[games_access] [2nd CFP] 1st Workshop on Game Accessibility: Xtreme Interaction Design (GAXID'11)

[Eelke Folmer]

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                         GAXID 2011 - CALL FOR PAPERS

1st Workshop on Game Accessibility: Xtreme Interaction Design (GAXID)
   In conjunction with Foundations of Digital Interactive Games 2011
                 Bordeaux France | June 28, 2011
                      http://ga.fdg2011.org
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Video games have evolved from an obscure pastime to a force of change
that is transforming the way people perceive, learn about, and
interact with the world around them. The emergence of more natural,
immersive and healthier forms of interaction --through the use of
whole-body gestures-- has propelled video gaming to the cutting edge
of human computer interaction design. Currently, an estimated 63% of
the U.S. population plays video games. Beyond pure entertainment,
video games are increasingly used for more serious applications such
as education, rehabilitation and health. Unfortunately a significant
number of people encounter barriers when playing video games, due to a
disability, though the social, educational and health opportunities
currently offered by games could potentially benefit them the most.

How can you control an avatar in a first person shooter using an eye
tracker? How do you play an exercise game without visual feedback?
How can you play guitar hero without music or audio? How do you play a
real time strategy game using switch input?  An ”extreme interaction
design” approach is required to engineer access solutions for the most
extreme players that can: (1) meet the stringent access requirements
of games; (2) convey large amounts of feedback using compensatory
modalities; (3) reduce large amounts of input provision to their
essence; while keeping the (multiplayer) game balanced and fair to
play for able bodied players.

The objective of this workshop is building an active research
community that can generate ideas that have the potential to
significantly advance this emerging field and turn disability into a
driver of innovation for player-game-interaction.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Experiences/case studies with accessible games for players with
visual, cognitive, motor and auditory impairments.
- User studies with accessible games and studies that assess how
different impairments affect the ability to play games.
- Understanding requirements of players with disabilities.
- Novel Game Interfaces and Player Game Interaction Techniques.
- Sensory Substitution (Sonification/Haptification) Interfaces.
- Reduced Input Control schemes (Scanning).
- Adaptive Interfaces for games.
- Social/Inclusive Gaming.
- Game Interfaces for Elderly / Children.
- Metrics/Evaluation Methods for games accessibility
- Guidelines for developing accessible games
- Cost benefit analysis of accessible games
- Educators, Health Researchers working with players with disabilities.

For detailed and up-to-date information about GAXID 2011, please visit
ga.fdg2011.org

Important Dates
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Paper submission deadline:      March 24, 2011
Paper acceptance notifications: April 20, 2011
Workshop held:                  June  28, 2011

Submissions
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Short, 4-page position papers are invited and will be selected based
on their quality, innovation, and the potential of fostering
discussion. Contributors to this workshop will be invited to submit an
extended paper for a special issue of the journal Universal Access in
The Information Society. The workshop will be a full-day event and
will consist of presentations of posters, demoes of accessible games,
as well as group discussions. At least one author needs to register
for the workshop and for at least one day of the conference.

Organizing Committee
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Eelke Folmer, University of Nevada, Reno
Sri Kurniawan, University of California, Santa Cruz
Lennart Nacke, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon