Tenhue and Micaux

Investigating the Need for Cross Platform Software forChildren with Mild to Moderate CommunicationDisabilities

Background

• Assistive technology (AT), augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)• Quality of life (QoL)• Financial & social barriers prevent equal

spread• Little known about use in certain settings

Problem, Goal & PurposeProblemIs there a need for cross platform AAC software aimed at children with mild to moderate communication disabilities?Goal & Purpose•To reach 1. Students and researchers 2. Companies and organisations•We want to reach people in these areas: Human Computer Interaction (HCI), Information Communication Technology (ICT), AT and AAC.

Methodology

• Interpretative & Inductive• Qualitative research method & data

analysis• Unstructured probing interview• Semi-structured elite interviews• Snowball sampling method• Coding & categories

Image source: http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/dedind.php

Method• Multi-stage question design• Results from experts in the field• Participant sample of three used in final

analysisParticipant Type of interview

DEVELOPER (Probing) Face-to-face unstructured

RESEARCHER Video call semi-structured

COMPUTER PEDAGOGUE Video call semi-structured

DOCTOR Face-to-face semi-structured

Data Collection• Information & consent forms for each

participant• Face-to-face when possible• Skype video calls when face-to-face was

not possible• Screenflow video and audio recording• iPhone audio recording• 30 minute interviews

Data Analysis

• Transcription• Dragon Dictation• Highlight substanstive statements• Coding• Categorisation

Image source: http://www.proscript.com/process-dictation.html

Result and Conclusiono Categories: Quality of Life, Communication,

Technology and Finance Cross-platform software: would improve

QoL of families by inclusion @home @school etc.

Open Classification systems: for lexical (words, vocabulary) and ontology (what exists) resources should be openly available as an incentive to:

Adapt to mainstream tech: Apps, portable devices, social media etc. – these need to be incorporated in current business and prescription models.

Quality Assurance• Timely research• Vulnerable or dependent groups• Missing out on data from excluding groups

from the study• Expert anonymization at request• Snowball sampling leads to same opinions• Researcher bias from prompting questions• Deep but narrow data from interview• Influence from recording devices

Further Research

• New models to support AAC software development

• Prescription systems• Classification & standardization• Observation of end-users using

cross-platform software• Observation of use in natural

environment