Exploring User Interface Improvements for Software Developers who are Blind Guarionex Salivia* Flint Million Minnesota State University-Mankato Minnesota State University-Mankato Megan Bening Minnesota State University-Mankato Abstract: Software developers who are blind and interact with the computer non-visually face unique challenges with information retrieval. We explore the use of speech and Braille combined with software to provide an improved interface to aid with challenges associated with information retrieval. We motivate our design on common tasks performed by students in a software development course using a Microprocessor without Interlocked Pipeline Stages (MIPS) architecture simulation tool. We test our interface via a single-subject longitudinal study, and we measure and show improvement in both the user’s performance and the user experience. Keywords: Accessibility; Blindness; Visual Impairments; Braille; Screen reader technology; Software development *Corresponding Author, Guarionex Salivia [email protected] Submitted October, 2019 Accepted February 4, 2020 Published online July 23, 2020 1 Vol. 23, No. 1 - 2020; Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities 1. INTRODUCTION problem, because these interfaces provide information contextually via visual cues, People who are blind face unique challenges as which are clearly not specifically designed for software developers. Screen reading individuals who are blind and may not work technology is often unable to adequately with existing accessibility tools such as screen represent the complex and dynamic nature of readers. Therefore, those who are blind or modern application interfaces often used for visually impaired often find IDEs to be software development. Complex interfaces challenging to work with, and in many make the task of information seeking and situations completely unusable even with the retrieval particularly challenging to developers use of screen reading technology (Lazar, Allen, who are blind. Our main goal is to help Kleinman, & Malarkey, 2007). individuals who are blind with the problem of information retrieval in a non-visual manner In our work, we explore the use of Braille as a from a graphical user interface. We are possible option to improve accessibility for particularly interested with graphical user software developers who are blind. One reason interfaces related to software development we concentrate on Braille as an option is based such as text editors and integrated on reports by the American Printing House for development environments (IDEs). the Blind. Out of their 27,212 student members Information retrieval has been shown to be a currently enrolled in elementary through post- prevalent problem amongst individuals who secondary education, 3,781 considered Braille are blind interacting with technology, to be their primary reading medium (American especially software developers (Mealin & Printing House for the Blind, 2013). When we Murphy-Hill, 2012). There are an estimated 19 look at the intersection between software million software developers worldwide, with developers and users of Braille, we see that an expected increase to at least 25 million by there is a big potential for Braille-based user the year 2020 (Evans Data Corporation, 2014). interfaces to aid with information retrieval. Out of the plethora of software developers, we Half of the participants in a study by Mealin do not know exactly how many of them are and Murphy-Hill (2012) reported using a blind or visually impaired. However, Braille display for software development. according to a survey conducted by Stack Furthermore, though Braille is introduced Overflow, a prominent software development early in education, we have not seen recent resource website, more than 600 respondents work on developing more effective use of identified as blind (Stack Overflow, 2017). Braille when interacting with computers. Modern software development tools are quite In this work, we develop a software add-on to different from those used in years past. Today, an educational programming tool used in a IDEs provide highly dynamic, rich interfaces university course to add functionality that for developers. These interfaces facilitate provides a Braille user with enhanced ability to productivity through their extensive locate information and interact with the user visualization capabilities and organizational interface. A developer is usually aware of the display of content. This augments the information they need to find. For developers complexity of the information retrieval who are not blind, IDEs provide information 2 Exploring User Interface Improvements for Software Developers who are Blind contextually via visual cues and layout access and use computers at roughly the same allowing the developer to visually locate performance level as their sighted peers desired information while simultaneously (Alexander, 1998). Speech synthesis ignoring less important content. On the other technology provided auditory access to the hand, users who are blind make use of proxies computer’s output, and the linear nature of such as the cursor to navigate the information commands lent itself well to the linear nature that is displayed. A contextual layout of of spoken word access. information does not help a user who is blind because he or she would have to navigate away As graphical user interfaces (GUIs) became from the current position to find the relevant more prevalent, people who are blind quickly information, and then relocate to their previous found themselves less and less able to work focus manually. Our software allows the user with the computer with the same efficiency, to specify contextual information from the speed and capability as their sighted peers visual user interface (UI) that will be displayed (Lazar et al., 2007; Alexander, 1998). While in Braille regardless of where the user’s cursor screen-reading and Braille display access is positioned, thus facilitating information technology has continuously been adapted and retrieval. Additionally, the software assists the improved, many such efforts at improving developer with parsing complex data structures accessibility of GUIs require software represented in code that are very difficult to developers to follow prescribed standards, interpret with speech alone. often via specialized Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), to allow their We perform a user experience study to measure software to be used effectively and efficiently the subjective and objective change in our by people who are blind. Initiatives such as student participant’s performance while Microsoft’s Active Accessibility were an early interacting with an IDE which is part of a attempt to standardize access to graphical learning tool that utilizes the Microprocessor elements by users with disabilities (Lazar et al., without Interlocked Pipeline Stages CPU 2007). However, no standard to implement architecture (MIPS). By assisting with such APIs was in place at the time. In fact, information retrieval, we expect that our implementing accessibility required additional method will improve student developers’ efforts on the part of the software publisher. abilities to complete tasks in a reasonable time Due to the time and effort required, these and improve their experience while working in efforts were focused on mainstream development environments. application software and not on software development tools. In a CNN interview, Curtis 2. RELATED WORK Chong, former president of the National Federation of the Blind’s Science Division, Historically, computer interfaces were largely reported his own personal struggles with the character-based. When display devices were advancing GUI technology as a software developed, the interface presented on screen developer (Alexander, 1998). He specifically was linear, textual, and command based. When stated that his performance decreased as a computer interfaces were text-based, users result of the graphical tool kit requiring you to who are blind found that they were able to drag and drop items on the screen. 3 Vol. 23, No. 1 - 2020; Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities The primary method of accessing GUIs for Braille terminal for computers available in the computer users who are blind is the screen United States (Van Gerven & Taylor, 2009), reader. Screen readers have become extremely based on a patent received in 1975 by the prevalent among users who are blind. A survey founder of Handy Tech of Germany (Handy taken by WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind, Tech, n.d.). Refreshable Braille displays are a non-profit organization) found that 93% of devices that display the transmitted text in an respondents reporting a significant visual array of electronic Braille cells. These cells use impairment were regular users of screen mechanical actuators, often using piezoelectric reading technology (WebAIM, 2013). technology, to allow them to instantly produce any Braille character, and just as quickly Screen readers were designed to read and "refresh" themselves to display a different interpret common application interfaces. The character. This allows the user to access GUIB (Textual and Graphical User Interfaces computer information via tactile output, using for Blind People) and Mercator projects are the Braille written language. Additionally, early efforts to provide accessibility of many contemporary Braille displays can also graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to visually function as input devices,