Use of eye-gaze technology feedback by assistive technology professionals: findings from a thematic analysis

Figures & data

Figure 1. Graphical illustrations of the different feedback displays discussed in this paper: (a) calibration plot, (b) positioning guide, (c) heatmap, (d) live feed, (e) scanpath. The actual topic prompts used examples from existing AT software and can be viewed in the Supplemental Materials for this paper.

Five grayscale images, each showing a graphical representation of an eye-gaze feedback tool discussed in this study. Clockwise from top-left, these are a calibration plot, a positioning guide, a live video feed, a scan path, and a heatmap.

Table 1. Participant professional roles (all participants are UK-based).

	Professional role	Working context	Main client group
Assessment focus group—AT professionals involved in the assessment and provision of eye-gaze technology in the UK
P01	Clinical Scientist (Public Sector)	Specialist AAC Service	All ages and disabilities
P02	Occupational Therapist (Third/Charitable Sector)	Charity providing AT for play and leisure opportunities	All ages—mainly children and young adults with physical disability
P03	AAC Product Representative (Commercial Sector)	AAC manufacturer/supplier	All ages and disabilities
P04	Occupational Therapist (Third/Charitable Sector)	Specialist AAC Consultancy	Children and young adults
P05	Speech and Language Therapist (Public Sector)	Specialist AAC Service	Adults with acquired/degenerative disabilities
P06	Clinical Technologist (Third/Charitable Sector)	Specialist AAC Service	Adults with acquired/degenerative disabilities
Daily use focus group—Professionals who interact with individuals using eye-gaze technology on an ongoing basis.
P07	Speech and Language Therapist (Private Sector)	Various—mainly schools and colleges	Children and young adults
P08	Speech and Language Therapist (Public Sector)	Local NHS Speech and Language Therapy Provision	Adults with physical and/or cognitive disabilities
P09	Speech and Language Therapist (Public Sector)	School-based Speech and Language Therapy Provision	Children and young adults with physical disabilities
P10	Speech and Language Therapist (Public Sector)	Specialist School and College	Children and young adults with physical disabilities
P11	Occupational Therapist (Public Sector)	Specialist School and College	Children and young adults with physical disabilities

Table 2. Themes and subthemes identified during transcript analysis.

Main theme	Theme description	Identified subthemes
How professionals use feedback tools	Related to the ways in which participants make use of the feedback they receive from eye-gaze systems.	Adjustments (device, environment, user) Informing hardware choice Guiding intervention Informing interface design User presentation Support and training Discussion with other stakeholders Trial and error Feedback unhelpful
Timing and availability of feedback tools	Related to the availability of feedback methods—both how easy they are to access and when they are presented to professionals and users.	Accessibility of feedback Timing of feedback presentation
Confidence in feedback tools	Related to the confidence professionals have in different types of feedback and how that confidence is increased or decreased.	Clarity of representation Objectivity Transparency of method
Impact of prior knowledge and experience on use of feedback tools	Related to how the experience and knowledge of the person receiving or interpreting the feedback impacts on its reception and use.	Amount of feedback Professional experience and judgement
Use of feedback tools in combination	Related to how feedback is used in combination with other sources of information.	Combining multiple feedback types Combining with observation