Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio
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Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio
Main Affiliation
Quito
Email
hugoarias@uti.edu.ec
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Scopus Author ID
57210802646

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Web Accessibility and Inclusion in Online National Population Censuses: Insights from Ecuador

2024 , Sandra Sanchez-Gordon , Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio , Mary Sánchez-Gordón

The creation of smart societies involves harnessing technological innovations to improve the quality of life of all citizens. Web accessibility and inclusion are fundamental pillars for achieving this goal. Population censuses provide demographic information that allows governments to develop public policies that address the specific needs of diverse communities. Although many countries have adopted population census strategies involving online questionnaires, implementation of online population censuses with web accessibility and inclusivity considerations has not been addressed in the scientific literature. While digitization of population censuses provides benefits, it can also exclude those facing online participation barriers. One of the challenges is the lack of web accessibility for citizens with disabilities. This exploratory study focuses on technical aspects and analyzes the web accessibility issues detected in the online population census conducted in Ecuador in 2022. In general terms, this online census did not comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, thus making interaction difficult for people with blindness, low vision, and limited movement, among other disabilities. Likewise, there are other issues related to data privacy and the inclusiveness of online censuses. People with disabilities and other underrepresented social groups may have limited access to devices and internet connections, reducing their ability to participate in online population censuses. This can cause a bias in the data collected, affecting the accurate representation of the population. In the case of Ecuador's 2022 population census, this might be the cause of a contradiction that arose between the data collected, the previous data, and the growth projections regarding the Afro-descendant population.

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Evaluating Signage Accessibility for Individuals with Visual Impairments: A Case Study in Ecuador

2024 , Arias Flores, Hugo Patricio , Valencia-Aragón, Kevin , Sandra Sanchez-Gordon , Tania Calle-Jimenez

A signage system is a visual design consisting of identification, guidance, explanation, warning, and other functions through a combination of text, graphics, and color that facilitates the orientation and movement of occupants in buildings by representing explicit information about the configuration and overall structure of the building. In this sense, well-placed signage provides information and significantly influences the search for paths in public spaces, but not all of these spaces meet the conditions of accessibility and inclusion. From this perspective, the general objective of this research is to identify, analyze, and evaluate the shortcomings of signage for individuals with visual impairments based on the requirements and legal regulations in Ecuador. The methodology was based on collecting photographs of signage located in a higher education institution. These photographs were selected in a way that they encompass the most important characteristics of informative signage. The results show that 44.44% comply with the current regulations in Ecuador, and 66.66% comply with the regulations for the inclusion of individuals with low vision. In the future, it is considered to propose a signage system that incorporates technology.

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