Invited Speakers
 | D. Michelle Hinn AbleGamers Foundation International Game Developers Association |
Biography
Michelle Hinn is an instructor at the University of Illinois where she teaches game design and developmental psychology courses. She was recently named one of Edge Magazine's 100 Most Influential Women in Gaming based on her work as chair of the International Game Developer's Association's Game Accessibility Group and has won one of the IGDA's "Most Valuable Player" awards. Michelle is also the co-chair of the IGDA's Diversity committee and serves on the advisory board of the IGDA's Women in Games SIG. She also serves as Vice President of AbleGamers Foundation - a non-profit started to support gamers with disabilities.
Michelle completed her doctorate at the University of Illinois (2009) in HCI. Michelle has worked at Microsoft Game Studios where she focused on piloting usability tests for Xbox multiplayer games. Additionally, she has worked for Computer Sciences Corporation, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), and the University of Nevada at Reno. She is the co-editor of the 2001 book Visions of Quality: How Evaluators Define, Understand, and Represent Program Quality and is on the editorial board of the Computers in Entertainment magazine. She has a new chapter on Game Accessibility that came out in March 2009 in Chris Crawford's book "Beyond Game Design" and is currently working on a textbook on Game Accessibility published by Charles River Media based on her doctoral thesis.
| Speech Title: | "Video Games and Players with Disabilities: Steps to Better Design for All" |
| Speech Abstract: | Games are important and more important than we think. For some games are a reason to live and to learn to live again. Can it really be true that to be able to access something as seemingly trivial as games can help someone learn to redesign their lives through other assistive technologies, through the psychological well-being of learning how to use a once loved pastime in a new way? Can we design smarter assistive technologies for gaming that can help bring about ubiquitous accessibility to gamers (and even non-gamers) with disabilities? This presentation will cover the heart of the matter of game accessibility -- that people ARE still being affected by inaccessible technologies. Be prepared to be moved by the stories of anti-gaming parents who are desperate to help their severely injured child play games, once again, with their friends. Be prepared to hear stories from military and civilian hospitals across the globe who are looking for something that makes them feel alive again." For many newly injured people as well as those with diseases that have robbed them of their agility, eyesight, hearing, and cognition, games can be a gateway to learning to LIVE again, to WANT learn how to do other activities using assistive technologies. Come with an open mind and think of a new tomorrow where we just don't just think about ubiquitous technology but, rather, a future where social justice and computing can be found through accessible game design and controller hacks that could very well be used in our ideal designs for building a fuller and richer life for all. |
 | Mohamed Jemni Ecole Supérieure des Sciences et Techniques de Tunis (ESSTT) University of Tunis, Tunisia |
Biography
Mohamed Jemni is a Professor at Ecole Supérieure des Sciences et Techniques de Tunis (ESSTT), University of Tunis, Tunisia. He obtained the HDR (Habilitation to Supervise Research) in Computer Science from University of Versailles, France in 2004. He received his PhD in Computer Science from University of Tunis in 1997 and the Engineer Diploma in Computer Science from Faculty of Sciences of Tunis in 1991. He is the Head of the Laboratory Research UTIC: "Unit of Technologies of Information and Communication" of the University of Tunis. Since August 2008, he is the General chair of the Computing Center el Khawarizmi, the internet services provider for the sector of the higher education and scientific research
His Research Projects Involvement are e-learning tools and environments, Adaptive/adaptable educational hypermedia and Accessibility of ICT to disabled users.
In the field of accessibility, Mohamed Jemni is the chairman of biannual International Conference on ICT and Accessibility (first edition in April 2007). He is currently conducting two main projects in his laboratory:
- Improving accessibility of deaf community by the use of ICT and sign language.
- Development of an e-learning environment for students with visual disabilities.
| Speech Title: | "e-Learning and e-Accessibility, New Trends and New Perspectives" |
| Speech Abstract: | The main objective of e-learning is to provide instruction and education to all kind of learners independently of their different places, different cultures or of different abilities. With this vision, e-learning should be barrierfree - accessible and usable - for all. Furthermore, W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) has developed a series of guidelines which help to ensure that Web resources can be accessed by people with disabilities. However, the accessibility of e-learning provides additional challenges that may not be faced when providing access to other Web resources. In this context, our Research Laboratory UTIC supports and contributes to these efforts by launching several research projects in order to design tools and dedicated environments. We mention in particular the two following projects:
This presentation will cover these issues and will focus in particular on tools aiming to enhance the education of deaf, hard-of-hearing and speech disabled individuals. |
 | Patricia Manson Head of Unit, Cultural Heritage & Technology Enhanced Learning, Directorate General Information Society and Media, European Commission, Luxembourg |
Biography
Patricia Manson is Head of Unit, Cultural Heritage and Technology Enhanced Learning in the Directorate General Information Society and Media of the European Commission.She has worked at the European Commission since the early 90s on ICT applications areas in the Community's research programmes and for the past 4 years has been involved in defining the research agenda and subsequent workprogramme for technology enhanced learning research and for its implementation through the funded projects. Prior to joining the Commission she worked in the UK on a research-funded post providing technology and market watch, as well as information and advisory services to the cultural heritage community on the adoption of ICTs.
Speech Title:
"European Research on Technology-enhanced Learning: Current Status and Future Perspectives"
 | Vladimir Uskov Bradley University, Department of Computer Science & Information Systems, USA |
Biography
Dr. Vladimir Uskov is a professor of computer science and information systems at Bradley University (Peoria, IL, USA). He is also a Director of the InterLabs Research Institute at Bradley University. His areas of expertise include Web-Based Education, Online Education and e-Learning (1995 - present), Applications of Information Technologies in Education (1985 - present), Software Engineering (1980 - present), including Web-Based Software Engineering (1996 - present), and Programming Languages (1980 - present).
He has more than 310 professional publications, including 3 textbooks, 3 book chapters, and 51 published articles in referred journals in 3 different languages. He received numerous grants in his areas of expertise from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Microsoft Corp., and various governmental institutions, including the NSF grant # 0420506 in Information Technology area, the NSF grants ## 0196015 on Web-Based Education, and the NSF grants # 9950029 and grant # 0002219 (2000-2001).
Dr. Uskov is a Member of the Executive Board of the IEEE Technical Committee on Learning Technology, Senior Member of the IEEE, IEEE Computer Society, IEEE Education Society, ACM, AACE, IASTED and the International Academy on Information Networking. Dr. Uskov is a chair of the annual international conferences on Web-Based Education (WBE-2002 - WBE-2010) and Computers and Advanced Technology in Education (CATE-2002 - CATE-2010). He is the Editor-in-Chief of the international journal on Advanced Technology for Learning (ISSN: 1710-2251). He is also a member of editorial boards of 3 international referred journals on Web-Based Communities, Information Technology applications in Education and Open Education.
Dr. Uskov taught regular academic courses in Russia (Moscow State Technical University, 1988-1995) and in the USA (Michigan State University, University of Cincinnati, and Bradley University, 1995 - present). He was a visiting professor in various universities of France, Germany, Holland, and Italy.
| Speech Title: | "Advanced e-Learning and e-Training: What is Next?" |
| Speech Abstract: | In 2007-2009, Dr. Vladimir Uskov and the InterLabs Research Institute organized and led several world surveys of experts in the areas of advanced online learning (e-learning) and online training (e-training) areas in order to identify strategic issues, technologies, tools, skills of online instructors, metrics of success for e-learning projects, factors to have significant impact on e-learning projects, main problems and obstacles for innovative e-learning projects, etc. for a time period up to 2015. The survey findings, results, outcomes and specific data from 450+ experts from 90+ universities/colleges/training companies from 52 countries will help project leaders and managers, faculty, administrators, directors of online programs and online education/training, online learning trainers and practitioners to understand the main trends in online education and online training for a time period up to 2015. |