Improving an App for Visually Impaired Travelers

2020 ◽  
pp. 164-185
Author(s):  
Sebastian Molinillo ◽  
Francisco J. Liébana-Cabanillas ◽  
Diego Gómez-Carmona ◽  
Miguel Ruiz-Montañez
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Mobile Applications ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Perceptions And Attitudes ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Transportation Company

Some public transportation companies have begun to develop mobile applications that facilitate the accessibility to their services for people with visual impairments. Nevertheless, despite their importance, up until now, very few studies have analyzed the particular characteristics and needs of this segment of the population in order to adapt the design of and services provided by this type of application. The objective of this study is to understand how users interact with this technology. This research is based on an analysis of the application developed by the Malagueña Transportation Company (EMT). Given its exploratory nature, a qualitative methodology was used based on focus groups with the participation of experts and users. The results allow the authors to learn about users' opinions, perceptions, and attitudes towards these applications, and to help guide strategies to improve their design and performance.

Overcoming Barriers to Employment: Strategies of Rehabilitation Providers

2005 ◽  
Vol 99 (6) ◽  
pp. 325-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adele Crudden ◽  
William Sansing ◽  
Stacy Butler
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Barriers To Employment

Focus groups of rehabilitation providers identified barriers to the employment of persons who are visually impaired and strategies to overcome them. The barriers included negative attitudes of employers and of persons with visual impairments, inadequate transportation, the lack of access to print, and administrative issues. Strategies for overcoming each barrier are discussed.

Transporting People with Visual Impairments: Knowledge of University Campus Public Transportation Workers

2019 ◽  
Vol 113 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-164
Author(s):  
Danene K. Fast ◽  
Tiffany A. Wild
Keyword(s):  
Visual Impairment ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Vision Loss ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
University Campus ◽  
Bus Drivers ◽  
Service Training ◽  
Independent Travel

Introduction: To support independent travel skills and accessibility for people with visual impairments (i.e., those who are blind or have low vision), this research acknowledges bus driver perceptions of visual impairment and investigates how bus drivers interact with visually impaired travelers who ride public transportation. Methods: This study utilized the Social Responsibility about Blindness Scale and a researcher-created instrument to explore how bus drivers interact with visually impaired travelers. Results: Fifty-five drivers participated in this study, with 94.55% of these drivers reporting that they have had experiences interacting with visually impaired passengers. The top concern drivers reported was ensuring these passengers located the correct stop (26.56%). Using Likert-type scale ratings to assess driver knowledge and role in assisting passengers with vision loss, overall mean average of driver knowledge was 3.33 ( SD = 1.09, V = 1.23), indicating, as a whole, driver knowledge was in the range of “unsure/don’t know.” Discussion: Although many campus area bus drivers have experience interacting with passengers who are visually impaired, the attitude of drivers toward visual impairment is varied, and their knowledge of visual impairments is limited. Implications for practitioners: Based on results, drivers recognize that accommodations may be needed for passengers with vision loss, and they have an interest in learning how to assist passengers who are visually impaired who ride campus transportation. Based on this outcome, in-service training for drivers to address interactions and accommodations for passengers with vision loss may be warranted within public transportation operations.

scholarly journals A systematic literature review on the usability of mobile applications for visually impaired users

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e771
Author(s):  
Muna Al-Razgan ◽  
Sarah Almoaiqel ◽  
Nuha Alrajhi ◽  
Alyah Alhumegani ◽  
Abeer Alshehri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Mobile Applications ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Assistive Devices ◽  
Application Development ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Meta Analyses

Interacting with mobile applications can often be challenging for people with visual impairments due to the poor usability of some mobile applications. The goal of this paper is to provide an overview of the developments on usability of mobile applications for people with visual impairments based on recent advances in research and application development. This overview is important to guide decision-making for researchers and provide a synthesis of available evidence and indicate in which direction it is worthwhile to prompt further research. We performed a systematic literature review on the usability of mobile applications for people with visual impairments. A deep analysis following the Preferred Reporting Items for SLRs and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was performed to produce a set of relevant papers in the field. We first identified 932 papers published within the last six years. After screening the papers and employing a snowballing technique, we identified 60 studies that were then classified into seven themes: accessibility, daily activities, assistive devices, navigation, screen division layout, and audio guidance. The studies were then analyzed to answer the proposed research questions in order to illustrate the different trends, themes, and evaluation results of various mobile applications developed in the last six years. Using this overview as a foundation, future directions for research in the field of usability for the visually impaired (UVI) are highlighted.

SEMINAL BREAKTHROUGH IN TACTILE PICTOGRAM DESIGN FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED IN TRAIN STATION

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 55-60
Author(s):  
Fariz Fadhlillah
Keyword(s):  
Public Transportation ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Great Opportunity ◽  
Train Station ◽  
Impaired Ability ◽  
Semiotic Approach ◽  
The Media ◽  
Impaired Person ◽  
Pictorial Form ◽  
The Ideal

One of the ideal public transportation facilities for the visually impaired in daily activities is trains. To be used at maximum, there is a need for communicative media to support the independence of orientation and mobility for the visually impaired in the train station. The media plays a role in supporting visually impaired individuals to know where they are, where to go, and how to reach the destination. The previous result regarding visually impaired ability to identify pictorial form which is designed with Primadi Tabrani’s ancient visual language semiotic approach shows a great opportunity for a pictogram to be the solution. However, the challenge is how to make the visually impaired person understand the meaning description that has been designed into tactile pictogram by touch. Basic consideration in designing process is the clarity of visual form when being touched, which is influenced by the way the shape is drawn and the tactile height

scholarly journals Engaging community pharmacists in quality improvement (QI): a qualitative case study of a partnership between a Higher Education Institute and Local Pharmaceutical Committees

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. e001047
Author(s):  
Asam Latif ◽  
Nargis Gulzar ◽  
Fiona Lowe ◽  
Theo Ansong ◽  
Sejal Gohil
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Community Pharmacists ◽  
Educational Institute ◽  
Collaboration And Communication ◽  
Improve Service Quality ◽  
The Impact

BackgroundQuality improvement (QI) involves the use of systematic tools and methods to improve the quality of care and outcomes for patients. However, awareness and application of QI among healthcare professionals is poor and new strategies are needed to engage them in this area.ObjectivesThis study describes an innovative collaboration between one Higher Educational Institute (HEI) and Local Pharmaceutical Committees (LPCs) to develop a postgraduate QI module aimed to upskill community pharmacists in QI methods. The study explores pharmacist engagement with the learning and investigates the impact on their practice.MethodsDetails of the HEI–LPCs collaboration and communication with pharmacist were recorded. Focus groups were held with community pharmacists who enrolled onto the module to explore their motivation for undertaking the learning, how their knowledge of QI had changed and how they applied this learning in practice. A constructivist qualitative methodology was used to analyse the data.ResultsThe study found that a HEI–LPC partnership was feasible in developing and delivering the QI module. Fifteen pharmacists enrolled and following its completion, eight took part in one of two focus groups. Pharmacists reported a desire to extend and acquire new skills. The HEI–LPC partnership signalled a vote of confidence that gave pharmacists reassurance to sign up for the training. Some found returning to academia challenging and reported a lack of time and organisational support. Despite this, pharmacists demonstrated an enhanced understanding of QI, were more analytical in their day-to-day problem-solving and viewed the learning as having a positive impact on their team’s organisational culture with potential to improve service quality for patients.ConclusionsWith the increased adoption of new pharmacist’s roles and recent changes to governance associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, a HEI–LPC collaborative approach could upskill pharmacists and help them acquire skills to accommodate new working practices.

scholarly journals The Relationship Between the Home Environment and Falls for Older Adults With Visual Impairments

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 770-770
Author(s):  
Bonnielin Swenor ◽  
Aleksandra Mihailovic ◽  
Pradeep Ramulu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Home Environment ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Engineering Society ◽  
Environment Assessment ◽  
Risk Factors For Falls ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract The home environment and features of the home have been identified as important risk factors for falls, and may pose particular risk for older adults with visual impairments given difficulty with hazard perception. We used data from 245 participants in the Falls in Glaucoma Study [mean age: 71 years, mean follow-up: 31 months] with homes graded using our previously validated Home Environment Assessment for the Visually Impaired (HEAVI), which quantifies the number of in-home fall-related hazards and found that neither the number of hazards nor the percentage of hazardous items were associated falls/year. However, each 10-fold increase in lighting was associated with a 35% lower rate of falls/year (RR=0.65, 95%CI=0.46 to 0.92) and there was a 50% reduction in falls/year when lighting was at or above 30 footcandles (minimum lighting level recommended by the Engineering Society of North America) compared to lighting <30 footcandles (RR=0.50, 95%CI=0.26 to 0.96).

scholarly journals Conducting focus groups in neurodegenerative disease populations: ethical and methodological considerations

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. e041869
Author(s):  
Annabel Jones ◽  
Philippa Morgan-Jones ◽  
Monica Busse ◽  
Victoria Shepherd ◽  
Fiona Wood
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disease ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Focus Group Research ◽  
Group Research ◽  
Methodological Considerations ◽  
Impact Data ◽  
Based Medicine

BackgroundInvolvement of vulnerable populations in research is critical to inform the generalisability of evidence-based medicine to all groups of the population.ObjectiveIn this communication, we reflect on our previous research, and that of other authors, to identify and explore key ethical and methodological considerations.DiscussionFocus groups are a widely implemented qualitative methodology, but their use, particularly in vulnerable neurodegenerative disease populations, is not straightforward. Although the risk of harm is generally low in focus group research, neurodegenerative disease populations are particularly vulnerable to issues relating to comprehension and their capacity to consent. Physical and cognitive impairments may also affect social interactions among participants and therefore impact data collection and analyses.ConclusionWe offer a number of ethical and methodological recommendations to facilitate the processes of recruitment and data collection when conducting focus groups with neurodegenerative disease populations.

A Survey of Blind Orientation and Mobility Specialists about the Accommodations and Teaching Strategies They Use when Providing Orientation and Mobility Services

2021 ◽  
pp. 0145482X2110180
Author(s):  
Nora Griffin-Shirley ◽  
Laura Bozeman ◽  
The Nguyen ◽  
Vitalis Othuon ◽  
Anita Page ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Teaching Techniques ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Self Advocacy ◽  
Blind And Visually Impaired ◽  
Orientation And Mobility ◽  
Immersion Training

Introduction: The purpose of the study was to survey orientation and mobility (O&M) instructors who are blind concerning the identification of accommodations, teaching techniques, and resources to teach students with visual impairments (i.e., blindness or low vision). Methods: The study utilized an online survey via Qualtrics (2019) with 27 closed- and open-ended items to identify accommodations, teaching techniques, and resources needed. The survey was e-mailed to membership and certification organizations requesting O&M instructors who are blind to participate for 12 weeks. The participants were 15 O&M specialists, mostly male and Caucasian. Survey data were then analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: Forty percentage of the participants reported that there were minimal standards that they had to demonstrate prior to their admittance into an O&M program. About one-fourth of the participants mentioned their program was modified because of their visual impairment. Eleven participants (73%) reported that their nonvisual instructional strategies and techniques were predominantly gained through their university programs or other visually impaired instructors (27%, n = 4). Discussion: Aspects of this study that are similar to the current literature are smaller faculty-to-student ratios for blindfold or simulation cane courses, accommodations used by participants, and suggestions for monitoring the safety of students. The results revealed the participants’ strong belief in the importance of immersion training, the use of the Structured Discovery Cane Travel (SDCT), nonvisual skills during O&M instruction, sleep shades, and students’ problem-solving abilities. Implication for practitioners: Although the participants had received SDCT immersion training, most personnel preparation programs approved by the Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of Blind and Visually Impaired do not use this method. For this reason, it is important for faculty to identify best teaching practices from among all programs and to integrate these practices into their curricula. Sharing best practices could strengthen all programs. Moreover, students with visual impairments should be taught early about self-advocacy and the ability to have helpful knowledge about one’s skills at a university and in the workplace.

Proposing a basic methodology for developing balanced scorecard by system dynamics approach

Kybernetes ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 44 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 1049-1066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyed Behnam Khakbaz ◽  
Nastaran Hajiheydari
Keyword(s):  
System Dynamics ◽  
Balanced Scorecard ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Time Delays ◽  
Scenario Planning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Integrated Framework ◽  
Management Scenario ◽  
Transportation Company

Purpose – Successful future has inspired organizations to measure long-term and non-financial measurements and key performance indicators (KPIs). Kaplan and Norton proposed balanced scorecard (BSC) for this issue and have extended it to one of the most preferred strategic management system’s tools. However, available planning tools like BSC have some limitations, like dependency to the developer, weakness in showing time delays, and also mathematical relationships between lead and lag indicators. In this paper, the authors would present a new methodology for developing BSCs, which would be able to overcome these limitations. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to develop an integrated framework for developing BSC with system dynamics approach (a dynamic BSC (DBSC)) which has lower limitation in compare with traditional BSC. The other purpose of this paper is developing a DBSC for an Iranian public transportation company. Design/methodology/approach – Based on this purpose, related literature was thoroughly reviewed and the proposed methodology designed using the system dynamics and BSC concepts. This methodology is a composition of original BSC development methodology and system dynamics principles. An assumed organization has been used for showing methodology’s capability and procedure. Furthermore, a case study has been accomplished in this paper. This case study is a DBSC which has been developed for an Iranian public transportation company. The purpose of this case study is to ensure about proposed methodology implication in action. Findings – The authors proposed a methodology which can be applied for developing BSCs. This methodology consists of six different steps which are: developing a system for organization, selecting stakeholders’ most important objectives and target, identifying organization’s objectives and their KPIs for different BSC aspects, developing strategy map, targeting, and selecting initiatives. In the proceeding of this paper, the proposed methodology and its steps would be explained in detail. Originality/value – The system dynamic approach has precedents in business studies; however, this research makes this approach operational in BSC designing and analysis. BSCs, which developed by this methodology can show time delays between an organization’s objectives, its KPIs’ relationship and also planning for it. Selecting achievable and rational vision and objectives’ targets, change management, scenario planning and policy analysis are other values which can be achieved by DBSC deployment which need further researches. In summary, this research has shown an integrated framework for developing DBSC and then applies it to an Iranian public transportation company. Therefore, another contribution of this paper is the application of this method for an Iranian public transportation company.

Adapting the Brief COPE for Chinese Adolescents with Visual Impairments

2017 ◽  
Vol 111 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Yuan ◽  
Li-fang Zhang ◽  
Bing Li
Keyword(s):  
Visual Impairment ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Sample Selection ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Adolescent Students ◽  
Brief Cope ◽  
Chinese Adolescent

Introduction The present research pioneered the effort in assessing adolescents’ coping with visual impairment through adapting the Brief COPE in an eastern context. The first study preliminarily explored the applicability of the Brief COPE to Chinese adolescent students with visual impairments. Based on the results, the Brief COPE was modified and renamed, COPE-Revised. The second study tested the internal psychometric properties and the criterion-related validity of the COPE-Revised. Criterion-related validity was obtained through investigating the correlation between coping and self-esteem. Method The first study involved 176 adolescent students with visual impairments, comprising a survey using the Brief COPE and follow-up interviews. In the second study, another cohort of 170 adolescent students with visual impairments responded to the COPE-Revised together with an inventory assessing self-esteem. Results The COPE-Revised showed adequate psychometric properties. Three higher-order factors, namely self-directed, other-directed, and relinquished-control coping, were identified. The way in which self-esteem was correlated with these three dimensions of coping provided evidence for the criterion-related validity of the COPE-Revised. Discussion The findings indicate that the COPE-Revised has sound psychometric properties among adolescents with visual impairments. Limitations regarding the sample-selection bias and the means of questionnaire survey among visually impaired adolescents are noted. Implications for practitioners This research tailored a coping inventory for educators, counselors, and researchers who are interested in investigating adolescents’ ability to cope with visual impairments. The relationship between coping with visual impairment and self-esteem found in this research has reference significance for educational and counseling services for visually impaired adolescents.

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