Universal Usability Essay

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| CONTENTS | Page Contents 1 Question One 3 Introduction 3 Young children 3 People older than 65 4 People with vision impairments 4 People with motor impairments 5 Illiterate people or people who, due to socio economic circumstances have not had access to any technology 6 Bibliography 7 2 Question Two: 8 1st topic: Designing for users with Down Syndrome (Chapter 7) 8 2nd topic: Designing for users with Autism 12 3rd topic: Designing for users with memory impairments such as dementia, anterograde amnesia and Alzheimer’s disease 13 Question One Introduction Universal usability is a user design concept that aims to make products accessible to the widest possible range of people, from the very young to the very old, by taking their limitations into account. The goals of universal design are to compensate for a reduced range of motion and strength, and to assist balance, mobility, coordination and agility (Hamilton 1999). Some adaptations of existing hardware and software, such as programmable mice, sticky keyboard keys, mouse tracking options and enlarged displays, are already available off the shelf (tiresias.org). However, many standard devices have shortcomings that make them inoperable for people with special needs. The following section discusses the shortcomings of these standard devices, with emphasis on computer mice, keyboards and monitors. Young children Young users represent an ever increasing percentage of computer and internet savvy user. Children use computers to enhance activities such as learning, storytelling, homework, games and communication. Many online information resources are adapting their interfaces to make browsing activities easier and more fun for young users. However, children differ from adults with regards to their processing and motor skills, and this affects their ability to interact

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