Mobile text-entry models for people with disabilities

ABSTRACT

Motivation -- To provide suitable mobile text-entry interfaces for the disabled, designed considering their capabilities and needs.

Research approach -- We analyzed 20 blind users and the difficulties they face with traditional text-entry approaches. We designed a new text-entry method, modelled accordingly to the design guidelines retrieved from the user studies and evaluated in comparison to the traditional approach through user evaluation. The navigation model presented shows to be effective both on keypad and touch screen based devices.

Findings/Design -- Results show that if the user's limitations and capacities are taken into account, the first approach with the mobile device is subtle and the learning curve is accentuated. In opposite to traditional approaches, the theoretical values are likely to be achieved.

Research limitations/Implications -- As the available set of target users is limited, the user studies were made with five users per group (3 groups/15 users).

Originality/Value -- The research presents an innovative text-entry method and its comparison with commonly used methods. We also present a solution to provide text input in touch screen mobile devices for blind users.

Take away message -- If the interaction is designed with the end users in mind, the best theoretical values are likely to be achieved.

References

1. Lagoá, P., Santana, P., Guerreiro, T., Gonçalves, D., Jorge, J. (2007). Blono: a New Mobile Text-entry Interface for the Visually Impaired. In Springer LNCS, Universal Access in HCI Part II, pp. 908--917 (Beijing, China, July 2007).
2. Mackenzie, S., Tanaka-Ishii, K.(2007). Text Entry Systems: Mobility, Accessibility, Universality (Morgan Kaufmann, 2007)

Index Terms

• Human-centered computing

  • Human computer interaction (HCI)

    • Interaction devices

      • Touch screens

    • Interaction paradigms