Francesca Primerano, PhD Candidate Deakin University
English monolingual website design and planning for computer literate English speaking people is highly advanced and involves ongoing research to make websites more usable. However, the research I have been undertaking addresses an area that has not received the same attention. The research focuses on how we can best develop multilingual and culturally appropriate websites for people of non-English speaking background who are not so fluent and confident with English or computer technology.
It also looks at the impact that internet technology is having on my target group (Italian-Australians aged 45plus). This demographic receives little attention but would also benefit from having access to internet resources. Designing and testing websites for minority groups in this case Italian- Australians who migrated to Australia, requires at the least a multidisciplinary approach.
One interesting finding is is that some people thought the back home button meant that by pressing that it would take them back home to Italy- so the site would display things on Italy. Another finding is that 'What's Cool' button on some browsers meant 'Cold'. Important cultural dynamics are at play in how people interpret the web.
These issues will be detailed at the conference.