DESIGNING INTERFACE FOR DISABILITIES Ebuba Udoh Idris Kargbo Linda Mensah

VARIOUS TYPES OF DISABILITIES Cognitive Long/Short Sighted Dyslexia Hearing Physical Language Disorder: stroke, Alzheimer’s, Brain damage etc. Speech, Visual etc.

Factors to be consider when designing an interface for disabilities Cognitive Disability : cognitive disabilities accompanied by physical disabilities Users with cognitive disabilities include users with learning disabilities with or without deficit, they interact with technology in various ways. (1) Designers need to understand the deficits of these users when designing interface that need to be access by this users. (2) Most learning disorders are often elderly. Victim with learning disabilities go hand-hand with Attention Deficit Disorder and Hyperactivity (ADD or ADHD).

Factors to be consider when designing an interface for disabilities (3) Victim with language disabilities may lose their ability to communicate effectively and short and long term memory loss, word finding and syntax difficulties. In designing interface for cognitive disabilities these three in which technology has been historically used are: Compensation (assistive technologies) Diagnostics and assessment

Factors to be consider when designing an interface for disabilities (3) Victim with language disabilities may lose their ability to communicate effectively and short and long term memory loss, word finding and syntax difficulties. (1) Computer Assisted Instruction – CAI: This software is design to provide remediation in specific area through repeated drills. (2) Multi-media based, open-ended package software also designed to encourage the user with the development of written skill.

Factors to be consider when designing an interface for disabilities Compensation and/ or assistive technologies for cognitive difficulties is a significant area. This is particularly true because the law mandates these accommodations. The (1) Americans with disabilities Act (ADA)1990 stated that accommodations need to be made for disabilities at workplace. (2) Education Disabilities Act (EDA) 1997, provided that assistive technology devices and services are required to be made available to students and youth ensuring a free, appropriate public education.

Factors to be consider when designing an interface for disabilities Identify problems with cluttered interfaces causing distraction to learning disabled users. It is important also when matching the remediation method chosen for in class education, creating modifiable programs that can be tailored to a student’s needs and providing frequent informative feedback. Some software are more effective than other, Larsen, Steen identifies difficulties with distracting interface and animation in remediation software.

Factors to be consider when designing for users (1) Designers should include cognitive disabilities in the design, research, and development of new technologies, and they should be sure to create that inclusive across cultures. (2) Designers should remember the 8 shneiderman’s golden rules of interface design. In particular users with disabilities benefit from design that stress consistency, informative feedback, error prevention with friendly error handling, and reduce short term memory load.

Factors to be consider when designing an interface for disabilities Long/Short Sighted- Designers for the web specifically, designers need to balance the demand for different types of users. It might be efficacious to provide different access methods, they should be remember to provide: (1) Avoid clutter (2) Create modifiable software (3) Provide software with useful, informative, and frequent feedback (4) Provide multiple methods for access

Factors to be consider when designing an interface for disabilities (5) Support for text browsers on the WWW (6) Alternative method for on line form. (7) Information layouts and easy to understand, e.g. Display important information in a prominent area to catch the users eye.

Factors to be consider when designing an interface for disabilities Speech : -use of predictive algorithm to anticipate the words used and fill them in. -Speech synthesis and text based tools to aid communication

Factors to be consider when designing an interface for disabilities Dyslexia : -Speech input/output to alleviate the need to read and write -Spelling correction facilities can help users - Consistent navigation structure and clear signposting cues

Factors to be consider when designing an interface for disabilities Hearing impaired - Captioning audio content if not already in graphical or textual version e.g. in the use of multimedia presentations - Gesture recognition to translate signing to speech or text to aid non-signers.

REFERENCES [1] Shneiderman's, Ben Designing the user interface: strategies for effective Human-Computer Interaction 3 rd ed. [2] Larsen, Steen.1995 Technology for learning disabilities. [3] Lewis, Rena B Assistive technology and Learning disabilities. [4] Lundberg,I The computer as a tool of remediation in the education for reading disabilities. [5] Hill, Janette R. and Michael J. Hannafin Cognitive strategies and learning from the World Wide Web, ETR&D Educational Technology & Development [6] Alan Dix, Janet Finlay, Gregory D. Abowd, Russell Beale, 2004,Human Computer Interaction Third Edition