Date of Graduation

5-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

College/School

School of Education

Department

Education

Program

Learning & Instruction EdD

First Advisor

Kevin Oh, PhD

Second Advisor

Devanshi Unadkat, PhD

Third Advisor

Seenae Chong, Phd

Abstract

More and more, digital technologies are becoming the fabric of everyday life, imbuing almost every aspect of modern society. With an increasing reliance on technology to complete essential tasks for school, work, communication, health, finance, and more, there remain barriers to accessing these tools. These barriers are not just represented by the digital divide, the haves and have-nots, but in the myriad ways in which the technologies we use every day are difficult to use, complex, or simply inaccessible. This research study investigates the factors that impact the accessibility of technology, specifically for individuals with either temporary, situational, or permanent disabilities. Further, this study identifies ways to enhance user experience (UX) design and to reduce the barriers that render technology inaccessible to segments of the population. As part of this study, design frameworks, including human-centered design, multimodality, and Universal Design principles are presented in conjunction with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to build out an inclusive and accessible approach to UX design and evaluation.

This dissertation is organized into three chapters: Chapter I: Statement of the Problem; Chapter II: Review of the Literature; Chapter III: Methodology. These chapters are followed by journal articles (Appendices A and B) that describe the research for this study.

Article 1 (Appendix A) examines the barriers people experience when using technology. The article presents the different access modalities people adopt when using technology and the types of barriers they experience. Theoretical frameworks and accessibility guidelines are discussed and integrated into a checklist to build awareness of accessibility considerations for not only UX designers and software developers, but also for anyone interested in better understanding accessible design. This article was prepared for submission to the Journal of User Experience.

Article 2 (Appendix B) presents original research, a content analysis of 48 websites and applications (apps), following predefined user journeys to access, navigate, and interact with each website and app on a mobile device. The selected websites and apps were organized into four categories: Instruction, Messaging, Products & Commerce, and Transportation as these reflect categories of essential and daily tasks for most people and often require the use of technology. This article was prepared for submission to the journal Ergonomics.

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