Perceptual Impairments: New Advancements Promoting Technological Access

This chapter provides an introduction to the visual sensory channel; and presents a review of research approaches, models, and theories that are relevant to human-computer interaction (HCI) and visual impairment; and describes a discussion of forms of visual dysfunction in the research, design, and evaluation of human-computer systems. It highlights advancements in HCI research, which effectively link the three major areas of the framework: clinical diagnosis, functional impairment, and interaction across a variety of classes of technology and impairments. The strength of perceptual user interfaces comes from the ability of designers to combine an understanding of natural human capabilities with computer input/output devices, and machine perception and reasoning. The design of a computer interface that enhances the ability of an individual with vision loss to perceive graphical and textual information would have a beneficial effect on the degree of impairment and resulting level of disability of that individual.