August 26, 2015 ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Joe Humbert M.Ed., ATACP Assistive Technology Specialist UITS Adaptive Technology Center

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation What will I cover? Background information –ATHEN’s iTunes U Accessibility Working Group –Podcasting –iTunes software / iTunes U Survey Results –Statistics –Comments What has happen since? –iTunes Updates –New iPod –NFB/ State of Massachusetts Agreement –What we plan to do now Links Questions / Contact

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation ATHEN’s iTunes U Accessibility Working Group Formed at CSUN Technology and Persons with Disabilities conference in 2007 Created to document problems with iTunes software because of the upcoming release of iTunes U (“iTunes University”) system for universities and colleges to distribute podcasts. Initially the group was going to draft a letter to Apple. Added to focus after a few meetings to include –Letter to Apple from major universities using iTunes U –Best practices for creating accessible podcasts –Eventually decided to do a survey to record actual user issues.

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Podcasting A series of audio or video digital-media files which is distributed over the Internet by syndicated download, through Web feeds, to portable media players and personal computers. A podcast is distinguished from other digital-media formats by its ability to be syndicated, subscribed to, and downloaded automatically when new content is added. The term “podcasting” was first used by Ben Hammersley in the article “Audible Revolution” Originally a mash up of “iPod” and “Broadcasting,” it has since be redefined to mean “ Personal On Demand broadCASTING”

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation iTunes / iTunes U iTunes –Is a proprietary digital media player application, introduced by Apple Inc. on January 9, 2001, at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco. The application is used for playing and organizing digital music and video files. –Current Version is iTunes 8 iTunes U –iTunes U was announced at Cupertino, California on May 30, –Started our a beta program at Stanford. –iTunes U features free content such as course lectures, language lessons, lab demonstrations, sports highlights and campus tours provided by many top colleges and universities from the US, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand.

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Survey Results: Statistics General –Overall –Sensory / Mobility limitation –Assistive Technology (AT) –Participant’s Role –Operating System (OS) –iTunes Version –Script Usage Question by Question –Effectiveness –Efficiency –Satisfaction Summary statistics

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation General: Overall 27 survey participants A handful submitted partial survey Multiple Operating Systems Multiple limitations –No Hearing Impaired –Only 1 with Cognitive Processing Limitation Multiple types of AT used –Screen Reader, Screen Magnifier, Dragon NaturallySpeaking, head mouse, Braille display Few participants use 3 rd party scripts for AT Not Statistically Significant, but gives overview of problems Comments tell the real Story

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation General: Sensory/ Mobility Limitation Do you have a sensory / mobility limitation?

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation General: Sensory/ Mobility Limitation Sensory / mobility limitations you will be testing for:

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation General: Assistive Technology Assistive Technology Used for Testing :

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation General: Assistive Technology Since “Screen Readers” were the biggest AT here is a further break down of which Screen readers were used.

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation General: Participant’s Role Are they student, faculty, staff, professional:

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation General: Participant’s Role Since the highest response was “other” here is a further breakdown:

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation General: Operating System What OS do you use:

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation General: Version of iTunes What version of iTunes do you use:

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation General: Version of iTunes Break down by OS:

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation General: Script Usage Do you use third party scripts (i.e. jTunes) with your Assistive Technology :

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Question by Question break down Each question was Evaluated in three categories –Effectiveness – can you perform the task? (Example; task can be performed using a keyboard) Efficiency –Efficiency – how easily can you perform the task? (Example: "It takes 16 tab keystrokes to perform the task" or "there is an keyboard shortcut to perform the task") –Satisfaction – your subjective opinion of how easily you could perform the task We decide on a Likert Scale –1 – 5 (1 being lowest and 5 being highest) –N/A (Not Applicable) was also an option, but excluded from statistics –Graphs separate into two categories 1-3 (low scores) and 4-5 (high scores) and by OS Each question also include a section for comments I will give an overview of the general trend. Full statistics and materials are available on request.

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Question by Question: Playlist Can you select items from the Playlist? –Effectiveness

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Question by Question: Playlist Can you select items from the Playlist? –Efficiency

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Question by Question: Playlist Can you select items from the Playlist? –Satisfaction

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Question by Question: Store Can you subscribe to a podcast? –Effectiveness

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Question by Question: Store Can you select items from the Playlist? –Efficiency

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Question by Question: Store Can you subscribe to a podcast? –Satisfaction

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Summary Statistics Overall Scores –Help –Search –Store –iTunes in General Average scores broken down by iTunes version –Store –iTunes

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Overall Scores: Help Effectiveness

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Overall Scores: Search Effectiveness

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Overall Scores: Store Effectiveness

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Overall Scores: iTunes Effectiveness

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Overall Scores: Help Efficiency

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Overall Scores: Search Efficiency

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Overall Scores: Store Efficiency

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Overall Scores: iTunes Efficiency

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Overall Scores: Help Satisfaction

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Overall Scores: Search Satisfaction

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Overall Scores: Store Satisfaction

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Overall Scores: iTunes Satisfaction

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Average Scores by Version: Store All recorded iTunes Versions

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Average Scores by Version: Store iTunes 7 versus iTunes 8 * One 1 participant used iTunes 8

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Average Scores by Version: iTunes All recorded iTunes Versions

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Average Scores by Version: iTunes iTunes 7 versus iTunes 8 * One 1 participant used iTunes 8

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Survey Comments Select comments from multiple survey questions –“The search field is accessible. However, the results field where albums are shown is not.” –In response to the library selection question, “Requires reading the screen with the JAWS cursor and right clicking on the file. Can not access the iTunes screen with the PC Cursor, and navigating with the JAWS cursor can be cumbersome and is far less satisfactory.” –“Cannot access the menus with Dragon NaturallySpeaking version 9”

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Survey Comments (Cont) Select comments from multiple survey questions –“Can only purchase one track, entire albums can not be purchased by a blind person using the keyboard from within the store.” –“I really think this [software] is extremely inaccessible to the blind and very ineffective to the blind and needs to be made widely highly accessible.” –“It's appalling that a web store should be so inaccessible.” –“iTunes needs to be designed with accessibility as a starting point. Inaccessibility is bad design, and that apple should be known for their design flare is ridiculous.”

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation What has happened since? iTunes Updates –Apple released version 8 –Major accessibility upgrades Mac –iTunes 8 works in conjunction with VoiceOver to provide full keyboard control and spoken audio descriptions. –Also works with other built in Assistive Technology on Mac OS X. Windows –Thanks to its support for Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA), iTunes 8 for Windows can also be used with screen readers for Windows Apple recommend’s Voiceover for Mac OS and Window- Eyes 7 on Windows * All according to Apple. Not yet verified independently

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation What has happened since? iTunes Updates (Continued) –Major accessibility upgrades iTunes Store –With iTunes 8, you can use a screen reader to browse the iTunes Store and shop for music, movies, TV shows, audiobooks, free podcasts, and other content. –And since even the sign-up process is now accessible, you can create an iTunes account without sighted assistance. –To make browsing with a screen reader easier, the iTunes Store uses headers, links, and form controls, terms and landmarks you’ve already become accustomed to while browsing web pages. iTunes U –iTunes U also features enhanced accessibility for those using screen readers. * All according to Apple. Not yet verified independently

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation What has happened since? New iPod –iPod Nano (4 th Generation) –Spoken Menus+ Names of Menus Songs Artists Availability –Enabled only on 4 th generation Nano not backwards compatible –Required iTunes 8 –Can be toggled on and off –Adjustable Font Size Standard Large

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation What has happened since? NFB / Commonwealth of Massachusetts –Agreement with Apple to make iTunes software suite more/ fully accessible –iTunes U should be fully accessible by December 31 st, 2008 – Apple will ensure the full accessibility of the iTunes software and the rest of the iTunes Store to blind people using both Mac and Windows operating systems by June 30, 2009 –Will work with Massachusetts Attorney General and NFB to maintain Accessibility of iTunes over the next three years –Apple agreed to give $250,000 to the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation What has happened since? What we plan to do now –Continue Evaluate the accessibility of iTunes and iPods/ iPhones and validate Apple’s Accessibility claims. Possibly relaunch survey specifically for iTunes 8 –Continue working on accessible podcasting best practices. How you can help –Join the working group. –Link is in links slide or through ATHEN wiki

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Links

August 26, 2015ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation Questions / Contact Questions? Link to download survey results – –Includes Survey data in excel format Survey data in SPSS format Sample outputs from SPSS Copy of survey (HTML) Result graphs for all question (DOC) Contact –Joe Humbert –