Paper Number
2169
Paper Type
Short Paper
Abstract
The effective use of an IT artefact depends on the perception and the actualization of the affordance that arises from the Human-Artefact interaction. Affordances, which are goal-oriented action possibilities, are often not actualized by Blind and Low Vision (BLV) users when they interact with Assistive Technologies (AT), which may lead to AT discontinuance. This is because vision plays a significant role in perception, and vision impairment can impact how users perceive a technology’s affordances. Existing theories on technology acceptance and effective use often overlook the considerable variation in user perceptions, particularly among people with disabilities. In this study, we examined 27 BLV users' interactions with ATs and analyzed how their varying perception impacts the actualization of affordances of an AT. We introduce the concept of Affordance Impotence in our framework of affordances to elucidate the perceptual barriers faced by disabled users in actualizing AT affordances.
Recommended Citation
K R, Subisha and Mathew, Saji K, "Vision Beyond Sight: Affordances of Assistive Technologies for the Visually Impaired" (2024). ECIS 2024 Proceedings. 6.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2024/track19_hci/track19_hci/6
Vision Beyond Sight: Affordances of Assistive Technologies for the Visually Impaired
The effective use of an IT artefact depends on the perception and the actualization of the affordance that arises from the Human-Artefact interaction. Affordances, which are goal-oriented action possibilities, are often not actualized by Blind and Low Vision (BLV) users when they interact with Assistive Technologies (AT), which may lead to AT discontinuance. This is because vision plays a significant role in perception, and vision impairment can impact how users perceive a technology’s affordances. Existing theories on technology acceptance and effective use often overlook the considerable variation in user perceptions, particularly among people with disabilities. In this study, we examined 27 BLV users' interactions with ATs and analyzed how their varying perception impacts the actualization of affordances of an AT. We introduce the concept of Affordance Impotence in our framework of affordances to elucidate the perceptual barriers faced by disabled users in actualizing AT affordances.
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