ACCESSIBILITY TASK

 

 

Discussion

1)    What do you need to know or be able to do to control a computer?

This controls a computer, you need an input device, such as a mouse and keyboard to interact with a computer, keyboards allow the user to enter data into the computer or commands into the computer, or a mouse, which allows the user to traverse the options and controls of a computer

 

2)    What do you need to know or be able to do to get information out of a computer?

You  may need an output device to see the data and results from the computer such as a monitor, which will display the contents from a computer to the user, which will allow the user to see and and locate data or information asked from the computer. Other output devices can be used such as speakers, which can output sound for the user to hear certain information

 

3)    How can we ensure a computer can assist people to travel in the real world?

The device can use accessability options such as options for different languages, The device should have GPS features, so that the user can use GPS applciations such as maps to give locations and routes when travelling to places new to the user. The device should also be small, so it is able to be carried around easily.

 

4)    What are the requirements for a computer interface?

It needs to be intuitive and reliable/accessible to all users, whether they are blind, deaf or know a different language

 

5)    What are the requirements for a mobile computer interface?

    It should be user friendly, regardless of the users ability to use the device, so people who are blind, deaf and have mobile problems can use the device, the system and the parts should be able to fit into a mobile casing and be able to be carried everywhere seamlessly

 

6)    Should your computer be controlled in the same way as your friend’s computer or your mother’s computer?

ð  No, because all users need to be accessible to all users, and all people are different

 

7)    How do you want to control your computer?

ð  I prefer to use my computer with a mouse and keyboard, because since i suffer no disabilities, i dont need extra utilities to control the computer.

 

Activity 2 - What is a Screen Reader?

A screen reader is a software application that enables people with severe visual impairments to use a computer. Screen readers work closely with the computer’s Operating System (OS) to provide information about icons, menus, dialogue boxes, files and folders. A screen reader provides access to the entire OS that it works with, including many common applications.

http://www.nomensa.com/blog/2005/what-is-a-screen-reader

Demonstration of a Screen Reader

Look at;

1)    Screen reader demo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PMuBQ7LyOw

2)    An introduction to NVDA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjCQ30gBEsU

3)    Accessiblity for online learning - # 1 NVDA screen reader demo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZG3lwCzXb0

Install NVDA on a USB Flash Drive

1)    Go to http://www.nvaccess.org/ then investigate and download a version of NVDA to a USB flash drive.

2)    Read http://webaim.org/articles/nvda/ to discover the basics of using NVDA.

Using NVDA

Once you are confident that you know how to use NVDA;

1)    Switch off you screen,

2)    unplug your mouse,

3)    Use NVDA to access, read and interact with a web page of your choice.

 

Reflect on your experience

A computer is a flexible system that can be used with a wide range of input and output devices, including devices designed for people with disabilities and special requirements. For this assessment you must;

·         Read Types of Assistive Technology Products http://www.microsoft.com/enable/at/types.aspx

·         Reflect on how the presentation of material effects your appreciation of it.

·         Consider how to design web resources so that they can be used by people using a range of input and output devices.

 

Further Resources

·         7 Accessibility Myths http://www.nomensa.com/blog/2012/7-web-accessibility-myths-2/

·         First Seven Steps to Accessible Websites http://www.onevoiceict.org/tools/tools/seven-steps

·         Introduction to Web Accessibility http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/accessibility.php

 

And anything else you need …………………..


 

Activity 3 – Mobile Accessibility

 

Background

The Mobile Accessibility Task Force (Mobile A11Y TF) of the Web Accessibility Initiative are currently involved in writing guidelines to ensure that people with disabilities can successfully use mobile technology (including Smartphones and tablets) see https://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/mobile-a11y-tf/ for a description for their work.

 

Resources

·         Basic information on web accessibility can be found at https://www.w3.org/WAI/gettingstarted/Overview.html

·         A classification list of disabilities can be found at the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health http://www.who.int/classifications/icf/icfchecklist.pdf?ua=1

·         There is a lot of information available online on how people with disabilities use mobile technology – see for instance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdcHIv1ISdk&list=PLcfAQnpDwrQVBGXF6S9pdGKWRzxg2078h (other videos for other operating systems are also available).

 

Task

In groups of 3 or 4 people your task is to write a list of the ten most important points that you think that the Mobile Accessibility Task Force need to consider, be as specific as possible, so mention elements such as font size, colour contrast etc. Remember you are focusing on mobile devices so the design factors might be different than for fixed machine web access.

When you are undertaking this task focus on the tasks that people want to use their smartphones for and then the design decisions that need to be made to enable a person to do them, so consider how;

·         A user can access social media

ð  Open the social media app

ð  A blind person can use speech to text, text to speech and speech to command applications

ð  A deaf person needs limited help when accessing social media, outside of subtitles

ð  A foreign person can change the language of the social media app from the settings

·         A user can know a page is secure before they input private information.

ð  Search the web page, check the validity of the website, input the information

ð  A blind person can speech to text, and use a application that can audibly announce whether the web page is secure or not by checking if the website is encrypted and is a popular web page.

ð  A deaf person needs limited help with accessing a web page, however an application can be used to notify the user whether the web page is secure or not

·         A user can select an item to buy.

ð  Search the webpage market, select the wanted item, go to checkout, insert payment info and confirm payment

ð  A blind person can use text to speech, speech to text, and speech to command applications which can read out the page, the items and their price, and the user can select what item they want by speaking, and when they want to checkout they can say so, when entering payment info, it will read out what is needed, and can read out their info to the computer which will automatically insert the details.

ð  A deaf person needs minimal help in this regard

ð  A foreign user can change the currency of the marketplace

·         A user can send a text message to a friend.

ð  Open the text messaging app, select the friend they want to text

ð  A deaf person can use captions and subtitles for audio

ð  Blind person can use speech to text and speech to command applications and use audio

·         A user can easily find what they are looking for

ð  Open mobile device, search what they want to use on the mobile device

ð  A blind person can use speech to command to traverse the mobile device

ð  Foreign user can change the country settings, which affects the language, keyboard and currency

·         A user has a lot of options in what they want to customize to make their experience more easier, such as change in fonts, change in colour contrast etc

ð  Colourblind users can change the color settings to suit colourblind users

ð  Deaf users can select captions, subtitles for videos, and vibrations

ð  Blind users can select text to speech or audio to hear text read from the device

ð  Partially blind users can increase the brightness of the device

ð  Users sensitive to light can change the colour contrast

·         A user can easily access locations or GPS

ð  Open the GPS app, insert the location, get info on where they need to go

ð  Blind users can use speech to text or speech to command to insert locations and routes to take when they use the application

ð  Deaf users, subtitles and captions, and images or video to show where they need to go

·         A user can easily contact another person

ð  Open the contact app, call the person/ business

ð  Blind users can use speech to command to call specific people, and set certain buttons on the device to decline or accept calls

ð  Deaf person can use subtitles and vibrations to check calls

·         A user can easily make use of apps needed for planning for example calendars, reminders, notes etc

ð  Open the planning app, traverse the app to make specific plans, enter the details, save the details on the planning app and get reminded of them

ð  Blind people can use audio such as text to speech, alarms and speech to text to be alerted of events and be able to set events in the app

ð  Deaf people can use vibrations to be reminded of events

·         A user can store information like pictures, videos easily if their storage

ð  A user can save numbers, pictures and videos on their mobile storage, be able to access the information again at a later time

ð  A blind user can use audio to audibly tell the user what file and information they are currently looking at, they can use speech to command to traverse the storage to select certain information

 

Elements of Task

1)    Consider the activities that you use a smartphone for?

2)    Consider what other people use smartphones for?

3)    Consider the activities that you use a tablet for?

4)    Consider what other people use a tablet for?

When you have a complete list of tasks.

5)    Divide each task into it’s separate elements (e.g. purchasing a book could involve opening a browser, selecting an online store, opening a website, finding the correct book, selecting the correct book, checking the security of the payment system, inputting finical information etc.)

6)    Categorise the task elements into groups which have similar requirements from the user and the hardware and software).

When you have a list of categorised sub-tasks.

7)    Consider how the hardware or software would need to be designed to enable somebody who is blind or has a visual impairment to do each task?

8)    Consider how the hardware or software would need to be designed to enable somebody who is deaf or who has a hearing impairment to do each task?

9)    Consider how the hardware or software would need to be designed to enable somebody who is deaf-blind to do each task?

10) Consider how the hardware or software would need to be designed to enable somebody who has a physical impairment to do each task (Note - a physical impairment may affect their dexterity and motor skills of their hands or of their face so they may not be able to type or they may not be able to speak)?

11) Consider how the hardware or software would need to be designed to enable somebody who has a cognitive impairment to do each task (Note – consider a range of cognitive impairments from mild to severe (A person with dyslexia might just require a spell checker whilst a person with a learning disability might require the mobile phone to be set up for shared use so a carer or friend can ensure safe use))?

12) Consider how the hardware or software would need to be designed to enable somebody who has multiple impairments to do each task?

When you have a complete list of design solutions.

13) Identify the ten most important, prioritise them and put them in a list.

14) Write an explanation of why you selected your ten design rules.

 

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