Skip to main content

Institutionalizing Universal Design: Ηow Οrganizational Practices Can Promote Web Accessibility

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
HCI International 2020 – Late Breaking Papers: Universal Access and Inclusive Design (HCII 2020)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 12426))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

This article examines organizational practices for ensuring that web content is designed to be usable by everyone – i.e., universal design – and accessible for persons with disabilities. Qualitative data from a case study of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) demonstrates that barriers exist, which prevent persons with disabilities from using the web content produced by NRK. The results further demonstrate that although editorial employees at NRK have some awareness and knowledge of universal design and web accessibility principles, requirements and techniques, organizational practices including reporting, communication and training constrain opportunities for promoting and ensuring universal design and web accessibility.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Wolk, L.: Equal access in cyberspace: on bridging the digital divide in public accommodations coverage through amendment to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Notre Dame L. Rev. 91, 447–447 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Macdonald, S.J., Clayton, J.: Back to the future, disability and the digital divide. Disab. Soc. 28(5), 702–718 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Vicente, M.R., Lopez, A.J.: A multidimensional analysis of the disability digital divide: some evidence for internet use. Inf. Soc. 26(1), 48–64 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Muir, A., Oppenheim, C.: National information policy developments worldwide II: universal access - addressing the digital divide. J. Inf. Sci. 28(4), 263–273 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Velleman, E.M., Nahuis, I., van der Geest, T.: Factors explaining adoption and implementation processes for web accessibility standards within eGovernment systems and organizations. Univ. Access Inf. Soc. 16(1), 173–190 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-015-0449-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Giannoumis, G.A.: Auditing Web accessibility: The role of interest organizations in promoting compliance through certification. First Monday 20(9), 1–15 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Brown, J., Hollier, S.: The challenges of web accessibility: the technical and social aspects of a truly universal web. First Monday 20(9), 1–16 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Thatcher, J., et al.: Web Accessibility Web Standards and Regulatory Compliance. Springer, New York (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4302-0188-5

    Book  Google Scholar 

  9. Kelly, B., et al.: Accessibility 2.0: next steps for web accessibility. J. Access Serv. 6(1–2), 265–294 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  10. De Andrés, J., Lorca, P., Martínez, A.B.: Factors influencing web accessibility of big listed firms: an international study. Online Inf. Rev. 34(1), 75–97 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Blanck, P.: eQuality: The Struggle for Web Accessibility by Persons with Cognitive Disabilities. Cambridge University Press, New York (2014)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  12. Giannoumis, G.A.: Regulating web content: the nexus of legislation and performance standards in the United Kingdom and Norway. Behav. Sci. Law 32(1), 52–75 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Shi, Y.: E-government web site accessibility in Australia and China a longitudinal study. Soc. Sci. Comput. Rev. 24(3), 378–385 (2006)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  14. Powell, W.W., DiMaggio, P.: The New Institutionalism in Organizational Analysis. University of Chicago Press, Chicago (1991)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  15. Hall, P.A.: Historical institutionalism in rationalist and sociological perspective. In: Mahoney, J., Thelen, K.A. (eds.) Explaining Institutional Change: Ambiguity, Agency, and Power, pp. 204–223. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, New York (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Hall, P.A., Taylor, R.C.R.: Political science and the three new institutionalisms. Polit. Stud. 44(5), 936–957 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Rixen, T., Viola, L.A.: Putting path dependence in its place: toward a taxonomy of institutional change. J. Theor. Polit. 27, 301–323 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Mahoney, J., Thelen, K.A.: A theory of gradual institutional change. In: Mahoney, J., Thelen, K.A. (eds.) Explaining Institutional Change: Ambiguity, Agency, and Power, pp. 1–37. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, New York (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Streeck, W., Thelen, K.A.: Beyond Continuity: Institutional Change in Advanced Political Economies. Oxford University Press, Oxford, New York (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Hall, P.A., Thelen, K.: Institutional change in varieties of capitalism. Socio-Econ. Rev. 7(1), 7–34 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Giannoumis, G.A.: Transatlantic learning: from Washington to London and beyond. Inclusion 3(2), 92–107 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Giannoumis, G.A.: Self-regulation and the legitimacy of voluntary procedural standards. Adm. Soc. 49(7), 1–23 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Dacin, M.T., Goodstein, J., Scott, W.R.: Institutional theory and institutional change: introduction to the special research forum. Acad. Manag. J. 45(1), 45–56 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Oliver, C.: The antecedents of deinstitutionalization. Organ. Stud. 13(4), 563–588 (1992)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Knight, M.: Accessibility and disability: absent keywords in business and professional communication. Bus. Prof. Commun. Q. 81, 20–33 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Hitt, A.: Foregrounding accessibility through (inclusive) universal design in professional communication curricula. Bus. Prof. Commun. Q. 81, 52–65 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Meloncon, L.: Orienting access in our business and professional communication classrooms. Bus. Prof. Commun. Q. 81, 34–51 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Clegg, G.M.: Unheard complaints: integrating captioning into business and professional communication presentations. Bus. Prof. Commun. Q. 81, 100–122 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Konrad, A.: Reimagining work: normative commonplaces and their effects on accessibility in workplaces. Bus. Prof. Commun. Q. 81, 123–141 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Oswal, S.K.: Can workplaces, classrooms, and pedagogies be disabling? Bus. Prof. Commun. Q. 81, 3–19 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Wheeler, S.K.: Harry Potter and the first order of business: using simulation to teach social justice and disability ethics in business communication. Bus. Prof. Commun. Q. 81, 85–99 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Barley, S.R., Tolbert, P.S.: Institutionalization and structuration: studying the links between action and institution. Organ. Stud. 18(1), 93–117 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. March, J.G., Olsen, J.P.: Elaborating the “new institutionalism”. In: The Oxford Handbook of Political Institutions, vol. 5, pp. 3–20 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  34. Greif, A., Laitin, D.D.: A theory of endogenous institutional change. Am. Polit. Sci. Rev. 98(04), 633–652 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. David, P.A.: Clio and the economics of QWERTY. Am. Econ. Rev. 75(2), 332–337 (1985)

    Google Scholar 

  36. Scott, W.R.: Institutions and Organizations. Sage, Thousand Oaks (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  37. Lazar, J., Feng, J.H., Hochheiser, H.: Research Methods in Human-Computer Interaction. Wiley, New York (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  38. Berg, B.L., Lune, H., Lune, H.: Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences, vol. 5. Pearson, Boston (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  39. Glaser, B., Strauss, A.: The Discovery Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Inquiry. Aldin, Chicago (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  40. Oun, M.A., Bach, C.: Qualitative research method summary. J. Multi. Eng. Sci. Technol. 1(5), 252–258 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  41. Polkinghorne, M., Arnold, A.: A Six Step Guide to Using Recursive Abstraction Applied to the Qualitative Analysis of Interview Data. Bournemouth University, Poole (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  42. Collier, D.: Understanding process tracing. PS Polit. Sci. Polit. 44(4), 823 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Ford, J.K., et al.: Process tracing methods: contributions, problems, and neglected research questions. Organ. Behav. Hum. Decis. Process. 43(1), 75–117 (1989)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. BLID, Act June 20 2008 No 42 relating to a prohibition against discrimination on the basis of disability (Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act) Unofficial translation (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  45. McNair, B.: Journalism in the 21st century—evolution, not extinction. Journalism 10(3), 347–349 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Weaver, D.H.: US journalism in the 21st century—what future? Journalism 10(3), 396–397 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Law, C.M., et al.: Are disability-access guidelines designed for designers?: do they need to be? In: Proceedings of the 18th Australia conference on Computer-Human Interaction: Design: Activities, Artefacts and Environments, pp. 357–360. ACM, Sydney (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  48. Vedtekter for Norsk rikskringkasting AS (1996)

    Google Scholar 

  49. Sanderson, N.C., Chen, W., Kessel, S.: The accessibility of web-based media services – an evaluation. In: Antona, M., Stephanidis, C. (eds.) UAHCI 2015. LNCS, vol. 9175, pp. 242–252. Springer, Cham (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20678-3_24

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  50. Norwegian Ministry of Children Equality and Social Inclusion. The Government’s Action Plan for Universal Design (2015)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. Anthony Giannoumis .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Giannoumis, G.A., Nordli, L.H. (2020). Institutionalizing Universal Design: Ηow Οrganizational Practices Can Promote Web Accessibility. In: Stephanidis, C., Antona, M., Gao, Q., Zhou, J. (eds) HCI International 2020 – Late Breaking Papers: Universal Access and Inclusive Design. HCII 2020. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 12426. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-60149-2_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-60149-2_8

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-60148-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-60149-2

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics