Department of Computer Science, University of Maryland, College Park
Technologies such as voice-over and screen readers have enabled blind users to consume web content. However, there are no proper tools that allow blind users to create a webpage by themselves. The research team at the University of Maryland (UMD) is working on a web design tool that aims to help blind users design web pages by themselves.
We are now recruiting participants for a user study to evaluate the web design tool prototype. Our study has been approved by UMD IRB Package # 1779734-2. The participants in the study will have the chance to create a web page by themselves.
Qualified participants of this research have to be blind adults or adults with significant low vision. The Participant doesn't require to have coding or web design experiences.
Where is the user evaluation located:
The user study will be conducted in-person.
The default location of the study is Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Engineering at UMD, Room 0102. (Address: 8125 Paint Branch Dr, College Park, MD 20742)
If preferred, the research team will also able to conduct the user study at the participant’s place or designated locations.
The user study may take about one and half hours. The participants will receive total $40 ($20 per hour) as monetary compensation after they successfully finish the study. Monetary compensation will be paid in Amazon gift cards.
The participants will use the provided web design tool to make and edit a webpage.
First, the team will ask participants to follow the design rules during the learning process. The research team will ask participants to feel and touch the prototype and speak out each component's size, type, and location. The participants will get familiar with the prototype in this process.
Second, the research team will ask participants to finish web design tasks during the web design process. The participant will create a webpage layout by themselves in this task. The participants will be asked to follow the research team's instructions and finish the webpage layout design. After the task, the research team may ask several questions related to the design process and participants' feelings inside the mission.
How to register the session:
Here is the registration form link: (registration link). Please fill out the form and the research team will contact you soon.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding to this research, please do not hesitate to contact Jiasheng Li (jsli@umd.edu) or Prof. Huaishu Peng (huaishu@umd.edu).
Thank you!
SMART Lab,
University of Maryland