Barriers and facilitators to everyday smartphone applications usage for community-living people with aphasia (PWA) in Singapore

Benjamin Chow Jia Wen: benjamin.chow@singaporetech.edu.sg
Aliah: 2300191@sit.singaporetech.edu.sg
Jiong Yi: 2300187@sit.singaporetech.edu.sg

Smartphone applications are now a necessity for participation in everyday life in Singapore. Navigating smartphone applications can be challenging for people with aphasia (PWA) due to their acquired language disorder from a brain injury. PWA have been reported to feel more excluded from the digital society. Utilising the World Health Organisation's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a framework to understand the impact of contextual factors on individual participation, the aim of this study is to identify the barriers and facilitators to smartphone applications usage for PWA. A deepened understanding of the PWA’s experiences could possibly set the foundation for more aphasia-friendly smartphone applications to be designed. 

Who can participate?
We are looking for people with aphasia (PWA) in Singapore.

What will participation entail?
(1) A semi-structured interview with up to 12 people with aphasia who use smartphones
(2) Structured task-based observations with 3 selected participants using wireframes of smartphone applications.
Each session will last up to 60 minutes and can take place at SIT Punggol or another location of convenience to the PWA.

Interested to help us make a difference?
Fill in the survey! Suitable participants will be contacted via whatsapp/email.
Click on the link below or scan the QR code provided in the poster: https://sit.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8vIXE1K3Xv3g9Tg?Q_CHL=qr
Participation is entirely voluntary.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact any of the study team members below:
Student Researchers:
Benjamin Chow Jia Wen: benjamin.chow@singaporetech.edu.sg
Aliah: 2300191@sit.singaporetech.edu.sg
Jiong Yi: 2300187@sit.singaporetech.edu.sg