WEB 2.0: BLIND TO A BRAVE NEW WORLD
Venue
World Wide Web Conference 2009, Madrid, Spain, pp. 821-830
Publication Year
2009
Authors
Joshua Hailpern, Loretta Guarino Reid, Richard Boardman, Srinivas Annam
BibTeX
Abstract
With the advent of Web 2.0 technologies, websites have evolved from static pages to
dynamic, interactive Web-based applications with the ability to replicate common
desktop functionality. However, for blind and visually impaired individuals who
rely upon screen readers, Web 2.0 applications force them to adapt to an
inaccessible use model. Many technologies, including WAI-ARIA, AJAX, and improved
screen reader support, are rapidly evolving to improve this situation. However,
simply combining them does not solve the problems of screen reader users. The main
contributions of this paper are two models of interaction for screen reader users,
for both traditional websites and Web 2.0 applications. Further contributions are a
discussion of accessibility difficulties screen reader users encounter when
interacting with Web 2.0 applications, a user workflow design model for improving
Web 2.0 accessibility, and a set of design requirements for developers to ease the
user's burden and increase accessibility. These models, accessibility difficulties,
and design implications are based directly on responses and lessons learned from
usability research focusing on Web 2.0 usage and screen reader users. Without the
conscious effort of Web engineers and designers, most blind and visually impaired
users will shy away from using new Web 2.0 technology in favor of desktop based
applications.
