Inexpensive tactile interaction for blind computer users : two application domains

Blind computer users are finding it increasingly difficult to access operating systems and applications which are based on graphical user interfaces. Access to the Internet and the World Wide Web is also an area of particular concern to blind people. We are working on integrating audio (both speech and non-speech) and tactile information to create multimedia interfaces for blind computer users. We have developed interfaces for hypermedia applications, including a WWW browser, and an interface to a geographic information system which allows blind people to explore digitized map information. These interfaces use touchtablets which may be covered with tactile overlays to provide inexpensive tactile interaction, and a 40 character Braille display. Intensive testing with blind people has been conducted with both applications and will be described