Animated icons: re-inventing visual cues for the visually impaired computer user

ABSTRACT

Universal access to information is critical for universal participation in society. The Graphical User Interface is a mainstream means for accessing the computing resources needed to access information. These interfaces have become challenging to the visually impaired.

Many partially sighted individuals posses residual vision. While the enlargement of screen content is important, enlargement alone will not address all of issues involving the utilization of GUIs. While icons are generally useful, animation increases the usefulness of the icons. The sizes of static and animated icons are compared in order to ascertain the impact of animation on icon size.

REFERENCES

• 1: S. Alpert. Self-Describing Animated Icons for Human- Computers Interaction: a Research Note, Behaviour and Information Technology,. 10, 2, (February 1991). 149-152.
• 2: Ronald Baecker , Ian Small , Richard Mander, Bringing icons to life, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems: Reaching through technology, p.1-6, April 27-May 02, 1991, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States [doi>10.1145/108844.108845]
• 3: A. Corn. A Theoretical Model in the Development of Visual Function. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 77, 8, (August 1983).
• 4: Java Look and Feel Guidelines: Chapter 5.Application Graphics. Available at: http://java.sun.com/products/jlf/dg/high.htm#71577.
• 5: Microsoft Windows Interface Components: Menus, Controls, and Toolbars (MSDN Online). Available at: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/books/winguide/ch0 8.htm.
• 6: Jakob Nielsen, Designing Web Usability: The Practice of Simplicity, New Riders Publishing, Thousand Oaks, CA, 1999
• 7: Social Security Administration Disability Benefits Document. Available at: http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10052.html#Blind

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
      D.2.2 Design Tools and Techniques
          Subjects: User interfaces

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.2 User Interfaces (D.2.2, H.1.2, I.3.6)
          Subjects: Graphical user interfaces (GUI); Screen design (e.g., text, graphics, color)

  K. Computing Milieux
  K.4 COMPUTERS AND SOCIETY
      K.4.2 Social Issues
          Subjects: Assistive technologies for persons with disabilities

General Terms:
Design, Human Factors, Management, Performance, Theory

Keywords:
graphical user interface, icons, universal accessibility, visually impaired