User-Centered Design Process to Develop Motor Speech Disorder Treatment Assistive Tool

摘要

With the advent of an aging society, the number of people suffering from degenerative diseases, which often lead to communication disorders such as motor speech disorders (MSDs). Intensive and repeated practice is essential for individuals with MSDs. Because of work overload, speech and language therapists (SLTs) might cope with the excess load of treatment, which may lead to reduce of rehabilitation effects. Nowadays smart mobile devices such as the iPad and tablet PC have changed the way of therapy. Therefore, this study proposes the feasibility of assistive technology intervention through the user-centered design process in MSDs treatment. First, it uses Delphi expert assessment interviewing the SLTs to realize how they work about MSDs. Second, the SLTs define the weighting of requirements using the analytic hierarchy process. The most two important two criteria are: evaluate willing to practice, and easy to review the home exercises. Third, it transfers the requirements into design criteria and develop the assistive APP, MOUTH EXERCISE. SLTs can select and demonstrate correct video to the individuals instead of exercising their oral muscles. Finally, SLTs participate the usability evaluation to validate the APP. They suggest that MOUTH EXERCISE can not only as an assistive manner of speech therapy, but also reduce the workload of them. It concludes that the developed APP is a useful tool for STLs. In the future, it will develop home practice mode to enhance the rehabilitation motivation of individuals.