Abstract
Digital inclusion and Web accessibility are integral parts of modern culture and, as such, have implications for social accountability. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has suggested standards and guidelines regarding the inclusion of people with special needs, with an emphasis on higher accessibility and adaptability as the main goal of Web design. The user interface is the place where users can interact with the information by using their minds. Users with special needs can acquire information by using a human centered user interface. This article highlights the need to investigate the relationship between cognition and user interface.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): A civil rights legislation that protects people with disabilities from discrimination against them in four major areas: 1) private-sector employment, 2) public services, 3) public accommodations, and 4) telecommunications.
Domains of Instructional Objectives: Cognitive, psychomotor, affective and interpersonal domains addressing (a) the process of the mind, (b) motor skills or physical movement, (c) individuals’ attitudes and feelings, and (d) interactivity between individuals.
Section 508: A law implemented to ensure that government Web sites are accessible. The law now extends to include all schools that are provided with federal and state funds
GOMS Model: A cognitive model of human computer interaction consisting of four components: (a) Goals to be achieved in the process, (b) Operators performing the sequencing methods and interacting with the system, (c) Methods representing the sequences of the tasks performed by the operators, and (d) Selection rules choosing the best strategies and solutions for the best methods to obtain the goals.
Cognitive Processing Models: Models developed by cognitive constructivists emphasizing effective strategies for building knowledge.
Human-Centered Interface Design: A system used to analyze and synthesize an individual’s needs, cultural practice, cognitive ability, and preference with the measurable goal and function in a certain context, using cognitive, psychomotor, and affective constructs.
Web Accessibility: Equal accessibility and opportunity to the Web for all the individuals, especially for individuals with disabilities.