- From: Jon Gunderson <jongund@uiuc.edu>
- Date: Thu, 08 Mar 2001 13:09:22 -0600
- To: w3c-wai-ua@w3.org
>X-Sender: jaylev@pophub.afb.net >X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Pro Version 4.2.2 >Date: Tue, 06 Mar 2001 17:19:35 -0500 >To: "gregory j. rosmaita" <oedipus@hicom.net> >From: Jay Leventhal <jaylev@afb.net> >Subject: Re: User Agent Update (documentation information) (fwd) >Cc: jongund@uiuc.edu > >I guess you mean this Windows user survey. > >Jay Leventhal > >AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR THE BLIND >National Technology Program >11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300 >New York, NY 10001 >Phone: (212) 502-7642 >e-mail: techctr@afb.net > > >A Survey of Windows Screen Reader Users: >Recent Improvements in Accessibility > >Prepared by: J.D. LEVENTHAL, C.L. EARL > > > >Reprinted with permission from the Journal of Visual Impairment & >Blindness Vol. 93, No. 3, and is copyright 1999 by the American Foundation >for the Blind, 11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300, New York, NY 10001. > > >A Survey of Windows Screen Reader Users: Recent Improvements in Accessibility >Crista Earl and Jay Leventhal > The purpose of the survey reported here was to gather information > about Windows accessibility from the perspective of people who are > visually impaired (who are either blind or have low vision) and use > screen readers. A previous survey (Leventhal & Earl, 1997) revealed that > even experienced users had difficulty accessing Windows. The current > survey shows a much greater comfort level, though some areas, such as > formal training and access to databases, continue to be a problem. > >The survey > The survey was conducted from August 22 to October 15, 1998. Over > 400 people were contacted by telephone or E-mail, 200 of whom responded. > >Questions > Respondents were asked what hardware they use; whether they use a > braille display or screen magnification in addition to synthetic speech; > what Windows or DOS applications they use; what methods they used to > learn Windows; why they began using Windows; and how comfortable they > feel using Windows. Respondents were also asked if they were able to > perform successfully each of a list of tasks in the Windows environment > and to comment on the performance of those tasks. They were then asked > to list any additional tasks or Windows applications they would like to > be using but were not. > >Participants > The survey participants were drawn from among the 526 members of > the American Foundation for the Blind's Career and Technology Information > Bank (CTIB) who use Windows screen readers. CTIB is a network of > visually impaired people who have agreed to consult with other visually > impaired people about how they perform their jobs and the technology they > use. Of the 200 people who responded, 83% have a college degree, 40% have > a graduate degree, 93% are currently employed, and 62% have no useful vision. > Among the respondents, 22% work in the assistive technology > field, 22% are computer programmers or network administrators, 5% are > attorneys or judges, 7% are rehabilitation counselors or teachers, 4% are > secretaries or receptionists, 5% are college professors or directors of > university services, 6% are administrators in rehabilitation or > education, and 4% are scientists. Clearly, the survey participants are > highly successful visually impaired users who might be expected to use > Windows applications and Windows screen readers with a higher level of > success than would a random sample of visually impaired computer users. > >Responses > The respondents used the following Windows-based synthetic speech > programs: JAWS (Job Access with Speech) for Windows from Henter-Joyce: > 68%; Window-Eyes from GW Micro: 35%; WinVision from Artic Technologies: > 15%; ASAW (Automatic Screen Access for Windows) from MicroTalk Software: > 6%; Window Bridge from Syntha-Voice Computers: 3%; ScreenPower for > Windows from TeleSensory Corp.: 3%; and outSPOKEN for Windows from ALVA > Access Group: 3%. (Note: The survey results may not total 100% because of > rounding and because many respondents used more than one program.) > Twenty-four percent of the respondents reported using more than one > Windows-based screen reader, 27% reported using a braille display in > addition to synthetic speech, and 11% used screen magnification along > with a screen reader. > Almost all of the respondents reported using word > processors--Microsoft Word and Corel WordPerfect; E-mail > packages--Qualcomm's Eudora and Microsoft Outlook; and World Wide Web > browsers--Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Netscape's Navigator. In > contrast, only 37% reported using a Windows spreadsheet and only 17% were > using a Windows database. > >Tasks performed in Windows > Respondents were presented with a list of 22 Windows tasks and > asked if each was something that they do easily, do with difficulty, > cannot do, or had never attempted. Because 89% submitted their responses > via E-mail, it was not surprising that most respondents replied that they > could read and reply to E-mail messages easily. What was surprising was > that although 92% of the respondents had tried to use Windows Help, 55% > had difficulty with or could not use this feature. > Similarly, a high percentage of respondents (56%) had difficulty > filling out forms on the Internet, an essential skill for users for whom > the Internet is the only means of access to otherwise printed > materials. More than three-quarters of the respondents had never played > games or joined a chat group, and 40% had never used a Windows database > or spreadsheet. > In comparison with the respondents to the previous survey > (Leventhal & Earl, 1997), the current users are doing more with Windows > and using a wider variety of Windows applications at a more sophisticated > level. In the previous survey, only the following tasks could each be > accomplished by more than half of the respondents: navigating from window > to window, formatting a document in a word processor, running a spell > checker, installing new applications, and reading and replying to E-mail > messages. In the current survey, of the 22 tasks listed, only the > following were attempted by fewer than half the respondents: looking up > items in an encyclopedia, playing games, participating in a chat group, > scheduling and checking appointments, using mainstream optical character > recognition software, entering and reading data in a spreadsheet or > database, and doing advanced formatting (such as preparing complex > tables) in a word processor. In addition, tasks not generally attempted > by beginners (managing files, changing colors or sounds, and installing > software) were considered easy by a large number of the respondents (66%, > 48%, and 38%, respectively). > Although most participants still used DOS for some applications > or for file management--75% versus 95% in the previous survey--most used > Windows regularly and successfully. Two typical responses were the > following: "I was led to believe that using Windows would be very > difficult but have found the transition quite smooth" and "I really feel > comfortable in Windows now and never thought I would be." > In spite of the positive comments about Windows in general, many > users mentioned specific applications or categories of applications they > wanted to use but could not access. Most notably, databases were among > applications considered inaccessible. > >Training > To compound the challenge that accompanies learning any new > system, a large number of respondents had never had formal training. In > the previous survey, 36% of the respondents had had some formal > training. Among the current respondents, the percentage is higher (48%) > but still low. Further, not all respondents gave high marks to the > formal training they did receive. General Windows training classes not > specifically designed for visually impaired people were rated by the > group lower than were books about Windows (3.5 compared to 5.3.) > The following are some typical responses about training: "There > needs to be a greater awareness of professionals in the field of > rehabilitation for the blind that computer skills are no longer a luxury > . . . when it comes to employment" and "Training remains a major problem, > as instructors do not seem to have the necessary knowledge or teaching > skills to impart information adequately." A third respondent wrote: "One > of the biggest problems and concerns that I have with sighted instructors > of Windows screen readers and various Windows applications is that many > times when the student gets stuck [the instructors] just pick up the > mouse and fish them out of the problem. I think a lot of them need to > learn how to do it blindfolded and then be very comfortable in using > keystrokes." > >What it all means > One of the clearest findings of this survey is that the longer > respondents had been using Windows the higher their comfort level. On a > scale of 0-10, with 0 being "totally clueless" and 10 being "a real > expert," the average comfort level was 6.4. People who began using > Windows in 1998 had an average comfort level of 5.0, whereas the average > rating for those who began using Windows before 1995 was 8.1. > It was interesting to note that 84% of the respondents agreed > that reading and replying to E-mail messages was easy, but the group > showed less agreement about the ease of word processing programs. This > discrepancy might be attributable to the respondents' lack of experience > with Windows word processors, since 36% of them still used a DOS word > processor. The difficulty and range of word processing tasks compared to > those of E-mail programs is probably also a factor. > The authors were surprised by the respondents' frustration about > performing specific tasks, especially using the Help feature, running a > spell checker, and installing applications. At the same time, much of > the frustration expressed in the earlier survey is nearly > gone. Respondents still mentioned the difficulties involved in learning > Windows and its applications, but they were much more positive about > using Windows in general. Few respondents mentioned problems that could > be interpreted as errors in their screen readers' off-screen model or > other complete screen-reader failures. Only a few mentioned unlabeled > graphics as problems. A problem that was mentioned often (at least 96 > times) was the amount of time it took to select an accessible application > and learn to use it. The following are some representative comments: "My > main frustration is not having the teaching materials [written > specifically for visually impaired users] that I need to learn" and "Be > prepared to spend a lot of time learning and have a lot of patience > because it is easy to get lost and have to start over." > >Recommendations > The previous survey of Windows screen reader users concluded that > more training for visually impaired users was greatly needed. This > conclusion is still valid, in light of the fact that over half the > respondents have not received formal training. As one respondent wrote: > >"I think the transition from DOS to Windows was the most shattering >experience I've had to date as a person with a disability. My performance >dropped to half for over six months and I truly did not feel I could >compete . . . I would have gladly purchased some training intervention >just to straighten this out, but it was not available." >In addition, respondents made it clear that improvements in training are >essential. > Many survey participants recommended that users take what they > learn from formalized approaches and go on to explore on their own. One > respondent offered the following techniques: "The first thing I always do > when I am trying to learn a new application is to look at the choices on > the menu bar and pull-down menus and take note of any available > shortcuts. . . . I experiment with the tab and arrow keys to see what > options I can access." Another recommendation was for users to get a > solid foundation in Windows and screen reader basics. As one respondent > wrote: "I have found that it is easier to learn new Windows applications > if you have a good basic knowledge of Windows concepts, such as > navigating dialog boxes." > Many respondents recommended Internet resources, such as > listservs and newsgroups, as sources for learning about Windows. Some > respondents especially suggested listservs devoted to a particular speech > package. > Manufacturers of screen readers have gone a long way to improve > access. To benefit fully from these improvements, users need to stay > informed about updates to their screen readers, learn to use new > features, and inform their screen reader manufacturers about bugs in > their products. > One respondent eloquently summed up the situation: "Windows is > sure easier to use than it was just a couple of years ago. But that > wouldn't be possible without the dedicated efforts of our adaptive > technology providers. I'm sure there will be more bumps in the road, but > if we all stick together and support our respective software and hardware > manufacturers we will all continue to survive and, yes, even thrive." > >Jay D. Leventhal, senior resource specialist, and Crista L. Earl, resource >specialist, Technical Evaluation Services, National Technology Program, >American Foundation for the Blind, 11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300, New York, NY >10001; techctr@afb.net. Jon Gunderson, Ph.D., ATP Coordinator of Assistive Communication and Information Technology Division of Rehabilitation - Education Services MC-574 College of Applied Life Studies University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign 1207 S. Oak Street, Champaign, IL 61820 Voice: (217) 244-5870 Fax: (217) 333-0248 E-mail: jongund@uiuc.edu WWW: http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~jongund WWW: http://www.w3.org/wai/ua
Received on Thursday, 8 March 2001 14:06:48 UTC