Designing video call spaces with and for adults with learning disabilities : A remote participatory design approach

Abstract: Video calls have received growing attention since the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic, accompanied by technological innovations, such as spatial audio or AI for simulating eye contact. The increased use of video calls in personal and professional environments poses opportunities for evaluating and shaping this technology by going beyond the notion of a single user and including people with different cognitive abilities. This study proposes a remote participatory design process with people with learning disabilities (LD), aiming to investigate considerations for the design of video call platforms. In cooperation with NetzStecker, the Office for Inclusive Media Education based in Münster, Germany, a four-stage research through design process is conducted with a group of adults with LD, including online workshops and mobile device-based diary studies. Perceptions and experiences are explored through the lens of phenomenology and lead to a set of design recommendations around the themes of spatiality and communication. Methodological conclusions discuss the challenges of using the medium of study as the principal medium of research and indicate a potential for proximity chats as design spaces.