Yun Lung Lin

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.

Applications of Computer Access Approach to Persons with Quadriplegics

This paper substantiates the process of helping the clients with motor disabilities to operate computer. A team with multiple professionals from different disciplines served eight persons with quadriplegics diagnosed as Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Athetoid Cerebral Palsy, Cervical Spinal Cord Injury and Muscular Dystrophy respectively. Based on the computer access approach (CAA), the limitations and strengths of motor control, the difficulties of operating computer and the context to support accessibility were evaluated. Furthermore, the evaluation results guided the configuration of computer system to be modified, possibly combined with changing anatomical control site. Finally better accessibility for each person was achieved. It can be concluded that CAA processed by an integrated team can greatly help in solving accessibility problems for quadriplegic.

A flexible on-screen keyboard: dynamically adapting for individuals' needs

This study was to design an alternative on-screen keyboard and evaluate the efficacy of this innovative layout design for people with severe physical disability. The matrix keyboard layouts was designed based on human computer interaction. A repeated experiment was performed to compare the speed and accuracy of text entry with point-and-click input method between the matrix on-screen keyboard and the Windows XP QWERTY virtual keyboard. Data analysis revealed that the matrix on-screen keyboard provided better performance for the participant. The result also indicates that layout adaptation assessment is a valid tool to confirm proper layout size for users and that alphabetic order is better than QWERTY order for a novice user to learn a new on-screen keyboard. A usability study was undertaken to evaluation the performance of the double click instead of the point-and-click plus Shift key input method. The possible causes of the results and suggestions for further studies are discussed.

Assisting an Adolescent with Cerebral Palsy to Entry Text by Using the Chorded Keyboard

For people with severe motor disabilities, the utilization of a standard keyboard has been a challenge because of their motor limitations. This study aimed to design a chorded on-screen keyboard with a customized alternative input device to meet the needs of a client with cerebral palsy. A bilingual on-screen keyboard with Chinese and English input methods was designed especially for Chinese users. The intervention study revealed that the chorded on-screen keyboard with a customized alternative input device could significantly improve the text entry performance of the user and could efficiently be his communication tool. A deeper understanding on computer access through text entry was explored and better text entry training solutions were recommended for future researches.

The Program for Improving the Working Interfaces and Increasing the Work Competencies of People with Severe Physical Disabilities: The Evaluation, Design, and Training of the Adaptive Computer Devices

Computer access is always a concern due to the fact that computer skills are often listed among the basic requirements for job application. In Taiwan, many people with disabilities do not get job offers because regular computer devices are not designed for their special needs. To help these people, the Adaptive Computer Technology Service Team (ACTST) was established to design and provide individualized needs evaluations and computer skill training. This paper aims to report the results of our efforts and discuss future plans.

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.

Design and implementation of a chorded on-screen keyboard for people with physical impairments

The purposes of this study were to design an alternative on-screen keyboard for people with physical impairments and to evaluate the efficacy of the chorded input method. The approach of the on-screen keyboard is based on the human computer interface. It gives visual guide and instant feedback to show users where they can find the characters they need. The system has been designed with the principles of universal design. Three factors including the learning ability, efficiency of using and subjective satisfaction are considered as the usability evaluation. According to a preliminary study, the participant felt mastered the text input method quickly. An experimental evaluation on the typing performance of the subjects with muscular dystrophy will be measured under both scanning input mode and chorded input mode in the future.

Computerized assessing the mouse proficiency through multiple indicators

This study presents a computerized assessment tool which provides multiple parameters for evaluating a subjects pointing and selecting proficiency. The Mi-CAT system could provide effect parameters, quality parameters, and visual information that serve as the multiple indicators for clinical professionals to decide whether a pointing device or a setting is proper for a client. Besides introducing the Mi-CAT system, this study also explore the effectiveness of applying Mi-CAT in identifying a proper pointing device for a 7-year-old girl. The results reported that the multiple indicators generated from Mi-CAT system would pinpoint a better device or setting for this girl.

Characteristics and Solutions of Digital Divide for People with Physical Impairments in Taiwan

The purpose of this study is to narrow down the digital gap between people with and those without physical impairments in Taiwan. To better understand the need of the digital learning for people with physical impairments, the authors have created the digital characteristic assessment scale, digital need assessment scale, and developed the mouse training system and on-screen keyboard assessment system. In order to comprehend the performance and practicability of the scales and systems, this integrated project have also applied these tools to evaluate and train the clients with muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy. To fulfill the need of training the clients and providing appropriate assistant facilities, the alternative input device and the adapted web platform have been developed. The result validates the feasibility of both software and hardware developed by our implementation.