Website accessibility barriers - Questionnaire

Tdn87
Tdn87 Online Community Member Posts: 9 Listener
in People power

Hello,

I am currently completing my TM470 Computing and IT project with the Open University as part of my

T honours degree, and I am looking for participants for a short academic questionnaire about website accessibility barriers and support needs.

The questionnaire is mainly intended for people who experience accessibility difficulties when using websites or online services. I am interested in hearing about the kinds of barriers people encounter, which issues have the greatest impact, and what kinds of changes or support could help make websites easier to use in practice.

This topic is important to me personally as well as academically, as I am on the autistic spectrum myself, so I am especially aware that accessibility is not just about technical compliance but about whether people can actually use online services clearly, comfortably and independently.

The questionnaire forms part of my TM470 project and is for academic purposes only. Participation is entirely voluntary, and no names or unnecessary personal information are being requested. The questionnaire is intended to be short and should only take a few minutes to complete.

If you would be willing to take part, I would be very grateful.

As I understand that direct links may not be allowed in posts here, please feel free to reply below or send me a private message if you would be willing to take part, and I can share the questionnaire details directly.

Thank you very much for your time and for any support with this project.

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Comments

  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Online Community Member Posts: 15,410 Championing

    I'm tech savvy and have autism and can empathise with what you've written about it not just being technical compliance. The barriers for me are when I reach the limit of the service provided via website and the user is required to to use phone or live chat options (because these aren't accessible to me)

    I'm interested in taking part if I'd be any use

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Online Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 5,547 Championing
    edited April 21

    Hi Tim, I have autism but I'm not tech savvy and would love to help with your research!

    Only this morning, I've been stumped twice. The password to access my ADHD assessment forms is not being accepted despite being updated by the service provider yesterday.

    Then I tried to reply to an email on Outlook and the website disappeared and returned with a black screen and background which I can hardly read. No, there is no-one who can help 🤷‍♀️

  • Holly_Scope
    Holly_Scope Posts: 5,218 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    Hi @Tdn87 we can share links, just need to complete a little paperwork to ensure that any research questionnaires shared on the community adhere to the rules and regulations around data etc.

    If you email community@scope.org.uk with the link and a bit of detail, we can get the ball rolling on this 😊

  • Tdn87
    Tdn87 Online Community Member Posts: 9 Listener

    @Holly_Scope thank you I will get that done as soon as I can :)

  • Holly_Scope
    Holly_Scope Posts: 5,218 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    Thanks @Tdn87, look forward to receiving it.

  • Tdn87
    Tdn87 Online Community Member Posts: 9 Listener

    Hi @66Mustang thank you for your response, it is always good to hear about everyone's experiences, however big or small when it comes to web accessibility. My project itself is around how best to ensure web developers do not forget about certain accessibility features. I am looking at developing a accessibility toolkit / app specifically for web developers and UI designers that will help assess their webpage during development. The aim is a tool that prompts them around certain accessibility features they may have forgotten or implemented poorly during development.

    The aim is to try and ascertain which accessibility needs people feel need addressing the most. The scope of the project needs to remain small, so the aim is to look at address the accessibility needs that people feel are the most in need of addressing.

  • Tdn87
    Tdn87 Online Community Member Posts: 9 Listener

    @WhatThe thank you for responding, and I fully get where you are coming from with the frustrations of using the internet, and computers in general.

    I have attempted to make the questionnaire itself accessibility friendly, it is fairly short and most questions are either single choice or multiple choice questions. There are a couple that do involve writing text, but those are towards the end, with the final question being totally optional.

    I also welcome any feedback after completion of the questionnaire.

    I am currently in the process of emailing Scope to allow me to post the link, this is also relevant to @66Mustang. Unless i am able to message the link directly to you both. I am new to the site, so I am not entirely sure how to message other users if it is possible to do so.

  • Tdn87
    Tdn87 Online Community Member Posts: 9 Listener

    @Holly_Scope i have now responded via email :)

  • Tdn87
    Tdn87 Online Community Member Posts: 9 Listener
    edited 9:10AM

    Hi everyone, I am currently in the process of hopefully getting the link to my questionnaire authorised to be posted on here. {removed by moderator} Any sort of participation would be fantastic if possible. I hopefully look to close the questionnaire around the 27th or 28th of this month.

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Online Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 5,547 Championing

    Do you now have the link for us?

  • Holly_Scope
    Holly_Scope Posts: 5,218 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    Hi @WhatThe. This is going through the process at the moment in the background but as soon as that's done, it can be shared. 😊

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