Abstract:

Young adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) are a specific group who can benefit from Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). ICTs include any electronic technology that provides the means to access information or facilitate communication and social interaction. ICTs can facilitate the development, the maintenance and the strengthening of new social networks by helping people with similar interests get connected with others. ICTs offer entertainment, educational, supportive and social interaction purposes and create a sense of belonging and relatedness between people. These experiences of belonging and support highlight the role of ICTs in increasing the social connectedness of individuals with ID. This study deals with the design and development of a multi-tenant and expandable platform aiming at the development and conservation of skills of young adults with ID. Using a simple and intuitive mobile application, young adults, are able to remotely team up with friends, family and educators in order to achieve social interaction and get entertained along the way. Strict access and total control of usage of the platform contributes to a safe and controlled environment. Analytics gathered throughout the interaction of users with the application help, exclusively educators, in visualizing the progress of the users and the teams.

Keywords:

Ιntellectual disabilities (ID), information and communication Technologies (ICTs), mobile application, platform, social interaction, young adults.