Mentally challenged as design principles and models for their applications

computer therapy, tablet computer,  model driven engineering, mental disability

Touch devices (tablet computers and smart-phones) have become common part of our life style. We cannot also overlook the huge usage of these devices in special education especially in work with mentally challenged individuals (called "the revolution of special pedagogy"). Since 2012 inspired by the success of touch devices in special education we have established and led the IT therapy program for mentally challenged (called simply "computer therapy" and using touch devices at most). As part of this therapy program we have conducted series of usability testing with focus to identify the most usability HW/SW flaws of tablet devices. Based on our usability testing and usability inspection findings we have proposed 14 basic HW/SW design principles (extension and redefinition of previously proposed 10 simple design principles) which should be respected in "usable/accessible" design and development of application for mentally challenged. Some of these principles were already implemented in our practical framework which we used to develop new more usable applications.

Tablet computers have become a common part of our life style. Since 2012, inspired by the success of touch devices in special education, we have established and led the IT therapy program for the mentally challenged. In this paper we also present one of our final study with 12 participants. Based on our findings from our studies we have finally proposed 14 SW/HW design principles (an extension and redefinition of a previously proposed 10 simple design principles) which should be generally respected in design and development of every "usable/accessible" application for the mentally challenged. Some of these principles are applicable as design patterns or models in software development and some were already implemented in our framework which we used to develop new more usable applications.