Usability Corner » 508

IBM Technology Assists Visually Impaired Internet Users

Manish Vashist — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:44:41 +0000

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IBM’s Social Accessibility project is a way for visually impaired and sighted users to come together and make web sites more accessible for people with vision loss. IBM developed collaboration software that enables visually impaired users to post problems they are having with web sites, and others can help by providing better text descriptions. The text descriptions can then incorporated into the screen reading software used by visually impaired web site visitors.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRB72rXXyXo

For example, a person using screen reading software filling out an airline mileage membership application form might be unable to figure out if they should type in family name first, then first name and middle initials. Whenever visually impaired users face such difficulties, they can report that incident by using the collaboration tool and ask for an improved alternative text to describe what users are asked to do. Any one joining the project can provide a better description such as, Type in family name first, then first name and middle initials.

With the Internet’s pervasiveness it is important that people with disabilities are not left out. Moreover, the Internet is often a way for people to remain connected to their families and the community at large. In addition, as workers turn older, vision loss is one of the first disabilities people will face. Its estimated that one in five individuals, or over 54 million Americans, has a disability that makes it difficult to see computer screens or navigate the Web.

The most important nature of this initiative is that this model allows users to give an opportunity to make content accessibility improvement requests, which is extremely valuable to help improve the Web content accessibility, and enabling Internet users who wish to aid in improving Internet accessibility to respond. The website also offers a forum to discuss accessibility issues among visually impaired users and Internet users.

Cognitive Technology on a Mobile Platform – Android

Manish Vashist — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:03:22 +0000

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Mobile devices have great potential to increase independence for people with cognitive disabilities. Besides basic communication, which is itself very important, key features include location awareness, which can be used to help with public transportation, and remote management, which allows a caregiver to manage content, such as schedule information, on a user’s device. A recent projects course at the University of Colorado developed promising prototypes on the Android platform, and suggested useful platform enhancements, especially relating to speech technology.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U_iDtA0LA0
This is an encouraging presentation on a great topic. He covered lots of major points in this new space of mobile phones and cognitive apps. I see hurdles in WHO will program end user’s phone and care management vs. users who can self program; standardize customer support and marketing of platforms /interface/apps are critical to smaller end users. Categorize end user skillsets, design systems around these, support compensatory growth. manufactures can market cognitive phones features to all users.

Web Accessibility – Making the Internet accessible to the disabled

Manish Vashist — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:33:38 +0000

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An overview of what impaired users encounter when using in accessible websites.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2VVxrWun6A

Web accessibility refers to the practice of making websites usable by people of all abilities and disabilities. The needs that Web accessibility aims to address include:

Visual: Visual impairments including blindness, various common types of low vision and poor eyesight, various types of color blindness;
Motor/Mobility: e.g. difficulty or inability to use the hands, including tremors, muscle slowness, loss of fine muscle control, etc., due to conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, stroke;
Auditory: Deafness or hearing impairments, including individuals who are hard of hearing;
Seizures: Photoepileptic seizures caused by visual strobe or flashing effects.
Cognitive/Intellectual: Developmental disabilities, learning disabilities (dyslexia, dyscalculia, etc.), and cognitive disabilities of various origins, affecting memory, attention, developmental “maturity,” problem-solving and logic skills, etc.;

Individuals living with a disability use assistive technologies such as the following to enable and assist web browsing:

Screen reader software, which can read out, using synthesized speech, either selected elements of what is being displayed on the monitor (helpful for users with reading or learning difficulties), or which can read out everything that is happening on the computer (used by blind and vision impaired users).
Braille terminals, consisting of a Refreshable Braille display which renders text as Braille characters (usually by means of raising pegs through holes in a flat surface) and either a QWERTY or Braille keyboard.
Screen magnification software, which enlarges what is displayed on the computer monitor, making it easier to read for vision impaired users.
Speech recognition software that can accept spoken commands to the computer, or turn dictation into grammatically correct text – useful for those who have difficulty using a mouse or a keyboard.
Keyboard overlays, which can make typing easier and more accurate for those who have motor control difficulties.

A growing number of countries around the world have introduced legislation which either directly addresses the need for websites and other forms of communication to be accessible to people with disabilities, or which addresses the more general requirement for people with disabilities not to be discriminated against. A growing number of organizations, companies and consultants offer website accessibility audits. These audits, a type of system testing, identify accessibility problems that exist within a website, and provide advice and guidance on the steps that need to be taken to correct these problems.

Universal Usability In Practice

Manish Vashist — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:34:43 +0000

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Principles and strategies for practitioners designing universally usable sites

The goal of universal usability is to enable the widest range of users to benefit from web services. These links contains recommendations and information resources for web developers who wish to accommodate users with slow modems, small screens, text-only, and wireless devices. It deals with content design issues such as translation to other languages, plus access for novice, low educated and low motivated users, children and elders. The website also covers design guidance for blind, deaf, cognitively impaired, and physically disabled users. Each article has practical guidelines, web site examples, links to organizations, and a bibliography.

Users with Disabilities

Special User Groups

Technology

Tutorial methods

The information is a class project for Human Factors in Computer and Information Systems (Computer Science 838S) ( Spring of 2001). It is a continuation of the UUGuide project started by graduate students in the Spring 2000 class. The courses were led by Prof. Ben Shneiderman Founding Director of the University of Maryland Human-Computer Interaction Lab.