Supporting user interfaces for all through user modeling

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the development of supporting user interfaces for all users through user modeling. User models are collections of information and assumptions about individual users (as well as user groups) which are needed in the adaptation process. This holds true for the manual adaptation of the interface by the system developer according to the requirements of specific user groups or individual users; it is even more necessary if a system is supposed to automatically adapt to the requirements of the current user. User characteristics that have been modeled include users' domain knowledge, goals, plans, interests, preferences, and misconceptions. The adaptation takes place at the level of the content of the provided information (as opposed to the level of information presentation at the interface). Recent research efforts extend the scope of user modeling towards modeling the characteristics of all users, including those with communication and interaction difficulties.