Accessibility and usability of self-serve kiosks for blind and partially sighted Canadians

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Approximately 7.4% of Canadians over the age of 15 report being blind or partially sighted; this impacts their daily functioning in public spaces [1]. Technological advances have included the proliferation of self-serve kiosk in many consumer settings. However, absent from discussions of community accessibility is the experiences of Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. OBJECTIVE: To better understand the experiences of this population with self-serve kiosks. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to analyze survey data collected as part of a survey by Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) of people who are blind, Deafblind partially sighted about their use of self-serve kiosks. 731 participants were surveyed, representing a response rate of 3.5% across Canada. RESULTS: 64.14% of participants faced barriers in completing a task using self-serve technology. Human assistance was required to complete the tasks in most instances. 65.74% of participants reported they did not enjoy using self-serve kiosks and 60.90% of participants reported they would not continue to use self-serve kiosks in the future. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight a need to promote accessibility in the creation and implementation of self-serve kiosks in order to further their use and decrease exclusion of people who are blind and partially sighted.