Journal of Accessibility and Design for All
Journal of Accessibility and Design for All is a semestral, open-access scientific journal that publishes theoretical and empirical peer-reviewed articles, which contribute to advancing the understanding of phenomena related to all aspects of accessibility. JACCES includes contributions, but not limited to, in the following fields: (1) Engineering, (2) Architecture and Construction, (3) Health and Medical Care, (4) Education, (5) Society and Economics. The journal is indexed in databases such as SCOPUS, Dialnet, REDIB, Latindex, mEDRA, DOAJ, Infobase, Índices CSIC, journals4free, GOOGLE Scholars, REBIUN, RACO and UPCommons.
Accessibility Chair of Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Authors who publish with Journal of Accessibility and Design for All agree to the following terms: Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share or adapt the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal. Use of the work for commercial purposes are not allowed. Authors are able to publish the journal's published version of the work in other media (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), as far as they inform the Journal of Accessibility and Design for All of that fact. When publishing their work in other sources, authors must mention the name of the Journal of Accessibility and Design for All, its ISSN, the number and issue in which the article was published and a link to the main page of the Journal of Accessibility and Design for All. Optionally, they can also include a link to the article published in the Journal of Accessibility and Design for All. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website), as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
Experience of remote customer service accessibility for adults with acquired speech disorders in the UK
Businesses and institutions have been increasing their reliance on telephone services over face-to-face interactions, and on automatic speech recognition over human operators. These trends risk disadvantaging people with speech conditions, whose speech is not easily understood. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews to explore the experiences with customer services of people with acquired speech conditions. Thirteen people from the United Kingdom shared both positive and negative experiences of customer service accessibility, in relation to the use of technology, institutional practices, and interpersonal communication. Some of the main areas of challenge related to the lack of variety in communication channels, and barriers created within the existing ones due to time pressure and high communication demands on the customer, automatic speech recognition not meeting the needs of this population, and a lack of awareness of speech conditions among call centre staff, leading to negative assumptions. Participants shared key recommendations and positive experiences to have their needs met, including opportunity for multichannel communication, reducing time pressure on the customer, checking understanding, and companies keeping record of their communication needs.
Copyright (c) 2025 Cairney M., Fuzesi P., Rai H., Lowit A. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Reconceptualizing Accessibility:From the Right to the City to Independent Mobility for Persons with Reduced Mobility
Accessibility is an essential human right for enabling individuals to access urban services. The spatial configuration of urban environments must facilitate unimpeded passage along all potential routes, eliminating barriers stemming from legal, societal, administrative, and physical factors. This paper explores the intersection of accessibility and the Right to the City, highlighting their interconnectedness in fostering independent mobility. Grounded in theoretical frameworks, this study underscores the foundational role of the Right to the City in conceptualizing urban accessibility. The Right to the City posits that cities are inclusive spaces accessible to all individuals. Central to this concept is the notion of unrestricted movement between urban activities and land uses, underscoring the pivotal role of accessibility in realizing this vision. Examining the city's accessibility levels reveals critical insights into who can fully participate in and benefit from urban life. Factors such as the quality of pedestrian infrastructure and public transportation systems significantly influence individuals' ability to navigate and utilize urban spaces. However, disparities in accessibility often result in marginalized groups facing social exclusion and limited independent mobility. Through an in-depth review and analysis, this paper argues that accessibility is inherently tied to human rights principles, with independent mobility as a prerequisite for realizing the Right to the City for all. This study contributes to ongoing discussions on urban inclusivity and equitable access to urban environments by unpacking these connections.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ercetin C. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Adequacy of the national building code (2006) in promoting Universal Design practices in Nigeria
Universal design seeks to develop environments that are accessible to all users, fostering inclusivity and equal opportunity for everyone. Therefore, effective building regulations are essential to support and advance universal design in developing the built environment. This study examined accessibility provisions of Nigeria’s National Building Code (2006), which is an extensive document that provides set standards for how buildings should be designed, constructed and maintained in Nigeria. The National Building Code was examined to identify gaps hindering inclusivity in the built environment, thereby determining their adequacy in promoting universal design practices, towards enabling individuals to participate in society without physical barriers. The study is a review article that employed qualitative research methods to gather, analyse, and present data. A systematic textual analysis was conducted using secondary sources, including the NBC (2006), the 7 Principles of Universal Design, and key accessible design standards. The data were grouped into themes, and the content was analysed. A descriptive approach and thematic categories were employed to explain the findings. To achieve its findings, the study used two objectives, it examined the existing accessibility provisions of the National Building Code in relations to the requirements of Universal Design Principles and used the provisions found to determine the adequacy of the Code in promoting universal design practices in the development of the built environment. The findings revealed that although the Code contained some relevant accessibility provisions, several of them were vague, lacked detailed specifications or dimensions needed to ensure inclusivity. The study submitted that in its current state, the National Building Code (2006) operational in Nigeria is inadequate in promoting the ideals of universal design. The study recommends a detailed systematic revision of the code to address the identified shortcomings relating to accessibility.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sholanke A., Adisa O. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Roadmap to inclusive Artificial Intelligence for persons with intellectual disability
The rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) poses significant opportunities and challenges for historically discriminated groups, such as persons with intellectual disabilities. This article proposes a conceptual framework that enables an inclusive and accessible approach to designing generative AI systems. Based on an exhaustive review of legislative, socio-health, and technological sources, key concepts such as disability, accessibility, and usability are defined and related, with intellectual disability serving as the central objective of this work. The need to apply principles of Universal Design (UD) and User-Centred Design (UCD) is highlighted to ensure products, environments, and services that are understandable, usable, and customisable. Finally, specific challenges are identified in the development of generative AI tools in Spain for persons with intellectual disabilities, and specific recommendations are proposed to promote inclusive AI for all.
Copyright (c) 2025 Guasch D., Rodrigo C., Francisco V., Hervás R. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The impact of digital accessibility on the user experience of people with cognitive impairments
The Internet has become an essential part of everyday life and plays a central role in accomplishing various tasks. Despite existing guidelines and laws on digital accessibility, people with disabilities repeatedly encounter barriers on the Internet that make it difficult for them to use. This work examines the importance of accessible websites and aims to compare the normative guidelines of digital accessibility with the real-world experiences of users with cognitive impairments. To explore how specific aspects of digital accessibility affect the user-friendliness of websites for people with cognitive impairments, we conducted a qualitative study. Twelve semi-structured interviews were carried out to examine the target group’s response to three websites that differed in their level of digital accessibility. Three aspects of digital accessibility were examined in more detail: a) easy-to-read language, b) consistent navigation, and c) pause, stop, and hide. The results show that easy-to-read language and clear navigation significantly improve user-friendliness, while moving content has no negative influence. The study results make it clear that there is a lack of understanding of how people with disabilities perceive digital accessibility. The findings of this study can help promote the development of further guidelines for designing accessible websites and enable the digital participation of all users.
Copyright (c) 2025 Volkmann A., Eller E., Hennighausen C. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Patients’ hotel design attributes based on aspects of a healing environment framework and patients’ preferences
The lack of access to advanced medical services forces some patients to travel to medical destinations, which raises concerns about health equity. One of the main challenges for both medical travelers and medical centers is ensuring access to lodging facilities at medical destinations. This study explores the preferences of medical travelers for the design features of such facilities, known as patients' hotels, which are necessary for areas with a potential medical service. The research used a literature review, questionnaires, and statistical analysis to identify the critical elements of patients' hotel design features under three influential categories: "distinctive features of patients' hotels,", "patients' rooms", and "public spaces". According to respondents, the critical elements of the first category are proximity to medical centers, consideration of patients' physical and spiritual needs in the design, and a homelike environment. From medical travelers’ perspectives, patient rooms must have a sense of privacy, additional spaces and amenities, and flexible layouts. The degree of social interaction preferred by patients’ companions is “talking to each other” and for patients, it is “participating in a group activity”. The spaces preferred for this interaction are “green spaces of the surrounding area”, and for decorating public spaces, “using greenery” and “traditional architecture patterns” are preferred.
Copyright (c) 2025 Shariati E., Yousefzamani M., Ghaznavi T. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Designing Reading Platform UIs and Standardizing Accessibility
In an era where everyone will experience a disability at some point (even if temporary), inclusive design is increasingly vital to information accessibility for all users. This study aims to learn the digital reading preferences of various disability communities and address implications for a design for all approach to improve the digital reading experience for everyone. Method. Research questions systematically guided the exploratory review, resulting in 14 studies that underwent thematic analysis with inductive coding. Results. With a lens from the information science, user experience, and disability studies fields, this paper presents five themes identified across the studies. Digital reading preferences of people with and without disabilities and recommendations for digital reading designs are discussed. Conclusion. Culture, assumptions, and misperceptions of accessibility, disability, technology, and literacy play a part in how society and social accessibility impact people with and without disabilities. This paper presents preliminary findings, gaps, and limitations that provide future steps for this project and other research directions. The viewpoint of disability communities may help increase the accessibility, usability, and enjoyment of digital reading more broadly, where design for all can be the tool for standardizing accessibility, which benefits everyone.
Copyright (c) 2025 Miller A. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Low-code solution development and accessibility
In recent years, digital communicators and web developers have recognised the importance of producing web applications and content that is accessible to disabled users. Digital accessibility is measured by how closely an app or page adheres to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Numerous browser-based accessibility checkers exist that can help identify accessibility issues and WCAG violations. However, their effectiveness with solutions produced by low-to-no code (L2NC) platforms is mainly unknown. This paper is a research project that investigates L2NC solution development and accessibility, focusing on a custom low-code application built within Power Apps. It investigates the challenges disabled users face in accessing digital content and evaluates the effectiveness of accessibility checkers within low-code solutions. To test the low-code application, two accessibility tools (WAVE and Lighthouse) and the product’s internal accessibility checker were used to test two versions of a specific solution: a staff directory. One version of the staff directory was created to be accessible, whilst the other incorporated several of the most common WCAG violations identified in the literature. User testing was also carried out on both staff directory applications to gauge user perceptions of them. Descriptive statistics were produced to explain the paper's findings. Both WAVE and Google's Lighthouse were found to be ineffective at detecting WCAG violations within low-code solutions but the internal accessibility checker, whilst not able to identify all common WCAG violations within the staff directories, was the most successful utility. However, the inbuilt accessibility checker's rules do not align well with WCAG violations and have issues detecting colour contrasts. The findings indicate that significant accessibility barriers exist within low-code platforms. The 'ease of use' capabilities and other advantages offered by L2NC utilities are achieved by abstracting out complex paradigms, such as accessible design.
Copyright (c) 2025 Steven A. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Dementia is related to weakened cognitive abilities, memory, and behaviour. The increasing number of patients is a threat to the future. Therefore, the built environment and services for dementia patients must be adapted. This study generates a survey to understand how to have a better interior environment and adapted place for dementia patients. It was found that people who are diagnosed with dementia seeks familiarity (%55), good amount of natural light (% 15). They prefer more spacious rooms and kitchen (%50). They are sensitive to noise. % 50 of participants complained about noise problem. % 20 of participants mentioned about insufficient natural light. In house % 30 of participants complained about acoustical insulation problems, % 5 of participants complained about ineffective heating system. Depending on the answers of 20 participants, the design guidelines were created to meet the needs of patients.
Copyright (c) 2025 Kavaz M. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Journey of Journal of Accessibility and Design for All.
This study aims to examine the publication journey of the Journal of Accessibility and Design for All (JACCES). This review article utilised bibliometric analysis to conduct performance evaluation and science mapping. The study employed the Bibliometrix R package (version 4.2.3) through the Biblioshiny interface, along with VOSviewer, to address the research questions. The performance analysis focused on the publication trends, citations, and contributions from authors, institutions, and countries of the JACCES. In addition, keyword co-occurrence and bibliographic coupling analyses were performed to measure the conceptual structure of the literature and the central themes on which the journal has published. The study identifies four themes: inclusive design and tourism for all, accessible tourism: sensory and digital approaches, measuring and evaluating disability-inclusive environments, and digital accessibility in public domains. A future research agenda is also proposed for researchers to work on and provide comprehensive information to fill the research gaps and strengthen the publication journey of the JACCES.
Copyright (c) 2025 Dr. Kumar, Dr. Senthil, Abhinav Kumar Shandilya https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Experiences of cognitively impaired elderly patients with a Brazilian oncology service.
Cancer and ageing are factors that increase the risk of developing cognitive impairments. Given this context, there is a complexity of access to healthcare by cognitively impaired elderly patients in oncological contexts. The aim of this study is to analyse the experiences of cognitively impaired elderly cancer patients with a Brazilian oncology outpatient service from the perspective of inclusive design to outline takeaway messages for the design of inclusive health services for these patients. Non-participant observations of the service and interviews with patients and their caregivers were carried out to understand to what extent the service provides proper care to cognitively impaired elderly patients. Thematic analysis of the data was carried out and categories were generated through an inductive approach. Results show that the service is adequate in terms of inclusion overall, but there are opportunities for improvement. Critical points related to the built environment, informational and communication design, trust in the healthcare team, and empathy were identified as opportunities for service improvement to better include and assist such user groups. Takeaway messages for the design of inclusive health services for cognitively impaired elderly patients were highlighted in this study.
Copyright (c) 2025 Emanuele König Klever, Patricia Raquel Bohn, Leandro Miletto Tonetto, Cláudia de Souza Libânio https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
This paper explores knowledge creation in Universal Design (UD) processes that aim to make cities accessible to all. It contributes insights into the practice of urban development in Sweden which, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, shall utilize UD. Workshops and qualitative interviews were conducted in three mid-sized cities re-designing a city square, a street and the building of a new library. Drawing on Aristotle’s typology of knowledge, the analysis shows that different kinds of knowledge were in play in local collaboration. UD was akin to phronesis, i.e. practical wisdom. A number of factors contributed to tensions: organizational asymmetries, divisions between professional and experiential expertise, the perception that accessibility is a limited interest for a specific target group, as well as uncertainties about user legitimacy. To overcome these tensions, the article proposes that disability organizations should be seen as contributors rather than commentators.
Copyright (c) 2025 Emil Erdtman, Lilian Müller, Per-Olof Hedvall https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Novel method to explore the efficiency of e-commerce websites for persons with disabilities
With an expanding number of e-commerce websites, many people with disabilities rely largely on online purchasing because they find it difficult to travel freely. However, many users, including those with disabilities, are unable to access the website's content, creating an inequitable barrier for people with visual impairments. Many websites are sometimes accessible, but it takes a while to understand what the website’s effectiveness means. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel method entitled AMEEW (A Method to Examine the Efficiency of Websites), which computes the efficiency of websites for persons with disabilities. The purpose of the paper is to evaluate the most popular e-commerce sites and provide guidance to website designers on how to create effective websites that are easy to use for all user groups, including those who are disabled. Initially, the data are analysed using four plots, including a run sequence plot, lag plot, histogram, and normal probability plot. The experiment’s findings indicate that 5.08% of top e-commerce websites are ineffective for those with visual impairments.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sonowal G., Kuppusamy K. S., Balaji V. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The impacts of mental health and psychological wellbeing on students' performance during distance learning; Lessons learnt from the COVID-19 lockdown in Jordan
Amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic, strict lockdown measures were implemented worldwide to safeguard lives and limit widespread infections. Accordingly, distance learning methods were implemented at educational institutions. This paper critically examines the adaptation of distance learning methods for university students during this crisis, arguing that insufficient attention was given to mental health and mental and emotional well-being. The situation's urgency led to overlooking psychological factors that subsequently impacted students' learning outcomes and academic performance, especially when compared to traditional learning experiences. This paper focuses on architecture students at the University of Jordan, aiming to reveal to what extent the implementation of distance learning during the COVID-19 lockdown affected their mental health and psychological well-being, thus affecting their overall performance. Using a mixed-method approach, the paper included real-time class observation, reflection exercises conducted during the lockdown, and a survey distributed to architecture undergraduates. The survey aimed to increase our understanding of the intricate connections between mental health, psychological well-being, and the dynamics of online educational environments, thus providing insights for future online learning scenarios. The paper's findings exposed overlooked dimensions during the rapid transition to online learning. The emphasis on technical aspects such as infrastructure, devices, and software side-tracked the end-users importance and performance within the educational process. Concepts like 'toxic positivity,' intensified by increased social media usage during the lockdown, gained prominence. By examining the impact on architecture students in Jordan, this paper underscores key findings, identifies critical issues, and advocates for a more comprehensive approach to distance learning.
Copyright (c) 2024 Deyala Tarawneh, Haneen Al Sawalqa , Maysoleen Al Adayleh, Saleem M. Dahabreh, Hasan Isawi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
This research paper examines primary healthcare facilities in Montenegro, focusing on outpatient spaces - arrival infrastructure, outside spaces, and inside spaces. In Montenegro, primary health centres provide 80-85% of all health care services and are designed to serve patients within the defined local community. In these facilities, the maintainer of primary care is a chosen doctor (GP), a person most familiar with the patient's conditions and social background. Despite the personal service healthcare centres provide, the architectural expressions of the built facilities do not reflect the intimate nature or personalisation of this service. By examining the user experience and doing field research, we identified several shortcomings in these facilities' exterior and interior quality. Data was gathered through a questionnaire involving users and field research, encompassing large, medium, and small-sized healthcare centres. Participants initially expressed neutral perceptions of existing elements, but when given the opportunity to choose, they became more inclined to suggest improvements. The field study identified rather negative architectural aspects, including inconsistencies in performance across the facilities. The design primarily serves the functional requirements determined by the current capacity, whereas considerations regarding aesthetics and the users' comfort are often neglected. The findings highlight the need to align architectural design with user preferences, emphasising the significance of user-centric healthcare facility design in Montenegro and similar environments.
Copyright (c) 2025 Žaklina Nježić, Zoltán Schrammel, Réka Mandoki https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Low vision users in graphical user interface interaction.
Interaction design is the act of designing the dialogue between people and systems, services or products. User interface (UI) facilitates sensory and emotional interactions by acting as a bridge between users and products while graphical user interface (GUI) refers to graphical or visual presentations of information The accessibility of GUIs directly impacts the quality of experience (QoE) since the sense of sight plays a pivotal role especially for low vision users throughout the interaction process. Though low vision users can use GUIs on their own, they often face challenges that hinder their QoE. Although existing research has explored accessible UI design principles, studies specifically addressing the accessibility issues of low vision users in GUI interactions remain limited. The goal of this research is to evaluate the effects of visual perception differences between people with low and normal vision on home appliances’ GUI interactions and discuss how these differences affect the QoE of low vision users. To this end, we created a total of 12 washing machine GUI cases based on the GUI model of the best-selling washing machine in Turkey in 2021 and tested these cases online with two groups of 7 participants each with low vision and normal vision. The results infer that low vision participants have accessibility issues on GUIs in terms of colour contrasts, text sizes, display options and control panel distances. The study suggests that using an uppercase larger font (22pt) for just the first syllable of the text in text-based displays can improve accessibility of GUIs for low vision users compared to using the same font size (16pt) in sentence case for all text. Overall, this study contributes to a better understanding of the challenges faced by low vision users in GUI interactions and offers practical recommendations for creating more accessible GUIs through a display style proposal.
Copyright (c) 2025 M. Ferit Aydin, H. Guclu Yavuzcan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Environmental pressures and elderly people in the Guadalajara metropolitan area.
This paper analyses the social, cultural and urban factors influencing the mobility of older adults in Guadalajara, Mexico. Specifically, it addresses the experiences of 18 elderly within their immediate urban environment, identifying the environmental pressures they encounter during their movements. The study maps destinations that satisfy needs shaped by participant’s culture and identifies the emotional resources and social capital that support older adults in accessing these destinations. The findings reveal that mobility barriers arise not only from non-universal design but also from a fragile social-institutional framework, primarily reflected in an environment perceived as unsafe.
Copyright (c) 2025 Bruno Cruz Petit, Pérez-Duarte Alejandro, Fabiola Colmenero Fonseca https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
There is a lack of research regarding the challenges experienced by people with disabilities when taking surveys or participating in usability testing. Websites, digital health applications, and electronic books are products users are recruited to evaluate through surveys and usability tests. However, these products and the instruments used to evaluate them aren’t necessarily developed with the intended users being people with disabilities. Although some products use accessibility and usability practices when designing products, they vary in quality and quantity. Before a product—the website or electronic book—can move to production, it needs to be tested by a sample of people who are potential users but there is a lack of research on accessible instrument design that would make the user testing population and practices more inclusive. The purpose of this case study is to address this lack of research; and understand the experiences, challenges, and preferences of diverse users when participating in research studies through three forms of data collection: an interview, observation, and document analysis. The interview explores the experiences and observations encountered by a disability services professional at a public research institution. This data is triangulated with content analysis from a relevant document that describes 12 disability personas and an observation about accessible web design for people with cognitive disabilities. Two main themes emerged in the findings: Challenges and frustrations for people with disabilities and advice or guidance for information design. The triangulated analysis brings forth accessible design considerations for future research, practical advice for survey and usability testing with the disability community, and new questions for future research on inclusive instrument design.
Copyright (c) 2024 A. Miller https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Applying Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) to Investigate Inclusive Design in Library Spaces.
Inclusive architecture aims to create spaces that cater to everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. Public libraries play a pivotal role in this endeavour by providing accessible environments for diverse communities. This study conducts a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) of the inclusivity of three libraries in Shiraz, examining how effectively these libraries cater to the needs of all users through an inclusive design approach. The POE process comprised three steps: planning, implementation, and application. During the planning phase, a checklist of 180 items was compiled and adjusted based on theoretical foundations. These items fell into four general categories: 1-Spatial Design (including spatial design requirements, flooring, ceilings, and walls), 2-Accessibility and Circulation (covering movement paths, ramps, lifts, elevators, and staircases), 3-Amenities and Equipment (such as parking, toilet services, entrances, furniture, and guide signs), 4-Sensory and Atmosphere (addressing lighting, colour, texture, materials, shape, scent, sound, and temperature). In the implementation phase, the evaluation was conducted over three days at the indicator level by a two-person evaluation team. They utilised observation, photography, and metric measurement tools. In the subsequent step, field observations to complete the checklist were carried out, and data entry and analysis were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0 software. The results indicated that all three libraries (MLDC, Art and Architecture, and Khwarizmi libraries) exhibit several weaknesses in terms of inclusive design. The average inclusiveness scores assigned to them were 37.50%, 35.10%, and 34.35%, respectively. As the achievements of the application phase, it can be summarised that the findings of this study provide a practical example for POE research on inclusive design, offering insights for enhancing inclusivity in architectural environments.
Copyright (c) 2024 Anis Fathipour, Seyyed Mohammad Hossein Zakeri, Mohammad Nikkar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Experimental study about 3D printed tactile symbols for tactile maps and blind users.
The aim of this paper is to determine whether certain volumetric tactile symbols (3D) have a level of tactile recognition similar to those of low relief (2D). This study evaluates a sample of 3D volumetric symbols produced by means of 3D printing for use in tactile maps. An experimental test was conducted on a group of 26 totally blind users with different levels of experience in tactile exploration. Part of the experiment involved analysing the percentage of correct answers as a dependent variable and the volume in the shape of the tactile symbols (3D vs. 2D) as the experimental stimulus. The results obtained indicate that volumetric symbols have a high level of tactile recognition. In addition, the study shows some of the possibilities that are emerging in the design of tactile maps and models with the development of new techniques such as 3D Printing (3DP). The inclusion of 3DP within the field of tactile map design is leading to a reassessment of some of the basic principles of tangible graphic design, such as using only two-dimensional graphic elements to produce tangible graphics. Other categories of design elements such as volumetric design elements (3D) can now be included. This opens up a range of possibilities in the field of tactile maps, providing the designer and/or the Mobility Instructor with a wider range of variations in shape from which to design or select a set of symbols for use in tactile maps.
Copyright (c) 2024 Jaume Gual Ortí, Marina Puyuelo Cazorla, Joaquim LLoveras Macia, Javier Amat Cozar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Health and migration are vital parts of the development cycle. Health should be understood not only as a state of physical and psychological well-being, but also of social well-being. Social determinants play a major role in health and, therefore, also in physical and cognitive accessibility. The aim of this study is to link both realities (migration and health), in order to study the variables of quality of life and physical, psychological and social health in the migrant population. There are three main objectives: 1) To understand the perceptions of quality of life and physical, psychological and social health of the migrant population; 2) To identify and describe pathologies and disabilities among migrants; and 3) To determine if there is accessibility to the health system (treatments and control). A quantitative methodology comprising descriptive and correlational analysis was employed. The main tool was a descriptive questionnaire, supported by three scales (The Quality of Life and Health Scale [WHOQOL-BREF]; Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale [DASS-21]; and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support [EMAS]) previously validated and proposed by international organizations, such as the World Health Organization. The main results were that levels of quality of life, psychological health and social support are moderate in the migrant population. In addition, 47.3% of the migrant population has a health pathology, with only 29% having access to health resources. The main conclusion is that the presence of pathologies and the lack of disease control among the migrant population is a sign of the need to review the actions implemented by government institutions, such as the Common European Asylum System. In addition, there is a need to make health resources accessible to the entire population regardless of social class.
Copyright (c) 2024 Cristina Sampedro, Yolanda De la Fuente, Jes´ús Hernández Galán, Virginia Fuentes https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Level-Up! Comparing accessibility features based on gameplay performance.
This study examined the impact of accessibility cues on hearing and non-hearing players’ performance in a 3D, third-person shooter video game. The intent was to resolve the debate about whether accessibility features unfairly lessen the difficulty of video games for hearing players. In this study, players completed the video game with three accessibility cue conditions (visual, haptic, both) and were assigned to one of two audio conditions (audio, no audio). Hard-of-Hearing (HOH) participants played the video game under all three cue conditions. Performance data indicated that accessibility cues helped players without audio without affording an unfair advantage to those with audio. Qualitative data indicated that participants’ beliefs about the cues aligned with the popular—but inaccurate—belief that accessibility cues afforded them an advantage. This research is a first step in examining accessibility cues in the context of video games. The results can be applied to video game design as well as to other fields that use cues to convey information—such as human perception—and as a method for designing cues for training people in the medical, aerospace, and education fields.
Copyright (c) 2024 Jasmine Granados, Dominic Canare, Lisa Vangsness https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Universal Accessibility in regular bus lines in Spain
Transport infrastructures are fundamental elements to achieving social cohesion, territorial development and the productive growth of society, but they must be accessible, sustainable, resilient and of high quality. There are several plans at the local and European levels that address strategies and directives to achieve inclusive public transport that adheres to the parameters of sustainability and accessibility. Therefore, in this work we have conducted a study and analysis of the situation of intercity regular bus public transport in Spain. In addition to carrying out an exhaustive bibliographic review on the importance and interest of public transport and accessibility, we also reviewed companies in the sector in order to reinforce our research. A survey of different groups of people, with and without disabilities, was performed to provide a broad and diverse view of the problems and advantages of public bus transport. The advances and challenges of using this means of transport for the mobility of people and its importance to improving society have been analysed. This research seeks to extract an in-depth analysis - through a review of the literature and surveys of 82 people - of the accessibility chain in regular bus lines in Spain, and to offer proposals and recommendations that can help the main stakeholders in the sector to offer accessible, inclusive and quality transport.
Copyright (c) 2024 Cristina Dueñas Díaz-Tendero, Ángeles Verdejo Espinosa, Yolanda de la Fuente Robles https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Effectiveness of predominant letterforms in different small type sizes
Earlier researchers have investigated and suggested how to design legibility for Thai letterforms that evolved into the Thai universal design typeface (Thai UD typeface), which supports Thai readers and visually impaired people. Prior researchers measured the letterforms of the Thai UD typeface for effectiveness on various psychological methodologies, such as blur simulation, short exposure, and distance threshold method. To continually investigate the effectiveness of the Thai UD typeface, in the present study, we tested its capability by adapting the methods involved in critical print size (CPS), letter acuity (LA), and reading acuity (RA) compared to familiar text typefaces. In the current study, we compared the effectiveness of three typefaces: FT Manifest UD (Thai UD typeface), Cordia New, and TH Sarabu New, which employed 36 Thai consonants in 15 different type sizes of the three typefaces. We presented the Thai characters to 32 Thai volunteers, including 12 males and 20 females between 18 and 62 years old, and we also divided the volunteers into three groups: adolescent adults, older adults, and graphic designers and related fields, into three different results. The Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test showed that at a significance level of 0.05, the FT Manifest UD typeface was different in overall effectiveness from (better than) the Cordia New and TH Sara bun new typefaces. For the finding of each group, the FT Manifest UD typeface was different in effectiveness from (better than) the Cordia New and TH Sara bun new typefaces among the adolescent-young adults and the older adults. The finding for the graphic designers' group revealed that the FT Manifest UD typeface differed in effectiveness from (was better than) the TH Sarabu New typeface. However, the effectiveness of FT Manifest UD was similar to the Cordia New typeface. The study suggests that the most critical characteristics of FT Manifest UD provided better effectiveness than the other typefaces on various small type sizes. However, certain letterforms should be improved to enhance sufficient legibility for using the types in small and diminutive.
Copyright (c) 2024 Rachapoom Punsongserm https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Quality archaeological translation into sign language.
This paper details a significant study on educational accessibility through quality translation processes, specifically focusing on sign language translation in a museum setting. Conducted as part of the Al-Musactra RD project, co-funded by the Spanish Ministry of Universities and the European Union - Next Generation EU, the research focuses on translating content from room 1 of the Archaeological and Ethnological Museum of Granada. The intervention involved a classroom session during the European Heritage Days 2021. It has been designed for students from the Sagrada Familia Special Education School of Granada. The source material was a terminologically rich video featuring a guided museum tour on the prehistoric period of Granada, led by the museum director. The study employed a documented working methodology to address translation challenges, ultimately delivering quality linguistic solutions for the deaf community. Key findings reveal a strong preference among participants for accessible cultural experiences, with technology playing a crucial role in enhancing accessibility. The results emphasize the need for improved staff training in museums to better cater to the needs of visitors with hearing impairments. These findings suggest a broader application of such inclusive practices in cultural institutions to foster greater accessibility and engagement.
Copyright (c) 2024 María Asunción Pérez de Zafra Arrufat, Ainhoa Abasolo Elices https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
This paper is based on a study where four go-along interviews with a total of sixteen participants were conducted in three Swedish cities. The purpose of this study was to find out how different aspects and qualities of the built environment affected different persons in terms of experiences of inclusion and exclusion and strategies used to deal with obstacles in the environment. The study highlights the citizens' experiences and perceptions of the urban built environment, based on their individual conditions for using it, in relation to the planners' and decision-makers' visions, planning practices and construction. The participants were asked about their views on the necessary conditions for them to visit the city and its places and buildings, what barriers they might experience that either made them change routes or avoid the area completely and what kind of environments they experienced as welcoming and inclusive. The study shows that there is an ongoing multifaceted exclusion of citizens from the built environment. This situation is not in accordance with current building regulations, neither with overall societal goals and ambitions, nor with the international conventions Sweden has undertaken to follow. The study also points to opportunities to change the situation, with the help of knowledge about enablers in the built environment and how Universal Design can become an important planning variable to bring about change.
Copyright (c) 2024 Lilian Muller, Emil Erdtman, Per-Olof Hedvall https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The introduction of WCAG 2.0 and the European Web Accessibility Directive marked significant milestones in the realm of web accessibility evaluation. However, even with the passage of considerable time, persistent challenges continue to impact the assessment of web accessibility. In this article, we aim to address these ongoing hurdles and provide comprehensive suggestions for accessibility assurance to achieve efficiency, consistency, and transparency in the processes of preparing accessibility statements, monitoring, and self-assessment. The proposed solutions include a centralised system for preparing accessibility statements, a centralised government template for feedback mechanisms, simplified self-assessment based on nine general criteria, and in-depth monitoring by experts and individuals with disabilities. Centralising all accessibility statements would facilitate monitoring updates and accessibility achievements, enabling mass verification by the bodies in charge of monitoring the Web Accessibility Directive and the public. The centralised government template for feedback mechanisms provides benefits such as automatic form completion and shared responsibility for addressing reported inaccessible content. Simplified, centralised, and automated monitoring allows for efficient tracking of accessibility status and verification of updates using an automated software environment. Links to results can be shared with public sector bodies and inspectors, enhancing transparency and comparison. In-depth monitoring requires complete analysis and recommendations for improvements, in which experts and individuals with disabilities are involved. Proper education and training of website administrators are crucial for ensuring quality and meeting accessibility criteria. By implementing these proposals, the goal of inclusive access to information and services can be achieved for all users.
Copyright (c) 2023 Matjaž Debevc, Tilen Škraba, Bogdan Cerovac, Ines Kožuh, Nataša Rajh https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Vatican Museums' accessibility practices for blind and partially sighted (BPS) visitors
The Vatican Museums (also referred to as “VM”) are the repositories of one of the world’s most remarkable and varied art collections. The relative responsibilities and challenges are plenty: the many visitors pose a significant threat to the conservation of artworks, but communicating and safeguarding the works of art is even more challenging when opening the museum collections to a Blind and Partially Sighted (referred in the article as BPS) audience. The Vatican Museums’ accessibility practices, some of which aimed at providing support to the experience of visually impaired visitors, have been developed via foresight, international vision, strong partnerships, and efficient resource allocation. The present article describes the strategies adopted by the Vatican Museums involving accessibility for BPS audiences. It examines the extent of existing measures and how they align with the "best practices" necessary to grant access to facilities and valuable information. The analysis has been carried out through first-hand observations performed during the internship period the author spent at the Vatican Museums. Finally, the article examines the educational techniques involving some of the items included in the haptic itinerary offered by the Vatican Museum, with references to applied neuroscientific research in relation to tactile perception and Museum Sciences.
Copyright (c) 2023 Renato Trotta https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
With advances in technology, more health information is readily available to the public. Individuals with disabilities rely on online healthcare-related resources to access educational information and promote informed decision-making in their care. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) were created to provide universal web practices which complement the needs of all individuals, such as those with low vision or screen readers users. However, many websites and the resources within them (e.g., PDFs) do not prioritise WCAG, leaving individuals with disabilities at a disadvantage in terms of their autonomy and health literacy. The objective of this study is to investigate and describe the common web accessibility errors present on international occupational therapy and pediatric websites and the resources within them. This mixed methods study evaluates compliance to WCAG success criteria using automatic web accessibility evaluation tools, specifically WAVE and AChecker, and manual checks to capture the human element. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the frequency of errors across several success criteria within the sample websites and PDFs. A subsequent thematic analysis was used to further examine how and why these errors violate the WCAG success criteria. Through automatic evaluation tools, many websites and resources did not comply with numerous WCAG 2.0 success criteria. Through manual checks of the web pages and resources within them, 5 themes were identified: inaccessible images, challenges accessing additional resources, poor structural formatting, lack of tagging in PDFs, and minimal colour contrast. The results of this study can inform web developers and contributors (e.g., Occupational Therapists) on how to successfully produce accessible websites and PDFs to provide equal access to health information. In conclusion, this study adds to the current understanding that many public-facing websites and the resources within them (e.g., PDFs) are not accessible, including healthcare-related websites meant to support informed decision-making among individuals with disabilities.
Copyright (c) 2023 Katrina Fernandes, Sarika Paramananthan, Lynn Cockburn, Julius Nganji https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The Relation of design tools to Universal Design Theory
Are researchers in Universal Design (UD) using UD theory? There is a link between theory and the appropriate use and selection of tools in design research. On that basis, 256 conference papers from the Cambridge Workshop of Universal Access and Assistive Technology (2002 to 2020) are reviewed for instances of tool use and links to Universal Design and general design theoretical content. From this it is shown that the instance of explicit tool use can be found in a minority of articles. Those that do have articulated links between the tool of inquiry and theory are classed into four groups, a minority of which are based on UD theory. A recommendation is made for more explicit explanation of the basis of tool use in research design in order to improve the transparency and comprehensibility of the research design.
Copyright (c) 2023 Richard Herriott https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0