Title:
A Directory Service for Multi-Literate Users
A Directory Service for Multi-Literate Users
Author(s)
Sin, Mark
Escobedo, Marco
Best, Michael L.
Escobedo, Marco
Best, Michael L.
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Abstract
User directory services, such as a database service
cataloging people in a company or community, are
important components today to many online applications.
Furthermore, the design of computer applications and
interfaces that are appropriate to currently marginalized
communities, such as those in rural and poor areas of the
developing world, has become an increasingly important
research area. We have developed and tested a novel user
directory service made specifically for rural communities
and for users with low written and computer literacy. Our
system supports a new interface design that allows users to
perfirm directory searches for people across a number of
dimensions without requiring written literacy nor
keyboarding skills. This user directory service was tested
in a rural community of the Dominican Republic. Initial
results suggest that the general user interface and
iconography was effective in supporting users with a
range of written literacy and computer skills. However,
results show that the Boolean query mechanism. as
implemented, is difficult to master.
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Date Issued
2004
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Resource Type
Text
Resource Subtype
Proceedings