Bookbole.com is seeking ideas on creating a sustainable and scalable user verification system. The goal is to ensure that Bookbole is reaching its intended users i.e. print-impaired, caregivers of print-impaired or organisations /individuals accessing for the print-impaired and NOT sighted users who are none of the above.
The Problem Statement
Currently, Bookbole.com requires a user to self-certify whether he/she is print-impaired i.e. visually impaired or unable to read because of a non-visual problem or accessing the content on behalf of print-impaired persons or a part of an organization accessing content on behalf of print impaired persons (‘intended users’). This system is chosen because Bookbole connects users from across the world and there is no way to check whether every user is an intended user. Requiring every user, across potentially all the countries in the world, to submit some sort of documentary proof would:
(a) be difficult for the users and would discourage users from adopting the platform; and
(b) result in different ‘proofs’ from across the world – necessitating verification cells in every country in the world, an expensive and unwieldy solution.
The core challenge of the current self-certification system on Bookbole is that sighted users, who are not intended users, can claim to be print impaired and access content shared by the visually-impaired community for itself.
Hence Bookbole is seeking a better system of verifying whether the user is an intended user.
Call for Ideas
We are looking for a system that is:
(a) Cost-effective
(b) water-tight
(c) Preferably technology or community-driven rather than manual
(d) Easy on the user
Please share your solutions with us at team@bookbole.com. Your solution will be a long way in ensuring that Bookbole can achieve its vision of enabling the global print-impaired community to overcome their challenges viz accessible content.
SM
How abt a system generated password that is made available to the person accessing the site via hearing which they then have to input in braille? Normal users would not normally know braille. Dunno if this helps.
A lot of visually impaired people do not know Braille. Also, persons with cerebral palsy, dyslexia etc. who need bookbole content do not use Braille either.
Question – Are all intended users expected to be using a screen reading application? I’m just trying to think of what aspect of their interface is common to all intended users.
No not all users might use the screen reading software. Currently majority of the users are the ones who use a screen reader, but as we reach out to persons with dyslexia, cerebral palsy it will change.
How about an RSA hardware (token) key solution or something like that? Since we’re talking about people with impairment, the usage of a token which can be plugged into the system can be helpful. This means that the key generated need not be read out and entered manually into the system which the user is using.
Also this assures that the only users with the token can access the above said content.
Cost Example:
Entrust IdentityGuard
1-Year Period
10,000 Users
Solution Price: $ 82,600
Per-User Price: $ 8.26
This idea just came out of the top of my head a.k.a. not much thought given. 🙂
Hey Manji,
Thanks for the idea. We shall add this to the list of ideas.