聽障者多功能行動電話之通用設計

Abstract

根據統計，聽障者行動電話持有率高達90%。其中以文字簡訊之使用率最為頻繁，有高達96%的聽障者使用簡訊進行文字溝通。除此之外，亦有41%聽障者使用行動電話之網路即時通、震動鬧鈴、視訊通話、網際網路資料查詢、電子郵件、或群組聊天室等。多功能行動電話儼然已經成為聽障者日常生活中不可或缺的溝通科技輔具。

然而，目前市售之多功能行動電話乃為一般使用者所設計的，而非為聽障者所設計。因此，儘管市售行動電話可完成聽障者隨時隨地溝通的夢想，聽障者使用市售多功能行動電話時，往往面臨「不適當」或「不足夠」的使用困難。若是行動電話之設計能夠考慮聽障者之需求，協助聽障者透過非聲音管道，以使用行動電話之功能（如視覺或震動覺），市售電話將可以改善聽障者之日常生活困境，同時亦不影響一般使用者之使用現況。

目前「聽障者專用」之行動電話由於產品市場有限(例如不易購得)，限制了未來使用的普及性，因而一直無法普遍被聽障者所接受。「以一般使用者為主，聽障需求為輔」之設計，則在產品設計末端才納入聽障者的需求，以致於聽障者在使用這些行動電話時，仍然面臨「不適當」或「不足夠」的困境。因此，未來聽障者多功能行動電話之設計應該於「產品設計先端階段即開始重視聽障需求，同時需要符合通用設計原則」。

本研究以「通用設計」原則和「聽障者參與產品設計先端階段」之「完整的設計考量」以達到下列目的：(1)根據通用設計原則和概念設計方法，以提出聽障者多功能行動電話概念設計；(2)根據概念設計之具體情節以發展聽障者多功能通用行動電話雛形”PeacePHONE”；(3)根據”PeacePHONE”之使用性測試，瞭解”PeacePHONE”是否能改善聽障者所面臨之「不適當」或「不足夠」之行動電話使用困境；與(4)根據”PeacePHONE”之使用性測試，瞭解聽障者對”PeacePHONE”設計概念之評價和建議，以作為再設計之參考。

使用性測試結果指出所有的使用性特徵結果指出，受試者對於PeacePHONE之使用性觀感給予正向的肯定。並提出三點正向回饋：(1)即時互動是重要的溝通設計特色；(2)熱鍵緊急通知功能可改善目前行動電話之使用性困難；與(3)可攜式門鈴和火警通知功能可改善目前行動電話之使用性不足。以及三點建議：(1)宜增加電子鎖以增加行動電話之安全性；(2) 宜提供聽障者自行選擇輸入方式的機會；與(3) 宜增加視覺導向的娛樂功能。

本研究就 (1)PeacePHONE再設計方面；(2)行動電話功能與通用設計原則之符合度；和(3)行動電話發展與設計方法之適切性三方向進行討論。PeacePHONE再設計方面，未來需要根據聽障者所提出之負向回饋進行再設計。通用設計方面，本研究之設計皆能符合七項通用設計原則，唯獨無法達到「視障族群」和「視力不佳之年長者」之公平性、靈活性和易感性原則。研究方法方面本研究所使用的研究方法符合科技輔具發展之趨勢，可做為未來發展其他科技輔具之參考。

According to a usage survey of mobile phones among the people who are deaf, 96% of them employ SMS on mobile phones for interpersonal communication. Additionally, some of them employ other functions like video phones, internet search or email / IM on the mobile internet. For instance, the Sidekick, a mobile phone marketed in the US by the service provider T-Mobile, has succeeded in the deaf community for email, IM, and internet search. Another survey has found that many people who are deaf prefer the “BlackBerry” devices to standard mobile phones owing to its wider range of functions, including email, text messaging, and Web browsing. The portability of mobile phones enables these functions to be employed conveniently. Hence, mobile phones can be adopted as an assistive platform to improve the quality of daily life of individuals who are hard-of-hearing. Although existing multi-functional mobile phones were designed for general users, not users who are hard-of-hearing, most are used by users who are hard-of-hearing. However, deaf individuals experience inadequate and insufficient difficulties using existing functions on mobile phones. However, the functions provided via non-sound channels are also suitable for the general public. Therefore, if mobile phone designs will consider the service requirements of individuals who are deaf, existing mobile phones could be significantly improved without adversely affecting use by the general public. The specialized mobile phones for users who are hard-of-hearing were limited because of these products are ususally expensive and socially discriminateing. Although Fuse (2008) and Vodafone (2008) had attempted to upgrade existing mobile phones based on feedback from deaf consumers, such as implementing a high resolution screen and camera, strengthening the IM interface and modifying emergency text messages, no comprehensive study has considered the service requirements of hard-of-hearing individuals in the frond-end designing process. This study have to intended to achieve the universal design of multi-function mobile phone based on the requirements of hard-of-hearing individuals in font-end designing process. Based on universal design principles and adopting the requirements of hard-of-hearing individuals in fron-end designing process, the purpose of this study was intended to: (1) provide conceptual design of multi-function mobile phone for hard-of-hearing users according to universal design principles and method of conceptual design; (2) develop mobile phone prototype“PeacePHONE” according to conceptuall design; (3) explore how the mobile phone service enhance the inadequate and insufficient usage difficulties according to the results of usabilitly testing; and (4) understand users’ attitudes, opinions and thought with respecting to “PeacePHONE”. Analytical results can be referenced by designers to optimize mobile phone functions for the hard-of-hearing community and assist individuals who are deaf in daily life. Experimental results based on usability testing indicate that the individuals who are deaf received positively the design ideas of the PeacePHONE. Three positive feedbacks were found to make the PeacePHONE usable for individuals who are deaf, there were (1) instant interaction was an important communication design feature, (2) hot-key emergency announcement functions could improve the inadequate usage for existing mobile phone, and (3) the portable doorbell and fire emergency functions could improve insufficient usage for existing mobile phone. Three additional suggestions to the negative feedback were also presented to enhance usability for the further design process: added e-lock function, options to select the preferred input method, and enhanced entertainment functions. The general discussion intended to (1) re-design of PeacePHONE; (2) the fitnesss for mobil phone function and universeal design principles; and (3) the suitability for mobile phone developing process and designing framework. The results of this study can be referenced by designers to optimize mobile phone functions for the hard-of-hearing community and assist individuals who are hard-of-hearing in daily life.