Accessibility and usability of self-serve kiosks for blind and partially sighted Canadians

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Vozza, Jaclin^{a; *} | Knot, Michaela^b | Reynolds, Carson^c | Moll, Sandra^a | Durocher, Evelyne^a | Petrie, Samuel^{d; e} | Sukhai, Mahadeo^{b; f; g; h} | Gewurtz, Rebecca^a

Affiliations: [a] School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada | [b] Research Department, Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Toronto, ON, Canada | [c] Department of Health Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada | [d] Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto, ON, Canada | [e] TRANSFORM HF, Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada | [f] Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada | [g] Faculty of Business and Information Technology, Ontario Tech University, Oshawa, ON, Canada | [h] Inclusive Design Program, OCAD University, Toronto, ON, Canada

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Jaclin Vozza, School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University, 1400 Main St West, L8S 1C7, Hamilton, ON, Canada. E-mail: whaleyja@mcmaster.ca.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Approximately 7.4% of Canadians over the age of 15 report being blind or partially sighted; this impacts their daily functioning in public spaces [1]. Technological advances have included the proliferation of self-serve kiosk in many consumer settings. However, absent from discussions of community accessibility is the experiences of Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. OBJECTIVE: To better understand the experiences of this population with self-serve kiosks. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to analyze survey data collected as part of a survey by Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) of people who are blind, Deafblind partially sighted about their use of self-serve kiosks. 731 participants were surveyed, representing a response rate of 3.5% across Canada. RESULTS: 64.14% of participants faced barriers in completing a task using self-serve technology. Human assistance was required to complete the tasks in most instances. 65.74% of participants reported they did not enjoy using self-serve kiosks and 60.90% of participants reported they would not continue to use self-serve kiosks in the future. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight a need to promote accessibility in the creation and implementation of self-serve kiosks in order to further their use and decrease exclusion of people who are blind and partially sighted.

Keywords: Self-serve kiosks, blind or partially sighted, disability, accessibility

DOI: 10.3233/TAD-240022

Journal: Technology and Disability, vol. 36, no. 3, pp. 111-128, 2024