ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
Joe Humbert M.Ed., ATACP
Assistive Technology Specialist
UITS Adaptive Technology Center
July 1, 2016
What will I cover?
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Background information
– ATHEN’s iTunes U Accessibility Working Group
– Podcasting
– iTunes software / iTunes U
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Survey Results
– Statistics
– Comments
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What has happen since?
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iTunes Updates
New iPod
NFB/ State of Massachusetts Agreement
What we plan to do now
Links
Questions / Contact
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
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.
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
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”
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
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, 2007.
– 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.
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Survey Results: Statistics
• General
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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
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
General: Overall
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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 3rd party scripts for AT
• Not Statistically Significant, but gives overview of
problems
• Comments tell the real Story
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
General: Sensory/ Mobility Limitation
• Do you have a sensory / mobility limitation?
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
General: Sensory/ Mobility Limitation
• Sensory / mobility limitations you will be testing for:
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
General: Assistive Technology
• Assistive Technology Used for Testing :
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
General: Assistive Technology
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Since “Screen Readers” were the biggest AT here is a further break
down of which Screen readers were used.
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
General: Participant’s Role
• Are they student, faculty, staff, professional:
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
General: Participant’s Role
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Since the highest response was “other” here is a further breakdown:
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
General: Operating System
• What OS do you use:
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
General: Version of iTunes
• What version of iTunes do you use:
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
General: Version of iTunes
• Break down by OS:
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
General: Script Usage
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Do you use third party scripts (i.e. jTunes) with your Assistive
Technology:
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Question by Question break down
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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
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We decide on a Likert Scale
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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.
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Question by Question: Playlist
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Can you select items from the Playlist?
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Effectiveness
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Question by Question: Playlist
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Can you select items from the Playlist?
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Efficiency
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Question by Question: Playlist
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Can you select items from the Playlist?
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Satisfaction
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Question by Question: Store
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Can you subscribe to a podcast?
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Effectiveness
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Question by Question: Store
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Can you select items from the Playlist?
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Efficiency
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Question by Question: Store
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Can you subscribe to a podcast?
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Satisfaction
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Summary Statistics
• Overall Scores
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Help
Search
Store
iTunes in General
• Average scores broken down by iTunes version
– Store
– iTunes
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Overall Scores: Help
• Effectiveness
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Overall Scores: Search
• Effectiveness
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Overall Scores: Store
• Effectiveness
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Overall Scores: iTunes
• Effectiveness
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Overall Scores: Help
• Efficiency
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Overall Scores: Search
• Efficiency
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Overall Scores: Store
• Efficiency
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Overall Scores: iTunes
• Efficiency
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Overall Scores: Help
• Satisfaction
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Overall Scores: Search
• Satisfaction
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Overall Scores: Store
• Satisfaction
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Overall Scores: iTunes
• Satisfaction
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Average Scores by Version: Store
• All recorded iTunes Versions
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Average Scores by Version: Store
• iTunes 7 versus iTunes 8
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* One 1 participant used iTunes 8
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Average Scores by Version: iTunes
• All recorded iTunes Versions
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Average Scores by Version: iTunes
• iTunes 7 versus iTunes 8
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* One 1 participant used iTunes 8
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
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”
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
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.”
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
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 WindowEyes 7 on Windows
* All according to Apple. Not yet verified independently
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
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
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
What has happened since?
• New iPod
– iPod Nano (4th Generation)
– Spoken Menus+
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Names of Menus
Songs
Artists
Availability
– Enabled only on 4th generation Nano
not backwards compatible
– Required iTunes 8
– Can be toggled on and off
– Adjustable Font Size
• Standard
• Large
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
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 31st, 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
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
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
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Links
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http://www.nfb.org/nfb/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=366
http://www.apple.com/accessibility/itunes/vision.html
http://athenpro.org/
http://athenpro.org/wiki/index.php5?title=ITunes_U_Accessibility_Working_Group
http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/05/30itunesu.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITunes_Store#iTunes_U
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITunes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcasting
http://www.apple.com/education/itunesu_mobilelearning/itunesu.html
http://www.apple.com/itunes/whatis/
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016
Questions / Contact
• Questions?
• Link to download survey results
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http://iuadapts.indiana.edu/test3/ATHEN_iTunes_Accessibility_Results.zip
– Includes
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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
– johumber@iupui.edu
– 317-274-4378
ATHEN iTunes U Accessibility Evaluation
July 1, 2016