what-when-how
In Depth Tutorials and Information
a good staring point for comparing different STEs and also for clarification of the
interaction between the technical and social dimensions of an STE. Table 7.1 shows
the comparisons between AT and Volvo [29]. Following is the decomposition of the
MAPS system:
Hardware:.
MAPS uses a PC for its MAPS-DE script designing tool, feeding
the script composition are recorded voice prompts and images collected by a
digital recorder and camera, respectively. MAPS scripts are played on by the
MAPS-PR on a PDA or smart phone that runs one of the small versions of
the windows operating system.
Software:.
he MAPS system software consists of the MAPS-PR script player
and the MAPS-DE script editor. In addition to these (and in support of
them) are (optionally) required an image editor for the pictures illustrating
the prompt and an audio editor for the verbal prompts. Behind this would
be the windows desktop and small device operating systems. Because one
of the functions not disabled in the PDA was the MP3 player (to motivate
retention of the PDA), the MP3 player application was also sometimes used.
Additionally, some caregivers used a text editor (like MS word) for prelimi-
nary script design. he scripts themselves were stored in a Sybase database on
the PC and PDA, as well in as in the MAPS script template server that held
pre-outlined typical scripts.
Physical.surroundings:.
MAPS was used in two kinds of environments. he
MAPS-RP was used wherever the end user was performing tasks with the aid
of the scripts prompting. In the initial trials of MAPS these ranged from in
the end user's home to in a school to at employment (i.e., in a used-clothing
store). As well as the MAPS-PR being used in these spaces, the caregiver
would photograph them for script creation. he prompts we most often
recoded were in the home, or in the case of the job coach, the office of the
caregiver. Incidentally, in the case where the MAPS-PR PDA was being used
as an MP3 player, the location varied with the path of the end user through-
out the day.
People:.
he list of people includes not just individuals (roles) but also groups
of people (groups). hese include the designers of the MAPS system and the
end-user co-designers. Central to the sociotechnical system are the end user
(also referred to as the MAPS-PR user, a person with cognitive disabilities, and
the client) the day-to-day caregiver, who may be a family member or a profes-
sional caregiver paid for by insurance, the family, or the state. Influencing the
system at a remove are AT experts, special-ed experts and teachers (in the case
of a young adult with cognitive disabilities), insurance personnel, and state
funding staff. At a further remove, but still very much affecting the system,
are school administrators and employers. Finally, intimate influences of the
system are the end user's immediate family and friends, as well as their peer
groups (either in school or employment).
