Chair: Dr. Rodolfo Cattani (European Blind Union), Italy
inter@uiciechi.it
The European Blind Union, member of the EuroAccessibility Consortium is organizing a Special Thematic Session with the title «Computer and telematic technology for the blind, deafblind and partially sighted» during the 9th International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs (ICCHP 2004), 7-9 July 2004, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
In the very broad area of people with visual disabilities there are at least three main groups: blind people, partially sighted people and deafblind people. For all these groups the advent of computer technology has opened new unforeseen possibilities to access information, education, culture and employment.
The impetuous progress of ICTs in the information and knowledge based society has not completely excluded people with severe sensory impairments thanks to the strenuous efforts which have been performed in the sector of assistive technology. Special devices and softwares have been developed in order to allow blind and partially sighted users to acquire full knowledge and suitable abilities necessary to carry out various professional activities related to ICTs. Despite the positive results that have been achieved resorting to assistive technology, it has become clearer and clearer that the main road towards a real inclusion of blind and partially sighted people in the information society could be obtained through the implementation of the principle of design-for-all.
Design-for-all simply means designing mainstream products and services to be accessible by as broad a range of users as possible. This new perspective of promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in the information and knowledge based society should not be seen as in contradiction with the implementation of assistive technology solutions, which are not likely to be given up in the future, but should become the main priority of technological research and provision of goods and services for people with special needs. Recent experience has shown that also deafblind people are able to become computer literate and to use the internet if they have at their disposal the appropriate technological equipment (e.g. the Mercurio project of the Italian Union of the Blind).
The aim of the thematic session should be to investigate the possibility to find a reasonable balance between the philosophy of design-for-all and the need for assistive technology in the field of visual disabilities.
Important dates
· Jannuary 25, 2004: The extended abstracts (two pages) will be submitted via the official conference web site (please include the name of the STS and/or the STS chair in your abstract). It is also recommended to send a copy to the STS chair (inter@uiciechi.it ).
· February, 29, 2004: Notification of acceptance - all accepted contributions for this STS will be listed on this web page.
· March, 14, 2004: Preliminary Programme ready.
· April, 1, 2004: Authors must have registered.
· April, 15, 2004: Deadline for final papers in the format requested by the organizers.
Looking forward to receiving your contributions.