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The Concept of Unified User Interfaces
Published in Constantine Stephanidis, User Interfaces for All, 2000
In the past, the term computer accessibility was usually associated with access to interactive computer-based systems by people with disabilities. In traditional efforts to improve accessibility, the driving goal has been to devise hardware and software configurations (or alternative access systems) that enable disabled users to access interactive applications originally developed for able users. There have been two possible technical routes to alleviate the lack of accessibility of interactive software products. The first is to treat each application separately and take all the necessary implementation steps to arrive at an alternative accessible version (product-level adaptation). The second alternative is to “intervene” at the level of the particular interactive application environment (e.g., MS-Windows, X Windowing System) in order to provide appropriate software and hardware technology, so as to make that environment alternatively accessible (environment-level adaptation). In effect, with the latter option, the scope of accessibility is extended to cover potentially all applications running under the same interactive environment, rather than a single application.
Reliability and validity of the usability scale for assistive technology for computer access: a preliminary study using video-based evaluation
Published in Assistive Technology, 2021
Livia R. Gosselin, Sajay Arthanat
This preliminary study examined the psychometric properties of a client-centered observation tool to evaluate computer access AT usability. Previous studies regarding computer accessibility have outlined underlying skills needed to use a computer and important aspects to consider when searching for an appropriate computer access device (Dupont et al., 2002; Hoppestad, 2006). However, there continues to be a lack of standardized protocol in selecting appropriate computer access equipment, which leads to trial-and-error approaches and lack of efficiency. The USAT-CA is designed for AT providers to observe clients with physical disabilities participating in a chosen computer-related activity and assess individual skills while highlighting what is important to the client. These clients may have wide-ranging neuromuscular and musculoskeletal conditions including, but not limited to, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, acquired brain injury and muscular dystrophy.