This document discusses an accessibility framework for Android that aims to make applications more accessible by default. It provides accessible resources, containers, widgets and components that can be easily integrated by developers. The framework includes an accessibility service, accessible behavior extensions for widgets, and new accessible layouts that enhance screen reading and navigation. It also describes a GUI design assistant tool that helps developers visually create accessible user interfaces using the framework's components and generate the necessary XML files. The framework is meant to avoid the expense and fragmentation of individual accessibility implementations by different developers.

1. Developer tool for creating accessible
GUIs in Android mobile OS
Paperback – October 2011

2. 1. Android accessibility overview (I)
• Android OS Accessibility
– Accessibility API quite powerful
• Widgets containing states and meta information
• Accessibility services and events
– Multilingual TTS
– Haptic (Vibration)
– Sounds
– Insufficent system-level accessibility
• Mechanisms provided are not enough
• Big problem!
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3. 2. Android accessibility overview (II)
2. Android accessibility overview (Ii)
• Some conclussions
– Expensive developements
• More requistes
• More money and time
– Leads into fragmentation
• “Each developer , each Look&Feel”
– Trouble to developers
• Small targetting & Big effort  Low interest
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4. 3. Solving problemsSolving problems
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• Provide accessible resources
– Avoiding trouble
• Accessible applications by default
• Hiding complexity to developers (total transparency)
• Without regarding on resources or requirements
– Maximizing compatibility
• Working from 1.6 to current Android version
• No kernel modifications or root required
– Flexible + Scalable + Extendable + Customizable
– Enhancing Android’s native accessibility
 Android accessibility framework
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5. 4. Accessibility framework – Accessibility service
4. Framework – Accessibility service
• Accessible service
– Integrated with the Android OS
• Operating on user’s demand (settings)
– Accessible backend
• Shared by all the applications using the framework
• Working in background as follows:
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6. 4. Framework – Accessible widgets – Widgets
4. Accessibility framework
• Widget accessible behaviour extension
– Relying on accessible containers
– TTS based feedback for blind users
• New accessible components
– Calendar, charts, switch… and so on
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7. 5. Accessibility framework – Containers
5. Accessible containers
• Set of accessible layouts
– Extending Android’s default layouts
– Different layouts for different solutions
• Enhancing Android accessibility
– Screen reading
– Main behaviour
• The selected components are remarked
• For each selected component, its information is secuentially spoken
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8. 5. Accessibility framework – Containers (II)
5. Accessible containers (II)
– User touch inputs
• Selects the complete layout or just the tapped component
• One tap selects, another confirms action
– User trackball motions
• Allows screen navigation
• Each motion selects the next component in the target direction
• Clicking the trackball perform action
– Gesture navigation
• Allows screen navigation with simple gestures
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9. 5. Accessibility framework – Containers (III)
5. Accessible containers (III)
• Containers overview and gestures sample
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10. 6. Use case 6. Use case
• A developer has created a very nice application
• He wants to turn it accessible
– In short time
– In a cheap way
• He just
– Adds the resources and libraries provided to his WS
– Locates the GUI XMLs and their source code
• Changes the default layouts for the accessible ones
– May need to refactor the xml
• Links the program and gestures functionallity (2 single LOCs)
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11. 7.7. Accessibility framework – GUIs design assistant
GUIs Assistant
• Tool for create GUIs
– Branch of the original DroidDraw tool
– Helps developers to create GUI
• Integrating the accessible components and layouts
• Generating the XML files
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12. 7. Accessibility framework – GUIs design assistant
End of presentation
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