Computer networks were once an invention for geeks. Only few people could access and use them and only few people knew what for. Those times have long passed. Today we live in a digital world and everybody uses the internet every day - well, at least everybody who can get access. Countries have been working hard to build broadband infrastructures that can reach all citizens, but they have been missing out all the people who face accessibility barriers due to disability, literacy, digital literacy and aging.

If only every device could automatically change into a form the user can understand and use – instantly, whenever or wherever the user encounters it.

To accomplish this, an infrastructure has to be built that makes it possible to identify, develop, deliver and use new assistive technologies in an easier, less expensive and more effective way. Like building a road system does not provide transportation but greatly enhances the ability of car companies and others to do so, the Global Public Inclusive Infrastructure (GPII) will make enhancements to the internet that will provide the infrastructure to enable the internet to be truly inclusive for the first time.

The GPII will eventually allow people who cannot use standard interfaces and content to be able to use broadband connected ICT anywhere they encounter them. It will provide these people with the ability to invoke the interface adaptations they need, automatically, on any device, anywhere, anytime -- so they can use the same devices in the same places for all the same purposes as everyone else.

The development of the GPII is currently in progress and several large and medium scale projects, like e.g. Cloud4All and Prosperity4All, are working on it. Also just recently the University of Wisconsin-Madison has been granted $20 million to move research to reality and pilot test the GPII at large scale. More information can be found at www.gpii.net.

In this Special Thematic Session all papers are welcome that

• deal with the GPII itself,
• add input to help with its realisation or
• refer to similar efforts.

Chairs

• 
  Gerhard Nussbaum, KI-I
• 
  Stefan Parker, KI-I