Blind users' mental model of web page using touch screen augmented with audio feedback

• Main Authors: Zainal Abidin, Ahmad Hisham, Hong, Xie, Kok, Wai Wong
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: QA76 Computer software
• Online Access: http://repo.uum.edu.my/10134/1/bl.pdf; http://repo.uum.edu.my/10134/; http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/ICCISci.2012.6297180
• Institution: Universiti Utara Malaysia

The purpose of this study is to discover in detail the two-dimensional mental model created by the blind people using touch screen with audio feedback.It is hypothesized that by augmenting a touch screen display with audio feedback, blind user would be able to have two-dimensional perspective in their mental model.If their mental model of a web page is two-dimensional, the blind people should be able to gain an overview of the web pages accurately, which is important for navigation of the web page.This paper discusses an on - going study to elicit mental models from the blind users using diagrammatic representation. The study so far revealed that there is a significant difference between performances using screen-reader program and touch-screen display with audio feedback.However, the performance seems to be affected by page complexity.