2007 PhD Thesis Final Revised.pdf - Curtin University

1. to demonstrate the ways in which Internet technologies provide advantages
for people with vision disabilities
2. to develop a clear understanding of the ways in which people with vision
disabilities perceive and utilise Internet technologies in relation to self,
establishing the extent and nature of perceived barriers or benefits
3. to investigate and determine the effectiveness of Internet-related products and
services available to assist people with vision disabilities
4. to determine the effect of government policy and corporate initiatives on the
issues surrounding the disability divide and
5. to propose solutions that will help close the disability divide in relation to
Internet use and access between people with and without a disability.
The questions were separated into five sections within the survey. The
sections were as follows:
! Section A, Personal information
! Section B, Computing and Assistive Technology knowledge
! Section C, Internet knowledge
! Section D, Government and Corporate views and
! Section E, Comments.
In relation to the objectives, sections B and C were primarily designed to
elicit information from a user perspective about how computing and Internet
technologies can assist people who were blind and vision impaired. The second
objective was addressed primarily by sections C and D, which determined the
relationship between online tools and resources to the overall needs of people with
vision disabilities.
The third objective was addressed by a combined comparative analysis of all
sections. The fourth objective was largely determined by section D and the final
objective was developed through conclusions drawn from all five sections. The final
section provided an additional opportunity for blind or vision impaired people to
express any concerns not addressed within the survey questions.
Within each section there were questions that were designed to allow an
individual comparison of elements at using both intra-section analysis and cross-
tabulation analysis. The questions chosen in each section represented specific
information established in the earlier chapters of the thesis to gain a better
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