Speakers
Description
While the move to the digital design of lexical resources has, in principle, enhanced the physical and sensory accessibility of dictionaries, a lack of adherence to accessibility standards such as WCAG 2 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) (Campbell et all 2023) can introduce significant barriers (NCD 2006; Botelho 2021). These barriers often hinder access to the information and capabilities within those tools or, at the very least, create a user experience that is far from equitable for individuals with disabilities (Lazar et al. 2015: ch. 3, 141; Griffith et al. 2020). However, is formal adherence to standards the only benchmark for actual accessibility to the information, resources and potential knowledge pathways within the e-dictionary?
This study focuses on the accessibility challenges faced by e-dictionary users with visual disabilities. Their exclusion from intellectual or creative tasks frequently stems from ableist perspectives that unjustly assume all-encompassing disabilities for functionally diverse people (Sierra Martínez et al., 2024). However, research has shown that individuals who lack one sense or function often develop remarkable compensatory or divergent abilities (Occelli et al., 2017; Chebat et al., 2020; Sabourin et al., 2022), offering significant potential for professional and intellectual contributions. Yet, they continue to face exclusion in the access to educational and professional contexts due to systemic barriers.
The Diccionario de la Lengua Española (Real Academia de la Lengua 2025), a key reference for the Spanish language, recently underwent a major redesign to achieve state-of-the-art accessibility by aligning with WCAG 2.2 guidelines, particularly as regards programmatic structure and labelling, visual findability and understandability, and use of WAI-ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes for dynamic content and advanced user interface controls. But does this redesign thoroughly fulfil its accessibility goals?
As proven by users and accessibility experts, and shown in academic literature, a high score on automated validation tools and strict compliance with guidelines does not necessarily translate into genuine accessibility (Power et al. 2012; Lazar et al. 2015: 153-155). User research is critical in both lexicography (Lew & de Schryver, 2014; Tarp, 2019: 245-246) and accessibility studies (Lazar et al. 2015: ch. 8; Henry et al. 2020). This paper presents an exploratory usability test conducted by a blind user with standard competence in screen reader usage and high academic and professional qualifications, analysed and interpreted by a web accessibility expert. The results identify several areas for improvement in a resource that performs very well in terms of formal accessibility. Examination of actual interaction, however, made us focus on potential problems in usability aspects of the dictionary at the macro and micro structural levels, interaction patterns, and the communication of this information through the assistive technology used, significantly reducing or cancelling their effectiveness (Lew 2012).
Our evaluation methodology combines spontaneous screen reader usability testing, code inspection, and the critical use of automatic validation tools. The results underscore the need for a more user-centred approach to complement existing standards. These findings can contribute not only to advancements in web accessibility standards and practices but also in accessible lexicographic design.
