practitioners, volunteer to serve as a team mentor or judge, and help the next wave of developers build the skills you already have. (e.g., “— see Mentors & Judges below”)
Registration fees go toward program costs. Team members volunteer their time to build the sites.
Why join AIR?
For nonprofits, artists, musicians, and community groups (Clients)
- A custom-built, accessible website or site redesign for $150.
- Knowledge and tools to support digital inclusion long after the program ends.
- Expanded reach to donors, volunteers, and new communities.
- Practical experience working with a virtual team.
- A Content Planning Session to get your site structure and messaging right from the start.
- A seat on the team. You’re the client, so the site gets built for you — but we encourage at least one person from your organization to join the team and learn accessibility alongside the developers.
New for Clients in 2027
- More time to plan. Registration lines up with end-of-year giving campaigns, so your community can help cover your $150 participation fee.
- Two new optional sessions. Basic Word and basic PDF (requires Adobe Acrobat Pro, or equivalent software) accessibility training sessions on making the documents you publish work for everyone.
For web professionals across all roles (Team Members)
- Professional accessibility training, included.
- Receive guidance from industry-leading accessibility mentors.
- Work with a Client to create a functional, accessible website.
- Join a global community in a competition that’s genuinely fun.
- Compete for the AIR Award — your team’s work showcased and profiled at the awards ceremony.
New for Team Members in 2027
- A curriculum built for how you work now. Updated training that includes an introduction to methods of vibe coding that will enhance your product’s accessibility as you create it.
- Intentional team matching. Individuals looking for a team are paired with teammates whose skills complement theirs — front-end, content strategy, QA — not just whoever is available.
- New timeline: Development Cycle: 8 weeks development + 2 weeks migration & implementation.
- Recognition at AccessU. Your team’s work is showcased and profiled at the conference, in a room full of people who understand what you built.
For experienced accessibility practitioners (Mentors and Judges)
AIR runs on experienced accessibility practitioners. Mentors work one-on-one with a team through the whole build, watching the designs and code base so issues get caught early and teams get it right the first time. Judges review the finished sites against WCAG criteria and help decide the awards.
If you have the skills, this is a way to put them to work for a dozen mission-driven organizations at once — and to shape how the next wave of developers learns accessibility.
Rally Rules
AIR works because everyone starts on the same page. The Rally Rules lay out how the competition runs — who qualifies, the conditions sites are built under, how judges evaluate it — along with the commitments clients, teams, and mentors make to one another.
Read them before you register; everyone who participates agrees to them.
Registration
Registration for AIR 2027 opens soon. Whether you want to enter as a team, join as an individual looking to be matched, take part as a nonprofit or community organization, or volunteer as a mentor or judge, fill out the Interested in AIR form and we'll email you as soon as registration is live.
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