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Introduction:The current work probes the effectiveness of multimodal touch screen tablet electronic devices in conveying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics graphics via vibrations and sounds to individuals who are visually impaired (i.e., blind or low vision) and compares it with similar graphics presented in an embossed format. Method:A volunteer sample of 22 participants who are visually impaired, selected from a summer camp and local schools for blind students, were recruited for the current study. Participants were first briefly (∼30 min) trained on how to explore graphics via a multimodal touch screen tablet. They then explored six graphic types (number line, table, pie chart, bar chart, line graph, and map) displayed via embossed paper and tablet. Participants answered three content questions per graphic type following exploration. Results:Participants were only 6% more accurate when answering questions regarding an embossed graphic as opposed to a tablet graphic. A paired-samples t test indicated that this difference was not significant, t(14) = 1.91, p = .07. Follow-up analyses indicated that presentation medium did not interact with graphic type, F(5, 50) = 0.43, p = .83, nor visual ability, F(1, 13) = 0.00, p = .96. Discussion:The findings demonstrate that multimodal touch screen tablets may be comparable to embossed graphics in conveying iconographic science and mathematics content to individuals with visual impairments, regardless of the severity of impairment. The relative equivalence in response accuracy between mediums was unexpected, given that most students who participated were braille readers and had experience reading embossed graphics, whereas they were introduced to the tablet the day of testing. Implications for practitioners:This work illustrates that multimodal touch screen tablets may be an effective option for general education teachers or teachers of students with visual impairments to use in their educational practices. Currently, preparation of accessible graphics is time consuming and requires significant preparation, but such tablets provide solutions for offering “real-time” displays of these graphics for presentation in class.
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Patterns of technology access and preferences for remote assessments across groups at Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers
Abstract BackgroundUsing remote assessments for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders (ADRD) studies can have advantages, such as providing research opportunities to individuals who might otherwise be excluded due to geographical distances, transportation difficulties, and physical frailty. As studies adopt remote assessment modalities, however, people at highest risk of ADRD may be less likely to use the internet, own electronic devices, and be comfortable with technology utilization. MethodThese analyses included data obtained through the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center Uniform Data Set from 3,803 participants across 17 Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers in the United States who completed the Technology Access Survey between July 2nd, 2020 and April 26th, 2023. Participants were categorized as either White or Other Race or Ethnicity. Mixed effects logistic regression models using generalized estimating equations with random effect for study site were used to examine the association of education, race and ethnicity, and education x Other Race or Ethnicity interaction with (1) device use and (2) device preferences for remote assessments. The analyses were adjusted for age, sex, cognitive status, and study site. Significance was set atp <0.05. ResultDescriptive statistics are shown in Table 1. Participants with more years of education had greater access to the internet across all devices (Table 2). Other Race or Ethnicity participants had lower odds of access to tablet, laptop and desktop computer compared to White participants. There was a significant interaction between Other Race or Ethnicity and education for use of tablet, laptop and desktop computer, where the effect of higher education was greater in Other Race or Ethnicity than White participants. A similar pattern of results was observed for interest in using a smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer to complete parts of their study visit from home (Table 3). ConclusionThese findings suggest that education has a role in racioethnic differences in technological access and preferences. Future ADRD studies utilizing remote assessments should consider these patterns to inform study design and potential selection of populations studied.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2145049
- PAR ID:
- 10665359
- Publisher / Repository:
- Alzheimer's & Dementia
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Alzheimer's & Dementia
- Volume:
- 21
- Issue:
- S4
- ISSN:
- 1552-5260
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1002/alz70858_099484
