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IOS apps for people with intellectual disability: A quality assessment

Abstract:

People with intellectual disability should have access to life-long learning opportunities that help them to acquire essential knowledge and skills. Due to poverty, they may be unable to access basic products and services such as telephones, television and the Internet. Unequal access to technology has created a digital divide. However, information and communication technology can help people with intellectual disability in the interaction with the external environment. The objective of this research was assessing iOS apps quality for people with intellectual disability using Mobile App Rating Scale. Apps included for evaluation needed to be educational, in Spanish and free to download. A systematic search was conducted with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses in Apple App Store, finding a total of 958 apps. After filtering, a total of 42 apps were considered for evaluation using Mobile App Rating Scale. The research identified seven apps with good quality, with scores over 4. Due to moderately correlation of subjective customer ratings of Apple App Store with Mobile App Rating Scale score, customer rating is an unreliable indicator of app quality. The results of this research can help therapists and parents to choose the right app for people with intellectual disability.