AFB Releases Phase 2 Study of Barriers to Digital Inclusion
10 Mayo 2024 - 11:39AM
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) released this week its
latest study in a series examining the digital inclusion of people
with disabilities on websites and mobile applications. The study
continues to affirm that major accessibility barriers still exist
online, resulting in significant time spent and lost revenue
opportunities.
The study released provided a better understanding of the
frustrations of users who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision
experience when encountering inaccessible content online, through
mobile apps, or kiosks. Among the key findings, researchers
discovered users experience an average of 12 obstacles per week,
which required an additional 2.4 hours of lost time spent trying to
navigate the inaccessible platform. This was double the time needed
to perform online tasks without barriers. When people faced
inaccessible kiosks in retail settings or medical offices, they
spent 74% of the time on a given task working through accessibility
hurdles.
“The findings in this second phase of our research on digital
inclusion truly reveal how time-consuming inaccessible web and
mobile applications are for people who rely on assistive technology
to perform basic tasks,” said Stephanie Enyart, AFB Chief Public
Policy and Research Officer. “This significant amount of additional
time lost results in lost productivity and business, which would
not have been the case if app developers simply followed the
standards for accessibility that are readily available.”
Recent regulations require that entities build their websites
and apps to a specific accessibility standard, and the Department
of Justice has routinely held that these standards apply to a wide
array of entities.
Research participants shared frustrations ranging from
inaccessible wavers for recreation centers to wasting up to three
hours simply trying to purchase airline tickets. On average,
participants required 24.3 minutes of assistance per week when
sighted assistance was available. And, as discovered in the initial
first phase of this series released in April 2023, it was
unsurprising that barriers would result in customers taking their
business elsewhere when possible. In 20% of cases, participants
gave up the task they were trying to do because the accessibility
barriers were insurmountable, and often this meant walking away
from an online purchase.
Recommendations from the study included ongoing work by federal,
state, and local governments to push forward safeguards that
guarantee accessibility. Instructors of computer science courses
are also encouraged to incorporate accessibility best practices for
future developers, and public and private entities are encouraged
to make sure content meets accessibility standards and new software
developers have a working understanding of building web and mobile
applications that use these standards.
For more information on this study, visit the report online,
where you can access the executive summary and additional
information uncovered in this ongoing series.
Founded in 1921, the American Foundation for the Blind creates
equal opportunities and expands possibilities for people who are
blind, deafblind, or have low vision through advocacy, thought
leadership, and strategic partnerships. In addition to publishing
the Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness (JVIB), AFB
is also the proud steward of the Helen Keller Archive, which is
available on the AFB website at www.afb.org.
CONTACT: |
Tony Stephens,
Assistant Vice-President, Communications |
|
212.502.7627 | tstephens@afb.org |