Accessible but not usable?: a look beyond design guidelines

Accessible but not usable?: a look beyond design guidelines Jane Berliss-Vincent, A.M.L.S. Usability/Accessibility Manager Center for Accessible Technology Berkeley, CA

Definitions

Defining disability • Legal • Functional • Cultural • Environmental • Situational

Defining accessibility • Section 508: technology is accessible if it can be used as effectively by people with disabilities as by those without. • WCAG 2.0: perceivable, operable, understandable, robust

Defining usability • Nielsen’s five attributes: learnability, efficiency, memorability, errors, satisfaction

Conflicts

Misperceptions • Example: Blind people can’t use a keyboard

Meeting accessibility letter but not spirit • Example: ALT attributes • Reliability/usefulness of automated checkers

Product changes • Example: MS Office 2007 — “mystic” changes • Can affect compatibility with assistive technology

Dueling functions • Example: Simultaneous audio outputs

Dueling disabilities • Example: Color contrast • False dueling • Example: use of graphics

Design factor balance • Example: Copier • Example: HTML and browser compatibility

Satisfaction • Will users WANT to use accessible product? • Differences among user experiences: disability, technology, even personality

Strategies

Understanding • Understanding how people with disabilities—all definitions—use technology • Understanding access barriers • Understanding how assistive technology addresses some of these barriers

Flexibility • Flexibility within product • Flexibility via product environment • Flexibility via product competition

Awareness and evolution of guidelines • Sample guidelines • WCAG / Section 508 § 1194.22 • Section 255 • Other WAI guidelines • Other parts of Section 508 • International variations • Guideline revision

Testing • Direct testing • Oblique testing

Bibliography • Available at www.janevincent.com/wud/wud2008bib.html

Accessible but not usable?: a look beyond design guidelines