The Usability of ICTs in People with Visual Disabilities: A Challenge in Spain

Fiorella Fuentes, Antonia Moreno () and Fernando Díez
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Fiorella Fuentes: Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), Av. Tibidabo, 39-43, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
Antonia Moreno: University of Deusto, Avenida de las Universidades, 24, 48007 Bilbao, Spain
Fernando Díez: University of Deusto, Avenida de las Universidades, 24, 48007 Bilbao, Spain

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 17, 1-17

Abstract: The use of ICTs provides autonomy, equity, and social inclusion to people with visual disabilities. The National Organization of the Spanish Blind (ONCE) offers its 70,462 legally-blind people the necessary resources for the usability of ICTs. Still, most individuals with visual disabilities do not have a similar support system. This research aims to expose and make visible the importance and need for ICTs usage in this group. The qualitative approach has allowed the modeling of a contextualized inductive process through two heterogeneous discussion groups: eight individuals with legal blindness and six with moderate visual impairment, as well as three in-depth interviews with experts in typhlotechnology, accessibility, and low vision. The following has been verified: there is a lot of misinformation among people with visual disabilities outside the coverage of ONCE; accessibility is still not a priority for companies and institutions when creating and developing products and services with Design for All; the need for more professionals to advise and train users with blindness and low vision is clear. In Spain, there are almost a million visually-impaired people not affiliated with ONCE, for whom access to technical aids and digital literacy is a priority problem in which the Government should intervene.

Keywords: accessibility; tiflotechnology; technical aids; literacy; low vision (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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