Google DTorial: An interactive tutorial framework for blind users in a Web 2.0 world - Manual (Page 11)

Because listening is slower than reading, verbose language slows reading down, and
if rushed, may skip sections not realizing where the vital material is located.
RECOMMENDATION:
Facilitate Methods of Reading Content through Screen Readers
Though often overlooked, following well-accepted accessibility practices when
creating content is critical (e.g., bulleted lists that are clear, concise, terse, and to the
point). For the visually impaired community, markers (such as headings and bullets)
not only serve as demarcation between content and sections, but also facilitate aural
skimming of content. Therefore, textual content should be well marked and language
should be task based, in step-by-step format, simple, concise, and to the point to
facilitate screen reader scanning.
7. Sighted Users and Future Work
We propose two main thrusts for future research to continue to explore this metaphor
of the interactive tutorial. First, a system like DTorial should be tested in a full-scale
system and deployed to numerous individuals. Testing the scalability and usability
over a longer term will help validate this design in day-to-day scenarios.
Following the completion of the design cycle, we speculated on how a similar
model on interactive tutorial could be applied to the sighted community. This form of
DTorial would function by highlighting and enlarging the selected area, while
providing an overlay of tutorial content for the user (Appendix C). This would
provide the same functionality for the sighted user as for the screen-reader user, but in
the modality that is most applicable. We created both an interactive prototype and a
static visual mock-up of such a system. We took our design to the cafeteria of a large
Silicon Valley, CA. company and asked both technical and non-technical employees
their opinion was of such a model. Though many mentioned that they would like to
have search capabilities and a version with all the content in one place (like the user
of a screen reader), 100% of the 15 individuals asked felt this would be a “fantastic”
solution. “Great idea, love it!” Others specifically mentioned that “[this tutorial]
would be great for my parents.” We encourage additional work to test the DTorial
model for the sighted user and to examine how lessons learned from web accessibility
can help all individuals learn to use new and complex web applications.
8. Conclusions
Equal accessibility for all users is a critical part in software design and deployment.
With the advent of Web 2.0 technology, visually impaired individuals are forced to
use their computer in new ways. One user described this paradigm shift as:
Driving on the opposite side in Europe. Because every time they go
into this program they are going to have to junk everything that is
in their head… - P10