Web Accessibility for Older Readers: Effects of Font Type and Font Size on Skim Reading Webpages in Thai

Sorachai Kamollimsakul, Helen Petrie, Christopher Douglas Power

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Most guidelines for making websites accessible for older people have been developed for the Latin alphabet. Currently, there are no web design guidelines for the Thai language or for Thai older people. Our research investigated the effect of font type and size in Thai on skim reading for Thai younger (21-39 years) and older (59-72 years) adults. There were two levels of font types (Conservative and Modern, which correlate to serif and sans serif types, respectively) and three levels of font sizes (12, 14, 16 point). There was a significant effect of font type on reading time per web page, but not for font size or age group. There was also a significant main effect of font type and font size on reader preferences, but no effect of age group. These findings form the basis of recommendations for evidence-based web design guidelines for the Thai language.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationComputers Helping People with Special Needs
PublisherSpringer
Pages332-339
Number of pages8
Volume8547 LNCS
EditionPART 1
ISBN (Electronic)978-3-319-08596-8
ISBN (Print)978-3-319-08595-1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2014
Event14th International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs (ICCHP 2014) - Saint-Denis, France
Duration: 7 Jul 20148 Jul 2014

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Computer Science
PublisherSpringer
Volume8547
ISSN (Print)0302-9743

Conference

Conference14th International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs (ICCHP 2014)
Country/TerritoryFrance
CitySaint-Denis
Period7/07/148/07/14

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