The Third Workshop on Building an Inclusive and Accessible Metaverse for All
Callum Parker, Soojeong Yoo, Joel Fredericks, Tram Thi Minh Tran, Mark Colley, Youngho Lee, Khanh-Duy Le, Simon Stannus, Woontack Woo, Mark Billinghurst · 2025
The Metaverse is envisioned as a shared, persistent experience that encompasses both augmented and virtual reality, representing the convergence of a virtually enhanced physical reality and interconnected persistent virtual spaces. It has the potential to break down physical boundaries, connecting people from all walks of life together through digital technology. As the Metaverse is still evolving, there is a unique opportunity to shape its development into an inclusive, all-encompassing space that is accessible for all. However a key challenge lies in designing the Metaverse from the ground up to ensure inclusivity and accessibility. This workshop aims to explore how to build an open, inclusive Metaverse and develop methods for evaluating its success. Key outcomes will include identifying new opportunities to enhance inclusivity, establishing evaluation methodologies, and outlining considerations for designing accessible environments and interactions within the Metaverse.