alistair@MINSTER.YORK.AC.UK (Alistair Edwards) (01/10/91)
Index Number: 12779
[This is from the BLIND-L mailing list]
Human Interface Club, Models and Methods for Interactive Systems
Design Special Interest Group
Workshop on
HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION AND USERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
The King's Manor
The University of York
Monday 11th February 1991
A great deal of effort in the field of human-computer interaction is
concerned with matching the interface to individual users. There is a
realization that there is no such person as 'the average' user, that people
have different abilities and experience which must be accounted for if they
are to optimize their interaction. Some users have extreme differences in
abilities, so extreme that they are often labelled as special needs or
disabilities. Whereas in the past, accommodating such users has largely been
the province of small numbers of individuals, research in human-computer
interaction is now reaching a stage whereby it embraces this wider
constituency.
The purpose of this workshop will be to bring together people who have been
working in this area, to share their experience with each other and with
other interested parties. To that end, the workshop will be based on the
theme:
What has HCI to offer to users with special needs - and vice versa?
There is an increasing need for developments in this area, not the least
because there is already legislation in effect in the United States which
obliges manufactures to address the needs of disabled workers. Similar
legislation is also being considered for adoption in the European Community.
Research in this area is obviously of benefit to people with disabilities, of
whom there are a significant number. It does also have wider implications for
the discipline of human-computer interaction in general. Research aimed at
making computers more accessible to people with special needs can act as a
forcing function for HCI research in general. Difficult problems often cannot
be side-stepped and have to be faced head-on. This is likely to produce spin-
offs which feed back into mainstream HCI work. For instance, blind users
cannot use visual displays, and work on developing auditory equivalents is
likely to result in the formulation of principles which can be applied to the
design of mixed visual and auditory interfaces for other users.
There will be presentations from the invited speakers listed below, combined
with opportunities for discussions.
Paul Blenkhorn Enabling blind people to use standard software using
Dolphin Systems speech synthesis
Alistair Edwards Special needs are not so special.
York University
Alan Newell Ordinary and extra-ordinary HCI, parallels and
Dundee University possibilities
Phil Odor Who chooses the metaphor?
Edinburgh University
Harold Thimbleby Computers have no 'special needs' yet they can hardly
Stirling University use anything. What's gone wrong?
Tom Vincent People with disabilities and HCI: too much theory -
Open University not enough practice?
Attendance at the workshop will cost 25 pounds including lunch (10 pounds
for students). If you wish to attend, please fill in and return the
attached form. All payments should be made out to The University of York.
The workshop will be held in The King's Manor, Exhibition Square, York
(note this is not on the university campus) and will start at 10 am.
Further details, including travel directions and a programme will be send
on receipt of your registration.
Please direct any enquiries to:
Alistair Edwards
Department of Computer Science
University of York
York
YO1 5DD
Janet: alistair-wkshop@uk.ac.york.minster
phone: (0904) 432775
fax: (0904) 432767
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Registration for the Workshop on HCI and Users with Special Needs
King's Manor, University of York, 11 February 1991
Name:
Department:
Institution:
Address:
Postcode: Phone number:
Email address:
Please indicate if you have any special needs about which we should be aware
(wheelchair access, braille copies of text etc.)
Please return this form with payment for 25 pounds (or 10 pounds), made out to
The University of York.