Miriam Eileen Nes Begnum

On the usefulness of off-the-shelf computer peripherals for people with Parkinson's Disease

People who suffer from Parkinson’s Disease face many challenges using computers, and mice are particularly problematic input devices. This article describes usability tests of standard peripherals for use by people with Parkinson’s Disease in order to identify optimal combinations with respect to the needs of this user group. The results are used to determine their effect upon inertia, muscle stiffness, tremor, pain, strain and coordination and show that widely available equipment could significantly improve mouse pointer control for many users. The results reflect the diversity of challenges experienced by computer users with Parkinson’s Disease, and also illustrate how projector-based technology may improve computer interaction without risking strain injuries.

Challenges for Norwegian PC-users with Parkinson's disease - a survey

This paper presents the results from a Norwegian survey on the computer use of people with Parkinsons disease (PD), conducted through the PIKT project in the summer of 2008. The study shows that nearly 80 % of the user population has significant and severe PD related challenges using a computer. Frequent problem areas include inertia, muscle stiffness, using a computer mouse, tremor and issues related to keyboard and ergonomics. Assistance in optimizing computer use is severely lacking, non-systematic and coincidental, and the employment rate among the respondents is about half of the national average. This paper describes the main findings from this study. It highlights main challenges for the user group in question, confirms national findings on gender, computer illiteracy and usage aspects, paints a picture of the current situation for PC-users with Parkinsons disease in Norway and discusses the implications of the findings.

Methodology for Universal Design of ITs; Epistemologies Among Norwegian Experts

Achieving inclusive eSocieties has prompted a focus on universally designed IT-solutions. One strategy to ensure high quality universal design is identifying methodological best-practices. Literature voice different paradigms and points to diverging user-centeredness. This paper explores strategies and epistemological views employed by Norwegian experts through survey research. Results confirm a user-centered methodological approach is common. Both mechanical worldviews and a no-contact strategy as well as high-contact and involved strategies are identified. The paper discusses methodological traditions in the sample as well as successfulness of survey items.

Digital assessment in higher education: Promoting universal usability through requirements specification and universal design quality (UD-Q) reviews

Statistics show there is a clear relationship between higher education and employment in Norway, especially for people with disabilities. The use of digital assessment solutions is increasing in Norwegian higher education. The overall goal of this study is therefore to highlight the potential for improvement of current practices related to universal design, both for providers of digital assessment solutions and for higher education institutions. Based on a case study of practices in Norwegian higher education sector, this article reviews existing requirements for ensuring universal design in digital assessment solutions, prototypes an approach to evaluating universal design quality (UD-Q) of two major Norwegian digital assessment solutions and investigates the compliance between providers’ self-assessments from interviews and UD-Q evaluation scores. The article presents two contributions: (1) an improved set of requirements for universal usability when procuring digital assessments solutions and (2) UD-Q, a stepwise feature analysis-based expert inspection method for evaluating the UD-Q of digital assessment solutions.

Universal Design Approaches Among Norwegian Experts

This study addresses a need for a better understanding of methodological decisions in universal design (UD) of ICT systems. Practices employed by recognized Norwegian professionals on UD of ICT systems are studied through survey research. An online survey is used. Non-probabilistic stepwise selection identifies a local sample of 70 profiled professionals. A bottom-up, inductive and emergent approach is used for analyzing method usage and methodological approaches. Correlations are investigated. Results indicate Norwegian professionals overall use cross-method user-centered universal design, with direct user contact. Results also highlight the large overlap between UD and user-centered design (UCD). Personal factors and external values influence method selection more than external constraints – somewhat contradicting the perception that budget is the main key to ensuring UD and supporting the assumption that methodological competence is important for ensuring UD quality. Personal factors affecting approach and method selection are not necessarily linked to epistemologies or methodological stances, as initially assumed, but rather to the importance placed on user-involvement. The main influencing external factor is normative emphasis on UD value. Future work will focus on identifying success factors for universal design, and utilizing the knowledge in tools supporting universal design quality (UD-Q) control.