Expert Consensus on Formation of Design Principles for Malay Sign Language Mobile Application Based on Nielsen’s and Molich’s Design Guidelines

Abstract

Malay Sign Language (MSL) is a Malay spoken language that hearing-impaired (HI) learners use in communication and learning in Malaysia. Various MSL mobile applications have been developed and available in the market to support the HI learners in learning sign language, but most fail to satisfy the learners’ needs and consist of many drawbacks in functionalities. Besides, the existing MSL mobile applications fail to evoke the cognitive ability among HI learners. Thus, this study aims to propose an MSL mobile application that hybridizes Nielsen’s and Molich’s Design Guidelines (NMDG) in order to evoke the cognitive ability among HI learners and provide mobile applications that meet the user’s needs.Before developing the proposed application, this study has carried out the initial investigation that has been done through User-Centered Design (UCD) in stage 1. Hence, the evolution of NMDG was identified, but they are too generic as it does not consider the HI alpha generation context in evaluating the mobile application. Hence, new design principles that consider HI alpha generation will be formed throughout the extension of the study based on the NMDG.