Smart Speaker Savvy: Developing an Inclusive Training Intervention

Research Objectives: To develop a comprehensive, multi-modal training intervention designed to educate people with disabilities on using smart speakers, specifically Amazon Echo devices. The intervention was designed using an iterative, stakeholder-driven approach to meet the diverse needs of users with varying disabilities

Design: A qualitative, nonrandomized controlled trial design was employed. Feedback was collected from participants over a two-week period following their interaction with the training materials.

Setting: The study was conducted online. Participants accessed the training via a web link and completed it at their own pace. Feedback was gathered through online surveys

Participants: The study involved 6 participants: 2 individuals without disabilities, 3 individuals with physical disabilities and 1 who is hard of hearing. The median age was 43, and 3 participants were female. A convenience sample was used, with participants either from the research team’s consumer advisory group or professional network.

Interventions: The training was developed using Articulate 360, a leading tool for creating accessible and interactive online courses. The program included multiples modules covering basic and advanced functionalities, accessibility, and Alexa Skills.

Main Outcome Measures: Participant feedback, collected through self-reported surveys, was analyzed to identify recurring themes and actionable insights for refining the training

Results: Six qualitative themes emerged:
- Accessibility: Suggestions on how to improve the ease with which individuals with disabilities can navigate and interact with the training modules and accompanying app.
- Video Feedback: Recommendations for improving the videos used within the training, including suggestions for making the content more engaging and easier to understand.
- Content Improvement: Feedback on ways to enhance the clarity, usability, and engagement of the existing training materials.
- Updates: Strategies for ensuring the training content remains current and reflective of the latest developments in smart speaker technology.
- Navigation and Presentation: Ideas for improving the organization and presentation of information within the modules to ensure users can easily find and access the content.
- Community Support: Proposals for fostering a supportive community where users can share experiences, seek help, and collaborate with others who are using the training program.

Conclusions: The stakeholder-driven approach provided valuable insights into both the content and accessibility of the training intervention. The positive feedback received has informed several updates and enhancements to the training, ensuring it meets the needs of a diverse user base. Further research will be needed to assess the usability and effectiveness of the smart speaker training program.

Author(s) Disclosures: No potential conflict of interest are reported by the author(s).