Universal Design: Planning and Design for All

[Excerpt] This report attempts to develop and illustrate the concept of universal design. The aim of universal design is to develop theory, principles and solutions to enable everybody to use the same physical solutions to the greatest extent possible, whether it be buildings, outdoor-areas, means of communication or household goods. Universal design opposes, ideologically and politically, all unnecessary and stigmatizing specialized solutions, whether they are intended for people with disabilities or other groups of the population. Equal status, equal treatment and equal merit are key concepts. The discussion in this report covers extensive spheres such as planning, architecture and product design. One may object that we try to cover too large an area within a relatively brief report. It is therefore important to emphasise that our main intention is to include more professionals and politicians in the further discussion of universal design or design for all

Ensuring accessibility of electronic information resources for visually impaired people : the need to clarify concepts such as visually impaired

PURPOSE – The paper addresses the importance of clarifying terminology such as visually impaired and related terms before embarking on accessibility studies of electronic information resources in library contexts. Apart from briefly defining accessibility, the paper attempts to address the lack of in-depth definitions of terms such as visually impaired, blind, partially sighted, etc. that has been noted in the literature indexed by two major Library and Information Science (LIS) databases. The purpose of this paper is to offer a basis for selecting participants in studies of accessibility of electronic information resources in library contexts and to put discussions of such studies in context. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH – Clarification of concepts concerning visual impairment following a literature survey based on searching two major databases in LIS. To put the discussion in context accessibility is also briefly defined. FINDINGS – Although visually impaired and a variety of related terms such as blind, partially sighted, visually disabled, etc. are used in the LIS literature, hardly any attempt is made to define these terms in depth. This can be a serious limitation in web and electronic accessibility evaluations and the selection of participants. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS – Clearly distinguishing between categories of visually impaired people and the ability of sight of participants is important when selecting participants for studies on accessibility for visually impaired people, e.g. the accessibility evaluation of web sites, digital libraries and other electronic information resources. ORIGINALITY/VALUE – The paper can make a contribution to the clarification of terminology essential for the selection of participants in accessibility studies, as well as enriching the literature on accessibility for visually impaired people in the context of LIS.http://www.emeraldinsight.com/0737-8831.htmhb201

Disabled user’s preference investigation of Konya Karatay City Park according to the universal design criteria (UDC)

The importance of concepts such as universal design, accessibility, and unimpeded life is increasing as the number of disabled people within the society increases over the years and as the effects of being disabled become more prominent. As these concepts have become widespread throughout the world, architects and designers have also focused on projects that facilitate the life of individuals with disabilities in their designs, and they have created designs from the inside of life by incorporating the rapid development of technology into the process. The universal design aims to eliminate the obstacles faced by individuals with basic disabilities and to ensure the use of designs together with non-disabled individuals. The universal design criteria revealed in this direction are the main factors that make up the study subject. Within the scope of the study, determination of the suitability of Konya Karatay City Park for the access by disabled users and the concept of unimpeded life (Universal Design) was aimed. Social areas, transportation systems, and recreation areas, which provide services to users within the park, were examined onsite according to their functions by quantifying them in the context of the universal design criteria. As a result of the study, it was determined that the park did not meet the universal design criteria (UDC) in terms of transportation and circulation; also, the uses of social and recreation areas were observed not to comply with the universal design criteria. According to the disabled user’s preferences, solutions related to these subjects were proposed

Industry attitudes and behaviour towards web accessibility in general and age-related change in particular and the validation of a virtual third-age simulator for web accessibility training for students and professionals

While the need for web accessibility for people with disabilities is widely accepted, the same visibility does not apply to the accessibility needs of older adults. This research initially explored developer behaviour in terms of how they presented accessibility on their websites as well as their own accessibility practices in terms of presentation of accessibility statements, the mention of accessibility as a selling point to potential clients and homepage accessibility of company websites. Following from this starting point the research focused in on web accessibility for ageing in particular. A questionnaire was developed to explore the differences between developer views of general accessibility and accessibility for older people. The questionnaire findings indicated that ageing is not seen as an accessibility issue by a majority of developers. Awareness of ageing accessibility documentation was also very low, highlighting the need for raising awareness of accessibility practices for ageing. Current age-related documentation developed by the Web Accessibility Initiative was then examined and critiqued. The findings show a tension between the machine-centric Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2.0) and the needs of older people. Examination of guidelines when compared to research-derived findings reveal that the Assistive Technology (AT) centric structure of the documentation does not appropriately highlight accessibility practices in a context that matches the observed behaviour of older people. The documentation also fails to appropriately address the psycho-social ramifications of how older people choose to interact with technology as well as how they identify themselves in relation to any conditions they have which may be considered disabling. The need for a novel, engaging and awareness-raising tool resulted in the development of what is essentially a "Virtual third-age simulator". This ageing simulator is the first to combine multiple impairments in an active simulation and uses eye-tracking technology to increase the fidelity of conditions resulting in partial sightedness. It also allows for developers to view their own web content in addition to the lessons provided using the simulations presented in the software. The simulator was then validated in terms of its ability to raise awareness as well as its ability to affect web industry professionals' intentions towards accessible practices that benefit older people

Common spaces in assisted living for older persons. Aspects of usability from the residential and workplace perspectives.

This thesis is about space. It assumes that space forms a necessary part of the structure of existence. The architectural space becomes an existential space in the encounter with the user. Common unit spaces in assisted living (AL) for older persons are the principal venue for social interaction and have no parallel in ordinary housing. The usability of these spaces is discussed here from the residential and workplace perspectives. These perspectives are explored in relation to the concept of AL and involve residents, staff and other stakeholders in buildings in use. Special housing for older people is currently in focus worldwide due to demographic develop-ments, entailing an increasing proportion of older people. Residents in AL are increasingly old and multi-diseased, which changes the conditions for residential care in its present form.Four methods were used, involving 14 AL facilities (ALFs) in Sweden: observations, group interviews, individual interviews and self-completion questionnaires. An explorative strategy was adopted, combining qualitative and quantitative methods to enhance the validity of the results. The results were analysed using statistical analyses, Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) and triangulation.The results show functional demarcations between apartments, dining rooms, sitting rooms and kitchens in a private-public continu\uacum, with varying adherence to the respective residential and workplace perspectives. It also shows that these perspectives entail diverging objectives for use of the common spaces. The dining rooms were utilized most by the residents, but the kitchens were not used at all. The daily activities promote a focus on collective aspects above individual needs. The increasing use of assistive technology causes space shortages and suggests a mismatch between the actual users and the users conceptualised at the planning stage, which entails a focus on care aspects at the expense of the residential perspective. It shows that the common spaces are not perceived as a part of the home environment; rather an addition. The dementia and somatic units presented diverging objectives for use, but the physical environ-ments did not differ significantly. The functions of the common spaces were perceived differently among users, planners and architects. This suggests that these spaces have ambiguous meanings in a social context and may lead to ineffective use of the spaces. Along with a complicated body of regulations, this calls for a redefinition of AL. Design strategies are suggested that are more up-to-date with the users’ needs in relation to the usability of the common spaces. The residential and workplace perspectives have to be considered concomitantly when planning ALFs, otherwise inherent conflicts will become manifest as a result of the physical design, which affects usability

Older People and Digital Technology From digital learners to digital leaders through participatory design with community-based organisations

PhDIt is predicted that there will be more people over the age of 65 than under 5 by 2050 in developed countries. In recognition of the needs of an ageing population, there is a growing field of research in HCI focused on engaging older people with digital technologies. This thesis contributes to the field of ageing in HCI through a community-based participatory design investigation into the challenges and opportunities for older people to engage with digital tools in their everyday lives. We demonstrate how the commitments, practices and values of participatory design can be used to better understand and foster engagement between digital tools and older people through the support of community-based organisations. This is achieved through two case studies. The rst study with a traditional computer class at a local day centre. The second with a London-based intergenerational running club. The research reflects on and examines the details and decisions of the learning and adoption process across these two studies. We expand our view beyond the digital tools to the influences and situations that contribute to older people's attitudes and usage. Through the lens of participatory design and communities of practice we discuss the considerations of values, problem-solving, and identity that can potentially be transferred to other non-traditional digital learning environments for older people. We provide recommendations and reflect on our challenges to serve as guidance for other researchers engaging in similar participatory work `in-the-wild'

Ovatko digipalvelulain vaatimukset videoille riittävät? : Heuristinen arviointi Kelan ohjevideoiden saavutettavuudesta

Tutkielmani käsittelee Kelan ohjevideoiden saavutettavuutta. Laki digitaalisten palveluiden tarjoamisesta astui voimaan huhtikuussa 2019 ja on 23.9.2020 alkaen edellyttänyt viranomaisten tekemältä tallennetulta ääntä tai videokuvaa sisältävältä mediasisällöltä saavutettavuusvaatimusten täyttämistä. Saavutettavuusvaatimukset eivät sisällä kriteerejä videoilla käytetylle kielelle. Tutkielmani tarkoituksena on selvittää, riittääkö saavutettavuusvaatimusten täyttäminen tekemään videoista saavutettavia, vai esiintyykö niillä käytetyssä kielessä saavutettavuusongelmia. Tutkimuskysymykseni ovat seuraavat: mitä heuristiikkoihini valitsemia verkkosisällölle määriteltyjä saavutettavuuden vaatimuksia tutkimani Kelan ohjevideot täyttävät ja mitä ne eivät täytä, sekä millaista tietoa ja millaisia ominaisuuksia videot edellyttävät käyttäjältään heuristisen arviointini perusteella? Tutkielmani aineistona toimivat neljä Kelan YouTube-kanavalla julkaistua videota, jotka ohjeistavat Kelan verkkopalvelun käyttämisessä. Menetelmänä käytän heuristista arviointia, jota varten laadin itse heuristiikkani perustuen WCAG 2.1-ohjeistuksen tasojen A ja AA vaatimuksiin niiltä osin kuin ne pätevät videoihin, sekä selkokielen periaatteisiin. Tutkin myös videoiden sisäislukijan piirteitä, joiden avulla määrittelen, millaisia käyttäjäryhmiä ne rajaavat videoiden käyttäjien ulkopuolelle. Tutkielmani teoriapohjan muodostavat käytettävyyden, käyttäjäkeskeisyyden ja saavutettavuuden käsitteet ja osa-alueet, hyvän termin piirteet ja terminologian ja käytettävyyden suhde sekä selkokieli ja sen piirteet. Heuristisella arvioinnillani löysin videoista yhteensä 103 erilaista saavutettavuusongelmaa, joista 62 liittyi kieleen ja 39 puhutun informaation kattavuuteen. Videoilta löytyi kaksi informaation esittämisjärjestykseen liittyvää ongelmaa, jotka eivät liittyneet mihinkään laatimaani heuristiikkaan. Tyypillisimmät ongelmat videoilla liittyivät haastavien sanojen käyttöön sekä siihen, että videolla näytettiin asioita, joita ei sanallistettu ääniraidalla. Videoilta analysoimani sisäislukijan piirteet edellyttivät käyttäjiltä hyvää suomen kielen taitoa ja hyviä tiedonhakutaitoja, sosiaaliturvaan liittyvän sanaston tuntemista, hyvää tietoteknistä osaamista ja näkövammattomuutta. Käyttäjä voi olla kuulovammainen. Videoiden sisäislukijan voisi väittää olevan vammaton tai kuulovammainen Kelan työntekijä. Päätelmäni tutkimushavaintojeni perusteella oli, että pelkkien saavutettavuusvaatimusten täyttäminen ei riitä tekemään videoista saavutettavia. Videoiden kielen täytyy olla niiden käyttäjille sopivaa. Kielen tekeminen saavutettavaksi palvelee ja edistää saavutettavuutta kaikille videoiden käyttäjäryhmille ja on lisäksi tehokas ja vähän ylimääräistä vaivaa vaativa keino

Supporting students' construction of hypermedia

This thesis considers the proposition that hypermedia may be employed effectively in higher education. More specifically, the question of its use by undergraduate music students to assist in writing essays and dissertations is investigated. The work begins with a review of general issues relating to educational hypermedia, such as its history, application, design and architecture. A user-centred approach to hypermedia development is advocated, and after critique and analysis of the literature, a framework for human-computer interaction for educational hypermedia is proposed. A case study is reported which serves to facilitate the undertaking of original research, as well as to evaluate the proposed framework. Other environments are also selected to carry out more generic research. Both reading strategies and writing strategies are investigated, and the results from these studies are used to conduct a repertory grid analysis of students' approaches to and perceptions of essay and dissertation development. The outcome of this experiment concludes with a proposal for a structural model of essay and dissertation development. Analysis of the model suggests the need for further survey analysis of taskartefact usage in specific educational domains, and experimental studies into electronic document manipulation and the reading of music from computer screens are investigated with respect to the case study environment. The implications of the research carried out in this thesis have assisted in and helped to justify the design of the prototype system HECTOR (Hypermedia, from Essay Conception TO Realisation). It aims to support students in their research, planning and writing of essays and dissertations. HECTOR has been evaluated in the field, and the results of this go some way to supporting the hypothesis of the thesis - that hypermedia can be employed effectively in higher education