Digital Inclusion: Analyzing Social Media Accessibility Features for Students with Visual Impairments

Abstract

The present research endeavors to investigate the efficacy and user-friendliness of accessibility functionalities on widely used social media platforms, with a specific focus on their impact on visually impaired students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This research endeavor undertakes a comprehensive quantitative analysis encompassing a sample size of 150 individuals. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the perceptions surrounding the accessibility of three prominent social media platforms, namely Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The results of the study unveil notable disparities in the perceived efficacy ratings, with Facebook emerging as the frontrunner, closely trailed by Instagram, while Twitter falls behind in comparison. The aforementioned disparities serve to highlight the significance of conducting personalized accessibility assessments and implementing ongoing enhancements to foster a more inclusive digital environment. In light of the burgeoning progress in digital inclusion endeavors, this research endeavor serves as a commendable contribution by offering invaluable perspectives to augment the accessibility of social media platforms for individuals with visual impairments.