Evaluating a personalizable access technology: SwitchApp - Clinicians
Summary
Access technologies have the potential to significantly enrich the lives of users with motor impairments. We have created an access technology called SwitchApp, which can be personalized to recognize users’ specific vocalizations, keywords and/or facial movements. We want to optimize user experience and evaluate the usability and performance of this technology for employment-related tasks.
Call to action
Are you a clinician with experience supporting access technologies for communication or writing? Consider participating in our research study to help us evaluate a personalizable access technology.
Who can participate
We are looking for individuals who:
- are certified occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, occupational therapy assistants, or communicative disorders assistants,
- are able to communicate in English,
- have at least one year of clinical experience supporting access technologies and high-tech augmented and alternative communication and/or writing aids,
- have at least one year of clinical experience with clients with motor impairments and complex communication needs.
Funding agency
Accessible Technology Program - Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.
What's involved
Participants will attend one testing session of 1.5-2 hours at Holland Bloorview. During this session, they will complete a questionnaire about their clinical experience with access technologies, test SwitchApp by setting it up and personalizing it, and fill out a short usability questionnaire. Participants will also be asked to participate in a 45-minute follow-up interview, which will take place either at Holland Bloorview or remotely. During this interview, they will provide their impressions and feedback about SwitchApp. During each session, we will record audio and video.
Interested in participating
If you are interested in participating in this study or have additional questions, please contact Fanny Hotzé at fhotze@hollandbloorview.ca or 416-425-6220 x6459. Contacting us does not obligate you to participate in the study.
Additional information
Version date: May 2, 2024
eREB# 0625 - Expanding digital access and employment readiness through a personalizable access technology: SwitchApp
Deadline: March 31, 2024 or until 10 participants have been recruited
