Designing Interfaces for users with Intellectual Disabilities
Marian McDonnell
Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design & Technology
Marian is a lecturer and researcher at IADT, Dun Laoghaire. She lectures on the B.Sc. in Creative Computing and the B.Sc. in Applied Psychology. She supervises Masters students in the area of User Experience design. Marian's current research interests are focused on the role of design, technology and psychology in User Experience and Interaction Design. She is particularly interested in the area of designing ,developing and evaluating instructional technologies for individuals with cognitive impairments. Recent innovative projects that Marian has researched included designing a mobile ambient awareness display application to support caregivers of the elderly with cognitive memory impairments. Another project focuses on developing and evaluating an innovative eLearning application for people with intellectual disabilities in collaboration with a local services provider in the South Dublin area. Recent national and international conferences at which Marian has presented papers have focused on interface design recommendations for individuals with intellectual disability.
Abstract
Background Many people with intellectual disability (ID) are reliant on their carers/instructors for transport to educational institutions. This research project evaluates the usability of an innovative eLearning web... [ view full abstract ]
Background
Many people with intellectual disability (ID) are reliant on their carers/instructors for transport to educational institutions. This research project evaluates the usability of an innovative eLearning web application called Let’s Go, which was designed and developed to train people with ID for independent travel. Let’s Go was developed in conjunction with an existing paper based training program.
Aim and objectives of the study
The project’s aims to present some user experience design principles for ID. The evaluation of the application by instructors aims to clarify if they consider it a usable and effective educational tool to improve independence in learners.
Method
Semi-structured interviews to evaluate the application were carried out with nine instructors. The qualitative method of thematic analysis was used to analyse themes and provided valuable data on the evaluation of the application. Ethical approval was granted for the research.
Findings
Results indicated that the Let’s Go application would be useful as an educational application, helping to reduce time and cost of paper training. Findings highlighted interface design areas that need improvement under the themes: images/colour, navigation, audio, symbols and alerts wording.
Recommendations included the use of appropriate pictures for information but also repetition of that information in text. Simple navigations with few choices, providing interaction and feedback were also important findings.
Conclusions and Implications
Data suggested that images should be age appropriate. This is possibly a new finding in user experience design principles for ID research as this topic has not appeared in the comprehensive literature analysed. Future research with ethical approval should test the application with the actual users rather than getting a perceived by-proxy evaluation from instructors. Let’s Go can be further developed with additional modules to equip ID users with the life skills necessary to participate further in society. Greater independence will facilitate inclusion.
Authors
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Marian McDonnell
(Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design & Technology)
Topic Area
Topics: Intellectual Disability
Session
ID1 » Intellectual Disability 1 (10:30 - Thursday, 10th November, Lecture Theatre 2.57)
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