Aug 25 - Wattenberg, Accessibility Heuristics utilizing Learnability

Accessibility heuristics utilizing learnability characteristics of synthesized speech applications.
Ted L. Wattenberg. Doctoral Student, Graduate School of Computer and Information Sciences Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, FL. Adjunct Faculty San Joaquin Delta College Disabled Students Programs and Services. 5151 Pacific Ave. Stockton, California 95207. E-mail: wattenbe@nova.edu
ACCESSIBILITY AND COMPUTING. Number 84, Jan 2006. ACM.


The goal of the Accessible Learning Through Text-to-Speech Project (Alt-Learning Project) is to support the increased effectiveness and use of technology by people with disabilities by the identification of usability, accessibility, and learnability problems of users of text-to-speech applications. The study will result in a set of accessibility heuristics that are to be used by professionals responsible for the delivery of assistive technology while performing assessments, instruction, or other supportive services to people with disabilities.

Learnability
Learnability is a construct of language acquisition that measures a person’s ability to acquire and use language skills [2]. Learnability theory encompasses areas of linguistics, developmental psychology, and educational theory. Measurement of a person’s level of learnability is based on educational theories that describe learning as an active process involving social communication and the ability to utilize knowledge beyond the immediate moment or situation.
Learnability theories differentiate between the usability of a product and its learnability[5]. Key constructs of learnability include the ease of use of a product, gender preferences, and the cognition needed by the user. The usability of a product relates to the enjoyment derived by the user and leads to the effectiveness of the product’s use.
Paymans, Lindenberg, and Neerincx [5] found that a product can be found to be easy to
use but at the same time not easy to learn. Even though a user understands the content of material or can perform an independent activity, they still may be unable to reapply the skills or knowledge from one activity to new activities later on.

My comments: Ted Wattenberg was a Doctoral student when he wrote this article / research paper. There should be a PhD dissertation by Wattenberg since he wrote that in 2006.