Requirements Analysis and Changelog for "Improving your Web Experience by Using Adaptive Strategies"

Page Contents

Purpose
Objective
Audience
Approach
References
Changelog

Latest draft: Improving your Web Experience by Using Adaptive Strategies

Purpose

Rationale: Older users with accessibility needs, as well as people with disabilities, would benefit from a welcoming online Web resource which introduces adaptive strategies and assistive technologies.

Objective

From WAI-AGE Deliverables:

Proposal: Develop a resource which provides a general introduction to the use of adaptive strategies (including basic suggestions for finding and configuring accessibility settings in browsers) and assistive technologies for Web users who may benefit from this information but do not necessarily consider themselves as having disabilities, and may have low levels of computer literacy.

Audience

Audience for the document include:

Primary audience:
- People who could benefit from accessibility features built into their browsers and systems but are unaware of how to configure these to meet their needs
- People who could benefit from additional assistive software and/or devices but are unaware of their existence, and how they can find them
Secondary audience:
- Trainers and supporters, especially of people with accessibility needs
- Accessibility advocates who want to promote the availability of accessibility features
- Developers (including browser makers) trying to understand the benefits of accessibility features

Note: while the end-users are the primary readers of the document, the trainers and supports are the primary disseminators (reference, distribute, print, translate, use during training, etc.) of the document. The trainers and supporters are therefore an indirect primary audience of the document.

Approach

For explaining Adaptive Strategies the approach includes:

Explain how browsers, media players, and the operating systems play a vital role in Web accessibility (link to Essential Components of Web Accessibility for more info)
Provide examples of some of the common configurations that may be useful to a wide audience (such as increasing font-size, turning on captions, or changing colors)
Link to more detailed (external) resources that provide step-by-step configuration approaches and techniques (not necessarily accessibility-oriented resources)

For explaining Assistive Technologies the approach includes:

Briefly explain what assistive technologies are (including specialized software and hardware)
Provide examples of some of the types of assistive technologies and how they can be useful to a wide audience (such as specialized keyboards, enlarging software, ...)
Link to (external) resources that provide listings of assistive technology providers, or provide some advice for online searching (note the [outdated] Alternative Web Browsing resource)

Note 1: the document should be appealing to users with mild impairments, who may only need minor adjustments (like larger text), and who may be put off if the solutions sound too complicated or who may assume that this document is not for them because they do not consider themselves to have a disability. Motivating users who are afraid to adjust the configuration of their system is primary aspect, even though it may be difficult to address comprehensively.

Note 2: the document should explain adjustment options in terms of functionality (like "enlarge text", "increase volume", or "switch on captions") rather than in terms of software and component types (like not "operating system", "browser", or "media player"), as users may not know which parts of the different parts of the system and what they are responsible for.

General Guides
- My Web My Way (BBC) -
  - Covers Windows, Mac and Linux for seeing websites, hearing websites, reading websites, using the keyboard and mouse, and help with web forms. Has step by step instructions for many aspects (but sometimes one version out of date).
- My Computer My Way! (AbilityNet)
  - Good background on why it is important to customize one's computer. Also covers help with seeing the screen, help with keyboard and mouse, and help with language and reading. Some links to solutions and some step by step instructions (e.g. for mouse stuff). Mostly Windows based.
- Using your PC (RNIB)
  - A good description of simple adaptations (incl the mouse pointer and color schemes), hardware products (from keyboard stickers to braille displays), and software for magnification and speech output.
- Raising the Floor
  - The Solutions and Tools page has links to OS and Browser built-in accessibility features as well as a short list of tools primarily for individuals with blindness, low-vision, or reading difficulties
Access Technologies
- The OATS software center - open source assistive technology software
  - Has listings of open source AT for a variety of uses, including web browsing, mouse use, screen use, etc
- ATRC Technical Glossary
  - provides a smple explanataion of many adaptive technology devices and software which links to a page for each term with more explanation, questions to consider in terms of whether this AT might suit, and links to manufacturers pages. (Like other sites, it is falling out of date.)
- MS's Types of Assistive Technology Products
  - Overview of assistive technology products (hardware and software). Microsoft also has a series of Guides by Impairment which provide a list of assistive technology products and links to tutorials for accessibility features that are helpful for specific types of difficulties and impairments. There is also a keyboard tips page.
- JISC TechDIS Resources
  - Includes a series of guides on the use of joysticks, trackballs, keyguards, and special keyboards as well as mousekeys and mouse settings. They also have Web accessibility tools for users including a style-sheet wizard and an IE preferences toolbar.
- Useful low cost programs - Accessibility tools (AbilityNet)
  - A database of shareware programs and utilities that are used by people with a wide range of disabilities.
- Global Assistive Technology Encyclopedia (AbilityNet)
  - An AT Wiki with heaps of inormation, but seems a little disorganised.
Browsers and Media Players
- Firefox Accessibility; Access Firefox (Accessibility Features, Extensions, and Themes)
- Accessibility in Opera
  - Voice control; No-mouse browsing; Personalising Opera - including controlling content such as pop-ups and animations and pesonalising the screen and fonts
- IE 6 Accessibility Tutorials; IE 7 Accessibility Tutorials; Accessibility in Internet Explorer 8
  - These tutorials provide step by step instructions for adjusting the accessibility settings in Internet Explorer X. Steps are provided for both mouse and keyboard actions.
- Safari 4 Accessibility Features
  - An overview of accessibility features in Safari, inlcuding VoiceOver, keyboard navigation and zoom.
- Rich Media Accessibility for Users (NCAM)
  - Contains examples of accessible rich media and information to help users of rich media understand how to enable and use accessibility features, however the material seems to be largely developer oriented.
Operating Systems
- Windows
- Mac
  - Mac OS X Accessibility
  - Third-Party Solutions for Mac OS X

Related WAI-AGE TF and EOWG Discussions

Changelog

2009-10-30 Editors Draft: [2009/10/28 22:12:11]

Changelog items from EOWG Teleconference 30 Oct 2009:

Title - consider replacing the word "enjoyable" or adding another word, to highlight a productive or efficiency aspect (from Liam: "fun and profit)
Seeing and Reading - consider removing "reading" as it is confusing with the cogntive aspect while this section focuses on the visual aspects only
Note: what about dyslexia or similar? One suggestion is to merge the "understanding" aspect into this section
References - consider putting all references at the bottom in an organized and briefly annotated style, and link from the end of each sub-section to the relevant part in the references section
Illustrations - consider adding images, illustrations, or symbols to make the text more skimmable
Note: also consider using browser logos where relevant for recognition factor
Keyboard - consider adding several other shortcuts and several other specialized keyboards (or things to use with the keyboards)

Quick ideas (2008-09-09)

What is possible as adaptive strategies:

Windows XP & Vista
- colours; text size; magnification; mouse pointer; mouse sensitivity; sticky-keys; narration
Mac OS-X
- colours; text size; magnification; mouse pointer; narration
Firefox
- text size or magnification; tabbing; keyboard short-cuts; CSS mods;
- plug-ins (e.g. FF accessibility extension with Link/Form focus indicator) and themes
Internet Explorer
- text size; colour; ...
Opera
- text size and magnification, color, Heading navigation (and other keyboard actions)
Media players
- turning captions on
- alternative accessible interfaces (e.g. YouTube)
Keyboard browsing
- links (all browsers)
- keyboard shortcuts (all browsers), e.g. ^O, ^P, ^+, etc
- headings etc (Opera only?)
Assistive technology overview
- conventional AT such as screen readers, screen magnifiers, switch devices, voice recognition, etc
- other AT such as trackballs, keyboard guards, on-screen kbds, etc etc
- @@ Clues about where you might find out locally about these AT options?

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