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This paper describes a new algorithm for the automatic detection and tagging of paragraphs in PDF documents. This is an important feature of the PDF Accessibility Validation Engine (PAVE), which is an open-source web application for the analysis and semi-automatic correction of accessibility issues in PDF documents. The tool is currently used by a large number of users, and their feedback is collected and evaluated. The evaluation so far revealed some major usability issues mainly due to the missing paragraph detection functionality. After an introduction in PDF accessibility this paper discusses the current usability issues with PAVE and describes the newly proposed algorithm to alleviate them. A first evaluation and conclusion of the results will be provided in the final paper.

This short paper presents and summarizes six Special Thematic Session (STS) papers discussing accessibility and usability aspects related to the Internet of Things for elderly and disabled people. The papers include case studies, the development of new prototypes, devices and services, as well as end user-interviews and end-user questionnaires on useability. Primary target users include elderly persons, persons with mobility impairments, persons with visual impairments, persons with hearing impairments, and persons with cognitive impairments.

This paper presents a vision for personalized accessible routing for people with mobility impairments and discusses which accessibility information is needed to realize this vision, such as curb cuts, inclination, path width, and additional information about various barriers. In a case study for the city of zurich, the paper first analyses how much of this accessibility information is available and in what quality in OpenStreetMap (OSM), and then investigates different approaches for collecting the missing accessibility data. This accessibility data can be used to implement novel routing apps for pedestrians with mobility impairments and can support city planners in considering future measures to improve urban accessibility. The main questions of this research are: What accessibility information is needed to allow for a personalized accessible routing? How can the missing accessibility data be collected efficiently? We suggest a methodology consisting of a combination of automated, semi-automated, crowd-based, and onsite data collection.

Open Educational Resources (OERs) have been widely promoted in the higher education community in recent years. However, the accessibility of OERs for people with disabilities has received relatively little attention. This paper presents the results of interviews carried out with people at higher education institutions worldwide who are involved in the creation and implementation of OERs. The goal is to gauge the awareness of accessibility issues in OERs. This paper raises the following research questions: How much do OER creators know about accessibility? What measures are needed to ensure accessibility in OERs? Results suggest that OER creators are aware about some issues around accessibility, but they still need further training on how to solve them. OER creators lack time, skills, and awareness to create accessible OERs. Support from specialists and colleagues and hands-on trainings can help cope with these challenges.

This short paper presents and summarizes six Special Thematic Session (STS) papers discussing accessibility and usability aspects related to the Internet of Things for elderly and disabled people. The papers include case studies, the development of new prototypes, devices and services, as well as end user-interviews and end-user questionnaires on useability. Primary target users include elderly persons, persons with mobility impairments, persons with visual impairments, persons with hearing impairments, and persons with cognitive impairments.

Open Educational Resources (OERs) have been widely promoted in the higher education community in recent years. However, the accessibility of OERs for people with disabilities has received relatively little attention. This paper presents the results of interviews carried out with people at higher education institutions worldwide who are involved in the creation and implementation of OERs. The goal is to gauge the awareness of accessibility issues in OERs. This paper raises the following research questions: How much do OER creators know about accessibility? What measures are needed to ensure accessibility in OERs? Results suggest that OER creators are aware about some issues around accessibility, but they still need further training on how to solve them. OER creators lack time, skills, and awareness to create accessible OERs. Support from specialists and colleagues and hands-on trainings can help cope with these challenges.

This paper presents a vision for personalized accessible routing for people with mobility impairments and discusses which accessibility information is needed to realize this vision, such as curb cuts, inclination, path width, and additional information about various barriers. In a case study for the city of zurich, the paper first analyses how much of this accessibility information is available and in what quality in OpenStreetMap (OSM), and then investigates different approaches for collecting the missing accessibility data. This accessibility data can be used to implement novel routing apps for pedestrians with mobility impairments and can support city planners in considering future measures to improve urban accessibility. The main questions of this research are: What accessibility information is needed to allow for a personalized accessible routing? How can the missing accessibility data be collected efficiently? We suggest a methodology consisting of a combination of automated, semi-automated, crowd-based, and onsite data collection.

This paper describes an interaction concept for persons with visual impairments to explore digital maps. Mobile map applications like Google Maps have become an important instrument for navigation and exploration. However, existing map applications are highly visually oriented, making them inaccessible to users with visual impairments. This ongoing research project aims to develop an accessible digital map application in which information is presented in a nonvisual way. Analysis of existing market solutions shows that information retention is highest when a combination of different output modalities is used. As a result, a prototype app has been created using three major non-visual modalities: Voice output (speech synthesis), everyday sounds (e.g. car traffic), and vibration feedback. User tests were performed, and based on the test results, the Touch Explorer app was developed. Initial usability tests are described in this paper.

This paper describes an interaction concept for persons with visual impairments to explore digital maps. Mobile map applications like Google Maps have become an important instrument for navigation and exploration. However, existing map applications are highly visually oriented, making them inaccessible to users with visual impairments. This ongoing research project aims to develop an accessible digital map application in which information is presented in a nonvisual way. Analysis of existing market solutions shows that information retention is highest when a combination of different output modalities is used. As a result, a prototype app has been created using three major non-visual modalities: Voice output (speech synthesis), everyday sounds (e.g. car traffic), and vibration feedback. User tests were performed, and based on the test results, the Touch Explorer app was developed. Initial usability tests are described in this paper.

This paper presents a flexible software architecture concept that allows the automatic generation of fully accessible PDF documents originating from various authoring tools such as Adobe InDesign or Microsoft Word. The architecture can be extended to include any authoring tools capable of creating PDF documents. For each authoring tool, a software accessibility plug-in must be implemented which analyzes the logical structure of the document and creates an XML representation of it. This XML file is used in combination with an untagged non-accessible PDF to create an accessible PDF version of the document. The implemented accessibility plug-in prototype allows authors of documents to check for accessibility issues while creating their documents and add the additional semantic information needed to generate a fully accessible PDF document.

This paper describes the PMA research project in progress, whose aim is to develop a concept for personalized mobile route guidance and information for air passengers with disabilities (PWDs), and to implement this concept step by step. The PMA guides PWDs along their route from home to the desired departure gate (or vice-versa: from landing to destination), and provides them with information - as and when they need it - on their current position and remaining travel route, together with the latest flight information (e.g. delays or gate changes). This project mainly focuses on in-house guidance within the airport for passengers with visual disabilities. The concept is based on normal commercial mobile devices (cell phones or PDAs) with cameras. Within this project, the implementation of the concept is also restricted to the airport area, but is easily extendable to other public transport facilities.

This paper presents a flexible software architecture concept that allows the automatic generation of fully accessible PDF documents originating from various authoring tools such as Adobe InDesign or Microsoft Word. The architecture can be extended to include any authoring tools capable of creating PDF documents. For each authoring tool, a software accessibility plug-in must be implemented which analyzes the logical structure of the document and creates an XML representation of it. This XML file is used in combination with an untagged non-accessible PDF to create an accessible PDF version of the document. The implemented accessibility plug-in prototype allows authors of documents to check for accessibility issues while creating their documents and add the additional semantic information needed to generate a fully accessible PDF document.

This paper describes the PMA research project in progress, whose aim is to develop a concept for personalized mobile route guidance and information for air passengers with disabilities (PWDs), and to implement this concept step by step. The PMA guides PWDs along their route from home to the desired departure gate (or vice-versa: from landing to destination), and provides them with information - as and when they need it - on their current position and remaining travel route, together with the latest flight information (e.g. delays or gate changes). This project mainly focuses on in-house guidance within the airport for passengers with visual disabilities. The concept is based on normal commercial mobile devices (cell phones or PDAs) with cameras. Within this project, the implementation of the concept is also restricted to the airport area, but is easily extendable to other public transport facilities.