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<h2 id="history">History</h2> <p>A4L was founded as a working group for the Schools Interoperability Framework in 1997 by vendors with the support of the <a href="/facts/Software_and_Information_Industry_Association/dq5KgW7n">Software and Information Industry Association</a> (SIIA). In April 2003, SIFA was incorporated with it and activities within SIF projects of the SIIA were transferred to the current corporation.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> On May 20, 2015 the name of the organization was changed to the Access For Learning Community, as an indicator of a new emphasis on being over all solutions-oriented for the community rather than strictly advocating the SIF specification. </p> <h2 id="organization">Organization</h2> <p>A4L Members elect officials every year for terms on the Association's Board of Directors. There is a global Board of Directors and a Management Board for each region supported by the community: the <a href="/facts/United_States/P0sCdLe5">United States</a>, <a href="/facts/United_Kingdom/kuPAILt2">United Kingdom</a>, <a href="/facts/Australia/qLHpbppq">Australia</a>, and New Zealand. Likewise each region has a Technical Board. Each regional Technical Board is composed of the lead of each A4L Project Team and Task Force and four members elected At-Large by the membership. The A4L Technical Board Members serve a one-year term.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="members">Members</h2> <p>A4L members collaborate on a variety of technical standards sometimes collectively known as the <a href="/facts/Schools_Interoperability_Framework/GshE3p0J">Schools Interoperability Framework</a> (or "SIF"). </p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Schools_Interoperability_Framework/GshE3p0J">Schools Interoperability Framework</a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="http://www.A4L.org">Official website</a></li> <li><a href="https://secure2.cpsd.us/a4l/">Student Data Privacy Consortium (SDPC) Website</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Introducing the A4L Community" (PDF) (Press release). May 20, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-11-19. Retrieved November 4, 2015. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151119062553/https://www.sifassociation.org/NewsRoom/Press%20Releases/Introducing%20the%20Access%204%20Learning%20Community.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20151119062553/https://www.sifassociation.org/NewsRoom/Press%20Releases/Introducing%20the%20Access%204%20Learning%20Community.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"SIF Association Remakes Itself". The Journal. June 2, 2015. Retrieved December 20, 2017. <a href="https://thejournal.com/articles/2015/06/02/sif-association-remakes-itself-to-focus-on-data-usage-in-schools.aspx" target="_blank">https://thejournal.com/articles/2015/06/02/sif-association-remakes-itself-to-focus-on-data-usage-in-schools.aspx</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"SIF Certification". Archived from the original on 2007-12-24. Retrieved 2007-12-10. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071224003339/http://certification.sifinfo.org/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20071224003339/http://certification.sifinfo.org/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"Schools Interoperability Framework to Incorporate As Separate Non-Profit Entity". PR Newswire (Press release). Cision. April 24, 2003. Archived from the original on December 16, 2012. Retrieved December 20, 2017 – via archive.is. <a href="https://archive.today/20121216104511/http://prnwire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/04-24-2003/0001932919&EDATE=" target="_blank">https://archive.today/20121216104511/http://prnwire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/04-24-2003/0001932919&EDATE=</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Organization of the SIF Association". Archived from the original on 2009-06-15. Retrieved 2009-06-15. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090615114921/http://www.sifinfo.org/us/organization-sif.asp" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20090615114921/http://www.sifinfo.org/us/organization-sif.asp</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>