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Accessible website content guidelines for users with intellectual disabilities
- Authors:
- KARREMAN Joyce, van der GEEST Thea, BUURSINK Esmee
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 20(6), November 2007, pp.510-518.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The W3C Web Accessibility Initiative has issued guidelines for making websites better and easier to access for people with various disabilities (W3C Web Accessibility Initiative guidelines 1999). The usability of two versions of a Dutch website (a non-adapted site and a site that was adapted on the basis of easy-to-read guidelines) was tested with two groups of 20 participants. One group had intellectual disabilities but could read, the other group had no identified intellectual disabilities. In a 2 × 2 experimental design, it was investigated whether the easy-to-read website was indeed better accessible and usable for the participants with intellectual disabilities. The adaptation of the website worked well for participants with intellectual disabilities. Users without identified intellectual disabilities were as effective with the adapted site as they were with the non-adapted site. The results form an empirical basis for recommendations about applying guidelines for easy-to-read text on websites for people with intellectual disabilities.
An exploratory study of the support needs in 24/7 online support for people with mild intellectual disabilities
- Authors:
- ZAAGSMA Miriam, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 16(1), 2019, pp.78-87.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Service organizations for people with intellectual disabilities (ID) increasingly look for technological applications to improve their services. DigiContact is an online support service developed by Philadelphia Care Foundation in the Netherlands which enables independently living people with ID to contact specially trained support workers 24/7. The purpose of this study was to explore the support needs for which people with ID use online support. We first conducted interviews with 21 individuals with ID who use the online support service. Transcriptions of the interviews were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Second, online support workers registered items regarding the support needs when in contact with support users. These data were analyzed to assess which and how often the support needs were present. Online support is used for a broad variety of issues. Four themes emerged during analysis of the interviews: mental health, social contacts (conflicts with others as well as lack of contacts), practical issues, and physical health. Analysis of the support workers' data showed that making a connection with someone and talking about worries and stress are the two most frequent support needs. Most support needs did not differ across the time of day or across the week. The results suggest that 24/7 online support is a useful way of providing services to independently living people with ID. Unlimited access to support has multiple advantages. It appears to have a signaling and a preventive function with regard to emotional and behavioral problems. (Edited publisher abstract)
Choice processes and satisfaction with care according to parents of children and young adults with intellectual disability in the Netherlands
- Authors:
- NEIBOER Anna P., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 36(2), June 2011, pp.127-136.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Quality information on care for people with intellectual disabilities has become available in the Netherlands in recent years. However, despite the expressed desire for access to information on care providers, use of the available information seems to fall short of expectations. There is limited information on the decision-making processes and on what influences it. This study was designed design to better understand the effects of providing decision-support information only (services/quality indicators) and providing a combination of information and personal decision-making support (counselling/peer meetings) on the choice process and satisfaction with care. The study population consisted of 147 parents who sought protected living arrangements, assisted daily activities, or both for their child. The form of support affected the choice process, but did not affect satisfaction with care. Decision-support information combined with personal decision-making support led to less frequent switching of care providers and to more satisfaction with choice information. The parents made limited use of online decision-support information, but did use decision counselling. It is concluded that this population is better supported with an intensified personal approach rather than through the currently available generic approach using websites.