Existing legislation in many European and some other countries promotes the equality of people with disabilities in all aspects of daily life.  Access to information over the World Wide Web has become one of these key aspects.
The need for accessible websites is not only evidenced in legislation - there is a growing awareness among stakeholders (web developers as well as policy makers) of the importance of creating accessible websites to achieve social cohesion and for other social objectives.
There is a clear role for accessibility assessment tools, standards and guidelines to help web designers, application developers and those who use and support web-based services.  However, some aspects of web accessibility cannot be objectively tested by automated tools or by simple adherence to standards and guidelines. The application of expert judgment is required.
Programmes exist which advocate, and raise the profile of, accessibility - such as Netskills workshops; eAccess: Technology for All events; Nielsen Norman Group Training Tutorials; and other providers.  However, most of these programmes are only offered locally, with widely differing scope and complexity.  Accessibility also needs to be addressed through more formal education and training.
There is a lack of a common European or even international curriculum in the vital area of education and training for web accessibility and design. Therefore, this STS will bring together stakeholders such as educators, eLearning providers, researchers and user representatives to share their knowledge and expertise.
The Chairs invite you to help raise the strategic importance of Accessibility: Education for Web Design.
Indicative areas of interest should include the following, although other areas not listed below may also be considered:

• Curriculum and content
• Didactic approaches: eLearning, blended learning, distance education, assessment
• Accessibility and lifelong learning
• Guidelines, laws and policies
• Heterogeneity of target groups: teachers, students, managers, service providers
• Widening participation: eInclusion, minority and disadvantaged groups
• Accessible tools: authoring, user agents, eLearning platforms
• Management: evaluation, quality mechanisms
• Best practice and demonstrators
• New careers and opportunities
• New ideas and concepts in education for web design