title: Method for enhancing text entry rate with single-switch scanning.
abstract: Single-switch scanning is a technique used by some individuals for spoken and/or written communication. We developed a method for adjusting the settings in a single-switch scanning interface to increase a user's text entry rate (TER). We evaluated that method with nine individuals who use single-switch scanning to communicate. Text entry rates improved by an average of 120% (p = 0.003). All nine subjects increased their TER by at least 40%, and five of the nine increased their TER by over 100%. At baseline, TER averaged 1.42 words per minute (wpm), ranging from 0.28 to 2.92 wpm. With the revised settings, TER averaged 2.72 wpm and ranged from 1.12 to 6.51 wpm.
authors.affiliation: Koester Performance Research, Ann Arbor, MI;
authors.forename: Heidi Horstmann
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Koester
authors.forename: Richard Callaghan
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Simpson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003143:Communication Devices for People with Disabilities; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D012656:Self-Help Devices; D012984:Software; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014956:Writing; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: alternative communication; assistive device; assistive technology; augmentative communication; computer access; physical impairment; single-switch scanning; switch access; text entry; user performance