Computers have become an important tool for participating in society for many people with disabilities. Recent efforts in rehabilitation engineering have focused on input techniques for the human-computer interface and on improving the visual presentation of information. However, as these visual presentations become more sophisticated, currently exemplified by Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs), access for people with visual or cognitive impairments often becomes more difncult. A model of feedback that is relatively independent of sensory modalities (i.e., visual, auditory and tactile) has been proposed by Fels, Shein, Chignell and Milner (1992) as a basis for designing user interfaces for people with a wide range of sensory abilities. One key component identified in this model is a standardised feedback vocabulary that describes screen elements. A study was conducted to determine whether target users could use the elements of this language to identify the elements within existing screens. Results indicate that target users can learn and apply the vocabulary after a one-hour training period, although there is a high rate of omission errors which indicates a need for more research on this topic.
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