A Sound Understanding --- An In-Situ Deployment of an Accessible Audio-Media Player with People Living with Aphasia

Paper Title

A Sound Understanding — An In-Situ Deployment of an Accessible Audio-Media Player with People Living with Aphasia

Publication Info

• Topic area: Accessible audio media for individuals with aphasia
• Keywords: Aphasia, audio accessibility, in situ deployment, podcast player, communication disability, comprehension scaffolds, accessibility design, generative AI, user-centered design, Research-through-Design (RtD)

Background and Problem

• Problem / challenge: Audio-only media remains largely inaccessible for people with aphasia, who face challenges in comprehension due to cognitive and auditory processing difficulties. Existing accessibility efforts focus on audiovisual content or sensory disabilities, leaving a gap in support for long-form audio comprehension.
• Significance: Audio media is a significant part of daily life, with 92% of UK residents consuming audio content weekly. Ensuring accessibility for people with aphasia can enhance their participation in cultural, social, and therapeutic contexts.
• Motivation and related work: Prior research has explored accessibility for audiovisual content and sensory disabilities but has largely neglected audio-only media and the needs of people with complex communication needs (CCN). Studies have highlighted the potential of individualised, internet-delivered content but lack in situ, longitudinal evaluations of accessible audio tools.

Solution

• Proposed approach: The Re-Connect app, a podcast player co-designed with people living with aphasia, integrates features like read-along highlighting, multi-level summaries, adjustable pacing, chapter navigation, glossary look-ups, and quick recall tools.
• Novelty:
  1. First in situ deployment of an accessible audio media player for people with aphasia.
  2. Empirical insights into real-world audio media use by listeners with aphasia.
  3. Design guidelines for platform-level audio accessibility to improve comprehension and navigation.
• Procedure and key techniques:
  • Pre-deployment design iteration with aphasia community feedback.
  • Pilot refinement with a working prototype and informal trials.
  • Three-week field deployment with 10 participants, including logging and mid-point adjustments.
  • Exit interviews using log-guided vignettes to understand user behavior and preferences.

Results

• Concrete findings:
  • The most-used features were Full Summary (40% of interactions), Highlight Toggle (14.4%), and Word LookUp.
  • Participants preferred concise, familiar labels and low-risk text formats, with summaries acting as adjustable scaffolds.
  • Audio books (31% of content consumed) were favored due to their rhythm, reduced scene complexity, and shorter length.
• Advantage over baselines:
  • Participants reported improved comprehension, confidence, and engagement compared to mainstream audio apps.
  • The app facilitated therapy-adjacent routines and social conversations, bridging leisure and rehabilitation.
• Experiments / evaluation:
  • Study involved 10 participants (ages 42–82, ASR scores 1–3) over three weeks, with qualitative interviews and in-app usage logs.
  • Features were evaluated based on engagement patterns, user feedback, and qualitative thematic analysis.
• Limitations and future work:
  • Small, non-representative sample and short deployment period.
  • Limited inclusion of individuals with severe aphasia (ASR = 4).
  • Future work should explore longer deployments, broader media types, and integration with clinical outcomes.

Summary

This study presents the Re-Connect app, an accessible podcast player designed for people with aphasia, featuring tools like read-along highlighting, summaries, and glossary look-ups. A three-week deployment with 10 participants demonstrated the app’s ability to enhance comprehension, engagement, and social interaction. Participants developed personalized listening routines, with lightweight, proximate supports proving most effective. The findings highlight the importance of tailoring accessibility features to individual needs and embedding them near the audio source. Future work should extend these insights to broader populations, longer deployments, and multimodal media contexts.