UDL At Work in Cognitopia

Background

      The broad spectrum of cognitive disabilities dictates that a one-size-fits-all approach is not the best solution for designing support tools. It is obvious that a flexible, customizable approach will provide the most usable tools for the broadest range of users and individual variability.


     Our research and development is focused on self-management software for students and adults with cognitive disabilities. We’ve produced a visual calendaring application, Picture Planner 3.0 that is our flagship product. Picture Planner is designed for users who have difficulty with text-based software and those for whom typical commercial software applications are too complex. It incorporates universal design principles that maximize its use by those with cognitive disabilities while also providing a useful tool for teachers, educational assistants, and family members to support the development of personal organization skills and self-determination.


     Picture Planner’s design includes many features to maximize cognitive accessibility that spring from a UDL approach. Virtually all screen elements consist of a graphic image, text label, and text-to-speech pronunciation of the label. The entire program is operated by single clicks, simplifying its use and enhancing compatibility with touch screens, switches, other adaptive computing systems, and mobile devices. It also incorporates a task analysis approach to competent activity creation whereby users are systematically prompted through consideration of what the activity is, who is doing it, where it’s happening, and how to get there, along with other details. And it provides pop-up multimedia reminders when activities come up.

Universal Design Approach

     Lead developer, Tom Keating, Ph.D. and his team’s work to date has led to the realization that by designing for cognitive accessibility, they are designing for all users, through cognitively accessible software applications such as Picture Planner™ as well as through an understanding of some of the key needs, challenges, and promising approaches to addressing ease of use that meet the needs of a much broader range of users and technologies. Our development approach of Picture Planner for cognitive disabilities is consistent with many of the identified markers for the principles of universal design regarding:

  •      Providing Options for Perception: Users may customize displayed information with their own images and icons. They may also limit the number of task analyzed categories and images.

  •      Providing Variable Modalities: With text to speech prompting, single click operation, and touch screen availability provide alternative means of interaction.

  •      Providing Access By Reducing Language Barriers: Images and icons aid in alternative comprehension for cross-linguistic understanding.

  •      Providing Options for Meta-Cognitive Strategies: By prioritizing personal organization needs, selection of information initiates and encourages action. Scaffolding details about each activity allows for diverse individual needs and promoting long-term learning.

  •      Providing a Means of Engagement: through the needs of personal organization Picture Planner can be utilized from the simplest to the most complex tasks. Mobility of the application using IOS devices encourages integration.

  •      Providing a Motivation: Intuitive design provides accessibility for self- determination and regulation.

  •      Provide Sustaining Engagement Feedback: The ability to mark tasks completed for review purposes and sharing schedules by utilizing Web 2.0 methodologies encourages relevant and timely feedback for long-term skill mastery.

Implications for Cognitively Accessible Self-Management

     Evaluation data from field-testing of Picture Planner showed that with minimal instruction, students with significant cognitive disabilities were able to benefit from using computer applications for activity planning or other life management tasks if they are designed with cognitively accessible interfaces. It also indicated that over time they required decreased staff assistance and only limited direct instruction. Field test participants averaged over 50% independent application usage after just 8 weekly half-hour training sessions.


     It is notable also that for these individuals, who had mild to moderate cognitive disabilities including intellectual disabilities and autism, the assistance they needed was often minimal, consisting of simple verbal prompts. Further, the data suggested that software for personal management enhanced computer literacy and self-esteem, and provided a framework for interactions between assistants and students that affirmed values such as self-determination and independence, regardless of computer expertise.