People with different capacities, such as the deaf and blind, have problems accessing educational content due to lack of accessible technology. Accessibility and usability are closely related concepts that share the goals for a satisfactory user experience. Existing literature establishes a direct relation between accessibility and usability, and reports that there are problems with both in learning platforms, and more generally with most websites. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the accessibility and usability of a learning platform by interrogating its participants. Three groups of students with different capacities (blind, deaf and deaf-blind) used an accessible learning platform prototype to assess the accessibility and usability of the platform and its contents. This article presents a comparative study of the perception and attitude of blind and deaf students towards the use of a learning platform adapted to their personal needs. Results showed that their attitude to the adaptation was very positive but there were differences in the perception of the ease of use of the application and with the level of difficulty to access the learning content. This work contributes to the body of knowledge by showing the effects that adaptations have on learning contents for blind and deaf students in terms of accessibility and ease of use through the analysis of the perceptions of participants. Future work may consider increasing the sample of students, as well as developing and testing new technologies and approaches that address other forms of functional diversity.
Students with disabilities can attend online education using virtual learning platforms and assistive technology adapted to their personal needs. However, access is not enough to avoid difficulties as they tend to require more time for interaction with learning resources. Analysis of the literature suggests that there is relevant interest among researchers in exploring the interaction time required by students with disabilities. The aim of this paper is to explore the average time required by students with disabilities for interaction with questionnaires, the most typical e-learning resource, in comparison to students without disabilities. This is especially relevant for computer and telecommunication engineering students since all of their teaching activities are computer-related. The average time required for interaction is estimated through empirical testing with 60 students filling out a questionnaire while attending two courses on digital technology in a total of four editions. The sample included students with three types of disability as well as non-disabled students as a control group, with ages ranging from 22 to 58. Results showed time ratios of 2.92, 1.88, and 1.58 times, respectively, for blind, partially sighted, and reduced motor capability students, compared to students without disabilities. Although the results are robust, the small sample of the reduced motor capability students and the variability of capabilities for this group recommend further research with additional samples for this type of disability. It is also recommended to continue experimentation with additional types of e-learning resources.
This article thoroughly examines the multidimensional consequences of intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) and estimates the monetary costs associated with this kind of violence in Spain for 2022. Based on the accounting model approach, three alternative scenarios are proposed to quantify the direct tangible costs of IPVAW from a microeconomic perspective. Each scenario considers the out-of-pocket expenditures and the opportunity cost of lost income due to IPVAW, borne by the survivor women, their families and relatives, the public sector, and the private organizations. The study utilizes microdata from the latest Spanish Macro-survey on Violence Against Women, conducted in 2019 by the Government Office against Gender-Based Violence (Spanish Government). Results show the costs ranging from EUR 1.38 billion (the most conservative estimate) to EUR 3.01 billion (the highest estimate). Further research is needed to deepen understanding of the mechanisms by which violence affects the various domains and agents of society.