riwc_para_a124 website design for people with learning disabilities

Unit of Labour and Vocational RehabilitationProf. Dr. M. NiehausUnit of Labour and Vocational RehabilitationProf. Dr. M. Niehaus

Designing barrier-free websites for people with intellectual disabilities:

What do the experts say?23rd RI World Congress, Oct 25-27 2016, Edinburgh

Elena Brinkmann, Marie Heide, Lena Bergs, Mathilde Niehaus

Funded by

Elena Brinkmann, Marie Heide, Lena BergsUniversity of Cologne

Unit of Labour and Vocational RehabilitationProf. Dr. M. Niehaus - 2 -

Content

Introduction– Research issue

Research approach– Characteristics of the participatory approach

Methods– Expert interviews

ResultsConclusionsList of references



Introduction

• Importance of the Internet for daily life, affecting education, employment and leisure

• On the one hand: People with intellectual disabilities benefit from the various opportunities on the Internet (Freese/Mayerle, 2014)


Source: Shutterstock/Pavel Ignatov


Introduction

• On the other hand: Many people with intellectual disabilities are still reap few or no benefits from these technologies (Aktion Mensch, 2010)

• Specific barriers to Internet use: material barriers, technical barriers, language (Bernasconi, 2009)


Source: Shutterstock/Pavel Ignatov


! Accessible websites for people with intellectual disabilities

Introduction

Elena Brinkmann, Marie Heide, Lena Bergs University of Cologne

Accessibility is given if [websites] can be used by people with disabilities in the usual manner without special difficulties and basically without help by other people. (Equal Opportunities for Disabled People Act (BGG), § 4)


How can we improve the accessibility of information on the Internet for young people with intellectual disabilities using the Internet without outside help?

Introduction


?


Introduction


Process-oriented approachProduct-oriented approach

- Inclusion/participation- User-orientation (needs

of the target group)

- Standards - Guidelines

WCAG 2.0

Aspects of website accessibility for people with intellectual disabilities

BITV 2.0

CRPD


Research Issue

What specific criteria need to be considered when developing barrier-free websites for people with intellectual disabilities?



Characteristics of the participatory approachParticipatory approach

– Research not about or for people with intellectual disabilities, but with them (Bergold/Thomas, 2010)

– Link between science and life experiences (Schuppener, 2009)

– Use of self-reports rather than assessment by others (e.g. teachers, counsellors)



Characteristics of the participatory approachPractice-based evidence- Including the life circumstances of people with

intellectual disabilities: content-related foundation, higher credibility (Gebert, 2014)

Legitimate reversal of the power relation- Expert status of both researchers and participants

(Bergold/Thomas, 2010)- Mutual recognition of expertise (Gebert, 2014)



Characteristics of the participatory approachMethodological issues- Adequate quality criteria in addition to the general

quality criteria, e.g. cooperative research process- Gebert (2014): „Subjectivation of the process shall

explicitly indicated as profit.“

Practical issues- Specific limitations of financial, time and institutional

resources- Recruitment of the participants



Methods


Participatory and inclusive research approach

Expert Reference Inclusive future Actioninterviews group workshop guideline

Source Images: Shutterstock/Gusi Lebedeva/D Line/howcolour


Methods

Expert interviews– Heterogeneity of perspectives– Interdisciplinary nature of the subject

Experts– People with intellectual disabilities (N=22)– Computer scientists / digital media designers– Social education workers / special pedagogues– Web site operators (N=6)– People concerned with easy-to-read



Methods

Semi-structured interview guidelines for- Evaluation of accessability and usability for websites

- Adapted guidelines for each expert group › Orientation along guidelines, empirical research and

the pilot study› Problem: Acquiescence tendency› Closed questions with 3-point scale answer options

(Finlay 2002), open questions



Results - Accessibility/Barriers


Web site operators

Usage of unusual words

Quality of text differs

No common standardsComplexity


Results - Accessibility/Solutions


Web site operators

Working together with

the target group

“We use a kind of an encyclopaedia for

explaining difficult and unusual words.”

“A kind of a dictionary could be useful.”

Using identical pictures for the same content


Results - Accessability


Participants

Difficult words

Unclear structure

Quantity of text/pictures

Navigation depth

Development of solutions in the reference

group

Starting point


ResultsFirst indications suggesting criteria for developing barrier-free websites for people with intellectual disabilities:

- Less text on a website and more headings and subheadings

- Explanations of difficult words- Less levels of navigation - Pictures which are related to the content



ConclusionsCommon standards are important for the development of barrier-free websites

– Ordinance (BITV 2.0) does not lead to optimal web site accessibility

– Process-orientation is hardly considered during web site development for the target group- User-orientation, Interaction of all stakeholders



List of referencesAktion Mensch e.V. (2010). Web 2.0. Barrierefrei. Eine Studie zur Nutzung von Web 2.0 Anwendungen

durch Menschen mit Behinderung. Bonn.Bergold, J., & Thomas, S. (2010). Partizipative Forschung. In G. Mey & K. Mruck (Hrsg.), Handbuch Qualitative Forschung in der Psychologie (S. 333-344). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften / Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH Wiesbaden.Bernasconi, T.: Barrierefreies Internet für Menschen mit geistiger Behinderung. Eine experimentelle Pilotstudie zu technischen Voraussetzungen und partizipativen Auswirkungen. Univ., Diss.--Oldenburg, 2007. BIS-Verl. der Carl-von-Ossietzky- Univ, Oldenburg (2007).Buchner, T., Koenig, O., & Schuppener, S. (2011). Gemeinsames Forschen mit Menschen mit intellektuelle Behinderung: Geschichte, Status quo und Möglichkeiten im Kontext der UN-Behindertenrechtskonvention. Teilhabe, 50(1), 4-10.Gebert, T. (2014). Partizipative Forschung mit Menschen, die als geistig behindert werden. Im Spannungsfeld von Teilhaberecht und Wissenschaftlichkeit. Behindertenpädagogik, 53(3), 251-271.Schuppener, S. (2009). Identität von Menschen mit geistiger Behinderung - Untersuchungs- und Unterstützungsmöglichkeiten im Kontext partizipativer Forschung. In F. Janz (Hrsg.), Edition S. Empirische Forschung im Kontext geistiger Behinderung (S. 305-319). Heidelberg: Winter.



Thank you Homepage:

http://online-dabei.uni-koeln.de/

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0049-221-4704602


riwc_para_a124 website design for people with learning disabilities

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