A non-visual approach to improving collaboration between blind and sighted internet users

Abstract

Assistive technologies have widened access to the Web, by providing a non-visual representation of page content for blind individuals. However, restrictions imposed by screen readers and Braille output devices have led to the development of mental representations of a web page, which differ considerably from the visual layout. As a result, both blind and sighted users find it difficult to perform joint web-based tasks. In this paper, we have applied a structured participatory-based approach to develop haptic sensations to assist the collaborative process. Preliminary results are reported and on-going development is discussed. It is anticipated that findings from the study will inform a haptic framework, which will assist developers when designing an accessible collaborative interface, using the benefits which the sense of touch can offer. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.