Guide for the Redesign of Websites Not Accessible to Blind People: MiUV Study Case

Abstract

This research proposes a guideline that outlines the redesign process of a web system by compiling a set of tools and techniques aimed at improving accessibility for users with visual functional diversity (blindness). It is worth mentioning that the study adheres to the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) standards using automatic evaluation programs and screen readers. The paper presents the selection process for these tools and techniques, which constitute the guideline composed of five stages: 1) training on accessibility issues, 2) initial system exploration, 3) evaluation with users and experts, 4) requirements analysis, and 5) recoding. It also specifies the artifacts to be produced at each stage and how they are used in subsequent phases. The guideline was applied to the institutional system “MiUV” which is used by the Universidad Veracruzana community, including faculty members, administrative staff and students—some of whom have visual functional diversity. The results showed that the proposed process was effective in guiding the redesign to improve accessibility. However, opportunities for improvement were also identified in each phase of the redesign process.