About the Workshop
The 2nd International Workshop on Accessibility Research and Users with Multiple Disabilities or Complex Needs will act as a forum for participants to share their latest work and perspectives related to challenges and opportunities in designing accessible systems and technologies that consider the multidimensional needs of users living with multiple or complex disabilities. We invite plural contributions from scholars in human-computer interaction, engineering, humanities, disability studies, and other sub-domains.
Topics of Interest
We invite presentation proposals from researchers and practitioners interested in designing accessible technologies with and for users with multiple disabilities or complex needs.
Proposals should include a 250-word abstract stating their existing work, new ideas, or their critical position related to the following topics of interest or closely related areas:
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Participatory, inclusive design methods, accessible systems or assistive technologies for users with multiple disabilities or complex needs.
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Adaptive, intelligent, autonomous, AI-based technologies for accessibility and its impact on users with complex needs.
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Multisensory experiences, immersive technologies, and multimodal accessible interfaces.
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Haptics, tangible interfaces, physical computing, and on-body electronics designed with and for users with multiple disabilities or complex needs.
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Critical, social, and ethical aspects in relation to the design and access of technology for users with multiple disabilities or complex needs.
Organizers
Arthur Theil, Birmingham City University
Arthur Theil is a Lecturer in Human-Computer Interaction at the College of Computing at Birmingham City University (UK). His research focuses on the study of novel interaction techniques to support users with diverse sensory abilities. His current focus is on designing accessible interfaces for individuals with multisensory impairments (e.g. deafblindness). Arthur has also conducted accessibility research with older adults who experience age-related changes in sensory, cognitive, and motor abilities. In addition to conducting academic work, Arthur currently also serves on the ACM SIGCHI Accessibility Committee and is part of the Program Committee for the ACM SIGACCESS ASSETS Conference.
Chris Creed, Birmingham City University
Chris Creed is a Professor of Human-Computer Interaction at Birmingham City University (UK) where he leads the HCI Research Group. His core research interest is around the design and development of assistive technology for disabled people (across a range of impairments). He is leading multiple research projects focused around accessibility such as investigating new interface techniques for facilitating creative work via gaze/speech interaction (supported through an Adobe Fund for Design grant), exploring the development of inclusive AR/VR experiences (previously funded by a Meta/Facebook research award), making coding more accessible for people with physical impairments (which has received support from a Google Inclusion Research Award and a Microsoft “AI for Accessibility” grant), and investigating the potential of wearable technology to support young people with special needs (e.g. ADHD) within residential care (funded through Innovate UK). Prof. Creed's research is multidisciplinary in nature and has been conducted in close partnership with national charities, disability and accessibility organisations, special needs colleges, large arts/cultural partners, and disabled people.
Sayan Sarcar, Birmingham City University
Sayan Sarcar is a Lecturer in Human-Computer Interaction within the College of Computing at Birmingham City University (UK). His research sits at the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Accessibility. His research emphasises improving human individual abilities through developing intelligent systems using design and modelling practices, specifically focused on individual differences in users’ sensorimotor abilities.
Craig Anderton, Birmingham City University
Craig Anderton is a PhD student at the College of Computing at Birmingham City University (UK). His research interests include immersive technologies (Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality, AR/VR), Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), and accessibility. His PhD research explores designing haptic technologies for sensory augmentation in immersive environments, with a focus on VR guidance and navigation. Craig's previous research includes investigating sign language in VR, for which he was awarded the gold medal in the ACM Student Research Competition at ASSETS 2022.
Nasrine Olson, University of Borås
Nasrine Olson is an Associate Professor in the field of Library and Information Science at SSLIS, University of Borås, Sweden. Core research interests relate to issues of power and the relationship between day-to-day action, and broader societal structures. In the more recent years the focus has been on the societal implication of ICTs and information practices that enable or hinder the potential for equal opportunity for all. Towards this, Nasrine has adopted participatory practices in her research and has developed methodologies and technical innovations for haptic communication. She has also been instrumental in creating research environments that promote, and lead to, improved inclusive technologies and environments by coordinating projects such as EU-funded projects SUITCEYES (H2020 – 2018-2021 -- among others it included development of haptic technologies for communication with, and by, users with deafblindness) and MuseIT (HE – 2022-2025 -- among others it involves development of multisensory representation of cultural assets for broader accessibility). Nasrine is also the director of an interdisciplinary research centre called INCLUDE – Centre for Inclusive Studies, where through critical examination the ideology of normal, the unequal treatments of societal members will be explored.
Raymond Holt, University of Leeds
Raymond Holt is a Lecturer in Product Design in the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Leeds (UK), where he is a member of the Institute of Design, Robotics and Optimisation, the Immersive Cognition Lab and the Centre for Disability Studies. His core research interests are the study of haptic perception and prehension and the cocreation of assistive and rehabilitation technologies with users. He has led co-creation activities on two rehabilitation robotics projects funded by the National Institute for Health Research, and led the Leverhulme Trust-funded project Facilitating Meaningful Play for Disabled Children through Participatory Design. He has recently been part of the European Commission funded project SUITCEYES (http://suitceyes.eu), where he led activities on the sensing and navigation elements, and is currently extending this work as part of the Wellcome Trust-funded Imagining Technologies for Disability Futures project (http://itdfproject.org).