A Missouri doctoral student, Emma Nicoson, is working to make fashion websites more accessible to people who are blind or with low vision. Nicoson’s research focuses on coding websites to be more accessible and developing more inclusive language to describe apparel online.
People who are blind or with low vision often face barriers when shopping online for clothes. Websites can be poorly designed, making it difficult for them to navigate and find products. Even if a website is accessible, it may not be usable for people who can’t see it. Issues such as pop-ups, poor text-to-voice coding, and unclear product descriptions can make online shopping a frustrating experience.
Nicoson’s research aims to address these issues by developing more accessible online platforms. She believes that by working together with the blind community, designers can gain valuable insights into the challenges they face and create more accessible websites. Nicoson’s goal is to create a base formula for websites that can be adopted to make online platforms more accessible.
Current fashion websites often have several issues that make them difficult for people who are blind or with low vision to use. These include poor text-to-voice coding, which can make it hard for screen readers to accurately convey information. Additionally, product descriptions can be unclear, with terms like “sky blue” or “black rinse” being confusing for people who don’t have a visual reference point. Furthermore, pop-ups and other navigation issues can also cause problems, making it difficult for users to find what they’re looking for.
Nicoson’s work has the potential to improve the online shopping experience for people with blindness and low vision, making it easier for them to find and purchase clothing online. For more information, please read komu’s article on making fashion websites more accessible.