Looking into the accessibility-realted problems for the disabled, and thus providing solutions and platforms to deal with such problems; we aim to create a safe and convinient environment for the disabled to use social media just like others do, for this is what they should have been doing.
Project Title
Discovering Social Media Accessibility-- Does the disabled gain access to social media with ease?
(1) Topic of study
We aim to look into the overall accessibility of social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, specifically for the disabled, who are less capable when it comes to using technologies. From early researches, we the disabled face serious problem when it comes to using social media. Not only are they ignored on social media, they also face deliberate bullying and humiliation online. Worse still, due to various difficulties in using social media sites, they cannot really gather a force that can voice out their concerns to the public.
(2) What makes us different?
We're certainly not the first to look into accessibility problems of disabled, yet there is one distinct point that make us different: while a lot of solutions are based off the use of improved and newer assistive technologies or the formation of a new social media site, we aim to improve the social media sites itself. In our proposal, we hope to include a sub-network that is linked to main social media sites.
The advantages of setting up sub-networks under main sites over the aforementioned solutions is that it does not require much new innovations in terms of technologies, thus it can be much less costly, which under the laws of demand and supply, means that it would be much more widespread among the disabled, and more people can enjoy the benefits. Also, since it is under large social media sites, it can easily gather people under one net, instead of starting from scratch, which the site need to increase its brand name step by step, making the process of uniting the disabled(and people who are concerned about helping the disabled) much slower.
(3) Who gains?
The disabled: They can use social media much more easily and conveniently under our proposed sub-network, and they can group together to meet new friends, expand social circles and most important of all, fight against online bullying through social support and join forces to voice out their opinions.
Firms: Through opening up a new branch to serve the disabled, they open up new opportunities for commercial gains.
(4) Implement Strategies-- a 3-step approach
(4.1) AccessKit: responsible for blending and applying existing technologies to tailor the needs of disabled users
(4.2) Semantics artificial intelligence: responsible for eliminating intentional personal assault to the disabled
(4.3) A-network: a sub-network under the brand of main social media sites, which A stands for accessible; it is specifically for the disabled to gather them together
(5) Format
Ideally, it would appear as both webpage and app, which allows usage for both computer users and mobile users.
(6) Notable features
(6.1) Assistive techs: the use of simple assistive technologies like reading out words displayed on screen and enlarging words
(6.2) Bully-free environment: through the use of semantics AI, verbal bullying can be minimized
(6.3) Bonding environment: gathered with people concerned with accessibility problems for the disabled, the overall atmostphere could be extremely supportive