A Study on Universal Design for Enhancing Information Accessibility of the Disabled

장애인의 정보 접근권 향상을 위한 보편적 설계에 관한 연구

The current study examines principles to develop universal design guidelines for manufacturing information and communication devices. The study surveyed inconveniences disabled people experience in the information and communication environment with current technology and design, and suggested abbreviated universal design guidelines. Design guidelines should reduce those inconveniences detected through the task analysis and GOMS modelling of the usage by disabled people. Design and functional features of mobile phones were examined since they quickly became essential communication tools for both disabled and non-disabled people alike. Design issues were examined in controls, input methods, and output methods in terms of human factors and ergonomics. It is expected that both governments and manufacturers can save costs to produce and manufacture special assistive devices for disabled people by implementing universal design in their communication products. Since it is becoming the international trend, application of the universal design should be enforced to all communication and information devices by government for the higher quality of life for all groups of user.