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Disabled web users rank their usability priorities
November 10th, 2005
Effective in-site search, good navigation, and clear, well-constructed content are the most important usability issues for disabled internet users, according to new research which also found many visually impaired users rejecting the importance of ALT [attributes].
User experience consultancy User Vision surveyed a cross section of 208 internet users throughout the UK with impairments which affect the way they use the internet, comprising the visually impaired/blind, hearing impaired/deaf, physically disabled, and those with dyslexia/learning difficulties.
I got rid of my customizable font sizes I need to add that feature back into my site.
November 27th, 2005 at 1:26 pm
Alt tags (sic) not important? What a ridiculous suggestion.
I’ve always felt that silence was better than a 80 character string which attempts to convey the filepath of the image, or that the alternative text of “next page” is preferable to another 80 character string ending in /images/nxtbluesctecom1111.gif
If the users were testing sites that had good alt text, or do not have the technical expertise to understand why random gibberish is being read to them, then that would help to explain why alternative text is reported as “Not important at all”.
While the feedback from the user group may be accurate the interpretation of the results - including the de-prioritisation of the alt text is pretty poor. Testing of a such a technical nature should be conducted by those who are technically minded. The user testers at the Shaw Trust being a good example.
December 23rd, 2005 at 11:24 am
I shall never forget Robin Christopherson’s presentation at the @media conference. Hearing his screen reader read out Amazon’s nav tabs was truly painful.
December 23rd, 2005 at 8:47 pm