Showing papers in "Universal Access in The Information Society in 2015"
TL;DR: The main aim of the paper is to provide an up-to-date, well-researched resource of past and current references to TAM-related literature and to identify possible directions for future TAM research.
Abstract: With the ever-increasing development of technology and its integration into users' private and professional life, a decision regarding its acceptance or rejection still remains an open question. A respectable amount of work dealing with the technology acceptance model (TAM), from its first appearance more than a quarter of a century ago, clearly indicates a popularity of the model in the field of technology acceptance. Originated in the psychological theory of reasoned action and theory of planned behavior, TAM has evolved to become a key model in understanding predictors of human behavior toward potential acceptance or rejection of the technology. The main aim of the paper is to provide an up-to-date, well-researched resource of past and current references to TAM-related literature and to identify possible directions for future TAM research. The paper presents a comprehensive concept-centric literature review of the TAM, from 1986 onwards. According to a designed methodology, 85 scientific publications have been selected and classified according to their aim and content into three categories such as (i) TAM literature reviews, (ii) development and extension of TAM, and (iii) modification and application of TAM. Despite a continuous progress in revealing new factors with significant influence on TAM's core variables, there are still many unexplored areas of model potential application that could contribute to its predictive validity. Consequently, four possible future directions for TAM research based on the conducted literature review and analysis are identified and presented.
1,053 citations
TL;DR: It can be concluded that there is little or no consensus regarding the definition and use of the concept, and consequently, there is a risk of bringing less accessibility to the target audience.
Abstract: Accessibility and equal opportunities for all in the digital age have become increasingly important over the last decade. In one form or another, the concept of accessibility is being considered to a greater or smaller extent in most projects that develop interactive systems. However, the concept varies among different professions, cultures and interest groups. Design for all, universal access and inclusive design are all different names of approaches that largely focus on increasing the accessibility of the interactive system for the widest possible range of use. But, in what way do all these concepts differ and what is the underlying philosophy in all of these concepts? This paper aims at investigating the various concepts used for accessibility, its methodological and historical development and some philosophical aspects of the concept. It can be concluded that there is little or no consensus regarding the definition and use of the concept, and consequently, there is a risk of bringing less accessibility to the target audience. Particularly in international standardization the lack of consensus is striking. Based on this discussion, the authors argue for a much more thorough definition of the concept and discuss what effects it may have on measurability, conformance with standards and the overall usability for the widest possible range of target users.
212 citations
TL;DR: The results show the need to improve the integration and interoperability of the existing technologies and to promote user-centric developments with a strong involvement of end users, namely in what concerns usability and accessibility issues.
Abstract: Ambient-assisted living (AAL) is, nowadays, an important research and development area, foreseen as an important instrument to face the demographic aging. The acceptance of the AAL paradigm is closely related to the quality of the available systems, namely in terms of intelligent functions for the user interaction. In that context, usability and accessibility are crucial issues to consider. This paper presents a systematic literature review of AAL technologies, products and services with the objective of establishing the current position regarding user interaction and how are end users involved in the AAL development and evaluation processes. For this purpose, a systematic review of the literature on AAL was undertaken. A total of 1,048 articles were analyzed, 111 of which were mainly related to user interaction and 132 of which described practical AAL systems applied in a specified context and with a well-defined aim. Those articles classified as user interaction and systems were further characterized in terms of objectives, target users, users' involvement, usability and accessibility issues, settings to be applied, technologies used and development stages. The results show the need to improve the integration and interoperability of the existing technologies and to promote user-centric developments with a strong involvement of end users, namely in what concerns usability and accessibility issues.
124 citations
TL;DR: The main objective was to evaluate Architecture and Building Science students’ the motivation to use and satisfaction with this type of technology and to obtain adequate feedback that allows for the optimization of thistype of experiment in future iterations.
Abstract: A mixed-methods study evaluating the motivation and satisfaction of Architecture degree students using interactive visualization methods is presented in this paper. New technology implementations in the teaching field have been largely extended to all types of levels and educational frameworks. However, these innovations require approval validation and evaluation by the final users, the students. In this paper, the advantages and disadvantages of applying mixed evaluation technology are discussed in a case study of the use of interactive and collaborative tools for the visualization of 3D architectonical models. The main objective was to evaluate Architecture and Building Science students' the motivation to use and satisfaction with this type of technology and to obtain adequate feedback that allows for the optimization of this type of experiment in future iterations.
80 citations
TL;DR: Although thin, the current evidence base indicates that the accessibility needs, requirements, and preferences of people with cognitive disabilities are diverse and ought to be reflected in accessibility guidelines and standards.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to identify and synthesize measures for accessibility to electronic communication for people with cognitive disabilities by seeking answers to the following research questions: What measures to make electronic communication accessible to people with cognitive disabilities are evaluated and reported in the scientific literature? What documented effects do these measures have? Empirical studies describing and assessing cognitive accessibility measures were identified by searches of 13 databases. Data were extracted and methodological quality was assessed. Findings were analyzed and recommendations for practice and research were made. Twenty-nine articles with considerable variations in studied accessibility measures, diagnoses, methods, outcome measures, and quality were included. They address the use of Internet, e-mail, telephone, chat, television, multimedia interfaces, texts and pictures, operation of equipment, and entering of information. Although thin, the current evidence base indicates that the accessibility needs, requirements, and preferences of people with cognitive disabilities are diverse. This ought to be reflected in accessibility guidelines and standards. Studies to systematically develop and recommend effective accessibility measures are needed to address current knowledge gaps.
63 citations
TL;DR: The suggested method aims to improve access to 3D multimedia content on mobile devices and adapt it to all types of users and content and improve students’ innate affinity with friendly digital devices such as smart phones or tablets.
Abstract: This work aims to evaluate the implementation of an augmented reality tool in the framework of architecture and building engineering education. It is based on a Geographical Positioning System to register virtual information on real space. Layar platform, for mobile devices, was used to visualize 3D models, which are linked to virtual information channels through a database and geo-located in their real position. The basis of this proposal is students' innate affinity with friendly digital devices such as smart phones or tablets. Educational content visualization in real environments was found to help students to evaluate and share their own-generated architectural proposals and improve their spatial skills. The suggested method aims to improve access to 3D multimedia content on mobile devices and adapt it to all types of users and content. In addition, a usability analysis was carried out to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of this technology in educational settings.
52 citations
TL;DR: This paper presents a service-based framework to make this type of interaction possible, the communication of mobile PLEs with the institutional learning platforms, and it can be seen that the definition of aMobile PLE is possible and its use increases students’ motivation.
Abstract: The emergence and application of information and communication technologies in educational contexts imply changes in the tools used to teach and learn. However, this use does not guarantee the success of such processes. For instance, learning management systems are very popular but also very focused on the institution, which means that they cannot take into account all learning that happens beyond the institution throughout learners' lives. Personal learning environments (PLEs) and mobile technologies can be a solution to support such lifelong learning, but what happens in them should be taken into account by the institution. This paper presents a service-based framework to make this type of interaction possible, the communication of mobile PLEs with the institutional learning platforms. The framework has been implemented as an Android solution and tested by students and teachers. From these tests, it can be seen that the definition of a mobile PLE is possible and its use increases students' motivation.
48 citations
TL;DR: MAUVE is described, a software environment for Web site accessibility and usability evaluation that allows checking both HTML and CSS to detect accessibility issues and is able to validate dynamic sites as well, based on the use of a set of plugins for the most popular browsers.
Abstract: During the last decade, Web site accessibility and usability have become increasingly important. Consequently, many tools have been developed for automatic or semi-automatic evaluation of Web site accessibility. Unfortunately, most of them have not been updated over time to keep up with the evolution of accessibility standards and guidelines, thus soon becoming obsolete. Furthermore, the increasing importance of CSS in the definition of modern Web page layout, and the increasing use of scripting technologies in dynamic and interactive Web sites, has led to new challenges in automatic accessibility evaluation that few of the existing tools are able to face. This paper describes MAUVE, a software environment for Web site accessibility and usability evaluation. The tool is characterized by the possibility to specify and update the guidelines that should be validated without requiring changes in the tool implementation. It is based on an XML-based language for Web Guidelines Definition. It allows checking both HTML and CSS to detect accessibility issues and is able to validate dynamic sites as well, based on the use of a set of plugins for the most popular browsers.
42 citations
TL;DR: A system which integrates a geographic information system of a building with computer vision using only one camera, for example, the one of a mobile phone, which improves the autonomy of persons with a very low vision during indoor navigation.
Abstract: This paper presents a system which integrates a geographic information system of a building with computer vision. It uses only one camera, for example, the one of a mobile phone. Visual landmarks, such as frontal and lateral doors, stairs, signs, and fire extinguishers, are employed for localizing the user in the building and for tracing and validating a route for the user's navigation. The developed system clearly improves the autonomy of persons with a very low vision during indoor navigation.
41 citations
TL;DR: It is revealed that perceived usefulness is the most important determinant of student intention to use a computer simulation, followed by attitude toward using and computer self-efficacy.
Abstract: While computer simulations have been shown to be effective with regard to supporting learning, little effort has been made to explore the factors that affect the intention to use such tools. This paper applies the technology acceptance model and examines two external variables, facilitating conditions and computer self-efficacy, testing a number of hypotheses. The results show that most of the hypotheses the authors developed before the study were supported by the data collected, and further reveal that perceived usefulness is the most important determinant of student intention to use a computer simulation, followed by attitude toward using and computer self-efficacy. Finally, both the implications and limitations of this study are discussed, and further research directions are proposed.
37 citations
TL;DR: Examples of how universally designed technology hardware and software applications benefit students with disabilities who are majoring in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) majors are presented.
Abstract: This article defines universal design for learning (UDL) and presents examples of how universally designed technology hardware and software applications benefit students with disabilities who are majoring in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) majors. When digital technologies are developed without incorporating accessible design features, persons with disabilities cannot access required information to interact with the information society. However, when accessible technology and instruction are provided using UDL principles, research indicates that many students benefit with increased achievement. Learning through universally designed and accessible technology is essential for students with disabilities who, without access, would not gain the skills needed to complete their degrees and access employment and a life of self-sufficiency. UDL strategies enhance learning for all students, including students with disabilities who are majoring in STEM, which are among the most rigorous academic disciplines, but also among the most financially rewarding careers.
TL;DR: Students who received the intervention of web-mediated DT had significantly better computing skills in using Excel than those without, and web- mediated CRL also contributed to significantly better development of computing skills.
Abstract: As Internet and educational technologies are increasingly used in higher education in recent years, teachers should design and provide effective online teaching methods to help students achieve satisfactory learning performance. Based on the needs in computing courses and the necessity to build up students' regular learning habits in online learning environments, the author in this study integrated design thinking (DT) with co-regulated learning (CRL) to develop students' computing skills, and conducted a quasi-experiment to examine the effects of DT and CRL. The participants in this study were 153 undergraduates from three classes taking a compulsory course entitled `Applied Information Technology: Data Processing.' The first class (DT and CRL group) simultaneously received the intervention of web-mediated DT and CRL, the second class (CRL group) received the intervention of web-mediated CRL, and the last group (control group) received the traditional teaching method, although teaching was conducted in a blended class. Based on the analysis carried out in this study, students who received the intervention of web-mediated DT had significantly better computing skills in using Excel than those without. In addition, web-mediated CRL also contributed to significantly better development of computing skills. The author expects that this study could provide insights into the design of web-mediated DT and CRL for teachers, educators, and schools.
TL;DR: Key issues involving the interaction, design and usability of a digital whiteboard interface to support Down syndrome (DS) students in their learning of addition and subtraction algorithms are examined.
Abstract: This paper examines key issues involving the interaction, design and usability of a digital whiteboard interface to support Down syndrome (DS) students in their learning of addition and subtraction algorithms. The research goals include (a) to identify the main interaction difficulties present when executing addition and subtraction operations and (b) to improve the interaction design of the digital whiteboard interface to adapt it to DS characteristics. In order to achieve these goals, several studies (usability and educational) were conducted with experts and children. These methods and techniques included prototyping, questionnaires (pre-post), thinking out loud, video-recording and structured observation. As regards the interaction aspects with the whiteboard, the items evaluated included (a) mouse use, (b) placement of numbers and balls, (c) ball deletion and crossing out, (d) placement of the sign of the operation and (e) use of sensitive areas established in the worksheet. In addition, the paper presents the main strategies, procedures and errors of DS students for carrying out addition and subtraction algorithms that are more predominant in the DS population. Some relevant findings and results are presented, such as the importance of visual aids (graphics, balls, fingers, etc.) in teaching addition and subtraction to individuals with DS, the advantages of using the whiteboard for students who have difficulty writing, as they can focus on the operation at hand and forget their difficulties with handwriting, or mathematical errors arising from interaction issues.
TL;DR: The study shows that the evaluation of using the SIDE framework leads to acceptable score on quality metrics; and the subjects evaluate the framework’s ease-of-use, contribution, and usage in practice positively.
Abstract: A semiotic framework [Semiotic Interface sign Design and Evaluation (SIDE)] was developed to help designers to deal with user-intuitive interface signs. Examples of signs are small images, navigational links, buttons and thumbnails, which users make use of when interacting with Web UIs. This paper assesses the SIDE framework on the quality of the evaluation of interface signs, and the contributions of the framework as perceived by evaluators. Two empirical user studies were carried out, involving 23 participants. Data were collected via interviews, problem-solving assignments and feedback questionnaires, and analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The study shows that the evaluation of using the SIDE framework leads to acceptable score on quality metrics; and the subjects evaluate the framework's ease-of-use, contribution, and usage in practice positively. The SIDE framework is applicable to design and evaluate interface signs and contributes to the improvement in understanding the intuitive nature of interface signs.
TL;DR: A model for examining the experiences and preferences of deaf and hard of hearing users of SNSs has been proposed and can help improve understanding D/HH users’ online social interactions and can be used for educational purposes.
Abstract: Despite numerous studies into the online activities of deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) users, there has been limited research into their experiences on social networking sites (SNSs), a domain where psychology and computer science intersects. The purpose of this study is to illustrate how one can enhance universal access for D/HH users on the example of SNSs. A model for examining the experiences and preferences of D/HH users of SNSs has been proposed. The model consists of three identity-relevant aspects: (1) belonging to online Deaf communities, (2) communication affinity/preferences for sign and/or written language, and (3) the stigma associated with hearing loss. Based on these aspects, a questionnaire was developed and applied to a study with 46 participants. The findings revealed that the motivation to communicate on SNSs is positively associated with identification with online Deaf communities, an affinity for communication in written language and an affinity/preference for communication in sign language. Better reading comprehension skills, crucial for written communication, are associated with less stigmatic experiences with regard to hearing loss. The model and the findings of this study can help improve understanding D/HH users' online social interactions and can be used for educational purposes. It may contribute to the discussion of integrating SNSs as communication tools in personal learning environments, which can be an advantage for universal access.
TL;DR: A series of guidelines for designing systems that could effectively support caregivers in tasks such as monitoring ALF inhabitants, attending to their assistance requests and managing notes and reminders regarding daily activities are presented.
Abstract: Research activities on designing healthcare support systems in the field of ambient assisted living are mainly focused on addressing two problems: improving the quality of life for people in their own homes, especially the elderly; and supporting nurses and physicians in hospitals. However, few papers focus on designing specific systems for supporting caregivers that work with persons with disabilities in the context of assisted living facilities (ALFs). This paper intends to contribute to filling this gap and presents a series of guidelines for designing systems that could effectively support caregivers in tasks such as monitoring ALF inhabitants, attending to their assistance requests and managing notes and reminders regarding daily activities. These design guidelines derive from the qualitative analysis of a comprehensive user study, carried out in Northern Italy, of three focus groups conducted with a total of 30 caregivers in three different ALFs for persons with physical and cognitive disabilities.
TL;DR: It was found that users of all ages were wishing for service robots to help handle home chores, and they expected the robot to complete the task with good reliability and efficiency, however, users of different age groups showed different patterns of concerns over robot usage.
Abstract: The paper presents a study aiming to assess how users belonging to different generations perceive service robots in the home context, in order to gain insights of multiple aspects of user needs and attitudes towards robots as to inform the design of robots that are universally acceptable. Surveys with 30 subjects from 10 Singaporean families were conducted. These subjects belonged to three generations, namely young adults, working adults, and elderly people. The survey had two phases; during the first phase, interviews were conducted in users' homes to assess their general attitudes and preferences of service robots. The second phase involved an interaction process between the users and a prototype robot in a simulated smart home environment. Users' feedback was collected according to multiple aspects of robot usability and acceptability. It was found that users of all ages were wishing for service robots to help handle home chores, and they expected the robot to complete the task with good reliability and efficiency. However, users of different age groups showed different patterns of concerns over robot usage. A multi-generational perspective is helpful to understand users' needs and attitudes that reflect age differences. It also provides insights into how members of a family share attitudes towards robots.
TL;DR: Examination of a variant of the “Usability and Accessibility” course for MSc students, developed and delivered by the author over five successive semesters at the IT University of Copenhagen is examined to examine whether this course provided an effective and useful method for raising the issues around Universal Access with the designers of the future.
Abstract: Designing for Universal Access requires designers to have a good understanding of the full range of users and their capabilities, appropriate datasets, and the most suitable tools and techniques. Education clearly plays an important role in helping designers acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to find the relevant information about the users and then apply it to produce a genuinely inclusive design. This paper presents a reflective analysis of a variant of the "Usability and Accessibility" course for MSc students, developed and delivered by the author over five successive semesters at the IT University of Copenhagen. The aim is to examine whether this course provided an effective and useful method for raising the issues around Universal Access with the designers of the future. This paper examines the results and conclusions from the students over five semesters of this course and provides an overview of the success of the different design and evaluation methods. The paper concludes with a discussion of the effectiveness of each of the specific methods, techniques and tools used in the course, both from design and education perspectives.
TL;DR: A theoretical assessment of gestures in the context of authoring image-related hypertexts by example of the museum information system WikiNect paves the way for implementing museum information systems as systems of kinetic hypertext authoring based on full-fledged gestural writing.
Abstract: This paper provides a theoretical assessment of gestures in the context of authoring image-related hypertexts by example of the museum information system WikiNect. To this end, a first implementation of gestural writing based on image schemata is provided (Lakoff in Women, fire, and dangerous things: what categories reveal about the mind. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1987). Gestural writing is defined as a sort of coding in which propositions are only expressed by means of gestures. In this respect, it is shown that image schemata allow for bridging between natural language predicates and gestural manifestations. Further, it is demonstrated that gestural writing primarily focuses on the perceptual level of image descriptions (Hollink et al. in Int J Hum Comput Stud 61(5):601---626, 2004). By exploring the metaphorical potential of image schemata, it is finally illustrated how to extend the expressiveness of gestural writing in order to reach the conceptual level of image descriptions. In this context, the paper paves the way for implementing museum information systems like WikiNect as systems of kinetic hypertext authoring based on full-fledged gestural writing.
TL;DR: The results show efficiency improvement as well as a higher level of users’ satisfaction when using the proposed version of BC, thus making it a strong candidate to become a standard feature within the computer-vision-based mouse emulation.
Abstract: In the area of human---computer interaction, contemporary head tracking systems are often used as camera-based mouse emulators. While head movement detection provides the basis for related mouse shifting and positioning, standard click actions are usually emulated using stillness counter techniques such as Dwell Click (DC). However, these techniques can be a source of enlarged interaction burden, as users often have to struggle with time-consuming repetitive UI actions. This paper proposes a novel version of Blink Click (BC) action called B2C, based on double eye blink detection, as a valuable supplement for faster mouse click emulation. The integration of the proposed BC action into an existing head tracking system is presented, and implementation issues are thoroughly analyzed. Usability testing of the proposed B2C interaction model, along with the already embedded DC model, has been carried out, providing both quantitative and qualitative outcomes. The results show efficiency improvement as well as a higher level of users' satisfaction when using the proposed version of BC, thus making it a strong candidate to become a standard feature within the computer-vision-based mouse emulation.
TL;DR: Results show that the adoption of natural interaction in immersive virtual environments receives good feedback from users, and in order to evaluate the prototype, several heuristics have been chosen and tested to measure the overall system usability.
Abstract: EMERGENZA (emergency in Italian) is a `serious' game, developed in the context of the RIMSI project and designed to improve the training of emergency medicine operators. To achieve this goal, it adopts natural interaction paradigms in immersive environments. Virtual reality systems have been used recently in combination with natural interface systems for enhancing patients' rehabilitation procedures though are proving especially effective in the development of clinical decision support and medical training systems. The use of immersive simulations in medical training is extremely useful to confront emergency operators with scenarios that range from usual (e.g. unconscious person on the ground) to extreme (car accident with several injured people) without exposing the simulation participants in any harm. It is critical to exploit 3D virtual worlds in order to provide as much contextual information as possible to the operators. In fact, each emergency procedure needs to be adapted depending on the environmental threats and the presence of multiple injured people in need of assistance or bystanders. EMERGENZA allows to simulate a first-aid scenario with a configurable virtual environment using interactive 3D graphics. Users can interact through a natural interface for navigation and interaction with the virtual environment. In order to evaluate the prototype, several heuristics have been chosen and tested to measure the overall system usability. Results show that the adoption of natural interaction in immersive virtual environments receives good feedback from users.
TL;DR: In this work, the results of a study of the user experience of three groups of children within a flexible virtual space that connects schools and museums are described and evaluated and could serve as a starting point for a future implementation of this platform for connecting educational institutions and museums across an entire city.
Abstract: The use of virtual worlds in the school is an extraordinary tool to engage the children in the process of e-learning. Although one can find many examples that describe the use of such a technology in teaching regular educational contents, very few examples replicate other classical outdoor educational activities such as a visit to a museum, including the remote interaction with the docents of the visited institution. In this work, the results of a study of the user experience of three groups of children within a flexible virtual space that connects schools and museums are described and evaluated. This integrated educational space not only includes the exploration of exhibition areas but also the telepresence talks on the part of museum personnel, simulations, educational work in the form of virtual quests, all within a multi-user virtual environment based on OpenSim and simultaneously accessible from the different institutions involved in the experiment. The results obtained could serve as a starting point for a future implementation of this platform for connecting educational institutions and museums across an entire city.
TL;DR: This paper investigates two possible contexts where modeling group decision-making processes in the field of human–computer interaction (HCI) takes place and proposes a method of virtually combining the AHP and SCT voting systems that could be efficiently implemented in real decision- making situations in HCI and related sectors, as well as in cross-sector settings.
Abstract: Multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) is represented by utility and outranking methods. Of the utility models, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is probably the most popular in group-decision support. The social choice theory (SCT) with its voting systems can be efficiently combined with MCDM, and AHP in particular, in various group-decision contexts. This paper investigates two possible contexts where modeling group decision-making processes in the field of human---computer interaction (HCI) takes place. Being an important part of universal access in the information society, the first context assumes the use of AHP only, associated with two different aggregating techniques to derive the group decision, with and without a consensus. The second context is based on using only SCT systems, i.e., preferential and non-preferential voting systems. The third, novel, approach that is proposed assumes a full AHP application in the first stage to obtain the weights of alternatives and, in the second stage, an interpretation of the AHP's cardinal information as being the ordinal one and the direct application of the SCT voting systems. Comparative analyses show good agreement for the results when the three methodologies are applied as the decision support to ranking by importance (for a group of 14 PhD students) several widely used sources of information for the internet. The method of virtually combining the AHP and SCT voting systems could be efficiently implemented in real decision-making situations in HCI and related sectors, as well as in cross-sector settings.
TL;DR: The significance of this study lies in understanding better the role of beliefs embodied in a country’s culture and affects older adults’ perceptions of online social support and compares them with another culture.
Abstract: Technology in general and online support communities in particular can play a key role in the lives of older adults. However, these environments are not always well understood or are often misused. This paper reports an investigation of older adults' perceptions and experiences of online social support and Web use in Cyprus. A discussion of the results from a similar study in UK reveals interesting differences on the various levels of uncertainty avoidance and collectivism in the two countries. The described research has a culture-driven design approach and aims to collect users' perceptions of online social support and Web use. Qualitative analysis of interviews of three groups of older Cypriot users with different expertise in Web usage was employed. The findings of this study were compared to a similar study conducted with older adults in UK. The significance of this study lies in understanding better the role of beliefs embodied in a country's culture and affects older adults' perceptions of online social support and compares them with another culture.
TL;DR: Essential to deliberative e-democracy is a technologically supported comprehensive discourse about political subjects which is also called deliberation, which is discussed from the angle of political science and social psychology.
Abstract: If social media are to reinforce sustainability of political decisions, their design has conceptually to take into account the implications of deliberative democracy, which stresses the active cooperation of virtually all citizens of a democracy for the purposes of participatory involvement. Essential to deliberative e-democracy is therefore a technologically supported comprehensive discourse about political subjects which is also called deliberation. Theoretical implications of deliberation are discussed from the angle of political science and social psychology. Finally, the practical implications of deliberation rooted in social media are exemplified by an online citizen involvement for the public budgeting purposes of the city of Frankfurt/Main (Germany).
TL;DR: An approach with accessibility requirements following standards to include accessibility in a user agent for delivering accessible multimedia content based on it and some lessons learned and conclusions are shown.
Abstract: The increase in rich and interactive content on the Web, such as video and audio, has brought about a growth in the number and type of users that access it. This means that this content should be accessible to anyone, including people with disabilities. Therefore, it should be accompanied by media alternatives (captions, audio description, sign language, extended audio description, etc.), which should be handled by an accessible user agent that provides support for them. This paper presents: (1) an approach with accessibility requirements following standards to include accessibility in a user agent for delivering accessible multimedia content based on it, (2) a conceptualization of these requirements that provides an abstract user interface which may be integrated into the development process, after that, (3) a check of the integration of the accessibility requirements in the models, and (4) finally, some lessons learned and conclusions are shown.
TL;DR: By developing a 2.5D/3D DCS interface application, the authors aimed at creating a way of allowing a full view of the entire manufacturing process, thus increasing the amount and the quality of information given to the operator and preventing unnecessary operation navigation between displays.
Abstract: The current operator displays of Distributed Control Systems (DCS) are designed for 2D environments. This limits the full awareness situation of the industrial process, since it is distributed across multiple operator displays and requires the operator to navigate among them. This inspired the idea of creating a single operator display. Through an accurate and systematic literature review and by following the guidelines of design science methodology, it was possible to achieve a set of indicators and artefacts that corresponded to the defined goals. By developing a 2.5D/3D DCS interface application, the authors aimed at creating a way of allowing a full view of the entire manufacturing process, thus increasing the amount and the quality of information that is given to the operator and preventing unnecessary operation navigation between displays.
TL;DR: In the proposed work, the authors seek to further enrich the PCMC methodology by incorporating interdisciplinary inspirations that take into account the diverse challenges associated with assistive technology design and deployment.
Abstract: Human-centered computing and human-centered multimedia computing (HCMC) have emerged as important subfields of computational science which leverage the social and behavioral sciences toward improving the usability of technologies and multimedia systems. While technological solutions have made significant strides for the broader population, individuals with disabilities have been largely ignored, often having to force-fit or adapt themselves to available solutions. The authors first introduced a methodology to enrich HCMC by considering perspectives from individuals with disabilities. They subsequently introduced a person-centered approach to HCMC known as person-centered multimedia computing (PCMC). In the proposed work, they seek to further enrich the PCMC methodology by incorporating interdisciplinary inspirations that take into account the diverse challenges associated with assistive technology design and deployment. Several applications are presented, highlighting how considerations of technology, adaptation and policy from a disability perspective can enrich the design of person-centered accessible technologies. This approach has been implemented through ongoing work on a NSF IGERT project, "Alliance for Person-centered Accessible Technologies," details of which are also provided in this paper.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated unobtrusive interaction and support of active educational or studying activities through appropriate context-sensitive information, where passive visual sensing is employed in order to unobtrusively perceive the current context and users' actions.
Abstract: Pervasive computing environments have permeated current research and practice, unobtrusively augmenting existing environments with digital content. The present work, following a pervasive computing approach, proposes a framework to augment an educational environment, being a typical classroom or any studying environment. In this context, the work presented in this paper investigates unobtrusive interaction and support of active educational or studying activities through appropriate context-sensitive information. To this end, passive visual sensing is employed in order to unobtrusively perceive the current context and users' actions, thus providing novel ways to implement natural interaction. The suitability of the proposed interaction technologies and overall approach has been demonstrated through three interactive applications integrated in the framework, each one supporting different interaction techniques and addressing different educational activities. Finally, a user experience evaluation of the three test-bed applications has been carried out, aiming to assess the applicability of the approach and the suitability of each of the proposed technologies to the educational tasks in hand.
TL;DR: A new approach of hybrid auditory feedback is presented, which converts frequently used speech instructions to non- speech (i.e., spearcons) based on users’ travelled frequency and sound repetition, which is more effective than non-speech and it is pleasant compared with repetitive speech-only.
Abstract: Despite the growing awareness about mobility issues surrounding auditory interfaces used by visually impaired people, designers still face challenges while creating sound for auditory interfaces. This paper presents a new approach of hybrid auditory feedback, which converts frequently used speech instructions to non-speech (i.e., spearcons), based on users' travelled frequency and sound repetition. Using a within-subject design, twelve participants (i.e., blind people) carried out a task, using a mobility assistant application in an indoor environment. As surfaced from the study results, the hybrid auditory feedback approach is more effective than non-speech and it is pleasant compared with repetitive speech-only. In addition, it can substantially improve user experience. Finally, these findings may help researchers and practitioners use hybrid auditory feedback, rather than using speech- or non-speech-only, when designing or creating accessibility/assistive products and systems.