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The submission is concerned with, and addresses, problems of designing for people with disabilities, with specific reference to people who are illiterate and cannot speak. People with such disabilities often depend on electronic AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) devices for interpersonal communication. A central theme of the thesis, however, is that such products, and products intended for people with disabilities more generally, have characteristics that inadequately attend to users' needs. Through a combination of practical product development and literature reviews, the thesis demonstrates how improvements to AAC devices 'can be made through user-participatory, usercentred and more sensitive and perceptive design. Literature reviews in the following subjects are reported: AAC; the operational knowledge base for design and disability; user participatory design; and wearable computing. At the core of the thesis is the presentation and discussion of an empirical case study, carried out by the researcher, to design and develop the Portland Communication Aid (PCA). The PCA was conceived as an AAC product that would attempt to redress the inadequacies of predecessor devices. The design activity for the PCA is traced in the thesis, from initial concepts and development models through to a working prototype. Key ideas and essential principles of the design are illustrated. Throughout the work on the PCA, many problems associated with designing for people with severe communication disabilities were encountered. These problems, as with their resolutions, comprised matters of both designing (as an activity) and design (as product specification). The thesis contains comprehensive exposure and analysis of these problems and resolutions. In particular, the value of shaping meaning, metaphor, and other product semantics into devices intended for use by people with disabilities is explored. The study provides two substantive conclusions. First, that both the activity and the outcomes of Industrial Design have a valuable role in the empowerment and rehabilitation of AAC users. And second, that key principles have been identified that will enable designers to better identify, articulate and respond to the needs of people with communication disabilities (and the needs of people with disabilities more generally)

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Education / Master / Master of Science in Information Technology in Education

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Stockholms universitet, 2006. / Härtill 6 uppsatser.

Bakgrund : God kommunikation mellan patient och vårdpersonal i en vårdsituation är en förutsättning för god omvårdnad med personcentrering. Patientberättelsen är en viktig grund för personcentrerad vård. Det finns i dag patienter inom svensk hälso- och sjukvård som inte talar eller förstår varken svenska eller engelska. Verbal kommunikation är då inte möjlig. Problemet kan bli mer påtagligt i framtiden eftersom globalisering medför en ökad rörlighet mellan länderna och konflikter, naturkatastrofer och klimatförändringar leder till stora migrationsströmmar. Syfte : Syfte med denna litteraturstudie är att undersöka patientens och vårdpersonalens upplevelser av att använda kommunikationshjälpmedel vid språkbarriärer. Metod : Studien genomfördes som en litteraturstudie. Datainsamlingen har skett i databaserna CINAHL och PubMed, vilket genererade 15 vetenskapliga artiklar. Resultat : Följande åtta kategorier identifierades: tvåspråkig vårdpersonal, interaktiva kommunikationsprogram, tvåspråkiga kort, röstkort med inspelad information, audiofiler, böcker, informationsbroschyr med frågelista och anhörigtolkar. Denna litteraturöversikt visade att både patienter och vårdpersonal uppskattade de identifierade kommunikationshjälpmedel positiva vid språkbarriärer. Det visade sig att de interaktiva kommunikationshjälpmedel och tvåspråkiga kort var de mest uppskattade kommunikationshjälpmedlen. Slutsats : Denna litteraturstudie visade att kommunikationshjälpmedel möjliggör kommunikation mellan patient och vårdpersonal vid brist av professionell tolkning. Det betonas dock att alternativa kommunikationshjälpmedel inte kan ersätta en professionell tolk och vårdpersonalen får avgöra vad som är lämpligast beroende på situationen. / Background: Good communication between patient and healthcare professionals is a prerequisite for good nursing with person-centering. The patient report is an important basis for person-centered care. There is an increasing number of patients who do not speak or understand neither Swedish nor English. This makes verbal communication impossible. The problem can become more apparent in the future as globalization leads to increased mobility between countries and conflicts, natural disasters and climate change lead to large migratory flows. Aim: The present review aims to investigate patients and healthcare professionals’ perception of using communication tools in situations with language barriers. Method : The study was conducted as a literature review by searching the databases CINAHL and PubMed which resulted in 15 scientific articles. Results : Following eight categories were identified as communication tools: bilingual professionals, interactive communication programs, bilingual cards, audio cards, audio records, books, information sheets and family member interpreter. This literature review showed that both patients and healthcare professionals appreciated the identified communication tools positively in language barriers. It turned out that the interactive communication tools and bilingual cards were the most appreciated communication tools. Conclusion : The present review showed that communication tools enable communication between patients and healthcare professionals in the absence of professional interpretation. However, it is emphasized that alternative communication tools cannot replace a professional interpreter and the healthcare professionals has to determine what is most appropriate depending on the situation.

Thesis (M.S.)--Missouri State University, 2008. / "May 2008." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 22-23). Also available online.

Thesis (M. Communication Pathology)--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references.

<p> This dissertation deals with the problems associated with the design and construction of communication aids for children with cerebral palsy. Attention is focused on an electronic communication board developed at the Ontario Crippled Children's Centre in Toronto which displays a matrix of Bliss symbols and English words that can be selected by appropriate activation of an interface which controls the sequential illumination of the symbol blocks. A number of interfaces were constructed. Appropriate electronic switching arrangements were incorporated with the interfaces in order to achieve activation of the interface upon the initiation of a movement rather than the maintaining of a position. The communication board was interfaced to a PDP 11-10 minicomputer which was used to provide a dual output of the word and associated Bliss symbol, selected using 'interface control, on a teletype and oscilloscope screen respectively. </p> <p> Descriptions of associated communication type devices include an electronic attention getting device, page-turner interface, and programmed learning board. </p> / Thesis / Master of Engineering (MEngr)