Examining Sphero for Accessibility
Accessibility Considerations
Potential Barrier | Complexity of addressing the issue (0-5) How accessible does this make it for your students?) |
|---|---|
| Reading | |
| There are text instructions that require reading (i.e. are not presented auditory or supported by images). | Rating: 5 Reading text is required to connect Sphero to the associated app (Sphero EDU). Reading text is required to select and set parameters for commands in the app. |
| Text is used to label/categorize and is not accessible auditory or supported by images. | Rating: 5 Categories and labels are not accessible in auditory forms or supported by images. |
| There is challenging vocabulary used that is not explained. | Rating: 5 Technical vocabulary in the command options, parameters are challenging. There are no tips/simplifying options or descriptions. |
| There are tool tips/hints that require reading (i.e. are not presented auditory or supported by images). | Rating: 5 Reading text is required to read tools in the app. There are minimal images supporting the text. |
| There are letters and/or numbers that require user to recognize. | Rating: 5 Reading text is required to operate Sphero device. |
Additional Comments: Significant technological literacy is required to turn Sphero on and pair it with the desired interface. | |
Writing | |
| Students are required to type correctly spelled commands in order to carry out tasks. | Rating: 0 No writing/typing is required. |
| Students are required to compose sentences to program a story line (i.e. character conversation) | Rating: 0 No writing/typing is required. |
Additional Comments: | |
| Cognitive | |
| Students are required to store information and recall it later to carry out a task. | Rating: 4 User is required to remember a desired sequence to create and test a code. |
| Students are required to follow a large number of steps sequentially that are not broken down. | Rating: N/A Level of barrier dependent on task. |
| Students are required to have an understanding /prior knowledge of certain concepts in order to carry out tasks. (i.e. left/right, sequencing) | Rating: 5 User required to know concepts of direction (i.e. left, right, up, down), degrees, time, speed and sequencing |
| Students are required to follow fast paced instructions. | Rating: N/A User is not required to complete a task within set time-frame. |
| Students are required to follow instructions that are provided auditorily but not visually. | Rating: N/A No auditory instructions. |
| Students are required to navigate across multiple screens. | Rating: 3 User is required to attend to control panel and actions of the Sphero. |
| Students are required to orient self in relation to objects (i.e. what is forward for me compared to what is forward for the robot) | Rating: 3 User is required to recognize the location and orientation of the robot in relation to self and be able to recognize what is “front” on the robot. |
| Additional Comments: | |
| Visual Perceptual | |
| Students are required to have good spatial awareness to carry out the task. | Rating: 4 User is required to have an awareness of spatial directions in relation to self and in relation to the front of the robot. |
| Students are required to understand ratios or relationships of size, distance etc... | Rating: 2-3 User is required to understand the concepts of size, distance and depth on the surface the robot is placed. |
| Students are required to transfer their understanding of concepts from different perspectives and/or planes. | Rating dependent on concept being discussed. |
| Students are required to sort through and focus attention to several icons and features on a single page. | Rating: 3-4 User is required to divide attention between the control panel and actions of Sphero. |
| Students are required to perceive and recognize colours. | Rating: 2 Commands are categorized using colour. The lights on the robot are also a range of colours. Specific colours (like red-green) would be difficult to distinguish for someone with colorblindness. |
| Students are required to scan field of view and see all relevant aspects. | Rating: 3 User is required to scan field of view and track where the robot goes. |
| Additional Comments: | |
| Sensory | |
| Student is required to handle vibrations | Rating: 0 No vibration features. |
| Students are required to work with soft/smooth surfaces | Rating: 1 All pieces have a hard smooth surface that may limit ease for grip when repositioning Sphero. |
| Students are required to hear sounds. | Rating: 0 Sphero does not make any sounds/voices |
| Students are required to handle various temperatures. | Rating: 0 Sphero does not have a fluctuating temperature. |
Additional Comments: Determining Sphero’s “front” is difficult and requires sufficient vision to see into the ball and recognize the relevant landmarks for directions inside it. | |
| Fine Motor | |
| Students are required to move items seamlessly using a small, single point of contact (i.e. finger) | Rating: 5 All commands require use of touchscreen and drag-and-drop is used to build a sequence. |
| Students are required to manipulate small objects in close proximity. | Rating: 0 No small object manipulation is required |
| Students are required to effectively use a mouse (i.e. for scrolling, clicking and dragging) | Rating: 0 A mouse is not required. |
| Students are required to perform complex gestures to carry out tasks. (i.e. pinch, 3 finger tap) | Rating: 0 Simple gestures are required (tapping, drag and drop) but complex gestures (3 finger scroll) are not needed to build sequence. |
| Students are required to put together small pieces of machinery. | Rating: 0 No assembly required. |
| Students are required to use small tools. | Rating: 0 No assembly required. |
| Students use alternate access devices for keyboard and mouse functions. | Rating: N/A There is no required keyboard or mouse. |
| Additional Comments: | |
| Gross Motor | |
| Students are required to get up and move at any point. | Rating: 1 Small movements required for set up. |
| Students are required to lift up the robot or control panel at any point. | Rating: 1 Sphero will need to be picked up from docking station and placed on desired surface to start use. |
| Students are required to use two hands at once. | Rating: 0 No bimanual hand activities required. |
| Additional Comments: | |
| Environmental Considerations | |
| Students are required to understand concepts that are specific to certain cultures. | Rating: 0 No culturally contingent concepts. |
| Socioeconomic access to the technology. | Rating: 5 Expensive. |
| Students need to be constantly supervised/facilitated. | Rating: 2 Since there are no “help” functions provided, tutorials, or descriptions, the student benefits from access to an individual to facilitate/supervise initial use. |
| Students need a significant amount of space to use the robot. | Rating: 3-4 Sphero requires a large amount of space and smooth surfaces to travel. |
| Additional Comments: | |
Potential Solution Ideas
| Reading | Writing | Cognitive | Visual Perception | Fine Motor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
| ***NOTE: Be sure to check the compatibility of a student's current support products with the coding application(s) being considered. Also consider whether the use of the products requires instruction prior to expecting them to support coding instruction. | ||||