VoiceBlog for Blind and Weak-Eyed People

We introduce VoiceBlog, a blog reading browser based on the concept of universal design. Existing screen reading software used by blind people for PC access fails to support rapid understanding of the original blog structure and contents. VoiceBlog has a cascading user interface, hierarchically structured, and can well parse strictly-structured Web content such as blogs. It uses an audio user interface rule, which simplifies the comprehension of contents and menus (arrangement of contents based on construction, simplification, and navigation) to allow blind and weak-eyed people to comfortably access blogs. Blind people can use the keyboard to access all functions. The arrangement and design of icons, colors and correspondence to hi-contrast functions can be customized for the weak-eyed and color blind. Four blind and four weak-eyed people participated in trials of VoiceBlog. The results showed that it allows the blind to access blog contents easily because keyboard manipulations are similar to usual reading browsers and screen readers. The shapes and color of the icons are easy to recognize for weak-eyed people.