Design guidelines for interactive multimedia learning environments to promote social inclusion

Abstract

Structured AbstractPurpose: There is a continuing need for guidelines to aid in the design of Interactive Multimedia Learning Environments (IMLE) to promote effective learning. The project introduced in this paper looks at an important subset of this problem, the design of interactive learning environments to promote social inclusion.Method: A consortium of six partners contributed toward defining learning material to develop a range of work based skills, including horticulture, IT and catering. These were then developed into IMLE prototypes. Formative evaluation of these prototypes then revealed a range of usability problems, which were grouped into generic types and frequency of occurrence. Results:The most important and frequently occurring problems were used to distil a set of design guidelines for the development of effective IMLE. The results from this Usability Content Analysis were also used to refine the initial prototypes to improve their usability and effectiveness. Conclusions:These guidelines called the Greenhat Design Guidelines can be adopted for use by all multimedia developers aiming to promote the social inclusion of vulnerable or socially disadvantaged groups of people. The refined IMLE can be accessed via the Greenhat Server to improve the employment-related skills of socially excluded people.

Testing a web information portal for people with learning disabilities

“…One such research initiative has been to explore issues directly impacting individuals with learning disabilities that prohibit or limit their access and purposeful use of web content and technology. Brown, Powell, Battersby et al. (2002) examined these issues through development and usability testing of an ‘Interactive Multimedia Learning Environment’ (IMLE).…”

Inclusive design for disability: a prototype switch for use in virtual learning environments

“…The second was that its use as a development tool has shown positive results in motivating the learning activities of young people at risk of social exclusion and that its presentational format (animation driven) is ideal for young people with a cognitive disability who will have associated literacy difficulties (8). The first issue was that Macromedia Flash eased the development of the data capture software to capture evaluation results automatically, significantly aiding the task of the evaluation researcher.…”

“…Most participants seemed to fare better and use less force or have more control of movement if most of the arm on the side they were using was resting at least to the elbow (if not up to the wrist) on a tray or wheelchair armrest (ID 16,8,13,19,5,25,13,9,4,22). Positioning of the switch.…”

“…The Wobble or Handy Switch gave auditory feed-back-as though it had been clicked but without being effective in the environment-and participants had to attempt clicking the switch a few times before being successful (ID 10,8,16,21,20,14). This switch was also very awkward to use and required a lot of control or power (ID 10, 8, 3, 4, 7, 22).…”

“…Researchers have also begun the task of deriving design guidelines for developing VE to address cognitive disability (6) and for developing user-sensitive inclusive design methods to ensure that specific abilities and needs of people with a cognitive disability are considered in the design of VE and associated technology (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12). These initiatives have to be extended in the same way that the design for other impairments has been driven.…”