The Field Evaluation of a Mobile Digital Image Communication Application Designed for People with Aphasia

Abstract

PhotoTalk is an application for a mobile device that allows people with aphasia to capture and manage digital photographs to support face-to-face communication. Unlike any other augmentative and alternative communication device for people with aphasia, PhotoTalk focuses solely on image capture and organization and is designed to be used independently. Our project used a streamlined process with three phases: (1) a rapid participatory design and development phase with two speech-language pathologists acting as representative users, (2) an informal usability study with five aphasic participants, which caught usability problems and provided preliminary feedback on the usefulness of PhotoTalk, and (3) a one-month field evaluation with two aphasic participants followed by a one-month secondary field evaluation with one aphasic participant, which showed that they all used it regularly and relatively independently, although not always for its intended communicative purpose. Our field evaluations demonstrated PhotoTalk's promise in terms of its usability and usefulness in everyday communication .