TeachAids

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Nonprofit social enterprise

title: "TeachAids" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["companies-based-in-palo-alto,-california", "educational-software-companies", "free-and-open-source-software-organizations", "hiv/aids-prevention-organizations", "international-charities", "charities-based-in-california", "organizations-established-in-2009", "science-education-software", "social-enterprises", "health-charities-in-the-united-states", "medical-and-health-organizations-based-in-california", "hiv/aids-organizations-in-the-united-states"] description: "Nonprofit social enterprise" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TeachAids" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Nonprofit social enterprise ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox organization"]

Field	Value
name	TeachAids
logo
[[File:TeachAIDS logotype 2018.svg	200px
type	U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit
founded_date	2009
founders	Piya Sorcar
Clifford Nass
Shuman Ghosemajumder
Ashwini Doshi
location	Palo Alto, California
area_served	Worldwide
origins	Stanford University
key_people	Piya Sorcar (CEO)
focus	education technology
homepage	teachaids.org
::

TeachAids (pronounced ) is a nonprofit social enterprise that develops global health education technology products for HIV/AIDS, concussions, and COVID-19, based on an approach invented through research at Stanford University.

The TeachAids software for HIV education, their first area of focus, has been cited as a model health intervention. Since the materials bypass issues of stigma, they allow HIV prevention education to be provided to communities where it has previously not been allowed. In other communities, the tutorials provide the highest learning effects and comfort rates of any tested educational approach. Shabana Azmi, Nagarjuna and Sudeep Ssanjeev. In Botswana, they include musicians Scar, Zeus, and former President of Botswana, Festus Mogae.

TeachAids operates globally, with its software in use in more than 80 countries. funded by sponsorships, grants, and donations. Backers include Barclays, Cigna, Covington & Burling, Google, Microsoft, UNICEF, and Yahoo!.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Festus_Mogea_with_George_Bush_July_10,_2003.jpg" caption="Former [[President of Botswana]], [[Festus Mogae]] (right), a TeachAids advisor, helped bring the tutorials to Botswana."] ::

TeachAids began in 2005 as a research project at Stanford University. From 2005 to 2009, a new interdisciplinary approach to HIV/AIDS education was developed through IRB-approved research by Piya Sorcar. Key advisors included professors Shelley Goldman (Learning Sciences), Martin Carnoy (Comparative Education), Cheryl Koopman (Psychiatry), Randall Stafford (Epidemiology), and Clifford Nass (Communication).

The project's goal was to find a way to address the frequently taboo subjects associated with sexual issues and HIV/AIDS specifically. One major finding was that 2D cartoon figures were the optimal balance between comfort and clarity in terms of visual representation for sex-related topics. On that basis, animated storyboards were created which emphasized the biological aspects of HIV transmission and used cultural euphemisms to overcome social stigma. In addition, specific pedagogical techniques (e.g., instructional scaffolding) were utilized to create a coherent conception of HIV transmission for learners, as opposed to the fragmented knowledge created by mass media campaigns.

Early research versions of the software were sponsored by Time Warner, the Government of South Korea, and Neeru Khosla, and used custom illustrations drawn by Sorcar's father, award-winning animator Manick Sorcar.

TeachAids was spun out of Stanford in 2009 as an independent 501(c)(3) organization, co-founded by Piya Sorcar, Clifford Nass, Shuman Ghosemajumder, and Ashwini Doshi.

Celebrity partners

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/Amitabh_Bachchan_-TeachAIDS_Recording_Session(19284544383).jpg" caption="TeachAIDS character of [[Amitabh Bachchan]] (left); Bachchan in 2013 TeachAids recording session (right)"] ::

The TeachAids interactive software implements animated avatars of cultural icons to improve pedagogical efficacy. Over time, numerous international actors, musicians, and celebrities have lent their voices and likenesses to the TeachAids materials. These include:

The TeachAids advisory board includes film director Mahesh Bhatt, HIV/AIDS treatment pioneer Nimmagadda Prasad, Global Fund for Women founder Anne Firth Murray, and former President of Botswana Festus Mogae. Actress Amala Akkineni is a trustee of TeachAids in India.

In 2020, Kate Courtney starred in a concussion education video for their CrashCourse virtual reality series.

Worldwide use

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/Suriya_-TeachAIDS_Recording_Session(13567066435).jpg" caption="Suriya at a TeachAIDS campaign" alt=""] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Anushka_Shetty_-TeachAIDS_Recording_Session(12106643625).jpg" caption="Actress [[Anushka Shetty]] in 2013 TeachAIDS recording session"] ::

The TeachAids tutorials are available for free online and are used in more than 80 countries around the world, distributed by over 200 partner organizations. Numerous AIDS service organizations, AIDS education and training centers, NGOs, and government agencies distribute and utilize the tutorials as part of their own HIV/AIDS prevention efforts. Some of the organizations partnered with TeachAids include CARE, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and the U.S. Peace Corps.

In India, the National AIDS Control Organisation approved the TeachAids materials in January 2010, marking the first time HIV/AIDS education could be provided decoupled from sex education. Later that year, the Government of Karnataka approved the materials for their state of 50 million and committed to distributing them in 5,500 government schools. In Assam, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi helped launched TeachAids. and other Indian states have also joined with official support and distribution.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/TeachAIDS_Screenshots_1_(5386016934).jpg" caption="Screenshot from the TeachAIDS software"] ::

In Botswana, the TeachAids tutorials were adopted nationally as the standard method for HIV/AIDS education. In 2011, the Ministry of Education began distributing the tutorials to every primary, secondary, and tertiary educational institution in the country, reaching all learners from 6 to 24 years of age nationwide. June 15 in Botswana was declared "National TeachAIDS Day".

In the United States, the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education distributes the tutorials on CD along with a custom educator handbook, both of which are made available at no cost.

The creation of TeachAids has been cited as an important innovation in achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goal for combating the spread of HIV/AIDS.

In 2012, TeachAids was named one of 12 global laureates by The Tech Awards, referred to as the "Nobel prize of tech philanthropy".

References

Mahafreed Irani. (24 September 2011). "Moving pictures, moving minds". [[The Times of India]].
Paromita Pain. (5 September 2011). "Overcoming barriers through technology". [[The Hindu]].
(2008). "Health Communication in the New Media Landscape". Springer Publishing.
Max McClure. (25 July 2012). "Stanford-affiliated nonprofit sets standard for AIDS education". [[Stanford University]].
(23 August 2011). "TR35: Piya Sorcar: Software that can be localized to teach taboo topics". [[MIT Technology Review]].
(27 November 2010). "Star touch to animated film on HIV/AIDS". [[The New Indian Express]].
"Amitabh Bachchan Joins S.F. Bay Area Nonprofit TeachAids". India West.
(26 November 2010). "Animated film to educate students on HIV". [[The Times of India]].
(27 November 2010). "Animation lessons on HIV/AIDS awareness released". [[The Hindu]].
(16 September 2010). "Former President of Botswana, Festus Mogae, joins TeachAIDS Advisory Board". TeachAIDS.
Cat Johnson. (14 January 2015). "10 Game-Changing Projects from Creative Commons' Team Open". Shareable.
"Barclays: Supporting our Communities". [[Barclays]].
(21 October 2012). "Tech Laureate TeachAIDS Expands in India". India West.
(2011). "Public Service Activities 2011". [[Covington & Burling]].
(20 July 2010). "UNICEF Botswana Annual Report 2010". [[UNICEF]].
Anya Kamenetz. (10 April 2013). "Research finally shows that online education works—for sex, alcohol, and health". [[NBC News]].
Piya Sorcar. (1 March 2009). "Teaching Taboo Topics Without Talking About Them: An Epistemic Study of a New Approach to HIV/AIDS Prevention Education in India". [[Stanford University]].
(1 December 2007). "Let's NOT Talk About Sex, Baby". [[New America Media]].
[https://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Research-Digital-Media-Advertising/dp/1605667927 Handbook of Research on Digital Media and Advertising]. Matthew Eastin, Terry Daugherty, Neal Burns. Information Science Reference, July 31, 2010. {{ISBN
(16 December 2010). "About TeachAids". TeachAIDS.
(22 November 2013). "Hush-Hush Topic Gets a Voice". [[The Telegraph (Calcutta).
(19 December 2014). "Shruti Haasan lends her voice for AIDS awareness". [[Indian Express]].
Cyclingnews. (2020-07-14). "Kate Courtney presents CrashCourse concussion brain fly-through".
(15 January 2010). "National AIDS Control Organisation of India approves TeachAIDS curriculum". TeachAIDS.
(7 June 2010). "Karnataka government to implement TeachAIDS tutorials in 5,500 schools". TeachAIDS.
(2013). "Partnership between APSACS and TeachAIDS". [[Andhra Pradesh]] State AIDS Control Society.
(16 December 2010). "TeachAIDS Educator Handbook: A Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Prevention Curriculum".
(2015). "Millennium Development Goals Technology Road Map". Global Wire Books.
(2012). "The Tech Awards Laureate: TeachAIDS". [[The Tech Awards]].
(30 September 2012). "28 Award Winners Highlight Innovation in Social Entrepreneurship". [[Forbes]].
(21 September 2010). "Tech Museum chooses honorees for annual awards". [[San Jose Mercury News]].

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