A Foundation for Tool Based Mobility Support for Visually Impaired Web Users Yeliz Yesilada Robert Stevens Carole Goble Information Management Group WWW2003

Introduction Problem: For visually impaired, mobility is reduced; the objects that support travel are inaccessible or missing altogether. Solution: Analysis of travel support offered by Web pages and provide tool support for enhancing travel (mobility). Message: Travel support could be improved if the objects that support travel are presented in a way that they can fulfill their intended roles and ease the travel. WWW2003

Travel and mobility Navigation Orientation - ‘Where can I go?’ - ‘Where am I?’ Travel - Navigation and orientation with purpose, within an environment. Mobility - Confident navigation and orientation with purpose, ease and accuracy within an environment. WWW2003

Problem statement with an example UK homepage graphic * graphic * graphic * graphic * graphic * graphic * graphic * graphic * graphic * graphic HSBC logo WWW2003

Physical mobility -> Web mobility [Goble et al., 2000] A model of Travel Travel objects: Landmarks and memory objects Mobility techniques and actions: Consulting and reviewing, landmark recognition and avoidance Mobility instruments: In-journey guidance, previewing, probing and feedback WWW2003

Travel objects Way Points Orientation Points Travel Assistants Decision point Location & Position Way edge Identification point Reference point Navigation point Direction Alert Distance Attention Information point Travel memory Travel Assistants Travel support Travel aid WWW2003

Travel object inventory example Reference point Way Edge Decision point Information point Identification point Distance WWW2003

A mobility support tool Extracting travel objects; Discovering their roles; Annotating extracted objects; Transforming the page. -- Framework (stage 1) -- Framework (stage 2)  Analysts  User Agent Web page  Web page 1 2 4 DOM Enhanced DOM Auto. Manual Transformation  Travel Analysis Annotation DB Provide Suggestions Annotation  Heuristics (1) 3 Heuristics (2) WWW2003

   Context of the tool WWW2003 Server Provider generates a Web page on demand Analyst Provider creates or changes a Web page  Automated mark up Intermediate agent Semi-automated mark up VI-Enabled Web page Web Page Client Automated mark up  Browser VI User  VI-Enabled Web page Semi-automated mark up Analyst VI- Visually Impaired Optimal Sub-optimal WWW2003

Work in progress-- annotation 3 1 2 WWW2003

Work in progress-- transformation ID WWW2003

Summary Travel and mobility on the Web is likened to travel and mobility in the physical world; Travel analysis framework is proposed for extracting travel objects and discovering their roles; The travel analysis framework was evaluated; Web pages are manually annotated by using COHSE annotator; Web pages could be automatically transformed based on the manual annotations. WWW2003

Travel analysis framework Extracting travel objects and creating a travel object inventory; Classifying each travel object in the inventory. Evaluation Successful in demonstrating the applicability; Participants were able to create inventories and classify travel objects in the inventory Demonstrate that the framework is consistent and systematic. WWW2003