After the launch of the Mobile Web Initiative at the World Wide Web Conference 2005 we are beginning to realise that, today, mobile Web access suffers from interoperability and usability problems that make the Web difficult to use. With the move to small screen size, low bandwidth, and different operating modalities, technology is in effect simulating the sensory and cognitive impairments experienced by disabled users within the wider population of mobile device users. In this our 3rd Workshop we ask the question:

"Is engineering, designing, and building for the mobile Web just a rehash of the same old Web accessibility problems?"

Shari Trewin, for - Physical Usability and the Mobile Web

• Read the W4A 2006 Special Issue in
  'UAIS' [NOT YET AVAILABLE]
• Read the W4A 2006 Workshop Report Online at the ACM DL
• Read the W4A 2006 Proceedings Online at the ACM DL
• Goto the W4A 2006 Workshop Site

Previous engineering approaches seem to have precluded the engineering of accessible systems. This is plainly unsatisfactory. Designers, authors, and technologist are at present playing 'catch-up' with a continually moving target in an attempt to retrofit systems. In-fact engineering accessible interfaces is as important as their functionality's and should be an indivisible part of the development. We should be engineering accessibility as part of the development and not as afterthought or because government restrictions and civil law requires us to. Our workshop will bringing together a cross section of the web design and engineering communities; to report on developments, discuss the issues, and suggest cross-pollinated solutions. Bambang Parmanto et. al., for - AcceSS: accessibility through simplification and summarization

• Read the W4A 2005 Special Issue in the
  'Journal of Web Engineering'
• Read the W4A 2005 Workshop Report Online at the ACM DL
• Read the W4A 2005 Proceedings Online at the ACM DL
• Goto the W4A 2005 Workshop Site

Layout and structure are key to good visual design. They are the conduit for both the content and the graphics. They are also very important for disabled (e.g. dyslexic users) people and specifically visually impaired users, as they need to be quickly and easily interacted with. This workshop aims to address layout, structure, and presentation from the viewpoint of accessibility and good visual design; where these are in opposition, the workshop aims to facilitate discussion between interested parties so that a solution (or at least the beginners of a solution) can be formulated. The workshop organizers support inclusive design or 'design for all' however how can this be the case if users have differing needs? The organizers also assert that no one should be hindered when interacting with layout. Will making layout accessible hinder sighted or 'conventional' users?

• Read the W4A 2004 Special Issue in the
  'New Review of Hypermedia and Multimedia'
• Read the W4A 2004 Workshop Report Online at the ACM DL
• Read the W4A 2004 Proceedings Online at the ACM DL
• Goto the W4A 2004 Workshop Site