Enhanced ICT portal for disabled persons boasts improved usability

The release in October 2008 of the latest version of the National
Accessibility Portal (NAP) presents a significant step forward in the
drive to integrate persons with disabilities into the mainstream economy
and society through the use of information and communications technology
(ICT).

The new release, known as NAP 3.0.0, contains a number of new features
and additional functionality, most notably the inclusion of South
African Sign Language (SASL) on the interface, which aids the navigation
process for the Deaf. It also provides information through other
modalities, specifically an SMS-based query facility via the mobile
phone, as well as an interactive voice response (IVR) system via the
telephone.

The NAP research and development initiative addresses the ICT needs of
persons with disabilities and their marginalisation from the mainstream
economy and society. The initiative was conceptualised and developed by
the CSIR's Meraka Institute in partnership with a representative group
of disabled persons' organisations and national government through the
office on the Status of Disabled Persons in The Presidency.

According to the Meraka Institute's Dr Louis Coetzee who is the NAP
system architect and also a CSIR principal researcher, the portal aims
to empower people with disabilities, and the communities around them, by
providing information and creating a collaborative environment where
people can share information. “The portal also provides guidance on
creating communities to break the barriers typically encountered by
persons with disabilities and other role players in the disability space
in South Africa,” he explains.

The original NAP release in 2006 represented a first in South Africa
through its use of assistive technology to ensure that persons with
disabilities can access information on the portal. “NAP 2.0 was
released shortly thereafter, after extensive usability and accessibility
testing. While it was functionally very similar to the first version, it
had a significantly improved interface and enhanced accessibility,”
Coetzee says.

NAP is unique in the sense that it caters for people across the entire
spectrum of disability. “Some local websites do include accessibility
features for disabled persons, but these are mostly aimed at people who
are visually impaired,” Coetzee points out. “A range of assistive
technologies are required to enable people with different disabilities
to access information, and this is where NAP 3.0.0 comes into its own,
specifically with the inclusion of South African Sign Language on the
interface.”

As Coetzee explains, Deaf people in developed countries are mostly
literate, while Deaf people in a developing country such as South Africa
often struggle with literacy in terms of the written language. “This
makes it difficult for them to access information and navigate their way
through a website. NAP 3.0.0 includes Sign Language snippets or blurbs
that indicate where you are on the site and what a specific section is
about. This enables Deaf people to navigate their way to the information
they want to access in a far more efficient and less time-consuming
way.”

To avoid bandwidth problems, a significant amount of research went into
the optimisation of the downloading process and the information being
conveyed in the Sign Language videos. This element will be expanded in
future NAP versions.
NAP 3.0.0 also features the addition of an IVR system that enables
people to access the portal by telephone. “As the majority of disabled
people probably do not have access to the internet, the telephone is
still the most popular communication medium in South Africa, and can be
accessed relatively easily,” says Coetzee. “NAP 2.0 did include an
IVR system, but it was very primitive, really just a concept
demonstrator. With the new system, people can dial into the portal and
navigate through the structure to access the required information, which
is then retrieved and voiced out to the user. By providing information
in another modality, the IVR system makes the portal accessible to a
much greater number of people.”

The third major functionality added to the portal is an SMS-based query
facility via the mobile phone - when the system receives an SMS query,
it finds the relevant information and sends it back to the user, also
via SMS. “Most people have a cell phone and know how to send an SMS,
so this facility has significantly increased the number of people who
can access the portal,” Coetzee says.

NAP 3.0.0 also includes expanded links to employment agencies dealing
specifically with job opportunities for disabled people.

Referring to the strengths of the initiative, NAP initiative leader
Hina Patel of the Meraka Institute identifies the involvement of the
entire range of role players in the disability field as one of the most
important requisites for success. “As an example, the NAP 3.0.0
development team comprised about 25 people, including several persons
with disabilities, experts in human language technologies, a business
analyst and technical developers. Team members, who are Deaf or hard of
hearing, including members from the Thibologa Sign Language Institution
(TSLI), developed the Sign Language feature, while the IVR system was
developed by a blind team member,” Patel points out.

The number of registered users and contributors to the portal has shown
a steady upward curve. Quizzed about future NAP developments, Coetzee
refers to the lack of bandwidth as one of the main challenges, but
remains optimistic that appropriate funding mechanisms such as corporate
social investments will ensure the sustainability of the project. “The
next technical development phase will focus on adding functionality to
improve peer-to-peer communication, such as mechanisms to enable instant
chats and enhanced mailing capabilities.”

Registration on the portal is free of charge, and content can be
contributed by any registered user. Visit www.napsa.org.za/portal for
more information.

Technical enquiries:
Dr Louis Coetzee
Tel 012-841-3036;
email