Supporting leisure and communication in people with visual and intellectual disabilities via a smartphone-based program

This study evaluated a smartphone-based program to promote independent leisure and communication engagement in five participants with visual impairment and mild intellectual disability. A smartphone with Android 5.1 Operating System and S-Voice application, Internet connection, contacts unit, and media player was used. The smartphone was fitted with MP3 files of leisure events and the names and telephone numbers of selected communication partners. The participants were taught to use the smartphone (open the files and reach the partners) through specific verbal utterances. The results showed that all participants learned to use the smartphone. Their independent engagement times (leisure plus communication combined) increased from baseline values of zero to means of between about 75% and 85% of the session lengths. These results indicate that a smartphone-based program may support independent leisure and communication engagement in people with visual impairment and intellectual disability who possess verbal skills.