Concerns regarding the accessibility of self-service interactive devices for people with disabilities

Abstract

Purpose

Self-service interactive devices allow users to access information or services without directly interacting with service personnel. As the prevalence of disability increases, it is important to consider the barriers individuals face in using these devices and explore opportunities to increase accessibility through assistive and adaptive technologies. This study aimed to establish recommendations to enhance the accessibility of self-service interactive devices, with the objective of understanding users’ experiences with these devices.

Materials and methods

Nineteen semi-structured interviews were held with stakeholders focusing on accessible design for people with disabilities, categorized as (a) persons with lived experiences with disability, (b) disability advocates, or (c) assistive technology industry experts. The study used content analysis to identify recurring concepts and opportunities to improve accessibility. Participants discussed the potential benefits of updating or incorporating additional accessibility technologies into self-service devices and proposed solutions to existing deficiencies.

Results

Common concerns expressed among participants included the privacy and security of self-service devices, protection of personal information, and the consistency and usability of devices. Participants also suggested how this inconsistency could be mitigated and how to improve existing accessibility functionalities. Accessible functionalities in self-service devices have the potential to help address the unmet needs of Canadians with disabilities.

Conclusions

With the breadth of available accessible and adaptive technologies, the study concludes that it is imperative to understand (1) what technologies are useful to people with disabilities, (2) whether the inclusion of these technologies is feasible in self-service devices, and (3) how user experience can be improved.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• To support full participation of people with disabilities in public and commercial spaces, the intentional inclusion of accessibility in self-service devices needs to be strengthened when considering their usability and security.

• Many accessible and adaptive technologies are available, but when considering their integration into self-service devices it is important to understand which of these would be actually useful to people with disabilities, whether their inclusion is feasible, and how user experience can be improved.

Keywords:

• Accessibility
• universal accessibility
• disability
• self-service devices
• standards

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all the study participants and advisory panel who volunteered their time to help with the project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The authors received the funding support from the Canadian Standards Association for this work.

Notes on contributors

Gaya Bin Noon

Gaya Bin Noon is a PhD candidate in the School of Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo. Gaya is a public health researcher with a focus on health informatics and digital health policy to support the care and well-being of older adults. Previously, Gaya worked for the Ontario Ministry of Health and contributed to the development of a provincial digital health strategy. Gaya also worked for the post-surgery patient engagement platform SeamlessMD as a quality assurance analyst, ensuring that patient-facing questionnaires and education modules followed plain language and accessibility guidelines. Currently, Gaya is the project coordinator for the Network for Aging Research at the University of Waterloo, overseeing interdisciplinary aging-related research projects and events. Gaya is also a member of the IEC/SCC Canadian Mirror Committee for Active Assisted Living. Gaya is the project lead for the CSA project “The future of AAL: Exploring the continuum between AAL technologies, AAL services, and smart communities”. This project aims to provide guidelines and propose new standards for current and future smart living environments seeking to implement active assisted living (AAL) technologies and integrate their data into health and paramedicine services. The first report from this project, titled “Data Governance for Active Assisted Living Technologies Along the Continuum of Care”, was published in 2022, with a second report outlining building requirements currently under review by advisory panel members. Gaya also managed and coordinated the University of Waterloo team for the predecessor of this project and is the second author of the CSA report “New Technologies for Self-Service Devices and Their Impacts on Usability for Persons with Disabilities”.

Larissa Ugaya Mazza

Larissa Ugaya Mazza is a recent MSc graduate of the School of Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo. They have a BSc in Graphic Design and an MSc in Information Design Systems, both from the Federal University of Paraná, Brazil. Larissa has experience working in the field of usability and information design applied to healthcare and healthcare systems. They previously worked with the Unified Health System of Brazil (SUS) to develop gaming software to train healthcare professionals using long-distance platforms, as well created pictograms to increase the accessibility of privacy agreements in partnership with the CSA Group. Most recently, Larissa worked on the project “New Technologies for Self-Service Devices and Their Impacts on Usability for Persons with Disabilities”, aimed to assess technologies to make the use of kiosks more accessible for people with disabilities. Their interests lie in how to use design methodologies for improving the healthcare system for all.

Gillian Morgan

Gillian Morgan, is a recent graduate from the University of Waterloo, where she completed a Master’s of Health Evaluation. She previously completed my Honours B.A. in Psychology, with a minor in Aging Studies at the University of Ottawa. As a research assistant in the Ubiquitous Health and Technology Lab at the University of Waterloo, Gillian worked with a diverse team of academic and industry leaders to provide evidence-based solutions and recommendations for future standards, systems, and procedures that impact individuals who have lived experiences with disabilities. Further, she is passionate about leveraging evaluation and research insights to inform the meaningful application and development of digital technologies in a healthcare context to improve individual and population health.

Stephanie Singh

Stephanie Singh is a Project Manager in the Health Care and Well-being Standards program at CSA Group. Her role involves managing a portfolio of Accessibility standards, which include topics on the accessible built environment and accessible self-service interactive devices. She also represents CSA Group on Accessibility initiatives by participating as a member of various Technical Committees and Advisory Panels. Stephanie holds an Honors Bachelor of Science in Health Science from the University of Toronto.

Dragica Jeremic Nikolic

Dragica Jeremic Nikolic is a Research Manager at CSA Group. In her role, Dragica oversees research projects that focus on new and emerging areas that have the potential to impact safety, health, the environment and the economy with a goal of exploring the potential for new standards-based solutions.

Plinio Pelegrini Morita

Dr. Plinio Pelegrini Morita is an Associate Professor at the School of Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo and the Director of the Network for Aging Research. He is a former holder of the J.W. Graham Information Technology Emerging Leader Chair in Applied Health Informatics (2016 to 2021). Dr. Morita also holds academic appointments as an affiliated scientist at the Healthcare Human Factors, Centre for Global eHealth Innovation, University Health Network; as a Research Scientist at the Research Institute for Aging; and as an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto. Dr. Morita is an Engineer by training (BSc and MSc in Biomedical Engineering and PhD in Systems Design Engineering) with strong experience in user-centered design, usability testing, technology design, population health, and health systems. Dr. Morita is the vice-chair of the IEC/SCC (International Electrotechnical Commission – IEC, and Standards Council of Canada – SCC) Canadian Mirror Committee of the SyC for Active Assisted Living (AAL), and a member of the ISO Canadian Mirror Committee on Aging Societies (ISO-314). Dr. Morita has years of experience in the design and evaluation of mobile health technology, focusing on delivering value to users through the application of user-centered design, usability testing, user experience design, and persuasive design. Dr. Morita has worked on the user-centred design and deployment of successful mHealth platforms such as <30 Days with Heart and Stroke Foundation, Breathe with the Lung Association, and Medly with University Health Network. Dr. Morita also has extensive experience in the human factors evaluation of medical devices. In recent times, Dr. Morita has become a leading researcher in the use of AI and IoT for public health, global health, and technology for supporting independent living. At UbiLab, his research team focuses on the use of IoT technologies, big data, and AI to improve current public health surveillance mechanisms and support countries in the monitoring of health indicators (e.g., physical activity, sleep, sedentary behaviour), as well as environmental factors (e.g., heatwaves, extreme air pollution). Dr. Morita’s research team has developed large-scale data collection ecosystems for supporting local initiatives in Canada and low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) in their efforts to better understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health behaviours, the impact of extreme air pollution on child and maternal health in LMICs (in partnership with UNICEF Mongolia), as well as the impact of heatwaves on seniors around the globe (in partnership with Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada).