Citation

Afzal, Sehrish and Adnan, Rubina and Mateen, Abdul and Kamal, Shahid and Ullah, Fasee and Batool, Samera and Rehman, Inayat Ur and Malik, Memoona (2026) Design and Evaluation of a Culturally Adapted Signing Avatar Framework (CASAF) for deaf communities in Pakistan: a Technology Acceptance Model approach. PeerJ Computer Science, 12. e3953. ISSN 2376-5992

Text Design and evaluation of a culturally adapted signing avatar framework (CASAF) for deaf communities in Pakistan_ a technology acceptance model approach.pdf - Published Version Restricted to Repository staff only Download (7MB)

Abstract

Background: Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) individuals in Pakistan face persistent communication barriers, limiting equitable access to digital content, education, and public services. While globally, virtual signing avatars have emerged as a scalable accessibility tool, their adoption in low-resource and linguistically diverse contexts remain underexplored. Methods: This study investigates acceptance of signing avatars with cultural adaptations among 475 DHH participants engaged in special education across Pakistan using an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Key constructs including perceived usefulness, ease of use, trust, user experience, and design quality were evaluated through a structured questionnaire. Results: Results indicate that while DHH users hold positive attitudes towards avatar-based solutions, preference for human interpreters remains dominant due to concerns around avatar realism, gesture accuracy, and cultural contextualization. The findings offer localized insights and practical implications for inclusive digital accessibility tools, particularly in South Asian contexts. Conclusions: The study contributes to the adaptation of Technology Acceptance Model for Signing Avatars (TAMSA) to Pakistan’s unique socio-cultural and landscape, providing evidence-based recommendations for culturally sensitive digital assistive technologies.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Assistive technology, Cultural adaptation, Deaf education, Inclusive learning
Subjects:	Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA71-90 Instruments and machines > QA75.5-76.95 Electronic computers. Computer science
Divisions:	Faculty of Computing and Informatics (FCI)
Depositing User:	Ms Rosnani Abd Wahab
Date Deposited:	02 Oct 2026 01:16
Last Modified:	02 Oct 2026 01:17
URII:	http://shdl.mmu.edu.my/id/eprint/16817

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