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Models used for the design and service delivery of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems are limited. There are no standardized protocols for gathering user requirements beyond clinical/diagnostic information relating to AAC access needs (i.e., physical and cognitive capabilities). Nonetheless, information on the social, cultural, and psychological aspects of technology orientation and use are important to understanding how an AAC system will complement the user’s lifestyle, personal goals, values, and activities. Persona development is a user-centered design method that creates descriptive user models of different segments of a user population. Personas describe users’ personal characteristics, and the ways in which they think, behave, and engage in activities (with or without technology). The objective of this study is to investigate the utility of user personas as a supplementary tool to aid SLPs in AAC assessment and service delivery. Three personas of individuals with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) were developed and validated in our prior research. Twelve SLPs engaged in mock AAC assessments of the three ALS case studies under two conditions: with or without the use of personas as a supplemental informational tool. By and large, there were no statistically significant differences between groups across objective measures; however, interview sessions with the SLP participants revealed benefits to using personas during clinical decision-making, particularly for training novice SLPs. Discussion also focuses on ways in which user personas can be adapted and improved to mitigate some of the challenges and risks identified.

Evaluating user-personas as supplementary tools in AAC intervention and clinician decision making