Det har sedan 2019 varit lagkrav att offentliga webbplatser i Sverige skall uppfylla viss nivå av digital tillgänglighet. När den här studien publiceras ska ytterligare EU-direktiv bli nationell lag, vilket kommer att innebära att även privata aktörer berörs av motsvarande krav, däribland banktjänster och e-handeln. Detta kommer att innebära ökade krav som leverantörer och deras utvecklare behöver kunna möta.  Målen med studien är att skapa en medvetenhet om digital tillgänglighet och tydliggöra, utifrån utvecklarens perspektiv, hur man arbetar för att uppnå denna grad av tillgänglighet och vad som behövs för att mer effektivt tillämpa digital tillgänglighet.  För att åstadkomma detta har en kvalitativ intervjustudie genomförts. Totalt åtta intervjuer har genomförts, som sedan har transkriberats och tematiserats i resultatavsnittet. En induktiv tematisk analys är genomförd utifrån forskningsfrågorna. Den jämför tidigare resultat mot utfall från undersökningen och visar tydligt på likheter men även skillnader och nya upptäckter. Av undersökningen framgår att utvecklare har tillgång till utvärderingsverktyg och riktlinjer som ger ett gott stöd i arbetet, men att ansvaret ofta ligger på enskilda utvecklare snarare än på verksamheten som helhet. Detta är en av de största utmaningarna, tillsammans med att det fortfarande utvecklas otillgängligt parallellt och att tidspress gör att tillgänglighet kan prioriteras ned. Respondenterna är dock överens om att det inte tar längre tid att utveckla tillgängligt än otillgängligt, förutsatt att det tas i beaktande från början. Framgångsfaktorer i arbetet är att sälja in tillgänglighet till kunden, att arbeta strukturerat med kunskapsdelning och att dokumentera lösningar för att spara tid. Utöver detta framgår att tillgänglighetsfrågan skulle vinna på att ägarskapet lyfts till en högre beslutsnivå och kompetensen breddas i leverantörens organisation, samt att utvecklare får tillgång till specialistkompetens och användartester som stöd i arbetet. En grundkunskap om tillgänglighet skulle kunna inkluderas i webbutvecklingsutbildningar i större utsträckning, och en utökning av lagkraven skulle kunna skapa ytterligare incitament hos kunden. / Since 2019, all public websites in Sweden are legally bound to meet a certain degree of digital accessibility. An additional EU directive is being transposed into national law at the time of publication of this thesis, which will impose corresponding requirements on part of the private sector, such as banking services and e-commerce. This will likely cause increased demand which suppliers of web development and, in turn, their developers must be able to meet.  The aims of this study are to create an increased awareness of digital accessibility as well as to clarify, from the developer’s perspective, how this degree of accessibility is achieved and what could make application of digital accessibility more efficient.  In order to achieve this, eight qualitative interviews were conducted, transcribed and thematized in the results section. An inductive thematic analysis has been carried out related to the research questions. It compares the results of previous studies with the outcomes from this study, and shows clear similarities but also differences and new discoveries.  The study shows that developers have access to evaluation tools and guidelines that provide good support in their work, but that the responsibility often lies with individual developers rather than with the business as a whole. This is one of the main challenges, together with the fact that inaccessible development is still being carried out in parallel, and that time pressure leads to deprioritization of accessibility. However, the respondents agree that it does not take any more time to develop accessible rather than inaccessible websites, provided that this is taken into account from the outset. Success factors for digital accessibility are to sell the idea to the customer, to work in a structured way with knowledge sharing and to document solutions in order to save time. In addition to this, it appears that the implementation of accessibility would benefit from the ownership being raised to a higher decision level and the competence being broadened in the supplier's organization, and that developers gain access to specialist competence and user tests to support their work. A basic knowledge of accessibility could be included in web development training to a greater extent, and an extension of the legal requirements could also create additional incentives for the customer.

The main purpose of this thesis is introducing and proposing perceived accessibility as an important and so far overseen complement to conventional, objective accessibility in sustainable transport. Perceived accessibility is defined as the possibilities and ease of engaging in preferred activities using different transport modes. Implications for sustainable transport planning along with possible social outcomes related to perceived accessibility are also discussed.   The thesis comprises two empirical studies. In Study I a psychometric measure (PAC) that captures perceived accessibility was developed and validated in three different datasets by exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. All data was collected in Karlstad, Sweden in 2013 and 2014 with a total of 750 participants (bus travelers). Perceived accessibility is suggested as a complement to objective accessibility by contributing with the traveler perspective.  Study II aimed at examining determinants of perceived accessibility focusing on service quality aspects, feelings of safety, age, and trip frequency. Study II used the same data as Study I in a conditional process model to look at the relations between perceived accessibility and its proposed determinants. Service quality and feelings of safety were found important predictors of perceived accessibility, and safety also explains part of the effect of quality on perceived accessibility. These relationships were not dependent on trip frequency (as in how often one travels by public transport). Age also predicted perceived accessibility, and a follow-up cluster analysis showed that elderly and people in their thirties experience significantly lower perceived accessibility than other age groups. / Denna licentiatuppsats behandlar upplevd tillgänglighet, det vill säga resenärsperspektivet på tillgänglighet, som ett viktigt komplement till konventionell (objektiv) tillgänglighet inom hållbart resande. Uppsatsen introducerar upplevd tillgänglighet och dess nytta och plats i forskningen samt implikationer för planering och utvärdering av hållbara transporter. Vidare behandlas påverkansfaktorer för upplevd tillgänglighet samt relaterade individuella utfall som subjektivt välbefinnande och social exkludering/inkludering utifrån teori och empiri.   Uppsatsen innefattar två empiriska studier. Studie I utvecklar och testar ett psykometriskt mätinstrument för upplevd tillgänglighet med data från tre enkät-tillfällen (n= 750) i Karlstad. Dataset 1 analyserades med explorativ faktoranalys för att få fram ett instrument som fångar upplevd tillgänglighet (PAC) och validerades därefter i två dataset. Studie II avsåg att undersöka vad som bidrar till upplevd tillgänglighet med fokus på kvalitetsattribut i resan (service quality), resenärens upplevda trygghet, samt ålder och resvana. Samma data som i studie I användes i en conditional process model för att undersöka sambanden, samt i en klusteranalys för att ytterligare undersöka skillnader i resultatet mellan olika grupper av resenärer. Resultatet visar att upplevd tillgänglighet kan ha betydelse som komplement till befintliga mätningar och utvärderingar av tillgänglighet genom att bidra med resenärsperspektivet. Ett antal påverkansfaktorer för upplevd tillgänglighet kan konstateras, däribland kvalitet samt resenärens upplevda känsla av trygghet. Betydelsen av kvalitet för tillgänglighet är densamma oavsett hur ofta man reser, däremot upplever de som reser ofta en signifikant högre tillgänglighet än de som reser sällan. Äldre resenärer och resenärer i 30-årsåldern påvisar signifikant lägre upplevd tillgänglighet. / This thesis proposes perceived accessibility as a complement to conventional accessibility in sustainable transport planning and evaluation. Perceived accessibility is defined as the possibilities and ease of engaging in preferred activities using different transport modes and captures the traveller experience and perspective of accessibility. The thesis introduces an instrument for measuring perceived accessibility (PAC) along with determinants for perceived accessibility, such as feelings of safety, age, and perceived quality. Related social outcomes such as social inclusion and subjective well-being are discussed, along with possible implications for transport planning and suggestions for future research.

Due to the increasing prevalence of laws, standards, and ethical discussions about web accessibility, developing websites and apps that are usable to everyone—regardless of disability and impairment—is more important than ever. In spite of this, most of the web is still inaccessible and accessibility is commonly treated as an afterthought. The aim of this thesis is to investigate how to implement web accessibility as a cornerstone of software development processes, and more specifically what motivates accessibility adoption and how to implement it successfully. The main part of the research consists of an extensive analysis of the literature to identify common themes. Although legislation and financial concerns play a role in why organizations adopt accessibility, the most frequently cited factors are social and ethical aspects as well as reaching a wider audience. The success of accessibility implementation is largely dependent on how knowledge is created, maintained, and disseminated in organizations. Prioritizing it and integrating it as much as any other basic requirement is also a key to success. Moreover, WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the recommended accessibility standard and compliance level, as informed by a law review and insights from literature. In addition, semi-structured interviews and a workshop were conducted with participants across three projects of a Swedish IT company with the aim of applying the findings in a real-life context and bringing about change in the organization. Final suggestions were based on the thematic analysis, and adapted to the case company through the insights from interviews and the workshop, as well as process documentation and corporate policies. Although not generalizable to all organizations, the suggestions provide understanding of enterprises sharing the case company's characteristics. Furthermore, the thematic analysis and law review have relevance for all types of private organizations.

The internet is becoming the primary channel for many daily tasks, services and necessities. The information and services available on the internet should be accessible to everyone, especially when the only channel available is the internet. For the visually impaired the internet can be a great asset, but also an impossible barrier depending on how the website has been implemented. The goal of this paper was to explore why accessibility for the visually impaired on the internet is not more widespread, and what factors affect the creation of visually accessible websites. Through creating an evaluation method and assessing it, along with end-user as well as developer interviews and feedback we find indicators that the root cause of the issue is multi-factored. Education, resources and directive from clients and superiors seem to be the major culprits.

There are multiple laws to consider during reconstructions. In practice, some of these laws are challenging to combine, which inevitably sometimes leads to deviation. BBR 29 and PBL (2010:900) requires accessibility adaptation during reconstructions and that some exceptions are allowed during specific circumstances. The purpose of this paper is to examine accessibility adaptation throughout Boverket’s building process and the priorities made when conflicting regulations give contrary outcomes. What are the challenges and what exceptions to the rules are acceptable? More precisely, this paper will examine accessibility adaptation of culturally valued buildings, since it is not unusual that these laws collide. The study includes a literature study, qualitative interviews and a case study. Based on the data, it is clear that each project is unique and has individual characteristics and challenges. Thus, it is not possible to draw general conclusions. However, the practical examples emerging in the data, as well as the case study, indicate some patterns. The majority of the accessibility adaptation is done during the third stage of the building process. Many deviations are necessary due to discovering challenges too late or due to unforeseen practical implications during the development of accessibility solutions. If experts are involved earlier, as well as continuously consulting during the entire process, less deviations could be necessary. This is supported by the case study where an expert was included much earlier, before final decisions on accessibility solutions were made, and the collaboration continued throughout the full project. The constant access to expertise and added time for accessibility solutions, resulted in creative solutions in favor of accessibility adaptation. Few deviations were made. The study indicates that when buildings with a cultural value must be protected, it often makes it difficult for accessibility adaptation in practice. In these cases, the deviation is more often made from accessibility rather than cultural value preservation. / Det finns flera styrande lagkrav vid en ombyggnation. Dock kan det hända att tillämpningen av vissa lagkrav i praktiken är utmanande att kombinera vilket kan leda till att avsteg måste göras. BBR 29 och PBL (2010:900) är exempel på lagar och föreskrifter som ställer krav på tillgänglighetsanpassning vid ombyggnation och det får endast göras avsteg från dessa under vissa omständigheter. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur tillgänglighetskraven värderas i byggprocessen mot andra lagkrav, där de båda ger motstridiga utfall för att kunna ta reda på vilket som prioriteras och vilket som görs avsteg ifrån. Mer specifikt har det för studien valts att undersöka hur tillgänglighetsarbetet går till i byggprocessen vid en ombyggnation av en kulturmärkt byggnad. Studien avgränsas till Skåne och funktionsnedsättning i form av nedsatt rörelseförmåga då detta kräver en större insats för byggnadstekniska lösningar. Frågeställningarna är formulerade för att ta reda på hur tillgänglighetsarbetet går till vid en ombyggnation av en kulturmärkt byggnad då två områdens lagkrav ska kombineras. Det undersöks hur tillgänglighetsarbetet i byggprocessens olika skeden utförs, vilka de vanligaste utmaningarna är och hur de hanteras samt vilka som är de mest förekommande avstegen. Studien genomförs med hjälp av litteraturstudier inom området för tillgänglighet, kvalitativa intervjuer med sakkunniga TIL samt en deskriptiv fallstudie av ombyggnationen av det Gamla polishuset på Davidshall i Malmö. Av insamlad data framgår det att tillgänglighetsarbetet är unikt och individuellt för varje projekt, därav är det inte möjligt att göra generella slutsatser. Praktiska exempel från intervjuerna samt fallstudien tyder dock på några samband. Merparten av tillgänglighetsarbetet sker under projekteringsskedet i byggprocessen. Utmaningarna varierar beroende på projektets karaktär och många avsteg förekommer då utmaningarna upptäcks för sent eller för att tillgänglighetsanpassningar i praktiken stött på oförutsedda hinder. Att koppla in sakkunnig TIL i ett tidigt skede, samt utöka deras involverande kontinuerligt genom byggprocessen, skulle kunna minska avstegen från tillgänglighet som behöver göras. Detta framgår också i fallstudien där sakkunnig TIL har varit inkopplad från början i projekteringsskedet vid framtagandet av system- och bygglovshandlingar. Kommunikation mellan sakkunnig TIL och antikvarie har löpt parallellt genom projekteringen samt produktionen i fallstudien. Detta har i sin tur resulterat i att det funnits tid och kunskap till att hitta kreativa lösningar som är till fördel för tillgängligheten och att få avsteg har gjorts vid ombyggnationen. Med bra planering, kreativitet och samarbete kan utmaningar och avsteg från tillgängligheten minskas och fler lösningar hittas. Studien tyder på att när det finns ett förvanskningsförbud som gör att tillgänglighetsanpassning rent praktiskt inte är möjligt att genomföra, görs avsteg från tillgängligheten snarare än från kulturvärdet. Det är vidare fortfarande otydligt hur och vilka avsteg som får göras i praktiken. En stor del av beslutet om vilka lagkrav som avsteg görs från är upp till beslutande myndighet, där det beror på var och utav vem beslutet tas. Utöver att tydlighet i tillgänglighetsarbetet i byggprocessen kan minska behovet av att göra avsteg, kan en tydligare prioriteringsordning mellan lagkraven underlätta det praktiska arbetet.

Accessible web interfaces are crucial for the inclusion and independence of all groups in society. Cognitive accessibility aims to make content more accessible for individuals with cognitive disabilities, such as people with learning disabilities (e.g. dyslexia, dysgraphia) and age-related disabilities (e.g. dementia, Alzheimer's disease). It is hard to tell exactly how many people are affected by barriers on the web due to inaccessibility, however, cognitive accessibility is affecting all users on the web to some extent. With an overrepresentation in accessibility research regarding sensory disabilities such as visual or hearing impairments, there is a need for further research on cognitive disabilities. Moreover, there is a lack of research in specific sectors (e.g., commerce, health), solutions anchored in real-world experiences affecting people with cognitive disabilities (PwCDs) and inclusion of PwCDs in the design process for web accessibility. As a contribution, this study aims to investigate the cognitive accessibility in the checkout part of e-commerce websites, adopting a form of a participative design approach. As such, a prototype of a fictive e-commerce website adopting cognitive accessibility was designed along with a counterexample prototype. The prototypes were presented to the target audience in an interaction study, featuring several tasks to evaluate the prototypes. The results showed that the prototype adopting cognitive accessibility was favoured by the users, based on the findings from the collected data. This study concludes that adopting cognitive accessibility to a web interface of the checkout on an e-commerce website is beneficial and perceived as easier to use.

This study aimed to investigate the needs and challenges faced by visually impairedindividuals when using the internet and assess the compatibility of the challengesthey face with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0). By exam-ining these aspects, through analysis of existing literature, surveys and interview.The study sought to gain insights into the difficulties experienced by the visuallyimpaired community and provide recommendations for improving web accessibilityand contribute to the development of more accessible and user-friendly web content.This, in turn, can improve the quality of life for individuals with visual impairmentsand promote their active involvement in social, economic, and cultural activities.The study findings indicate common obstacles faced by individuals with visual im-pairments when accessing the internet, including difficulties in reading text, limitedcustomization options, insufficient color contrast, poorly structured content, inacces-sible forms or inputs, challenges in identifying images or icons, navigating web pages,and completing forms.Individuals with visual impairments have unique requirements when using theinternet, such as the use of assistive technologies and alternative text descriptions.However, they encounter various obstacles that hinder their access and engagementwith digital content and services.Although WCAG 2.0 serves as a foundationalframework for web accessibility, there is still room for improvement in terms ofawareness, implementation, and testing. Further efforts are necessary to enhanceinternet accessibility for individuals with visual impairments, facilitating their fullparticipation in social, economic, and cultural activities.

The aim of this thesis is to analyze the factors that affect the accessibility of scientific data and results at the Luleå University of Technology (LTU). This work also attempts to improve the accessibility of scientific data at LTU. To this end, first, accessibility is measured by a questionnaire and compared with some theory in the field and certain main factors for a satisfactory accessibility.Second, a survey is given about the causes and factors for better accessibility in accordance with standards and theory. Considering the expectations of students and staff, who are the first users of scientific data as a part of their studies and research, following some frameworks and standards certainly is necessary.Furthermore, the thesis contains a study to find out any plan to save and preserve some related metadata of scientific data. This is another scope of this thesis that can increase access for users for a long time. This research figures out some standards and frameworks according to reliable previous research by other authors. If these are adopted by the university, accessibility of scientific data will be obtained without the problems that users mention in the questionnaire. / <p>Validerat; 20140210 (global_studentproject_submitter)</p>

Was bedeutet Barrierefreiheit im Internet? Welche Elemente auf einer Website werden zur Barriere für Menschen mit Sehbehinderungen oder Blindheit? Was sind Barrieren für gehörlose Menschen und was sind Barrieren für körperlich eingeschränkte Menschen? Und wie können diese Barrieren erkannt und abgebaut werden? Welche Lösungsmöglichkeiten gibt es und mit welchem Aufwand sind diese umzusetzen? Die Arbeit zeigt am Beispiel einer Plattform für Studierende mit Behinderungen an der TU Dresden Barrieren im täglichen Umgang mit elektronischen Dienstleistungen für betroffene Nutzer auf. Dafür wird die Anwendung verschiedener anerkannter Evaluationsmethoden am Praxisobjekt demonstriert und mit echten Nutzer-Interviews ergänzt. Auf der Grundlage der erhobenen Daten wird das der Plattform zugrundeliegende Kontextszenario qualifiziert und erweitert und ein Redesign durchgeführt. Die erfolgreiche Anwendung und Umsetzung der Richtlinien für Barrierefreiheit und Gebrauchstauglichkeit wird anschließend dokumentiert und demonstriert.

Today, the internet connects 66.2% of the world’s population online. Accessibility to digital information is crucial for social inclusion and equal opportunities. In this respect, it is considered to be a fundamental human right. However, most websites contain accessibility errors, creating a significant barrier for users with impairments. Accessibility overlays have emerged as potential solutions to enhance web accessibility. They often appear on a website as a toolbar or widget and allow users to customise their browsing experience by offering various adjustments, such as changes to font size, colour contrast, and text-to-speech functionalities via a button click. Some accessibility overlays use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to identify and automatically correct accessibility errors in website code. However, despite their intended benefits and rapid market growth, accessibility overlays face significant criticism within the accessibility community due to concerns about their effectiveness and whether they meet the needs of the intended user group.  This thesis investigates the impact of accessibility overlays on the usability and user experience (UX) for individuals with permanent visual impairments, thereby addressing a gap in academic research. Given the rise in visual impairments due to population growth and ageing, this focus is relevant and timely. The conducted research involved an evaluation study that comprised two parts: a technical evaluation of accessibility overlays against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 standard, and a user study that assessed the usability and UX of 21 individuals with permanent visual impairments when interacting with websites that employ an accessibility overlay. Furthermore, interviews with two accessibility consultants and two accessibility overlay company representatives provided supplementary information to the discussion.  The research shows that accessibility overlays, in their current form, do not effectively improve the usability or UX for individuals with permanent visual impairments. Although there is a slight improvement when users are unaware of the overlay’s presence, overall, UX and usability are considered marginal at best and deteriorate upon recognition and interaction with an accessibility overlay. Furthermore, the research displays that accessibility overlays in their current form cannot meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards. The study also finds that users with permanent visual impairments are generally hesitant to engage with accessibility overlays and prefer to rely on their existing access technologies. However, they are willing to use accessibility overlays under improved conditions, which are discussed in the thesis. The empirical knowledge gained guides future technology, designs, policies, and research to create a more inclusive digital world. / Heutzutage sind 66,2% der Weltbevölkerung über das Internet miteinander verbunden. Der Zugang zu digitalen Informationen ist ein fundamentales Menschenrecht, das soziale Inklusion und Chancengleichheit fördert. Jedoch weisen die meisten Webseiten Barrierefreiheitsfehler auf, die für Nutzer*innen mit Beeinträchtigungen eine erhebliche Hürde darstellen. Als potenzielle Lösungen für verbesserte Zugänglichkeit sind sogenannte "Accessibility Overlays" entstanden. Sie werden oft als Symbolleiste oder Widget auf einer Webseite angezeigt und ermöglichen es Nutzer*innen, ihr Navigationserlebnis durch verschiedene Anpassungen, wie zum Beispiel Änderungen der Schriftgröße oder des Farbkontrastes, per Mausklick, anzupassen. Einige Overlays nutzen außerdem Künstliche Intelligenz (KI), um Barrierefreiheitsfehler im Webseiten-Code zu erkennen und automatisch zu korrigieren. Obwohl Accessibility Overlays Barrierefreiheit und Zugänglichkeit beabsichtigen, werden sie von Teilen der Barrierefreiheits-Community aufgrund von Bedenken hinsichtlich ihrer Effektivität und Zielsetzung stark kritisiert.  Diese Masterarbeit untersucht die Auswirkungen von Accessibility-Overlays auf die Benutzungsfreundlichkeit und Nutzungserfahrung von Menschen mit dauerhafter Sehbeeinträchtigung. Die Arbeit adressiert damit eine existierende Lücke in der akademischen Forschung. Da etwa 4,3% der Weltbevölkerung eine visuelle Beeinträchtigung haben und diese Zahl aufgrund von Bevölkerungswachstum und -alterung weiter ansteigt, ist dieser Schwerpunkt relevant und zeitgemäß. Die durchgeführte Forschung umfasst eine Evaluierungsstudie, die in zwei Teile gegliedert ist: eine technische Evaluierung von Accessibility-Overlays anhand der Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 und eine Nutzer*innen-Studie, die Benutzungsfreundlichkeit und Nutzungserfahrung von 21 Personen mit dauerhaften Sehbeeinträchtigungen bei der Interaktion mit Webseiten, die ein Accessibility Overlay integriert haben, bewertet. Zusätzlich liefern Interviews mit zwei Berater*innen für Barrierefreiheit und zwei Unternehmensvertretern von Accessibility Overlays einen ergänzenden Beitrag zur Diskussion.  Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Accessibility Overlays in ihrer derzeitigen Form die Benutzungsfreundlichkeit und Nutzungserfahrung für Personen mit dauerhaften Sehbeeinträchtigungen nicht signifikant verbessern. Obwohl eine leichte Verbesserung eintritt, wenn Benutzer*innen sich der Existenz eines Overlays nicht bewusst sind, wird die Nutzungserfahrung und Benutzungsfreundlichkeit insgesamt bestenfalls als marginal angesehen und verschlechtert sich, sobald ein Overlay erkannt und damit interagiert wird. Darüber hinaus zeigt die Forschung, dass Accessibility Overlays die WCAG 2.1 AA-Standards aktuell nicht erfüllen können. Die Studie kommt auch zu dem Ergebnis, dass Nutzer*innen generell zögern, sich auf Accessibility Overlays einzulassen und es vorziehen, sich auf ihre vorhandenen Zugangstechnologien zu verlassen. Allerdings sind die Nutzer*innen bereit, eine potenziell verbesserte Version von Accessibility Overlays zu nutzen, wie sie in dieser Masterarbeit abschließend diskutiert wird. Das gewonnene empirische Wissen dient als Orientierungshilfe für zukünftige Technologien, Designs, Richtlinien und Forschungsarbeiten, die darauf abzielen, eine inklusivere digitale Welt zu kreieren. / <p>This thesis was also submitted to the Master degree program MultiMediaTechnology at the Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, in fulfilment of the requirements for the double degree program with Halmstad University. </p>