Accessibility of visual content in mobile apps. Insights from visually impaired users

This chapter draws on the concept of Universal Design and Audiovisual Translation Studies to discuss accessibility of visual content in mobile apps with a view to arguing for a more active role of audiovisual translators as advisors to app design. Drawing on the results of a study tapping user experience with a healthcare management app, we show that not only does mobile phone assistive technology fail to solve accessibility problems, but also many app features do not comply with accessibility guidelines suggested by international consortia and mobile technology companies. To the challenges brought by sensory disability, more particularly, visual-impairment, there is the added barrier of socioeconomic background, education and digital literacy. Our study suggests that for an app to be fully accessible to visually impaired users, its design could benefit from the expertise of an audiovisual translator collaborating with app developers from its pre-production stage.