[Author: Bill Fischer]
These design principles go beyond simply following technical rules and drive creative solutions that maximize the universal attainability of the media we create for both current and yet unforeseen technology applications.
Universal design aims to create media that the abled and disabled can experience together, no matter which senses each participant has at their disposal or which situational limitations are in play. These two people could be watching a video on a noisy bus, or one could be deaf. In both cases, captions provide access to the information where it would otherwise be inaccessible.
Media that loads and plays seamlessly on any electronic device, anywhere, on any network is the ultimate attainability goal. The smartphone is often a person's only available access to digital media. Over 50% of web page views worldwide occur on mobile devices. Websites, documents, and digital media, in general, must be compatible with smartphones and shared, slow 4g connections to be fully accessible. Situations, where mobile devices are the only option, include:
Persons whose only digital device is a smartphone.
Students sharing a mobile hotspot at home
Persons that are traveling short and long distances.
Persons that are in situations where a laptop or desktop computer is not an option (like an impromptu meeting or public venue).
The digital divide in the world today centers not only on hardware, but also on access to the internet, the 21st-century lifeblood of culture, knowledge, and society. It's clear by the PEW Research Center's data on broadband access (external link), as of the end of 2021, that minorities and low income persons are disproportionately negatively affected by internet access challenges.
13% of all U.S. households
30% aged 18-29 persons
29% of Black, and 35% of Hispanic persons
43% of households that earn less than $30K per year
15% of all adults
28% aged 18-29 persons
17% of Black, and 25% of Hispanic persons.
27% of households that earn less than $30K per year.
Text is the fastest and most accessible way to share information across networks, including the internet. Images add dramatically to wait times, but they can be optimized for speed by following the guidelines for optimizing images in the Imaging section of this site.
Multimedia, that integrates text, animation, audio, and interactivity, engages more parts of the brain and increases attention and retention. How do we deliver that over low bandwidth networks without the need for downloading and storing native apps? At present html5 applications are ruling the day.
The web app shown above was built using html5 by KCAD student Melissa Boverhof as part of The Epic Project. The images are flat, with minimum color, it includes audio, and the animation is generated using code (text). It requires 64k of data. Video animation with audio, instead of code generated animation, would inflate the file size to 440k.
A fairly slow mobile network transfer rate of .2mbps ( around 2 bars on a mobile hotspot shared by 3 students at home), will result in these wait times for a single page:
2.2 seconds: video (with audio)
.32 seconds: html5 (with audio)
Though these differences seem small. A web app with 20 screens can realize substantial gains. The coded animation version would load in about 6.4 seconds versus the video animation version at 44 seconds (which would not likely be able to buffer and stream before that time elapses). 44 seconds is a long time to stare at a loading screen.
Can distribute the wait times
Avoids requiring users to download media that they will not choose to engage with.
As the amount and variety of technology delivery systems continue to expand, a universal design plan will need to include every aspect of our digital lives. Most of this technology has the built-in capability of providing universal access to all of our available senses. That includes visual displays, speakers, and physical inputs. It's up to designers and developers to configure them for universal attainability.
desktop & laptop computers
televisions
smart phones & tablets
smart speakers
smart appliances
smart watches
automobiles
ATMs
public transportation
movie theaters
classroom projectors & televisions
retail stores
entertainment locations
AR/XR
The web, being the most prevalent digital media in our lives is well positioned to make use of the assistive technology that is available.
is an assistive technology when used with screen-reader software. Web-based media should be navigable using a keyboard's arrow and tab keys.
Examples include JAWS, NVDA, and Narrator for Windows, , or Voiceover for Mac.
This software will read clicked-on text with a synthesized voice and may have a highlighter to emphasize the word being spoken. They assist persons with reading challenges.
Examples include Google's ChromeVox and Natural Reader for laptops and desktops as well as Voice Dream Reader for mobile devices.
Provides the ability to enlarge a section of text in relation to the rest of the screen. This is done by emulating a handheld magnifier.
An alternative to using one's hands to operate keyboards, this type of software allows users to type text and control the computer.
An examples is Dragon Naturally Speaking for Windows or Mac.
For users unable to use a mouse or keyboard to work on a computer.
Head pointers: A stick or object mounted directly on the user’s head that can be used to push keys on the keyboard.
Motion tracking or eye tracking: This can include devices that watch a target or even the eyes of the user to interpret where the user wants to place the mouse pointer and moves it for the user.
