Susan O'Donnell

Situational Ethics: Re-thinking Approaches to Formal Ethics Requirements for Human-Computer Interaction

Most Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) researchers are accustomed to the process of formal ethics review for their evaluation or field trial protocol. Although this process varies by country, the underlying principles are universal. While this process is often a formality, for field research or lab-based studies with vulnerable users, formal ethics requirements can be challenging to navigate -- a common occurrence in the social sciences; yet, in many cases, foreign to HCI researchers. Nevertheless, with the increase in new areas of research such as mobile technologies for marginalized populations or assistive technologies, this is a current reality. In this paper we present our experiences and challenges in conducting several studies that evaluate interactive systems in difficult settings, from the perspective of the ethics process. Based on these, we draft recommendations for mitigating the effect of such challenges to the ethical conduct of research. We then issue a call for interaction researchers, together with policy makers, to refine existing ethics guidelines and protocols in order to more accurately capture the particularities of such field-based evaluations, qualitative studies, challenging lab-based evaluations, and ethnographic observations.

User-generated online video: The next public sphere?

In this exploratory paper we examine the potential as well as the limitations of user-generated online video (UGOV) to facilitate political discourse between citizens within a dasiavirtualpsila public sphere. The potential of UGOV lies in the opportunities it presents to citizens for online self-expression and exchange that is open, accessible, compelling, unconstrained and unmediated. The limitations mirror those of the public sphere itself; they are closely related to the technological, socio-economic, geographic, ethnic, and age-related constraints on accessibility, as well as digital divides that have limited the democratic potential of the Internet as a whole.

Mental health professionals' perspectives of telemental health with remote and rural First Nations communities.

We conducted an online survey and interviews amongst mental health workers in Canada who reported experience in working with rural and remote First Nations (although not necessarily telemental health). Sixty-three respondents (of the 164) to the online survey reported experience in working with clients in remote and rural First Nations. Only 16 of the online survey respondents with remote and rural First Nations experience reported having received training in videoconferencing use. When asked how frequently they used videoconferencing with clients, 51% reported never using it, 19% used it once every few months and 10% reported using it a few times a month. Approximately 50% of participants reported finding it useful. Approximately 38% found the technology easy or very easy to use, and 15% found it very difficult. Individual in-depth interviews were also conducted with professionals who had First Nations telemental health experience specifically (n = 5). A quantitative data analysis was used to explore their perceptions of usefulness and ease of use of telemental health, as well as the relationships among these constructs. Advantages, disadvantages and challenges in using the technology were identified from the qualitative data. Promising ways forward include incorporating traditional practices and the Seven Teachings into telemental health services.

Fieldwork with vulnerable populations

Ethical implications for human-computer interaction research

Video communication roadblocks facing remote indigenous communities

Increasingly, remote and rural communities have pursued access to broadband networks. The networks provide new opportunities for advantageous video communications. In Canada both organizations and individuals in remote, rural, often Indigenous communities exchange audio-visual data via broadband networks. They use basic videoconferencing, multi-site videoconferencing, and video sharing online. However, social and technical challenges arise to constrain the growth of such uses in these communities.

The Use of Virtual Reality in the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Background . Interest in the treatment of PTSD is increasing with concerns about the psychological effects of war on troops. Objective . We performed a comprehensive literature review on virtual reality (VR) for treating combat-related PTSD. Methods . Canadas primary institute for scientific and technical information (NRC-CISTI) performed the initial literature search in 2008. Of 296 items which met inclusion criteria, 20 pertained to VR in the treatment of mental health.. An additional 20 more recent items were added in 2009, making a total of 40 items reviewed. Of those, 6 empirical studies involved patients with PTSD [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Results. VR exposure therapy (VRET) has been successfully used to treat anxiety and phobia disorders including PTSD [7, 8]. VRET may be particularly suitable for clients with combat-related PTSD as it aids in exposure treatments for these clients whom are often unable to engage in traditional therapy [9, 10]. Future research should include randomized, controlled studies employing large samples.

Challenges for video communications in remote and rural communities

For Canadapsilas remote and rural communities, video communications provide a vital lifeline. This study explores the challenges for video communications in remote and rural First Nation (Indigenous) communities. Central to our analysis are social and technical issues as well as the ICT experiences of community-based organizations and community members. We use an analytical framework to identify challenges in four categories: technical infrastructure, the interactions of the users with the technical infrastructure, the production and reception of audio-visual content, and the organizational and social relations. Our findings underline the need for community capacity building to address these challenges and use video communications to its full potential.

IT education and training for disadvantage students: lessons from Europe

Across the European Union, education and training in information technology (IT) is seen as a way to move people experiencing disadvantage - such as the unemployed, people with disabilities, immigrants, marginalized women, and disadvantaged youth - into sustainable employment. All the EU member countries and the European Commission have invested heavily in IT education and training programs for these groups. This article discusses the study took place in five European countries, and concluded that for students experiencing disadvantage, IT training and education should be only one element of a much broader pedagogy. Successful programs in the countries studied - Ireland, the U.K., Finland, Italy, and Spain - used a pathway approach of interventions.

A history of everyday communication by community members of Fort Severn First Nation: from hand deliveries to virtual pokes

Fort Severn Washaho Cree Nation is the most northern community in Ontario. Without road access for most of the year, Fort Severn community members have always found innovative and useful ways to communicate and share information. This paper traces the history of everyday communications from the pre-analogue era to the current day. The focus is on how Fort Severn community members communicate and use technology in a community-centered and holistic way. Information was gathered for this paper over the course of three visits to the community and 59 interviews with Fort Severn community members. Community members reflect on their history of communications, and their current use of a broad range of technologies that utilize broadband. Critical thinking about technology use, and what is needed to support continued innovative and community-centered use is explored.

Participatory videoconferencing for groups

For decades after its introduction, videoconferencing remained a marginal communications medium, used primarily by corporate businesses. However videoconferencing has been taken up by a wide range of individuals, groups and communities. Videoconferencing occurs when people at geographically dispersed sites communicate with each other by transmitting audio and visual data through videoconferencing systems. Group videoconferencing - or multi-site videoconferencing - refers to linking individuals or groups of people in three or more sites using videoconference systems. This unique method of communicating face-to-face without being there in-person is currently being used for education and learning, health and medicine, meetings and conferences, personal communication and community-building. Group videoconferencing does not necessarily lead to participation and knowledge retention; for this to occur it must be used thoughtfully and strategically. Based on the work of researchers and practitioners in the field and an analysis of participatory videoconferencing literature, this paper suggests potential good practices for increasing participation during group videoconferences.