Mobile Apps, Universal Design, and Accessibility in Schools

Abstract

How can mobile applications may be used to enhance accessibility for individuals with disabilities in educational settings as well as to encourage the development of apps that embrace universal design principles? Smartphones and tablets, often by default, provide alternative accessible features addressing the needs of individuals with visual, auditory, and/or physical disabilities. As schools make the leap into the mobile age, it is imperative to explore mobile applications developed with the universal design learning framework in mind and intent to provide equal access in learning environments. Increased use of mobile apps in the classroom goes hand in hand with the growing popularity of these tools in everyday life outside of the school context, and this chapter is a call for greater engagement with mobile applications that have been designed to be accessible for individuals with disabilities, and to promote a more collaborative and equitable learning environment.