Starting Research in Interaction Design with Visuals for Low Functioning PAS Children (original) (raw)
Related papers
2006
On starting to think about interaction design for low-functioning persons in the autistic spectrum (PAS), especially children, one finds a number of questions that are difficult to answer: Can we typify the PAS user? Can we engage the user in interactive communication without generating frustrating or obsessive situations? What sort of visual stimuli can we provide? Will they prefer representational or abstract visual stimuli? Will they understand threedimensional (3D) graphic representation? What sort of interfaces will they accept? Can we set ambitious goals such as education or therapy? Unfortunately, most of these questions have no answer yet. Hence, we decided to set an apparently simple goal: to design a "fun application," with no intention to reach the level of education or therapy. The goal was to be attained by giving the users a sense of agency-by providing first a sense of control in the interaction dialogue. Our approach to visual stimuli design has been based on the use of geometric, abstract, two-dimensional (2D), real-time computer graphics in a full-body, non-invasive, interactive space. The results obtained within the European-funded project MultiSensory Environment Design for an Interface between Autistic and Typical Expressiveness (MEDI-ATE) have been extremely encouraging. INTERACTION DESIGN WITH VISUALS FOR PAS CHILDREN 223 FIG. 7. "Mo-ta-to" (final interaction model): User plays with silhouette and waves. A B
Multimodal interaction for users with autism in a 3D educational environment
The paper presents a new multimodal 3D education environment for children with autism. The new multimodal interaction system considers a combination of visual, voice, and textual modalities. In particular, it allows children with autism to access contents through easy iconic symbols designed to guide them into the innovative environment. For that purpose, it has been very important to consider and identify the classes and attributes necessary to correctly describe different users. In the architecture hierarchy three different user profiles have been considered and structured, following the ICF* model (an extension of the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health guidelines), and describing both static and dynamic properties. A specific iconic language has been used to enrich and to present the virtual environment. Simultaneous visual, audio, and cognitive stimuli have been carefully used: they could be potential barriers but also rich opportunities for persons with autism. It has not been only a matter of putting information in a virtual space; it has been necessary to design and develop new languages, metaphors, and codes of interaction, in order to reduce the distance between the user and the system. In this case, communication talks via images, sounds, and gestures have been fundamental. The approach of the project takes into account the user model, the user profiles, the personalization, and the experimentation.
Demystifying the Interface for Young Learners with Autism
This study illustrates a design framework for a social routine instructional prototype for young learners with autism. Requirements and user profile data were previously gathered from an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) school. Software currently available for young learners with cognitive impairments and web accessibility guidelines have been reviewed. The early design phases of the usability engineering lifecycle are documented, to construct initial design sketches of the software and social routine lesson interface. Image editing software is used to create a graphical representation of the design sketches. The paper prototypes are evaluated by tutors in the ABA school. Comparisons are made between different prototypes, and recommendations for further design and development are established. We conclude that colour and animation should be minimized, and an individual windowed interface should represent the main navigational display of the prototype. A customizable option for colour,...
Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2014
Since 1999, research for creativity triggering education solutions for interactive media design (IMD) undergraduate level education in Yıldız Technical University leaded to a variety of rule breaking exercises. Among many approaches, the method of designing for disabling environment, in which the students design for the users with one or more of their senses disabled, brought the challenge of working on developing interactive solutions for the individuals with autism spectrum conditions (ASC). With the aim of making their life easier, the design students were urged to find innovative yet functional interaction solutions for this focused user group, whose communicational disability activate due to the deficiencies in their senses and/or cognition. Between 2011 and 2012, this project brief supported by participatory design method motivated 26 students highly to develop design works to reflect the perfect fit of interaction design to this challenging framework involving the defective social communication cases of autism.
An Alternative Design Perspective for Technology Supporting Youngsters with Autism
Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2014
People with autism present several disabilities in communication, social interaction and behavioral fields. There is a wide variation among these individuals and it is essential to develop therapies and materials customized for them. There are many design approaches in Human-Computer Interaction, but most of them present some limitations for designing to this audience. We conducted a study using paper prototyping with children with autism in order to contribute to the design of software for them. In this paper, we report some limitations in using this technique and the need for customizing applications for the individual who will use them. Reflecting on these needs and analyzing approaches to interface design, we present and discuss a proposal for a design methodology that combines Meta-design and Semiotic Engineering.
CoDesign, 2007
People on the autistic spectrum are characterised as having difficulties with social and communicative functioning. They are understood to have unusual sensory experiences, in any modality, which means that their perception of the world is alarmingly different from non-autistic people. These experiences create confusion and anxiety, and for many autistic individuals their lives are dominated by fear.
Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children, 2012
In this paper we discuss participatory approaches to designing interactive technologies for children with disabilities. While participatory design (PD) has been increasingly influential in the field of Human-Computer Interaction as a whole, applying its methods and theories to children with disabilities raises challenges specific to this target group and poses more fundamental questions about the limits of PD. We will first build the underlying argument of why we believe PD is particularly important when designing for children with disabilities, before discussing the challenges and opportunities that come with implementing PD in this context. We ground this discussion in our own experiences with developing a learning environment for children with autism spectrum conditions (ASC). We then consider future perspectives and develop research questions by reflecting on our experiences.
The usage of touchscreen-assistive technology in the 21 st century seems very promising. There has been a rapid rise in interest regarding the use of touchscreen assistive technology as an intervention and interdisciplinary research field for children with autism. Inventing and designing a touchscreen-assistive application for children with autism is a delicate process as designing technologies for groups of individual with profiles other than one's own is always challenging where the life worlds and lived experience are far removed from the experience of typical individual. Participatory design process that has been conducted with children with autism earlier in the study has led towards the invention of touchscreen-assistive learning numeracy apps (TaLNA). The application is focusing on basic numeracy and calculation to support teaching and learning. User interface design has been used as a baseline in establishing the TaLNA apps. It is a complement from the traditional approaches such as call cards and cue cards which being applied at the touchscreen devices. The TaLNA apps is believe assist parents, teachers, and instructors to train and educate the children with autism while growing their engagement and interest in learning. It is a hope with the establishment of this application, they will be able to learn, memorize and recognize the numbers through the animated and interactive learning application. Thus, this research paper discusses the user interface design process of forming TaLNA in assisting the teaching of basic calculations to children with autism.
Interactive visual supports for children with autism
Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, 2010
Interventions to support children with autism often include the use of visual supports, which are cognitive tools to enable learning and the production of language. Although visual supports are effective in helping to diminish many of the challenges of autism, they are difficult and timeconsuming to create, distribute, and use. In this paper, we present the results of a qualitative study focused on uncovering design guidelines for interactive visual supports that would address the many challenges inherent to current tools and practices. We present three prototype systems that address these design challenges with the use of large group displays, mobile personal devices, and personal recording technologies. We also describe the interventions associated with these prototypes along with the results from two focus group discussions around the interventions. We present further design guidance for visual supports and discuss tensions inherent to their design.
“Tell Your Day”: Developing Multimodal Interaction Applications for Children with ASD
Universal Access in Human–Computer Interaction. Design and Development Approaches and Methods, 2017
The development of applications for children, and particularly for those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), is a challenging task. In this context, careful consideration of the characteristics of these users, along with those of different stakeholders, such as parents and teachers, is essential. Also, it is important to provide different ways of using applications through multimodal interaction, in order to adapt, as much as possible, to the users' needs, capabilities and preferences. Providing multimodality does not mean that users will interact multimodally, but provides freedom of choice to the user. Additionally, enabling multiple forms of interaction might also help understanding what actually works better, for an audience that is not always able to express an opinion regarding what might work. In this article, we take on previous work regarding the definition of a Persona for a child diagnosed with ASD and, considering the goals above, propose and evaluate a first prototype of an application targeting the audience represented by this Persona. This application, aims to serve as a place for communication and information exchange among the child, her family, and teachers and supports multimodal interaction.