Matjaž Debevc

Improving multimodal web accessibility for deaf people: sign language interpreter module

The World Wide Web is becoming increasingly necessary for everybody regardless of age, gender, culture, health and individual disabilities. Unfortunately, there are evidently still problems for some deaf and hard of hearing people trying to use certain web pages. These people require the translation of existing written information into their first language, which can be one of many sign languages. In previous technological solutions, the video window dominates the screen, interfering with the presentation and thereby distracting the general public, who have no need of a bilingual web site. One solution to this problem is the development of transparent sign language videos which appear on the screen on request. Therefore, we have designed and developed a system to enable the embedding of selective interactive elements into the original text in appropriate locations, which act as triggers for the video translation into sign language. When the short video clip terminates, the video window is automatically closed and the original web page is shown. In this way, the system significantly simplifies the expansion and availability of additional accessibility functions to web developers, as it preserves the original web page with the addition of a web layer of sign language video. Quantitative and qualitative evaluation has demonstrated that information presented through a transparent sign language video increases the users’ interest in the content of the material by interpreting terms, phrases or sentences, and therefore facilitates the understanding of the material and increases its usefulness for deaf people.

Human Factors in Computing and Informatics

The use of words and particularly the verbs in Human-Human Interaction reveals significant aspects of both human’s social and mental state. This work presents a novel methodology towards the emotional assessment of verbs by users. Essentially we would like to study whether the emotions that user experience are comparable with the corresponding results obtained through a mixture of natural language and statistical classifiers in SentiWordNet. Following the paper and pencil guidelines of the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) we have developed a web-based unsupervised version of the Self Assessment Manikin (SAM) test, designed for the emotional assessment of verbs in English and Greek language. Thirty five men and seventeen women participated in an internet survey version of the experiment. In the first part of the process, the participants had to assess their induced emotional state while reading a verb (totally 75 Greek verbs), on 5-point scales of “Pleasure”, “Arousal” and “Dominance”. The results comprise coherence and consistency. As a rule, all verbs obtained low to mid range scores on Arousal and Dominance axis and only on the Pleasure dimension scores are close to the edge.

Assisted living solutions for the elderly through interactive TV

In this paper we present an application called Med-reminder, which extends the functionality of existing devices providing interactive TV and helps to increase the quality of life for the elderly. The Med-reminder application is used to remind people to take their medicines correctly and on time or to call a relative or a medical person in an emergency situation. Since the graphical user interface was adapted for the elderly, Med-reminder is easy to use without previous training. For evaluating the graphical user interface, navigation and the general usability of the application, and hence the identification of key aspects that increase the adoption rate of assisted living applications among the target population, a methodology for a user evaluation study was designed and conducted. User evaluation study results are presented in the paper.

Enhancing universal access: deaf and hard of hearing people on social networking sites

Abstract Despite numerous studies into the online activities of deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) users, there has been limited research into their experiences on social networking sites (SNSs), a domain where psychology and computer science intersects. The purpose of this study is to illustrate how one can enhance universal access for D/HH users on the example of SNSs. A model for examining the experiences and preferences of D/HH users of SNSs has been proposed. The model consists of three identity-relevant aspects: (1) belonging to online Deaf communities, (2) communication affinity/preferences for sign and/or written language, and (3) the stigma associated with hearing loss. Based on these aspects, a questionnaire was developed and applied to a study with 46 participants. The findings revealed that the motivation to communicate on SNSs is positively associated with identification with online Deaf communities, an affinity for communication in written language and an affinity/preference for communication in sign language. Better reading comprehension skills, crucial for written communication, are associated with less stigmatic experiences with regard to hearing loss. The model and the findings of this study can help improve understanding D/HH users’ online social interactions and can be used for educational purposes. It may contribute to the discussion of integrating SNSs as communication tools in personal learning environments, which can be an advantage for universal access.

Development and evaluation of an e-learning course for deaf and hard of hearing based on the advanced Adapted Pedagogical Index method

Web-based and adapted e-learning materials provide alternative methods of learning to those used in a traditional classroom. Within the study described in this article, deaf and hard of hearing people used an adaptive e-learning environment to improve their computer literacy. This environment included streaming video with sign language interpreter video and subtitles. The courses were based on the learning management system Moodle, which also includes sign language streaming videos and subtitles. A different approach is required when adapting e-learning courses for the deaf and hard of hearing: new guidelines must be developed concerning the loading and display of video material. This is shown in the example of the e-learning course, ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence). The usability of the e-learning course is analyzed and confirmed using two methods: first, the Software Usability Measurement Inventory (SUMI) evaluation method, and second, the Adapted Pedagogical Index (AdaPI), which was developed as part of this study, and gives an index to measure the pedagogical effectiveness of e-learning courses adapted for people with disabilities. With 116 participants, of whom 22 are deaf or hard of hearing, the e-learning course for the target group has been found suitable and appropriate according to both evaluation methods.

E-learning accessibility for the deaf and hard of hearing - practical examples and experiences

Development of information and communication technology has offered new horizons to the deaf and hard of hearing for their integration into working, social and economic environment. Despite the positive attitude of international guidelines, the lack of accessibility of e-learning material is still noticeable for these users. The process of adapting the e-learning materials for deaf and hard of hearing required different approach and guidelines to properly displaying sign language video. Paper presents basic e-learning accessibility guidelines for deaf and hard of hearing and basic directions for suitable design of e-learning sites accessibility. E-learning course (European Computer Driving License Course - ECDL) for deaf, automated video recording system and the transparent presentation of a sign language interpreter within the e-learning material are used as examples of good practice. Evaluations of these examples show high degree of satisfaction, ease of use and comprehension.

Sign language interpreter module: accessible video retrieval with subtitles

In this paper, we introduce a new approach to the integration of sign language on the Web. Written information is presented by a Sign Language Interpreter Module (SLI Module). The improvement in comparison to state-of-the-art solutions on the Web is that our sign language video has a transparent background and is shown over the existing web page. The end user can activate the video playback by clicking on an interactive icon. The mechanism also provides a simplified approach to enable accessibility requirements of existing web pages. In addition, the subtitles are stored externally in the Timed Text Authoring Format (TTAF), which is a candidate for recommendation by the W3C community. Empirical results from our evaluation study showed that the prototype was well accepted and was pleasant to use.

Accessible and adaptive e-learning materials: considerations for design and development

The aspect of accessibility and adaptivity is important for future of e-Learning applications. Creating e-Learning applications for everybody, including people with special needs, remains the question. The problem with development of e-Learning applications for everybody is that learner ability and weaknesses are usually neglected as important factors while developing applications. Most of nowadays applications offer lots of unclear information, unsuitable contents and non-adapted mechanisms. This paper suggests basic guidelines for successful design and structuring accessible and adaptive e-Learning applications that consider the requests and needs of people with special needs. It provides an example of design and realization of e-Learning application for receiving ECDL certificate, which includes easy adaptivity and basic accessibility factors. Experimental results of usability testing and pedagogical effectiveness have shown that material, designed following these guidelines, is appropriate and that there must be extra attention paid to learnability factor in the future.

How can HCI factors improve accessibility of m-learning for persons with special needs?

Mobile learning, or m-learning, respectively, can be stated as an upgrade of e-learning, valuable for mobile users using new mobile technology and telecommunication systems. The article presents the influence of mlearning system intended for supporting a remote engineering application. Here, we examined the usability of the application designed for people with special needs taking into account the main human-computer interaction factors. User interface for mobile systems served as a platform for examining the functionalities of a micro-controlled system. Two usability testing methods, involving some persons with special needs, were conducted in order to examine the usability of the system. The results gained are valuable for designing improved, future-oriented mlearning applications.

A Comparison of Comprehension Processes in Sign Language Interpreter Videos with or without Captions.

One important theme in captioning is whether the implementation of captions in individual sign language interpreter videos can positively affect viewers’ comprehension when compared with sign language interpreter videos without captions. In our study, an experiment was conducted using four video clips with information about everyday events. Fifty-one deaf and hard of hearing sign language users alternately watched the sign language interpreter videos with, and without, captions. Afterwards, they answered ten questions. The results showed that the presence of captions positively affected their rates of comprehension, which increased by 24% among deaf viewers and 42% among hard of hearing viewers. The most obvious differences in comprehension between watching sign language interpreter videos with and without captions were found for the subjects of hiking and culture, where comprehension was higher when captions were used. The results led to suggestions for the consistent use of captions in sign language interpreter videos in various media.