Andrea Mangiatordi

Farfalla project: browser-based accessibility solutions

Traditionally, Assistive Technology is deeply linked to the particular system on which a single solution runs. Cloud computing seems to be a promising approach, since solutions and services are no longer tied to a particular system. The Farfalla project is a step towards cloud-based Assistive Technology, for the creation of an inclusive web where accessibility solutions can be deployed together with contents.

The CATS Project

University students with learning or sensorial disability often face huge difficulties in accessing campus facilities and, specifically, lectures. Many universities over a wide range of support services to overcome such issues, but this is not always enough. This paper presents CATS, an ongoing research project involving three Italian universities, aiming to design and test technological solutions directed towards a better support to accessible lectures. By providing students with a set of experimental, advanced tools, the aim of the project is also to foster inclusive practices. The solutions described here share the principle of being adaptable to the real needs of the students, which are measured using ICF*, an adapted version of the WHO ICF model.

Improving EPUB3 ebooks accessibility through Javascript and CSS

The transition from EPUB2 to EPUB3 determined the appearance of many new supported features for ebooks. Among them there is scripting: its support is optional and limited, but the fact that many reading applications are based on the same HTML rendering engines that web browsers use implies that Javascript support is present in many reading applications. Moving from an analysis of this scenario, this paper describes some ideas deriving from preliminary tests carried out on EPUB3 ebooks. An existing Javascript library project was used to add accessibility features on the fly. This experience allowed to set the basis for the design of a simple architecture for accessibility enhancements in EPUB3 ebooks, based on a GUI and on scripts that apply settings that can be stored locally, directly into the ebook itself. The main objective was to postulate the feasibility of a javascript accessibility library that would not interfere with assistive technology and that could gracefully degrade in case of lack of support for Javascript in some reading systems.

How web design influences user experience: A multi-modal method for real-time assessment during web browsing

The World Wide Web is a place where people can shop, read articles, search for information of all kinds. Like other activities that are carried out by people offline, browsing the Web involves very complex cognitive processes. According to the Cognitive Load Theory, the human cognitive capacity is limited to processing a few pieces of information at a given time, because the cognitive resources available during the execution of a task are limited too. Many authors have pointed out that browsing the Web generally implies a high cognitive load. Interestingly, recent research studies have shown that it is possible to decrease the cognitive load during Web browsing by following specific Web design rule sets and guidelines. Despite this knowledge and the potential relevance of the topic, at the best of our knowledge no study has yet investigated how specific task have an impact in terms of cognitive load and user experience. There is also a lack of knowledge on how web design techniques can actually reduce cognitive load. On the basis of these observations, the proposed study has two main objectives: (1) to investigate the user experience while performing comprehension task on the Web through the adoption of a real-time multi-level assessment, with particular attention on cognitive load; (2) to test the relationship between specific aspects of web design and users experience. The experimental design and protocol of the study will be presented and discussed.

Using Universal Design for Learning Guidelines to Evaluate a Computer Assisted Note Taking Software Solution

Universal Design for Learning is a framework proposing a set of guidelines for making learning more accessible to all learners, focusing on the concept of variability. By supporting information deconding, strategic thinking and engagement, UDL guidelines provide educators with a methodology for the creation and the evaluation of inclusive lesson plans. This paper discusses the application of UDL principles to the activity of note taking, which is one of the main strategies that can be used to support learning, particularly in secondary and post-secondary education. It requires different skills: capturing and decoding information from instructors is essential, as it is the ability to organize notes effectively. Moreover, note taking requires attention: if a lesson is boring, motivation can drop to the lower possible levels and notes can be totally useless. One specific software package called Evernote is analysed, which allows to write and to capture content for notes in different contexts. The hypothesis is that it can be used in learning contexts adopting a UDL approach. The features of Evernote and of related products are hence examined following the principles and guidelines provided by UDL, with the intent of providing insightful information about its possible use and about its limitations. The analysis shows that even if Evernote can not provide support to all UDL checkpoints per se, it has at least one useful feature for the implementation of each guideline.