Transcript Document 7391793

Think-and-Link
Email for Individuals with Cognitive Disabilities
Teaching Research – Eugene
University of Oregon
PURPOSE
The Think & Link Project seeks to identify
the wide range of user issues critical for
long-term, effective use of email by people
with cognitive disabilities and translate this
information into: 1) a comprehensive
computer-use evaluation protocol and 2) a
toolkit of email software. We will also
evaluate potential cognitive & psychosocial
effects of successful email use.
4 RESEARCH STRANDS
Focus Groups
Controlled Lab Studies
Longitudinal Study
Feasibility Study
FOCUS GROUPS
We are conducting focus groups
throughout Oregon to obtain the
perspectives of our target users and
their community.
We have conducted 6 groups in
Portland, Eugene, and Brookings and
have 3 groups scheduled during the
next few weeks in Medford, Portland
and Bend.
The EMAIL User
Think & Link
Focus Group Observations
FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANTS
Jan
9th
Type
Survivors
Care
providers
Current
Users
Assisted
Living
Feb
12th
March
12th
April
17th
April
26th
May
16th
Caregiver CG &
Support Survivor
Group
SG
Care
givers
Support Support
Group Group
15
0
13
0
19
4
1
5
4
8
0
1
3
1
8
8
--
1
CURRENT USES OF EMAIL
Speedy communication
Stay in touch with people who might not call, but will e-mail
Keep up with daily events of extended family
Stay in touch with friends who have moved away
Sharing jokes
Broadcast greetings, correspond with those who respond
“Friend group” shares stories, writing, perspectives on BI
Keep a lot of people up to date with what’s happening
Receive support from wide network of friends and family
Discuss daily events
Send pictures
Send info to volunteer group
Communicate with legislators - self advocacy
ADVANTAGES OVER PHONE
Faster than mail
More frequent than mail/phone
Don’t need to deal with answering machine
After phone call, can’t remember content of conversation
People can write things they would be uncomfortable saying
Easier to follow written conversation (less time pressure)
Gives time to think about what to say
Can email when they have time; less intrusive
Can be very brief; less time commitment than call or
conversation
Less intrusive & distracting than phone
Easier to communicate by email with people you don’t know
well, who don’t understand BI
DISADVANTAGES OVER PHONE
No voices
Expense
Screen flashing
SUGGESTED ACCOMMODATIONS
Procedural Prompts:
“New Mail” alert
Personalized auditory
and text prompts
On-screen Operating
Instructions
Interactivity: Pop up a
picture of an email
buddy and ask the user
whether they want to
email this person
“Mail Sent” alert
Split screen for
received message and
reply
Follow-up questions:
Do you want to send
this message to
anyone else? Do you
want to print the
message you wrote?
SUGGESTED ACCOMMODATIONS
Compositional Prompts:
Text, voice &
graphic prompt to
encourage initiating
email
Icons representing
suggested topics
Feedback on
appropriateness of
message
Prompt to spell check
or spelling dropdown
Dictionary
Word prediction
Program self-starts
and alerts user daily
at specified time
SUGGESTED ACCOMMODATIONS
Hardware:
Enlarged font or
magnified screen
Screen on
adjustable arm
Mouse alternatives
(single click,
joystick, touchscreen)
Text/Speech
converters
Volume control
Adjustable key
sensitivity
SUGGESTED ACCOMMODATIONS
Organization:
Photo/name directory
Pen-pal list/resource
BCC
Auto delete after specified time
SUGGESTED ACCOMMODATIONS
General:
Use clearly understood icons
Use text, voice, and graphics for alerts
Screen unwanted email
Break up long paragraphs
Modify interface as supports are no
longer needed