Ontology-based adaptive interfaces for colorblind users

Abstract

Nowadays, the utilization of colors is essential in the design of rich interactive interfaces. However, the widespread use of colors on the web affects the accessibility of colorblind users. Existing proposals in literature fail in not considering the various types of pathologies and individuals’ needs and preferences. This article defines techniques for the development of adaptive interfaces that might facilitate the interaction of colorblind people with web systems. Our research explores the use of ontologies, as suitable artifacts for representing knowledge about types of colorblindness, recoloring algorithms, accessibility guidelines and users’ preferences. We define a framework and software architecture that employs such ontology. Prototypes and scenarios illustrate the application of the framework. Obtained results allow determining and automatically applying the best recoloring techniques suited to adapting interfaces for colorblind users.