Checking an integrated model of web accessibility and usability evaluation for disabled people

Area of Science:

• Web Accessibility
• Usability Engineering
• Disability Studies

Background:

• Web accessibility and usability are crucial for students with disabilities.
• Standardized objective evaluations and user-centered subjective assessments offer different perspectives.
• Previous research often focuses on one evaluation method, potentially missing key insights.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accessibility and usability of university web pages for students with disabilities.
• To compare the outcomes of objective-oriented and subjective-oriented evaluation methods.
• To identify specific challenges faced by disabled students, particularly regarding web navigation.

Main Methods:

• A combined approach using objective (W3C standards compliance) and subjective (user satisfaction, cooperative evaluation, SUMI test) methods.
• Objective evaluations were conducted on a university Help Desk web page.
• Subjective tests involved 19 self-declared disabled students, including blind students.

Main Results:

• Objective and subjective methods yielded different, sometimes conflicting, results.
• Both methods showed higher consistency in accessibility findings compared to usability.
• Subjective measures revealed that blind students experienced greater difficulties in web surfing.

Conclusions:

• A combined evaluation approach provides a more comprehensive understanding of web accessibility and usability for disabled students.
• Usability is significantly influenced by individual abilities and environmental factors.
• Specific user groups, like blind students, require tailored usability considerations beyond basic accessibility standards.