+Universal Access in the
Information Society
Journal
Elspeth McKay
Published Online:
March 24, 2007
Planning Effective HCI to Enhance Access to
Educational Applications
I s m a i l A n s a ra
+
Introduction

“Effective learning is expressed in terms of knowing”

Qualitative measurement?

How to create appropriate educational environments for
those who require assistance like the disabled?

In relation to the mentally and physically disabled, means of
providing a “skills/competency measurement tool that is
efficient, reliable, and safe to administer,” are – non-existent.
+
Project 1

Seeks to enhance evaluation of “young peoples’ potential to
participate in appropriate educational programs following a
mental health episode”

Case managers who dealt with them were to harness
academic competency, so as to provide programs that help
build skills in the short term.

So ultimately having proper plans to achieve long-term
“personal goals.”

“Therefore, it was crucial to determine individual capabilities
in terms of intellectual skills, cognitive strategies, verbal
information, motor skills, and attitudes”
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Project 2

Enhancing “Web-based resources” for helping disabled
new-entrants to the work force find jobs.

Short-term goal: Develop an IS that is able to provide
functionality and exhibit the benefits of a personalized
“work-searching system.”

Long-term goal: Build a complete system based on a webportale “linking these job seekers with considerate
employers.”

Financing from:
community service provider – private sector
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Instructional Design Approach

Cognitive Skill Acquisition: Knowledge with respect to:
declarative (knowing what) - procedural (knowing how)
1. Verbal information (knowing basic terms).
2. Intellectual skill development (basic rules,
discriminating and understanding concepts and
principles).
the
3.Intellectual skill (higher-order-rules, problem solving,
ability to apply concepts and principles in new situations
4. Two different types of cognitive strategies
(a)
to identify sub-tasks, recognize un-stated assumptions, and
(b)
to recall simple prerequisite rules and concepts, integrating
learning from different areas into a plan for solving a problem.
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Instructional Design Approach

Both Projects illustrated that the
participants preferred visual or
verbal representation

It is critical to create an instructional
environment which caters for the full
range of cognitive style preference
with delivery options for users to
choose from.
+
Prototype Project 1:
Educational/Academic Skills Evaluation
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Prototype Project 2: “eWRAP”
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Evaluation
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Evaluation

To be able to evaluate cognitive performance, the QUEST
Interactive Test Analysis System was used.

“QUEST develops a one dimensional scale with equal
intervals along each axis, to measure individuals’
performance and test items together.”

The resultant cognitive performance measurement
instrument was adjusted to ensure substance.
+
Results

Project 1: Observations of the  Project 2:Preliminary
case managers as well as the
qualitative feedback mainly
QUEST tool, were able to
ease of use
identify that some participants
performed well with visual
‘the person applying
tasks. However text/numeric for
the computer position
test items proved to be difficult
reminded me of people
Visual tasks
i.e (select the closest flower,
pick the largest building
block, etc.)
Text/numeric test-items
i.e (find an ingredient from a
recipe, calculate the cost of
several grocery items, etc.).
I know, it made me
think that behaving like
that is not good’
‘ I can see that wearing
suitable clothing is
important for an
interview’
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Access to Information

“The design process of a computer-human interface is
complex…..careful attention [must be] paid to sound, and
well-founded instructional design principles”

Limitations of present-day approaches fail to recognize and
accommodate learning process dynamics.

To articulate requirements aspects must be implemented
from:
1.
2.
3.
instructional science
cognitive psychology
educational research
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Summary and Conclusions
ICT applications that promote the principles of correct instructional design,
plus….the importance of the interacting relationships amongst the various
HCI components.
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Application in Egyptian Educational
Reform
“To prevent fatigue or frustration with the disabled, and to
harbor a positive learning environment, creative visualization
and sounds must be implemented in any system to enhance
cognitive absorption.”
Ahmed Farouq M.A, Special Education,
University of Pittsburgh
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Works Cited

Database: Library, Information Science & Technology
Abstracts with Full Text

McKay, Elspeth. Universal Access in the Information Society,
Jun2007, Vol. 6 Issue 1, p77-85, 9p, 2 Color Photographs, 2
Diagrams, 3 Charts;

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lih
&AN=26199037&site=ehost-live">Planning effective HCI to
enhance access to educational applications.