Development and evaluation of a non-electronic Sepedi graphic symbol-based AAC system for use with preliterate children

Abstract

Background: Assistive technology must be contextually and culturally appropriate to avoid abandonment and rejection from end-users and communities. AAC systems must be aligned to the languages and cultures of the users. Currently, a significant number of South Africans requiring AAC are unable to use their home language through appropriate, aided AAC systems. This project aims to develop and evaluate a non-electronic Sepedi graphic symbol-based AAC system for children from Sepedi language backgrounds requiring AAC through the use of the HCD design. Methods: A three-phase human centred design process was followed. The first phase consisted of a needs analysis and the determination of design requirements through focus groups and interviews with 21 adult participants. The second phase consisted of two adult iterative design cycles (involving 11 adults) and one child iterative design cycle (involving 14 children) of prototyping and stakeholder feedback, employing methods such as experience prototyping and nominal group technique. The third phase consisted of an evaluation phase where three special school teachers shared their perspectives about the system through individual interviews with the researcher after a two-week implementation period of the system. Each teacher implemented the system with one child in need of AAC in their classroom. Findings: Phase 1 showed findings in the system categories such as a) a need for such a system; b) various contexts of use such as the home, school and community environment; c) various purposes of use such as to enable communication access, facilitating learning and improving self-esteem; d) design requirements regarding vocabulary, graphic symbols, layout and organisation, and physical properties were obtained. The findings of Phase 1 guided the development of the first prototype during Phase 2. Phase 2 findings showed how the system was examined on first impression, used in communication activities during the session and evaluated. Changes to the design requirements of the system were suggested and implemented. In Phase 3, the participants evaluated the system in terms of the whole design and implementation process. They highlighted that the system may be used in a Sepedi-speaking context as it conformed to the cultural and linguistic considerations of the language. The participants also evaluated the 16 system in terms of constructs such as usability and user-experience and highlighted that the system was usable and evoked positive impacts on the users. Conclusion: The use of a human-centred design process was found useful in the development and evaluation of a non-electronic Sepedi graphic symbol-based AAC system for children from a Sepedi language background requiring AAC. HCD principles state that the design of an assistive technology device should be based on a thorough understanding of the user, context and activities to be performed. It also emphasises that the design process should be informed by and driven by the design team who possessed various types of knowledge. The design team members should be active participants in the whole design process, and aim to address the user’s experience holistically. Participants in this study, found the developed non-electronic Sepedi graphic symbol-based AAC system to be valuable and acceptable to the Sepedi-speaking community.