The Travails of Visually Impaired Web Travelers

The Travails of Visually Impaired Web Travelers

Presented by Chih-Tang Lee

By Carole GobleSimon Harper

Robert Stevens

Problem addressed Most visual navigation cues are not appropriate for a VI user to

navigate in the virtual world.

Hypothesis Propose a model that evaluates mobility support given to VI

users on the web.

“… traveling and mobility on the web mirrors traveling and mobility in the physical world.”

Traveling 3 mental representations:

Landmarks, route knowledge, survey knowledge

Author’s definition of travel: “… confident navigation and orientation with purpose, ease and

accuracy within an environment.”

In the physical world: Simpler information of the environment. Detailed route description and more specific obstacle information. Increased use of mental maps.

Traveling

In the virtual world: Rely more on audible solutions than enhancing actual web

navigation. Screen scraping (sensory translation): web browsers and specialist

browsers (screen readers). Listening vs. scanning: information flow is slower. Explicitly warned of obstacles. Mental map usage is limited.

Model of Travel Travel objects - Travelers use landmarks and memory objects to

make sure they are going in the right direction.

Mobility actions - And navigates and orientates by consulting memory objects, and detecting and identifying landmarks.

Model of Travel Mobility instruments - Consultation, detection and identification with mobility instruments.

Mobility Evaluation

Is the object a cue or obstacle?Travel purpose: seeking information,

orientation, navigation, etc.UserTimeliness of feedback User agentPresentation form

Mobility Evaluation Common presentation forms

IMDB Home Page Evaluationht

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IMDB Home Page Evaluation

IMDB Home Page Evaluation

Conclusion

Related travel in the virtual world to that in the real world.

The proposed model can aid the identification of cues and obstacles and promote improved mobility support for VI users.

Need to extend model’s usage to web sites.

?

Authors

Carole Goble

Robert Stevens

Simon Harper

Professor, University of Manchester

Prototype mobility tools for visually impaired surfers

A pilot study to examine the mobility problems of visually impaired users traveling the web