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Abstract
This research papers major purpose is to discuss and research accessibility issues in relation to websites. The paper questions whether enough is being done to make websites suitable for people with disabilities and from that look at what could be done to improve the area going forward. Do individuals/ organizations take into consideration their target audiences needs fully when going online? Particular attention will be paid towards assistive technology and whether the web does enough to allow its use. Web design is fairly a new discipline that can be argued to be still in its infant stages but it needs to develop concrete online systems beneficial and easily accessible by the community on a large scale. Legislation on how and to what extent the web should be made accessible is not very comprehensive and thus leaves a loophole and a lack of commitment in the area of designing webs with the thought of persons with disabilities using it. Early discussions of the Information Superhighway have also not been accommodating in any way.
Introduction
The increasing advancements in technology all around the world are creating an environment where everybody is becoming more and more reliant on the internet. This reliance can be observed in all areas that touch on human existence. For that reason, one cannot ignore the various demographics that are vital for the advancement and further development of the web and its use. At the onset of web usage, the focus was not given to persons suffering from disabilities. This has changed in recent years due to technological advancement and the eagerness seen among people to embrace it. Business organizations and employers alike have also seen the need to change their outlook on this issue so as to be able to aptly compete in the business world (Harper and Yesilada 2008, 23).
This change of events has left persons with disabilities in a dilemma. To either embrace the technology (web) also; or become redundant in a fast-paced world. Although this delicate group of people has to step up to current issues and ways of carrying out activities whether personal, business-oriented, or in any other form; the onus is wholly on organizations, businesses, and people that own, create, maintain, or are responsible for websites. It is up to them to create and design user-friendly websites for everyone that uses them. Harper and Yesilada (2008, 12) observed that lawmakers are not also left behind, as they should ensure that this group of society is also put into consideration. Whether the web is ready for web assistive technology or not is dependent on the eagerness of the response of people with disabilities in using it. This is so because this assistive technology is developed to cater to their needs (Moss 2005).
Research Question
Thesis statement: The current state of websites may be ready or not for Assistive Technology to make it suitable for usage by persons with disabilities and what can be done to improve the web.
Discussion of Research Question
This research has been carried out as a result of the emerging and ongoing state of affairs coming to the fore as a result of increased technological advancement. The world is turning into a globalized village day by day and the embrace of technology can be seen across all spheres of society. Communication, business, economies, and so forth are some of the aspects of life that are now comparatively based on the internet (Harper and Yesilada 2008, 69). Therefore, there is a need for everyone to be conversant and able to use the World Wide Web. Major economical, political and social changes that are observable all around the world can be attributed to web usage and have led to an upsurge of technological advancements as a result at which this is being embraced by people (Harper and Yesilada 2008, 75).
The case for making the web accessible arises from the increasing usage of the web by persons with disabilities terrorists. The context of web usage varies with the user. Harper and Yesilada (2008, 91) observe that different users may not be able to see, hear, move, or may not be able to process some types of information easily or at all . Moss (2005) states that some users may have difficulty in reading or comprehending text contained in the sites. In other cases, users may not be able to use the computer hardware (keyboard or mouse). And others may have earlier versions of software or browsers or an entirely different OS. This offers the basic background for motivation to discuss the issues that have generated interest in persons with disabilities and the web (Thatcher 2006, 46).
Methodology and justification
Methodology
The research is conducted through a qualitative and quantitative analysis based on website testing, using different forms of assistive tech and from records kept in a database containing information on web usage by persons with disabilities and on the details of how they use information obtained from the web to their advantage. Data was obtained through interviewing people with various disabilities through interviews, questionnaires, and the various web testing methods available. The research was based on finding out accessibility issues in relation to websites. In addition to whether enough is being done to make websites suitable for people with disabilities and from that looking at what could be done to improve the area going forward. Research respondents were asked a number of questions in regards to their use of the web, the challenges, positive attributes, and what they felt could be improved (Kemp and Jeanne 2010).
The interviews conducted will be used to fully establish the activities of persons with disabilities while using the web and understand how they can navigate around the challenges of using new media technology in their everyday life. Research respondents were all provided with information regarding how to navigate the web and find information (Paciello 2000, 127). They were asked not to divulge any personal information to be impartial and give information without being afraid. The participants were asked to remember a sequence of past and present experiences that are either directly or indirectly related to web usage by persons with disabilities. The experiment was specifically carried out among persons with disabilities
Research findings
The research found out from the results that most users of the web were faced with disabilities ranging from physical and emotional, repetitive stress injury (RSI), color blindness, deafness, dyslexia, blindness, and so forth. The research found out that a lot of sites used poor color contrast for their text and images; colors used were impossible to differentiate to people who suffered from color blindness, users were hard done by use of speech recognition which takes months to get adapted to; sound card conflicts for users using voice recognition on sites that have streaming audio; companies and schools in some cases had no idea that there were users with disabilities; some companies had no idea of the latest technological advancements in web assistive technology; and various difficulties specific to the type of disability.
The research found out that web users with disabilities would prefer more simplified and easy to manipulate controls specific to their disabilities. The findings of this research were used to answer the big question of whether the web is ready or not for web assistive technology. From these findings, regardless of the great strides made by organizations, web developers to make the web a more user-friendly place for persons with disabilities, the web is still faced with a myriad of problems that cast doubt on its ability to accept web assistive technology to make it suitable for usage by persons with disabilities.
Literature review
Web Accessibility
Having access to the web is a very vital prerequisite for a comprehensive contribution in the information sector. The effect and range of barriers on peoples web accessibility greatly hamper the provision of information and services. Therefore, the importance of the web has to be rethought carefully and focus given to creating the web as an indispensable communication tool across all peoples (Carter, Markel and Hailey 2001, 226). As a result, people suffering from disabilities and older persons should also be accorded equal rights and web access that is free of any barriers and is easily accessible to them.
The main aim of web accessibility should be to be able to communicate the basic principles of why web accessibility is important and which group is affected by it whether directly or indirectly (Harper and Yesilada 2008, 63). It should not be tied down or restricted for able-bodied persons alone, but made available to anyone who has an interest in the web and using it, this includes persons with disabilities (Thatcher 2006, 47).
The design and development of the web are to provide a platform that can be used by anyone. This is regardless of the hardware, culture, language, software, physical/mental ability/disability. It is and should be made accessible to everyone with a diverse range of hearing, movement, sight, and cognitive ability (Slatin and Rush, 2003, 56). The impact of disability among users of the web is fundamentally being challenged by the fact that the barriers to communication and interaction that existed are now being done away with. These barriers are created by the poor design of web tools, websites, and web technologies. Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), is an initiative that has come out with guidelines on the international standards for web accessibility. Moss (2005) states that it strives to fully develop the web to realize its full potential in achieving accessibility thus enabling persons with disability to have equal chances in participating on the web (Robbins 2006, 102).
Carter, Markel, and Hailey (2001, 229) argue that it is imperative to understand the meaning and importance of web accessibility for people with disabilities. So what does web accessibility mean or entail? Web accessibility includes applications and websites that are designed so that disabled persons can be able to use, navigate, perceive and interact with; web tools such as browsers and media players that are effective in usage and are compatible with assistive technologies that may be required by some people to access the web; web technologies and authoring tools that provide support for the production of accessible web content and sites should be ensured that they are able to be used by people with disabilities (Harper and Yesilada 2008, 36).
The reasons for heaping so much importance on web accessibility may comprise of the fact that web use has spread far and wide within the society; numerous barriers across the web hindering different types of disabilities; access to the web is affected by the increasing number of disabled users and so forth (Slatin and Rush 2003, 129). Web accessibility is very vital as the web over the years has become a key point of providing information on various aspects of life such as news, information, commerce, entertainment, classroom education, distance learning, job searching, workplace interaction, civic participation, and government services (Harper and Yesilada 2008, 241). Harper and Yesilada observed that this has shown a change from the traditional sources of information and interaction (schools, libraries, discourse of the workplace, where some were accessible and others were not) . An accessible Web means unprecedented access to information for people with disabilities (Moss 2005).
Web assistive technology
What is assistive technology
Assistive technology can be described as any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities while using the web ( Carter, Markel and Hailey 2001, 230). Basically, devices or services (Paciello 2000, 169). Some of the more popular ways of assistive technologies for individuals with motor disabilities include:
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Adaptive keyboard commonly used in places where an individual does not have dependable control over their muscles for precision moments. Oishi (2010, 45) suggests that these keyboards enable the user to put their hands on the keyboard and slide their fingers to the correct keys. This is possible due to the raised areas between keys which are different from the normal keyboards (Craddock 2003, 139). This assistive technology is very beneficial to persons suffering from tremors, or spastic movements. In some cases, adaptive keyboards come with specialized software with word-completion technology, allowing the person to type with fewer keystrokes, since typing can be rather laborious and slow otherwise (Oishi 2010, 93).
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A sip and puff switch similar in functionality to the single switch described above, sip and puff switches are able to interpret the users breath actions as on/off signals, and can be used for a variety of purposes, from controlling a wheelchair to navigating a computer (Oishi 2010, 187). The hardware can be integrated with software that executes the functionalities of this effortless device for more complicated softwares (Craddock 2003, 76).
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Eye-tracking eye tracking devices can be a powerful alternative for individuals with no control, or only limited control, over their hand movements. The device follows the movement of the eyes and allows the person to navigate through the web with only eye movements (Craddock 2003, 63). Special application assists an individual in typing, and may take in word completion technology to make the process faster. These systems can be expensiveusually in the thousands of US dollarsso they are less common than the less sophisticated devices, such as mouth sticks and head wands (Oishi 2010, 120).
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Voice recognition software According to Craddock (2003, 67), an alternative to desiging accessible web is to include software that allows a person to control the computer by speaking . This is based on the assumption that people have voices that are easily understandable. Oishi (2010, 80) claims that this assistive technology will be more of an obstacle to rather than a help tool to people who suffer from motor disabilities (especially cerebral palsy), may have a difficult time speaking in a way that the software can understand them, since the muscles that control the voice are slow to respond, and speech is often slurred, despite the fact that these people do not have any slowness in their mental capacity .
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Touch Screens suitable for users suffering from dexterity difficulties. This is a dev ice that makes it able for a user to control a computer and access the web by pointing or touching an area of screen to make use of the web. This technology can be used in place of a keyboard.
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Oversized trackball mouse Craddock (2003, 79) observes that a trackball mouse is not necessarily an assistive technologysome people without disabilities simply prefer it to the standard mousebut it is often easier for a person with a motor disability to operate than a standard mouse . Oishi (2010, 131) observes that someone with tremors in the hands may also find this kind of mouse more useful because once the person moves the mouse cursor to the right location, there is less danger of accidentally moving the cursor while trying to click on the mouse button . An individual with trembling hands could also control the trackball device using his feet.
Other forms or models of assistive technology could include assistive mouse adaptor, ballpoint mouse, haptic devices, head-mounted pointers, joysticks, mouse keys, mouse mats/tables, touchpads, trackballs, mouth stick, head wand, single-switch access, and many more.
These forms of web assistive technologies are very many and varied. There are a great many more types of technologies for motor disabilities that designers do not need to know everything about every kind of motor disability or assistive technology in order to design web content accessible to this population. Despite the broad range of motor disability types, many result to similar technological needs in regard to computer access (Slatin and Rush 2003, 74). In most cases, assistive technologies for persons suffering from various forms of disabilities are either following the functionality presented by normal keyboards or work through it. Saddled with this knowledge, web developers can now focus thaeir energies on creation of user friendly and accessible websites. A vital end product of this designing is to have as few ketstrokes as possible when navigating through a site.
How People with Disabilities Use the Web: case studies
Understanding how people with disabilities use the web is lagging behind and as a result websites are not wholly user friendly to disable people. This section looks into how people with disabilities, including people with age-related impairments access the web, the tools they make use of, the different types of disabilities that these people have, and the different types of design barriers encountered while using the web.
Different scenarios have been put here to show the different uses by disabled individuals using the internet and how assistive-technologies make it much easier to use the internet.
Scenario 1: Online shopper with color blindness:
Mr. Brown an online shopper is searching for clothes, appliances and music. He suffers from color blindness and cannot distinguish green from red. He also has difficulty in distinguishing text on many websites. To him the color contrast used in most sites is poor. He was astonished that many websites were using colors, which were impossible to differentiate to him since he was color blind. In some instances, the website directions detailed that discounted prices were shown by red letters, however he could not identify the red since all of the letters appeared brown to him. In other instances, the necessary issues on the form were pointed out by red words; nevertheless he couldnt identify the case that had red words. Mr. Brown found out that he favored websites, which used adequate color contrasts, and unnecessary details for colors. Paciello (2000, 149) notes the websites achieved this by indicating the names of the colors of clothes and also placing alongside a sample of the color; and by placing an asterix (*) in front of the necessary fields alongside indicating them by color. He firther add after further experiments, Mr. Brown found out that on most new websites the colors were organized by style sheets and that he could turn these style sheets off with his browser or override them with his own style sheets (Paciello 2000, 150). But on websites that did not use style sheets he could not override the colors. In time, Mr. Brown bookmarked a series of online shopping websites where he could get dependable information on products colors, and dont have to guess at which products were discounted (Paciello 2000, 149).
Scenario 2: A an old man with numerous aging related conditions, managing personal finance.
Mr. Smith uses the internet to handle some of his domestic duties and finances. Paciello (2000, 120) observes he has some central field vision loss, hand tremor and a little short term memory lapse. He uses a screen magnifier to assist with his vision and his hand tremor; when the icons and links on web pages are bigger, it is easier for him to click on them, and so he finds it friendly to use sites with style sheets. Therefore, initially when he started to use financial web pages, he discovered that it was uncomfortable as they flipped too fast for him to go through the issue. Furthermore, at times the pages would revise before he was through reading them. For that reason, he preferred to visit websites that didnt have a lot of movement in the words, and that did not refresh automatically. Paciello (2000, 114) notes he also often got stuck on some pages, and was not able to back up on some websites where new browser windows would pop open before alerting him. Mr. Smith has over time found some websites which are friendly, and has come up with personalized profiles at some services, retailing and social websites.
Adaptive Strategies of Assistive Technologies
Given the two scenarios above, web designers need to undertake different strategies to make the web more accessible to persons with disabilities. For the scenario one; control of the color scheme on websites should be of paramount importance, by making sure that all info on the site should be with color and also without color. Also ensure that foreground and background color combinations provide sufficient contrast when viewed by someone having color deficits or when viewed on a black and white screen (Robbins 2006). For scenario two, the web should be capable to allow user to freeze moving context and scrolling text (Robbins 2006, 167).
Robbins (2006, 118) observes that other strategies that can be adapted could include making multimedia accessible; use of columns and row headers in tables; synchronization of the screen display with audio and braille rendering of information; supplementing text with graphic or auditory presentations; use of the clearest and simplest language suitable for voice recognition; use of alternative text; provide user override of author style sheets; provision of full keyboard support to the user; expansion of abbreviations and acronyms; use of a consistent style of presentation across pages; sites should have enabled device independence and provide for multiple search types .
Excepted Results
The expected results from this research has been gaining a deeper understanding of the problems and challenges persons with disabilities face in their quest to keep abreast with technology by use of the web. The common misconceptions and ignorance on issues affecting accessibility and the web will be driven to a low and consideration will be focused on persons with disabilities. Though they do not make up for a large percentage as able bodied persons, their numbers are steadily rising. As a recommendation of this research the understanding of the workings and design of webs should be centered on creation of accessible websites so that they are user friendly.
Conclusion
From the study carried out, it is evident that as much as web accessibility is to some extent available for both able-bodied and disabled persons, there is still much to be done so as to create more user friendly sites. This is a difficulty faced by web designers, organizations and everyone either responsible or utilizes the web for their business or passing of information. It is believed that with the understanding brought about by the findings articulated here that the information will help developers, designers, and others to understand the principles for creating accessible websites, web applications, browsers, and other web tools.
References
Carter, J., Markel, M. and Hailey, I. D., 2001. Web accessibility for people with disabilities: an introduction for Web developers. Professional Communication, IEEE Transactions, 44(4), 225 233.
Craddock, M. G., 2003. Assistive technology: shaping the future : AAATE03. New York, NY: IOS Press.
Harper, S. and Yesilada, Y., 2008. Web accessibility: a foundation for research. Goldaming, London: Springer.
Kemp, G. and Jeanne, D. C., 2010. Learning Disabilities in Children. Helpguide.org. Web.
Moss, T., 2005. Benefits of an accessible website- part 2: The buisness case. Webcredible.co.uk. Web.
Oishi, M. K., 2010. Design and Use of Assistive Technology. New York, NY: Springer.
Paciello, M. G., 2000. Web accessibility for people with disabilities. New York, NY: Focal Press.
Robbins, J.N., 2006. Web design in a nutshell. Goldaming, London : OReilly Media, Inc.
Slatin, J. M. and Rush, S., 2003. Maximum accessibility: making your Web site more usable for everyone. New York, NY: Addison-Wesley.
Thatcher, J., 2006. Web accessibility: web standards and regulatory compliance. New York, NY: Friends of ED.
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