Abstract
This paper describes the evaluation of software, software designed to allow visually impaired users to explore the structures of chemical molecules using a speech based presentation. Molecular structures are typically presented as two dimensional schematics, and are an important example of a widely used form of diagram -- the graph. software is designed for exploring this specific class of graph. Among its features is the ability to recognise and make explicit features of the graph that would otherwise need to be inferred. The evaluation compared software with a simpler version without this facility, and found that participants were able to explore molecular structures more easily. We discuss the software, evaluation and results, particularly comparing them with theoretical considerations about how sighted readers use diagrams. Finally, we extract the important issues for non-visual graph presentation: making implicit features explicit; enabling hierarchical and connection-based browsing; allowing annotation; and helping users keep their orientation.
- R. Balducci and R. Pearlmann. Efficient exact solution to the ring perception problem. J. Chem. Inf. Comput. Sci., 34:822 -- 831, 1994.Google Scholar
- D. Bennett. Effects of navigation and position on task when presenting diagrams to blind people using sound. Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence, 2317:161, 2002. Google ScholarDigital Library
- P. Blenkhorn and D. Evans. Using speech and touch to enable blind people to access schematic diagrams. Journal of Network and Computer Applications, 21(1), 1998. Google ScholarDigital Library
- S. Hart and D. Staveland. Development of NASA-TLX (task load index): Results of empirical and theoretical research. In P. Hancock and N. Meskati, editors, Human Mental Workload. North Holland B.V., Amsterdam, 1988.Google ScholarCross Ref
- J. Larkin and H. Simon. Why a diagram is (sometimes) worth 10000 words. Cognitive Science, 11:65, 1987.Google ScholarCross Ref
- G. Miller. The magical number seven plus or minus two. Psychological Review, 63:81--97, 1956.Google ScholarCross Ref
- S. Palmer. Hierarchical structure in perceptual representation. Cognitive Psychology, 9:441, 1977.Google ScholarCross Ref
- M. Scaife and Y. Rogers. External cognition: How do graphical representations work? International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 45(2):185--213, 1996. Google ScholarDigital Library
- R. D. Stevens, A. D. N. Edwards, and P. A. Harling. Access to mathematics for visually disabled students through multi-modal interaction. Human-Computer Interaction (Special issue on Multimodal Interfaces), pages 47--92, 1997. Google ScholarDigital Library
- J. Ullmann.An algorithm for subgraph isomorphism.J. Assoc. Comp. Mach., 23:31 -- 42, 1976. Google ScholarDigital Library
- P. C. Wright and A. F. Monk. A cost-effective evaluation method for use by designers. Int. J. Man-Mach. Stud., 35(6):891--912, 1991. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Y. Yesilada, R. Stevens, and C. Goble. A foundation for tool based mobility support for visually impaired web users. In Proceedings of the Twelfth International World Wide Web Conference, 2003. Google ScholarDigital Library
Index Terms
- Evaluation of a non-visual molecule browser
Recommendations
Evaluation of a non-visual molecule browser
Assets '04: Proceedings of the 6th international ACM SIGACCESS conference on Computers and accessibilityThis paper describes the evaluation of software, software designed to allow visually impaired users to explore the structures of chemical molecules using a speech based presentation. Molecular structures are typically presented as two dimensional ...
The HearSay non-visual web browser
W4A '07: Proceedings of the 2007 international cross-disciplinary conference on Web accessibility (W4A)This paper describes HearSay, a non-visual Web browser, featuring context-directed browsing, a unique and innovative Web accessibility feature, and an extensible VoiceXML dialog interface. The browser provides most of the standard browsing ...
Why read if you can skim: towards enabling faster screen reading
W4A '12: Proceedings of the International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web AccessibilitySkimming broadly refers to different speed-reading methods that aim to enhance the rate of reading without unduly compromising on comprehension and retention of information. Skimming of content could be particularly useful for people with vision ...
Comments