Ting-Fang Wu

Computer Access Assessment for Persons with Physical Disabilities: A Guide to Assistive Technology Interventions

An innovative flowchart, called the computer access assessment, is proposed for rehabilitative professionals to perform a comprehensive assessment when determining appropriate assistive technology devices for persons with physical disabilities. According to clients special needs, we reconstruct a new computer access assessment with the following four components: (1) seating and positioning needs, (2) keyboard adaptation needs, (3) potential anatomical control site, and (4) mouse adaptation needs. Advices about special equipment needs will be provided when following this flowchart. Two cases have been studied to illustrate how to utilize computer access assessment to assist therapists in selecting appropriating devices and intervention strategies for a given client.

Designing a Scanning On-Screen Keyboard for People with Severe Motor Disabilities

This study aims to explore the effectiveness of a scanning on-screen keyboard for persons with severe motor disabilities. In order to enhance the typing performance, the on-screen keyboard employs the group-row-column scanning and a frequency-of-use layout. Besides the international alphabetical layout, the on-screen keyboard also provides two Chinese selection layouts for Chinese users. The usability evaluation was carried out with simulations and experiments. The usability evaluation was conducted to compare the performance with that of the QWERTY layout of block scanning built in Microsoft Windows XP. The results demonstrated that the performance of using the scanning on-screen keyboard was better than that of using the Windows XP. No significant difference between the error rates of the two different keyboards was found.

The effect of different representations on reading digital text for students with cognitive disabilities

The article focuses on the effect altering the format of digital text has for students with cognitive disabilities. It states that picture-based representation of text have been used to assist individuals with autism or mental retardation to find alternative ways to communicate. It examines the use of multiple representations of text, including pure text, text with pictures, and text with voice, with autistic students and students with mental retardation. It mentions there was a close correlation of the type of multiple representation used and the learning difficulties of the reader, with autistic students working best with text-picture mode, and students with mental retardation working best with text-voice mode.

Computerized Assessment Tool for Mouse Operating Proficiency

This paper substantiates the process of developing a computerized mouse proficiency assessment tool (CAT-MP), which could be used to measure proficiency of clients in mouse operating skills. Moreover, CAT-MP also helps evaluator to diagnose specific difficulties and provide individual remedies for the persons with limitations to access computer. Based on the results of task analysis of mouse operating, clinical experiences and related literature review, CAT-MP was designed containing four modules responsible for communicating interfaces and databases, organizing test tasks, collecting data and analyzing data respectively. Beside the contents of these modules, the tasks of four subtests, the procedure of measurement, and the results of reliability and validity of CAT-MP will be addressed in detail in this paper.

The effectiveness of a pedagogical agent‐based learning system for teaching word recognition to children with moderate mental retardation

The article discusses an experiment with an agent-based method of teaching word recognition to children suffering from moderate mental retardation. Three children who were unable to recognize Chinese characters participated. The method involved each child to 4 separate words, each accompanied by an illustration of varying clarity. Results showed that two of the children progressed to where they could identify the words without any illustrative cue, while the third achieved identification with only a modest cue.

Keyboard adaptations for children with cerebral palsy

The purpose of this study is to systematically investigate the effects of keyboard adaptations for children with cerebral palsy. Twelve children aged from 7 to 15 years old participated in this study. Keyboard adaptation strategies were developed based on the individualized assessments. A group comparison experimental design was selected to examine the effectiveness of keyboard adaptations. Speed and accuracy of typing Chinese were compared before and after keyboard adaptations. The results indicated that children with cerebral palsy did increase their typing performance after implementing keyboard adaptation strategies. The results of this study can provide health and educational profession a reference when serving children with physical disabilities.

CAT motor: an innovative system to detect the behavior of human computer interaction for people with upper limb impairment

This paper described a system which could measure cursor movement and control site motion simultaneously. In addition to evaluate a clients pointing and selecting proficiency, CAT Motor system, developed on the basis of the previous CAT system, was also used to detect the motion of his control site. This feature could provide clinical professionals more detailed information when comparing the difference of performance among devices. The CAT Motor system consisted of four basic types of mouse operating skills, including clicking, cursor moving, cursor moving and clicking, and dragging. The CAT Motor recorded the location and the response of the pointing device and captured the picture of the control site synchronally. Then, the system visualized the results of cursor moving and control site motion on the screen. The CAT Motor system not only provided the professionals with an objective mean of evaluating specific difficulties of mouse operating difficulties, but also allowed them to evaluate the effort of the motor control training. Besides, this paper had some suggestions for the research in the future.

Essential Competencies of Special Educator in Integrating Assistive Technology into the Curriculum

This study addresses the essential competencies of special educator in integrating assistive technology (AT) into the curriculum. Researchers identified ten categories of skills required to integrate assistive technology, after viewing deliberate literature. Fourteen professionals in special education, rehabilitation and assistive technology formed as a web-based Delphi panel and reviewed the importance of the competencies. Following three rounds of a web-based Delphi survey, 51 statements were determined to be important or very important to AT integration.

Utilizing Multiple Representation System to Improve Reading Comprehension for Students with Learning Disabilities.

Reading skill is an important ability for students, and students acquire knowledge through reading. However, it is difficult for students with learning disabilities (LD) to read effectively without any support. The purpose of this study was to develop a Multiple-representation system, which provided different kinds of cognitive supports for reading and to examine the effects of cognitive supports by comparing the reading performance of students with LD in the situations of with and without cognitive supports. The “Multiple-representation system” includes six cognitive support strategies. The result demonstrated that the participants performed better when reading with cognitive supports. The “Multiple-representation system” provides learners with LD an individualized cognitive supports adapted to their needs in digital learning environment.

Erratum: Different ICT Competency but Similar Pattern between Students with/without Learning Disabilities?

This paper explored if the ICT skills is different between students with/without learning disabilities across the grades. Meanwhile the current paper also explored if the structural equation modeling (SEM) is different between the students with/without learning abilities. 547 students with LD and 2298 students without LD from grade 3 to grade 9 participated in this survey. The results indicated that although the ICT skill is different between the students with/without LD, the structure of model is similar between the two groups.