Usability evaluation of a multisensory tool for literacy of children and young people with Down Syndrome

Abstract

This study evaluates the usability of Alfaba, a multi-sensory educational tool specifically designed to support literacy development for children and young people with Down Syndrome (DS). Alfaba integrates tactile, visual, and auditory feedback, aiming to facilitate letter recognition, phoneme association, and word construction in a manner aligned with the cognitive and motor needs of this population. A usability test was conducted with seven participants aged 7 to 17, focusing on their interactions with Alfaba to assess accessibility, engagement, and areas for improvement. The results highlight that Alfaba's tangible design and real-time feedback encourage independent learning, support error recognition, and foster motor skill development, making it a valuable literacy tool for individuals with DS. Additionally, the study identifies opportunities for enhancement, such as incorporating touchscreen capabilities, gamified elements, and customizable word groups to further engage users. Alfaba's adaptability to the Brazilian Portuguese phonetic structure also positions it as a culturally inclusive tool that addresses the specific phonological needs of Portuguese-speaking children with DS. This study contributes to the field of inclusive educational technology by offering design recommendations that can enhance Alfaba's impact on literacy and proposes directions for future research to further refine and assess its efficacy in controlled educational settings.