Introduction

“What is important is in the curriculum” (T. Kuhn). If not in the curriculum, the impact on society is limited. The positive trend towards inclusion, due to political and legal measures (e.g. EAA), demands for increased skills, knowledge and talent in mainstream and in the disability sector to implement accessibility as a base for inclusion and participation, often using AT. This STS invites scientific papers on R&D, studies, initiatives, projects and activities on work related to making accessibility and AT an integral and better represented part of mainstream curricula and educational programs as well as enhancing/supporting teaching of accessibility and AT as part of mainstream educational programs.

Invitation for contributions

In the Special Thematic Session “Including Accessibility and AT into Mainstream Curricula” we welcome presentations of scientific work addressing curricula and education of accessibility and AT. Topics include, but are not limited to papers on research or conceptual/theoretical frameworks about:

• Researching or analysing examples of how AT and accessibility is integrated in mainstream curricula and educational programs
• Studies on including accessibility and AT in specific domains (e.g. education / inclusive education, architecture, IT/engineering, politics, law, (socio-) economics, business)
• Investigating specific curricula and programs of accessibility and AT for specialists and specific domains for inclusion; accessibility and AT as own programs
• Research developing templates for accessibility and AT inclusion into curricula
• Research developing and/or evaluating train the trainer programs
• Research or conceptual frameworks on promoting education and training for people with disabilities in the domain including peer to peer programs
• Research or conceptual work on promoting teaching and training concepts and settings, e.g.
  • Face to face, online or hybrid
  • MOOCs
  • On the job, short term and full academic curricula
• Analysis of experiences, studies, evaluation of success stories and challenges in including accessibility and AT into mainstream curricula and education
• Scientific contributions on research and theoretical frameworks for developing curricula and educational program certification and accreditation as a means to include accessibility and AT into curricula and educational programs
• …

Chairs

Katrin Nuppenau, Klaus Miesenberger, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria, katrin.nuppenau@jku.at, klaus.miesenberger@jku.at

Roberta Lulli, European Disability Forum, roberta.lulli@edf-feph.org

Anna Matamala, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain, anna.matamala@uab.cat

Katerina Mavrou, European University Cyprus, Cyprus, k.mavrou@euc.ac.cy

Radek Pavlicek, Masaryk University Brno, Czechia, pavlicek@teiresias.muni.cz