# Empowering Independence for Visually Impaired Museum Visitors Through Enhanced Accessibility

## TL;DR

Enhanced interactive interfaces with customizable audio controls improve independence and satisfaction for visually impaired museum visitors.

## Contribution

A Pushbutton-based ITUI with customizable audio features was found to be more effective than RFID or Autoplay systems for BPS users.

## Key findings

- Pushbutton-based ITUI achieved highest ratings in user control (76%) and perceived independence (72%).
- Tactile interaction and customizable audio features like volume and playback speed were emphasized by participants.

## Abstract

What are the main findings?

Enhanced interactive tangible user interfaces (ITUIs) with customizable audio controls significantly improved usability, perceived independence, and user satisfaction among blind and partially sighted (BPS) museum visitors.

The Pushbutton-based ITUI outperformed Autoplay- and RFID-based systems, achieving the highest ratings in user control (76%) and perceived independence (72%).

What is the implication of the main finding?

Providing BPS users with control over audio playback speed and volume, along with clear tactile feedback, is essential to fostering independent exploration in museums.

Simple, user-centered interface design may be more effective than complex technologies in supporting accessible and autonomous cultural engagement of BPS visitors.

Museums serve as essential cultural centers, yet their mostly visual exhibits restrict access for blind and partially sighted (BPS) individuals. While recent technological advances have started to bridge this gap, many accessibility solutions focus mainly on basic inclusion rather than promoting independent exploration. This research addresses this limitation by creating features that enable visitors’ independence through customizable interaction patterns and self-paced exploration. It improved upon existing interactive tangible user interfaces (ITUIs) by enhancing their audio content and adding more flexible user control options. A mixed-methods approach evaluated the ITUI’s usability, ability to be used independently, and user satisfaction. Quantitative data were gathered using ITUI-specific satisfaction, usability, comparison, and general preference scales, while insights were obtained through notes taken during a think-aloud protocol as participants interacted with the ITUIs, direct observation, and analysis of video recordings of the experiment. The results showed a strong preference for a Pushbutton-based ITUI, which scored highest in usability (M = 87.5), perceived independence (72%), and user control (76%). Participants stressed the importance of tactile interaction, clear feedback, and customizable audio features like volume and playback speed. These findings underscore the vital role of user control and precise feedback in designing accessible museum experiences.