Vol. 2010 No. 1 (2010)

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Designing User Interfaces for Low-Literacy Populations in Ethiopia: A Replication Study

Kebede Assefa, Department of Artificial Intelligence, Addis Ababa University Zerihun Belayes, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) Yared Abebere, Jimma University Abiy Ayano, Department of Data Science, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University (AASTU)
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18910956
Published: December 5, 2010

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in designing user interfaces that are accessible to low-literacy populations across Africa. The methodology involves conducting usability tests with participants who have low levels of literacy, focusing on the design and implementation of interactive interfaces for digital platforms. Participants are recruited based on predefined criteria related to their level of education and literacy skills. Quantitative measures such as task completion times and error rates are recorded alongside qualitative feedback. A key finding from this study is that participants who scored below a certain threshold in reading comprehension (e.g., those scoring below the 25th percentile) exhibited significantly higher error rates when interacting with digital interfaces compared to their counterparts. This suggests that current designs may need adjustments for better accessibility. The results of this replication study support the hypothesis that user interface design should be tailored to accommodate individuals with low literacy levels, emphasising the importance of considering these factors in future research and practice. Based on these findings, it is recommended that designers incorporate more intuitive visual cues and simplified language into digital interfaces for users with limited reading abilities. Additionally, further research should explore the long-term effectiveness of such design changes. Model estimation used $\hat{\theta}=argmin_{\theta}\sum_i\ell(y_i,f_\theta(x_i))+\lambda\lVert\theta\rVert_2^2$, with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.

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How to Cite

Kebede Assefa, Zerihun Belayes, Yared Abebere, Abiy Ayano (2010). Designing User Interfaces for Low-Literacy Populations in Ethiopia: A Replication Study. African Media Law (Media/Law), Vol. 2010 No. 1 (2010). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18910956

Keywords

AfricanAnthropologyDesignErgonomicsInteractionLiteracyUsability

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Vol. 2010 No. 1 (2010)
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African Media Law (Media/Law)

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