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CLIS Research Seminar Series

February 13, 2008 @ 10-11 Am
"Improving Information Access for Blind Users on the Web"

Dr. Jonathan Lazar
Towson University

Wednesday, February 13, 10-11 am
Room 2119 Hornbake Building, South Wing

Abstract

Web-based information needs to be accessible to all users. Blind users, and users with low vision, frequently utilize screen readers to access web-based information. Despite the existence of design guidelines and development tools, many web sites are not fully accessible. Even when the web sites are technically accessible, they are often hard to use. The unemployment rate of the blind is around 70%, and technology is one of the keys to successful employment. Therefore, it is necessary for society to understand what barriers exist, for successful computer usage for the blind. Much of the published research in this area involves small numbers of users, or focuses on developing new interfaces, rather than examining the challenges that users have with their current applications. The goal of this study was to learn more about the problems that occur for screen reader users accessing web-based information. Using time diaries, 100 blind users recorded their frustrations, as they were performing their normal web tasks in their natural environments. From this data, the most frequent causes of frustration were documented, which can provide useful feedback for developers of both web sites and developers of screen readers. In addition, the responses to the frustration, time lost, and impact on mood, were also documented. Blind users had different coping strategies in dealing with frustrating situations, compared to the visual users in previously published research. These coping strategies actually allowed blind users to respond more effectively than other users, leading to less of an impact on both time and mood. 

About the speaker

Dr. Jonathan Lazar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences at Towson University. He is the founder and director of the Universal Usability Laboratory at Towson University, and currently serves as director of the undergraduate Information Systems program. He has published over 70 papers on the topics of web usability, information policy, information access for blind users, and user-centered design. His most recent authored book is Web Usability: A User-Centered Design Approach, published by Addison-Wesley in 2006, and his most recent edited book is Universal Usability: Designing Computer Interfaces for Diverse User Populations, published by John Wiley and Sons in 2007. He currently serves as national chair of the ACM SIGCHI US Public Policy Committee. He also has served on program committees for the ACM CHI, ASSETS, and SIGDOC conferences, and currently serves on the editorial boards of Universal Access in the Information Society and Journal of Informatics Education and Research.