Speech-generating devices: effectiveness of interface design-a comparative study of autism spectrum disorders

Chien-Hsu Chen; Chuan-Po Wang; I-Jui Lee; Chris Chun-Chin Su

doi:10.1186/s40064-016-3181-6

Speech-generating devices: effectiveness of interface design-a comparative study of autism spectrum disorders

Springerplus. 2016 Sep 29;5(1):1682. doi: 10.1186/s40064-016-3181-6. eCollection 2016.

Authors

Chien-Hsu Chen¹, Chuan-Po Wang¹, I-Jui Lee², Chris Chun-Chin Su¹

Affiliations

¹ Ergonomics and Interaction Design Lab, Department of Industrial Design, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan City, 701 Taiwan, ROC.
² Department of Animation and Game Design, Shu-Te University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC.

Abstract

Background: We analyzed the efficacy of the interface design of speech generating devices on three non-verbal adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), in hopes of improving their on-campus communication and cognitive disability. The intervention program was created based on their social and communication needs in school. Two operating interfaces were designed and compared: the Hierarchical Relating Menu and the Pie Abbreviation-Expansion Menu.

Methods: The experiment used the ABCACB multiple-treatment reversal design. The test items included: (1) accuracy of operating identification; (2) interface operation in response to questions; (3) degree of independent completion. Each of these three items improved with both intervention interfaces.

Results: The children were able to operate the interfaces skillfully and respond to questions accurately, which evidenced the effectiveness of the interfaces.

Conclusions: We conclude that both interfaces are efficacious enough to help nonverbal children with ASD at different levels.

Keywords: Abbreviation-expansion menu; Autism spectrum disorder; Communication disorders; Multiple-treatment reversal design; Speech generating device.