About NCAM

NCAM is dedicated to making media and all forms of electronic communication fully accessible to people with disabilities. By advancing digital accessibility, we help organizations broaden their reach and deepen their impact. Through strategic collaboration with industry leaders, NCAM promotes inclusive content, interactivity, and functionality across the digital landscape.

NCAM drives innovation in technology and public policy by conducting research, developing demonstration models and standards, and engaging in advocacy and outreach. These efforts have significantly advanced accessibility across a wide range of digital platforms—including web technologies, streaming media, interactive tools, e-book systems, learning platforms, digital libraries, and mobile content.

Recognizing that accessibility looks different across industries, audiences, and products, NCAM customizes its services to align with evolving needs, trends, and expectations. By making digital products and services accessible, organizations can expand their reach and create more inclusive experiences for all users.

Through strategic partnerships, NCAM has collaborated with forward-thinking industries committed to embedding accessibility into every stage of the digital experience—from content creation to user interaction and functionality.

Our work has made a lasting impact across dozens of sectors, including:

• Academic publishing
• Higher education institutions
• Electronics and technology companies
• Online retail
• Media production and broadcasting
• Government agencies (local, state, and federal)
• Software, hardware, and app development
• Cultural institutions, amusement parks, and stadiums
• Credentialing and certification organizations
• Legal services
• Airlines

The National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) was originally founded in 1991 under its name: the Media Access Research and Development Office (MARDO), which was a pioneering facility dedicated to examining the needs and desires of audiences traditionally denied access to media in all forms. In 1993, with funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), MARDO was renamed the National Center for Accessible Media, which was quickly condensed to the now-familiar acronym, NCAM (pronounced "N-CAM"). In 2006, NCAM received a major five-year gift from the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation to complement NCAM's federal, corporate and foundation support. In recognition, NCAM was renamed the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family National Center for Accessible Media at WGBH.

NCAM is an extension of WGBH's ground-breaking work in media accessibility that began in 1972 with the establishment of The Caption Center and the development of captioning for television viewers who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. In 1990, WGBH's access mission was expanded by the development of video description for television audiences who are blind and visually impaired, and the establishment of Descriptive Video Services (DVS). NCAM's work in Web accessibility stretches back to 1996, when it launched the Web Access Project, one of the first studies focusing on accessible online materials.

We invite you to take a look back at the evolution of creating media that can be used, read and viewed by people with disabilities.