CaseGuide: Making Cheap Smartphones Accessible to Individuals with Visual Impairments in Informal Settlements

Individuals with visual impairments in informal settlements (IVIIS) depend highly on others for access to basic services. Smartphones can help provide assistive technology and access to basic services but are too expensive for IVIIS or lack accessibility features. This study explores and promotes a low-cost concept that uses a static interface overlay app in conjunction with a button enabled phone case, to enable the use of cheap smartphones and increase IVIIS autonomy and inclusion in society. Using existing research and an observational study of YouTube videos, design requirements were determined. A low-fidelity prototype was developed and usertested on one visually impaired and two blindfolded participants. Although usertests showed promising results, research and usertesting were limited. Future research and usertests with IVIIS are needed to validate if CaseGuide is a desirable solution for IVIIS.