Access to Information for Learning by Using Assistive Technology for Undergraduate Students with Disabilities in Northern Thailand

The Scientific World Journal

Putthinoi

Lerttrakarnnon

et al. 2020

The objectives of this study were to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of an emergency alert device for elderly people and people with disabilities by usability testing. There were two phases in this study: (1) development of a prototype for an emergency alert device and (2) usability testing of the device. Results presented development of the prototype, which comprised parts for sending and receiving signals. There were two kinds of alarms for emergency calls known as conscious and unconscious alerts. Participants in the usability testing phase included 12 specialists and 161 users that comprised 146 elderly people or people with disabilities and 15 caregivers or community health volunteers. The instruments used were a rating scale, usability checklist, and individual interviews regarding the usability, general appearance, and use of the device. The users agreed with the overall aspects regarding usability of the device, its general appearance, and use (X¯ ± SD = 4.24 ± 0.88, 4.11 ± 0.90, and 4.37 ± 0.83, respectively). Most of the participants, both specialists and users, gave their perspectives on improving the size, color of the letters displayed, type of wristband, and method for sending signals.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Development Of a Prototype For An Emergency Alert Device Formentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Development and Usability Testing of an Emergency Alert Device for Elderly People and People with Disabilities

The Scientific World Journal

Putthinoi

Lerttrakarnnon

et al. 2020

“…People can use communication channels through the five senses (taste, smell, sound, touch and sight). However, the efficiency of communication is limited if the person receiving a message has sensory impairment, in which case children with a hearing disability cannot hear or receive media requiring a sound element [15]. Disability in listening and speaking are barriers that delay communication and increase the disability.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They also can take and send photographs through Line, Facebook, Messenger, etc. Therefore, use of the 3G Telecommunication service benefits people with a hearing disability [15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of Information Technology for Communication and Learning in Secondary School Students with a Hearing Disability

2019

Education Sciences

Self Cite

Information technology (IT) is important to meet the needs of students with a hearing disability in special Thai school settings. The aim of this paper was to research the use and opinion of IT for communication and learning from students with a hearing disability in schools for the deaf. The IT in this study included information devices such as mobile phones, smartphones, and tablets. This study used the stratified random sampling method for enrolling its participants. Data collected from 192 students with a hearing disability using a self-administered questionnaires. Results found that most of these students knew about chat applications, for example, Line, Facebook, Messenger and face-to-face conversation apps. Furthermore, most of these students contacted people with hearing problems by sending messages through Facebook, Line and face-to-face applications. The main reasons why they used IT was for convenience and general conversation. A study of opinions on the use of IT by students with a hearing disability found that most of them agreed that IT equipment contributed to their participation in various activities, including conversations with their relatives and friends on social networking. Conclusion and discussions were included.

Facilitators and Barriers of Assistive Technology and Learning Environment for Children with Special Needs

Putthinoi

Occupational Therapy International

2018

Self Cite

The purpose of this research was to study the facilitators and barriers of assistive technology (AT) and the learning environment for children with special needs in special education schools in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The informants were one hundred and sixteen children with special needs, who studied in nursery to Grade 12, or with their caregivers. The instrument was a questionnaire applied by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and examined for content validity by five specialists. The results in terms of AT showed that a majority of children with physical disability needed it for mobility and use of school buildings and those with hearing disability for communication. However, most of the children did not need to use AT for culture, recreation, or sports, while many considered it as a facilitator for education. In terms of the learning environment, most characteristics of the physical environment were facilitators for children with special needs, as were those of the social environment for all groups of such children. The results of this study were useful in providing information for AT and design of a learning environment relating to the varied characteristics of children with special needs in special education schools.