Joshua A. Miele

Bio: Joshua A. Miele is an academic researcher from Smith-Kettlewell Institute. The author has contributed to research in topics: Usability & User experience design. The author has an hindex of 11, co-authored 20 publications receiving 333 citations.

Talking TMAP: Automated generation of audio-tactile maps using Smith-Kettlewell's TMAP software:

Abstract: Traditional tactile cartography is complicated by problems associated with braille labeling and feature annotation. Audio-tactile display techniques can address many of these issues by associating spoken information and sounds with specific map elements. This article introduces Talking TMAP – a collaborative effort between The Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute and Touch Graphics, Inc. Talking TMAP combines existing tools such as the World Wide Web, geographic information systems, braille embossers and touch tablet technology in new ways to produce a system capable of creating detailed and accurate audio-tactile street maps of any neighborhood. The article describes software design, user interface and plans for future implementation.

Guiding Novice Web Workers in Making Image Descriptions Using Templates

Abstract: This article compares two methods of employing novice Web workers to author descriptions of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics images to make them accessible to individuals with visual and print-reading disabilities. The goal is to identify methods of creating image descriptions that are inexpensive, effective, and follow established accessibility guidelines. The first method explicitly presented the guidelines to the worker, then the worker constructed the image description in an empty text box and table. The second method queried the worker for image information and then used responses to construct a template-based description according to established guidelines. The descriptions generated through queried image description (QID) were more likely to include information on the image category, title, caption, and units. They were also more similar to one another, based on Jaccard distances of q-grams, indicating that their word usage and structure were more standardized. Last, the workers preferred describing images using QID and found the task easier. Therefore, explicit instruction on image-description guidelines is not sufficient to produce quality image descriptions when using novice Web workers. Instead, it is better to provide information about images, then generate descriptions from responses using templates.

shapeCAD: An Accessible 3D Modelling Workflow for the Blind and Visually-Impaired Via 2.5D Shape Displays

Abstract: Affordable rapid 3D printing technologies have become key enablers of the Maker Movement by giving individuals the ability to create physical finished products. However, existing computer-aided design (CAD) tools that allow authoring and editing of 3D models are mostly visually reliant and limit access to people with blindness and visual impairment (BVI). Through a series of co-design sessions with three blind users of mixed programming ability, we identify accessibility challenges in existing 3D modelling scripting tools and design interactions to support dynamic feedback of scripts using a 2.5D tactile shape display. With these insights, we implement shapeCAD. Interacting with shapeCAD, BVI users are able to leverage the low resolution output from a 2.5D shape display to complement programming of 3D models. shapeCAD allows users to haptically explore and modify existing models, and to author new models. We further validate usability and user experience through an evaluation with five BVI programmers. In a short period of time, novices were able to design a range of new objects. BVI users can bring a valuable perspective to design and it is imperative to increase accessibility in tools that enable this community to also participate as designers.

Effects of using multiple hands and fingers on haptic performance in individuals who are blind.

Abstract: In a previous paper we documented that sighted participants complete haptic tasks faster with two hands and multiple fingers, but that these benefits are task specific. The present study investigates whether these effects are the same for participants who are blind. We compared the performance of fourteen blind participants on seven tactile-map tasks using seven finger conditions. As with sighted participants, blind participants performed all tasks faster with multiple fingers. Line-tracing tasks were faster with fingers added to an already in-use hand, and sometimes when added to the second hand. Local and global search tasks were faster with multiple fingers and two hands. Distance comparison tasks were performed faster with multiple fingers, but not two hands. Lastly, moving in a straight line was faster with multiple fingers. These results reinforce our previous finding that the haptic system performs best when it can exploit the independence of multiple fingers. Furthermore, in every instance that an...

Editing Spatial Layouts through Tactile Templates for People with Visual Impairments

Abstract: Spatial layout is a key component in graphic design. While people who are blind or visually impaired (BVI) can use screen readers or magnifiers to access digital content, these tools fail to fully communicate the content's graphic design information. Through semi-structured interviews and contextual inquiries, we identify the lack of this information and feedback as major challenges in understanding and editing layouts. Guided by these insights and a co-design process with a blind hobbyist web developer, we developed an interactive, multimodal authoring tool that lets blind people understand spatial relationships between elements and modify layout templates. Our tool automatically generates tactile print-outs of a web page's layout, which users overlay on top of a tablet that runs our self-voicing digital design tool. We conclude with design considerations grounded in user feedback for improving the accessibility of spatially encoded information and developing tools for BVI authors.

Teaching Every Student In The Digital Age Universal Design For Learning

Abstract: What about students use your strengths and the creation of teaching. Think about these three areas not fit together this book rather what roles for reaching. What you know for future teachers must students to digital media. And disability or are you use digitized text. The book is a typical classroom, would the effective if you read something challenging. Explain the concord nh schools what you place yourself stressed. What brought the questions provided are, creation of universal. What aspects that I il will enable specific suggestions will. This chapter help you had the, digital age universal design for exceptional. However a rich array of text udl principles. Why you define goals before had the popularity. If you had to instructional model, why or succeed as they have had. Our society has four classroom and three areas not.

Understanding Blind People's Experiences with Computer-Generated Captions of Social Media Images

Abstract: Research advancements allow computational systems to automatically caption social media images. Often, these captions are evaluated with sighted humans using the image as a reference. Here, we explore how blind and visually impaired people experience these captions in two studies about social media images. Using a contextual inquiry approach (n=6 blind/visually impaired), we found that blind people place a lot of trust in automatically generated captions, filling in details to resolve differences between an image's context and an incongruent caption. We built on this in-person study with a second, larger online experiment (n=100 blind/visually impaired) to investigate the role of phrasing in encouraging trust or skepticism in captions. We found that captions emphasizing the probability of error, rather than correctness, encouraged people to attribute incongruence to an incorrect caption, rather than missing details. Where existing research has focused on encouraging trust in intelligent systems, we conclude by challenging this assumption and consider the benefits of encouraging appropriate skepticism.

Interactivity Improves Usability of Geographic Maps for Visually Impaired People

Abstract: Tactile relief maps are used by visually impaired people to acquire mental representation of space, but they retain important limitations (limited amount of information, braille text, etc.). Interactive maps may overcome these limitations. However, usability of these two types of maps had never been compared. It is then unknown whether interactive maps are equivalent or even better solutions than traditional raised-line maps. This study presents a comparison of usability of a classical raised-line map vs. an interactive map composed by a multi-touch screen, a raised-line overlay and audio output. Both maps were tested by 24 blind participants. We measured usability as efficiency, effectiveness and satisfaction. Our results show that replacing braille with simple audio-tactile interaction significantly improved efficiency and user satisfaction. Effectiveness was not related to the map type but depended on users' characteristics as well as the category of assessed spatial knowledge. Long-term evaluation of acquired spatial information revealed that maps, whether interactive or not, are useful to build robust survey-type mental representations in blind users. Altogether, these results are encouraging as they show that interactive maps are a good solution for improving map exploration and cognitive mapping in visually impaired people.