Key Insights

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  Assistive technology users fall broadly into three groups: screen reader users, screen magnification users, and alternative navigation users.

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  Screen reader users often face the greatest usability challenges due to lack of backup navigation options.

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  Screen magnification tools sometimes incorporate screen reader features to reduce eye strain and aid users with partial vision loss.

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  Alternative navigation users leverage multiple input methods, including voice commands, head mice, and coordinate grids, to overcome interaction barriers.

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  Traditional usability labs are poorly suited for testing with assistive technology users because they use unfamiliar setups that aren't customized.

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  Remote usability testing better captures authentic user experiences by allowing assistive technology users to test in their optimized environments.

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  The original System Usability Scale (SUS) includes language and assumptions that are often unclear or irrelevant to assistive technology users.

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  Fable developed an Accessible Usability Scale (AUS), modifying SUS questions to focus on specific features and removing technical assumptions for better relevance.

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  Experience level with assistive technology and timing of disability onset deeply influence users’ mental models and usability perceptions.

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  Usability should be assessed on both accessibility and efficiency — a feature that takes much longer for assistive technology users to complete may be considered inaccessible.

Notable Quotes