Learning 2.0 with Special Needs

Glenn VingerhoetsPromotor: Prof. E. Duval

Coordinator: José Luis Santos

Overview

• What?• How to start?• Application• Iteration I• Problems• The road ahead• Questions

What?

What’s in a name

• Learning 2.0– Web 2.0: Enables collaboration & interaction– Learning environment

• Special needs– People with a mental handicap

On the iPad

• Why?– Long battery life– Instant on– Touchscreen• Easier for people who struggle with motor skills• Attention span because enjoy it more

How to start?

• Brainstorm– Voting software– Tasks on iPad

• Literature (guidelines,…)• Existing apps

– Learning:• Mostly LMS: Learning Management System• Attendance checkers

– Disabilities:• Communication solutions (Proloquo2go)• Simple learning games• VoiceOver

How to start?

• Incluso Conference: “Youth at Risk”– Social networks: Digital divide• “Social aspect of ICT is very important and necessary to

fully participate in the society”

– Risk of abuse

How to start?

• Interviews– Teachers• Wai-Not = Private network

Makes them feel different• Need of adapted Text-to-speech (too complicated now)• Can do more than most think!• Opportunities in this field to open their world• Touchscreens take away the thinking of bringing the

mouse to a button to do an action

– Brother• Wants to read things

Application

Original idea

• Teacher app:– Attendance + Tasks checker– Grade and problems visualization– Interaction during lesson (polls)– Quick announcements via Twitter– Calendar

• Student app:– Tasks on iPad instead of pen and paper– Protected Facebook class group– Simple Text-to-Speech– Gathering data Text-To-Speech

• Other use of Data (risk evaluation sites)

Storyboard

Use Cases

Change of plans…

• Meeting with prof. Duval– Liked the idea BUT• Some aspects are for a too general learning

environment• Application does a lot

– Risk: application that works but isn’t great– Concentrate on part(s) of the application– Make it so it will really help people

New Idea

• Part I: Facebook application– Accessibility to social technologies for people with mental disabilities– Text-to-Speech + gathering data– Pictograms– Protect from abuse, “bad” social behavior,…

• Part II: Visualization application– 2nd priority: If goals part I achieved!– Clustering similar students– Focus on certain words– Avoiding certain texts

• COMBINED: A support learning application without the users even knowing it!

Storyboard Part I (1)

Storyboard Part I (2)

Storyboard Part I (3) (level 1!)

Iteration I

Paper Prototype I

• Change since storyboard– Permissions On | Off On | Hide | Block– Avoid frustration

• Two parts– Settings for parents– Use of Facebook

• Goal: Application usable by:1. Persons who might not have experience with multitouch

devices and/or social networks2. Persons with a mental disability

• Think aloud test

Some pictures… (1)

Some pictures… (2)

Some pictures… (3)

Some pictures… (4)

Some pictures… (5)

Some pictures… (6)

Evaluation I: Parents

• Scenario’s for parents:1. Login for your child and set that she/he is

capable of reading and writing but needs control2. Set at the permissions everything that has to do

with placing comments on “Hide”3. Go to the next screen (not a straightforward way)4. Set a password and continue5. Change the settings so the child cannot create

groups anymore

Evaluation I: Parents

• Some questions afterwards:1. Age?2. Any experience with a touchscreen? Could be a

smartphone,…3. Any with the iPad?4. Do you have a child with a mental disability or a child that

is too young to realize any dangers in the world like abuse?

5. Do you have any experience with Facebook?6. Were the settings clear enough? Any suggestions?7. Do you find the information panel handy?

Evaluation I: Parents

• 5 parents age 30-55• Conclusions:

– Segmented controls height not clear (4 of 5)– Swipe for next screen problem for not-multitouch device users (2

of 5)– Trouble finding settings (2 of 5)

• Received suggestions:– Possibility adding standard texts

• Wishing happy birthday• Status updates,…

– Child not a good word– Move settings to iPad settings (frustration)

Evaluation I: Mental disability

• Scenario’s for person with mental disability:1. Who was the last one that posted something on

your wall?2. Update your status (This is set that the person is

not allowed to do this so there will be popup to enter a password => What is the reaction?

3. Start a new Facebook chat4. Make a new Facebook group5. Make a new Event

Evaluation I: Mental disability

• Some questions afterwards:1. Have you ever used Facebook?2. Do you have a Facebook account yourself? If not,

interested in one?3. Any experience with a touchscreen? Could be a

smartphone,…4. Any with the iPad?5. Do you think it would be handy to have like a button

that would read all statuses of your friends aloud or do you prefer choosing the statuses that you want to hear yourself?

Evaluation I: Mental disability

• Disappointing– Hard for them– Not visual enough

• Lack of colors• Not good pictures• Lot of handwriting• What is button and what is text?

• Test with a child to check basic functionality– Tapping existing status should allow updating status– Sidebar for chat handy– Suggested to move tabs to sidebar (needs further testing)– Tapped a lot on text instead of icons

Problems

Problems

• Facebook changed profile look• Part of application for users who might not work

with iPad• Hard to test a paper prototype with people with a

disability– Buttons are not so clear– Need more colors– Written text is a big no go

• Dilemma: Improve paper prototype VS. Mockup through interface builder?

The road ahead

The road ahead

• Part I: Iteration II (Adapted paper prototype)– Evaluation ready @ 20/12/2010

• Part I: Iteration III (Mockup on iPad)– 30/12/2010

• Part I: Iteration IV (Implement application)– 24/02/2010

• Part II: Iteration I (Paper prototype visualization)– 10/03/2010

• Part II: Iteration II (Adapted paper prototype)– 17/03/2010

• Part II: Iteration III (Implement application)– 07/04/2010

Questions?