Myriam Arrue 2008

Finished

Description:

This thesis deepens in the study of methodologies, techniques and tools which facilitate the development process of accessible web interfaces focusing on the detection of the activities that can be performed automatically.

First, a review of the state of the art focuses on three main aspects: development methodologies, quality measurement and web application development tools. This analysis allows to determine the key features to be considered in the definition of a web interface development methodology which is easy to introduce in organizations.

Then, a light, flexible and easy to introduce development methodology is defined. It is oriented to accessibility related activities and is useful as a framework to detect the activities which can be automatically performed by means of specific tools. In addition, it facilitates detecting the functionalities to be included in the tools to develop as technological support.

Finally, some supporting tools are developed. They make possible performing web accessibility related activities automatically. In this sense, some activities are supported by these tools along the development process. Searching for and selecting sets of guidelines which are relevant for the current design is easier in the analysis phase. Designers can access to alternative interpretations of guidelines due to the developed information sharing functionality. Integrating developed accessibility evaluation functionalities into web development frameworks used by designers facilitates the implementation phase. A flexible automatic evaluation tool which performs evaluations against diverse sets of guidelines is provided for the evaluation phase and quality assurance process can be performed easier due to the developed accessibility quantitative metrics. Monitoring the accessibility level of developed web interfaces is facilitated in the maintenance phase.

The work done in this thesis contributes to overcome the lack of adequate methodologies, techniques and tools which support designers in performing accessibility related activities in order to develop universally accessible web interfaces.

Participants:

Myriam Arrue

Author:

Myriam Arrue

University:

Universidad del País Vasco-Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea

Center:

Facultad de Informática

Rating:

Sobresaliente Cum Laude.

Reading year:

2008