Journal on Technology & Persons with Disabilities Volume 8Collection of articles for Center on Disabilities' Journal (Vol.8)http://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/2159462024-03-29T10:58:29Z2024-03-29T10:58:29ZWireless Device Use by Individuals with Disabilities: Findings from a National SurveyMoon, Nathan W.Griffiths, Patricia C.LaForce, SalimahLinden, Maureenhttp://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/2159882023-06-16T17:48:56Z2020-01-01T00:00:00ZWireless Device Use by Individuals with Disabilities: Findings from a National Survey
Moon, Nathan W.; Griffiths, Patricia C.; LaForce, Salimah; Linden, Maureen
We present findings from the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Inclusive Technologies (Wireless RERC) Survey of User Needs (SUN) for 2017-2018. The Wireless RERC has surveyed wireless technology adoption and use among individuals with disabilities since 2002, and this article presents findings from the sixth iteration of the SUN. Broadly, it continues to find growing rates of adoption of smartphone technologies among people with disabilities relative to the general population. With an increase of smartphone use among individuals with disabilities from 54% in 2012-2013 and 71% in 2015-2016, to 88% in 2017-2018, our findings suggest further narrowing of the digital "disability divide." SUN respondents generally indicated that their devices were easy to use. Regarding device satisfaction, over three-fourths of smartphone users indicated that they were satisfied or very satisfied with their smartphones. Relatively less established, newer features such as real-time-text and intelligent personal assistants have yet to be widely adopted. However, the higher-than-average use of real-time-text among individuals who reported deafness or difficulty hearing suggests this features' potential for increasing usability and accessibility of these devices, specifically, and communications, in general. For this version, we added new questions on the adoption and use of next-generation wireless devices, as part of a growing trend toward Internet of Things (IoT)-based "smart homes."
35th Annual Assistive Technology Conference Scientific/Research Proceedings, San Diego, 2020
2020-01-01T00:00:00ZTowards Accessible Audio Labeling of 3D ObjectsCoughlan, James M.Shen, HuiyingBiggs, Brandonhttp://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/2159892023-06-16T17:48:52Z2020-01-01T00:00:00ZTowards Accessible Audio Labeling of 3D Objects
Coughlan, James M.; Shen, Huiying; Biggs, Brandon
We describe a new approach to audio labeling of 3D objects such as appliances, 3D models and maps that enables a visually impaired person to audio label objects. Our approach to audio labeling is called CamIO, a smartphone app that issues audio labels when the user points to a hotspot (a location of interest on an object) with a handheld stylus viewed by the smartphone camera. The CamIO app allows a user to create a new hotspot location by pointing at the location with a second stylus and recording a personalized audio label for the hotspot. In contrast with other audio labeling approaches that require the object of interest to be constructed of special materials, 3D printed, or equipped with special sensors, CamIO works with virtually any rigid object and requires only a smartphone, a paper barcode pattern mounted to the object of interest, and two inexpensive styluses. Moreover, our approach allows a visually impaired user to create audio labels independently. We describe a co-design performed with six blind participants exploring how they label objects in their daily lives and a study with the participants demonstrating the feasibility of CamIO for providing accessible audio labeling.
35th Annual Assistive Technology Conference Scientific/Research Proceedings, San Diego, 2020
2020-01-01T00:00:00ZUser Personas: Smart Speakers, Home Automation and People with DisabilitiesMorris, John T.Thompson, Nicole A.http://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/2159912023-06-16T17:48:54Z2020-01-01T00:00:00ZUser Personas: Smart Speakers, Home Automation and People with Disabilities
Morris, John T.; Thompson, Nicole A.
Rapid adoption rates of smart speakers and home automation and control devices, and predicted strong future growth requires ongoing research to understand and anticipate the needs of consumers with disabilities. This paper uses quantitative and qualitative survey research data to develop "personas" for consumers with one of six disability types -- limited dexterity, limited mobility, low vision, blindness, hard of hearing, and deafness. Personas are research-based fictional characters developed to represent different user types that might use a service, device or other product in a certain way. They help designers and engineers understand user needs, experiences, behaviors and goals in a more personal way than lists of features and needs. The quantitative data show moderate rates of adoption of smart speakers (38%-54%) by all six disability types except deaf respondents (who have low rates of adoption), and substantially lower rates of adoption for smart-home devices (outlets, light switches, thermostats, etc.). Qualitative data reveal primarily five dimensions of feelings or impressions by owners of smart speakers and smart-home devices: fondness/enjoyment, inspiration/wonder, utility/convenience, usability/accessibility, and safety/security. From these data and our analysis one persona is summarized for each of the six disability types.
35th Annual Assistive Technology Conference Scientific/Research Proceedings, San Diego, 2020
2020-01-01T00:00:00ZHow WCAG 2.1 Relates to Online User Experience with Switch-Based ToolsChandrashekar, SambhaviMcCardle, Lindsayhttp://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/2159902023-06-16T17:48:05Z2020-01-01T00:00:00ZHow WCAG 2.1 Relates to Online User Experience with Switch-Based Tools
Chandrashekar, Sambhavi; McCardle, Lindsay
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), organized under the four principles Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust, form the standards for building web pages that are accessible to users with disabilities. The guidelines under the first three principles broadly map to three disability domains: sensory, physical, and cognitive respectively. However, there is little published research examining the relationship between these categories of WCAG guidelines and the user experience of a person with a specific type of disability. We studied the user experience of a person with a physical disability (quadriplegia) while using switch-based tools online in the context of each of the WCAG guidelines. We found the guidelines under Operable to be relevant to the user's online experience, but with relatively low dependency on keyboard accessibility and high reliance on multiple input modalities. Most guidelines under Perceivable and Understandable, which generally map to sensory and cognitive disabilities respectively, were also found to be relevant to this user more for usability that for accessibility. The guideline under Robust was found to have no direct relevance to this user's online experience. Further studies of online experience of users with other types of disabilities are required to understand how the guidelines relate to user experience with those disabilities.
35th Annual Assistive Technology Conference Scientific/Research Proceedings, San Diego, 2020
2020-01-01T00:00:00Z