Input devices for web browsing: age and hand effects

Abstract

The work reported in this paper examined performance on a mixed pointing and data entry task using direct and indirect positioning devices for younger, middle-aged, and older adults (n=72) who were experienced mouse users. Participants used both preferred and non-preferred hands to perform an item selection and text entry task simulating a typical web page interaction. Older adults performed more slowly than middle-aged adults who in turn performed more slowly than young adults. Performance efficiency was superior with the mouse for older adults only on the first two trial blocks. Thereafter mouse and light pen yielded equivalent performance. For other age groups, mouse and light pen were equivalent at all points of practice. Contrary to prior research revealing superior performance with a light pen for pure pointing tasks, these results suggest that older adults may initially perform worse with a light pen than a mouse for mixed tasks.

About the relevance of accessibility barriers in the everyday interactions of older people with the web

“…The effect of age-related changes in functional abilities on reading from screen and using the mouse, amongst others, play a pivotal role in software personalization to meet the needs of older people [23]. Studies into input devices for older people also highlight the relevance of age-related changes in manual dexterity in the precision and the interaction of older people with input devices for web browsing [27].…”

What Older Adults Can Teach Us About Designing Better Ballots

“…Past research has revealed that older adults have more difficulty with interleaving devices (the light pen and the keypad, similar to the technology of an automated teller machine; see Jastrzembski, Charness, Holley, & Feddon, 2005). Therefore, we hypothesized that older adults would be at a particular disadvantage compared with younger adults when performing with mixed systems in this applied setting.…”

An ethnographical study of the accessibility barriers in the everyday interactions of older people with the web

“…calculators and cash registers), but none had used computers or accessed the web before. The rest (38) left school when 16 and were familiar with basic web concepts (e.g. clicking and windows management) through use of ICT in their jobs.…”

“…Reducing efforts while preserving the pages layout was the best strategy to alleviate functional impairments in the personalization of web page presentation [41], while solving difficulties in screen reading and using the mouse were key elements in personalization [29]. Age-related changes in manual dexterity had a negative impact on web browsing with several input devices [38]. Small font sizes, confusing advertisements and the standard mouse were relevant barriers for nuns [64].…”