Graphical User Interface Design Guide for Mobile Applications Aimed at Deaf Children

Abstract

The objective of this work is to establish a Graphical User Interface (GUI) design guide that will support the development of mobile applications aimed at deaf children. To achieve this goal, this research was carried out by reviewing systematic literature reviews and field research techniques. For data collection, the following research techniques were used: meetings, interviews and observation in order to define the general guidelines that are part of the guide. Based on these guidelines, we proceeded to the design and development of prototypes on paper and functional prototypes of a mobile application for deaf children of an educational institution in the city of Popayan-Colombia. These prototypes were subjected to a usability evaluation using inspection techniques by three (3) different user profiles: Specialists in children with hearing disabilities, children with hearing disabilities, designers and developers. The design guide was validated in a process that involved the teachers and students, considering criteria of identity, design, accessibility, navigation and operation. Based on the results obtained, the final guidelines were determined and, therefore, the development of the GUI design guide for mobile applications aimed at deaf children. This GUI design is a tool that can be used by developers and designers of mobile applications to create new applications that consequently allow the inclusion of this population in the use of new technologies.