This is an open access article published by the IET under the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)
As the internet is fast migrating from static web pages to dynamic web pages, the users with visual impairment find it confusing and challenging when accessing the contents on the web. There is evidence that dynamic web applications pose accessibility challenges for the visually impaired users. This study shows that a difference can be made through the basic understanding of the technical requirement of users with visual impairment and addresses a number of issues pertinent to the accessibility needs for such users. We propose that only by designing a framework that is structurally flexible, by removing unnecessary extras and thereby making every bit useful (fit-for-purpose), will visually impaired users be given an increased capacity to intuitively access e-contents. This theory is implemented in a dynamic website for the visually impaired designed in this study. Designers should be aware of how the screen reading software works to enable them make reasonable adjustments or provide alternative content that still corresponds to the objective content to increase the possibility of offering faultless service to such users. The result of our research reveals that materials can be added to a content repository or re-used from existing ones by identifying the content types and then transforming them into a flexible and accessible one that fits the requirements of the visually impaired through our method (no-frill + agile methodology) rather than computing in advance or designing according to a given specification.
References
-
-
1)
-
22. Syed, T.A., SelCuk Candan, K., Sangwoo, H., Yan, Qi.: ‘Topic development pattern analysis-based adaptation of information spaces’, J. New Rev. Multimed., 2009, 15, (1), pp. 73–96 (doi: 10.1080/13614560902803562).
-
2)
-
5. Petrie, H., Power, C., Velasco, C.A., Boticario, J.G.: ‘Accessibility of blended and E-learning for mature age and disabled students and staff: introduction to the special thematic session’, Lect. Notes in Comput. Sci., 2010, 6179/2010, pp. 484–485 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-14097-6_77).
-
3)
-
25. Kranjnc, E., Feiner, J., Schmidt, S.: ‘User centred interaction design for mobile applications: focused on visually impaired and blind people’, Lect. Notes Comput. Sci., 2010, 6389, pp. 195–202 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-16607-5_12).
-
4)
-
18. Freire, A.P., Linhalis, F., Bianchini, S.L., Fortes, R.P.M., Pimental, M.C.: ‘Revealing the whiteboard to blind students: an inclusive approach to provide mediation in synchronous e-learning activities’, J. Comput. Educ., 2010, 54, (4), pp. 866–876 (doi: 10.1016/j.compedu.2009.09.016).
-
5)
-
16. Asakawa, C., Itoh, T., Takagi, H., Miyashita, H.: ‘Accessibility evaluation for multimedia content’, Lect. Notes Comput. Sci., 2007, 4556/2007, pp. 11–19 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-540-73283-9_2).
-
6)
-
1. Garrigós, I., Melia, S., Casteleyn, S.: ‘Personalizing the interface in rich Internet applications’, J. Web Inf. Syst. Eng., WISE 2009. Lect. Notes Comput. Sci., 2009, 5802, pp. 365–378 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-04409-0_37).
-
7)
-
23. Zhao, Z., Rau, P., Zhang, T., Salvendy, G.: ‘Visual search-based design and evaluation of screen magnifiers for older and visually impaired users’, Int. J. Hum.-Comput. Stud., 2009, 67, (8), pp. 663–675 (doi: 10.1016/j.ijhcs.2009.03.006).
-
8)
-
12. Mulloy, A.M., Gevarter, C., Hopkins, M., Sutherland, K.S., Ramdoss, S.T.: ‘Assistive technology for students with visual impairments and blindness’, In Lancioni G., Singh N. (ed.). Assistive technologies for people with diverse abilities Psychopathology series, 1st edn., (Springer, New York, 2014), pp. 113–156 (doi: 10.1007/978-1-4899-8029-8_5).
-
9)
-
19. Bocconi, S., Dini, S., Ferlino, L., Martinoli, C., Ott, M.: ‘ICT educational tools and visually impaired students: different answers to different accessibility needs’. Proc. of the Universal Access in Human–Computer Interaction. Applications and Services, , 2007, vol. 4556/2007, pp. 491–500.
-
10)
-
11)
-
10. RNIB: ‘New literature on sight problems: changing the way we think about blindness’. Proc. of Supporting Blind and Partially sighted People, 2010, vol. 2010/84.
-
12)
-
13)
-
14)
-
22. Syed, T.A., SelCuk Candan, K., Sangwoo, H., Yan, Qi.: ‘Topic development pattern analysis-based adaptation of information spaces’, J. New Rev. Multimed., 2009, 15, (1), pp. 73–96 (doi: 10.1080/13614560902803562).
-
15)
-
8. Ali, L., Jahankhani, H., Jahankhani, H.: ‘Accessibility evolution tools comparison’. Presented at the Second Annual Conf. on Advances in Computing and Technology, Proc. of the AC&T, UK, 2007.
-
16)
-
25. Kranjnc, E., Feiner, J., Schmidt, S.: ‘User centred interaction design for mobile applications: focused on visually impaired and blind people’, Lect. Notes Comput. Sci., 2010, 6389, pp. 195–202 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-16607-5_12).
-
17)
-
12. Mulloy, A.M., Gevarter, C., Hopkins, M., Sutherland, K.S., Ramdoss, S.T.: ‘Assistive technology for students with visual impairments and blindness’, In Lancioni G., Singh N. (ed.). Assistive technologies for people with diverse abilities Psychopathology series, 1st edn., (Springer, New York, 2014), pp. 113–156 (doi: 10.1007/978-1-4899-8029-8_5).
-
18)
-
16. Asakawa, C., Itoh, T., Takagi, H., Miyashita, H.: ‘Accessibility evaluation for multimedia content’, Lect. Notes Comput. Sci., 2007, 4556/2007, pp. 11–19 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-540-73283-9_2).
-
19)
-
3. Saldaño, V., Martin, A., Gaetán, G., Vilte, D.: ‘Web accessibility for older users: a southern argentinean view’. Proc. of the Eighth Int. Conf. on Software Engineering Advances ICSEA, 2013.
-
20)
-
18. Freire, A.P., Linhalis, F., Bianchini, S.L., Fortes, R.P.M., Pimental, M.C.: ‘Revealing the whiteboard to blind students: an inclusive approach to provide mediation in synchronous e-learning activities’, J. Comput. Educ., 2010, 54, (4), pp. 866–876 (doi: 10.1016/j.compedu.2009.09.016).
-
21)
-
5. Petrie, H., Power, C., Velasco, C.A., Boticario, J.G.: ‘Accessibility of blended and E-learning for mature age and disabled students and staff: introduction to the special thematic session’, Lect. Notes in Comput. Sci., 2010, 6179/2010, pp. 484–485 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-14097-6_77).
-
22)
-
11. Veal, D., Maj, S.P.: ‘A graphical user interface for the visually impaired – an evaluation’, J. Mod. Appl. Sci., 2010, 4, (12), pp. 83–89.
-
23)
-
24)
-
17. Hunsucker, R.: ‘Making life easier for the visually impaired web searcher: it is now clearer how this should and can be done, but implementation lags’, J. Evidence Based Libr. Inf. Pract., 2013, 8, (1), pp. 90–93.
-
25)
-
6. Swallow, D., Petrie, H., Power, C.: ‘Understanding and supporting the needs of educational professionals working with students with disabilities and mature age students’. Proc. of the Computers Helping People with Special Needs, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2010, vol. 6179/2010, pp. 486–491.
-
26)
-
20. Avila, J., Crowe, E., Mendez, M.L.: ‘Creating dynamic, interactive, accessible flash’. Proc. of the 26th Annual Int. Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conf. Centre on disabilities, Cunningham Lindsey, Birmingham, UK, March 2011.
-
27)
-
13. Adetoro, N.: ‘Reading interest and information needs of persons with visual impairment in Nigeria’, South Afr. J. Libr. Inf. Sci., 2010, 76, (1), pp. 49–56.
-
28)
-
4. Ali, L., Jahankhani, H., Jahankhani, H.: ‘E-accessibility of higher education websites’. Presented at the ECEL Seventh European Conf. on e-Learning, Agia Napa Cyprus, 6–7 November 2008.
-
29)
-
1. Garrigós, I., Melia, S., Casteleyn, S.: ‘Personalizing the interface in rich Internet applications’, J. Web Inf. Syst. Eng., WISE 2009. Lect. Notes Comput. Sci., 2009, 5802, pp. 365–378 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-04409-0_37).
-
30)
-
2. Wright, J.M., Dietrich, J.B.: ‘Requirements for rich Internet application design methodologies’. Proc. of the Ninth Int. Conf. on Web Information Systems Engineering, (WISE), 2008.
-
31)
-
7. Santos, O.C., Boticario, J.G., delViso, A.F., de laCámara, S.P., Sánchez, C.R., Restrepo, E.G.: ‘Basic skills training to disabled and adult learners through an accessible e-learning platform’. Proc. of the Universal Access in Human Computer Interaction. Applications and Services, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2007, vol. 4556/2007, pp. 796–805.
-
32)
-
33)
-
14. Thylefors, B.: ‘A mission for vision’. Proc. of Lancet, 1999, p. SIV44.
-
34)
-
29. Asakawa, C., Miyashita, H., Sato, D., Takagi, H.: ‘Aibrowser for multimedia: introducing multimedia content accessibility for visually impaired users’. Proc. of the Ninth Int. ACM SIGACCESS Conf. on Computers and Accessibility, Assets, New York, USA, 2007.
-
35)
-
26. Robson, C.: ‘Real world research: a resource for users of social research methods in applied settings’ (Publication of John Wiley and Sons Ltd., West Sussex, UK, 2011, 3rd edn.).
-
36)
-
15. Sheng, Y.Q., Liang, X., Yang, H., Wang, Y.X., Jonas, J.B.: ‘Five-year incidence of visual impairment and blindness in adult Chinese’, Beijing Eye Study J. Ophthalmol., 2010, 118, (6), pp. 1069–1075.
-
37)
-
23. Zhao, Z., Rau, P., Zhang, T., Salvendy, G.: ‘Visual search-based design and evaluation of screen magnifiers for older and visually impaired users’, Int. J. Hum.-Comput. Stud., 2009, 67, (8), pp. 663–675 (doi: 10.1016/j.ijhcs.2009.03.006).
http://iet.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.1049/joe.2014.0136
Related content
content/journals/10.1049/joe.2014.0136
pub_keyword,iet_inspecKeyword,pub_concept
6
6