Moving beyond Limitations: Designing the Helpdys App for Children with Dyslexia in Rural Areas

Andres Larco, Jorge Carrillo, Nelson Chicaiza, Cesar Yanez and Sergio Luján-Mora
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Andres Larco: Departamento de Informática y Ciencias de la Computación, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito 17-01-2759, Ecuador
Jorge Carrillo: Departamento de Informática y Ciencias de la Computación, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito 17-01-2759, Ecuador
Nelson Chicaiza: Departamento de Informática y Ciencias de la Computación, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito 17-01-2759, Ecuador
Cesar Yanez: Departamento de Informática y Ciencias de la Computación, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito 17-01-2759, Ecuador
Sergio Luján-Mora: Department of Software and Computing Systems, University of Alicante, 03690 Alicante, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 13, 1-19

Abstract: Dyslexia is a relatively common language disorder which is generally ignored in rural communities. It hinders children’s learning processes and, in some cases, is the cause of dropouts or violence in schools. The present work strives to create a web and mobile app as a preliminary step towards the diagnosis and treatment of dyslexic children. Apps providing didactic educational games and activities improve literacy skills for students with reading disabilities. The current work incorporates user experience and prototyping to fulfill app requirements. The authors evaluated the apps with the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) tool to assess engagement, functionality, aesthetics, and information. The app’s improvements were immediately implemented and tested in the “Escuela Linea Equinoccial” (Ecuador) school, proving its utility for future use in the education system. The app can be a valuable tool for children with dyslexia to progress successfully through school, raising their self-confidence and, thereby, helping them reach their full potential as adults able to make a positive contribution to society.

Keywords: dyslexia; inclusive education; mobile apps; rural area; sustainable apps; web apps (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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