The Development of a Mobile Application to Enhance Communication Knowledge in Service Tasks at Convenience Stores for People with Hearing Impairments

Abstract

This research aimed to develop and evaluate an application designed to facilitate communication during service tasks in convenience stores for individuals with hearing impairments. The sample group consisted of 100 participants, selected through purposive sampling, including 50 individuals with hearing impairments and 50 convenience store employees. The research instruments included a sign language application for communication in convenience store services, an application quality assessment form, a communication knowledge test for service operations, and a user satisfaction survey. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, including percentage, mean, and standard deviation, as well as inferential statistics using the paired sample t-test. The findings revealed that the application featured a structured vocabulary organized into four categories: beverages, consumables, non-consumables, and services. It also incorporated six types of sentences: statements, questions, requests, refusals, commands, and prohibitions. The application's quality was assessed and rated as excellent, with an average score of 4.80. During the testing phase, participants achieved an average pre-training knowledge test score of 11.33, which significantly increased to 18.32 after training. A paired sample t-test analysis confirmed that the improvement was statistically significant at the .05. User satisfaction with the application was also rated as excellent, with an average score of 4.75. This application has the potential to enhance communication in convenience store service operations for individuals with hearing impairments.