Improving the quality of IT services that support accessibility standards is a way to increase the inclusiveness level of digital content. Taking into account the individual requests of users with disabilities in the technical characteristics of software products ensures their digital accessibility. The goal of the article is to develop a comprehensive approach to the application of Software Quality Function Deployment (SQFD) technology to improve the quality of support for IT service accessibility standards. The SQFD method was implemented by using the developed ArtiHoQ software solution, which made it possible to establish connections between consumer quality indicators and technical characteristics of the service, as well as to determine the target values of technical characteristics. The proposed measures to improve technical characteristics were implemented on the example of the uRemediate IT service to ensure accessibility for the users with disabilities, which made it possible to come close to the target values for all key metrics, and significantly increase the comprehensive quality indicator.

: To explore the perspectives of individuals with high cervical spinal cord injury (C-SCI) regarding expectations, concerns, and desired applications of brain-computer interface (BCI). : A structured focus group interview was conducted with four individuals with chronic high cervical spinal cord injury, all with neurological levels of C4 or above. Pre- and post-interview questionnaires were administered to assess expectations, concerns, and acceptance of BCI before and after discussion. The interview was facilitated by experts in rehabilitation medicine and biomedical engineering, and qualitative data were analyzed inductively to identify key themes. : Five major themes emerged: digital accessibility, offline physical activity, social interactions and psychological health, usability, and acceptance. Participants expressed strong interest in using BCI to improve digital independence, particularly for messaging, online banking, internet use, and smart home control. They also viewed BCI as a potential tool to enhance autonomy in daily activities and reduce reliance on caregivers. Most participants were open to training and, in some cases, invasive procedures; however, concerns regarding surgical safety, device maintenance, reliability, and practical usability were frequently raised. Views on the emotional and social impact of BCI varied across individuals. Questionnaire responses showed increased willingness to undergo invasive procedures after the focus group interview, while expected functional outcomes became more realistic, suggesting that structured group discussion may have shaped participants' understanding of BCI. : BCI was perceived as a promising pathway to greater independence, participation, and autonomy among individuals with high C-SCI. These findings emphasize user-centered design and demonstrate how lived experience can guide assistive neurotechnology development in rehabilitation research.

Purpose Assistive technology (AT) is widely promoted as a means of supporting equitable participation in higher education; however, little is known about how students with visual impairment (SWVI) in Gulf higher education experience AT in everyday academic life. This study explored how SWVI at one public university in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) perceived the affordances and constraints of AT in academic activities. Materials and methods A qualitative interpretive phenomenological design was used. Ten Emirati SWVI enrolled in undergraduate or postgraduate programmes and regularly using AT for academic purposes were recruited through the university’s disability support unit. In-depth- semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results Four interrelated themes were identified in the study. AT functions as a catalyst for academic and social autonomy, enabling students to manage core tasks and participate more fully in university life. However, these affordances were often curtailed by inaccessible digital platforms, incompatible course materials, bureaucratic hurdles and limited technical support. Institutional and peer awareness acted as conditional enablers of AT use, while a pervasive lack of specialised and continuous training for both students and staff constrained the realisation of AT’s potential for enhancing learning. Conclusion In this single-institution study, AT’s educational affordances of AT were situational and emerged from interactions among students, technologies and institutional systems. Improving digital accessibility, centralising AT support and providing structured AT training for students and staff may help advance the UAE’s inclusive education goals and strengthen equitable participation in comparable higher-education settings.

Short-video platforms, specifically TikTok and Bilibili, are widely utilized for health information seeking in China. However, the quality of chemotherapy-related content on these channels remains unverified. This study compares the reliability and quality of chemotherapy videos across these two platforms, evaluating the impact of uploader identity, video characteristics, and user engagement metrics. A total of 188 chemotherapy-related videos were retrieved from TikTok (n = 89) and Bilibili (n = 99). Content quality and reliability were independently assessed using the Global Quality Scale (GQS) and modified DISCERN (mDISCERN). Intra-platform interactions, video length, and uploader profiles were cross-sectionally analyzed using localized stratified Spearman's rank correlation and fully adjusted multivariate Poisson regression models. Overall information quality was suboptimal. Significant baseline disparities were observed between platforms: while TikTok dominated in interaction metrics (P < .001), Bilibili achieved significantly higher reliability (mDISCERN, P < .001) and overall quality scores (GQS, P = .034). Certified oncologists were the primary contributors (46.28%), producing significantly higher-quality content than patients (P < .001). Localized stratified analysis exposed a platform-specific popularity paradox: within TikTok, GQS scores were significantly negatively correlated with likes (r = - .211, P = .047) and comments (r = - .269, P = .011), whereas this quality-engagement trade-off completely vanished within Bilibili, where mDISCERN positively aligned with collections (r = .221, P = .028) and shares (r = .249, P = .013). Fully adjusted Poisson regression confirmed that micro-level engagement counts and video length possessed no independent predictive capacity (P > .20), whereas the macro-platform identity of Bilibili emerged as a robust, standalone independent positive predictor of information reliability (RR = 1.388, 95% CI 1.069-1.801, P = .0138). A critical socio-technical divide exists within the digital health landscape, manifested as a localized popularity paradox heavily plaguing engagement-first networks like TikTok. Fully adjusted estimations reveal that the overarching macro-platform architecture itself, rather than micro-level clip features or standalone video length, serves as the independent determinant of clinical reliability. Platforms must transition from traffic-oriented metrics toward professional, quality-weighted recommendation system interventions to effectively bridge the gap between evidence-based clinical rigor and public digital accessibility.

This study investigated how ergonomic interventions can enhance information accessibility for students with physical disabilities in Kenyan universities to develop a comprehensive framework. Using a mixed-methods approach involving surveys and interviews across selected public universities, the study identified significant gaps in inclusive infrastructure, policy implementation, staff preparedness and resource allocation. Findings revealed that while some institutions had initiated ergonomic improvements, most efforts remained fragmented, underfunded or misaligned with the lived experiences of SWPDs. In response, the study proposes a user-centred framework comprising six interlinked pillars: Policy and Governance Integration, Dedicated Resource Allocation, Capacity Building and Awareness, User-Centred Design and Consultation, Continuous Assessment and Feedback Mechanisms, and Inter-stakeholder Collaboration. The framework is designed to foster systematic, sustainable and inclusive ergonomic practices that enhance physical and digital accessibility. The study concludes that adopting this framework can support Kenyan universities in creating more inclusive learning environments where SWPDs can access information equitably.

ABSTRACT This study aims to deeply examine the challenges faced by child development specialists with visual impairments during their educational journeys and professional practices, and to identify the strategies they develop to cope with these challenges. Designed within a qualitative research model, the study was conducted using the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) method. Snowball sampling, one of the purposive sampling techniques, was used for participant selection. Data were collected through voice messages via WhatsApp using a semi-structured interview form with six participants. The research findings are presented under three main themes: (1) Experienced challenges, (2) Perspectives on professional processes, and (3) Adaptations and recommendations. The results demonstrate that the barriers to access in the education and professional practice of specialists with visual impairments can be overcome through enhancing physical and digital accessibility, promoting inclusive attitudes, and restructuring curricula in line with the principles of inclusivity.

As the population continues to age, and gaming continues to grow as a hobby for older people, heterogeneity among older adult gamers is increasing. We argue that traditional game-based accessibility features, like simplified input schemes, redundant information channels, and increased legibility of digital user interfaces, are limited in the face of this heterogeneity. This is because such features affect all older adult players and, therefore, are designed generically. We introduce artificial intelligence-although it has its own limitations and ethical concerns-as a method of creating player-based accessibility features, given the adaptive nature of the technology. These features may help to address a unique assemblage of accessibility needs that may accumulate through age. We argue that existing AI technologies can build upon extant accessibility design techniques to improve digital game accessibility for heterogeneous older adults. We adopt insights from gerontology, human-computer interaction, and disability studies into the digital game design discourse for older adults, and we contribute insight that guides the integration of player-based accessibility features to supplement game-based counterparts. The accessibility of digital games for heterogeneous older adults is paramount, as the medium offers short-term social, emotional, psychological, cognitive, and physical benefits that support the long-term goal of aging well.

ABSTRACTEven when data needed to address complex, high‐priority ecological questions exist, when they are collected by many different entities for diverse purposes, they can be difficult to discover and unify. Web applications can address these challenges by serving as submission portals that clean and combine data programmatically. Furthermore, web apps can incentivize contributions—e.g., by providing public recognition and novel visualizations for reporting—while insulating users from needing to apply programming skills or interoperability practices. Here, we introduce P.I. Charter, an R Shiny web application that solicits, tidies, compiles, and shares point‐intercept (PI) aquatic plant survey data collected across Minnesota, USA by dozens of entities. We summarize the app's features and how these align with our goals regarding ease of use, accessibility, education, open access, and user experience. Since P.I. Charter's launch, it has received thousands of visitors and hundreds of submissions. Familiar contributors can submit surveys in minutes, and satisfaction with the app is high. We present four case studies that show how the app and its database could be used to: (1) better plan and conduct future surveys, (2) strategize surveillance for new cryptic invasions, (3) investigate relationships between species occurrence and environmental factors, and (4) elucidate long‐term trajectories of plant community composition in lakes responding to global change processes and management. Apps like P.I. Charter could revolutionize data aggregation in contexts wherein large data volumes are gathered and stored disparately. For us, developing P.I. Charter was relatively straightforward, but we caution that using R Shiny to build a complex, science‐focused web application is not without challenges, especially with respect to achieving digital accessibility. Nonetheless, P.I. Charter's capacity to make fuller use of hard‐earned data to address ecological questions has proven so valuable we wish to share our experiences so they may serve as a model for others.

Evaluating accessibility in telehealth platforms using heuristic review: A case study of the pathways application

Alternative text (alt text) for images is critical for digital accessibility, but faculty often lack time or training to create it. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) offers a potential solution, although its effectiveness in education is underexplored. The aim was to evaluate the quality of AI-generated alt text for course images from the perspective of nursing faculty. Ten nursing faculty evaluated 43 alt descriptions generated by ChatGPT-4 for their course images using 5-point Likert scales (accuracy, meaningfulness, usefulness) and provided qualitative feedback. Faculty rated AI-generated text highly for accuracy (M = 4.44, 90.7% positive), meaningfulness (M = 4.30, 86.0% positive), and usefulness (M = 4.05, 76.7% positive). Three critique themes emerged: "accurate but..." (lacking pedagogical context), "not quite" (subtle semantic errors), and "too much" (excessive verbosity). Generative AI can produce high-quality alt text drafts that reduce faculty workload. However, subject-matter expert review remains necessary to correct errors, refine brevity, and incorporate pedagogical context.

Voices from the shadows: a phenomenological study on the maternity care experiences of visually impaired mothers in Türkiye.

This paper evaluated user feedback surrounding the inclusivity of a national GeoHealth informatics tool prototype that visualized community-level indicators across domains related to digital health accessibility. There is a critical gap in the literature regarding the end-user needs of GeoHealth tools, including usability testing. Formal usability testing was conducted with participants representing the patient population on a GeoHealth tool prototype. Participants used the "think-aloud" technique to help observers capture qualitative insights. Results revealed barriers linked to expert-oriented design, specialized terminology (e.g., "domains," "indices"), and insufficient contextual guidance. Users often perceived the tool as intended for professionals, which led to hesitancy and limited exploration. This research contributed to a deeper understanding of the considerations needed when designing GeoHealth tools. Patient inclusivity requires plain-language interfaces, intuitive cues, and other embedded supports. These strategies can bridge the expert-lay gap and enhance equitable participation across the digital health landscape. This study highlights the importance of ensuring patient inclusiveness in design and usability for GeoHealth platforms' roles in the health informatics landscape.

Faculty-Driven Enhancements for Library Services in Engineering Education

With the rapid advancement of Smart City development, its impact on per capita household consumption in households with older adults remains insufficiently understood. This study aims to examine the causal effects of Smart City pilot policies on household consumption and consumption structure among older households in China. This study uses panel data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study from 2011 to 2020. A difference-in-differences approach is employed to identify the causal impact of Smart City pilot policies on per capita household consumption. Mechanism analysis is conducted to explore potential pathways, and heterogeneity analysis is performed across age, education, and income groups. The findings show that Smart City policies significantly increase per capita household consumption in households with older adults. This effect is primarily driven by improvements in digital connectivity, healthcare accessibility, and financial inclusion. The positive impact is more pronounced among households with older, less educated, and low- to middle-income members, while no statistically significant effects are observed among younger, higher-educated, or higher-income groups. In terms of consumption structure, Smart City development significantly increases subsistence-oriented expenditure but has limited effects on development- and leisure-oriented consumption. Additionally, the results suggest that these policies contribute to reducing disparities in household consumption. Smart City development plays a significant role in promoting household consumption and reducing consumption inequality among older households. The findings provide micro-level evidence on the distributional effects of urban digital policies and offer important implications for designing inclusive and equitable Smart City strategies.

BackgroundTaiwan’s status as a super-aged society underscores the need for efficient strategies to promote healthy aging. While the benefits of mindfulness-based interventions for sleep and mental health are evident, there is a shortage of cultural adaptations for Taiwan’s older adults. Current courses mainly focus on mindfulness-based stress reduction, while neglecting mindfulness-based elder care, and mindful sustainable aging principles. However, the abstract nature of some mindfulness concepts, combined with limited digital support and localized resources, makes it challenging for older adults to engage effectively.ObjectiveTo enhance healthy aging outcomes in older community-dwelling adults in Taiwan, this study developed an 8-week theory-based mindfulness curriculum that combined the mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based elder care, and mindful sustainable aging frameworks with digital health support.MethodsThis research employed a mixed methods feasibility study design. We used the modified Delphi method in phase 1 to reach agreement on curriculum content and digital material selection. Ten older adults participated in the pilot study, which comprised phase 2. We used quantitative measurements to assess mindfulness, sleep quality, cognition, heart rate variability, perceptions of aging, healthy aging perspectives, and physical function and activity at baseline, at weeks 4 and 8, and at a 1-month follow-up. Qualitative interviews were conducted to gather insights into participants’ experiences.ResultsParticipants achieved significant improvements in mindfulness, sleep quality, aging perception, healthy aging outlook, and physical function during the study (all P<.05). Cognition, heart rate variability, and physical activity levels showed no significant changes throughout the study. The qualitative data supported these findings, as participants selected simple practices, such as mindful breathing, which they practiced daily to enhance their emotional well-being and social connections. Participants valued the digital learning materials for aiding their practice; however, some older adults with reading difficulties faced challenges accessing the content.ConclusionsUsing the Delphi method resulted in an acceptable and feasible theory-based digitally supported mindfulness program that improved several indicators of healthy aging in older adults in Taiwan. Our findings need to be validated using longer trials to assess cognitive and physiological effects. Furthermore, digital accessibility requires further development.

The present study examines the role of academic library systems in enhancing scholarly performance, research productivity, and user satisfaction in the context of rapidly evolving digital higher education environments. University libraries have transformed from traditional print-based repositories into integrated digital knowledge systems offering access to e-journals, online databases, institutional repositories, and ICT-enabled services, thereby becoming central to academic communication and research advancement. The study adopts a descriptive quantitative research design, involving a sample of 300 postgraduate students selected through stratified random sampling from various Indian universities. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. Statistical techniques such as percentage analysis, mean score analysis, correlation analysis, regression analysis, t-test, and ANOVA were employed to evaluate relationships among variables and test hypotheses. The findings reveal a strong and statistically significant relationship between university library effectiveness and postgraduate academic performance (r = 0.78, p &lt; 0.05). Regression results further confirm that library services significantly predict research productivity (β = 0.69, p &lt; 0.001). Additionally, ANOVA results indicate significant variation in student satisfaction levels based on accessibility, infrastructure, and digital service quality. The study highlights that digital library resources, librarian support, ICT infrastructure, and user orientation programs substantially enhance research efficiency, academic engagement, and dissertation quality.Despite these positive outcomes, challenges such as inadequate digital infrastructure, limited database subscriptions, and uneven digital literacy levels persist across institutions. The study concludes that strengthening ICT-enabled library systems, expanding digital resource accessibility, and enhancing information literacy programs are essential for improving academic excellence and research output among postgraduate students in Indian higher education institutions.

BackgroundEveryday services are increasingly being digitalised, while the proportion of older adults continues to grow. Ensuring that digital services are accessible to this population is essential to prevent digital exclusion and support autonomy. This study aimed to explore older adults’ perspectives, experiences, and needs regarding digital services, identify perceived barriers to accessibility, and examine associated ethical and societal concerns.MethodsThis qualitative descriptive study recruited 48 French community-dwelling older adults in France (28 women, 20 men; mean age = 76.06 years, SD = 9.21; 42 urban, 6 rural). Semi-structured interviews were conducted using an 18-item guide developed from a review of the literature on digital accessibility. The study design and reporting were informed by the COREQ (Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research) checklist. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, pseudonymised, and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Coding was performed independently by two researchers, and discrepancies were resolved through discussion.ResultsAll participants reported using at least one digital technology, primarily for communication, information-seeking, administrative procedures, entertainment, and, more rarely, for professional or obligatory tasks. Participants described both advantages (e.g., convenience, ergonomic interfaces) and difficulties (e.g., lack of support, interface complexity, technical failures), leading to diverse coping strategies such as seeking help, self-learning, delegation, or avoiding digital tools when possible. Feelings toward digitalisation were ambivalent, combining perceived benefits with frustration, concerns about data security, and reflections on the impact of digitalisation on autonomy and human relationships. Participants also identified barriers to accessibility (e.g., lack of digital literacy, financial constraints, poor design, insufficient support) and proposed concrete solutions, emphasising the importance of accessible design, non-digital alternatives, adapted training, and human assistance.ConclusionsDigitalisation offers opportunities for older adults but also raises accessibility, ethical, and societal challenges. While many participants recognised the usefulness of digital services, they also highlighted risks related to autonomy, perceived choice, and reduced human contact. These findings underscore the need for digital services that are inclusive, intuitive, and supported by continuous human assistance to avoid reinforcing existing inequalities.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-026-07511-w.

Purpose This research examines the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Project-Based Learning (PBL) to enable science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educators in resource-limited African classrooms to shift from content-centric teaching to competency-based learning (CBL). It seeks to ascertain how cost-effective AI tools can address deficiencies in teacher capacity, inclusivity, and digital accessibility. Design/Approach/Method Using a qualitative research design, data were collected from ten STEM educators across Nigeria, Botswana, Ghana, Namibia, and Sierra Leone through open-ended interviews, document analysis, observations, and analysis of participants’ project artefacts. The intervention involved hands-on engagement with speech-to-text-to-image generation, smartphone-based block coding using the Magnetcode application, circuit simulation, and microcontroller-based prototyping. Findings Thematic analysis revealed five outcomes: AI speech-to-text tools enhanced visualization of science concepts; smartphone-based coding increased inclusion; simulations provided cost-effective scaffolding for hardware use; educators gained transition skills in computational thinking; and participants developed concrete strategies for classroom integration. Originality/Value This study contributes novel empirical evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa, demonstrating that low-cost, AI-supported PBL can facilitate learner-entered pedagogy and equitable STEM innovation. It highlights AI as a transformative enabler for CBL, offering scalable models for sustainable, inclusive education in resource-constrained environments.

Digital inclusion is a fundamental right and a “must-have” for access to knowledge, education, and work. Many individuals living with disabilities or limited digital skills face digital barriers that determine inequalities and discrimination. Accessible digital services are therefore essential to guarantee everyone’s right to information and full societal inclusion. Nevertheless, the Web remains largely a visual experience, inadequate for many users. Assistive technologies, such as screen readers, can help, but not without problems. Conversational Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models have emerged as technologies for inclusive interaction with digital services. This article presents an experimental study involving 30 BLV participants to explore the benefits a new AI-based paradigm would bring to the browsing experience of BLV people compared to screen readers. This aligns with a human-centered view of AI, which prioritizes users’ needs and trust over the powerful, autonomous tools that the users do not perceive as safe.

Despite recent advancements in the digital financial ecosystem, Pakistan has one of the largest unbanked populations in the world with millions of adults lacking access to formal financial services. The burgeoning growth of financial technology (fintech) - including mobile wallets, branchless banking, real-time payments, and online credit - offers a potential game-changer in extending financial inclusion. Our study adopts a qualitative approach to understand the nexus between fintech growth and financial inclusion in Pakistan. This study has used semi-structured interviews with 10 respondents (fintech users, fintech service providers and policy experts) selected purposively. Policy documents and reports on the fintech sector were analysed to triangulate the data. Thematic analysis identified five key enabling factors including: digital accessibility, trust and security, affordability, regulatory support, and digital literacy. The study shows that while fintech has substantially increased financial inclusion, particularly with Raast, JazzCash and Easypaisa, there are still significant barriers to further inclusion due to deficiencies in infrastructure, digital literacy, gender equality, and trust. This research adds to the growing literature on fintech for financial inclusion in emerging markets and provides policy insights in line with Pakistan's National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) 2024-28.