Exploring Application of Knowledge Space Theory in Accessibility Testing

Abstract

Knowledge space theory has so far most predominantly found applications in e-learning and educational assessment systems. The principles of knowledge space theory can however also be used in the assessment of a system, device, or application in terms of accessibility. A precedence order among the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) can be discovered through careful analysis, and expert knowledge can be used to construct a knowledge structure with each knowledge state representing a set of these guidelines. This is useful not only in gaining an understanding of where a system lies on its way toward becoming universally accessible but also helps in determining the next steps for improvement of the analyzed system’s accessibility from the outer fringe of the current knowledge state. This is a more feasible way of judging a system for its accessibility since it shows exactly in terms of which guidelines the assessed system is accessible. The standards for acceptable accessibility criteria specified and met by organizations or industries will thus be in terms of knowledge states instead of a numerical or graded value. This invokes comprehensiveness, clarity, and customization in practice of accessibility testing.