Vol. 5 No. 1 (2015): Journal of Accessibility and Design for All

This volume 5, number 1 is composed of three articles where the researchers explain their findings of accessibility in the fields of engineering and education. First investigation contributes to a better understanding of how users with motor and dexterity impairments confront accessibility barriers when are accessing to websites. Thanks to user tests researchers have analysed user’s mood about different accessibility barriers comparing accessible and non-accessible webpages. The second study evaluates which are the benefits of captioned online courses among American, international, and deaf or hard of hearing students from two California universities. Research conclusion was that captioned online courses provide benefits for all users and indicate the possibility of expanding them as Universal Design model for postsecondary educational institutions.  The last article describes an intensive design exercise conducted in a graduate course on Universal Design with professional architects as students. They developed a design project for a public-service center. The goal of the Charrette was to understand the effectiveness of this type of teaching method to increase the designers’ sensitivity toward Universal Design issues and gain knowledge on participatory processes. The Charrette involved potential users with various disabilities who evaluated the design. What all these papers have in common is the importance of taking into account diverse user experience to achieve a more accessible world.We hope this number has an interesting and stimulating reading for all our readers.