期刊名称：Journal of Information Science and Technology
印刷版ISSN：1545-0287
出版年度：2012
卷号：9
期号：2
语种：English
出版社：International Medical Journal Management and Indexing System
摘要：Motivation for this research is the belief that blind and visually impaired (BVI) employees cannot develop job-related competencies due to accessibility and usability problems in e-learning. A knowledge gap on the nature of these problems impedes the development of accurate competence models for BVI e-learners. This paper presents a novel CUT (cognitive, usercentered, task-oriented) approach to accurately understand the nature of accessibility and usability problems of the BVI in e-learning. It demonstrates the utility of the CUT approach through an exploratory field study. Verbal protocol analysis (VPA) provides in-depth examination of BVI participants' thoughts and perceptions in completing e-learning activities. Qualitative analysis of verbal reports reveals their mental models. Results explain where, how and why problems arise in completing e-learning activities. It generates cognitive models for effective completion of these e-learning activities. Such cognitive models will inform future research to develop more accurate competence models and lead to more accessible and usable elearning applications for the BVI. Organizations can use these competence models to develop e-learning strategies to harness the unique skills and capabilities of their BVI employees as part of multi-faceted development of a diverse human resource.
