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ERIC Number: EJ1119729
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016-Nov
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2381-3369
EISSN: N/A
Equity in Assistance? Usability of a U.S. Government Food Assistance Application
Saal, Leah Katherine
Literacy Research: Theory, Method, and Practice, v65 n1 p283-299 Nov 2016
This article focuses on the quantitative phase of a multiphase mixed methods study investigating adults' and families' access to government food assistance. The research evaluates participants' comprehension of, and ability to, adequately complete authentic complex texts--national food assistance application documents. Summative usability testing of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program application was conducted with 12 adult participants in divergent literacy learning subgroups: 6 adults enrolled in adult literacy classes and 6 adults enrolled in a doctoral program in education. Protocol analysis and extended think alouds were used to evaluate the materials. Individual sessions were audio/video recorded and types, kinds, and rates of error metrics were compared by subgroup. The completion rate without critical errors for doctoral and adult literacy students was 66.6% and 0%, respectively. Results indicate significant concerns with the usability and comprehensibility of food assistance applications and point to the importance of including educationally/linguistically diverse participants in the usability/evaluation process for government assistance applications to prevent further marginalization.
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Adult Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United States
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A