AD 414 Interactive Narrative Project by Camille Mankus
Introduction
Vitiligo is a chronic disease that causes skin depigmentation. The disease promotes the development of unsightly white patches, and can severely alter ones appearance. The body's white blood cells attacks the skin's pigment cells due to a genetic mutation. There is no cure for vitiligo, but there are treatments available to lessen the appearance. The disease doesn't affect one's overall health, but can be very a difficult thing to deal with psychologically and emotionally looking different from everyone else.
Launch course - Flash Player 8 required (download)
(Total run time: Approximately 35 min)
Topic and Content
Custom-Built E-Learning Course on Vitligo
- Learning and documenting research is a type of narrative.
- Topic chosen for my 16-year-old little sister who has vitiligo.
- Turns dry, stark medical facts into rich, meaningful information - Manifestation of the
bodily experience. - Image-rich design and reader interaction makes experience more rewarding than just text in a research paper.
- Incorporates audio and images - particularly diagramatic and medical imagery.
- Invites user to investigate and explore. - How?
- Navigation - User controls pacing of the course, and can replay the audio or animation.
- Explore screens - Invites user to click on an image to get more information, and prevents huge running blocks of text (user-friendly).
Interactivity
- Interactivity arrangement enhances understanding of subject matter.
- Navigational system not unique, but appropriate for content.
- Usability Issues
(for future improvement)
- Occasionally lengthy/wordy text.
- Large audio files.
- Not able to turn off audio in animation screens.
- Unable to check off completed items.
- Allows user to move forward, even if screen not completed.
Structure
- Design
- 800 x 600 pixel dimension (W3C standard)
- HEX Code Colors (Web Safe)
- Framework
- Development approach - modular and easily interchangeable
- File naming system (aa010-module 1, screen 1)
- Functionality
- ActionScripting - structure of each document
- Navigational buttons - Parent functionality
Bibliography
On Vitiligo
Hann, Seung-Kyung and Nordlund, James J., ed. Vitiligo. Oxford: Blackwell Science, Ltd., 2000.
Ortonne, Jean Paul. Vitiligo and Other Hypomelanoses of Hair and Skin. New York : Plenum Medical Book Co., c1983.
VitiligoSupport.org. Vitiligo Support International. 14 September 2006
http://www.vitiligosupport.org
Vitiligo. Wikipedia, The Free Encylopedia. 12 September 2006
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitiligo
On Interactivity and E-Learning
Head, Allison J. Design Wise: A Guide for Evaluating the Interface Design of Information Resources. Medford, N.J. : CyberAge Books, 1999.
Crawford, Chris. Understanding Interactivity. United States: Publisher Unknown, 2000.
Wright, Vivian H., Sunal, Cynthia S., and Wilson, Elizabeth K., ed. Research on Enhancing the Interactivity of Online Learning. Greenwich, Conn. : Information Age Pub., 2006.
Broadbent, Brooke. ABC’s of e-Learning: Reaping the Benefits and Avoiding the Pitfalls. Upper Saddle River, N.J. : Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2005.