Guidelines for Developing e-Learning System for Visually Impaired

Abstract:  According to the last “People with Disabilities Report” (cro. Izvješće o osobama s invaliditetom) in Republic of Croatia lives 529 103 persons with disability which is more than 10 % of total population. There is 18 317 persons with impaired vision (blind and visually impaired). Compared to previous years this number has increased by 2044 people. According to estimates 10%, with a tendency to increase, of blind people is using the Internet. Estimates are based on documents and reports that are currently derived from the project “Communication Rod to Independence” (cro. Komunikacijskom štapom do neovisnosti).

When planning, designing and developing e-Learning system for visually impaired these criteria must be met:
– Planned according to existing standards, i.e. WCAG 2.0 and BS 8878:2010
– Usability criteria have to be met
– Universal design
– Support for assistive technologies (screen readers, specially designed keyboards, scanning applications and others)

This paper will discuss described definitions and standards that will be im-plemented in learning management system (LMS) as a module for visually im-paired. LMS developed at the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences has been in use since 2004. System is composed of five modules: Document Management System (DMS), The Authorization and Supervision System (cro. Sustav Autorizacije i Nadzora; SAN), students module e-Student, SMS module SMSCentar and mobile learning module FPZMobile.

This paper will define guidelines, according to WCAG 2.0 standards, for de-velopment of the LMS module for visually impaired. These guidelines will be recommended for their implementation of the Strategy for e-Learning at the University of Zagreb (cro. Strategija e-Učenja Sveučilišta u Zagrebu).

Keywords: e-Learning, LMS, development, guidelines, blind, visually impaired

Authors: Marko Periša, Dragan Peraković, Vladimir Remenar

Conference: 13th International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs

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