Assessing web content accessibility of E-commerce websites for people with disabilities

In recent years online shopping has grown significantly. Due to the rapid growth of technology, companies also continuing to extend the functionality and design of their Business-to-Consumer (B2C) e-business websites. However, it is also important to adopt web accessibility such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines in B2C websites to increase the consumer's satisfaction of all ages and with disabilities. This study analyses 30 Australian B2C websites in accordance to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) using an automated web service. The result shows that B2C websites in Australia are not paying attention to web accessibility for people with disabilities. However, e-commerce will succeed in meeting WCAG 2.0 by making B2C e-commerce websites accessible to consumer of all ages and with disabilities. Recommendations are proposed in order to improve web accessibility for people with sensory (hearing and vision), motor (limited use of hands) and cognition (language and learning) disabilities in B2C e-commerce websites

Future bathroom: A study of user-centred design principles affecting usability, safety and satisfaction in bathrooms for people living with disabilities

Research and development work relating to assistive technology 2010-11 (Department of Health) Presented to Parliament pursuant to Section 22 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 197

Include 2011 : The role of inclusive design in making social innovation happen.

Include is the biennial conference held at the RCA and hosted by the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design. The event is directed by Jo-Anne Bichard and attracts an international delegation

Internet of Things (IoT) in E-commerce: For people with disabilities

© 2017 IEEE. Internet of Things (IoT) is an interconnection between the physical object and digital world. As a result, many e-commerce companies seize the advantages of the IoT to grow their business. However, the world's largest minority are people with disabilities. IoT can lower barriers for the disabled people by offering assistance in accessing information. Increasing Internet accessibility can help to make that happen for both social and economic benefit. This paper presents the proposed integrated framework of the IoT and cloud computing for people with disabilities such as sensory (hearing and vision), motor (limited use of hands) and cognitive (language and learning disabilities) impairments in the context of business-to-consumer e-commerce context. We conclude that IoT-enabled services offer great potential for success of disabled people in the context of online shopping

Internet Of Things (IoT) In E-Commerce For People With Disabilities

The Internet of Things (IoT) perceives and recognizes the physical world by taking advantage of smart devices. The world’s largest minority are people with disabilities. IoT can lower barriers for the disabled people in accessing information. Increasing Internet accessibility can help to make that happen for both social and economic benefit. This paper presents the proposed integrated framework of the IoT and cloud computing for people with disabilities such as sensory (hearing and vision), motor (limited use of hands) and cognitive (language and learning disabilities) impairments in the context of business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce context. We conclude that IoT-enabled services offer great potential for success of disabled people in the context of e-commerce

Accessible Conversational User Interfaces: Considerations for design

Conversational user interfaces (CUIs), such as chatbots and voice assistants, are increasingly common in areas of day-to-day life, and can be expected to become ever more pervasive in the future. These interfaces are being designed for ever more complex interactions, and they appear to have potential to be beneficial to people with disabilities to interact through the web and with technologies embedded in the environment. However, to fulfil this promise they need to be designed to be accessible. This paper reviews a range of current guidance, reports, research and literature on accessible design for different disability groups, including users with mental health issues, autism, health conditions, cognitive disabilities, dyslexia or learning difficulties, and sensory, mobility or dexterity impairments. We collate the elements from this body of guidance that appear relevant to the design of accessible CUIs, and instances where guidance presents issues which are less conclusive, and require further exploration. Using this, we develop a set of questions which could be useful in the further research and development of accessible CUIs. We conclude by considering why CUIs could present opportunities for furthering accessibility, by introducing an example of this potential – a project to design an assistant to support students to disclose their disabilities and organise support, without the need to fill in forms

Disability support services strategic plan 2014 to 2018

The Ministry of Health’s Disability Support Services (DSS) group has developed a four-year Strategic Plan for 2014 to 2018. Summary The plan sets out the vision for Disability Support Services – that disabled people and their families are supported to live the lives they choose – along with some guiding principles that informed the development of the plan. Context for the plan’s development is outlined, including: the strategies and commitments that guided its development information on disability support in New Zealand demographic analysis. It also includes an action plan for the Disability Support Services group. One of the priority areas contained in the plan is the implementation of the Putting People First quality review. The plan was developed with input and guidance from stakeholders to ensure it reflects a shared direction and commitment to the vision and related activities

Understanding Online Health Information Use: The Case of People with Physical Disabilities

In this paper, we study the online health information use behavior of people with physical disabilities. Drawing on rational choice theory and IS success model, we develop a contextualized research model to explain how individuals’ level of physical disability moderates the effects of object- and outcome-based beliefs. We empirically tested the model with survey data from 243 online users with physical disabilities. The results show that perceived benefit enhances, whereas perceived risk reduces, online health information use. Information quality and system quality increase perceived benefit and mitigate perceived risk. In addition, we found that accuracy, completeness, currency, and transparency of online health information predict information quality, whereas accessibility, navigability, and readability of online health information predict system quality. More importantly, we found that physical disability weakens the effect of information quality on perceived risk, strengthens the effect of system quality on perceived risk, and strengthens the effect of perceived benefits on information use. This research contributes to the IS literature by focusing on the minority group of people with physical disabilities and providing an in-depth understanding of their online health information use behavior

Effect of Accessibility Information on Restaurant Selection of Consumers with Disabilities

OBJECTIVE: The study addressed the research question, How does accessibility information about restaurants affect the diversity of restaurant choices for people with disabilities compared to others who only have general review information about restaurants? The literature describes that people with disabilities experience limited participation in community activities. One community activity is dining out at restaurants. It is hypothesized that the availability of accessibility information will diversify restaurant choices, as it would minimize the risk of encountering unforeseen barriers that enable them to prepare for ones that they anticipate. METHOD: Participants (N-14), half with disabilities and half without disabilities, selected dining experiences at 5 restaurants. They chose restaurants from a unique list of 10 restaurants composed of 5 restaurants they had visited and 5 restaurants they had not. Participants were assigned to either a group that received restaurant accessibility information through the Access Ratings for Buildings (AR-B) website (intervention) or a group that received general review information about the restaurants through Yelp.com (control). They were asked to review their respective website information as they chose 5 restaurants for dining. The number of restaurants that participants chose were compared among the 4 groups to address 3 hypotheses. Questionnaires completed by the participants provided qualitative data and informed the researchers about the participants\u27 decision making process as they were selecting restaurants. RESULTS: One of the 3 apriori hypotheses was statistically supported. On the other hand, qualitative data consistently supported the theoretical underpinnings of the study. Hypothesis 1 posed that people with a disability using the AR-B website would select more new restaurants than participants with a disability that used Yelp. The results did not reveal a significant difference. Hypothesis 2 posed that participants without a disability who used AR-B would chose a similar number of new restaurants as those without a disability who used AR-B. This was supported. Hypothesis 3 stated that participants with a disability who used Yelp would select fewer new restaurants than participants without a disability who used Yelp. This was not statistically supported. To the contrary, the overall visual analysis of the data showed consistent trends supporting the underlying theoretical constructs that AR-B information affected the restaurant choice. Additionally, qualitative analysis of questionnaire data showed that accessibility is a highly valued feature for restaurants and that the accessibility information provided through the AR-B app was beneficial to people both with and without a disability. CONCLUSION: While this small study did not find statistical significance on the effects of using the AR-B website information during dining selection, it corroborated that restaurant accessibility is a commonly valued feature for restaurant patrons and that people with disabilities find benefit from accessibility information about public buildings. People also seem to select more new restaurants when they read web-based restaurant reviews of any type during their decision-making