Enhancing Internet Search Abilities for People with Intellectual Disabilities in Sri Lanka
Theja K. Arachchi, Laurianne Sitbon, Jinglan Zhang, Ruwan Gamage, Priyantha Hewagamage · 2021 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing · doi:10.1145/3460202
Summary
This study examines how young adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) in Sri Lanka, who had never previously used the Internet, learned to perform web searches using Google in their native Sinhala language. Ten participants aged 18-30 from two special schools participated in three web search workshops spaced two months apart. The researchers iteratively developed eLearning tools—progressing from verbal descriptions (Workshop 1) to print materials (Workshop 2) to an animated multimedia PowerPoint presentation with audio (Workshop 3)—based on observations of participant struggles and successes. The study focused on health information topics relevant to daily life (nutrition, exercise, dental health, hospitals) as motivating content for learning search skills. Participants had approximately 5 years of computer experience through school programs (MS Word, Paint, games) but no Internet exposure. The research used an iterative participatory approach, conducting observations during search tasks and semi-structured interviews after each workshop. Qualitative thematic analysis identified five themes: application of existing abilities, basic skills to match learning needs, conceptual understanding, animations to facilitate visual memory, and promoting active engagement. A key contribution is the detailed documentation of the eLearning tool's iterative development, including how metaphors (phone numbers as analogies for web addresses, road direction signs for URL selection) helped bridge conceptual gaps, and how animations using transformations, translations, and transitions guided attention to interface elements like the address bar, search box, and search results.
Key findings
Participants demonstrated four primary areas requiring specific support: (1) identifying the URL and where to type it, (2) locating the address bar and executing URL access, (3) executing the search after typing keywords, and (4) identifying results and clicking links. By Workshop 3, all participants could independently perform basic functions they had struggled with in Workshop 1, with support needs decreasing from score 3 (individual physical support) to score 1-2 (independent or guidance only). Mental model mismatches created significant barriers. Participants searched for an icon to begin web searching (based on desktop application experience), tried to search within the task list document rather than the system, and interpreted "Google search" button label literally—expecting to find something on the current page rather than execute a web query. The Sinhala language label used the noun form "search" rather than the verb form "to search," contributing to confusion about button function. Participants successfully leveraged existing knowledge: comparing the Chrome icon to a CD, using backspace key knowledge from smartphones, applying dropdown list experience from MS Word to URL suggestions. Visual memory proved superior to verbal memory—participants who showed least improvement still benefited most from animations. By the end of workshops, participants spontaneously collaborated, discussing keywords and helping each other learn, suggesting group learning supports continued practice. The study also identified Sri Lanka-specific challenges: limited Sinhala content online, Unicode encoding issues producing inaccurate spellings in search suggestions, and government websites lacking accessibility compliance.
Relevance
This research addresses a critical gap in accessibility literature: the learning needs of people with intellectual disabilities in developing countries and non-English language contexts. The iterative eLearning tool development process provides a replicable methodology for creating accessible digital literacy training materials. For practitioners, the study offers concrete design strategies: use metaphors from learners' existing experiences (phone numbers, road signs, CDs), avoid abstract language in button labels, provide step-by-step animated demonstrations with audio narration, display one function per page, use large icons (44x44 CSS pixels minimum), and scaffold learners' existing skills rather than teaching from scratch. The finding that participants needed explicit instruction on relationships between interface elements—what happens when you click a link, how the search results page connects to web pages—highlights gaps in current accessible eLearning design. The research also demonstrates that people with IDs can independently learn to search the web with appropriate support, countering deficit-focused assumptions. The study's emphasis on health information access connects to UN rights frameworks recognizing information access as a human right. The identification of language-specific barriers (Unicode encoding, limited Sinhala content) has implications for cognitive accessibility guidelines (COGA) and search engine design for Global South contexts.
Tags: intellectual disabilities · web search · digital literacy · eLearning · cognitive accessibility · developing countries · health information · participatory design · Global South
Standards referenced: WCAG 2.1