Shop RNIB Donate now

Are you really listening?

The equipment needs of blind and partially sighted consumers for accessible and usable digital radio. Access to radio is key to the quality of life of blind and partially sighted people. Research shows that listening to the radio is a favoured and valued pastime for many.

Title: Are you really listening?; Authors: Dr Jonathan Freeman, Dr Jane Lessiter and Ms Eva Ferrari; Publisher: RNIB

Summary

The research questions addressed in the project were:

  1. What are the core functional requirements of blind and partially sighted people from consumer digital radio equipment?
  2. What are the design considerations required to make the more advanced functions of current and emerging consumer digital radio equipment accessible to blind and partially sighted people?
  3. What are the accessibility and usability priorities for accessible and easy to use consumer digital radio equipment for blind and partially sighted people?
  4. To what extent (and how) are accessibility considerations built into manufacturers’ product design and development processes of consumer digital radio equipment? Within this context, how feasible is it for manufacturers to develop consumer digital radio equipment that is accessible to blind and partially sighted people?