How can you design digital libraries for users with visual impairments?

1 Understand the needs of users with visual impairments

Users with visual impairments have different levels and types of vision loss, and they may use different assistive technologies and strategies to access digital content. Some may use screen readers, magnifiers, braille displays, or speech recognition software, while others may rely on keyboard shortcuts, high contrast, or large fonts. You need to understand the needs and preferences of your target audience, and conduct user research and testing to identify the barriers and opportunities for improving their experience.

2 Apply the principles of universal design

Universal design is an approach that aims to create products and environments that are usable by all people, regardless of their abilities, age, or background. It involves applying seven principles: equitable use, flexibility in use, simple and intuitive use, perceptible information, tolerance for error, low physical effort, and size and space for approach and use. By applying these principles to your digital library design, you can ensure that it is accessible and usable for users with visual impairments, as well as for other diverse groups of users.

3 Follow the web accessibility guidelines

Web accessibility guidelines are standards and recommendations that help make web content and applications more accessible and usable for people with disabilities. The most widely adopted guidelines are the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which provide four principles and 12 guidelines for web accessibility, along with success criteria and techniques for implementation. By following the WCAG, you can ensure that your digital library meets the minimum requirements for accessibility and usability, and avoid potential legal or ethical issues.

4 Use accessible formats and metadata

The format and metadata of your digital library resources affect how users with visual impairments can access and use them. You should use formats that are compatible with assistive technologies, such as HTML, PDF, EPUB, or DAISY, and avoid formats that are inaccessible or difficult to use, such as Flash, JPEG, or GIF. You should also provide metadata that describes the content, structure, and features of your resources, such as title, author, language, subject, keywords, and alternative text. Metadata can help users with visual impairments find, select, and navigate your resources more easily.

5 Provide multiple modes of presentation and interaction

Users with visual impairments may have different preferences and abilities for how they want to access and interact with your digital library. You should provide multiple modes of presentation and interaction that suit their needs and preferences, such as text, audio, video, images, graphics, or animations. You should also provide options for adjusting the size, color, contrast, layout, or speed of your content, and for switching between different modes of presentation and interaction. This can help users with visual impairments customize their experience and enhance their learning outcomes.

6 Test and evaluate your digital library

The final step in designing a digital library for users with visual impairments is to test and evaluate its accessibility and usability. You should use a combination of methods and tools, such as automated checkers, manual inspections, user testing, surveys, interviews, or analytics, to assess how well your digital library meets the needs and expectations of your target audience. You should also involve users with visual impairments in the testing and evaluation process, and collect their feedback and suggestions for improvement. This can help you identify and fix any issues or gaps in your digital library design, and ensure that it is accessible and usable for users with visual impairments.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?