Finding My Voice over Zoom: An Autoethnography of Videoconferencing Experience for a Person Who Stutters

Title of the Paper

Finding My Voice over Zoom: An Autoethnography of Videoconferencing Experience for a Person Who Stutters

Paper Information

• Subject Areas: Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Speech Disorders (Stuttering), Virtual Conferencing Technology
• Keywords: Stuttering, Videoconferencing, Autoethnography, Computer-Mediated Communication, Accessibility, Zoom, Mindfulness

Research Background and Issues

• Issues and Challenges:

  • Videoconferencing technologies are typically optimized for efficiency and productivity but lack support for emotional connection, authenticity, belonging, and empathy.
  • For Persons Who Stutter (PWS), videoconferencing involves significant hidden costs, such as additional emotional and cognitive effort.
  • Current video technology designs fail to support the speech diversity of PWS, and automatic speech recognition systems perform poorly with stuttered speech.

• Significance:

  • As remote work becomes increasingly prevalent, videoconferencing has become a core communication method. Its technological limitations may further exacerbate the social marginalization of PWS.
  • More inclusive communication technologies and designs not only enhance the communication experience for PWS but also foster a fairer social environment.

• Research Motivation:

  • To expand existing research on stuttering and videoconferencing by focusing on the first-person experiences of PWS, bringing hidden cognitive and emotional complexities to light.
  • Autoethnography provides a deep, personalized research perspective, helping reshape videoconferencing technologies to better serve marginalized groups.

Solution

• Methods and Solutions:

  • Conducted a 15-month autoethnographic study, with the first author documenting their videoconferencing experiences, including psychological, emotional, and behavioral responses.
  • Data sources included quantitative and qualitative data from 43 videoconferences, such as structured questionnaires (recorded via Google Forms) and reflective journals.

• Innovations:

  • Applied autoethnography to the study of videoconferencing experiences, offering a first-person perspective on the communication challenges faced by PWS.
  • Promoted value-driven communication, advocating for mindfulness and self-compassion to address speech disorders rather than striving for perfect fluency.
  • Proposed new directions for technology design, such as supporting self-disclosure, self-acceptance, and creating more inclusive videoconferencing environments.

• Implementation Steps:

  1. Designed and completed questionnaires targeting videoconferencing experiences, recording psychological expectations and actual reactions before and after meetings.
  2. Collected data across diverse contexts, including professional meetings, educational activities, and community events.
  3. Conducted mixed-method analysis, combining qualitative analysis using open and axial coding with quantitative regression and correlation analysis.

Research Outcomes

• Specific Findings:

  • Uncovered the emotional and cognitive costs of videoconferencing for PWS, including significant physical tension and psychological stress.
  • Suggested that videoconferencing technologies should prioritize emotional connection, authenticity, and empathy—“soft” experiences—rather than solely optimizing efficiency.
  • Demonstrated a first-person perspective, illustrating how PWS overcome speech disorders through mindfulness, self-compassion, and social support.

• Advantages:

  • Highlighted the value of emotional support in videoconferencing design, which is beneficial not only for PWS but for all users.
  • Offered novel design recommendations, such as technologies that support users in expressing themselves during challenging moments and encourage more positive audience responses.

• Experimental or Evaluation Results:

  • Meeting satisfaction was significantly correlated with fluency, stress levels, and audience engagement.
  • Despite speech challenges during meetings, the author experienced greater satisfaction after openly disclosing their stuttering and reducing avoidance behaviors.

• Limitations and Future Directions:

  • The study is based on the autoethnographic account of a single PWS, which may limit representativeness.
  • Future research could involve more PWS participants to conduct diversified qualitative and quantitative studies.
  • Explore the potential of multi-perspective autoethnography and compare PWS experiences with traditional speech therapy approaches.

This study provides valuable insights for designing more inclusive video technologies, offering a reference for creating diverse communication scenarios in the future. By combining technological and humanistic values, the research emphasizes attention to individual experiences and hidden challenges. This perspective not only improves technology design but also lays the foundation for building respectful and empathetic social relationships.