Enactivism and ethnomethodological conversation analysis as tools for expanding Universal Design for Learning: the case of visually impaired mathematics students

Blind and visually impaired mathematics students must rely on accessible materials such as tactile diagrams to learn mathematics. However, these compensatory materials are frequently found to offer students inferior opportunities for engaging in mathematical practice and do not allow sensorily heterogenous students to collaborate. Such prevailing problems of access and interaction are central concerns of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an engineering paradigm for inclusive participation in cultural praxis like mathematics. Rather than directly adapt existing artifacts for broader usage, UDL process begins by interrogating the praxis these artifacts serve and then radically re-imagining tools and ecologies to optimize usability for all learners. We argue for the utility of two additional frameworks to enhance UDL efforts: (a) enactivism, a cognitive-sciences view of learning, knowing, and reasoning as modal activity; and (b) ethnomethodological conversation analysis (EMCA), which investigates participants’ multimodal methods for coordinating action and meaning. Combined, these approaches help frame the design and evaluation of opportunities for heterogeneous students to learn mathematics collaboratively in inclusive classrooms by coordinating perceptuo-motor solutions to joint manipulation problems. We contextualize the thesis with a proposal for a pluralist design for proportions, in which a pair of students jointly operate an interactive technological device

Computer Entertainment Technologies for the Visually Impaired: An Overview

Over the last years, works related to accessible technologies have increased both in number and in quality. This work presents a series of articles which explore different trends in the field of accessible video games for the blind or visually impaired. Reviewed articles are distributed in four categories covering the following subjects: (1) video game design and architecture, (2) video game adaptations, (3) accessible games as learning tools or treatments and (4) navigation and interaction in virtual environments. Current trends in accessible game design are also analysed, and data is presented regarding keyword use and thematic evolution over time. As a conclusion, a relative stagnation in the field of human-computer interaction for the blind is detected. However, as the video game industry is becoming increasingly interested in accessibility, new research opportunities are starting to appear

Tools in and out of sight : an analysis informed by Cultural-Historical Activity Theory of audio-haptic activities involving people with visual impairments supported by technology

The main purpose of this thesis is to present a Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) based analysis of the activities conducted by and with visually impaired users supported by audio-haptic technology.This thesis covers several studies conducted in two projects. The studies evaluate the use of audio-haptic technologies to support and/or mediate the activities of people with visual impairment. The focus is on the activities involving access to two-dimensional information, such as pictures or maps. People with visual impairments can use commercially available solutions to explore static information (raised lined maps and pictures, for example). Solu-tions for dynamic access, such as drawing a picture or using a map while moving around, are more scarce. Two distinct projects were initiated to remedy the scarcity of dynamic access solutions, specifically focusing on two separate activities.The first project, HaptiMap, focused on pedestrian outdoors navigation through audio feedback and gestures mediated by a GPS equipped mobile phone. The second project, HIPP, focused on drawing and learning about 2D representations in a school setting with the help of haptic and audio feedback. In both cases, visual feedback was also present in the technology, enabling people with vision to take advantage of that modality too.The research questions addressed are: How can audio and haptic interaction mediate activ-ities for people with visual impairment? Are there features of the programming that help or hinder this mediation? How can CHAT, and specifically the Activity Checklist, be used to shape the design process, when designing audio haptic technology together with persons with visual impairments?Results show the usefulness of the Activity Checklist as a tool in the design process, and provide practical application examples. A general conclusion emphasises the importance of modularity, standards, and libre software in rehabilitation technology to support the development of the activities over time and to let the code evolve with them, as a lifelong iterative development process. The research also provides specific design recommendations for the design of the type of audio haptic systems involved

MapSense: Design and Field Study of Interactive Maps for Children Living with Visual Impairments

We report on the design process leading to the creation of MapSense, a multi-sensory interactive map for visually impaired children. We conducted a formative study in a specialized institute to understand children’s educational needs, their context of care and their preferences regarding interactive technologies. The findings (1) outline the needs for tools and methods to help children to acquire spatial skills and (2) provide four design guidelines for educational assistive technologies. Based on these findings and an iterative process, we designed and deployed MapSense in the institute during two days. It enables collaborations between children with a broad range of impairments, proposes reflective and ludic scenarios and allows caretakers to customize it as they wish. A field experiment reveals that both children and caretakers considered the system successful and empowering

MapSense: multi-sensory interactive maps for children living with visual impairments

We report on the design process leading to the creation of MapSense, a multi-sensory interactive map for visually impaired children. We conducted a formative study in a specialized institute to understand children’s educational needs, their context of care and their preferences regarding interactive technologies. The findings (1) outline the needs for tools and methods to help children to acquire spatial skills and (2) provide four design guidelines for educational assistive technologies. Based on these findings and an iterative process, we designed and deployed MapSense in the institute during two days. It enables collaborations between children with a broad range of impairments, proposes reflective and ludic scenarios and allows caretakers to customize it as they wish. A field experiment reveals that both children and caretakers considered the system successful and empowering

Spatial representation and visual impairement - Developmental trends and new technological tools for assessment and rehabilitation

It is well known that perception is mediated by the five sensory modalities (sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste), which allows us to explore the world and build a coherent spatio-temporal representation of the surrounding environment. Typically, our brain collects and integrates coherent information from all the senses to build a reliable spatial representation of the world. In this sense, perception emerges from the individual activity of distinct sensory modalities, operating as separate modules, but rather from multisensory integration processes. The interaction occurs whenever inputs from the senses are coherent in time and space (Eimer, 2004). Therefore, spatial perception emerges from the contribution of unisensory and multisensory information, with a predominant role of visual information for space processing during the first years of life. Despite a growing body of research indicates that visual experience is essential to develop spatial abilities, to date very little is known about the mechanisms underpinning spatial development when the visual input is impoverished (low vision) or missing (blindness). The thesis's main aim is to increase knowledge about the impact of visual deprivation on spatial development and consolidation and to evaluate the effects of novel technological systems to quantitatively improve perceptual and cognitive spatial abilities in case of visual impairments. Chapter 1 summarizes the main research findings related to the role of vision and multisensory experience on spatial development. Overall, such findings indicate that visual experience facilitates the acquisition of allocentric spatial capabilities, namely perceiving space according to a perspective different from our body. Therefore, it might be stated that the sense of sight allows a more comprehensive representation of spatial information since it is based on environmental landmarks that are independent of body perspective. Chapter 2 presents original studies carried out by me as a Ph.D. student to investigate the developmental mechanisms underpinning spatial development and compare the spatial performance of individuals with affected and typical visual experience, respectively visually impaired and sighted. Overall, these studies suggest that vision facilitates the spatial representation of the environment by conveying the most reliable spatial reference, i.e., allocentric coordinates. However, when visual feedback is permanently or temporarily absent, as in the case of congenital blindness or blindfolded individuals, respectively, compensatory mechanisms might support the refinement of haptic and auditory spatial coding abilities. The studies presented in this chapter will validate novel experimental paradigms to assess the role of haptic and auditory experience on spatial representation based on external (i.e., allocentric) frames of reference. Chapter 3 describes the validation process of new technological systems based on unisensory and multisensory stimulation, designed to rehabilitate spatial capabilities in case of visual impairment. Overall, the technological validation of new devices will provide the opportunity to develop an interactive platform to rehabilitate spatial impairments following visual deprivation. Finally, Chapter 4 summarizes the findings reported in the previous Chapters, focusing the attention on the consequences of visual impairment on the developmental of unisensory and multisensory spatial experience in visually impaired children and adults compared to sighted peers. It also wants to highlight the potential role of novel experimental tools to validate the use to assess spatial competencies in response to unisensory and multisensory events and train residual sensory modalities under a multisensory rehabilitation

Multi-Sensory Interaction for Blind and Visually Impaired People

This book conveyed the visual elements of artwork to the visually impaired through various sensory elements to open a new perspective for appreciating visual artwork. In addition, the technique of expressing a color code by integrating patterns, temperatures, scents, music, and vibrations was explored, and future research topics were presented. A holistic experience using multi-sensory interaction acquired by people with visual impairment was provided to convey the meaning and contents of the work through rich multi-sensory appreciation. A method that allows people with visual impairments to engage in artwork using a variety of senses, including touch, temperature, tactile pattern, and sound, helps them to appreciate artwork at a deeper level than can be achieved with hearing or touch alone. The development of such art appreciation aids for the visually impaired will ultimately improve their cultural enjoyment and strengthen their access to culture and the arts. The development of this new concept aids ultimately expands opportunities for the non-visually impaired as well as the visually impaired to enjoy works of art and breaks down the boundaries between the disabled and the non-disabled in the field of culture and arts through continuous efforts to enhance accessibility. In addition, the developed multi-sensory expression and delivery tool can be used as an educational tool to increase product and artwork accessibility and usability through multi-modal interaction. Training the multi-sensory experiences introduced in this book may lead to more vivid visual imageries or seeing with the mind’s eye

Enabling audio-haptics

This thesis deals with possible solutions to facilitate orientation, navigation and overview of non-visual interfaces and virtual environments with the help of sound in combination with force-feedback haptics. Applications with haptic force-feedback, s