Practical Strategies for Integrating a Conversation Analyst in an Iterative Design Process

We present a case study of an iterative design process that includes a conversation analyst. We discuss potential benefits of conversation analysis for design, and we describe our strategies for integrating the conversation analyst in the design process. Since the analyst on our team had no previous exposure to design or engineering, and none of the other members of our team had any experience with conversation analysis, we needed to build a foundation for our interaction. One of our key strategies was to pair the conversation analyst with a designer in a highly interactive collaboration. Our tactics have been effective on our project, leading to valuable results that we believe we could not have obtained using another method. We hope that this paper can serve as a practical guide to those interested in establishing a productive and efficient working relationship between a conversation analyst and the other members of a design team.Comment: 11 page

User Profiles for Facilitating Conversations with Locked-In Users

The loss of communication is one of the most profound disabilities a human being can experience, inhibiting social contact and complicating medical and personal care. Locked-in patients are paralyzed and unable to speak, but cognitively intact. Developments in biometric technology provide non-muscular channels of control and provide opportunities to restore some communication for people with little or no muscle movement. Although these biometric devices have been effective, the input rate is very slow for the requirements of interactive communication. Prediction techniques increase the speed of communication in assistive technology. However, the user’s context (time of day, location, presence of conversational partners, user’s interests, etc.) can be included to make the selection of desired phrases or utterances easier and faster. This research presents an approach to developing user profiles for locked-in users. The profiles can be used to enhance the speed and accuracy of conversation by reducing the selection space for conversational topics. An empirical study that simulates the application of user profiles demonstrates how they can be used to improve the speed and accuracy of conversation in severely disabled users relying on augmentative and assistive communication devices

Sistema de CAA com adaptação ao contexto físico

Comunicação apresentada na Iberdiscap2011 - VI Congreso Iberoamericano de Tecnologías de Apoyo a la Discapacidad, Palma de Maiorca (Espanha), 16-17 Junho 2011Vários estudos apontam para a existência de determinados padrões de comunicação em alguns contextos físicos. Neste artigo discute-se uma abordagem que permite dotar os sistemas de comunicação aumentativa e alternativa de capacidades de adaptação ao contexto físico. Este apoio contextual deverá contribuir para um aumento da rapidez de escrita e acesso a vocabulário mais rico favorecendo assim uma maior expressividade na comunicação. Como exemplo descreve-se a implementação de um mecanismo de adaptação ao contexto físico no sistema de comunicação alternativa Eugénio que se baseia na associação de diferentes perfis de utilização às localizações físicas com interesse para o utilizador

Predicting Communication Rates: Efficacy of a Scanning Model

Interaction with the surrounding environment is an essential element of ever day life. For individuals' with severe motor and communicative disabilities, single switch scanning is used as method to control their environment and communicate. Despite being very slow, it is often the only option for individuals who cannot use other interfaces. The alteration of timing parameters and scanning system configurations impacts the communication rate of those using single switch scanning. The ability to select and recommend an efficient configuration for an individual with a disability is essential. Predictive models could assist in the goal of achieving the best possible match between user and assistive technology device, but consideration of an individual's single switch scanning tendencies has not been included in communication rate prediction models. Modeling software developed as part of this research study utilizes scan settings, switch settings, error tendencies, error correction strategies, and the matrix configuration to calculate and predict a communication rate. Five participants with disabilities who use single switch scanning were recruited for this study. Participants were asked to transcribe sentences using an on-screen keyboard configured with settings used on their own communication devices. The participant's error types, frequencies, and correction methods were acquired as well as their text entry rate (TER) during sentence transcription. These individual tendencies and system configuration were used as baseline input parameters to a scanning model application that calculated a TER based upon those parameters. The scanning model was used with the participant's tendencies and at least three varied system configurations. Participants were asked to transcribe sentences with these three configurations The predicted TERs of the model were compared to the actual TERs observed during sentence transcription for accuracy. Results showed that prediction were 90% accurate on average. Model TER predictions were less than one character per minute different from observed baseline TER for each participant. Average model predictions for configuration scenarios were less than one character per minute different from observed configuration TER

The Cost of Turning Heads - The Design and Evaluation of Vocabulary Prompts on a Head-Worn Display to Support Persons with Aphasia in Conversation

Symbol-based dictionaries could provide persons with aphasia a resource for finding needed words, but they can detract from conversation. This research explores the potential of head-worn displays (HWDs) to provide glanceable vocabulary support that is unobtrusive and always-available. Two formative studies explored the benefits and challenges of using a HWD, and evaluated a proof-of-concept prototype in both lab and field settings. These studies showed that a HWD may allow wearers to maintain focus on the conversation, reduce reliance on external support (e.g., paper and pen, or people), and minimize the visibility of support by others. A third study compared use of a HWD to a smartphone, and found preliminary evidence that the HWD may offer a better overall experience with assistive vocabulary and may better support the wearer in advancing through conversation. These studies should motivate further investigation of head-worn conversational support

Oficina social: aposta na qualidade de vida das pessoas em situação de dependência

O Programa Oficina Social nasce no município de Cascais onde a Rede Social, enquanto estrutura de governança local, assume um papel centrado na responsabilidade partilhada na prossecução do desenvolvimento social do território e da coesão social. Nesse sentido, este Programa caracteriza‐se essencialmente por um trabalho em rede e em parceria com diversas instituições locais e a Escola Superior de Saúde do Alcoitão, enquanto parceiro consultor, assume o seu papel de responsabilidade social no território concelhio, através do trabalho conjunto com o município e com muitas outras organizações locais, planeando e desenvolvendo serviços à comunidade. O Programa Oficina Social tem como principal objetivo a realização de pequenas reparações e adaptações em casa de munícipes com 65 ou mais anos e/ou em situação de dependência temporária ou permanente, com rendimento igual ou inferior ao valor da Pensão Social. É verdadeiramente um exemplo de como o investimento numa melhor qualificação habitacional das pessoas idosas e das pessoas com deficiência permite, prevenir acidentes domésticos, situações de dependência e institucionalização precoce, melhorando significativamente a qualidade de vida desta população.N/