Accessibility Track

Welcome to the first edition of the Accessibility Track of IndiaHCI.

Accessible Design refers to the practice of creating buildings, public spaces, and digital products that are usable by everyone, including people with disabilities. Grounded in the principles of Universal Design, it seeks to eliminate barriers and foster inclusive environments. In India, this movement is championed by the Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan), a national initiative aimed at ensuring accessibility in transportation, information systems, and public infrastructure. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 further mandates that all built environments, digital platforms, and public services be accessible—ensuring equal participation in society for all citizens, regardless of ability. 

Through this track, we invite researchers, students, practitioners, industry professionals, and entrepreneurs working in accessible interaction design, assistive technologies, and related areas to contribute and participate in the conference.  

Let’s grow the culture of accessibility in HCI together. 

Why is there an Accessibility Track in India HCI 2025? 

India is home to over 26 million people with disabilities (2011 Census), and the actual number is likely much higher today. Accessibility in India is not merely a legal requirement, but it is a matter of social justice and national development. Inclusive design upholds constitutional ideals of equality and dignity, aligns with international commitments like the UNCRPD, and directly implements the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (2016). But beyond compliance, accessibility opens transformative opportunities for HCI research and innovation. 

Accessibility sits at the very heart of HCI: understanding users, designing for real-world diversity, and creating usable systems for all. From tangible interfaces for low-literacy users, to voice and gesture-based systems for users with mobility impairments, India’s socio-technical realities provide rich, complex, and underexplored grounds for HCI contributions. With IndiaHCI spotlighting South Asian socio-economic and cultural contexts, accessibility deserves not just a seat at the table but a dedicated space for cultivation. 

The 2025 theme, Transhumanism: Improving the Human Condition through Technology, raises timely questions: Who gets to be “improved”? How do we ensure that emerging technologies don’t reinforce exclusion, but instead bridge access gaps? Can disability be seen not as a deficit to be fixed, but a source of insight for design? 

If we are truly serious about understanding, enabling, and augmenting the human condition, then disability must be recognized as part of human diversity, not as a marginal corner case and accessibility research doesn’t just benefit people with disabilities it contributes to resilient, flexible, and inclusive systems for a broad population including older adults, injured individuals, and underserved communities. 

Hence, while accessibility-related work may fall under general tracks, it often risks being siloed or underrepresented. A dedicated track would: 

1. Encourage sustained scholarly attention to disability and accessibility in South Asian contexts 

2. Enable cross-pollination of ideas among researchers, practitioners, designers, and disabled people 

3. Foster demos, workshops, and discussions that build community and capacity 

4. Contribute to a strategic shift in how Indian HCI conceptualizes inclusion - not as "special" or "extra," but as foundational 

This track will cultivate a culture of accessibility in India HCI, one that is critical for shaping future research agendas, informing public policy, and driving technological change that truly serves all. 

Who should apply to this Track?  

A conference track dedicated to accessibility in India encourages interdisciplinary collaboration among a diverse array of stakeholders.  

1. Scholars from fields such as disability studies, human-computer interaction, urban planning, public policy, and inclusive education share both theoretical and empirical contributions related to the structural and technological aspects of accessibility.  

2. Practitioners—such as architects, educators, designers, and software developers—offer valuable expertise in applying inclusive practices across different sectors.  

3. Policymakers and government officials involved in disability rights, urban development, and social welfare provide essential insights into regulatory frameworks and state initiatives. The experiences and advocacy of civil society organizations and individuals with disabilities are crucial for connecting academic discussions to real-world situations.  

4. Involving postgraduate researchers and early-career scholars encourages new scholarship, while industry representatives contribute to conversations about innovation, accessibility standards, and inclusive employment. In internationally-focused discussions, global scholars and practitioners can offer comparative insights, enriching the dialogue with transnational views on accessibility and inclusion. 

Important Dates 

• Portal opens for Submission - May 15th 2025  

• Paper Submission Deadline - August 10th 2025 

• Final Notification - September 8th 2025 

• Camera Ready Submission - September 26th 2025 

(All deadlines close at 23:59 IST) 

What should you put in?  

Submissions to the Accessibility Track at India HCI 2025 should showcase original and unpublished work that expands the boundaries of accessibility research within Human-Computer Interaction.  

Submissions to this track can be made as Short Papers (upto 8 pages excluding references and appendices) that present innovative ideas, systems, tools, empirical studies, methodological advances, or critical reflections related to accessibility. These could include—but are not limited to—new enabling technologies, studies on technology use by people with disabilities, analyses of barriers to access, inclusive design methods, accessibility in gaming, access to information and spaces, and evaluations of accessibility education. We especially encourage students, startups, practitioners, and industry contributors to submit their unpublished, new and innovative HCI work in accessibility that introduces new approaches, perspectives, or design provocations. 

Short papers will be curated and selected for presentation, poster, or demo formats at a dedicated Accessibility Workshop during the main conference. Please note that short papers will not be indexed in the ACM Digital Library, but offer an opportunity for meaningful interaction, feedback, and community-building.  

In contrast, full paper submissions through the main India HCI deadline will also be considered for this track and will be indexed as part of the ACM proceedings, subject to acceptance criteria.  

Submission Guidelines  

• Submissions to the Accessibility track can be made as Short Paper. 

• Both submissions must be made through Microsoft CMT.  

• Anonymisation: Short Papers are anonymized.   

• Submissions should be made in ACM format.  

• All submissions need to follow ACM single column format. Please ensure that you use the correct template; a single-column format must be used for the reviewing phase. Use of different templates or formats may result in desk rejection. Please find the templates for format here  

• LaTeX OR Overleaf Please note that the default template is set for 2-column and needs to be manually changed to 1-column for initial review using \documentclass[manuscript,review,anonymous]{acmart} 

• Word - Please note that the Microsoft Word Template contains invisible meta-tags related to the paper format and structure. While writing the paper authors are requested to add their content without altering any format and structure of the template. 

• The submissions should be 8 pages, excluding references and appendices. 

• One of the authors per submission is required to register for the conference.  

• Short Papers that do not meet the camera-ready publication criteria will not be included. 

1. Upon Acceptance 

Authors of selected submissions will submit a Camera-ready version and will be invited to the conference in Delhi. At least one of the authors should register for the conference; they will present their work at the conference. Authors of the selected short papers will receive detailed information about the presentation.  

2. At the main conference 

At least one of the registered authors of accepted Short Papers is required to present their work at the main conference for the work to get published in the proceedings.  

3. Authorship 

Although AI tools such as ChatGPT can be safely used for editing author-generated content, their use in content generation is strongly discouraged. While we won't actively employ tools to identify text generated by any of the AI tools, we will investigate submissions brought to our attention.  All authors are expected to take responsibility for any concerns regarding the accuracy or integrity of their submitted work. AI-generated images can only be used for placeholders with transparent attribution.  

What will you get out from it?  

By submitting a Short Paper to and participating in the Accessibility Track, you become part of a vibrant and growing community shaping the future of inclusive technology in India and the region. Selected authors will have the opportunity to present their work at India HCI 2025, engage with leading researchers and practitioners, and contribute to discussions around accessibility, disability, and human-centred innovation. Whether you’re presenting a short paper, a demo, or a poster, this is your platform to showcase early ideas, receive feedback, and spark collaborations. 

Aligned with this year’s theme—Transhumanism: Improving the Human Condition through Technology—this track invites you to rethink accessibility not as a marginal concern, but as a critical lens for understanding, enabling, and augmenting human experience. Your participation helps shift accessibility from an afterthought to a strategic design imperative, ensuring that emerging technologies truly serve the full spectrum of humanity. 

Any queries regarding the paper submission should be directed to the Accessibility track chairs - Sayan Sarcar (mailtosayan@gmail.com), Tigmanshu Bhatnagar (t.bhatnagar@ucl.ac.uk).  

FAQ? 

My paper was rejected from the main paper track. Can I still submit it to the Accessibility Track? 

Yes, you can. If you revise your paper to meet the short paper format (6–8 pages, excluding references and appendices), you’re welcome to submit it to the Accessibility Track. Please note that short papers presented in this track will not be indexed in the ACM Digital Library but will be showcased during a dedicated workshop at the conference. 

How will I present my work if my submission is accepted? 

After your acceptance and submitting the camera-ready version, we will contact you to determine the most suitable format for your contribution at the conference—this may be a short presentation, poster, or live demo, depending on the nature and maturity of your work. 

Will I be able to interact with other accessibility researchers in India? 

Absolutely. The Accessibility Track will include a dedicated workshop during the conference, creating space for rich dialogue, collaboration, and community-building among researchers, practitioners, students, and startups working on accessibility in India.