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Optimising Website Designs For People With Learning Disabilities
Article examines various aspects of website design to optimise web site use by people with learning disabilities
Date : 17/10/2014
Author Information
Uploaded by : Peter
Uploaded on : 17/10/2014
Subject : Special Needs
Abstract:
Much relevant internet-mediated information is
inaccessible to people with learning disabilities
because of difficulties in navigating the web. This
paper reports on the methods undertaken to determine
how information can be optimally presented
for this cohort. Qualitative work is outlined where
attributes relating to site layout affecting usability
were elicited. A study comparing web sites of different
design layouts exhibiting these attributes is
discussed, with the emphasis on methodology. Eight
interfaces were compared using various combinations
of menu position (vertical or horizontal), text
size and the absence or presence of images to
determine which attributes of a site have the greatest
performance impact. Study participants were
also asked for their preferences, via a `smiley-face`
rating scale and simple interviews. `Acquiescence
bias` was minimised by avoiding polar (`yes/no`)
interrogatives, achieved by asking participants to
compare layouts (such as horizontal versus vertical
menu), with reasons coaxed from those able to
articulate them. Preferred designs were for large
text and images. This was the reverse of those
facilitating fastest retrieval times, a discrepancy
due to preferences being judged on aesthetic considerations.
Design recommendations that reconcile
preference and performance findings are
offered. These include using a horizontal menu,
juxtaposing images and text, and reducing text
from sentences to phrases, thus facilitating preferred
large text without increasing task times.
Full article: Optimising website designs for people with learning disabilities Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs
This resource was uploaded by: Peter
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