"I Choose Assistive Devices That Save My Face" A Study on Perceptions of Accessibility and Assistive Technology Use Conducted in China

Document Title

"I Choose Assistive Devices That Save My Face": A Study on Perceptions of Accessibility and Assistive Technology Use Conducted in China

Document Information

• Subject Area: Accessibility Technology Applications and Assistive Technology Design for People with Disabilities
• Keywords: Assistive Technology, Accessibility, Disability, Qualitative Research, In-depth Interviews, China, Misconceptions

Research Background and Issues

• Identified Problems or Challenges:

  1. In China, which has the largest population of people with disabilities (approximately 83 million), only about 7% have had the opportunity to use assistive technologies (ATs), with a high abandonment rate.
  2. Cultural perceptions and accessibility of infrastructure significantly impact the acceptance and use of assistive technologies.
  3. Existing research on ATs usage and social acceptance is primarily focused on North America and Europe, lacking exploration within China's cultural and social context.

• Importance of the Issues:

  • Assistive technologies have the potential to compensate for the shortage of professional caregiving resources, providing autonomy and opportunities for social participation to people with disabilities. Studying the specific use of assistive technologies in China can contribute to developing localized design strategies to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities.

• Research Motivation and Related Work:

  • The authors aim to address the gap in existing research regarding ATs usage and social acceptance in the Chinese context, understanding the social, cultural, and design factors influencing ATs adoption, and proposing feasible suggestions for better assistive technology design. Most studies in this field emphasize North American or European contexts, with limited exploration of the unique social and cultural factors in developing countries, particularly China.

Solution

• Proposed Methods or Solutions:

  • Conduct qualitative research based on interviews, recruiting and interviewing 26 participants with different types of disabilities to understand their practices, challenges, and perceptions of assistive technologies.
  • Data analysis methods include open coding and affinity diagramming to summarize themes and identify major trends.
  • Further exploration of design considerations suitable for the Chinese context, such as combining manual and electronic assistive technologies, addressing personalized user needs, and contextual design.

• Innovative Aspects:

  • The study is the first to focus on the adoption and use of assistive technologies within China's specific cultural and social environment, revealing influences such as "face culture" on technology choices.
  • Provides an in-depth discussion of the barriers posed by social biases and infrastructure to technology adoption, proposing strategies to overcome these obstacles.
  • Emphasizes how mainstream technologies (e.g., smart devices) can be effectively utilized to enhance the overall user experience of ATs.

• Implementation Steps and Techniques:

  1. Recruit participants through community organizations such as the China Disabled Persons' Federation. Interview topics include their experiences with assistive technologies, challenges in social interactions, and expectations for future designs.
  2. Each interview lasts 60–90 minutes, followed by transcription and translation into English.
  3. Two researchers independently perform open coding and then consolidate their findings through discussion, ultimately constructing themes using affinity diagramming.

Research Outcomes

• Specific Findings:

  1. Identified factors influencing the choice and use of assistive technologies by individuals with disabilities, including economic constraints, psychological self-esteem (e.g., avoiding technologies that visibly mark disability to protect "face"), severity of disability, and barriers in social interactions.
  2. Revealed reliance on DIY or modified assistive tools among people with disabilities, constrained by economic pressures, lack of design resources, and insufficient professional knowledge.
  3. Highlighted challenges in social interactions, including stigmatization, employment issues, and inconveniences caused by inadequate infrastructure.

• Comparison with Existing Solutions and Advantages:

  • This study fills the gap in existing research by providing insights into ATs adoption and design within a localized Chinese perspective, offering findings distinct from those in North American and European cultural contexts.
  • For designers, the research provides new perspectives on addressing local user needs, such as incorporating "face culture" and designing technologies that showcase residual abilities.

• Experimental and Evaluation Results:

  • Interviews revealed several key societal misconceptions:
    1. ATs can completely eliminate disability-related issues;
    2. People cannot live without assistive devices;
    3. ATs should compensate for inadequate social infrastructure;
    4. Multifunctional ATs are superior to single-function devices.
  • Case studies of some interviewees demonstrated the negative impact of these misconceptions on social interactions.

• Limitations and Future Directions:

  1. Participants were primarily concentrated in one province in China, limiting the ability to reflect nationwide conditions.
  2. Lack of investigation into populations who have not used assistive technologies.
  3. No systematic comparison of ATs adoption across different countries and cultural contexts.
  4. Future research is suggested to expand to more disability categories and degrees, exploring broader needs related to ATs design.