Evaluation of auditory representations for selected applications of a graphical user interface

Abstract

A survey with 50 blind and 100 sighted users included a questionnaire about their user habits during everyday use of personal computers. Based on their answers, the most important functions and applications were selected and results were compared. Special user habits and needs of blind users are highlighted. The second part of the investigation included collecting of auditory representations (auditory icons, spearcons etc.), mapping with visual information and evaluation with the target groups. Furthermore, a new design method for auditory events and class was introduced, the so called auditory emoticons. These use non-verbal human voice samples to represent additional emotional content. Blind and sighted users evaluated different auditory representations for the selected events, including Hungarian and German spearcons. Finally, an application can be created and sound samples can be implemented under JAWS or the Windows OS.