Call for Participation Introduction
We invite submissions for ASSETS 2005 in the following categories:
The ASSETS conference is a forum for disseminating the results of innovative
scientific research that is being conducted to investigate computer technologies
and their use by persons with disabilities. This conference also serves as
a forum for sharing state-of-the-art design and development efforts that are
aimed at creating assistive systems and universal designs for persons with
disabilities. The meeting is designed in a way to encourage the exchange of
ideas both in the formal paper sessions as well as informal evening sessions
and social interactions. This is a single-track conference in order to encourage
group participation.
Questions about the focus, structure or venue of the conference should be
directed to the Conference Chair, Andrew Sears.
About Papers
Papers present significant contributions to research, development and practice
in all areas of the field of assistive technologies and universal accessibility.
All accepted papers are presented at the ASSETS 2005 Conference and appear
in the ASSETS 2005 Conference Proceedings. Regardless of the type of contribution,
a paper must break new ground, advancing the scientific knowledge base. The
paper must contribute a clear benefit to the audience you address. Papers undergo
a rigorous review process by a large pool of volunteers drawn from the international
technical community of researchers and practitioners. The content and presentation
of submitted papers must be acceptable as received. The review process attempts
to ensure that papers are assessed rigorously and without bias by applying
the same comprehensive set of criteria to every paper. Accordingly, all papers
should be prepared with consideration of these criteria:
Contribution and Benefit. A paper must make
a clear contribution to an identified area of
Assistive Technology and/or Universal Accessibility . It should be evident how general the contribution is, and how
the audience to which the paper is addressed will benefit. Papers making one
clear, significant contribution are more likely to be accepted than papers
making several lesser contributions.
Validity. To benefit from its contribution, a paper's readers must be able
to make use of its results with confidence. Thus, the paper must provide evidence
of the validity of its results. Methods for establishing validity vary depending
on the nature of the contribution. They may involve empirical work in the laboratory
or the field, the description of rationales for design decisions and approaches,
applications of analytical techniques, or “proof of concept” system implementations.
Originality. The paper must cite previously published work. It should show
both how it builds on previous contributions, and how, where, and why it goes
beyond what is currently known.
Clarity. The paper must be clearly and concisely written in international
English, with appropriate use of tables and figures.
Presentation. Authors of accepted papers will be expected to prepare a 20-25
minute formal presentation during which the essence of the papers will be conveyed
to the audience. Details about presentation duration, audiovisual support,
etc. will be sent to authors well in advance of the conference.
>> Papers submission instructions
About Panels
Panels stimulate thought and discussion about ideas and issues of interest
to the ASSETS community. They typically focus on controversial or emerging
topics and are designed to explore a range of different viewpoints. Domain
experts conduct an interactive discussion with the overall goal of helping
audience members to broaden their understanding of the issues and perhaps to
even modify their views. Panels last 90 minutes and typically include three
to five panelists plus a moderator. A discussant may be used, but is not required.
Topics. Panels may be held on a wide range of topics. Whatever the topic,
the panel should focus on controversial or unresolved issues. Panels are an
especially appropriate format for discussing pressing questions in practice
and theory, emerging trends and technologies, and social issues associated
with technology.
Panels may take many approaches. Some are analytic; they analyze and synthesize
current practices in various fields. Some are comparative; they compare distinct
approaches, techniques, and models to a particular problem including evaluation,
design, and implementation. Other panels are historic; they revisit the past
as a means to inform the present. Panels should target a specific audience,
and submissions need to identify this audience (e.g. newcomers to ASSETS, practitioners,
researchers, etc.). We encourage the submission of new types of panels, particularly
those that stimulate a high degree of interaction among the panelists and between
the panelists and the audience.
Format. It is important that panels be designed to enable spontaneous, interactive
discussion. One approach is to limit each panelist to an initial 5-minute position
statement. Then the panel takes questions posed by the moderator, and later
by the audience. Another format, one that has been quite successful in past
ASSETS conferences, is a formal debate, with position statements and rebuttals,
all on a strict time schedule. You are strongly encouraged to be creative and
suggest other formats, as long as they stimulate interaction and discussion.
Review Process. A multidisciplinary group drawn from industry and academia
will independently review each proposal. We are looking for stimulating and
timely issues debated by well-informed and engaging panelists. Controversy
is encouraged, as are unique and diverse topics. We are especially interested
in formats that generate interaction and discussion among panelists and with
the audience; this is not the place for a series of prepared presentations.
>> Panel submission instructions
About Posters
The Posters category provides an opportunity to present exciting new findings,
ongoing work that has demonstrated special promise, preliminary results, or
work that is timely and still in a state to be influenced by questions and
discussions. The goal for this category is to provide a brief, concise report
of work that is important and likely to have high impact on the ASSETS community,
and is well suited for discussion between the presenter and attendees.
Format. Considerations of submissions to the posters category of the ASSETS
2005 conference are based on the merit of a two-page paper proposal that is
submitted for peer review. The proposal should include: a concise description
of the idea; your results or findings; implications of your work to the field
of assistive technology and universal accessibility; and recommendations for
further investigation. Full literature searches are not expected, although
relevant citations should be included. Summaries of wider findings or reduced
versions of longer papers are not suitable for the posters submission category.
Proposals will be reviewed, and accepted proposals will be included in the conference proceedings.
Review Process. Each submission will be reviewed on the basis of its contribution
to the field, evaluations or demonstration of the results, originality of the
work, and quality of the written presentation. A multidisciplinary group drawn
from industry and academia will independently review each proposal.
Presentation. Once posters are selected for presentation at the conference,
the authors are expected to prepare a professionally rendered poster that conveys
the essence of the work. Accepted poster presenters will receive details well
in advance of the conference regarding the size and format of their posters,
as well as information regarding display of their posters at the conference.
>> Posters submission instructions
About Demonstrations
A demonstration is a live presentation of a running system, a technique, or
a methodology to an audience with accompanying dialogue between the presenter
and the audience. Demonstrations offer an opportunity to show the ASSETS 2005
audience an innovative interface concept, system, solution, technique, or methodology.
The demonstration should be of a running system or prototype.
Format. Considerations of submissions to the demonstrations category of the
ASSETS 2005 conference are based on the merit of a two-page paper proposal
that is submitted for peer review. The proposal should address the system's
contribution to the field, the originality of the work, proper referencing of research or practical claims,
and of closely related work, the maturity of the concept, system, or technique, and the manner in
which the demonstration will be presented at the conference. Proposals will be reviewed, and accepted proposals will be included in the conference proceedings.
Review Process. Refereed demonstration submissions will be reviewed for both
technical content and presentation. Demonstrations that are judged to have
little or no technical merit, or that appear to be advertisements, will not
be accepted. A multidisciplinary group drawn from industry and academia will
independently review each proposal.
Presentation. Once demonstrations are selected for presentation at the conference,
the authors are expected to prepare a live demo that conveys the essence of
the work. Accepted demonstrations presenters will receive details well in advance
of the conference regarding the logistics of this venue.
>> Demonstrations submission
instructions
About the Doctoral Consortium
The ASSETS 2005 Doctoral Consortium provides an opportunity for doctoral students to explore their research interests in an interdisciplinary workshop, under the guidance of a panel of distinguished experts in the field. The Doctoral Consortium will also offer invited speakers and discussion groups.
The Consortium has the following objectives:
- To provide doctoral students working in the field of assistive technologies with a friendly and open forum to present their research ideas, listen to ongoing work from peer students, and receive constructive feedback.
- To provide students with relevant information about important issues for doctoral candidates and future academics.
- To develop a supportive community of scholars and a spirit of collaborative research.
- To support a new generation of researchers with information and advice on academic, research, industrial, and nontraditional career paths.
The Consortium is designed for students currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program, though we are also open to exceptions (e.g., students currently in a Masters program, who are interested in doctoral studies, and are currently working on a research thesis). The Consortium is for students at any stage of their doctoral studies, but applicants are expected to be conducting research in the field(s) of assistive and/or accessible technologies. Topics of interest include (but are not limited to) work on technologies to support:
- individuals with motor impairments;
- individuals with hearing, sight and other sensory impairments;
- individuals with memory, learning, and cognitive disabilities;
- clinicians and teachers in assessing disabilities and using assistive and/or accessible technologies.
The Consortium allows participants to interact with established researchers and with other students, through presentations, question-answer sessions, panel discussions, and invited presentations. The Doctoral Consortium will provide the possibility to reflect - through short activities, information sessions, and discussions - on the processes and lessons of research and life in academia. Each participant will give a short, critiqued, research presentation.
Several distinguished faculty members and researchers in the field of Assistive Technologies and Universal Accessibility will join in evaluating the submission packets and will participate in the Doctoral Consortium, providing feedback to the presenters. The list of the discussants will be published at a later date.
The Doctoral Consortium will be held on Sunday October 9, 2005. Student participants receive complimentary conference registration and travel reimbursement.
>> Doctoral Consortium
submission instructions
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