The Rise of the Graphical User Interface‪.‬

INTRODUCTION One of the most important developments in information technology over the past ten years or so--quite apart from the massive improvements in hardware technology--has been the graphical user interface (GUI). For most people it has been a positive innovation, but for some--particularly those who are blind or visually impaired--it has been a rising threat as a barrier to the technology. Now that such interfaces have matured and become the norm, adaptations have been developed and perhaps that threat is not as bad as it was once feared to be. This paper describes the development of the GUI, why it is so significant and discusses whether it has been "tamed" with respect to use by people with visual disabilities.