Measurement of mobile device acceptance in visually impaired people

Abstract

The penetration of the mobile devices the world market comes in increase. In Latin America, Colombia is in the third place, with 45.3 % of users of intelligent phones (emarketer, 2014); but it does not happen the same if one speaks about persons with visual disability; that's why, it is pertinent to evaluate the accessibility and the effective interaction that they have with these devices; according to a record realized by the DANE (2009) it reveals that there are 231.072 persons with visual disability in Colombia, who mostly are active users of the technology. To explore the potential impacts, there was done the reply of a previous study (Hanlu Ye, Meethu Malu, Uran Oh, Leah Findlater; 2014), who evaluates the interaction that the population has with low vision or visual disability, with the mobile devices. For the information securing two methods were applied. The first one was a survey in line that it included 31 participants with low vision or visual disability focused in the accessibility that they have to the intelligent phones in a country in development route. The second one was a users' panel, realized with three participants, where, type received opinions as for the use of a model of representation of a portable device bracelet, with two pretenders of different interfaces, which it facilitates to the disabled visual ones, the interaction with the mobile devices. The finds go towards a new investigation line, in the approach of a design of a wearable device, with special characteristics for in developing a context.