Online help: a potential contribution to universal design
Abstract
The paper aims at motivating research on the design of online help within the framework of the universal design and universal accessibility paradigms. First, we point out the strong assets of online help for promoting universal access to "smart" artefacts and services provided by the coming world-wide Information Society. Then, we list the specific research subjects and issues which should be addressed within the universal design paradigm, in order to obtain help systems which satisfy universal accessibility requirements, and thus can effectively contribute to the promotion and implementation of universal accessibility. The discussion brings arguments into play, which stem from published empirical evidence and experimental results, ours included.