Developing a semantic user and device modeling framework that supports UI adaptability of web 2.0 applications for people with special needs

Abstract

The introduction of user and device models to customize applications has been the subject of research for decades. This paper presents a modeling framework that supports dynamic adaptation of the UI of web 2.0 applications. This work builds upon previous efforts of the authors [22] leveraged with the use of the semantic framework for Composite Capability/Preference Profiles (CC/PP), which allows the matching of device capabilities and user preferences arising because of functional restrictions. The combination of these models with those of the corresponding web applications, enables an adaptive transformation process that facilitates access to users with special needs derived of their functional restrictions or because of context-related handicapping situations. We argue that this approach will enable a user-centric access to the web, including mobile and ubiquitous delivery of services and applications.