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The current screen-reader paradigm provides information from a Graphical User Interface (GUI) via sequential audio, which Blind and Low Vision (BLV) individuals access by engaging with “focus areas”, or “zones” of interaction through a keyboard. This paradigm contributes to audio overload (often clashing with other audio sources), cognitive strain from memorising many keyboard commands, and a lack of access to features that are communicated through visual-spatial labels (such as comments on a collaborative document). To address these challenges, a haptic-spatial paradigm of interaction is explored through physical controllers (e.g., a game controller). The haptic and spatial affordances of physical controllers such as simple layout of buttons, perceptually distinguishable and customisable buttons, as well as vibro-tactile stimuli, offer significantly more accessible experiences. Consumer-level controller prototypes were codesigned with BLV participants to provide easy access to shortcuts through controller buttons, reducing the cognitive strain of memorising keyboard commands. Prototypes to user-test haptic feedback to indicate visual-spatial information and reduce audio-overload through vibration notifications were also developed, along with a metaphor-based onboarding approach. Using the proposed haptic-spatial paradigm and related design recommendations to augment the screen-reader experience provides more equitable access to visual-spatial information representation on a GUI.
Recommendation: Minimise User-strain for Repetitive Functions and Notifications
Recommendation: Minimise User-strain for Repetitive Functions and Notifications
Provide options for haptic feedback (vibration) indicators
Provide options for haptic feedback (vibration) indicators
Give users the option to augment or supplement traditional sensory (visual or auditory) indicators within an interface with a secondary sensory stream (haptic), across devices.
Example 1: A screen-reader user on a video-conferencing call, is listening to people talking, when they feel a short vibration indicating a new message in the chat. They can then check the chat when there is a natural break in speech, or whenever they choose to.
Example 2: A screen-reader user receives a vibration alert when their computer battery is about to go into low-power mode. This notifies them of a system-status change without interrupting the user’s focus and workflow.
Example 3: A screen-reader user is reviewing a collaborative written document. When they come across an edit or comment from another collaborator, they feel a short vibration.
Benefits:
Benefits:
Offsets auditory overload for screen-reader users
Provides uninterrupted access to notifications and alerts
Increased temporal synchrony with other users
Implementation techniques:
Implementation techniques:
Utilise the vibrotactile haptics in laptop trackpads, smart phones, and custom/game controllers.
Prioritise customisation of sequences of vibration, interval between vibrations, and length of vibrations.
Run usability tests with different devices as they all have different thresholds for vibrotactile haptics (e.g. “strong” vibrations on device X maybe a “medium” vibration on device Y).
Avoidance:
Avoidance:
Do not use vibration intensity and duration as comparable variables, as they are difficult to distinguish between.
Prioritise Consistent and Recognizable Patterns for User Interactions
Prioritise Consistent and Recognizable Patterns for User Interactions
Give users the opportunity to harness and translate existing schemas, and facilitate methods for meaning-making, when an existing schema is not available.
Example 1: A user has to shift between multiple video-conferencing platforms for different purposes (e.g., work meetings or catching up with friends). When muting or unmuting their microphone, they utilise the same control or command across platforms.
Example 2: A user is being walked-through setting up and customising vibration notifications for a video-conferencing application. The first notification example is, “two short vibrations, like two knocks on a door before entering a room, indicates someone has entered the meeting”, This provides a framework for the user to access their existing schemas to create meanings for other types of notification indicators.
Benefits:
Benefits:
Reduces cognitive strain
Faster recognition, recall, or onboarding
Customization to match user-needs
Implementation techniques:
Implementation techniques:
Homogenise shortcuts for the same function across similar platforms (e.g. muting microphone, across Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, etc.).
Provide accessible options to remap control short-cuts.
Encourage the use of analogies or metaphors, to create meaning and recognizable patterns for more abstract features (such as onboarding various vibration notifications).
Apply the shape, size, and spatial layout patterns (e.g., spatial layout of volume buttons) of commonly used controllers such as TV remote controls, for physical controllers (if relevant and possible).
Allow for spatially-independent or unique buttons
Allow for spatially-independent or unique buttons
Give users the option to augment or supplement traditional input within an interface with a secondary input stream, across devices.
Example 1: A user in a video-conferencing call, assigns the “mute microphone” control to the space bar as it has a unique shape and location.
Example 2: A user has an independent controller for program-specific command shortcuts.
Benefits:
Benefits:
Faster recognition and control
Customization to match user-needs
Diverse input devices
Implementation techniques:
Implementation techniques:
Custom or standard controllers (e.g., Xbox controller) mapped to program specific-shortcuts
Provide accessible options to remap control short-cuts.
Apply the shape, size, and spatial layout patterns (e.g., spatial layout of volume buttons) of commonly used controllers such as TV remote controls, for physical controllers (if relevant and possible).
Consider the limitations of dexterity and motor skill related disabilities when designing game controllers - many of these differences in abilities are co-occurring with visual impairments.
Passive haptics could indicate status (e.g., a switch indicating whether you are on mute or not).
Avoidance:
Avoidance:
Avoid undiscoverable signs (e.g., applause emoji), and it is necessary to have feedback loops.
Rationale
Rationale
As a screen-reader user with no or low vision, primary access to digital interfaces is through keyboard navigation and control, as well as audio. For navigating static web-content, this suffices, but for services and synchronous interactions mediated through video-conferencing software, participants voiced the following pain-points.
Clashing Auditory Input: One significant pain point that virtual meetings address is the overwhelming auditory input experienced by screen-reader users. They often contend with clashing voices from video participants and simultaneous announcements from the chat. This reportedly led to sensory overload and difficulty in focusing on the meeting's content.
Interruptive Chat: The chat feature, intended for real-time communication and collaboration, was often disruptive for screen-reader users. Many participants chose to disable the chat entirely to avoid interruptions and maintain focus on the spoken discussion. However, this decision often results in missed messages and a sense of disconnection from the conversation.
Temporal Synchrony: Screen-reader users frequently struggle with temporal synchrony when reviewing messages in the chat. Going back to catch up on previous messages while simultaneously following the ongoing conversation poses a challenge. This lack of synchronisation can lead to mis-timed responses, and disconnection from the meeting flow.
Message Notification Control: Another pain point is the lack of agency over message notifications. Screen-reader users often found they had little control over how and when they received notifications, leading to interruptions and distractions during the meeting.
Adapting to Hotkeys: Screen-reader users rely heavily on keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys for frequently used commands. Memorising these shortcuts requires cognitive effort and practice, made worse by differing hotkeys for the same function, across platforms.
The recommended paradigm’s key objectives are to (1) reduce auditory overload afforded by screen-readers, through haptic (vibration) indicators, (2) reduce the cognitive strain of memorising and recalling hotkeys, through leveraging embodied interaction (“muscle memory”), and (3) convey cues otherwise dependant on spatial-relationships.
Vibration Indication of a Comment or Edit on a Collaborative Document
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