Screen Readers Research Articles

Challenges of visually impaired university students in education: A meta-synthesis study

Along with the expansion of education and laying the foundations of self-sufficiency for all members of society, the visually impaired students continued their education with other students in various fields of higher education. In this process, the limitations caused by visual impairment and the limitations originating from the shortcomings of the environment other than the visually impaired individuals themselves lead to many difficulties, which must be minimised to receive quality education. The aim of the research is to interpret and evaluate the problems and suggest solutions to visually impaired university students and reveal their similar and different aspects and new inferences through a systematic review of qualitative research findings between the years 2000 and 2021, using a meta-synthesis method. The results suggest that accessing campus from residence, accessing information, using technology and virtual materials on campus, social and educational attitudes, educational conditions, and assessment results cause different difficulties for visually impaired university students. Issuing legal regulations, improving the performance level of the visually impaired individuals in orientation and mobility, providing professional staff training, and procuring trained live readers or screen readers, hearing aids, touching aids, and helpers, as well as providing sufficient time for analysing tactile materials such as Braille and carefully answering the questions, are all recommended to solve the rising difficulties.

Evaluating Haptic Technology in Accessibility of Digital Audio Workstations for Visually Impaired Creatives

This research suggests new ways of making interaction with Digital Audio Workstations more accessible for musicians with visual impairments. Accessible tools such as screen reader are often unable to support users within the music production environment. Haptic technologies have been proposed as solutions but are often generic and not address the needs of the individual. A series of experiments is being suggested to examine the possibilities of mapping haptic feedback to audio effects parameters. Sequentially, the use of machine learning is being suggested in order enable automated mapping and expand accessibility to the individual. The expected results will provide visually impaired musicians with a new way of producing music but also will provide academic research on material and technologies that can be used for future accessibility tools.

Data Navigator: An Accessibility-Centered Data Navigation Toolkit.

Making data visualizations accessible for people with disabilities remains a significant challenge in current practitioner efforts. Existing visualizations often lack an underlying navigable structure, fail to engage necessary input modalities, and rely heavily on visual-only rendering practices. These limitations exclude people with disabilities, especially users of assistive technologies. To address these challenges, we present Data Navigator: a system built on a dynamic graph structure, enabling developers to construct navigable lists, trees, graphs, and flows as well as spatial, diagrammatic, and geographic relations. Data Navigator supports a wide range of input modalities: screen reader, keyboard, speech, gesture detection, and even fabricated assistive devices. We present 3 case examples with Data Navigator, demonstrating we can provide accessible navigation structures on top of raster images, integrate with existing toolkits at scale, and rapidly develop novel prototypes. Data Navigator is a step towards making accessible data visualizations easier to design and implement.

Reading environment and fluent reading skills

Language skills have an important place in people’s thinking, understanding people around them and expressing themselves. Reading skills, which are among the other language skills, play a vital role for an individual in adapting them into his daily life. Reading should not be interpreted as recognizing merely the letters, the word and articulating them. In addition to understanding what is written, being able to read fluently is also one of the skills that need to be developed in reading teaching. In today’s developing conditions, thanks to the effective use of technological tools in every aspect of our lives reading is not only done on paper, but also on the screens of many different technological devices. Considering all these, reading on the screen is different from reading on paper, and the development of reading skills from the screen is currently necessary as well as the development of paper reading skills. The aim of this research is to determine the role of the reading environment on fluent reading skills. 24 students who were enrolled in the third and fourth grades of a primary school in the center of Bartin participated in the study. The demographic features of the students such as gender, class, possession of technological tools (computer, tablet, smart phone, etc.), and duration of use of technological tools were identified using a personal information form. Using a formula developed for Turkish by Atesman (1997), which permits estimating the readability level of the text based on word and sentence length, a text consisting of 189 words with an “easy” readability level was chosen in order to test the students’ fluency in reading. This text was read by the students both on paper and on the tablet computer screen, and their fluent reading skills were evaluated. In the end of the research, it is determined that the number of words students correctly read, the rates of their correct reading and prosodic reading skills differ according to the time of using a computer in reading from the screen; the number of words read correctly differs according to the time it takes to have a tablet computer in reading from paper; the classes differ in both paper reading and screen reading in favor of the 4th classes, whereas the correct reading rates differ only in paper reading. In line with the results of the research, suggestions were made to support the use of electronic media in schools and improve reading skills by supporting the use of technological tools.

Approach for voice–based email service

In these days, the Internet is one of the most commonly used methods of communication due to its simplicity and accessibility. Email is the most common communication procedure used globally. However, if we talk about people who have visual impaired, the system is still difficult to use. There has been advancement in computer technology that has made many opportunities available to the visually impaired around the world. The virtual environments of ‘Audio feedback’ based on screen readers which helps visually aided people to access the internet and can use its applications immensely.

Usability Evaluation of Facebook and Instagram by Visually Impaired People

Introduction/Importance of Study: Social networking websites have become the main medium for communication, information sharing, entertainment, buying/selling, and various other purposes. People of every age use social networking websites, and their usage is increasing daily, especially in current circumstances. People with different abilities also used social networking websites, but each set of users had their requirements forusing these websites. Visually impaired people use computers and the web with the help of screen reading tools e. g.; jaws, NVDA. Screen reading tools read a web page sequentially, which wastime-consuming. The major problem with screen reading tools came while reading visual content. Screen reading tools only read the alternate texts of non-visual contents behind their tag. This research focuses on the usability Usability of social networking websitesfor visually impaired people. Two of the most commonly used social networking websites, Facebook and Instagram, were selected for the usability evaluation. Accessibility, efficiency, and effectiveness were the metrics of Usability, which were evaluated in this study. Novelty statement: A consolidated set of guidelines specific to social networking websites were presented in which some new guidelines were also proposed for Facebook. A mock interface was developed based on the proposed guidelines for Facebook. Material and Method: For the evaluation of Usability, a controlled experiment was conducted with 28 visually impaired people in which 16 participants evaluated Facebook and 12 evaluated Instagram to find the usability problems faced by visually impaired people. Result and Discussion: Results show that Instagram was as easy to use asFacebook when used by visually impaired people with the help of screen reading tools. Concluding Remarks: This research evaluated the Usability of social networking websites Facebook and Instagram by visually impaired people. A controlled experiment was conducted for their evaluation. Results showed that Facebook was difficult to use as Instagram. Thus, new guidelines were proposed for Facebook and based on the guidelines, a prototype was proposed.

Test-set training improves the detection rates of invasive cancer in screening mammography

To investigate if mammographic test-set participation affects routine breast cancer screening performance. Clinical audit data between 2008 and 2018 were collected for 35 breast screen readers who participated in the BreastScreen Reader Assessment Strategy (BREAST) and 22 readers with no history of test-set participation. For BREAST readers, the annual audit data were divided according to the year they completed their first test set, and the same years were used randomly to align and divide the data of non-BREAST readers into pre- and post-test set periods. Multiple audit parameters were inspected retrospectively for the two cohorts to identify how their reading performance has evolved in screening mammography. Investigating 2 calendar years before and after test-set participation, BREAST and non-BREAST readers recalled lower rates of women in the latter period (p=0.03 and p=0.02, respectively). They also improved their positive predictive value (PPV; p=0.01 and p=0.02, respectively). BREAST readers additionally improved their detection rates of invasive cancer (p=0.02) and all cancers (p=0.01). In an extended 3-year comparison, similar improvements occurred in the recall rate for BREAST (p=0.02) and non-BREAST readers (p=0.02) and in PPV (p=0.001, 0.01, respectively); however, improvements in detection rates also occurred exclusively in BREAST readers' performance for invasive cancer (p=0.04), DCIS (p=0.05), and all cancers (p=0.02); however, significant improvements in detection did not involve <15 mm invasive cancers in both periods. Meanwhile, non-BREAST readers demonstrated a decrease in sensitivity (p=0.02). Participation in test sets is linked to over-time improvements in most audit-measured cancer detection rates.

PERSONAL STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING EVERYDAY ACTIVITY CHALLENGES AMONG ADULTS AGING WITH VISION LOSS

Abstract An estimated 6% of adults in the United States ages 65 and older are living with vision loss and may experience other age-related declines and conditions co-morbidly (e.g., arthritis, hypertension, hearing loss). As such, they are likely to experience challenges in performing everyday activities, but little is known about their personal strategies or innovative solutions for managing activity challenges. The Aging Concerns, Challenges, and Everyday Solution Strategies (ACCESS) study explored everyday activity challenges and strategies among older adults (Nf60; ages 60–79) with long-term vision loss (prior to age 50). The current analysis focused on understanding participants’ own methods for managing activity challenges, or things they have come up with, beyond traditional methods, such as getting help from other people (e.g., caregiver) or using assistive devices (e.g., white cane, screen reader). We coded response strategies among participants’ own methods, and the most frequently reported methods included: learning/familiarity/organization, planning ahead/prioritizing, and perseverance/patience/assertiveness. Response codes were classified using the Selection, Optimization, and Compensation model to better understand how these strategies are being used to adapt to losses. The most common strategies were classified as elective selection with optimization, which are strategies that entail continued performance of challenging activities through behavioral methods, without bringing in any new means to assist. Illustrative example quotes are featured to provide insight on the context of personal strategies. With greater understanding of solutions people aging with vision loss are employing to manage activity challenges, we can increase awareness about effective solutions and identify opportunities for supportive technology solutions.

Tech Tools in Pandemic-Transformed Information Literacy Instruction

Inspired by pandemic-transformed instruction, this paper examines the digital accessibility of five tech tools used in information literacy sessions, specifically for students who use assistive technologies such as screen readers. The tools are Kahoot!, Mentimeter, Padlet, Jamboard, and Poll Everywhere. First, we provide an overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and digital accessibility definitions, descriptions of screen reading assistive technology, and the current use of tech tools in information literacy instruction for student engagement. Second, we examine accessibility testing assessments of the five tech tools selected for this paper. Our data show that the tools had severe, significant, and minor levels of digital accessibility problems, and while there were some shared issues, most problems were unique to the individual tools. We explore the implications of tech tools’ unique environments as well as the importance of best practices and shared vocabularies. We also argue that digital accessibility benefits all users. Finally, we provide recommendations for teaching librarians to collaborate with campus offices to assess and advance the use of accessible tech tools in information literacy instruction, thereby enhancing an equitable learning environment for all students.

Creation of a Mobile Application for Navigation for a Potential Use of People with Visual Impairment Exercising the NTRIP Protocol

The global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) have become important in conjunction with the advancement of technology, in order to improve the accuracy of positioning and navigation on mobile devices. In the current project, a mobile application for navigation using the network transport of restricted test case modeling (RTCM) via internet protocol (NTRIP) was developed, and it has been focused on the autonomous mobility of people with visual disabilities. This occurred through a web viewer that stores the base cartography in a genome database (GDB). Such information is integrated into the application interface with Java Script language within the Android Studio platform, with a personalized design. This incorporates a screen reader for selection, navigation and direction of destinations, in addition to an early warning system for obstacles. Additionally, a differential position correction was implemented using the BKG Ntrip Client (BNC) software, for the adjustment of coordinates with the precise point positioning (PPP) method through streams in the format of RTCM with casters EPEC3, IGS03 and BCEP00BKG0. The evaluation of the application was performed using the National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy (NSSDA), establishing 30 control points. These were obtained through the fast static method, in order to compare the horizontal accuracy of the observations in static and navigation modes between high-end and mid-range mobile devices.

Using Markup Languages for Accessible Scientific, Technical, and Scholarly Document Creation

In using software to write a scientific, technical, or other scholarly document, authors have essentially two options. They can either write it in a ‘what you see is what you get’ (WYSIWYG) editor such as a word processor, or write it in a text editor using a markup language such as HTML, LaTeX, Markdown, or AsciiDoc. This paper gives an overview of the latter approach, focusing on both the non-visual accessibility of the writing process, and that of the documents produced. Currently popular markup languages and established tools associated with them are introduced. Support for mathematical notation is considered. In addition, domain-specific programming languages for constructing various types of diagrams can be well integrated into the document production process. These languages offer interesting potential to facilitate the non-visual creation of graphical content, while raising insufficiently explored research questions. The flexibility with which documents written in current markup languages can be converted to different output formats is emphasized. These formats include HTML, EPUB, and PDF, as well as file formats used by contemporary word processors. Such conversion facilities can serve as means of enhancing the accessibility of a document both for the author (during the editing and proofreading process) and for those among the document’s recipients who use assistive technologies, such as screen readers and screen magnifiers. Current developments associated with markup languages and the accessibility of scientific or technical documents are described. The paper concludes with general commentary, together with a summary of opportunities for further research and software development.

AI in breast screening mammography: breast screening readers' perspectives.

This study surveyed the views of breast screening readers in the UK on how to incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology into breast screening mammography. An online questionnaire was circulated to the UK breast screening readers. Questions included their degree of approval of four AI implementation scenarios: AI as triage, AI as a companion reader/reader aid, AI replacing one of the initial two readers, and AI replacing all readers. They were also asked to rank five AI representation options (discrete opinion; mammographic scoring; percentage score with 100% indicating malignancy; region of suspicion; heat map) and indicate which evidence they considered necessary to support the implementation of AI into their practice among six options offered. The survey had 87 nationally accredited respondents across the UK; 73 completed the survey in full. Respondents approved of AI replacing one of the initial two human readers and objected to AI replacing all human readers. Participants were divided on AI as triage and AI as a reader companion. A region of suspicion superimposed on the image was the preferred AI representation option. Most screen readers considered national guidelines (77%), studies using a nationally representative dataset (65%) and independent prospective studies (60%) as essential evidence. Participants' free-text comments highlighted concerns and the need for additional validation. Overall, screen readers supported the introduction of AI as a partial replacement of human readers and preferred a graphical indication of the suspected tumour area, with further evidence and national guidelines considered crucial prior to implementation.

LITERATURE ON SCREEN - PROBLEMS AND STRATEGIES OF ONLINE LEARNING

The article talks about the transition from reading fiction on screen to teaching literature through the screen of online educational platforms. The peculiarities of "vertical" screen reading do not lead to durability and depth of reading, but it saves time and allows for multiple returns to the text. Constructive changes as a result of online learning are mainly related to the acquisition of new digital competencies for teachers and students, which support in different ways the reading and understanding of fiction. This opens the prospect of hybrid education with the best of face-to-face learning and the effectiveness of distance learning.

Paper to HTML

Most scientific papers are distributed in PDF format, which is by default inaccessible to blind and low vision audiences and people who use assistive reading technology. These access barriers hinder and may even deter members of these groups from pursuing careers or opportunities that necessitate the reading of technical documents. In cases where no accessible versions of papers are made available by publishers or authors, the gold standard for PDF document accessibility is PDF remediation. Remediation is the process by which a PDF is made accessible by fixing accessibility errors, for example, tagging headings, specifying reading order, adding alt text to images, and so on, such that a reader can navigate and engage with the resulting content using assistive reading technology such as screen readers.

Accessibility, Usability, Inclusivity: Information Standards, Guidelines, &amp; Best Practices Sponsored by the ASIS&amp;T Standards Committee

AbstractThis panel, sponsored by the ASIS&amp;T Standards Committee, will explore how information standards, guidelines, best practices, and efforts for increasing the accessibility and usability of information resources can contribute to an information‐resilient society. It will start with by addressing several new standard efforts for web accessibility in the data‐driven age led by the W3, including mobile accessibility, cognitive accessibility, and inaccessibility examinations. A special report will then be given by the leader of an IMLS‐funded project on the newly published Digital Library Accessibility and Usability Guidelines that support blind and visually impaired users who rely on screen readers to interact with digital libraries. A case study on Video/Audio to Text to Tagging will be presented, revealing the best practices on translating audio files to time stamped text transcripts for indexing, classifying, and enriching the original content. A final open discussion on “inclusivity” will involve the audience, to highlight the needs, challenges, and standards for enabling inclusivity and ensuring that everyone who faces accessibility barriers due to disability, literacy, digital literacy, or aging, can access, use, and participate in the Internet and all its information.

Accessibility and Disability Services for Libraries: A Survey of Large, Research-Intensive Institutions

As academic libraries prioritize accessibility for all individuals, they have carried out transformations of their physical and virtual spaces. For example, they have purchased new hardware, software, and furniture; adjusted websites for screen readers; modified handouts used in instruction; and advocated for change with vendors of leased and purchased content. Whether driven by campus mandates, state regulations, lawsuits, or more proactive motives, libraries have reviewed and improved the delivery of their content to better serve the needs of all users. Several surveys cover the disability and accessibility services available at libraries and how they have changed over time, but few studies examine who within the library provides support to users and how changes in campus and state requirements impact the delivery of these services. This article summarizes the results of a survey of Association of Research Libraries (ARL) institutions in October 2020 related to what services the library provides, whether they have changed due to campus or state requirements, which positions within libraries provide support, and what the impetus was for offering services. The authors also discuss implications for scalable support of disability and accessibility services at university libraries.

Reparative Public Musicology: Empowering and Centering Community Knowledge Production through Counter-Storytelling Practice

Reparative Public Musicology: Empowering and Centering Community Knowledge Production through Counter-Storytelling Practice

OneButtonPIN: A Single Button Authentication Method for Blind or Low Vision Users to Improve Accessibility and Prevent Eavesdropping

A Personal Identification Number (PIN) is a widely adopted authentication method used by smartphones, ATMs, etc. PINs offer strong security and can be reset when compromised (unlike biometric authentication). However, PINs can be inaccessible for blind or low vision (BLV) users due to screen readers voicing PINs to bystanders or potential shoulder surfing attack risks---bystanders could watch the PIN being entered without the user noticing. To address this, we present OneButtonPIN, an interface to improve PIN entry accessibility and security for BLV users. Here, a single on-screen button, when pressed and held, triggers a haptic vibration sequence. A digit is entered by counting the vibrations and releasing the button. We explored introducing random timings to the vibration sequence to increase security. A week-long evaluation with 9 BLV participants and a security study with 10 sighted participants acting as shoulder surfers demonstrated OneButtonPIN's usability and resilience against eavesdropping.

Enhancing Revisitation in Touchscreen Reading for Visually Impaired People with Semantic Navigation Design

Revisitation, the process of non-linearly returning to previously visited regions, is an important task in academic reading. However, listening to content on mobile phones via a screen reader fails to support eyes-free revisiting due to its linear audio stream, ineffective text organization, and inaccessible interaction. To enhance the efficiency and experience of eyes-free revisiting, we identified visually impaired people's behaviors and difficulties during text revisiting through a survey (N=37) and an observation study (N=12). We proposed a series of design guidelines targeting high precision, high flexibility, and low workload in interaction, and iteratively designed and developed a reading prototype application. Our implementation supports dynamic text structure and is supplemented by both linear and non-linear layered text navigation. The evaluation results (N=8) show that compared to existing methods, our prototype improves the clarity of text understanding and fluency of revisiting with reduced workload.

Screen Reader Voices: Effects of Pauses and Voice Changes on Comprehension

This study seeks to investigate the effects of manipulating aspects of a text-to-speech (TTS) voice on the learning and comprehension of a short passage, as well as detection of aspects of the passage such as its organization and key information. Pauses and pitch changes were used to demarcate this type of information. Participants listened to the passages and answered a series of cued and uncued recall questions to measure comprehension and learning, followed by a task to identify header structure. Preliminary results show trends that adding pauses might be beneficial, but more participants are needed to provide conclusive evidence. This study will contribute to the body of research surrounding technology adoption, assistive technology, and how to improve AI voices for the purposes of learning, as well as our understanding of how we process auditory information.