User requirements

To ensure the searchable library of solutions is easily tagged and searchable, we applied an expanded tagging scheme based on the ‘user requirements’ produced by UNICEF and partners in 2017. https://www.accessibletextbooksforall.org/stories/user-requirements.

User requirements matrix 2017

The user requirements describe what content, features and tools are used by persons with disabilities to make content and technology more accessible. During the workshop in 2017, it was demonstrated that certain accessibility features that work for some (ie. text-to-speech), may work for many, and as such each individual learner should be able to choose what features work best to facilitate their learning. For example, text-to-speech functionality with highlighting works for both low-vision users, user with learning difficulties like dyslexia, users with speech impairments and all users who prefer audio narration to enhance learning. Other learners may experience "situational disability" in which their context and setting creates immediate barriers to learning. They may be in a situation that demand access to content as eyes-free, hands-free or ears-free. The tools and design of resources to support learners with disabilities will support consistency of learning for all learners as barriers occur.

Disability is a spectrum where not all people with a functional difficulty have the same degree of impairment, or the same combination of impairments. For example, users who have difficulty seeing may be on a low vision continuum, many will have greater ease of access to text with the support of a screen magnifier. This is particularly common, as older people will often develop vision loss and will use screen magnification or text resizing to make it easier for them to access on screen content. However, other users with low vision, may prefer to use a screen reader which reads the content aloud as they may have found even with magnification, it can be difficult for them to read everything on the page, or that the text is so large as to make navigation impossible. By providing strong and flexible accessibility support and following guidelines, we can enable the user to choose the way they would like to learn and interact with content.

By adopting a user centric approach, and allowing them to choose how they access content, we can make the accessible digital ecosystem more accessible to all users, including those that are not diagnosed as having a functional disability. In this way we are supporting Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles in the design of our content and tools.

To better facilitate the discovery of accessible digital content and tools, we have identified the most relevant features and components and tagged the list of accessible content & tools. These features can be specific to accessible formats, assistive technologies or general technologies used. These features and components may be specifically targeted at users with a disability, but as is demonstrated by the user requirements, may work for many user groups with none or more than one disability. Combinations of these features can make a solution more accessible to certain users, ie. an ePub with read-aloud mode, text highlighting may be ideal for a user with low vision needs and dyslexia. As the term ‘accessibility’ can be applied differently in different contexts, by allowing a flexible way to search and sort resources we hope to support user’s requirements to produce, distribute, implement and access accessible digital resources for education.

Tagging Methodology

The organization of the solutions library encompasses multiple categorization schemes and is designed to allow the user to search easily for content and tools based on their preferences. The solutions are tagged by multiple categories, which you can select one or more tags and the list of solutions will filter accordingly.

The tags applied to the list of content

1. the user need (ie. vision, hearing, intellectual, learning, mobility)
2. the type of resources, (ie. content library, assistive technology, authoring tool)
3. the technology features, (ie. ePub, AAC, TTS, Braille, Read-Aloud, Offline)
4. the country, (including the language used)
5. the price, (ie. free, open-source, paid)
6. the age group. (ECD, K-12, All Ages)

For a full list of tags, refer to the filters above the product catalog.