Challenges for the visually impaired in accessing digital information

• Autor(a) principal: Bastos, Karolina Vieira da Silva
• Data de Publicação: 2020
• Outros Autores: Kafure Muñoz, Ivette, Raposo, Patrícia Neves
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Informação & Informação
• Texto Completo: https://ojs.uel.br/revistas/uel/index.php/informacao/article/view/38826
• topic: Assistive technology; Digital accessibility; Users study; Visual impairment; Accesibilidad digital; Discapacidad visual; Estudio de usuarios; Tecnología asistencial; Acessibilidade digital; Deficiência visual; Estudo de usuários; Tecnologia assistiva

Introduction: This paper presents a study on the interaction between a visually impaired person and information in the digital environment. Objective: Identify the challenges of information access faced by people with visual impairment when interacting with digital information environments. Methodology: A descriptive study, using the mixed method – qualitative and quantitative – as methodological approach, through the research method survey, with semi-structured interview technique to obtain characteristics of the group studied. The research sample is composed of 52 people with visual impairment, consisting of students and staff of the Special Education Center for the Visually Impaired and users and staff of the Braille Library Dorina Nowill. Results: The results of the research show that the insertion of digital resources in the life of the visually impaired person allows access to more information, in a fast and updated way, with independence and autonomy. However, access difficulties are also identified: accessibility difficulties in web pages, incompatibility between softwares, the unfamiliarity and inexperience of users in the use of digital resources and the Internet; and the need to educate and encourage developers to consider impairment users when implementing accessibility features. Conclusions: Was confirmed the importance of accessing digital information in the life of the visually impaired person, however, due to the above-mentioned barriers of access still imposed, demonstrates the importance of knowing their specificities and demands before offering them technologies and services so that information in the digital environment could become increasingly accessible and inclusive.