Evaluation of Haptic HTML Mappings Derived from a Novel Methodology

As levels of awareness surrounding accessibility increase, designers often look towards using nonvisual technologies to make existing graphical interfaces (e.g. Web pages) more inclusive. As existing haptic design guidance is not targeted to the specific needs of blind Web users, inappropriate touchable representations of graphical objects may be developed and integrated with Web interfaces, thereby reducing the quality of the browsing experience. This paper describes the evaluation of haptic HTML mappings that were developed using a participatory-design based technique, and presented using the Logitech Wingman force-feedback mouse. Findings have shown that participants were able to identify objects presented haptically, and develop a structural representation of layout from exploring content. Participants were able to perform a range of Web-based tasks that were previously found to be difficult for some blind users when using a screen reader alone. The haptic HTML mappings are presented, along with recommendations for their application derived from a validation study. The design guidance presented offers a standard reference tool for Web designers wanting to develop an accessible browsing application, using the benefits offered by a force-feedback mouse.