Interactive computerized sign language health survey for Deaf adults: Interface design and functionality

Little is known about the health of Deaf adults. Therefore, Deaf and hearing researchers from the National Center for Deaf Health Research and Deaf community members designed the first computerized sign language health survey for the Deaf community. Respondents use a touch-screen computer to view deaf models signing each survey item's question and responses, which are also printed on touchable buttons. Touching these buttons replays the signed question or responses and allows response selection. Each item formats dynamically on-screen regardless of text length drawing content from editable text files and video clips. Respondents choose models differing in race/ethnicity, gender, age, and language (ASL or signed English) by touching screen tabs. Other user features include, 1) tabs that adjust text and signer size and signer background color to accommodate vision limitations, 2) optional captions, and, 3) a progress bar. Informed consent appears in ASL or signed English, and in print. Signer guided, graphically animated survey instructions are presented. An optional health-terms signed dictionary appears when needed. Hotline contact information appears when potentially disturbing items appear. The interface automatically branches to different items based on respondent-supplied information like gender, age, and health behaviors (e.g., males don't view women's health items). This flexible multimedia interface can also deliver health survey video and print content to other cultural and linguistic communities or to low literacy populations in appropriate spoken languages. This poster graphically illustrates the survey design and functionality. This methodology was successfully used in the first health risk behavior survey of Deaf persons.