Alternative Paradigms for Inclusive Interface Design

The project, A Study of Accessible and Inclusive Virtual and Blended Service Provision Models for the Federal Public Service and Federally Regulated Industries in post-COVID-19 Canada, developed design recommendations for accessible and inclusive virtual and blended ICT service provision models for the Federal Public Service and federally regulated industries in post-COVID-19 Canada.

This study was funded by Accessibility Standards Canada and was led by Ontario Tech University in collaboration with OCAD University, Canadian National Institute for the Blind and SenseTech Solutions. 

In terms of how we currently conceptualize “accessibility,” the fact that many visual aspects of a GUI (graphical user interface) are lost when it is output as speech is often not considered a problem. So long as the essential on-screen information can be read aloud by a screen reader and there are alternative methods for moving to and activating controls without using a mouse, software is generally thought to be accessible using screen reader software. This is the sense in which accessibility is often legally mandated: expressed as compliance with various accessibility guidelines. 

While this compliance is important, it is not a substitute for testing the usability of software with users with disabilities. Testing often reveals specific problems and challenges that general guidelines are unable to capture (Leporini, Buzzi and Hersh, 2023). Our research revealed many specific challenges which will be reported in greater detail below.