Self-assessed and actual Internet skills of people with visual impairments

Abstract

The Internet can make available to people with a visual impairment information and services that are otherwise inaccessible. But do visually impaired users actually use common Internet applications and do they have the necessary skills? This article reports a two-part study addressing these questions. The first part was an interview study in which 73 young and 69 older Dutch people with a visual impairment were questioned about usage of applications such as e-mail, chat, and web forms, and their self-perceived competence. The young participants reported more frequent use of Internet applications and mentioned multiple goals (i.e., social and educational), compared to the older. Both groups considered themselves reasonably competent, with the young rating themselves higher. The second part was a case study with 20 young and 20 older participants from the first study, who performed common Internet tasks, using websites or applications that complied with accessibility guidelines. Task performance was analyzed in detail for demonstrated skills. Actual performance proved to be unrelated to self-rated competence. Moreover, the competence of both young and older participants fell far short of what active participation in society requires, especially for the more complex information and strategic skills. The success rate on the performance tasks was low. People with a visual impairment should receive extensive support for the acquisition of higher-level skills that are called upon when using Internet information and services in order to participate in society.

Appendices

Appendix 1 Operational definitions for Van Dijk’s four skills types [3]

Operational skills involve:

Operating an Internet browser (e.g., Internet Explorer, Firefox):

• opening websites by entering the Uniform Resource Locator (URL), commonly known as the web page address, in the address bar of the Internet browser.

• going backward and forward between websites and web pages using the browser buttons.

• saving files on the Hard Disk.

• opening commonly used file formats.

• bookmarking websites.

• changing the preferences of the Internet browser.

Operating Internet-based search engines (e.g., Google, Live search):

• entering keywords in the proper search field.

• executing the search operation.

• opening search results in the search results list.

Operating an interactive Internet-based form:

• using the different types of input text fields and buttons.

• submitting a form.

Formal skills involve:

Navigating the Internet:

• recognizing and using links embedded in different formats (text, images, menus and site maps).

• maintaining a sense of location while navigating the Internet.

• within a website, between websites.

• browsing through and opening results.

Information skills involve:

Being able to locate the required information:

• locating a website or web search engine for information search.

• defining search options or queries.

• selecting information from search results.

• evaluating the information sources.

Strategic skills involve:

Taking advantage of the Internet:

• orienting toward a particular goal.

• taking the right action to reach this goal.

• making the right decision to reach this goal.

• gaining the personal benefits pertaining to this goal.

Appendix 2 Description of the tasks and subtasks on the performance test

1.1 Task 1 (Young & Older). Compose and send an e-mail attachment

You are going to type a short message in Word or Notepad and send this file as an e-mail attachment to the researcher.

Task 1.1

• Open your text program.

• Type the following message: “I participate in this research”.

• Save the file as: message researcher.

Task 1.2

• Open your e-mail program.

• Send an e-mail to researcher@universiteit.nl with the text: As promised. With kind regards, your name. Subject of this message is ‘test’.

Task 1.3

• Attach the file ‘message researcher’.

• Send the message.

1.2 Task 2 (Young & Older). Download a brochure from the web and send it as an e-mail attachment to the researcher.

You have to find out (Young: for a school project) how the Revenue Office handles personal data.

Task 2.1

• Go to the homepage of the Dutch Internal Revenue Office www.belastingdienst.nl.

Task 2.2

• Click the link ‘Downloaden en bestellen’ in the menu on the right-hand side.

• Click under the tab ‘Particulier’ the link ‘Klachten’.

• Click the link for the brochure Wet bescherming persoonsgegevens.

Task 2.3

• Download the brochure Wet bescherming persoonsgegevens.

• Save the brochure (PDF format) on the desktop of the computer.

Task 2.4

• Send the brochure as an e-mail attachment to researcher@universiteit.nl with the text “kind regards”. Subject of this message is ‘test’.

1.3 Task 3 (Young). Fill in a web form

John lives in Ommen and wants to visit his friend George in Boxmeer. You must find out how John can get there by public transport and how long the trip will take.

Task 3.1

• Go to the website: www.9292OV.nl.

Task 3.2

• Fill in the fields with the following information:

  • John starts from Bouwstraat 12 in Ommen going to Steenstraat 30 in Boxmeer.

  • The date is (the next day) and he wants to arrive at 11.00.

  • He doesn’t travel by taxi, metro or ferry.

• Submit the form.

• Answer the following questions:

  • How long will it take John to get there?

  • What time does he need to leave home?

  • What time will he arrive?

1.4 Task 3 (Older). Fill in a web form

You would like to apply for Zorgtoeslag, a refund from National Health Care for expenditure for health-related matters. You can find out how much you will be awarded by filling in a specific form on the web.

Task 3.1

• Go to the website: www.toeslagen.nl.

Task 3.2

• Go to the program ‘Proefberekening Zorgtoeslag’.

• Complete the web form with the given information.

  • You want Zorgtoeslag for 2007.

  • You are over 18 years old.

  • You live in the Netherlands.

  • You have no Zorgtoeslag partner.

  • Your Zorgtoeslag income is 10.000 euro.

Task 3.3

• Submit the form.

• Answer the following question:

  • How much Zorgtoeslag will you receive?

1.5 Task 4 (Young & Older). Look up telephone numbers

You want information about computer courses with assistive software.

Task 4.1

• Go successively to the websites of Visio:www.visio.org, Sensis: www.sensis.nl and Bartimeus: www.bartimeus.nl.

Task 4.2

• Look up the telephone number of the offices of Visio and Bartimeus in Rotterdam and the office of Sensis in The Hague.

1.6 Task 5 (Young). Information for a history project

You are working on a history project for school about the Roman era in The Netherlands.

Task 5.1

Search with the help of a search engine, portal or otherwise to find the name of the village or town in the Netherlands where you can visit an original strategic Roman highway.

1.7 Task 5 (Older). Information about a required document

Your passport has been stolen and a certain document is required if you apply for a new passport.

Task 5.1

Find out with the help of a search engine which document is needed when you apply for a new passport after your old one has been stolen.

1.8 Task 6 (Young). Visiting a zoo

You are on holiday in the province of Gelderland and want to visit a Zoo.

Task 6.1

Find out with the help of a search engine, portal or otherwise where in Gelderland you can visit a Zoo with:

• Meerkats and panda bears.

• An entrance price of €15 or less.

1.9 Task 6 (Older). Choosing a hotel

You want to visit your family in Zwolle and stay overnight in a hotel.

Task 6.1

Find with the help of a search engine, portal or otherwise:

• A hotel in the centre of Zwolle.

• Double room with breakfast included.

• Price of €100 or less.