A 'visual-centred' mapping approach for improving access to Web 2.0 for people with visual impairments

Area of Science:

• Human-computer interaction
• Web accessibility
• Assistive technology

Background:

• Screen readers struggle with complex "Web 2.0" pages, leaving interactive visual features inaccessible.
• Existing audio translations often fail for users unfamiliar with visual interaction metaphors, particularly those with early-onset blindness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a novel audio web browser employing a "visual-centred" mapping approach.
• To assess the effectiveness of translating complex visual web content into audio for users with varying visual impairments.

Main Methods:

• Developed an audio web browser using algorithms based on sighted user interactions with visual content.
• Evaluated the browser using both quantitative and qualitative measures with participants experiencing visual impairments.

Main Results:

• All participants, regardless of visual impairment onset, preferred the audio mappings derived from visual interactions.
• The "visual-centred" approach was preferred for making dynamic web content truly accessible.
• Participants found the dynamic content more accessible compared to current methods.

Conclusions:

• The "visual-centred" mapping technique is a promising approach for translating complex visual web content into audio.
• This method enhances accessibility for a broad range of visually impaired users, including those with early-onset visual disabilities.