https://www.jacces.org/index.php/jacces/issue/feedJournal of Accessibility and Design for All2023-11-30T07:03:14+00:00Jacces Editorjacces.editor@catac.upc.eduOpen Journal Systems<p><strong style="color: #8e142c;">Journal of Accessibility and Design for All</strong> is a semestral, open-access scientific journal that publishes theoretical and empirical peer-reviewed articles, which contribute to advancing the understanding of phenomena related to all aspects of accessibility. JACCES includes contributions, but not limited to, in the following fields: (1) Engineering, (2) Architecture and Construction, (3) Health and Medical Care, (4) Education, (5) Society and Economics. The journal is indexed in databases such as SCOPUS, Dialnet, REDIB, Latindex, mEDRA, DOAJ, Infobase, Índices CSIC, journals4free, GOOGLE Scholars, REBIUN, RACO and UPCommons.</p>https://www.jacces.org/index.php/jacces/article/view/485Monitoring website accessibility2023-08-01T07:58:43+00:00Matjaž Debevcmatjaz.debevc@guest.um.siTilen Škrabatilen@a11y.siBogdan Cerovacbogdan.cerovac@gmail.comInes Kožuhines.kozuh@um.siNataša Rajhnatasa.rajh@partner.jku.at<p>The introduction of WCAG 2.0 and the European Web Accessibility Directive marked significant milestones in the realm of web accessibility evaluation. However, even with the passage of considerable time, persistent challenges continue to impact the assessment of web accessibility. In this article, we aim to address these ongoing hurdles and provide comprehensive suggestions for accessibility assurance to achieve efficiency, consistency, and transparency in the processes of preparing accessibility statements, monitoring, and self-assessment. The proposed solutions include a centralised system for preparing accessibility statements, a centralised government template for feedback mechanisms, simplified self-assessment based on nine general criteria, and in-depth monitoring by experts and individuals with disabilities. Centralising all accessibility statements would facilitate monitoring updates and accessibility achievements, enabling mass verification by the bodies in charge of monitoring the Web Accessibility Directive and the public. The centralised government template for feedback mechanisms provides benefits such as automatic form completion and shared responsibility for addressing reported inaccessible content. Simplified, centralised, and automated monitoring allows for efficient tracking of accessibility status and verification of updates using an automated software environment. Links to results can be shared with public sector bodies and inspectors, enhancing transparency and comparison. In-depth monitoring requires complete analysis and recommendations for improvements, in which experts and individuals with disabilities are involved. Proper education and training of website administrators are crucial for ensuring quality and meeting accessibility criteria. By implementing these proposals, the goal of inclusive access to information and services can be achieved for all users.</p>2023-11-30T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Matjaž Debevc, Tilen Škraba, Bogdan Cerovac, Ines Kožuh, Nataša Rajhhttps://www.jacces.org/index.php/jacces/article/view/421 Readily available but how accessible? 2023-04-18T17:19:39+00:00Katrina Fernandeskatrina.fernandes@mail.utoronto.caSarika Paramananthansarika.paramananthan@mail.utoronto.caLynn Cockburnl.cockburn@utoronto.caJulius Nganjij.nganji@utoronto.ca<p>With advances in technology, more health information is readily available to the public. Individuals with disabilities rely on online healthcare-related resources to access educational information and promote informed decision-making in their care. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) were created to provide universal web practices which complement the needs of all individuals, such as those with low vision or screen readers users. However, many websites and the resources within them (e.g., PDFs) do not prioritise WCAG, leaving individuals with disabilities at a disadvantage in terms of their autonomy and health literacy. The objective of this study is to investigate and describe the common web accessibility errors present on international occupational therapy and pediatric websites and the resources within them. This mixed methods study evaluates compliance to WCAG success criteria using automatic web accessibility evaluation tools, specifically WAVE and AChecker, and manual checks to capture the human element. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the frequency of errors across several success criteria within the sample websites and PDFs. A subsequent thematic analysis was used to further examine how and why these errors violate the WCAG success criteria. Through automatic evaluation tools, many websites and resources did not comply with numerous WCAG 2.0 success criteria. Through manual checks of the web pages and resources within them, 5 themes were identified: inaccessible images, challenges accessing additional resources, poor structural formatting, lack of tagging in PDFs, and minimal colour contrast. The results of this study can inform web developers and contributors (e.g., Occupational Therapists) on how to successfully produce accessible websites and PDFs to provide equal access to health information. In conclusion, this study adds to the current understanding that many public-facing websites and the resources within them (e.g., PDFs) are not accessible, including healthcare-related websites meant to support informed decision-making among individuals with disabilities.</p>2023-11-30T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Katrina Fernandes, Sarika Paramananthan, Lynn Cockburn, Julius Nganjihttps://www.jacces.org/index.php/jacces/article/view/461The Relation of design tools to Universal Design Theory 2023-03-16T14:51:25+00:00Richard Herriottrhe@dskd.dk<p>Are researchers in Universal Design (UD) using UD theory? There is a link between theory and the appropriate use and selection of tools in design research. On that basis, 256 conference papers from the Cambridge Workshop of Universal Access and Assistive Technology (2002 to 2020) are reviewed for instances of tool use and links to Universal Design and general design theoretical content. From this it is shown that the instance of explicit tool use can be found in a minority of articles. Those that do have articulated links between the tool of inquiry and theory are classed into four groups, a minority of which are based on UD theory. A recommendation is made for more explicit explanation of the basis of tool use in research design in order to improve the transparency and comprehensibility of the research design.</p>2023-11-30T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Richard Herriotthttps://www.jacces.org/index.php/jacces/article/view/405Vatican Museums' accessibility practices for blind and partially sighted (BPS) visitors2023-04-18T18:28:51+00:00Renato Trottart98@st-andrews.ac.uk<p class="BODY"><span lang="EN-US">The Vatican Museums (also referred to as “VM”) are the repositories of one of the world’s most remarkable and varied art collections. The relative responsibilities and challenges are plenty: the many visitors pose a significant threat to the conservation of artworks, but communicating and safeguarding the works of art is even more challenging when opening the museum collections to a Blind and Partially Sighted (referred in the article as BPS) audience. The Vatican Museums’ accessibility practices, some of which aimed at providing support to the experience of visually impaired visitors, have been developed via foresight, international vision, strong partnerships, and efficient resource allocation. </span></p> <p class="BODY"><span lang="EN-US">The present article describes the strategies adopted by the Vatican Museums involving accessibility for BPS audiences. It examines the extent of existing measures and how they align with the "best practices" necessary to grant access to facilities and valuable information. The analysis has been carried out through first-hand observations performed during the internship period the author spent at the Vatican Museums. Finally, the article examines the educational techniques involving some of the items included in the haptic itinerary offered by the Vatican Museum, with references to applied neuroscientific research in relation to tactile perception and Museum Sciences.</span></p>2023-11-30T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Renato Trottahttps://www.jacces.org/index.php/jacces/article/view/229Accessibility of students with physical disability to public service vehicles in the western part of Kenya2021-11-14T12:27:27+00:00Marilyn Apella Ahonobadhaahonobadha79@gmail.com<p>Bus termini are an essential component of urban transport facilities which define the beginning or end of the line for the transportation system. In the study area, students with physical disability frequently used bus termini to access educational institutions which were far removed from their residences. Various bus termini were linked by fourteen seater vehicles or buses. During such trips, the students encountered numerous design barriers due to the inappropriate layout of the public service vehicles. This study established that the following design barriers existed in public service vehicles: high entry steps, lack of grab bars at the entrance, narrow doors and narrow spaces between seats. While navigating these design barriers, the students encountered the following attitudinal barriers: inferiority, pity, hero worship, spread effect and backlash. This study concluded that students with physical disability experienced hampered mobility due to the design barriers highlighted above. In addition to this, other users of the vehicles compounded the problem by exhibiting attitudinal barriers. Therefore, this study recommends enforcing standards in the design of public service vehicles which enhance access for all. Further, there is a need for the members of the public to embrace people with disabilities and stop the ongoing attitudinal barriers.</p>2023-11-30T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Marilyn Apella Ahonobadhahttps://www.jacces.org/index.php/jacces/article/view/323How expensive is it to build a visitable home?2022-10-15T16:08:08+00:00Ernesto Moralesernesto.morales@fmed.ulaval.caFrançois Routhierfrancois.routhier@rea.ulaval.caElizabeth Turcotteelizabeth.turcotte.1@ulaval.caChristelle Montreuilchristelle.montreuil.1@ulaval.caAsmae Sqalliasmae.sqalli@cirris.ulaval.ca<p>Loneliness and social isolation of older people or those with mobility impairments may result from the physical environment not being in correspondence to their degree of mobility. Winter conditions combined with the presence of steps at the entrance to homes are among the obstacles that prevent them from participating in social or community activities necessary for their well-being. The concept of visitability is proposed in order to allow seniors or individuals with mobility impairments to visit their loved ones. The three criteria for achieving the basic visitability of a residence are: 1) an entrance without a step at the front, back or side of the home (located on a path accessible from the street); 2) wide doors on the main floor (minimum 813 mm (32") opening); and 3) an adapted bathroom on the main floor. The objective of this study is to validate whether visitability can be an economically viable solution, through a comparative cost analysis, to enable older people or people with mobility impairments to visit their loved ones. The results of this case study demonstrate that the marginal costs of applying visitability criteria to new construction can be zero or negligible. These results indicate that the approach to visitability, both basic visitability and so-called improved visitability, should be taken into account more systematically by builders and developers in order to promote the social participation of older people or those with motor disabilities.</p>2023-11-30T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Ernesto Morales, François Routhier, Elizabeth Turcotte, Christelle Montreuil, Asmae Sqalli