Websites with virtual church tours in Poland – usability and accessibility analysis

The purpose of this work was to analyze usability and evaluate the level of accessibility of websites that offer virtual tours of churches in Poland. Five websites were assessed: the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Miechow, the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kielce, the Minor Basilica in Gorlice, the Gniezno Cathedral, and the Evangelical-Augsburg Parish in Sorkwity. The study was conducted in three stages: using an extensive checklist dedicated to ordinary users and multiaspect evaluation of selected virtual churches, four automated tools for checking accessibility, and an expert checklist. The results of the conducted research showed both strengths and areas of improvement in the services analyzed. Significant differences in accessibility and usability levels were revealed between the various virtual walks. Virtual churches offer users a variety of experiences, but not all fully meet accessibility standards, which can be a barrier for some users, including people with disabilities. The results point to the need for further improvement of the sites, especially in terms of intuitive interfaces, readability of content, and compliance with WCAG guidelines. The data collected can provide a useful knowledge base that can be used to improve the quality of virtual tours and better adapt them to the needs of modern audiences.