Both industry and academic web studies have shown that a substantial number of web sites are not accessible to persons with disabilities since their content is not transmitted accurately, clearly, or completely (Dorsey, Manning, and Amato 2003; Ritchie and Blanck 2003; Schaefer 2003). In fact, there are many ways that a person’s disability can affect their use of the web depending on the nature and the severity of their disability. For instance, some persons can experience difficulties using keyboards and mouse technology due to manual dexterity limitations, whereas others may be unable to view screen images due to visual impairments.

This project asks you to put yourself in two roles:  1) a researcher/retail consultant who is investigating e-commerce with visual impaired persons, and 2) as a consumer who is experiencing the web in a way that is unfamiliar. Remember, after graduation, you may find yourself in the position of designing a web page or being responsible for hiring someone who is designing a web page for your company.  Unfortunately, you and other managers may have difficulty understanding the problems that users with low vision face when accessing web pages that are not designed with their needs in mind.
 

Building the Background for your Term Project:  You are required to use a minimum of 5 references in your paper, selected from 1.) Web Aim Web site, 2.) Academic Articles on Library Reserve, 3.) Articles for one-day loan from Dr. KS, and 4.) Online Articles. The Screenreader Simulation (#4 below) must be used for this project and listed among your references.
 

1.  Web Aim Web site

The first set of steps in this assignment attempt to help you learn about web site access issues.
Go to the Web Aim website, found at this URL:  http://www.webaim.org/. This web site is devoted to educating persons on the issues involved in developing accessible web sites. In particular, you are asked to do several things:

1) Read the article about Applicability of the ADA to the Internet
http://www.webaim.org/coordination/articles/ada

2) Review the video, Keeping Web Accessibility in Mind, found at this URL:
http://www.webaim.org/info/asdvideo/

3) Read Introduction to Web Accessibility, found at this URL:
http://www.webaim.org/intro/

4. Try the screenreader simulation found at:
http://www.webaim.org/simulations/screenreader

5.  Try the lowvision simulation found at this URL. It takes about 5 minutes.
http://www.webaim.org/simulations/lowvision
 

2. Academic Articles on Library Reserve:

Childers, Terry L., Christopher L. Carr, Joann Peck, and Stephen Carson (2001), “Hedonic and Utilitarian Motivations for Online Retail Shopping Behavior,” Journal of Retailing, Volume 77, Number 4 (Winter), 511-535. This covers three basic parts of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). It does not relate directly to disabilities.

Heim, Judy (2000), “Locking Out the Disabled:  Office Buildings Have Wheelchair Ramps, TV has Closed Captions, but Many Web Sites are Inaccessible to People with Disabilities. Things Don’t Have to be that Way,” PC World magazine, September. Retrieved online.

Jones, Keith S., J. Shawn Farris, Peter D. Elgin, Brent A. Anders, and Brian R. Johnson (2005), “A Report on a Novice User’s Interaction with the Internet through a Self-Voicing Application,” Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, January, 40-54.

Mathwick, Charla; Rigdon, Edward (2004), “Play, Flow, and the Online Search Experience,” Journal of Consumer Research, 31(2): 324 – 333.

Shaefer, K. (2003). “E-space inclusion: A case for the Americans with Disabilities Act in cyberspace,” Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, 22(2), 223-227.
 

3. Articles for one-day loan from Dr. KS

Baker, Stacey Menzel, Jonna Holland, and Carol Kaufman-Scarborough (2006), “How Consumers with Disabilities Perceive ‘Welcome’ in Retail Servicescapes: A Critical Incident Study,” Journal of Services Marketing, forthcoming.

Baker, Stacey Menzel, Debra Lynn Stephens, and Ronald Paul Hill (2002), “How Can Retailers Enhance Accessibility?  Giving Consumers with Visual Impairments a Voice in the Marketplace,” Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 9 (4), 227-239.

Baker, Stacey Menzel, Debra Lynn Stephens, and Ronald Paul Hill (2001), “Marketplace Experiences of Consumers with Visual Impairments:  Beyond the Americans with Disabilities Act,” Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, Fall, 215-224.

Dorsey, M., H. Manning, and M. Amato (2003), Design Accessible Alternatives into Your Site, Cambridge, MA: Forrester Research, Inc.

Kaufman-Scarborough, Carol (2001), “Accessible Advertising for Visually-Disabled Persons:  The Case of Color Deficient Consumers,” Journal of Consumer Marketing, Volume 18 (Summer), Number 4, 303-316.

Kaufman-Scarborough, Carol and Stacey Menzel Baker (2005), “Do People with Disabilities Believe the ADA Has Served Their Consumer Interests?” Journal of Consumer Affairs, 39:1 (Summer): 1-26.
 

4. Online Articles

Disabled Least Likely to Use Internet, (2003), online summary of: The Ever-Shifting Internet Population: A new look at Internet access and the digital divide, by  A. Lenhart, J. Horrigan, L. Rainie, K. Allen, A. Boyce, M. Madden, and E. O'Grady,  retrieved online at: http://www.accessiblesociety.org/topics/webaccess/pewinternetstudy.html

Milliman, R. E. (2002),  Website Accessibility and the Private Sector:  Disability Stakeholders Cannot Tolerate 2% Access!  Information Technology and Disabilities Vol. VIII 2002, Vol. VIII No. 1 January, 2002,  retrieved online at: http://www.rit.edu/~easi/itd/itdv08n2/milliman.htm

National Organization on Disability, Frequently Asked Questions on Disability, posted on February 27, 2002; retrieved at the following URL: http://www.nod.org/
 

NOW YOU ARE READY TO WRITE YOUR REPORT.

FORMAT of REPORT:

1. TABLE of CONTENTS (use page numbers)

2. INTRODUCTION:  what is this project about? PLEASE EXPLAIN IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

3. BACKGROUND TO THE PROBLEM:  Give an overview of accessibility problems for persons with disabilities. What have experts said about the current state of web site accessibility? Now, move to the specific case of visual impairments. Describe the various types of visual impairments that exist and what affect they have on a person’s ability to use a web site. What types of testing exist today?

4. PROBLEM STATEMENT:  Many analysts have argued that testing is inadequate and that more problems exist than can be diagnosed with the automated testing services that exist. Propose that you will test 5 sites using one of the major accessibility test services, Watchfire, and you will discuss your findings in terms of what you have found in terms of visual impairments.

5. METHODOLOGY:  Select five web pages in the same industry that you have used or are aware of.  Please run the home page of the site through accessibility testing via the Watchfire testing web site found at this URL: http://bobby.watchfire.com/bobby/html/en/index.jsp.  Read through the accessibility report and relate your findings to visual impairments. Print out the accessibility report for each site and include it in the appendix. Make a table that summarizes your findings for the 5 sites.

6. RESULTS: What have you found? If all the Watchfire recommendations were taken used in modifying the sites, would the sites be accessible to persons with visual impairments?

7. DISCUSSION:  What do you recommend for industry?  What do you recommend for students like yourselves?  What should retailers and web designers know in order to provide accessibility to visually impaired persons? What should be included in our courses?

8. APPENDIX – include Tables and Accessibility reports

9.  REFERENCES
 

NOTE:  Each student must use their own set of web sites. No web site can be used by the same student!! Choices of industries and sites must be reserved on a first-come basis and must be submitted by email.

Athletic shoes, casual clothing, professional clothing, teen clothing, home decorating, groceries, auto sales, books, children’s toys and furniture, hardware, consumer electronics, music, furniture, discounters, department stores, personal care, pharmacies, convenience stores, fast food stores, etc.
 

CLASS DISCUSSION:  On Nov. 29th and Dec. 1st  you will present your individual findings. Prepare up to 5 powerpoint slides and show one web site in your discussion. Each student will have up to 10 minutes total including set up.

1, Brandon Downs:  outdoor apparel stores.   1) www.thenorthface.com 2)www.rei.com 3)www.llbean.com > 4)www.landsend.com 5)www.patagonia.com.
2. Regan Adams:  Professional Apparel:  Bebe, Express, The Limited, Anne Taylor, NY & Company
3. Cinzia Mullane:   cosmetic industry: 1)L'Oreal  2)MAC  3)Estee Lauder  4)Cover Girl  5)Avon
4. Tom Magoffin:   online pet medicine industry: http://www.1800petmeds.com/main.htm, HealthyPets.com, PetCareRX
5. Gavry Nelson:  music:   www.defjam.com, www.interscope.com, www.virginrecords.com, www.sonymusic.com, www.umrg.com
6. Katie Quigley:  shoe industry: zappos, nike, addidas, DSW shoes, and payless shoes.
7. Tim Haferl:  online pharmacies, Drug Store.com, CVS, and Walgreens.
8. Mark Eble:  Furniture:  http://www.la-z-boy.com/, http://www.ethanallen.com, www.ikea-usa.com, http://www1.macys.com/ (furniture), http://www.kensingtonfurniture.com
9.  Kate Machion:  handbag industry. coach.com, DooneyandBourke.com, Gucci.com, KateSpade.com, LouisVuitton.com
10.Michelle Creel:  women's apparel industry.   J.Crew, Banana Republic, Arden B., Gap, and Polo/Ralph Lauren.
11. Tina Scherzer: jewelry industry:  tiffany.com, bluenile.com, ice.com, sales.com, debeers.com
12. Angelo Cutietta:  online soccer shops:  soccerevolution.com, soccerpost.com, soccer.com, worldsoccershop.com, soccershopusa.com
13. Mike:  Hardware: Home Depot, Lowes, Sears Hardware, Ace hardware, true value
14. Angelica: Department stores - Macy's, NeimanMarcus, Lord&Taylor, Bloomingdale's, and JCPenney.